Kansenshōgaku zasshi. The Journal of the Japanese Association for Infectious Diseases
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Kansenshogaku Zasshi · May 1992
Case Reports[A case of mediastinitis and bilateral pyothorax, following acute epiglottitis with concurrent Aspergillus infection].
Life threatening mediastinitis as a complication of acute epiglottitis is very rare. A 38-year-old male in previously good health was admitted to our hospital in a state of unconsciousness. Seven days prior to admission he had complained of a sore throat, dysphagia, high fever and dyspnea. ⋯ Autopsy revealed that the acute mediastinitis had healed, but that the Aspergillus infection was present in both lungs and the pericardium. The Aspergillus infection was not lethal in the present case, and it seemed that death had resulted from arterial hemorrhage caused by erosion of the trachea. The present case suggests the need for antifungal therapy even in non-immunocompromised patients in particular when massive doses of antibiotics and steroids are administered.
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Kansenshogaku Zasshi · Mar 1992
[Virological surveillance of acute respiratory tract illnesses of children in Morioka, Japan. III. Human respiratory coronavirus].
In the virological surveillance of children with acute respiratory tract illnesses, five human respiratory coronaviruses (HRCV) were recovered. Three of these strains were isolated from nasopharyngeal swabs of patients with influenza-like illness collected in Kuji City on March 29, 1979. This may suggest the association of HRCVs and influenza-like illness. ⋯ Reciprocal neutralization titers of antisera against HRCV (strain 229E) and each isolate were determined by 50% plaque reduction tests in monolayers of L132 cells. The neutralizing activities of anti-HRCV (strain 229E) serum against each isolate were 40- to 100-fold lower than that of homologous reaction. The remarkable differences of antigenicity among the isolates did not be observed.
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Kansenshogaku Zasshi · Mar 1991
Case Reports[A case of mediastinal abscess due to Enterococcus faecalis accompanied with superior vena cava syndrome].
Superior vena cava (SVC) syndrome caused by benign diseases is rare. We reported a case of mediastinal abscess due to Enterococcus faecalis (E. faecalis) accompanied with SVC syndrome and reviewed the literature on this particular condition. A 38-year-old female with swelling of the neck and dilatation of cervical vein was admitted to our hospital, being diagnosed as having a SVC syndrome. ⋯ E. faecalis was recovered from the pus aspirated from the mediastinal abscess, and a definitive diagnosis of SVC syndrome caused by mediastinal abscess due to E. faecalis was made. There has been no report, to our knowledge, on mediastinal abscess evolving SVC syndrome in which E. faecalis was identified as a causative organism. The present case indicates that a benign disease such as lung abscess should be considered to be a possible cause of SVC syndrome in addition to other frequent malignant diseases.
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Kansenshogaku Zasshi · Dec 1990
[Diphtheria antitoxin levels in Japanese adults (10-20 years after the last vaccination)].
The serum diphtheria antitoxin levels in Japanese adults were investigated and the persistence of diphtheria toxoid effect was evaluated. The subjects consisted of 56 volunteers (20-31 years of age) who had received regular inoculations of diphtheria and pertussis vaccine (I and II or III phases). They had been immunized according to the Vaccination Law (old version) revised in 1958. ⋯ Results indicated that 55 of 56 (98.2%) possessed a higher level than the prophylaxis standard (0.05 HAU/ml). Since the current Vaccination Law prescribes a lower amount and fewer inoculations than the old law, the number of adults possessing prophylactic antitoxin level may decrease in the future. Further investigation of antitoxin level in adults needs to be continued.