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R De Haller

Publications and source records attributed to R De Haller.

13 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1991

[Cheese-washer's disease. A current stable form of extrinsic allergic alveolitis in a rural setting].

Inhalation of organic particles (bacteria, fungi or animal proteins) by sensitized subjects is known to induce extrinsic allergic alveolitis (EAA). The most frequent type of EAA and the best known in rural environment is farmer's lung disease. Nevertheless a rarer form is also to be considered in rural environment: cheesewasher's disease. Here we report 4 cases of cheesewasher's disease, who all presented with relevant aspects of the disease: diversity of antigens involved, prophylaxis problems, severity of the disease, rapidity of onset, reversibility and importance of history in the diagnosis. Penicillium casei usually is the responsible antigen, and precipitating antibodies against these moulds, but against other moulds such as Aspergillus, Circinomucor circilloïdes, Fusarium as well, can be detected in the patient's serum. Thus, in a rural environment, a respiratory symptomatology suggestive of EAA should lead to thorough search for antigens and cheesewasher's disease should be considered. Among the many other diagnostic tests, precipitin determinations are cheap and non invasive and can be very useful in the diagnostic approach.

Adult↗
PubMed1989

Insufficient oxygen concentration obtained at domiciliary controls of eighteen concentrators.

The oxygen concentration (O2%) produced by 12 type A concentrators, with a working time of 28-18,099 h, and 6 type B concentrators, with a working time of 0-3,033 h, was measured over a 12 month period in the user's home, at a flow rate of 2 l.min-1. One hundred and two measurements of O2% (mean 82.9), made at least once monthly by a visiting nurse, showed that type A concentrators were usually delivering less than 92% expected O2. Four concentrators were delivering less than 40% O2 after a working time of only 4,000 h. Sixty two measurements made by the manufacturer confirmed these findings (mean 86.8). The 18 measurements performed by the nurse on the type B concentrators showed expected O2% values (mean 93.1). Our study demonstrates the necessity of regular clinical and technical surveillance, at the user's home, during long-term domiciliary oxygen therapy and the need for the manufacturer to incorporate an alarm system monitoring the O2% into oxygen concentrators.

Home Care Services↗
PubMed1986

Late exudative complications of collapse therapy for pulmonary tuberculosis.

In a retrospective study of 15 patients who were treated with collapse therapy for pulmonary tuberculosis on an average 30 years previously, we found 16 instances of exudation in the residual pocket: four were sterile and without fistula, ten had bronchial fistulae, one had an esophageal fistula, and one was a tuberculous empyema without fistula. Among the 11 exudations with bronchial or esophageal fistulae, none contained tubercle bacilli, six were infected with pyogenic microorganisms, and five remained sterile. In 12 cases, the diagnosis was suggested by chest x-ray film. Four of nine exudates which remained sterile and three of the seven infected ones could be stabilized by conservative measures; the others required a decortication, sometimes with parenchymal resection. This study shows that in late exudative complications of old collapse therapy, an initial conservative treatment can be curative in about 45 percent of the cases.

Adult↗
PubMed1983

[Non-tuberculous Mycobacteria: epidemiologic importance and current pathogenicity].

The non-tuberculosis mycobacteria are reviewed, with emphasis on the epidemiological and pathogenic importance of these organisms when the prevalence of tuberculosis diminishes. The increasing proportion of weak reactions to human tuberculin observed between 1975 and 1981 among school children of the Canton of Geneva and the relatively high number of non-tuberculosis mycobacteria demonstrated in human material between 1979 and 1981 in this Canton suggest that these mycobacteria also play a role in this country.

Adult↗
PubMed1977

Farmer's lung: immunological response to a group of extracellular enzymes of Micropolyspora faeni. An experimental and field study.

Potent immunogenicity of certain extracellular 'chymotrypsin-like' enzymes of Micropolyspora faeni are demonstrated. One of them, Enzyme 1 seems particularly active in stimulating the formation of percipitins after intratracheal exposure in rabbits. Man or cattle exposed naturally to mouldy hay, either with or without clinical farmer's lung symptoms show a rather constant immunological reaction against Enzyme 1 and partly also against others of the same group. The detection of specific percipitins against these enzymes is not likely to improve the diagnostic value of the standard farmer's lung serology. Possible implications of these proteolytic enzymes in the pathogenesis of farmer's lung are discussed.

Animals↗