Search results for "meningitis"

The VIRSTA score, a prediction score to estimate risk of infective endocarditis and determine priority for echocardiography in patients with Staphylo…

2016

International audience; Objectives - To develop and validate a prediction score, to quantify, within 48 h of Staphylococcus aureus bacteremia (SAB) diagnosis, the risk of IE, and therefore determine priority for urgent echocardiography. Methods - Consecutive adult patients with SAB in 8 French university hospitals between 2009 and 2011 were prospectively enrolled and followed-up 3 months. A predictive model was developed and internally validated using bootstrap procedures. Results - Among the 2008 patients enrolled, 221 (11.0%) had definite IE of whom 39 (17.6%) underwent valve surgery, 25% of them within 6 days of SAB diagnosis. Ten predictors independently associated with IE were used to …

2017

Summary Objectives Neisseria meningitidis is the major cause of seasonal meningitis epidemics in the African meningitis belt. In the changing context of a reduction in incidence of serogroup A and an increase in incidence of serogroups W and C and of Streptococcus pneumoniae , a better understanding of the determinants driving the disease transmission dynamics remains crucial to improving bacterial meningitis control. Methods The literature was searched to provide a multi-disciplinary overview of the determinants of meningitis transmission dynamics in the African meningitis belt. Results Seasonal hyperendemicity is likely predominantly caused by increased invasion rates, sporadic localized …

Multidrug-resistant Gram-negative post-neurosurgical meningitis and the role of intraventricular colistin: a case series

2021

: The aim of this study was to report the clinical experience of intraventricular colistin for the treatment of multi-resistant Gram-negative post-surgical meningitis in a tertiary hospital. Post-neurosurgical meningitis (PNM) is one of the life-threatening complications of neurosurgical procedures, and is frequently sustained by Acinetobacter baumannii and Klebsiella pneumoniae. Here we describe our experience of five cases of PNM caused by gram-negative multi-drug resistant (MDR) bacteria, treated with intraventricular (IVT) colistin, admitted to the Neurosurgery Unit of A.R.N.A.S. Civico of Palermo, Italy, from January 2016 to June 2020. In four patients the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) cul…

[Alert for meningitis in Palermo? Successful strategies to counteract the impact of mass media]

2018

Following two invasive meningococcal disease cases among twenties, general population overloaded vaccination Units of the Palermo's District during summer 2016. Sicilian Health Authorities adopted several public health strategies including: a) active meningococcal vaccination free of charge for people from 18 up to 30 years of age, b) information in crowded places and rapid communication by media. An increase in anti-meningococcal vaccination doses administered (+868%) as well as in anti-dTp and HPV vaccination (+41% and +8%, respectively) due to a further catch-up was observed.

Correlation of the chemiluminescence-activity of peripheral blood monocytes with CSF parameters of inflammation and the clinical course of patients w…

2009

– The chemiluminescence-activity (CL-A) of peripheral blood monocytes (MO) was measured in eight patients with lymphocytic meningitis or meningoencephalitis and compared to CSF parameters and the clinical course. The initial maximum CL-A was around four times above the control and decreased to normal values within approximately 20 days. Poor correlations were found when the CL-A was compared to CSF parameters in the total group of patients. With regard to the CSF parameters in individual patients the CL-A was closely related to the cell count, to a lesser degree to the protein content, but not to the IgG content. Finally, a very good correlation of the CL-A was found with the clinical cours…

Electrophysiological and MRI findings in 2 patients with Listeria rhombencephalitis.

1997

Eosinophilic Meningitis due toAngiostrongylus cantonensisin Germany

2009

We report a case of eosinophilic meningitis due to Angiostrongylus cantonensis in a patient who returned from Thailand. The presence of a compatible epidemiologic history and eosinophilia in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) lead to the diagnosis, which was confirmed by detection of specific antibodies. After treatment with albendazole and corticosteroids he recovered completely.

Increased Vaccination Coverage among Adolescents and Young Adults in the District of Palermo as a Result of a Public Health Strategy to Counteract an…

2018

During the summer of 2016 four cases of invasive meningococcal disease in rapid succession among young adults in the district of Palermo, Italy, resulting in one death, were widely reported by local and national mass media. The resultant ‘epidemic panic’ among the general population overloaded the vaccination units of the Palermo district over the following months. Strategies implemented by the Sicilian and local public health authorities to counteract ‘meningitis fear’ included the following: (a) extension of active and free-of-charge anti-meningococcal tetravalent vaccination from age class 12–18 to 12–30 years old; (b) implementation of vaccination units during normal clinic hours in roo…

Differentiation, phenotype, and function of interleukin-17-producing human Vγ9Vδ2 T cells.

2011

Abstract In healthy adults, the major peripheral blood γδ T-cell subset expresses the Vγ9Vδ2 TCR and displays pleiotropic features. Here we report that coculture of naive Vγ9Vδ2 T cells with phosphoantigens and a cocktail of cytokines (IL-1-β, TGF-β, IL-6, and IL-23), leads to selective expression of the transcription factor RORγt and polarization toward IL-17 production. IL-17+ Vγ9Vδ2 T cells express the chemokine receptor CCR6 and produce IL-17 but neither IL-22 nor IFN-γ; they have a predominant terminally differentiated (CD27−CD45RA+) phenotype and express granzyme B, TRAIL, FasL, and CD161. On antigen activation, IL-17+ Vγ9Vδ2 T cells rapidly induce CXCL8-mediated migration and phagocy…

Management of cerebrospinal fluid otorrhea.

2013

Abstract Introduction Cerebrospinal fluid otorrhea results from an abnormal communication between the subarachnoid space and tympanomastoid compartment; most of them are of traumatic aetiology. They have clinical interest due to the potential risk of meningitis, directly related to the aetiology. Our aim was to show our experience in the management of this process. Methods A total of 17 patients were diagnosed and treated for cerebrospinal fluid otorrhea from 2003 to 2011. Results In our study, the highest percentage of cases was spontaneous cerebrospinal fluid otorrhea, with a wide clinical presentation. The diagnosis was based on the determination of beta-2-transferrin and radiological st…