Persistence of Antibodies to Rickettsia conorii After an Acute Attack of Boutonneuse Fever

Gemcitabine and oxaliplatin combination chemotherapy in advanced biliary tract cancers

Background Biliary tract cancers are uncommon tumors with a poor prognosis and most patients present with invasive and inoperable disease at diagnosis. Chemotherapy represents a palliative treatment, with poor response rates and a median survival of less than 6 months. Oxaliplatin and gemcitabine have shown an interesting activity as single agents in this group of patients. Patients and methods We carried out a multicenter phase II study to evaluate the efficacy and safety of combined oxaliplatin and gemcitabine in locally advanced and metastatic biliary tract carcinoma. The schedule of chemotherapy included oxaliplatin 100 mg/m2 on day 1 and gemcitabine 1000 mg/m2 on days 1 and 8, every 21…

A phase II study of oxaliplatin (O) and gemcitabine (G) first line chemotherapy in patients with advanced biliary tract cancers

Background: Biliary tract cancers are uncommon tumors with a poor prognosis and most patients (pts) present with invasive and inoperable disease at diagnosis. Chemotherapy represents a palliative treatment, but single or combination-drug schedules have demonstrated poor response rates with a median survival less than 6 months. Recently O and G have showed an interesting activity as single agents in this group of pts. Methods: We carried out a multicenter phase II study to evaluate the efficacy and safety of combined O and G in locally advanced and metastatic biliary tract carcinoma. The schedule of chemotherapy included O 100 mg/m2 on day 1 and G 1000 mg/m2 on days 1 and 8, every 21 days. I…

Demonstration of spotted fever group rickettsiae in the tache noire of a healthy person in Sicily.

A human case of rickettsial infection occurred in Sicily following tick bite. The patient did not have fever, the typical nodular rash, or other symptoms of illness other than development of a tache noire containing spotted fever group rickettsiae, which were demonstrated by immunofluorescence. A high titer of antibodies of the IgG class suggests that the patient may have had previous exposure to Rickettsia conorii or a related spotted fever group rickettsia. An anamnestic response may be hypothesized to have conferred partial immunity, with resulting containment of rickettsiae at the site of inoculation.