Biomedical subjects

H Vargas-Montiel

Publications and source records attributed to H Vargas-Montiel.

2 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed1999

[Candida in biological human samples].

Infections by Candida have been raising in the last decades, and risk factors, mainly immunosuppression and the appearance of Candida no albicans, are determinants in the prognosis of these mycoses. The purpose of this investigation was to identify and establish the prevalence of C. albicans and Candida spp. in candidiases, in patients to the Hospital Universitario de Maracaibo, whose biological samples were processed for both direct examination and cultures, needed for the proper identification. From October 1996 to October 1998, isolation and identification of yeasts of Candida were performed in 177 biological samples: 73 (41.24%) Candida albicans and 104 (58.75%) Candida spp. Both blastoconidias and pseudohyphae were found in 34 samples (19.21%), 24 of which (70.5%) were diagnosed as C. albicans and 10 (29.5%), as Candida spp. Blastoconidias identified by direct method were distributed as C. albicans 34.2% and Candida spp. 65.7%. C. albicans was found more often in intertrigo, sputum and in bronquial lavage samples. Candida spp. was more frequent in nails. Candidiasis is a frequently diagnosed mycosis in hospitals, mainly among immunossuppresed patients. It is very important to use direct microscopical evaluation and cultures, in order to establish the presence of blastoconidias and pseudohyphae, that will help to diagnose the aethiology and prevalence of candidiasis. It is also important to recognize subungueal candidiasis in hospital staff, that could spread the infection to inpatients.

Adult↗

PubMed1994

[Detection of Borrelia burgdorferi antibodies in a population sample of the state of Zulia].

Between July 1992 and September 1993 an investigation was carried out in a population of Zulia State, Venezuela, in order to detect antibodies against Borrelia burgdorferi for the diagnosis of Lyme disease. A total of 74 patients were studied: 37 asymptomatic and 37 patients clinically suspected having the disease. ELISA tests were performed to determine antibodies against Borrelia burgdorferi. The positive cases, confirmed by duplicate, were tested with VDRL, Monotest, Rheumatoid Factor and Antinuclear Antibodies to eliminate false positives. The total positive cases were 14 of 74 (18.9%). Positive cases in the symptomatic group (29.7%) were higher than in the asymptomatic group (8.9%). The most frequent clinical diagnosis was Morfea (54.5%). The major serological diagnosis (54.32%) was obtained from the chronic patients (more than a year of evolution). A 45.5% of symptomatic patients presented antibodies, despite of receiving antibiotic treatment. Most of the symptomatic positive cases, and also the asymptomatic cases, had a previous visit or permanence in forestal or rural areas. The results of this investigation prove the existence of antibodies against Borrelia burgdorferi in the population of Zulia State, both in the symptomatic as well as in the asymptomatic patients. These results open the path to use a more specific test like immunoblot, for the diagnosis of Lyme disease in our area.

Adolescent↗