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PubMed2001

The standardization of Achenbach's Youth Self-Report in Greece in a national sample of high school students.

Achenbach's Youth Self Report (YSR) questionnaire is accepted worldwide for the assessment of adolescent competencies and behaviour problems. As with any similar instrument, it is liable to cultural influences, hence requires standardization for the culture in which it is to be used. This study reports on the standardization of the YSR in Greece, in a national school-based sample of 1456 high school students, 11-18 years of age. Responses at the item level seem to follow the culturally expected gender behaviour. Behaviour problem scale scores were not affected by degree of urbanization, reflecting a high degree of cultural homogeneity between urban and rural areas in Greece. Sex effects were important, with girls showing a greater tendency towards Internalizing and boys towards Externalizing Problems. Age effects were also statistically significant (older adolescents showing more problems, especially of the delinquent type), but numerically small. There was considerable correlation between Internalizing and Externalizing problems, with an odds ratio of 6.9 (95% confidence interval, 4.6-10.4) for exceeding both cut-offs. The analysis showed that Greek adolescents obtained significantly higher mean scores than their American counterparts on all scales. Cut-off points based on the 90th and 98th percentile developed from this sample are presented for the competencies and the problem scales.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2002

Chlamydia pneumoniae infection among healthy children and children hospitalised with pneumonia in Greece.

Chlamydia pneumoniae has been recognized as a cause of respiratory tract infection in humans, and its prevalence has been shown to vary among different age groups and populations. The prevalence of Chlamydia pneumoniae antibody was determined by serological investigation in 343 healthy children and in 77 children consecutively hospitalised for pneumonia in southwestern Greece. Seventy-eight (22.7%) healthy children had IgG Chlamydia pneumoniae titers > or =1/8. The prevalence of Chlamydia pneumoniae antibody in the age groups 6 months-5 years, 6-9 years and 10-15 years was 7.9%, 11.4% and 36%, respectively. One child hospitalised for pneumonia had serological results consistent with acute Chlamydia pneumoniae infection. The results of the present study suggest a low prevalence of Chlamydia pneumoniae antibody among preschoolers in Greece, followed by a steep rise in children 10-15 years of age. Chlamydia pneumoniae is not a common etiologic agent of childhood pneumonia requiring hospitalisation.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2004

Seroepidemiology of rubella in northern Greece.

In light of two rubella outbreaks in northern Greece during the last decade (1993 and 1999) and periodic changes to the immunization strategy, the present study was conducted to determine the current status of rubella immunity in this region. Among the 729 subjects studied the total vaccination rate was 30.4% and the seroprevalence rate was 82.4% (odds ratio, 0.618; 95% confidence interval, 0.415-0.921). A higher seroprevalence (83.2%) was observed among people born before 1989, when the national rubella immunization program was introduced, compared to the individuals born after 1989 (67.1%; P=0.000). Among women of reproductive age (i.e. 16-40 years), who represented 69.6% of the study population, 10.3% were susceptible to rubella and only 16.4% were vaccinated. The results indicate a comprehensive policy is still needed in order to eliminate rubella and congenital rubella syndrome in Greece.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2005

Chlamydia trachomatis infections in Greece: first prevalence study using nucleic acid amplification tests.

The present retrospective study was initiated to determine the prevalence of Chlamydia trachomatis and to assess the risk factors for infection in adult women and men presenting to general practitioners, gynecologists, dermatologists, and family-planning centers in Greece. The study was carried out in four different Greek hospital centers using highly sensitive nucleic acid amplification techniques. Altogether, 16,834 women and 1,035 men were enrolled from October 1998 to April 2004. Two types of specimens were collected from each patient: cervical swabs from women, urethral swabs from men, and first-catch urine from women and men. All specimens were examined with the Cobas Amplicor C. trachomatis polymerase chain reaction assay (Roche Molecular Systems, Branchburg, NJ, USA) or the LC x C. trachomatis ligase chain reaction assay (Abbott Laboratories, Abbott Park, IL, USA). Demographic and behavioral data were collected by clinicians using a standardized questionnaire. A total of 704 (3.9%) patients were infected with C. trachomatis. The prevalence among female patients was 3.5% and that among male patients 11.2%. Among infected patients, 88% were under 30 years of age, 71% reported more than one sexual partner, and 91% reported a new sexual partner within the last year. In conclusion, the prevalence of C. trachomatis infection in Greece is low. Young age and new and multiple sexual partners within the last year were factors consistently associated with an increased risk of chlamydial infection.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2006

Seven cases of Pompe disease from Greece.

We present seven cases of Pompe disease (McKusick 232300; glycogen storage disease type II; acid maltase deficiency) from Greece. The onset of symptoms varied from early childhood to late adulthood, and the patients had quite variable duration of disease. All but one of them had muscle weakness and all had mildly to highly elevated serum creatine kinase. The diagnosis in all cases was confirmed by the finding of acid alpha-glucosidase (EC 3.2.1.3/20) deficiency in cultured skin fibroblasts. Thirteen mutant alleles were identified and nine different pathogenic mutations were encountered. Four were new: c.2071_2072insAGCCG leads to frameshift and total loss of function; c.1856G > A (p.Ser619Asn) leads to 90-95% loss of function; and the splice-site mutations c.1552-3C > G and c.2331+4A > G reduce the number of correct splicing events by more than 90%. The splice-site mutation c.-32-13T > G (IVS1-13T > G) was encountered four times and seems equally common among Greek and other caucasians. The other mutations: c.925G > A (p.Gly309Arg), c.[307T > G; 271G > A] (p.Cys103Gly; Asp91Asn), c.271del and c.1655T > C (p.Leu552Pro) have been reported earlier. Our study highlights the heterogeneity of Pompe disease in Greece and provides tools for diagnosis and carrier detection.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2006

The first database comprised of flagellin gene (flaA) types of Campylobacter jejuni human clinical isolates from Greece.

BACKGROUND: Flagellin subunit A gene (flaA) typing of Campylobacter has been recognized by several groups as a relatively simple and quick genotyping method. The present study aimed to create, for the first time in Greece, a database with flaA restriction patterns, which could be used for future epidemiological and clinical studies. A total of 207 C. jejuni clinical isolates of known serotype were collected from 5 general hospitals of the area of Attica, during the period 2000-2003. RESULTS: The RFLP profiles of each strain were matched in 44 bins of 0 or 1. Thirty nine different flaA types, designated as flaA 1 GR to flaA 39 GR (GR: Greece) were found. There was no significant association of certain genotypes with certain serotypes. However flaA typing showed a remarkable discriminatory ability inside the non-typable (NT) group. CONCLUSIONS: Evaluating our results we observed (i) that there was no clonality of a certain flaA type among the strains and the serotypes examined and (ii) that the discriminatory ability of flaA typing was much better than that of serotyping. Giving a simple and detailed description of the data analysis, we are the first who publish the bin patterns for the flaA genotypes found.

Bacterial Typing Techniques↗
PubMed2005

Creating an integrated health care system in Greece: a primary care perspective.

Over the past few years Greece has undergone several endeavors, aimed at modernizing and improving the national health care services. A Health Care Reform Act seeking quality improvement and coordination of outpatient and hospital services at the Regional level, through the enhancement of primary care, has been recently approved. This paper reports a proposal for integrated health system in the primary care system in Greece with a major focus on equity, quality, and outcomes. The equity and quality framework of this proposal will possess the main components focusing on the provision of essential services, and clinical and organizational standards.

Continuity of Patient Care↗
PubMed2003

A case of Opisthorchis felineus infestation in a pilot from Greece.

We describe the case of a 28-year-old man from Greece with Opistorchis felineus infestation. The patient presented with intense abdominal pain, bilious emesis and eosinophilia. He probably acquired the infection overseas, since he was a commercial airline pilot who used to fly to endemic areas and to consume raw or undercooked fish. He was successfully treated with praziquantel administered in divided doses over a single day. Opisthorchiasis is common to eastern Europe and areas of the former Soviet Union, but extremely rare in Greece. Medical personnel should be cognizant of this parasitic infection, since world travel can spread it to areas of the world unaccustomed to it.

Adult↗
PubMed1993

Perinatal mortality in Greece and Greek-born women in Victoria. What does a 'natural experiment' suggest?

A comparison of perinatal outcome in the Greek perinatal mortality survey of 1983 with the outcome of births to Greek born women who had migrated to Victoria, Australia found marked similarities in maternal age, parity, marital status and cigarette smoking. The birthweight distributions were almost identical in the two groups. Despite these similarities the perinatal mortality was substantially higher in Greece. Analysis by cause of death showed the differences to be marginal in all categories except deaths attributed to intrapartum asphyxia which were eight times as common in Greece.

Birth Weight↗
PubMed1983

Institutional child abuse in Greece: some preliminary findings.

A long-term study on child abuse and neglect in Greece is being carried out at the Institute of Child Health, Athens. A multidisciplinary team is investigating the nature of the problem in Greece, is trying a system of therapeutic intervention to families, is evaluating the adequacy of child protection as it is used in child abuse and neglect, and is examining the efficacy of the law. During a one year period, 5 children cared for in institutions were referred to the program. All were boys. All were children with minor or major handicaps. Two of died from the abusive incident. A study of the circumstances of the injury, and of the conditions in Greek institutions, supports the idea that institutional and family child abuse share many common characteristics. Special mention is made of the Greek circumstances pertaining to child protection and the law.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1993

Ethnobotanical survey of Zagori (Epirus, Greece), a renowned centre of folk medicine in the past.

Zagori is a group of villages in and around the National Park of Vikos-Aoos, in Epirus, north-west Greece. It was renowned in previous centuries as a major centre of folk medicine, and its practitioners, called 'vikoyiatri' or 'komboyiannites', were famous beyond the borders of Greece. Given the rich biological and cultural heritage of Zagori, we have tried to evaluate the present status concerning the medicinal flora of the area and its uses in the everyday life of the Zagori inhabitants. About 100 plants and their uses for therapeutic and other purposes are reported. Information included comes from both literature sources and interviewed informants. Traditional healing has not been altogether wiped out of Zagori. However, it no longer reflects the famous past and rich medicinal flora of the area.

Botany↗
PubMed2006

Prevalence of age-related macular degeneration in Greece: the Thessaloniki Eye Study.

PURPOSE: To estimate the age- and gender-specific prevalence of age-related macular degeneration (AMD) in a population-based sample of subjects 60 years of age or older in Thessaloniki, Greece. DESIGN: Cross-sectional population-based study. METHODS: A total of 2554 subjects randomly identified from municipality registers in Thessaloniki underwent a complete ophthalmologic examination. RESULTS: Of the 3617 eligible subjects, 2554 (71%) participants completed a clinical examination. The prevalence was 2.5% for AMD, 1.4% for neovascular (NV) AMD, and 1.3% for geographic atrophy (GA). Bilateral AMD was present in 40% of AMD cases. The prevalence of AMD, NV, GA, and bilateral AMD increased with increasing age (P< .0001). No gender-specific statistically significant differences were noted. Of all participants with AMD, 67% were unaware of the diagnosis. CONCLUSIONS: The prevalence of AMD in Greece is comparable to that in other Caucasian populations. A dramatic increase in prevalence in people older than 80 years of age was observed.

Age Distribution↗
PubMed2006

Prevalence, awareness, treatment and control of hypertension in Hellas, Greece: the Hypertension Study in General Practice in Hellas (HYPERTENSHELL) national study.

BACKGROUND: The Hypertension Study in General Practice in Hellas (Hypertenshell) is a cross-sectional study (much like the National Health and Nutrition Examination Study) for assessing the prevalence, level of awareness, treatment, and control of hypertension in Greece. METHODS: The study was conducted with the collaboration of physicians in 98 Health Centers across Greece. Participants were interviewed about lifestyle, and blood pressure (BP) measurements were taken on two clinical visits for verification of diagnosis and control of hypertension. Hypertension was defined as systolic BP > or =140 mm Hg or diastolic BP > or =90 mm Hg, or current treatment with antihypertensive drugs; the same threshold was used for assessing control of hypertension. RESULTS: A total of 11,950 individuals participated and data for 11,540 were analyzed, comprising 0.1% of the Greek population. The prevalence of hypertension was 31.1% (men 33.6%, women 28.4%); among elderly individuals (>65 years) the prevalence was higher (65.4%). Of the hypertensive individuals, 39.8% did not know that had hypertension, yielding an awareness of 60.2%; in addition, 12.4% were aware but not treated (men 13.1%, women 11.8%). In all, 51.2% (1838) of hypertensive subjects were treated; 67.2% (1235) were treated but not controlled (men 66.7%, women 67.7%); and 32.8% (603) were treated and controlled (men 33.3%, women 32.3%). CONCLUSIONS: The results of the Hypertenshell Study indicate that hypertension is a common risk factor for cardiovascular disease in the Greek population. Awareness, treatment, and control of hypertension are comparable to the best rates of control of hypertension given for the problem, but there is a considerable potential for further improvement in the control of this disease.

Age Factors↗
PubMed2006

Analysis of LDLR mutations in familial hypercholesterolemia patients in Greece by use of the NanoChip microelectronic array technology.

BACKGROUND: Three mutations in the low density lipoprotein receptor (LDLR) gene account for 49% of familial hypercholesterolemia (FH) cases in Greece. METHODS: We used the microelectronic array technology of the NanoChip Molecular Biology Workstation to develop a multiplex method to analyze these single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs). Primer pairs amplified the region encompassing each SNP. The biotinylated PCR amplicon was electronically addressed to streptavidin-coated microarray sites. Allele-specific fluorescently labeled oligonucleotide reporters were designed and used for detection of wild-type and SNP sequences. Genotypes were compared to PCR-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP). RESULTS: We developed three monoplex assays (1 SNP/site) and an optimized multiplex assay (3SNPs/site). We performed 92 Greece II, 100 Genoa, and 98 Afrikaner-2 NanoChip monoplex assays (addressed to duplicate sites and analyzed separately). Of the 580 monoplex genotypings (290 samples), 579 agreed with RFLP. Duplicate sites of one sample were not in agreement with each other. Of the 580 multiplex genotypings, 576 agreed with the monoplex results. Duplicate sites of three samples were not in agreement with each other, indicating requirement for repetition upon which discrepancies were resolved. CONCLUSIONS: The multiplex assay detects common LDLR mutations in Greek FH patients and can be extended to accommodate additional mutations.

Genetic Testing↗
PubMed2006

Levels of dioxins, furans and PCBs in human serum and milk of people living in Greece.

In an attempt to evaluate the background levels of polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins (PCDDs), polychlorinated dibenzofurans (PCDFs), non-ortho, mono-ortho and indicator polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) in people living in an urban (Athens) and a rural (Kozani) area of Greece, blood serum and mother milk samples were analyzed. Analytical results are reported in this study. Statistically significantly differences were observed between regions, sexes and ages. Contamination levels in blood and human milk from Greece reported here are low compared to the previously reported dioxin data from other European countries and give no indication of particular health risk.

Adult↗
PubMed2004

Isolation of a rare Escherichia coli O157:H7 strain from farm animals in Greece.

A strain of Escherichia coli O157:H7 was isolated from goat faeces during a surveillance study on the prevalence of this serotype of E. coli in farm animals in Greece. Three hundred and fifty one faecal samples were collected from goat, sheep and cattle breeding farms in the area of Epirus, Northwestern Greece. The E. coli O157:H7 isolate was nonsorbitol-fermenter, produced only VT2 and showed a beta-glucuronidase positive activity, a rather unusual biochemical feature for the E. coli O157:H7 serotype. No other strain of E. coli O157:H7 was isolated from the faecal samples of the rest farm animals examined, thus the overall prevalence of animal carriage was found to be 0.2%. The findings also indicate that goats can be a reservoir of E. coli O157:H7 and goat milk, dairy products and meat may serve as a vehicle for the pathogen transmission to humans.

Animals↗
PubMed2006

In vitro activities of tigecycline against recently isolated Gram-negative anaerobic bacteria in Greece, including metronidazole-resistant strains.

The in vitro activity of tigecycline was compared with those of benzylpenicillin, piperacillin + tazobactam, cefoxitin, imipenem, metronidazole, clindamycin, and tetracycline against 249 Gram-negative anaerobic bacteria (158 Bacteroides fragilis group, 27 non-fragilis Bacteroides spp., 44 Prevotella spp., and 20 miscellaneous), recently isolated from 8 general hospitals in Athens, Greece. Overall tigecycline MIC(50) and MIC(90) were 0.25 and 2 mg/L, respectively, whereas B. fragilis group MIC(50) and MIC(90) were 0.5 and 4 mg/L, respectively. In total, 93% of the isolates were susceptible to tigecycline (MIC </= 4 mg/L) and no high-level resistance (MIC >/= 32 mg/L) was detected. In addition, tigecycline exhibited good activity against metronidazole- and tetracycline-resistant isolates (MIC(90), 0.5 and 8 mg/L, respectively). In summary, tigecycline exhibits good in vitro activity against Gram-negative anaerobic bacteria isolated in Greece, as well as stability to the most common occurring resistance mechanisms, attributes that make this parenteral agent an attractive alternative for use against infections involving these microorganisms.

Anti-Bacterial Agents↗
PubMed2006

Combination of staphylococcal chromosome cassette SCCmec type V and Panton-Valentine leukocidin genes in a methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus that caused necrotizing pneumonia in Greece.

We describe a case of necrotizing pneumonia in Greece caused by a community-acquired methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) producing Panton-Valentine leukocidin (PVL) carrying the staphylococcal chromosome cassette mec (SCCmec) type V. The pulse field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) pattern of this strain differed significantly from the PVL-positive multi-locus sequence typing (MLST)-80 clone of MRSA, which predominates in Greece and in Europe. Further analysis of this strain revealed that it belonged to the agr1 allele type, and its resistance to tobramycin, gentamicin, and kanamycin was associated to the presence of aac-(6')-Ie+aph(2') gene. This is the 1st report that documents the emergence of CA-MRSA with PVL genes in combination with the SCCmec type V in Europe.

Adult↗