Search results for "VIRUS DISEASE"
showing 10 items of 1907 documents
Performance of EasyBreath Decathlon Snorkeling mask for delivering continuous positive airway pressure
2021
AbstractDuring the COVID-19 pandemic, the need for noninvasive respiratory support devices has dramatically increased, sometimes exceeding hospital capacity. The full-face Decathlon snorkeling mask, EasyBreath (EB mask), has been adapted to deliver continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) as an emergency respiratory interface. We aimed to assess the performance of this modified EB mask and to test its use during different gas mixture supplies. CPAP set at 5, 10, and 15 cmH2O was delivered to 10 healthy volunteers with a high-flow system generator set at 40, 80, and 120 L min−1 and with a turbine-driven ventilator during both spontaneous and loaded (resistor) breathing. Inspiratory CO2 par…
Transmission of hepatitis B and hepatitis delta viruses in the households of chronic hepatitis B surface antigen carriers: A regression analysis of i…
1991
Abstract To evaluate whether clinical and laboratory features of a hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) carrier can predict risks of infection, its chronicity, and the development of liver disease among close contacts, the authors studied a cohort of 994 first degree relatives or cohabitants (household contacts) of 226 non-drug-addicted chronic HBsAg carriers (index cases), of whom 77% had liver disease and 26% were superinfected by hepatitis D virus (HDV). A logistic form of regression analysis was used to assess the role of each feature in the index case as predictor of hepatitis B virus (HBV)- and HDV-related outcomes among household contacts. Six models of risk, expressed as odds ratios,…
Impact of Ebola outbreak on reproductive health services in a rural district of Sierra Leone: a prospective observational study
2019
ObjectivesTo assess the trends concerning utilisation of maternal and child health (MCH) services before, during and after the Ebola outbreak, quantifying the contribution of a reorganised referral system (RS).DesignA prospective observational study of MCH services.SettingPujehun district in Sierra Leone, 77 community health facilities and 1 hospital from 2012 to 2017.Main outcome measuresMCH utililization was evaluated by assessing: (1) institutional deliveries, Cesarean-sections, paediatric and maternity admissions and deaths, and major direct obstetric complications (MDOCs), at hospital level; (2) antenatal care (ANC) 1 and 4, institutional delivery and family planning, at community leve…
Genetic Diversity of HIV-1 Non-B Strains in Sicily: Evidence of Intersubtype Recombinants by Sequence Analysis ofgag,pol, andenvGenes
2007
The molecular epidemiology of HIV-1 strains in Sicily (Italy) was phylogenetically investigated by the analysis of HIV-1 gag, pol, and env gene sequences from 11 HIV-1 non-B strains from 408 HIV-1-seropositive patients observed from September 2001 to August 2006. Sequences suggestive of recombination were further investigated by bootscanning analysis of various fragments. Overall, we identified several second-generation recombinant (SGRs) strains, which contained genetic material of CRF02_AG in at least one gene. Notably, three individuals were found to be infected with subsubtype A3, and one of them showed genetic recombination with subsubtype A4. The current study emphasizes the genetic a…
Detection of human immunodeficiency virus-1 DNA, RNA and antibody, and occult blood in inactivated saliva: Availability of the filter paper disk meth…
1996
Eighty three samples of saliva were collected from 60 subjects who were asymptomatic carriers of AIDS related complex (ARC) and AIDS. They included hemophiliacs, homosexuals and heterosexuals. Occult blood, human immunodeficiency virus-1 (HIV-1) antibody and DNA were assayed after heat treatment at 56 degrees C by strip method, particle agglutination and polymerase chain reaction (PCR), respectively. HIV-1 RNA was assayed by reverse transcription (RT)-PCR after heat treatment at 56 degrees C or 90 degrees C, or after application to filter paper disks with drying and heat treatment at 90 degrees C. Positive results were found in 53% (occult blood), 73% (HIV-1 antibody), 23% (HIV-1 DNA, 56 de…
Peginterferon Alfa-2a plus Ribavirin for Chronic Hepatitis C Virus Infection
2002
Background Treatment with peginterferon alfa-2a alone produces significantly higher sustained virologic responses than treatment with interferon alfa-2a alone in patients with chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection. We compared the efficacy and safety of peginterferon alfa-2a plus ribavirin, interferon alfa-2b plus ribavirin, and peginterferon alfa-2a alone in the initial treatment of chronic hepatitis C. Methods A total of 1121 patients were randomly assigned to treatment and received at least one dose of study medication, consisting of 180 μg of peginterferon alfa-2a once weekly plus daily ribavirin (1000 or 1200 mg, depending on body weight), weekly peginterferon alfa-2a plus daily pl…
The cellular immune responses induced in the follow-up of interferon-α treated patients with chronic hepatitis C may determine the therapy outcome
1998
Abstract Background/Aims: To study whether the host's immune response determines viral clearance in chronic hepatitis C, virological markers and antigen-specific T cell reactions were analysed in 30 chronic HCV carriers followed up during interferon-α therapy, 11 untreated anti-HCV positive individuals and 10 healthy controls. Methods: Proliferative T helper cell responses to recombinant HCV core and non-structural antigens were monitored by 3 H-thymidine uptake assay and compared to quantitative viraemia levels and HCV genotypes. Results: Of the 30 treated patients, six had sustained complete responses (20%), another six were transient therapy responders (20%) and 18 were non-responders (6…
Alteration of Smell and Taste in Asymptomatic and Symptomatic COVID-19 Patients in Sicily, Italy
2020
Objectives: Alteration of smell and taste has been reported in patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). The incidence and clinical-symptomatic manifestation of COVID-19 is different between northern and southern Italy. This study aims to evaluate the onset of alteration of smell and taste in asymptomatic and symptomatic patients in Sicily (extreme south of Italy). Methods: This prospective cross-sectional study was performed on asymptomatic and symptomatic COVID-19 patients tested for severe acute respiratory syndrome-coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) from May 1 to May 15, 2020. A questionnaire was used for evaluating the prevalence of smell and taste disorders in COVID-19 patients befor…
Plasma metabolomics profiling for the prediction of cytomegalovirus DNAemia and analysis of virus–host interaction in allogeneic stem cell transplant…
2015
Metabolomics analysis of biofluids is increasingly being recognized as a useful tool for the diagnosis and management of a number of infectious diseases. Here we showed that plasma metabolomics profiling by untargeted 1H nuclear magnetic resonance may allow the anticipation of the occurrence of cytomegalovirus (CMV) DNAemia in allogeneic stem cell transplant. For this purpose, key discriminatory metabolites were total glutathione, taurine, methylamine, trimethylamine N-oxide and lactate, all of which were upregulated in patients eventually developing CMV DNAemia. The overall classification accuracy (predictability) of the projection to latent structure discriminant analysis (PLS-DA) model i…