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[Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection in persons infected with HIV and its characteristics in the HIV-infected population in Slovenia].

The problem of tuberculosis (TB) in population, infected by human immunodeficiency virus I (HIV I) in Slovenia is presented in the period from 1986 when the first patient was registered, till 1989. In Slovenia it has been established that TB plays an important role in patients with HIV infection. Out of 14 patients with symptomatic HIV infection, 6 suffered from pulmonary TB and 1 patient from extrapulmonary TB (50%), mostly being expressed already in the early stage of HIV infection. In 3 patients with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) the pulmonary TB had been proven before the HIV infection was established. In one case the mycobacterial infection was confirmed pathohistologically after death; one patient suffered from disseminated TB. Out of three patients with AIDS related complex (ARC) two of them showed the apical pulmonary TB with cavitations. The data available show a prevalence of infection with Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MT) in population of Slovenia, so the occurrence of TB in a HIV positive person must by all means be taken into account regardless of the stage of disease. In the opposite, the possibility of HIV infection in newly detected TB patient must always be considered, especially concerning younger persons, predominantly men, whose history reveals risk behaviour. The paper presents also the clinical features as well as diagnosis, therapy and prevention of TB in HIV positive persons.

Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome↗

Plasma viral load in HIV-1 and HIV-2 singly and dually infected individuals in Guinea-Bissau, West Africa: significantly lower plasma virus set point in HIV-2 infection than in HIV-1 infection.

BACKGROUND: The intriguing differences in the natural course, transmissibility, and epidemiological characteristics of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) and HIV-2 are still insufficiently explained. Differences in plasma viral load are an obvious possibility, but this has been difficult to investigate because of the lack of tests for HIV-2 RNA. OBJECTIVE: To compare plasma HIV RNA load between individuals infected with HIV-1 and HIV-2 in Guinea-Bissau, a West African country with high prevalence and incidence of HIV-1 and HIV-2 infection. METHODS: A total of 102 participants were recruited from ongoing prospective cohort studies. These included 19 HIV-1 and 29 HIV-2 seroincident cases tested at a median of less than 2 years after seroconversion as well as seroprevalent cases with single (9 HIV-1 cases and 31 HIV-2 cases) or dual (n = 14) infections. Plasma HIV RNA levels were determined by a commercial HIV-1 assay and an experimental HIV-2 assay based on the same principles. RESULTS: The viral set point, ie, the semi-equilibrium reached after seronconversion, was 28-fold lower in recent HIV-2 seroconverters than in recent HIV-1 seroconverters (median, 2500 and 70,000 RNA copies per milliliter, respectively; P<. 001). This difference appeared to persist to symptomatic stages of the diseases. Dually infected individuals had lower plasma HIV-1 RNA levels than singly infected individuals. CONCLUSIONS: The differences between HIV-1 and HIV-2 infection are likely to be caused by differences in plasma viral set point and load, but the mechanisms through which HIV-2 infection is contained to a higher degree than HIV-1 remain to be identified. Arch Intern Med. 2000;160:3286-3293.

Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome↗

Guidelines for clinical care: anti-infective agents for intra-abdominal infection. A Surgical Infection Society policy statement.

Several antibiotics have been marketed for therapeutic use in intra-abdominal infection. Often, these agents do not provide a sufficient spectrum activity against both facultative and obligate anaerobic gram-negative organisms, or have certain toxic effects that would not otherwise support their use. Guidelines have been developed for selection of antibiotic therapy for intra-abdominal infections and are presented as a statement of the Surgical Infection Society endorsed by the Executive Council. These guidelines are restricted to infections derived from the gastrointestinal tract and deal with those microorganisms commonly seen in such infections. The recommendations are based on in vitro activity against enteric bacteria, experience in animal models, and documented efficacy in clinical trials. Other concerns regarding pharmacokinetics, mechanisms of action, microbial resistance, and safety were also used in the formation of these guidelines. For community-acquired infections of mild to moderate severity, single-agent therapy with cefoxitin, cefotetan, or cefmetazole or ticarcillin-clavulanic acid is recommended. For more severe infections, single-agent therapy with carbapenems (imipenem/cilastatin) or combination therapy with either a third-generation cephalosporin, a monobactam (aztreonam), or an aminoglycoside plus clindamycin or metronidazole is recommended. Regimens with little or no activity against facultative gram-negative rods or anaerobic gram-negative rods are not considered acceptable.

Abdomen↗

The relevance of arterial wall microbiology to the treatment of prosthetic graft infections: graft infection vs. arterial infection.

One potential, but poorly studied source for intraoperative contamination of vascular grafts is the native artery to which the prosthetic graft is attached. The purpose of this study was to analyze the relationship between arterial wall microbiology and graft infection. Between July 1, 1981, and March 31, 1982, arterial specimens were cultured from 88 (30%) of 298 patients undergoing clean, elective arterial reconstructive procedures. Control cultures were obtained from adjacent adipose or lymph node tissue. Positive cultures were obtained from 38 of 88 (43%) of the arterial walls cultured but from none of the control cultures (0 of 20) (p less than 0.001). The most common organism cultured was Staphylococcus epidermidis (27 of 38; 71%). Our overall graft infection rate since January 1, 1981, is 0.9% (3 of 335). All three graft infections occurred in patients with positive arterial cultures. Arterial and graft cultures were also obtained from 20 patients treated for 22 graft infections over the past 13 years. Organisms recovered included staphylococcal species (36%), enteric organisms (46%), and mixtures of the two (18%). These patients with culture-positive graft infections were divided retrospectively into two groups: those with positive and those with negative arterial cultures. Positive arterial cultures were associated with suture line disruption in 8 of 14 cases (57%), but there were no arterial disruptions in patients with negative cultures (0 of 8) (p less than 0.01). These data document a significant correlation between positive arterial wall cultures and subsequent prosthetic infection and also suggest that infection involving the arterial wall is a major determinant of the morbidity and mortality associated with the treatment of prosthetic graft sepsis.

Arteries↗

HIV infection of choroid plexus in AIDS and asymptomatic HIV-infected patients suggests that the choroid plexus may be a reservoir of productive infection.

The choroid plexus (CPx) may be an important site of viral dissemination since monocytes and dendritic cells in its stroma are infected with HIV in AIDS patients and since the ratio of CPx to brain infection is more than 2 : 1. In order to see if CPx infection also develops in asymptomatic (ASY) HIV-infected patients, we examined archival formalin-fixed brain and CPx from 14 AIDS and seven ASY cases, using routine histology, immunohistochemistry for HIV gp41, and DNA extraction and gene amplification for HIV DNA. Eight of 14 AIDS (57%) had HIV-positive cells in the CPx and four (29%) had HIV encephalitis. Two of seven ASY cases (29%) had HIV-positive cells in the CPx but none had HIV encephalitis. Extracted DNA from brain, CPx and systemic organs of five ASY cases was amplified by nested PCR with or without Southern blotting for HIV env gene. It was positive in systemic organs in five cases; in CPx in four cases; and in brain in one case. This study shows that the CPx is a site of HIV infection in ASY patients and that the frequency of CPx infection is higher than seen in brain in both AIDS and ASY cases. The results are consistent with the hypothesis that the CPx may be a site for hematogeneous spread and a reservoir for HIV infection during the period of clinical latency.

Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome↗

Cells persistently infected with Newcastle disease virus. II. Ribonucleic acid and protein synthesis in cells infected with mutants isolated from persistently infected L cells.

A comparison of the replication patterns in L cells and in chick embryo (CE) cell cultures was carried out with the Herts strain of Newcastle disease virus (NDV(o)) and with a mutant (NDV(pi)) isolated from persistently infected L cells. A significant amount of virus progeny, 11 plaque-forming units (PFU)/cell, was synthesized in L cells infected with NDV(o), but the infectivity remained cell-associated and disappeared without being detectable in the medium. In contrast, in L cells infected with NDV(pi), progeny virus (30 PFU/cell) was released efficiently upon maturation. It is suggested that the term "covert" rather than "abortive" be used to describe the infection of L cells with NDV(o). In both L and CE cells, the latent period of NDV(pi) was 2 to 4 hr longer than for NDV(o). The delay in synthesis of viral ribonucleic acid (RNA) in the case of NDV(pi) coincided with the delay in the inhibition of host RNA and protein synthesis. Although both NDV(o) and NDV(pi) produced more progeny and more severe cell damage in CE cells than in L cells, the shut-off of host functions was significantly less efficient in CE cells than in L cells. Paradoxically, no detectable interferon was produced in CE cells by either of the viruses, whereas in L cells most of the interferon appeared in the medium after more than 90% of host protein synthesis was inhibited. These results suggest that the absence of induction of interferon synthesis in CE cells infected with NDV is not related to the general shut-off of host cell synthetic mechanisms but rather to the failure of some more specific event to occur. In spite of the fact that NDV(pi) RNA synthesis commenced 2 to 4 hr later than that of NDV(o), interferon was first detected in the medium 8 hr after infection with both viruses. This finding suggests that there is no relation between viral RNA synthesis and the induction of interferon synthesis.

Animals↗

Prevalence of respiratory syncytial virus infection in Italian infants hospitalized for acute lower respiratory tract infections, and association between respiratory syncytial virus infection risk factors and disease severity.

This study was designed to collect data on the prevalence of respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) infection in Italy in infants hospitalized for lower respiratory tract infections, and to evaluate which of the recognized risk factors might be associated with disease severity. Thirty-two centers throughout Italy participated in the study. Over a 6-month period (November 1,1999 to April 30, 2000), we evaluated all children < 2 years of age hospitalized for lower respiratory tract infections. All subjects were tested for RSV within 24 hr of hospitalization by using an immuno-enzymatic diagnostic test (Abbott Testpack, RSV). Logistic regression was used to identify the factors that might be associated with more severe disease or could increase the likelihood of RSV positivity in hospitalized infants. Out of a total of 1,232 children enrolled, 40.6% were found to be RSV-positive (RSV+). The peak of the RSV epidemic occurred in February, while the lowest prevalence of RSV positivity was seen in November (P < 0.05). A high proportion of study subjects had low birth weight and low gestational age. The clinical diagnosis at hospitalization was bronchiolitis in 66.7%, pneumonia in 15.3%, and wheezy bronchitis in 18.1%. In the bronchiolitis group, a higher prevalence of RSV+ was found in patients with gestational age or= 36 weeks (P < 0.04). No differences were found in the proportion of RSV+ patients in the three gestational age subgroups with pneumonia and wheezy bronchitis (P > 0.05, each comparison). Independent of the clinical diagnosis at admission, RSV infection was associated with more severe respiratory impairment. Environmental smoke exposure was higher in subjects with bronchiolitis than in those with wheezy bronchitis (P < 0.04), and RSV+ was positively related with the birth order (P < 0.05). The presence of older siblings and birth order plays an important role in RSV infection. The collected data show that, in Italy, RSV is an important cause of lower respiratory tract infection in infants. Gestational age, birth order, birth weight, and exposure to tobacco smoke affected the prevalence and severity of RSV-related lower respiratory tract disease.

Acute Disease↗

Intervention to discontinue parenteral antimicrobial therapy in hospitalized patients with urinary tract infection, skin and soft tissue infection, or no evident infection.

OBJECTIVES: In a previous study, we found that unsolicited recommendations to physicians of medically stable patients with pneumonia to suspend parenteral antimicrobials shortened hospital length of stay (LOS) significantly. In this study, we made similar recommendations to physicians treating patients with different indications for parenteral antimicrobials, to examine the effect on LOS. METHODS: A nurse-interventionist presented randomly assigned physicians with nonconfrontational suggestions to discontinue parenteral antimicrobials by substituting comparable oral antimicrobials or stopping treatment. Patients were being treated for urinary tract infection, skin infection, or no evident infection. Blinded observers evaluated in-hospital and 30-day postdischarge patient courses. Methodologies were identical to the previous study. RESULTS: There were 70 physician-patient episodes (49 intervened episodes, 21 control episodes). In 44 episodes (90%), compliant physicians discontinued parenteral antimicrobials. Compared to a median postrandomization LOS of 2.5 days (range, 0 to 40.5) for 21 patients of control physicians, the corresponding LOS for 44 patients of compliant physicians was two days (range, 0 to 8; P = 1.0), and for five patients of noncompliant physicians, five days (range, 3 to 11; P = 0.04). The combined occurrence of all adverse events detected in this and the previous study was 11% for patients of control physicians, compared to 14% for patients of compliant physicians (P = 0.2), and 19% for patients of noncompliant physicians (P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: For patients of compliant physicians hospitalized with urinary tract infection, skin and soft tissue infection, or no evident infection, cessation of parenteral antimicrobials did not significantly shorten LOS, due to brief LOS of patients of control physicians. Patients of noncompliant physicians experienced more adverse events and prolonged LOS. The appropriateness of routine continuous use of parenteral antimicrobials in medically stable inpatients is questioned.

Aged↗

Routine versus selective antifungal administration for control of fungal infections in patients with cancer.

BACKGROUND: Systemic fungal infection is considered to be an important cause of morbidity and mortality in cancer patients, particularly those with neutropenia. Antifungal drugs are often given prophylactically, or to patients with persistent fever. OBJECTIVES: The objective of this review was to assess the effect of antifungal drugs in cancer patients with neutropenia. SEARCH STRATEGY: We searched the Cochrane Controlled Trials Register (October 1997), MEDLINE (to September 1997) and the reference lists of articles. We searched the proceedings of the ICAAC, General Meeting of the ASM (from 1990 to 1995), and the 7th European Congress of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases (1995) and contacted researchers in the field. SELECTION CRITERIA: Randomised trials of amphotericin B, AmBisome, fluconazole, ketoconazole, miconazole, or itraconazole compared with placebo or no treatment in cancer patients with neutropenia. DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS: Two reviewers independently assessed trial eligibility, methodological quality and abstracted data. MAIN RESULTS: Twenty-five trials involving 2912 patients were included. In 19 trials, prophylactic or later treatment with antifungal drugs had no effect on mortality (odds ratio 0.92, 95% confidence interval 0.75 to 1.14). Only amphotericin showed a significant benefit (odds ratio 0.58, 95% confidence interval 0.37 to 0.93) based on seven trials, but the studies were small and the difference in number of deaths was only 15. Overall it would be necessary to treat 59 patients (95% confidence interval 37 to 131) with an antifungal drug to prevent one case of fungal invasion in surviving patients, although only amphotericin and fluconazole showed a clear beneficial effect. Antifungal treatment decreased fungal colonisation and the need for additional antifungal therapy, but there was heterogeneity across the trials. REVIEWER'S CONCLUSIONS: Routine prophylactic or later therapy with antifungal drugs in cancer patients with neutropenia does not appear to have a beneficial effect on mortality and only a modest effect on fungal invasion.

Antifungal Agents↗

Sarcocystis spp. infections in naturally infected cats and dogs: levels of sporocyst production and the influence of host, environmental and seasonal factors on the prevalence of infection.

Data obtained from faecal samples from 508 domestic cats and 481 dogs, previously found to have a high frequency of Sarcocystis spp. infections, were further examined to provide information on levels of sporocyst shedding and to ascertain the influence of host, environmental and seasonal factors on the prevalence of naturally acquired infections. Statistical analysis of prevalence data revealed that, of the factors examined, only host age in cats exerted any apparent influence. Infections were significantly more common in cats up to, rather than over, 6 months of age. Although they tended to be greater in dogs than cats, faecal sporocyst counts in both hosts were generally low, with the majority of infected samples containing 200 sporocysts per gram or less. In infected dogs the highest count recorded was 144,600/g with a mean of 2270/g, and in infected cats it was 11,100/g with a mean of 597/g.

Journal Article↗

Hepatitis C virus infection in young, low-income women: the role of sexually transmitted infection as a potential cofactor for HCV infection.

OBJECTIVES: We evaluated risk for hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection in women residing in low-income neighborhoods of northern California. METHODS: A population-based sample of 1707 women, aged 18 to 29, were surveyed and screened for sexually transmitted infections and HCV. RESULTS: Women infected with HCV (2.5%) were more likely to have a history of injection and noninjection drug use, to exchange sex for money or drugs, and to have sexually transmitted infections. HCV was independently associated with history of injection drug use, herpes simplex virus type 2 (HSV-2) infection, and heroin and cocaine use. CONCLUSIONS: Injection drug use is the highest risk exposure for HCV, but HSV-2 and noninjection drug use contribute significantly to increased risk. HCV prevention programs in impoverished areas should integrate drug treatment and sexually transmitted infection control.

Adolescent↗

Maternal Trypanosoma cruzi infection, pregnancy outcome, morbidity, and mortality of congenitally infected and non-infected newborns in Bolivia.

This work compares the results of two epidemiologic and clinical surveys on the consequences of maternal chronic Trypanosoma cruzi infection. They were conducted in 1992-1994 and 1999-2001 in the same maternity clinic in Bolivia, a country highly endemic for infection with this parasite. In both surveys, the materno-fetal transmission of parasites occurred in 5-6% of the infected mothers. Maternal chronic T. cruzi infection had no effect on pregnancy outcome and health of newborns when there was no materno-fetal transmission of parasites. Comparisons between the older and the more recent surveys highlighted significant reductions in frequencies of symptomatic cases (from 54% to 45%), Apgar scores < 7, and low birth weights and prematurity (from 32-50% to 6-16%) among congenitally infected babies. Neonatal mortality related to congenital Chagas disease also decreased from 13% to 2% in the interval between both studies. These results suggest that the decrease in poverty that has occurred in Bolivia between both surveys might have contributed to reduce the morbidity and mortality, but not the transmission rate of T. cruzi congenital infection, which remains a serious public health problem in this country.

Adult↗

Experimental infections of Anopheles gambiae with Plasmodium falciparum of naturally infected gametocyte carriers in Cameroon: factors influencing the infectivity to mosquitoes.

Factors which could influence the success of experimental infections of Anopheles gambiae with Plasmodium falciparum were investigated in Cameroon. 139 experimental infections with different gametocyte carriers were performed. 86 (62%) gave rise to mosquito infection after dissection of at least 20 mosquitoes. Among succeeding infections, the mean percentage of infected mosquitoes was 18.6% and mean oocyst load per positive midgut was 2.56. Only gametocyte density was identified as a factor which determined the success and the level of mosquito infection. No significant influence was found for sex and age of the gametocyte carrier, body-temperature, presence of asexual erythrocyte stages, rhesus factor, blood group and use of antimalarial drugs (chloroquine and amodiaquine).

ABO Blood-Group System↗

Cerebral mycobacterium avium infection in an HIV-infected patient following immune reconstitution and cessation of therapy for disseminated mycobacterium avium complex infection.

Reported here is a case of cerebral Mycobacterium avium complex infection that occurred in an HIV-infected patient, who had been treated for disseminated infection and had discontinued clarithromycin and ethambutol following a significant rise in his CD4+ T-cell count after starting highly active antiretroviral therapy. He responded well to excision of the lesion and reinstitution of multidrug therapy. Caution should be exercised when considering ceasing maintenance therapy for disseminated Mycobacterium avium complex infection in HIV-infected patients who demonstrate an apparently good immunologic response to highly active antiretroviral therapy, as this response may not necessarily restore protective immunity against all opportunistic pathogens.

AIDS-Related Opportunistic Infections↗

Cytomegalovirus infection presenting as acute periodontal infection in a patient infected with the human immunodeficiency virus.

During childhood, many people acquire primary infection with cytomegalovirus (CMV), one of the herpes viruses. If they later become immunosuppressed, such as occurs with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection, CMV is likely to become reactivated. Severe disease caused by CMV is life-threatening in the HIV-infected population. CMV retinitis, gastritis, colitis, pneumonia, encephalitis and hepatitis have all been reported, but oral lesions due to infection with CMV are rarely reported. We report a case of oral CMV infection which at first was clinically indistinguishable from HIV-associated periodontal disease.

AIDS-Related Opportunistic Infections↗

Cytokine networks with infection: mycobacterial infections, leishmaniasis, human immunodeficiency virus infection, and sepsis.

Distinct cytokine profiles are clearly associated with and relate to the severity of several types of infections. Cytokine networks are apparent with selected human infectious diseases, such as mycobacterial infections (leprosy, tuberculosis), the parasitic infection leishmaniasis, human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection, and gram-negative sepsis. Cytokine profiles are determined to some extent by two functional subsets of T lymphocytes, Th1 and Th2. The Th1 cytokines (interferon gamma, interleukin-2 [IL-2], IL-12) enhance cell-mediated immunity, inhibit humoral immunity, and result in protective effect for pathogens that are removed primarily through cell-mediated immunity (Mycobacterium tuberculosis, Mycobacterium leprae, Leishmania). The Th2 cytokines (IL-4, IL-5, IL-10, IL-13) enhance humoral immunity and inhibit cell-mediated immunity, and result in protective effect for pathogens removed primarily through humoral mechanisms. Progression of HIV infection is associated with a switch from a Th1 to a Th2 profile. For sepsis, uncontrolled activation of proinflammatory cytokines (IL-1, tumor necrosis factor-alpha, interferon-gamma) may be a fundamental defect that promotes the detrimental aspects of inflammation, whereas Th2 cytokines may be beneficial in controlling inflammation. Knowledge of basic cytokine immunopharmacology, networks, and relationships with infectious processes will aid clinicians in determining treatment approaches that are likely to be effective.

Animals↗

[Evolution of the prevalence of HIV infection and risk behavior of drug injection among intravenous drug users infected or not infected by HIV in 3 Spanish cities. Working Group of Physicians of the World for the monitoring of HIV infection and risk behaviors in intravenous drug users].

OBJECTIVE: To know the evolution of HIV prevalence and risk behavior practices of drug injection in three spanish cities on the basis of the serologic status of injecting drug users. METHODS: Cross-sectional surveys among users in syringe interchange programmes. RESULTS: HIV prevalence (self-reported) decreased in Madrid from 50% (1992) down to 41% (1996) (p = 0.01) and did not change in Seville and Valencia from 1994 to 1996. Among HIV-positive injecting drug users, a decrease was observed in the practice of giving and taking used syringes in the three cities, although this decrease reached a statistically significance (p = 0.006) only for giving in Valencia from 1994 to 1996 and was almost significant (p = 0.08) for taking in Madrid from 1993 to 1996. Among HIV-negative injecting drug users, no decreases were observed in the practice of giving and taking used syringes and even a significant increase in giving syringes in Seville was recorded (p = 0.01) from 1994 to 1996. CONCLUSIONS: HIV prevalence among injecting drug users is stabilized or decreasing in the three studied cities. The prevalence of injecting risk behavior evolves differently according to the serologic status.

Adult↗