Search results for "Fever"
showing 10 items of 247 documents
Tick-borne bacteria in Ixodes ricinus collected in southern Norway evaluated by a commercial kit and established real-time PCR protocols
2015
Ticks are important vectors of human pathogens. The knowledge of disease causing agents harboured by ticks in Norway is limited. The focus of this study was (a) to detect the bacteria of medical importance in ticks collected from the vegetation at locations in the southern part of the country and (b) to evaluate a novel commercially available multiplex PCR based method by comparing results with conventional established real-time PCR protocols. Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato was confirmed to be the most prevalent pathogen detected (31%) among one hundred individually analysed adult ticks. Borrelia miyamotoi, a spirochete associated with relapsing fever, was detected in one sample. Anaplasma…
Magnetresonanztomographie (MRT) der Leber und des Gehirns bei hämatologisch-onkologischen Patienten mit Fieber unbekannter Ursache
1998
PURPOSE To examine the advantage of liver and brain MRI in clinically anomalous haematological patients with fever of unknown origin. MATERIAL AND METHODS Twenty liver MRI (T2-TSE, T2-HASTE, T1-FLASH +/- Gd dynamic) and 16 brain MRI (T2-TSE, FLAIR, T1-TSE +/- Gd) were performed searching for a focus of fever with a suspected organ system. Comparison with clinical follow-up. RESULTS A focus was detected in 11/20 liver MRI. Candidiasis (n = 3), mycobacteriosis (n = 2), relapse of haematological disease (n = 3), graft versus host disease (n = 1), non-clarified (n02). The remaining 9 cases with normal MRI were not suspicious of infectious hepatic disease during follow-up. In brain MRI, 3/16 sho…
Analysis of the Polymorphisms of Th1 and Th17 Cytokines in Mediterranean Spotted Fever
2012
Background: We have recently reported that the susceptibility for Mediterranean spotted fever (MSF) caused by Rickettsia conorii, is influenced by the Th2 and Th1 cytokine genetic polymorphism profiles. Less it is known on the effect of gene polymorphisms of cytokine produced by the Th17. Methods: 70 Sicilian patients affected by MSF and 239 control subjects matched for age, gender, and geographic origin were typed for functionally relevant single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of IFN-γ (+874 T/A), IL-18 (-137 G/C and -607A/C ) and IL-17 (7488T/C) according to our laboratory procedures. Results: No significant differences in IL-18 -137 G/C, -607A/C and in IFN-γ +874 T /A genotype frequenci…
IL-1 Superfamily Member (IL-1A, IL-1B and IL-18) Genetic Variants Influence Susceptibility and Clinical Course of Mediterranean Spotter Fever
2022
Mediterranean Spotted Fever (MSF) is one of the most common spotted fever Rickettsioses. Most cases of MSF follow a benign course, with a minority of cases being fatal. The severity of the infection depends on bacterial virulence, dose and host factors such as effective immune response and genetic background. Herein, we reported data on typing by competitive allele-specific PCR of functionally relevant polymorphisms of genes coding for MyD88 adapter-like (Mal/TIRAP) protein (rs8177374), interleukin(IL)-1 cluster (IL-1A rs1800587, IL-1B rs16944 and rs1143634) and IL-18 (rs187238), which might be crucial for an efficient immune response. The results enlighten the role that IL-1 gene cluster v…
Epidemiology of Q fever in Italy and in other Mediterranean countries
1987
Abstract The history of Q fever in Italy may be divided into three periods: epidemic in character after the Second World War, endemic occurrence from 1960 to 1980, and sporadic occurrence at present. Clinical symptoms are unspecific, and diagnosis must be confirmed by serology and isolation of the causative agent. The reported incidence is consequently underestimated. Results are reported of a seroepidemiologic survey in animals and humans in the Italian region and western Sicily. In the Mediterranean area several epidemic foci are still present. The need of further studies to evaluate the incidence of Q fever and to shed more light upon the epidemiology of Coxiella burnetii infections is s…
Immunoglobulin M seropositivity for Toscana virus in a random population sample in Sicily.
2012
Summary Objectives High Toscana virus (TOSV) antibody seropositivity rates have been documented in the last decade, especially in the Mediterranean area. It is unclear if these rates are associated with a recent or past exposure to the virus. This is of importance, as primary infection can cause neurologic complications, especially in adults. The aim of the present study was to assess the current active TOSV circulation in western Sicily. Methods A cross-sectional seroprevalence study was conducted on 271 individuals aged 4–92 years, sampled from the general population of a small city. Each participant completed a self-administered questionnaire and provided serum, which was analyzed for th…
Seroprevalence of and risk factors for Toscana and Sicilian virus infection in a sample population of Sicily (Italy).
2011
Summary Objective The present study aimed to assess seroprevalence of and risk factors for Toscana (TOSV) and Sicilian (SFSV) virus infections in a sample of Sicilian subjects. Methods A cross-sectional seroepidemiological study was conducted on 271 individuals. Each participant completed a self-administrated questionnaire and provided a serum sample which was analyzed for the presence of IgG specific anti-TOSV and anti-SFSV viruses. Results Overall, 90 subjects (33.2%) were positive for TOSV IgG, 25 (9.2%) were positive for SFSV IgG and 11 (4%) were positive for both the viruses. A higher risk for TOSV seropositivity was found in participants who were older (adjOR = 1.02 per year; 95% CI =…
Association between antifungal prophylaxis and rate of documented bacteremia in febrile neutropenic cancer patients.
2001
Published data have suggested a correlation between antifungal prophylaxis and bacteremia in febrile neutropenia. This correlation was investigated among 3002 febrile neutropenic patients enrolled in 4 trials during 1986-1994. Globally, 1322 patients (44%) did not receive antifungal prophylaxis; 835 (28%) received poorly absorbable antifungal agents and 845 (28%) received absorbable antifungal agents. The rates of bacteremia for these groups were 20%, 26%, and 27%, respectively (P=.0001). In a multivariate model without including antifungal prophylaxis, factors associated with bacteremia were: age, duration of hospitalization, duration of neutropenia before enrollment, underlying disease, p…
Could the recent zika epidemic have been predicted?
2017
AbstractGiven knowledge at the time, the recent 2015-2016 zika virus (ZIKV) epidemic probably could not have been predicted. Without the prior knowledge of ZIKV being already present in South America, and given the lack of understanding of key epidemiologic processes and long-term records of ZIKV cases in the continent, the best related prediction was for potential risk of an Aedes-borne disease epidemic. Here we use a recently published two-vector capacity model to assess the predictability of the conditions conducive to epidemics of diseases like zika, chikungunya or dengue, transmitted by the independent or concurrent presence of Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus. We compare the potenti…