Wiener klinische Wochenschrift
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Wien. Klin. Wochenschr. · Jun 1989
[Human herpesvirus 6 (HHV-6): incidence in healthy blood donors and in patients with acute infections caused by other herpes viruses].
Antibodies to HHV-6 were detected by immunofluorescence in 8.04% of 460 healthy blood donors in West Austria. Testing sera from patients with acute or reactivated infections with other herpesviruses, such as cytomegalovirus (CMV), Epstein-Barr virus (EBV), herpes simplex virus (HSV) and varicella zoster virus (VZV) we observed a remarkably higher prevalence of antibodies to HHV-6 in patients with CMV infections (75%) and also in patients with EBV infections (50%). ⋯ The high incidence of positive HH 6 serology in these patients could be due to new infection by HHV 6 or to the reactivation of a previous infection with HHV 6 by means of allogenic cell stimulation. Furthermore, preliminary results from our laboratory point to a serological cross-reaction between HHV 6 and CMV, which may also contribute to this result.
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Within a 3-years period the presence of nosocomial bacteriaemias was analyzed retrospectively among 13.878 hospitalized patients. The incidence was 0.050%. Antibiotic prophylaxis and the operative technique play an important role in achieving a low incidence of morbidity due to infection. The management of a severe infection includes antibiotic therapy according to culture sensitivity and intensive care.
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Until now, only few cases of intoxication with sodium azide have been published. The case of suicidal sodium azide ingestion reported here and a survey of the relevant literature serve to demonstrate the pharmacological mode of action and the symptoms of acute poisoning, as well as the diagnostic proof of the toxic agent. ⋯ Due to the restricted accessibility of the azide there is a close connection in the known cases of intoxication to the patient's profession or his (her) place of work: 17 out of 20 cases involved persons working in laboratories, whilst in 2 cases sodium azide was administered to patients by mistake. Knowledge of this connection may be of great help in making the diagnosis of acute sodium azide poisoning.
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Wien. Klin. Wochenschr. · Apr 1989
Reviewn-3 fatty acids and cardiovascular disease--observations generated by studies in Greenland Eskimos.
Polyunsaturated fatty acids of the n-3 type (n-3 PUFAs) may offer some protection against ischaemic heart disease (IHD). Part of the evidence has been derived from our investigations on Greenland Eskimos. Through six expeditions to Greenland, we have studied Eskimos living on their traditional sea diet. ⋯ We conclude that beneficial changes in general have been obtained. However, individual patients and patient groups likely to profit from supplementation with n-3 PUFAs need to be further defined. The optimum dose needs to be established, and the effect and safety to be documented by highly needed long term studies.