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Bozena Zdrodowska-Stefanow

Publications and source records attributed to Bozena Zdrodowska-Stefanow.

13 recordsLinked to original sources

The effect of Chlamydia trachomatis infection of the prostate gland on the concentration of citric acid.

INTRODUCTION: The objective of the study was to assess the relationship between Chlamydia trachomatis (C.t.) infection of the prostate and the concentration of citric acid. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The study involved 60 patients with chronic prostatitis (NIH III). Urethral swabs and expressed prostatic secretions (EPS) were collected for analysis. The urethral swabs were tested for PMNs and the presence of Neisseria gonorrhoeae and C.t., while the EPS were analyzed to determine PMN count, C.t., and citric acid concentration. The DFA or LCR method was used for C.t. diagnosis. The concentration of citric acid was measured using the UV method. RESULTS: Inflammation of the prostate (PMNs >/=10/field) was diagnosed in 58.3 of the patients. C.t. infection was found in 20%, including 8.3% with only the urethra affected and 10% with only the prostate. One patient had both the urethra and the prostate infected. A reduction in the concentration of citric acid in EPS was observed in 56.7% of the men. In 88.2% of the patients, reduced citric acid concentration was accompanied by an elevated PMN count in the EPS. All patients with C.t. infection of the prostate showed a reduced concentration of citric acid. In five patients with urethral infection, lack of a decrease in this parameter was noted in one. In all the patients with chlamydial infection, irrespective of localization, a high PMN count was observed in the EPS. CONCLUSIONS: Determination of the concentration of citric acid in the prostatic fluid is a good indicator of prostatitis. C.t. infection of the prostate gland is accompanied by a decrease in the concentration of citric acid.

Adolescent↗

[Role of mycoplasmas in urogenital tract infections and their complications].

In the literature from recent years it is stressed the significant epidemiological and clinical role of the sexually transmitted infections caused by so called "new generation" pathogens including mycoplasmas. The paper gives a review of the current literature concerning the epidemiology, clinical presentation, diagnosis and therapy of the infections of urogenital tract caused by mycoplasmas.

Female↗

[Antiphospholipid syndrome].

The antiphospholipid syndrome is considered to be one of the most common autoimmunological diseases. This paper is a review of contemporary literature data concerning pathogenesis and clinical and laboratory diagnostic criteria. Wide clinical symptomatology of the syndrome, differential diagnosis as well as diagnostic, therapeutic and preventive regimens are presented.

Antiphospholipid Syndrome↗

[Drug hypersensitivity syndrome].

The drug hypersensitivity syndrome (DHS) is a drug-induced reaction of an extremely severe clinical course and serious prognosis. It poses major diagnostic problems and is frequently unrecognized by clinicians. Based on literature data, the authors have presented the information on epidemiology, etiology, pathogenesis, clinical picture, diagnostics and treatment of DHS. This is the first report in Poland concerning this clinical interdisciplinary syndrome.

Diagnosis, Differential↗

[Bacterial vaginosis].

Bacterial vaginosis (BV) is one of the most common lower genital tract infections among women of childbearing age. This paper is a survey of literature data concerning epidemiology, pathogenesis, clinical and laboratory diagnostic criteria of this clinical syndrome.

Female↗

The immunology of Chlamydia trachomatis.

Chlamydia trachomatis (C. trachomatis) is one of the most common sexually transmitted bacterial agents. What distinguishes it from other organisms is its intracellular reproductive cycle. Up to now, four antigens have been identified in the Chlamydia genus: genus-specific antigen as well as species-specific, type-specific and subspecies-specific. C. trachomatis is a powerful immunogen which stimulates the host's immunological processes. The intracellular parasitism of the bacteria is the basis for both symptomatic or asymptomatic infection as well as for chronic ones. The primary infection leads to a local inflammatory reaction due to penetration and reproduction of the bacteria in the epithelial cells and to IgA secretory antibody production. In most cases the host's reaction to the primary infection is transient and does not cause tissue damage. In the course of chronic infection or reinfection, the most important processes are those of delayed hypersensitivity, which lead to a fast and intense immunological reaction of specifically sensitized Th1 lymphocytes. This reaction leads to progressive damage of the epithelial cells and to cicatrization and fibrosis, which means irreversible complications. Interferon gamma is of special importance in the process of C. trachomatis infection. High concentrations of it inhibit the bacteria's reproductive cycle, while lower concentrations promote the development of atypical, non-contagious forms of Chlamydia of diminished metabolic activity and altered antigenicity. The chlamydial heat shock proteins are considered to be of great importance lately. Their molecular weights of 60 and 10 kDa are a powerful stimulant of immunological reactions and show significant homology (40-90%) to human and other bacterial heat shock proteins.

Animals↗

[Oculogenital Chlamydia trachomatis infections in adults].

The aim of the research was to determine the prevalence of C. trachomatis (C.t.) conjunctivitis and urogenital infections coexistence in adults. The study was carried out on 222 patients (109 women and 113 men) with clinical signs of conjunctivitis. Conjunctival swabs were taken from all patients for evaluation and urogenital swabs as well as blood from the patients with confirmed infection. Direct diagnostics of chlamydial infections involved IF and LCR methods while serologic diagnostics (specific IgG antibodies) used EIA and indirect IF methods. The control group for conjunctival swabs included 52 volunteers who did not have any ophthalmological symptoms while for the serological tests the control group consisted of 103 blood donors. Ocular C.t. infection was diagnosed in 42 out of 222 (18.9%) patients with conjunctivitis symptoms and in 2 out of 52 (3.8%) patients of the control group. Chlamydial conjunctivitis was mostly (70%) found in young people (18-30 yrs) and it was twice more common in women. It was usually bilateral and chronic. Urogenital C.t. infection was diagnosed in 24 out of 42 (57.1%) patients and it was more common in men (14 patients) than in women (10 patients). Only 4 out of 42 (9.5%) patients suffered from any urogenital symptoms. Specific IgG antibodies were found in the serum of 29 out of 42 (69%) patients with chlamydial conjunctivitis and only in 6 out of 103 (5.8%) patients of the control group. The diagnostics of the ocular infections, which are resistant to routine treatment, should involve the consideration of etiological role of C.t. Due to common urogenital chlamydial infection coexistence both sexual partners should be diagnosed and treated.

Adult↗

Antichlamydial antibodies in the serum and expressed prostatic secretion in prostatitis.

INTRODUCTION: The aim of the study was to evaluate the prevalence of anti-Chlamydia trachomatis (C.trachomatis) antibodies in serum and expressed prostatic secretion (EPS) in chronic prostatitis. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Thirty-six patients with chronic prostatitis were examined. The presence of C. trachomatis was determined in urethral smears and EPS. Specific antibodies were determined in the serum (IgM, IgA, IgG) and in the EPS (IgA, IgG). In the direct diagnosis of chlamydial infection, the direct immunofluorescence method and the ligase chain reaction were employed, and for the serological diagnosis, the immunoenzymatic method. RESULTS: C. trachomatis infection was detected in the urethra of 3 (8.3%) patients and in the prostatic gland of 3 (8.3%) patients; only one of these patients was found to have C. trachomatis in both the urethra and the EPS. In the control group, C. trachomatis was detected in the urethra of 1/50 (2%) of the men, but the EPS of all of them was free of C. trachomatis. Specific IgM antibodies were found in 7 (19.4%), IgA in 9 (25%), and IgG in 18 (50%) of the patients' serum, whereas IgAs were detected in 12 (33.3%) and IgGs in 13 (36.1%) of the patients' EPS. In the control group, anti-C. trachomatis antibodies of the IgG were detected in the serum of 2/35 (5.7%) of the men, whereas in the EPS neither IgA nor IgG antibodies were detected in any of these patients. CONCLUSIONS: Serological tests of the serum and EPS are useful as a complementary method in the diagnosis of chronic prostatitis.

Adolescent↗

Chlamydia trachomatis infections in women with adverse pregnancy outcome.

AIM: The aim of the study was to evaluate the prevalence of Chlamydia trachomatis (C. trachomatis) infection in women with adverse pregnancy outcomes. MATERIAL AND METHOD: 258 patients aged 18-43 yrs were enrolled into the study. Among them, 162 women have had spontaneous abortions in the past (group A), 81 had history of intrauterine death of the foetus (group B) and 15 women had experienced preterm deliveries (group C). The control group (group D) included 131 women who were in the second or third trimester of uncomplicated pregnancy. C. trachomatis was investigated in cervical and urethral smears using direct immunofluorescence or Ligase chain reaction (LCR) for direct testing and immunoenzymatic assay (EIA) for serological testing and detection of specific IgG antibodies. RESULTS: C. trachomatis was detected in 25.9% patients in group A, 35.8% in group B and 20% in group C and only in 12.7% in group D. IgG specific antibodies were present in 31.5%, 41.9%, 26.6% and 14.5% of patients in these groups respectively. The highest prevalence of chlamydial infections, regardless the diagnostic method used, was registered in the group of women with a history of 3 abortions (42.3% when direct testing and 45.5% when serological testing) while the lowest prevalence was in women who experienced only l abortion (23.2% and 28%). CONCLUSION: C. trachomatis infection in pregnancy affects its duration as it can lead to miscarriage, death of the foetus and preterm delivery.

Abortion, Spontaneous↗

Chlamydia trachomatis infections in children.

Based of literature data, the authors present informations on epidemiology, pathogenesis, clinical picture, diagnostics and treatment of Chlamydia trachomatis urogenital infections in children.

Child↗

Subclinical prostatic inflammation attributable to Chlamydia trachomatis in a patient with prostate cancer.

Chronic inflammation has long been linked to cancers with an infectious etiology. Subclinical intraprostatic inflammation is a frequent finding in prostatic specimens obtained during surgical procedures. Recent studies using biomolecular (amplification) methods showed that the incidence of cryptic bacterial infections of prostate gland may be underestimated. We present the case of 66 years old man with no symptoms of prostatitis in whom chronic Chlamydia trachomatis infection was diagnosed based on the patient's medical history and detection of chlamydial DNA in prostate biopsy specimen by means of ligase chain reaction. Two years later the patient was diagnosed with prostate cancer on repeated prostate biopsy.

Aged↗