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Biomedical subjects

K Whale

Publications and source records attributed to K Whale.

7 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1992

The role of streptococcal infection in the initiation of guttate psoriasis.

BACKGROUND AND DESIGN: Although the association between streptococcal infection and guttate psoriasis is well known, to date there has been little information on whether only limited groups and/or serotypes of beta-hemolytic streptococci are involved. One hundred eleven patients with a sudden onset or deterioration of psoriasis were investigated for evidence of streptococcal infection. Of these patients, 34 had acute guttate psoriasis, 30 had a guttate flare of chronic psoriasis, 37 had chronic plaque psoriasis, and 10 had other types of psoriasis. RESULTS: Serologic evidence of recent streptococcal infection was present in 19 (58%) of 33 patients with acute guttate psoriasis compared with seven (26%) of 27 patients with guttate exacerbations of chronic psoriasis. Streptococcus pyogenes was isolated from 19 (17%) of all 111 patients (9 [26%] of 34 with acute guttate psoriasis, four [13%] of 30 with guttate exacerbations of chronic psoriasis, and five [14%] of 37 patients with chronic psoriasis) compared with seven (7%) of 101 of a control population of patients being seen for treatment of viral warts. Other beta-hemolytic streptococci were found with equal frequency in the study and control populations. Thirteen isolates of 10 different streptococcal serotypes were obtained from the 64 patients with guttate psoriasis. These serotypes were similar in distribution and prevalence to those present in the local community. CONCLUSIONS: This study confirms the strong association between prior infection with S pyogenes and guttate psoriasis but suggests that the ability to trigger guttate psoriasis is not serotype specific.

Antibodies, Bacterial↗
PubMed1988

Pulmonary infection with Nocardia caviae in a patient with diabetes mellitus and liver cirrhosis.

The first reported case of pulmonary infection with Nocardia caviae in Britain occurred in a 67 year old woman, in whom diabetes mellitus and liver cirrhosis probably contributed to impaired cell mediated immunity. She was successfully treated with gentamicin 60 mg eight hourly and sulphadimidine 500 mg six hourly for six months and then with sulphadimidine 2 g/day for a further three months. When Nocardia caviae is isolated from the sputum of a patient with chronic respiratory infection and fever, effective treatment should be started promptly.

Aged↗
PubMed1986

A comparison of the clinico-pathological features with stool pathogens in patients hospitalised with the symptom of diarrhoea.

The clinico-pathological features of 515 adult patients admitted to a major Regional Infectious Diseases Unit in United Kingdom with the symptom complex of diarrhoea were compared to the pathogens detected in their stool specimens. Routine clinical examination supported by basic pathological and laboratory investigations identified 138 (28%) in whom the cause of diarrhoea was extragastrointestinal or non-infectious gastrointestinal. Of the 351 patients (72%) with infectious gastroenteritis 72 (21%) had campylobacter, 59 (17%) had salmonella (22% bacteraemic) and 16 (5%) shigella. Clostridium difficile toxin accounted for a further 15 (4%)--antibiotics had been the antecedent cause in only one half of these. Routine microscopical examination of the faeces for red and white cells distinguished many with "culture positive" diarrhoea from those with "culture negative" infectious diarrhoea. Although there are no clinico-pathological features which are unique to a particular pathogen and unequivocally suggest a particular pathogen, certain features did tend to present more often in association with particular microorganisms, and this knowledge may suggest a bacterial diagnosis whilst awaiting the definitive results of stool microbiology. These features include prior antimicrobial therapy with positive sigmoidoscopical/histological features: Cl. difficile; protracted diarrhoea in elderly severely dehydrated patients: salmonellosis; foreign travel in males with bloody diarrhoea: shigellosis; abdominal pain in younger patients with a small degree of vomiting: campylobacteriosis. Early diagnosis may then prove useful in rationalizing initial therapy, particularly the appropriate use of antimicrobials.

Acute Disease↗