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Biomedical subjects

A Lester

Publications and source records attributed to A Lester.

18 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1992

Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia in AIDS patients: clinical course in relation to the parasite number found in routine specimens obtained by fiberoptic bronchoscopy.

The aim of this study was to evaluate whether the amount of Pneumocystis carinii organisms found at fiberoptic bronchoscopy (FB) performed on HIV-positive patients correlated to the character of the P. carinii pneumonia (PCP). A consecutive series of 105 patients presented with 131 episodes of pulmonary symptoms requiring FB, and in 75 of these episodes a diagnosis of PCP was made. Specimens were stained with Giemsa and methenamine silver nitrate and the number of parasites found was given as: numerous, many, few or none. The following signs and symptoms were registered: cough, dyspnoea, fever, loss of weight, chest radiograph, haemoglobin, WBC, CD4 cell count, PO2 and HIV p24 antigen. The PCP was characterized by the clinical course: mild, moderate, severe, and by the outcome: pulmonary healthy, pulmonary insufficiency and death. No correlations between the number of P. carinii organisms and the clinical course or outcome of the PCP, the symptoms before the FB or the paraclinical examinations were found. In conclusion, the routinely obtained quantitative results of the microbiological examinations of material from the lungs were not correlated to the severity of the PCP.

Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome↗
PubMed1991

[Salmonella infections in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus].

A retrospective review was undertaken of zoonotic Salmonella infections among 173 patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) who were followed by two departments of rheumatology in Copenhagen during an average period of 16 years. A total of six Salmonella infections were registered in five patients as one patient had two episodes of infection with Salmonella typhimurium with an interval of three years. All six infections were diagnosed during the years 1986-1990. During the period 1984 to 1988, the number of registered Salmonella infections increased from 900 to 3,500 in the Danish background population. All six infections were accompanied by Salmonella bacteraemia. the present investigation and studies of the literature demonstrate a considerably increased risk of Salmonella bacteraemia in SLE patients as compared with the population as a whole. This should be borne in mind when febrile SLE patients are investigated.

Adult↗
PubMed1991

Non-typhoid Salmonella bacteraemia in Greater Copenhagen 1984 to 1988.

A retrospective survey of non-typhoid Salmonella bacteraemia in the period 1984 to 1988 was carried out by the five departments of clinical microbiology in Greater Copenhagen. A total of 168 patients were identified. A gradual increase was observed from 11 cases in 1984 to 58 cases in 1988. The corresponding incidence per 100,000 inhabitants in Copenhagen rose from 0.9 in 1984 to 5.0 in 1988. During the same period the total registered incidence of human Salmonella infections in Denmark increased from 17.6 to 67.4 per 100,000 inhabitants. The serotype most often isolated from bacteraemic patients was Salmonella dublin followed by Salmonella enteritidis and Salmonella typhimurium. Salmonella dublin demonstrated enhanced invasive and pathogenic properties. Predisposing factors were present in 56% of the patients; the most common was malignant disease. A fatal or complicated course of the bacteraemia was observed more frequently in patients with underlying diseases than in persons who had previously been healthy. A total of 17% of the patients died; one-fifth of these had a ruptured aortic aneurysm. It is concluded that the substantial increase in the number of cases and the often serious course taken by the infection demonstrate a need for increased efforts at prophylaxis.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1991

Serious systemic infection caused by non-encapsulated Haemophilus influenzae biotype III in an adult.

Haemophilus influenzae is the aetiological agent in less than 1% of septic arthritis cases in adults and most often serotype b is involved. We report here a case of severe systemic infection due to non-encapsulated H. influenzae biotype III in a 40-year-old man, previously healthy although alcohol abuser. Cholangitis and acute alcoholic hepatitis were diagnosed simultaneously. The organism was grown from blood and from synovial fluid of the left knee, but several other joints were also affected. The close relationship between H. influenzae biotype III and H. aegyptius is mentioned in view of recent reports of fatal childhood illness caused by a special clone of H. aegyptius and the importance of reporting both serotype and biotype in severe H. influenzae induced disease is emphasized.

Acute Disease↗
PubMed1990

[Bacteremia caused by zoonotic Salmonella types in greater Copenhagen in 1984-1988].

The five departments of clinical microbiology in Greater Copenhagen have together carried out a retrospective review of bacteraemia caused by the zoonotic Salmonella serotypes in the period 1984-1988 in the municipalities of Copenhagen and Frederiksberg and in the County of Copenhagen. A gradual increase in frequency was observed from 11 cases in 1984 to 58 cases in 1988. The serotype most commonly isolated was Salmonella dublin followed by Salmonella enteritidis and Salmonella typhimurium. S. dublin was found to be more invasive and more virulent than the other serotypes. Predisposing factors were present in 56% of the patients; the commonest of these was malignant disease. Fatal or complicated course of the disease were observed more frequently in predisposed patients than in persons who had previously been healthy. A total of 17% of the patients died and one fourth of these had ruptured aortic aneurysm probably on account of Salmonella arteritis. 20% developed recurrence of bacteraemia while in the remaining patients the disease ran an uncomplicated course. It is concluded that the marked increase in the number of cases and the serious course taken by the infection demonstrate a definite need for increased prophylactic efforts in the food industry.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1989

Molecular epidemiology of antibiotic resistant Haemophilus influenzae isolated in Denmark 1981-87.

The molecular basis of antibiotic resistance was studied in 32 epidemiologically unrelated Danish clinical isolates of Haemophilus influenzae. Both non-encapsulated and capsulated type b strains were represented as well as four different biotypes. Plasmid DNA was found in 11 strains, all of which were antibiotic resistant. Antibiotic resistance was transferred to an Rd Haemophilus influenzae recipient from 5 of 6 prospective donors. Ampicillin and chloramphenicol resistance were linked markers while tetracycline resistance--when unselected--was lost in 18% of the transconjugants. Loss of Tcr was associated with loss of a plasmid DNA segment. Restriction enzyme profiles of plasmid DNA lead to the conclusion that the drug resistance plasmids are derivatives of a common, not too distant, ancestor. There is evidence of both clonal spread and horizontal transmission of related drug resistance plasmids in H. influenzae in Denmark.

Ampicillin Resistance↗
PubMed1988

In vitro susceptibility of Pseudomonas aeruginosa from bacteremic and fibrocystic patients to four quinolones and five other antipseudomonal antibiotics.

The in vitro antibacterial activities of 4 quinolones, 4 antipseudomonal beta-lactam antibiotics and tobramycin were determined by an agar dilution technique against 206 clinical isolates of Pseudomonas aeruginosa. 176 isolates derived from blood cultures (BC), the remaining 30 were piperacillin-resistant strains from sputum of cystic fibrosis (CF) patients. The CF strains were more resistant to all drugs tested and differed greatly in susceptibility pattern from the BC strains. Ciprofloxacin, ofloxacin and tobramycin were the most active drugs against the CF strains. More than 80% of the BC strains were susceptible to piperacillin and cefsulodin and more than 90% to ceftazidime, tobramycin, ciprofloxacin and ofloxacin. On a weight basis ciprofloxacin was the most active drug in both groups of strains. Our in vitro data suggest that several valuable drugs are now available in the treatment of infections caused by P. aeruginosa strains not previously exposed to antipseudomonal agents.

4-Quinolones↗
PubMed1988

In vitro susceptibility of Listeria monocytogenes isolated from human blood and cerebrospinal fluid. A material from the years 1958-1985.

The in vitro susceptibility of 156 strains of Listeria monocytogenes isolated since 1958 from human cerebrospinal fluid or blood to twelve antibiotics was determined by an agar dilution technique. Erythromycin (0.05), trimethoprim (0.2), netilmicin (0.2), and penicillin (0.2) were the most active drugs on weight basis (MIC90 0.05-0.2 micrograms/ml). Ampicillin and imipenem had MICs for 90% of the strains of 0.4 micrograms/ml. Ceftazidime was inactive (MIC90 greater than 100 micrograms/ml). Comparison of susceptibility pattern between strains isolated in different years showed that the antimicrobial susceptibility of L. monocytogenes has not changed during the last 25 years. The minimal bactericidal concentration (MBC) of penicillin was determined by a macro tube dilution method in ten recent isolates. Penicillin was bactericidal for all the strains with a MBC of 0.4-3.1 micrograms/ml, i.e. one to three two-fold dilutions above the MIC of 0.2-0.8 micrograms/ml, which means that no tolerant strains were found.

Ampicillin Resistance↗
PubMed1986

Radioimmunoassay of relaxin in pregnancy with an analogue of human relaxin.

A radioimmunoassay for relaxin was developed in which a synthetic analogue of human relaxin was used as standard, tracer, and immunogen. Relaxin could not be measured in sera from men or non-pregnant women, but was measurable in pregnant women from the tenth week of gestation until term. Concentrations ranged from 0.19-1.18 ng/ml, with highest levels measured in the first trimester.

Animals↗
PubMed1978

Cohort study of venereal disease. I: the risk of gonorrhea transmission from infected women to men.

Reliable data on the risk of transmission of N. gonorrhoeae would enhance our understanding of the importance of host defenses against gonorrhea and would aid in the evaluation of prophylactic measures. This paper examines the risk of transmission of gonorrhea from infected female to male and the role that variables such as race, prophylaxis and amount of exposure play in the development of gonococcal urethritis. Volunteer crew members of a large naval vessel were followed prospectively as a cohort to study their risk of acquiring gonococcal infection during a four-day liberty period in the Far East. At the same time the prevalence of N. gonorrhoeae was determined in a population of females to whom the sailors were exposed. The calculated risk of transmission per exposure with an infected partner was .19 for whites and .53 for blacks. A statistically significant relationship was noted between the risk of transmission of gonorrhea and both the number of partners and the frequency of sexual intercourse. Further, the increasing infection rate with increasing numbers of exposures in men who had a single sex partner suggests that the majority of men are in fact susceptible to gonorrhea if the quantity of exposure is sufficient.

Adult↗