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B Lafarga

Publications and source records attributed to B Lafarga.

29 records · Page 2Linked to original sources
PubMed1994

[Comparative study of the serologic response of IgA and IgM type in the diagnosis of acute toxoplasmosis].

BACKGROUND: IgM serologic response in the diagnosis of acute toxoplasmosis presents interpretation problems. A comparative study with IgA detection of antibodies was performed. METHODS: A parallel serologic study was carried out with IgM and IgA enzymoimmunoassay enhancement techniques in the sera of patients suspected of having toxoplasmosis. RESULTS: Positive results for IgM and/or IgA were presented in 74 sera (47 patients): 86.3% for the former and 58.9% for the latter (p < 0.001). The group of IgA-/IgA+ sera presented a low mean of proportionality index (PI): 1.6 versus the IgM+ sera group in the context of IgG seroconversion with a PI of 3.4 (p < 0.001). Out of the 9 patients with demonstrated IgG, all were IgA+ and seven IgM+. CONCLUSIONS: The present data seem to support greater specificity of the determination of IgA antibodies than that of IgM in the diagnosis of acute toxoplasmosis.

Acute Disease↗
PubMed1992

[Gastroenteritis caused by adenoviruses 40/41: epidemiological and clinical aspects].

The 40/41 adenovirus plays an important role as the productive agent of gastroenteritis at a pediatric age according to recent studies. With the aim of evaluating the clinical-epidemiological importance of this agent in our medium a prospective study of the 40/41 adenovirus was carried out in 1,697 stools of children of under 14 years of age over a period of 2 years. An enzyme immunoassay technique with specific monoclonal antibodies was used for detection. The 40/41 adenovirus was the third cause of gastroenteritis following Salmonella sp. and rotavirus with a percentage of infection of 2.1%. In 87.1% of the patients in which it was detected the patients had an age of less than 24 months. A clear peak of infection was found in the months of September of the two years studied. The infection was of intrahospital origin in 46.2% of the patients. Most of the children presented a self-limited diarrheic picture. The evolution of the patients was good with adequate rehydration measures. The study of the 40/41 adenovirus is of indubitable interest with the aim of obtaining greater knowledge of its importance in the epidemiology and clinical manifestations of gastroenteritis.

Acute Disease↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Gastroenteritis caused by verotoxin-producing Escherichia coli O157. Presentation of 2 cases].

Verotoxin-producing Escherichia coli strains have been associated with acute hemorrhagic colitis since 1982. We have systematically investigated this pathogen in our laboratory, in all stool samples submitted for culture during a fourteen month period, by using MacConkey sorbitol agar to isolate non sorbitol fermenting Escherichia coli strains. Coated latex particles with an antiserum against Escherichia coli O157 were used to detect O157 serogroup Escherichia coli. A completed serological study and verotoxin assay was performed in all positive strains. We have found two non-related cases of verotoxigenic Escherichia coli infection in two children. In one case, the main clinical picture was an acute hemorrhagic colitis and the other one was a diarrhea without presence of blood, with fever and vomiting. Both cases improved without antimicrobial treatment. No systemic complications appeared in any of the cases during the infection. The infection incidence was 0.07% of all positive stool cultures. The few documented cases of this infection in our country should encourage to investigate this pathogen in order to know its real incidence in our environment.

Bacterial Toxins↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Clinical characteristics and epidemiologic study of a listeriosis outbreak in Grand Canary].

BACKGROUND AND METHODS: Human infections caused by Listeria monocytogenes often present as sporadic cases without any epidemiological relationship among them; however they also appear as outbreaks that are usually detected by an increase in the number of cases diagnosed by hospitals of the geographic area. Between December 1991 and May 1993, twenty four cases of listeriosis were detected in three hospitals of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria; and they were classified as an outbreak. Our report describes its clinical, epidemiological and microbiological aspects. RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS: Twenty four cases of listeriosis were diagnosed, 12 occurred in pregnant women or neonates (5 and 7 respectively) and 12 in non pregnant adults. All adult infections were community-acquired. The incidence rate was, for the epidemic area, 76.3 cases per million population during the period considered (18 months). Among non pregnant adults, 9/12 patients had some underlying disease and 9/12 presented CNS affection (meningitis and/or cerebritis). In the group of pregnant women, 4 cases occurred in the second trimester and fetal loss was caused; one case was detected in the third trimester and four weeks later the patient delivered an unaffected infant. All cases of neonatal listeriosis presented as early-onset sepsis. Of the 24 strains of L. monocytogenes, 21 were serotype 4, two were serotype 1 and one was not typeable. Strains from 12 patients were available for epidemiological analysis, seven of which corresponded to the same pattern and there were three more different patterns.

Abortion, Spontaneous↗