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Biomedical subjects

M Makara

Publications and source records attributed to M Makara.

9 recordsLinked to original sources

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↗

Distribution of T-lymphocyte subpopulation in blood and spleen of normal cattle and cattle with enzootic bovine leukosis.

Immunocytochemical and flow cytometry techniques were used to examine T-lymphocyte subpopulations in peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBLs) and spleen from cases of enzootic bovine leukosis (EBL) in adult cattle, and from normal cattle (adult and young), with a panel of monoclonal antibodies against bovine leucocyte differentiation molecules. Both in PBLs and spleen, the percentages of T-lymphocyte subpopulations (CD3+, CD4+, CD8+, and WC1 + gamma delta T lymphocytes) of EBL-affected and normal adult cattle were significantly lower than those of normal young cattle. The percentages of these T-lymphocyte subpopulations in the PBLs of adult cattle with EBL were lower than those of normal adult cattle, but the converse was true in the spleen. It is suggested that tumour immunity occurred in the spleen. Histological examination revealed no follicular hyperplasia in the spleen, and the proliferation of neoplastic cells began in the red pulp. It is concluded that the spleen is not the organ initially responsible for the transformation of EBL lymphoma and that neoplastic cells migrating from peripheral blood are metastatic.

Age Factors↗

Hemorrhagic enteritis associated with Clostridium perfringens type A in a dog.

A female Shetland sheep dog died suddenly with hemorrhagic diarrhea and vomitting, and was examined pathologically and microbiologically. Gross pathological change was restricted to the intestinal tract. The intestine contained watery, blood-stained fluid. Histopathologically, the principal intestinal lesion was superficial mucosal hemorrhagic necrosis at the jejunoileum. Many Gram-positive bacilli were found adhering to the necrotic mucosal surface in parts of the intestinal tract. Clostridium perfringens in pure culture were isolated from jejunal contents by anaerobic culture. These results suggested that the typical lesion of this case coincided with canine hemorrhagic enteritis and enterotoxemia due to C. perfringens infection could be the cause of sudden death.

Acute Disease↗

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↗

[Diagnostic and therapeutic experiences with purulent meningitis in adults].

The authors reviewed data of 137 patients with purulent meningitis treated in the period of 10 years. Attention was paid to the frequency of predisposing and associated diseases, to the factors helping and delaying the diagnosis and to those altering the prognosis. The importance of effective supportive care, particulary covering pressure of the CNS as well as specific therapy was stressed. The circumstances and the conditions of management depending on the condition of the patient was emphasized. Thirty eight of patients (27%) has died.

Adult↗

[Prevention of rabies (experience of the past, possibilities of the future)].

The authors review the history of rabies prevention, the current national and international data. Neurologic adverse effects of the Hempt vaccine are discussed. Medical histories of two patients are demonstrated, one suffered of serious complication of the vaccine; the other died of rabies. Indications of vaccine Rabivac and issues about it's administration are outlined. The possibilities of the therapy are discussed in brief.

Adult↗

[Acute intermittent porphyria simulating encephalitis].

The authors present the case of a patient suffering from acute intermittent porphyria presenting as encephalitis. The differential diagnostics, the causes and the therapy of the porphyria attack are discussed in detail.

Acute Disease↗