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Biomedical subjects

V Luca

Publications and source records attributed to V Luca.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2004

Incidence and etiological agents of bacterial meningitis among children <5 years of age in two districts of Romania.

To expand upon the limited comprehensive population-based data for childhood bacterial meningitis in Eastern Europe, the present study was conducted in the Iasi and Constanta districts of Romania. From March 2000 through March 2002, children <5 years of age hospitalized for bacterial meningitis were enrolled in a prospective surveillance study. A total of 56 cases of bacterial meningitis were identified, including 37 due to Neisseria meningitidis (22 per 100,000 per year), 13 due to Haemophilus influenzae type b (7.6 per 100,000 per year), and six due to Streptococcus pneumoniae (3.5 per 100,000 per year). Of the 31 meningococcal isolates that were serotyped, 12 were serogroup A, eight were serogroup B, and 11 were serogroup C. Among all cases of bacterial meningitis, 25 occurred in children <1 year of age, including those due to meningococci (n=14), H. influenzae type b (n=7), pneumococci (n=3), and Klebsiella pneumoniae (n=1). In Romania the incidence of H. influenzae type b meningitis is similar to that found in other areas of Southern and Eastern Europe during the pre-vaccination era, and the incidence of meningococcal meningitis is one of the highest yet found in Europe. An unexpectedly high proportion of these meningococcal meningitis cases is due to serogroup A. Disease burden could be substantially reduced through the introduction of H. influenzae type b conjugate vaccine and, when available, meningococcal conjugate vaccine protective against serogroups A, B and C.

Age Distribution↗
PubMed1987

In vivo and in vitro cytogenetic damage induced by sodium nitrite.

The mutagenicity of sodium nitrite was assayed by in vivo and in vitro experiments. The in vivo experiments were carried out in male rats and mice intragastrically treated twice, with an interval of 24 h, with nitrite in doses of 1.72, 5.18, 15.55 and 46.66 mg/kg body weight and in male rabbits treated with the same doses of nitrite administered daily in drinking water for 3 months. Chromosomal aberration analysis was conducted in all 3 species of animals and micronucleus induction was only evaluated in mice. Nitrite induced increases in aberrant metaphases in all 3 species of animals. Likewise, in mice it induced increases of the numbers of micronucleated polychromatic erythrocytes and a light bone marrow depression. Neither in the increases of the numbers of chromosomal aberrations nor in that of micronuclei, were dose-related responses observed. The in vitro experiments were carried out on BSC-1 and HeLa cells grown in cultures with nitrite in doses of 0.265 and 0.530 mg/ml for 24 h. Both doses produced significant increases of the percentage of chromosomal aberrations but also without demonstration of positive dose-effect relationships.

Animals↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[The epidemiological aspects and prevalence of markers in those with viral hepatitis C in some population categories in 1994-1997 in Iaşi County].

The results of the epidemiological, clinical and laboratory investigations, carried out in the 1994-1997 interval in the Iaşi district, on various populational groups, to indicate the prevalence of the antibodies anti-HVC possessors are presented. In 3611 patients with clinical-epidemiological HCV diagnosis, it was recorded a prevalence of the anti-HCV antibodies (AcHCV) presence of 22.7%. Posttransfusional hepatitis, epidemiologically diagnosed in 205 hospitalised patients was attributed to HCV in 11.6% of the cases, and in 94 patients with neurological diseases, AcHCV were identified in 9.6%. The presence of AcHCV at 825 persons in medico-sanitary staff, from risk domains, has recorded a prevalence of 8.0%. In the January 1997-September 1997 interval, the investigation by IIIrd generation ELISA of 51,149 blood samples of donors from various areas indicated the presence of AcHCV with an interval average of 2.6%.

Blood Donors↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[The clinico-evolutionary considerations of 492 cases of measles hospitalized in the Infectious Disease Clinic Iaşi in 1997].

Between 01.01.1997-31.12.1997 in the Infections Diseases Clinical Hospital of Iaşi were admitted 492 patients suffering from measles. The above mentioned number of patients represents 4.92% of all the patients (10097) who were admitted during this period of time. More than half of the patients (56.9%) are residents in suburban arias. Teen-agers and young adults (15-24 years) were involved in most of the cases, followed by new born babies (0-11 months). The clinical signs were prevalent minor and the atypical exanthema was found in 1/4 of all cases. The most frequent complications were pneumonia, bronchopneumonia and otitis media. Of all the patients, two children (average age 1-4 years) died.

Adolescent↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[The clinical picture, treatment and prognosis of meningitis due to anaerobic and nonfermentative bacteria].

OBJECTIVES: The study of incidence, clinical manifestations and prognosis of meningitis with anaerobic and non-fermentative bacteria. MATERIAL AND METHOD: Retrospective study of 10 patients with severe forms of purulent meningitis admitted in the Hospital of Infectious Diseases of Iaşi, during 1.01.1990-31.12.1998. RESULTS: 3 of them were diagnosed with etiology with polymicrobial flora and the rest had etiology with: Peptostreptococcus (2 cases), Acinetobacter calcoaceticus (4 cases), Eikenella corrodens (1 case). The majority were male sex (8 cases), and from rural area (9 cases). The age of patients ranged from 2.5 to 59 years (the majority being adults of group of age 50-60 years). The gate of entrance was: iatrogenic in the majority of cases (6 cases), posttraumatic (2 cases) and othogen (2 cases); 3 cases being with cerebrospinal fluid fistula and 8 patients being in coma. The factors associated with poor prognosis were: the immunosuppression (chronic etilism--4 cases; bronchopneumonia--2 cases, pulmonary cancer--1 case) and the presence of the focal neurological findings on the noser of illness. The diagnosis was established by clinical characters and confirmed by isolating germs from cerebrospinal fluid. The treatment was done at the beginning with first intervention antibiotic association with a high spectrum and then according to the antibiogramme. The evolution was severe even under treatment with 3 deaths, the mortality being of 30.0%. CONCLUSIONS: We wished to present these cases as a general remark on the severity of illness, generally appeared on a suppressed ground, together with the rarity of those germs implicated in the etiology of purulent meningitis.

Acute Disease↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Nosocomial staphylococcal meningitis].

OBJECTIVE: Clinical, bacteriological and therapeutically study on iatrogenic staphylococcal meningitis. METHOD: Retrospective analysis of 33 cases of iatrogenic staphylococcal meningitis admitted to the Hospital of Infectious Diseases of Iaşi in the interval 1988-1997. RESULTS: In the interval under study the recorded incidence was 1-5 cases per year. The predisposing factors were neurosurgical procedures for endocranial processes (12 cases), operated chronic otomastoiditis (11 cases), ventriculoatrial or peritoneal shunt (5 cases) and neurosurgical assessment (5 cases). The onset was slow, with persisting and mild headache persistence recurrence of fever, vomiting and convulsions followed by meningeal contracture and encephalitic phenomena. In 24 patients cerebrospinal fluid was typical for purulent meningitis. The causal agents were isolated in 25 cases being Staphylococcus aureus (20 cases) and Staphylococcus epidermidis sensitive to usual antistaphylococcal agents. Three therapeutically schemes were used the association cefotaxim î gentamycin proving to be the most effective vancomycin was required in but 2 cases. Three deaths were recorded. CONCLUSIONS: The symptoms of iatrogenic staphylococcal meningitis are mild marked by the underlying disease the most effective treatment being the association of cefotaxim with an aminoglycoside.

Adolescent↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Hepatic artery hemodynamics in acute viral hepatitis.

In order to evaluate the effect of the acute viral hepatitis on arterial blood flow we performed duplex Doppler US on 30 patients with acute viral hepatitis (AVH) and compared the results with those obtained on 20 normal volunteers. Hepatic artery flow (HAF) was significantly increased with the patients suffering from acute viral hepatitis. The data obtained show that the increase of arterial blood flow is not always associated with the increase of arterial velocities. We could put in evidence the presence of the hepatic artery response to altered portal blood flow (arterial buffer) during a AVH. If the increase of HAF is absolutely necessary for recovery from hepatitis, excessive increase of HAF seems to increase the time of recovery. In our study, the evolution of acute viral hepatitis was good when the HAF values did not exceed 65% of liver supply. The increase of arterial blood flow over 65% seems to limit the portal supply of the liver and in this way the amounts of regenerating substances which bathe the liver cells. The HAF value plays an important role in acute viral hepatitis evolution, so that the exploration of HAF and hepatic artery velocities may be a reliable examination in order to monitor the evolution of this disease.

Acute Disease↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Neurologic manifestation in mumps virus infection].

OBJECTIVE: To study the incidence, clinical manifestations and treatment of mumps virus meningitis. MATERIAL AND METHOD: Study of 64 patients with mumps virus meningitis, admitted to the Clinic of Infectious Diseases of Iaşi during 1996-1999. RESULTS: The mumps virus meningitis had a high prevalence în 1998 (39%) most patients being males (62.5%) from the urban areas. 39.06% of cases were on the age group of 5-6 years old, 25% were in the age group 10-14 years old and 18.75% were adults patients. The clinical manifestation were dominated by headache (100%), fever (100%), vomiting (89%), photophobia (43.75%) and meningeal syndrome of contracture. The laboratory diagnosis was established by the cerebro-spinal fluid exam, together with the peripheric blood exam. The treatment was in all the cases with pathogenic (corticotherapy) and symptomatics with a very good evolution. CONCLUSIONS: All the cases with diagnosis mumps virus meningitis were well going, having good evolution and complete healing under symptomatic and pathogenic therapy.

Adolescent↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Difficulties in the diagnosis of prolonged fever in infants].

We report the case of an infant with cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection who developed a nosocomial sepsis of mixed etiology. Fever failed to decrease despite long-time and sustained antibiotic therapy. Treatment with an antiviral agent following the detection of CMV antibody of the IgM class resulted in clinical improvement and subsequent full recovery. We suggest that the diagnosis of CMV infection should be considered even in immunocompetent patients in whom antibiotic therapy fails.

Antibodies, Viral↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Hanover intensive score. Study on 218 cases ].

We have performed a prospective study (1990-1996) in our intensive care unit in Hospital "C.I. Parhon" Iassy. Our study has 218 critical patients with ARDS and MSOD. For all of them we have used a new scoring system HIS (Hanover Intensive Score) for: the evaluation of patients with ARDS that have the risk to develop MSOD; determine the prognosis in different moments of evolution. In our opinion this score has the following advantages: it is easy to apply; it can determine the prognosis and the probable status of the patient at the moment of outcome; it can be used in our country with the technical that we have and we propose this score for his performances.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

The prevalence of the owner of serologic markers for the hepatitis C virus, in a north-eastern territory of Romania.

The paper describes aspects in the natural evolution of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection with severe outcomes induced by the typical or atypical clinical manifestations or chronic carrier state. In the interval 1995-1999 in the Iasi district morbidity from all types of viral hepatitis ranged from 153.4 cases per 100,000 inhabitants in 1995 to 66.6 in 1999. The features of A viral hepatitis epidemiological process was the multiannual cyclic pattern. From estimating the circulation of HCV in the population of Iasi district, several population categories have been screened for the presence of HCV antibodies (anti-HCV). Testing 87,894 blood samples assessed the prevalence of anti-HCV in blood donors. Different annual values resulted: 1.5% in 1997 and as a result of routine screening, only 0.3% in 1999. The cases of posttransfusion hepatitis (PTH) admitted to the Clinic of Infectious Diseases of Iasi, the diagnosis of which was supported by epidemiological history and confirmed serologically by the presence of anti-HCV were of 12 in 1995 (36.4% of all PTH), 20 in the interval 1996-1999, with an average for the 4 study years of 7.5%. Anti-HCV was found in 24.4% of series of 4,594 patients with viral hepatitis, in 32.1% of 582 individuals with various disorders or at risk, of which those with liver cirrhosis accounted for 37%, and in 9.6% of 94 patients with neurological disorders. Of the 1083 tested physicians and nurses working in health care settings at risk 6.6% were anti-HCV-positive.

Biomarkers↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Bartonella infection].

Bartonella species have been recently recognized as an important human pathogen associated with a wide spectrum of diseases. Four members of the genus are known to cause human infection: Bartonella baciliformis, B. henselae, B. quintana and B. elizabethae. B. baciliformis, the first identified Bartonella species, is the agent of two disease entities, Oroya fever and verruga peruana., B. henselae and B. quintana are two species involved in producing bacteremic syndromes (relapsing fever, trench fever, endocarditis), chronic lymphadenopathy in immunocompetent patients (cat-scrath disease) and chronic vascular lesions in immunocompromised hosts (bacillary angiomatosis and bacillary peliosis hepatis-recognized as new opportunistic infections in HIV-infected patients).

Animals↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Clinical and biological study of acute diarrhea with mixed etiology in 48 patients].

OBJECTIVES: The study of incidence, clinical manifestation and treatment of acute diarrhea with mixed etiology. MATERIAL AND METHOD: Study of 48 patients with acute diarrhea with mixed etiology admitted in the Hospital of Infectious Diseases of Iaşi during 1995-1998. RESULTS: 12 cases (24%) were mixed bacterial infections with the following microorganisms associations: Salmonella + Shigella (10 cazuri); Salmonella + Yersinia enterocolitica (1 case); Salmonella + Rotavirus (1 case). 16 cases (44%) had mixed digestive infections with parasites, in double or triple associations: Giardia intestinalis + Ascaris lumbricoides (10 cases); Giardia intestinalis + Ascaris lumbricoides + Entamoeba coli (1 case); Giardia intestinalis + Enterobius vermicularis (3 cases); Ascaris lumbricoides + Trichiuris trichiura (2 cases). The rest of 20 cases presented mixed infections with bacteria and parasites: Salmonella + Rotavirus + Giardia (2 cases), Salmonella + Shigella + Giardia intestinalis or Ascaris lumbricoides (6 cases), Salmonella + Giardia intestinalis (8 cases); Salmonella + Entamoeba coli (3 cases); Shigella + Trichiura trichiuris + Entamoeba coli (1 case). The majority was male patients from rural areas with age between 5 month and 56 years, the majority being children, 4 cases were found in immunosupressed patients. The clinical symptomatology was dominated by diarrheal syndrome (100%) and the diagnosis was established by clinical characters and confirmed by coproculture and parasitologic exam. The ethiological therapy was guided by antibiogram, in the majority of cases we used fluorochinolones (associated with ceftriaxone in severe cases), together with antiparasitic medications. CONCLUSIONS: In this study predominated the bacterial and parasitic infections, most frequently being isolated Salmonella, Shigella and Giardia intestinalis; the therapy associated fluorochinolones with antiparasitic medication.

Adolescent↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Sensitivity and resistance to antibiotics of Streptococcus pneumoniae involved in severe infections (1990-2000).

S. pneumoniae implicated in severe infections presents now a high frequency of the resistant strains to Penicillin G or multiresistance in the whole world. Our study on 136 strains of invasive pneumococcus isolated in the last 10 years showed a medium resistance to penicillin of 22.8% with yearly variations. The resistance to Rifampin, Cloramphenicol and Eritromycin was of 4.4%, 7.8% and 8.0%. The treatment of pneumococcal infections must be adapted to actual antibiotypes. These results present therapeutic implications.

Drug Resistance, Multiple, Bacterial↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Spinal epidural abscess.

In a retrospective study, 68 patients with Spinal Epidural Abscess (SEA) were reviewed. Of these, 66% had different predisposing factors such as staphylococcal skin infections, surgical procedures, rachicentesis, trauma, spondilodiscitis. Abscess had a lumbar region location in 53% of cases. Staphylococcus aureus was the most frequent etiological agent (81%). The overall rate of mortality in SEA patients was 13.2%.

Adolescent↗