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Biomedical subjects

E M Magliano

Publications and source records attributed to E M Magliano.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

Hepatitis C virus in non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. A reappraisal after a prospective case-control study of 300 patients. Lombart Study Group of HCV-Lymphoma.

It is widely thought, but not yet explained, that there might be a pathogenetic link between the infection of hepatitis C virus (HCV) and the onset of B non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL). We studied the prevalence of serum anti-HCV antibodies among 300 NHL comparing it with the prevalence among 600 age- and sex-matched non-neoplastic subjects as controls, 247 patients with non-lymphomatous neoplasm, and 122 patients treated with immunosuppressive agents. We found a prevalence of 0.16 among NHL and 0.085 among controls and non-lymphomatous patients. Although the difference was statistically significant (P < 0.001), the odds ratio was 2.049 and its confidence intervals included the equality. The HCV prevalence was independent of NHL subset, and the genotypes distribution was the same among NHL and controls. We disclosed a HBsAg prevalence of 0.077 in NHL versus 0.008 in controls (P < 0.001) with an odds ratio of 9.9. We do not believe that these findings support the hypothesis of an HCV pathogenetic role in lymphomagenesis because (i) the risk of previous infection is marginally higher in NHL than in controls, (ii) a typical genotype distribution is lacking, as is a NHL clinico-histological feature associated with HCV, and (iii) the higher prevalence of viral infection is not specific as witnessed by the high HBsAg prevalence.

Adolescent↗

[The laboratory in the diagnosis of sexually transmitted diseases].

In light of the wide array of sexually transmitted infections, it is important that accurate, increasingly advanced laboratory procedures be used to identify the specific agents and that the results of these procedures be correctly interpreted. For this reason, guidelines for the laboratory diagnosis of sexually transmitted diseases (STD) must include standardised criteria and protocols. This report presents the results of several Italian studies on the variability of laboratory procedures for diagnosing the most common STD.

Clinical Protocols↗

Epidemiology of urogenital infections caused by Chlamydia trachomatis and outline of characteristic features of patients at risk.

A study of Chlamydia trachomatis infection was conducted in two stages on 15,656 subjects at urogenital clinics of the Faculty of Medicine and Surgery at La Sapienza University in Rome, the S. Anna Hospital in Turin, and the Niguarda Hospital in Milan. The overall incidence of the disease was 6.4% in patients examined throughout the whole study period. The rate of positive cases was 5.8% for the 5270 patients examined up to 1990, and 6.7% for the 10,386 patients examined from 1990 to 1992, showing an increasing trend. There was a much higher positivity rate in men (9.8%) than in women (6.0%); the difference was statistically significant. Of all patients, 60%, were asymptomatic. In symptomatic patients, C. trachomatis was present in 18.5% of cases of non-gonococcal urethritis and in 12.8% of cases of salpingitis. The highest incidence of C. trachomatis infection was in women who had begun sexual activity at an early age, (under 25 years in age), had several sexual partners and used intra-uterine contraceptive devices or spermicides or both.

Adult↗

A study of the incidence of urogenital Chlamydia trachomatis in patients attending specialized departments of Rome, Milan and Turin, Italy.

A study of Chlamydia trachomatis was conducted in 5270 subjects seen at clinics of the Faculty of Medicine and Surgery at La Sapienza University in Rome, the S. Anna Hospital in Turin, and the Provincial Maternity Hospital Institute in Milan. In these areas, C. trachomatis was present in 5.8% of the cases examined; in addition it was present with statistically significant frequencies in cases of salpingitis (49.1) and epididymitis (21.7). It may also be found in cases of extrauterine pregnancy, sterility and abortion. Those most affected were women who had begun their sexual activity at an early age, were under 25, had several sexual partners and who used the coil and/or spermicides. A routine check for C. trachomatis should be considered for those women with those risk factors.

Adolescent↗

[Chlamydia and pharyngotonsillitis in childhood].

The aim of this study was to evaluate the role of Chlamydia trachomatis in pharyngeal infections in childhood. 200 children, aged 1 month to 12 years, with and without symptoms of pharyngitis were examined for CT. Swabs were taken from the oropharynx and tonsillar areas for direct fluorescent antibody assay. 12% of the patients and 4% of the control subjects were positive for CT. Group A Streptococcus was not isolated from any patient or control subject positive for CT. In positive cases we extended the research to relatives. The treatment for positive cases was erythromycin and it eradicated CT in 80% of our patients. A new strain of Chlamydia, called TWAR, showing cross-reactivity with CT, has been isolated. Therefore further research should be carried out to discover if micro-organisms considered CT up to now, do belong or not to TWAR strain. Long term studies in children will be helpful in further defining the role of Chlamydia, trachomatis or TWAR, as a cause of pharyngitis.

Child↗

The role of benzydamine in the topical treatment of the so-called non-specific vaginitis.

The authors report the preliminary results of their investigation of the efficacy of benzydamine in the treatment of the so-called non-specific vaginitis. An initial in vitro study to test its bacteriostatic and/or bactericidal activity on Gardnerella vaginalis showed that the drug has high activity even at the lowest concentrations, and completely inhibits this micro-organism at 1000 micrograms/ml which is the usual concentration employed in therapy. The first pilot study performed in vivo on 14 selected vaginitis cases which were found positive for G. vaginalis by culture test appears to confirm the therapeutic efficacy of benzydamine; however, this confirmation must await the results of a double-blind clinical trial which is still in progress.

Administration, Intravaginal↗

[Isolation, assay and biotyping of lactobacillary flora of the vagina].

The results of the isolation, quantitation and biotyping of 120 strains of vaginal Lactobacillus are presented. The more effective culture media for isolation and different methods of pH measurement were investigated. Five different species of Lactobacillus were isolated in vaginal specimens (Lactobacillus acidophilus 88.8%). The size limits found in the 120 Lactobacillus acidophilus strains were 0.8 to 6,0 mu length and 0.3 to 0.8 mu width. The effort to correlate number of Lactobacillus to pH and weight of vaginal fluid did not give satisfactory results because of difficulties in collecting homogeneous samples. Biochemical investigation of 120 vaginal strains of Lactobacillus did not show any peculiar biotype. The A.A. suggested the "routine" detection of vaginal lactobacillar flora as a usefull marker of ecological status in the choice of the therapy.

Adolescent↗

HBIG immunoprophylaxis of babies born to HBsAg carrier mothers.

Screening of 12 965 pregnant women revealed a prevalence of HBsAg carriers of 3.5%. Of these 4.8% were positive for HBeAg, 92.1% for anti-HBe and 3.1% were HBeAg/anti-HBe negative. Babies born to HBeAg positive mothers were found to be at extremely high risk of acquiring HBV infection and of developing a chronic carrier state, while those born to anti-HBe positive mothers were at lower yet consistent risk of infection and none of them became chronic carriers. Starting from October 1980 babies born to HBsAg carrier mothers were submitted to HBIG treatment. Babies born to anti-HBe mothers received two 0.2 ml/kg doses i.m. at birth and at one month of age, while babies born to HBeAg positive mothers were injected again at 3 and 6 months. After a prolonged follow-up it emerged that: 1) HBIG treatment was of some efficacy in preventing HBsAg chronic carrier state following perinatal transmission of HBV; 2) HBIG treatment rather than preventing HBV infection delayed its onset; 3) interruption of transmission of HBV may also be useful in preventing delta infection since this can occur only in circumstances that permit transmission of HBV infection.

Adult↗

Perinatal transmission of the hepatitis B virus and of the HBV-associated delta agent from mothers to offspring in northern Italy.

We report a prospective study on infants born to hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) carrier mothers to estimate the incidence of perinatal transmission of HBV and HBV-associated delta agent in Northern Italy. The risk of infection to the infant was related to the presence of the HBe antigen-antibody system, HBV-specific DNA polymerase activity and antibody to delta in maternal sera, and to the titer of anti-HBe in babies at birth. The data of this study indicate: 1. Babies born to HBsAg carrier mothers with HBeAg in serum are at extremely high risk of acquiring HBV infection and of developing a chronic carrier state, whereas those born to anti-HBe-positive mothers are at a lower (P less than .01) yet consistent risk of infection. 2. HBs antigenemia is usually prolonged and symptomatic in babies born to HBeAg-positive mothers while being self-limited and asymptomatic in babies born to anti-HBe-positive mothers. 3. DNA polymerase activity in maternal serum appears to be the most sensitive marker predicting HBV transmission to the infant since it was detected in all the HBeAg-positive mothers and also in two anti-HBe-positive mothers and in one HBeAg/anti-HBe-negative mother who transmitted infection to their babies. 4. High titers of anti-HBe (up to 1:103) do not prevent HBV infection. 5. Vertical transmission of delta infection seems to occur only in circumstances that permit perinatal transmission of HBV infection.

Antibodies, Viral↗