Infection
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Two different receptors exist for tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha), designated as p55 (TNF-RI) and p75 (TNF-RII). Soluble (= s) forms of TNF-Rs are secreted after proteolytic cleavage and block the effects of TNF-alpha. sTNF-RI, sTNF-RII and the soluble interleukin 2 receptor (sIL-2R) were determined by ELISA in serum samples of HIV-infected children and adolescents. Twelve children with vertical HIV infection (mean age +/- SD, 5.9 +/- 3.8 years) and 17 horizontally infected patients (16.1 +/- 7.3 years) were classified according to the revised CDC criteria. ⋯ There were no differences in soluble receptor levels between vertical or horizontal transmission. Surprisingly, no significant differences for sTNF-RI, sTNF-RII and sIL-2R occurred when 19 patients in stage CDC I were compared to ten patients in stages II or III. The clearly elevated sTNF-RII levels in patients with horizontal and vertical HIV infection indicate the activation of the monocyte/macrophage system in both groups.
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To determine the most effective treatment for acrodermatitis chronica atrophicans, several clinical trials were undertaken in recent years to evaluate whether a 2-week course of ceftriaxone would be superior to oral antibiotics. Of the 46 patients suffering from acrodermatitis chronica atrophicans, 14 were treated with ceftriaxone 2g for 15 days. The remaining patients received either oral penicillin V 1.5 million IU t.i.d. or doxycycline 100 mg b.i.d. for 20 to 30 days. ⋯ Six out of 11 patients treated orally for only 20 days needed retreatment after 6 months because of continuing skin manifestations, neuropathy or arthralgia. A 30-day duration of treatment with oral antibiotics and not the chosen antibiotic is crucial for curing acrodermatitis chronica atrophicans. The duration of treatment with ceftriaxone needed for eradication of Borrelia in acrodermatitis chronica atrophicans has yet to be determined in future studies.
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Review Case Reports
Alpha-hemolytic streptococci: a major pathogen of iatrogenic meningitis following lumbar puncture. Case reports and a review of the literature.
Iatrogenic meningitis following lumbar puncture is a rare complication of myelography, spinal anesthesia, intrathecal chemotherapy, and epidural anesthesia. Sporadic cases and clusters of iatrogenic meningitis have been reported after intrathecal therapy, but most incidental cases are reported after myelography. Four cases of iatrogenic meningitis caused by viridans streptococci and a review of the literature are presented here. ⋯ A review of the literature on iatrogenic meningitis is given. Viridans streptococci have emerged as major pathogens of this complication. These findings underline the need to wear face masks since these bacteria are commensals of the oral cavity.
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The efficacy of different therapeutic regimens for Lyme arthritis is reviewed. The first treatment for Lyme arthritis, intramuscular benzathine penicillin 2.4 million units weekly for 3 weeks, had a success rate of 35%. Another study employed intravenous penicillin G at a dosage of 20 million units daily for 10 days, which cured 55% of patients. ⋯ The role of intraarticular injections of steroids or synovectomy is still controversial. Antibiotic treatment is the cornerstone of Lyme arthritis treatment. Additional interventions should be studied for patients with Lyme arthritis resistant to antibiotics.
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Alveolar echinococcosis is considered to be the most dangerous endemic parasitic disease for man in Central Europe. In Germany, unlike the neighbouring countries of Switzerland, Austria and France, only limited data on the prevalence and incidence of echinococcosis are available. Therefore, a retrospective cross-sectional study was conducted in order to investigate the epidemiology of echinococcosis in Bavaria, one of the two southern states of Germany. ⋯ The annual mean incidence of newly diagnosed cases amounted to 0.03 per 100,000. The distribution of prevalence in man was closely correlated to the infection rates in foxes throughout Bavaria (p < 0.05). Farmers are the occupational group with the highest risk to acquire echinococcosis with a prevalence/odds ratio of 14.6 for Swabia and 8.8 for Upper Bavaria, when compared to the general rural population.