Dtsch Arztebl Int
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Biological heart-valve prostheses have undergone continuous devel- opment up to the present, and technological advances have been made in catheter- assisted valve systems (transcatheter aortic valve implantation, TAVI) and minimally invasive routes of application. These parallel trends have led to major changes in therapeutic strategies, widening the spectrum of patients who are candidates for biological aortic valve implantation. ⋯ The further development of biological heart-valve prostheses in the form of improved conventional, transcatheter, and rapid-deployment prostheses now enables individualized treatment. Before any such procedure is performed, the car- diac team must assess the patient's risk profile and the advantages and disadvan- tages of each type of prosthesis to determine which is best.
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With approximately 30% of the world population infected, Toxoplasma gondii is one of the most widespread pathogenic parasites in both humans and animals and a major problem for health economics in many countries. ⋯ Desirable steps for the near future include development of an effective treatment for the cystic stage and identifica- tion of biomarkers to assess the risk of reactivation and predict the disease course.