Biomedical subjects

J Zala

Publications and source records attributed to J Zala.

6 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed2000

[Symptoms of fungal esophagitis in alcoholic liver disease].

Symptoms related to fungal esophagitis were studied in patients with alcoholic liver disease who underwent upper gastrointestinal endoscopy. Data of 517 patients were studied retrospectively (group I) and 100 alcoholic liver disease patients, that were successively admitted to hospital, were enrolled in the prospective part (group II). Out of the 41 cases with fungal esophagitis found in group I, data of 38 could be evaluated. In group II 13 of the 93 evaluable patients had fungal esophagitis; according to Kodsi's grading 10 patients had grade 1., one patient grade 2. and two patients grade 2-3. oesophagitis. There was no case with grade 4. esophagitis. The rate of symptoms among the 51 patients with fungal esophagitis was: anorexia 23 (45.0%), abdominal pain 22 (43.1%), vomiting 17 (33.3%), nausea 15 (29.4%), occult gastrointestinal bleeding 12 (23.5%), weight loss 9 (17.6%), melena 7 (13.7%), bloating 6 (11.7%), acidic regurgitation 3 (5.8%), haematemesis 2 (3.9%), thoracic pain 2 (3.9%), singultus 1 (1.9%), odynophagia 0 and dysphagia 0. In 7 patients (13.7%) none of the studied symptoms could be identified. Despite the relatively high frequency of symptom free fungal esophagitis reported in the literature, the total lack of odynophagia and dysphagia in our patient group was remarkable. In the lack of deglutition disorders the other symptoms do not raise the suspicion of esophagitis. The diagnosis in such cases can be established only by endoscopy.

Abdominal Pain↗

PubMed2000

Fungal colonization of the esophagus in alcoholic liver disease.

OBJECTIVES: Little is known about the fungal colonization of the esophagus. Since alcoholic liver disease (ALD) patients are prone to fungal esophagitis, we have investigated the esophageal fungal colonization of this patient group. METHODS: One hundred consecutive ALD patients were enrolled in this prospective study. 22 patients with dyspeptic symptoms acted as controls. After taking an oropharyngeal swab, patients underwent an upper gastrointestinal endoscopy and surface material was obtained from the esophagus for direct smears and culture. RESULTS: In the ALD group pseudohyphae were found in 21.5% and yeast forms in 6.4% of the direct smears. The culture was positive in 40.8% of the ALD patients, the isolated strains were: 30 C. albicans, 2 C. kefyr, 2 C. krusei, 1 C. zeylanoides and in 3 cases the species could not be identified. 41.9% of ALD patients and 13.6% of control patients (p = 0.013) had fungi in their esophagus. Significantly more ALD patients had fungal esophagitis than in the control group (19.3% vs. 0%, p = 0.021), the rate of fungal colonization was also higher, but the difference was not significant (22.5% vs. 13.6%). A significantly higher rate of fungal esophagitis and esophageal colonization was found in patients with fungi in their oropharyngeal swabs (p = 0.00001). CONCLUSIONS: Fungal colonization of the esophagus is frequent in ALD patients. Its presence might have clinical significance in the case of liver transplantation.

Adult↗

PubMed1999

Hygienic mycology in Hungary.

In Hungary the medical mycological research concerning the systemic (so-called deep) mycoses started in the National Institute of Hygiene. The Mycology Department has been founded in 1955 in this Institute with nation-wide authority as a routine diagnostic laboratory for clinical specimens from systemic mycotic infections. Three years later its activity was broadened--on ground of the experiences--to cover the total field of hygiene, thus we had to establish the "mycologia hygienica" (hygienic mycology), however, this has not been accepted as an independent discipline. Here a short, selected overview is given of our experiences. In the following the trends of the activity is demonstrated along the subdivisions of hygiene (epidemiology, environmental-hygiene, professional and occupational-, nutritional and food hygiene). In respect of hygiene, however, the fungi play a Janus-faced (more exactly Dr. Jekyll-Mr. Hyde) role, as they can behave not only harmful but also beneficial.

Animals↗

PubMed1998

Coccidioidomycosis in Hungary. The first import case.

A case of an isolated subcutaneous coccidioidomycosis in a 61-year-old man is presented. The patient has lived and worked in Arizona for 3 years previously but developed no apparent clinical signs of the disease. The painless, cavitating, tumor-like mass was surgically excised and the diagnosis was established by histological demonstration of the fungi and confirmed by serum counterimmunoelectrophoresis. This represents the first imported case of coccidioidomycosis in Hungary.

Arizona↗

PubMed1996

Comparison of single-dose and 7-day fluconazole treatment of fungal esophagitis in alcoholic liver disease.

The aim of the study was to assess the effectiveness of a single-dose fluconazole treatment of fungal esophagitis in patients with alcoholic liver disease. Twenty-two alcoholic liver disease patients with fungal esophagitis were randomly assigned to receive either a single-dose of 150 mg fluconazole or a 7-day treatment of daily 50 mg fluconazole. Control esophagoscopy was performed in both groups on days 9-11. Direct smears and cultures on Sabouraud's medium were performed at both endoscopies. Patients' sera were tested for Candida antigens and for antibodies against Candida albicans on days 1, 8 and 15. Twenty patients (18 C. albicans, 1 C. tropicalis, 1 C. pseudotropicalis) completed the study, there were two drop-outs from the single-dose group. Antibodies against C. albicans were found in four cases, Candida antigens in five. There were no significant differences in the treatment outcome between the two groups, clinical cure was recorded in eight out of nine patients in the single-dose group and nine out of eleven patients in the 7-day group, mycological eradication in four out of nine, and in three out of eleven, respectively. Single-dose fluconazole treatment seems to be an effective therapy of fungal esophagitis in alcoholic liver disease patients.

Adult↗

PubMed1989

Diagnosing myalgic encephalomyelitis.

The diagnosis of myalgic encephalomyelitis can be difficult, particularly if laboratory evidence of infection is absent. This study compares the clinical presentation of patients with and without such evidence. Possible criteria for making a firm clinical diagnosis are discussed.

Fatigue Syndrome, Chronic↗