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A Kraigher

Publications and source records attributed to A Kraigher.

14 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2003

Prevalance of and risk factors for hospital-acquired infections in Slovenia-results of the first national survey, 2001.

A one-day survey was conducted in all (19) Slovenian acute-care hospitals in October 2001 to estimate the prevalence of all types of hospital-acquired infections (HAIs) and to identify predominant micro-organisms and risk factors. Among 6695 patients surveyed, the prevalence of patients with at least one HAI was 4.6%. The prevalence of urinary tract infections was highest (1.2%), followed by pneumonia (1.0%), surgical wound infection (0.7%), and bloodstream infection (0.3%). In intensive care units (ICUs) the prevalence of patients with at least one HAI was 26.9% and the ratio of episodes of HAI per number of patients was 33.3%. One or more pathogens were identified in 55.8% of HAIs episodes. Among these, the most frequently single isolated micro-organisms were Staphylococcus aureus (18.2%) and Escherichia coli (10.2%). Risk factors for HAI included central intravascular catheter (adjusted odds ratio (OR) 3.2; 95% confidence intervals (CI) 2.1-4.9), peripheral intravascular catheter (adjusted OR 1.7; 95% CI 1.2-2.4), urinary catheter (adjuster OR 2.4; 95% CI 1.6-3.4), and hospitalization in ICUs (adjusted OR 2.5; 95% CI 1.4-4.3). The results provide the first national estimates for Slovenia.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2001

Epidemiology of varicella in Slovenia over a 20-year period (1979-98).

Varicella is one of the most common childhood diseases. The course of the disease is usually mild and uncomplicated. In Slovenia, varicella is a notifiable communicable disease which must be reported. Data collected from 1979-98 were analysed. Over the 20-year period the number of varicella cases reported ranged from a low of 11,086 (in 1994) to a maximum of 21,141 (in 1987). During the last 10 years, the highest incidence of varicella was reported in children aged from 12 months to 2 years. In adults over 20, incidence has slightly but steadily increased over the 20 year period. Overall, the number of males with varicella exceeded that of females. The proportion of females was higher only in the 20-30-year age group, probably as a consequence of more frequent and closer contact with infected children by mothers. The highest number of reported cases was during winter and early spring.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2001

Epidemiology of invasive meningococcal infections of children in Slovenia during 1993-1999.

Invasive strains of Neisseria meningitidis isolated from sterile body fluids of children aged 0-14 years were intentionally collected in nine Slovenian laboratories, and sent to the laboratory of the National Institute of Public Health, Ljubljana for final evaluation. From 1993-1999 we collected 53 invasive strains from children presented in this study. The incidence rate of invasive diseases in children shows that there is a rapid fall from 4.74/100,000 in 1993 to 0.90/100,000 in 1999. Invasive diseases predominated in children in the age group 0-1 year (19.6 cases per 100,000 children); followed by the age groups 2-4 years, 5-9 years and 10-14 years. The results of serogrouping indicate that the largest proportion of meningococci isolated (90%) were group B, while 8% of isolates were group C and only 2% group Y. The serotype/serosubtype distribution shows that the most frequent serotype (excluding 19 non-typable NT strains) was serotype 22, which was expressed in 9 strains and the most frequent serosubtype (excluding 11 NST strains) was P1.5,2 found in 7 strains. The most frequently isolated strains (excluding NT/NST strains) were B:22:P1.14; B:NT:P1.5 and B:NT:P1.16. Thirty-one strains collected during 1993-1995 were analysed by multilocus enzyme electrophoresis (MEE). There were 25 electrophoretic types (ETs) among 31 strains; the strains were very heterogeneous with only four ETs being represented by more than one strain. Study shows that meningococcal disease is still endemic in Slovenia.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1999

Microbial aetiology of community-acquired pneumonia in hospitalised patients.

Adult patients hospitalised with community-acquired pneumonia were studied prospectively to determine the microbial aetiology of pneumonia. Between April 1996 and March 1997, blood and sputum samples were collected for culture. Throat swabs were obtained for isolation of viruses and for detection of antigens of Chlamydia pneumoniae, influenza viruses A and B, respiratory syncytial virus and parainfluenza virus. Antibodies against Legionella spp., Mycoplasma pneumoniae, Chlamydia pneumoniae, Chlamydia psittaci, Coxiella burnetii, influenza viruses A and B, respiratory syncytial virus, adenovirus and parainfluenza virus were tested in serum samples. Two hundred eleven patients were included in the study; paired sera were available from 152 patients. Blood culture was positive in 23 (10.9%) patients, Streptococcus pneumoniae being the bacterium isolated most frequently. A fourfold or greater rise or fall in the Chlamydia pneumoniae IgG and/or IgM antibody titre was found in 20 (9.5%) patients and a high antibody titre (> or = 1:512) in the first and/or the second serum sample in 18 (18.5%) patients. Antibodies confirming acute Mycoplasma pneumoniae infection were found in 12 (5.7%) patients, Legionella spp. in six (2.8%), Chlamydia psittaci in two and Coxiella burnetii in one. Three patients had pulmonary tuberculosis. Only two patients had a virus present in the throat swab (adenovirus in one patient and echovirus in the other), and in nine patients, viral antigen was detected. Acute viral infection was confirmed in 51 (24.1%) patients. Bacterial pneumonia was diagnosed in 84 (39.8%) patients, 23 of whom had concurrent viral infection. Acute viral pneumonia without any other identified pathogen was diagnosed in 28 patients. Streptococcus pneumoniae and Chlamydia pneumoniae were the most frequently identified microorganisms.

Aged↗
PubMed1999

Mumps and mumps vaccine: a global review.

Mumps is an acute infectious disease caused by a paramyxovirus. Although the disease is usually mild, up to 10% of patients can develop aseptic meningitis; a less common but more serious complication is encephalitis, which can result in death or disability. Permanent deafness, orchitis, and pancreatitis are other untoward effects of mumps. Based on data reported to WHO up to April 1998, mumps vaccine is routinely used by national immunization programmes in 82 countries/areas: 23 (92%) of 25 developed countries, 19 (86%) of 22 countries with economies in transition (mainly the Newly Independent States of the former Soviet Union), and 40 (24%) of 168 developing countries. Countries that have achieved high coverage have shown a rapid decline in mumps morbidity. Furthermore, in many of these countries, mumps-associated encephalitis and deafness have nearly vanished. This review considers the disease burden due to mumps; summarizes studies on the immunogenicity, efficacy, and safety of different strains of mumps vaccine; and highlights lessons learned about implementing mumps immunization in different countries. Countries already using mumps vaccine should monitor immunization coverage and establish routine mumps surveillance with investigation of outbreaks. Where mumps is targeted for elimination, countries need to add a second dose of mumps vaccine for children, keeping in mind that the disease may still occur in susceptible adults.

Adult↗
PubMed1998

[Wide spread inflammation of the parotid glands (mumps): underestimated disease. I. Epidemiology of the mumps and its medical meaning in Poland].

Mumps is commonly considered a "mild" infectious disease in children because death due to mumps is very rare. However, mumps causes a high rate of complications in young adults, and its burden should not be underestimated. Before the introduction of vaccine, mumps was a common infectious disease with high incidence rates which exceeded 100 per 100,000 population in most countries. Poland continues to belong to the group of countries, which do not use mumps vaccine. In Poland, the number of reported mumps cases per year ranges from 40,000 to 220,000, yielding an annual incidence rates of 110 and 570 per 100,000 population. It is estimated that each year in Poland, mumps causes 1000 cases of aseptic meningitis (range 400 to 2,200), 100 cases of encephalitis, 250 to 1375 cases of epidymo-orchitis in post-pubertal men, 50-275 cases of oophoritis in women. The age distribution of mumps cases is characteristic for a country that does not use mumps vaccine. For more that 20 years, the highest mumps incidence has occurred in children aged 5-9 years. In many countries the number of reported cases has declined significantly following the introduction of mumps vaccine, and in several countries the incidence has fallen to less than 1 per 100,000 population. Several countries using mumps vaccine have reported a shift in the age distribution of mumps cases, with an increased incidence in older children and young adults. Countries with high levels of coverage with measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccine have nearly eliminated encephalitis associated with these diseases. A few countries using mumps vaccine have experienced relative resurgence of the disease, either due to incomplete vaccine coverage of certain age groups (USA) or problems with the long-term immunogenicity of mumps vaccine based on the Rubini strain (Portugal, Switzerland).

Adolescent↗
PubMed1998

[Wide-spread inflammation of the parotid glands (mumps): an underestimated disease. II. Development, use, efficacy and safety of mumps vaccines].

Effective attenuated live virus mumps vaccines have been available for more than 30 years. Vaccine strains have been developed on various cell culture systems; the attenuated mumps virus strain most commonly used is the Jeryl Lynn strain. Various vaccines differ in their immunogenicity, efficacy and associated adverse events. It is estimated that the immunization coverage needed to block the transmission of mumps virus is at least 70%. Models indicate that low to moderate levels of mumps vaccine coverage may actually increase the number of susceptibles and the number of cases in older age groups. Benefit-cost analyses in a number of countries have found that the introduction of mumps vaccine is economically justifiable, as vaccination can avert the considerable medical and economic costs associated with mumps morbidity. Countries that do not immunize against mumps continue to register high mumps morbidity, and pay a high toll from neurological and other complications of mumps. Poland, which already has a high level of measles vaccine coverage, should make efforts to replace monovalent measles vaccine with trivalent measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccine.

Adolescent↗