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Biomedical subjects

Y Van Laethem

Publications and source records attributed to Y Van Laethem.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2004

[Linezolid (Zyvoxid)].

Linezolid is a novel antibiotic administrable by the intravenous as well as the oral route. It is aimed by its re-imbursement conditions at treating proven beta-lactam- or glycopeptide-resistant staphylococcal and enterococcal infections in the hospital and post-discharge outpatient. It has various indications: pulmonary infections, complicated skin and soft tissue infections, infections in the febrile neutropenic patient, urinary tract infections, intra-abdominal infections, chronic osteitis. Bacteriologic documentation of the infection is required to avoid overconsumption and development of resistance. The oral forms exhibit complete bio-availability. Caution is recommended with regard to linezolid's MAO inhibitory effect and the risk of thrombocytopenia requiring weekly hematologic monitoring.

Acetamides↗
PubMed2004

[Pertussis vaccine in adolescents and adults].

Despite high immunisation rates in infancy, Bordetella pertussis is still circulating in industrialised countries, causing severe infections in infants too young to be vaccinated, as well as an important number of long lasting cough episodes in older children, adolescents and young adults. The limited duration of the protection resulting from vaccination in the 2 first years of life is probably responsible for the insufficient control of the disease. The development of acellular pertussis vaccines has allowed immunisation of school age children, and an adult formulation is now available. The indications of this vaccine will be discussed.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2004

[Vaccination of general practitioners].

The vaccination of general practitioners represents significant problems for two reasons: they can be a reservoir of infectious diseases for the patients they are in contact with and their attitudes towards vaccination can influence their preventative acts and consequently the vaccination coverage of the population. The anti-influenza vaccination of the care providers is associated with a decrease of mortality amongst patients. Hepatitis B is one of the most frequent professional occupational infectious diseases and vaccination is necessary for all the professionals at risk. Concerning the whooping-cough we can observe at the present time an increase in the number of cases. The "Conseil Supérieur d'Hygiène" advises to propose vaccination of the people in contact with infants and people who have not HAD vaccination supplements in childhood. The rubella vaccination for unprotected women is also recommended for the care providers, to avoid the risk of infection and the possible implications for the foetus. The existing data in Belgium on the vaccination coverage of general practitioners is poor, but leads us to believe there is an insufficient vaccination coverage against these diseases. A study will shortly be undertaken to analyze the vaccination status of the Belgian French-speaking doctors and to further analyse their reasoning for any possible non-vaccination.

Carrier State↗
PubMed2003

[Telithromycin, first ketolide].

Telithromycine is the first ketolide on the market. Its characteristics are the two sites fixation on the bacterial ribosomia and and as a consequence a good activity on the majority of penicillin and macrolides resistant bacteria, included S. pneumonia and S. pyogenes. Telithromycine represents an alternative to beta-lactames and moxifloxacine to treat communautary pneumonia, bacterial pharyngoamygdalitis, suppurative sinusitis and bronchitis. There are nevertheless problems with drugs interactions and risk of resistance development.

Anti-Bacterial Agents↗
PubMed2002

[Vaccinations for the traveller].

Long distance journeys are more and more frequent. Beside malaria prophylaxis, the general practitioner shall consider several points. Vaccinations against tetanus, diphtheria and (for a few years at least) polio should be done every ten years. Hepatitis A vaccine shall often be done (with > 20 years protection) but typhoid fever vaccine shall be limited to adventurous and/or long stays. Yellow fever vaccine (10 years validity) is only administrated in specialised centers; this is the only mandatory vaccine for certain african or south american countries. In certain instances, one shall consider vaccination against hepatitis B, meningococcal meningitis or, less often, against rabies, central european or japanese encephalitis. The vaccine against cholera (numerous side effects and poor efficacy) is no more available.

Africa↗
PubMed1999

Prevention of pneumococcal disease: an update on the Belgian Consensus Report.

An ad hoc working party on pneumococcal vaccine with representatives of the Belgian Society for Infectiology and Clinical Microbiology, the Belgian Society of Pulmonology and Scientific Societies of General Practitioners reviewed new data on the epidemiology of S. pneumoniae infections in Belgium, on the efficacy and the cost-effectiveness of the 23-valent capsular polysaccharide vaccine. We discuss recent data on vaccination with a new conjugate pneumococcal vaccine, shown to be highly effective in children. The Working Group of the Belgian Scientific Societies endorses the recommendations issued by the Hoge Gezondheidsraad in 1993 and described in a consensus report in 1996.

Aged↗
PubMed1997

Structural and functional studies of hemoglobin Moabit (alpha 86(F7) Leu-->Arg.

An abnormal hemoglobin fraction was detected on high performance liquid chromatography profile performed for the measurement of glycated hemoglobin in a 55-year-old caucasian patient. The structural and functional studies were performed by standard techniques. Separation of hemoglobins by alkaline electrophoresis and by IEF revealed a slightly more rapid fraction than does Hb S. By acid electrophoresis, no abnormal Hb fraction could be observed. Separation of globin chains by electrophoresis demonstrated an alpha-chain variant and by chromatography, a fraction which eluted between beta and gamma globin chains. Tryptic digests and amino acid analysis have demonstrated a previously described substitution of Leu-->Arg alpha 86(F7).

Blood Protein Electrophoresis↗
PubMed1996

Treatment of onchocerciasis.

Onchocerciasis ('river blindness') has for several centuries been the scourge of people living in certain areas of the world where the disease is endemic. The treatment available up to 10 years ago, diethylcarbamazine, had very severe secondary effects. The availability of ivermectin--a well tolerated and highly effective microfilaricidal drug--has completely changed this scenario. Ivermectin is now considered to be the drug of choice for the treatment of onchocerciasis. The prognosis for people with onchocerciasis has changed greatly. It is now possible to avoid the heavy infection loads seen previously, and patients, especially expatriates, may have their symptoms relieved by treatment. Ivermectin, used in mass treatment, may also improve the epidemiological situation, reducing the level of microfilariae in the skin of infected people and thus reducing the source for vector infestation. However, the treatment has to be repeated because the drug has no macrofilaricidal effect. Research today is focused on the finding of a drug able to destroy the adult worms that go on producing microfilariae for the length of their lives.

Animals↗
PubMed1995

Adult onset Kawasaki disease diagnosed by the echocardiographic demonstration of coronary aneurysms.

A 17-year-old boy presented with fever, bilateral conjunctival infection, angina and extensive cervical adenopathy. Amoxycillin was started. Ten days later he was admitted to hospital because of persistent high fever, cervical adenopathy, erythema of the pharynx and tongue and lip fissuration. The most important interventions of his first hospitalization were endotracheal intubation because of increasing dyspnoea due to adult respiratory distress syndrome and haemodialysis for renal insufficiency. His admission to our hospital was marked by the echocardiographic discovery of giant coronary aneurysms in the first few centimeters of both right and left coronary arteries. Coronary angiography confirmed giant aneurysm formation of the right and left coronary arteries. Similarly, medium sized arteries (cerebral, hepatic, mesenteric, iliac) presented abnormalities and laboratory findings. This is the first description of adult-onset Kawasaki disease with giant coronary aneurysm formation and more generalized arterial involvement. The severity of the clinical symptoms and the severity of the coronary disease indicates that Kawasaki disease of the adult does not always have a benign course.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1989

[Transmissible diseases through the intermediary of transfusions].

Blood transfusions may lead to immunologic but also infectious problems. If bacterial pathogens are rarely involved, blood pathogens - especially malaria - and viruses are dominant. Non-a non-b hepatitis is the most frequently encountered viral infection, with a risk of 1% for each blood unit. Screening of SGPT and anti Hbc antibodies should diminish the transmission risk by 30-40%. Since August 1985, HIV antibody screening of blood donors has dramatically reduced the risk of blood transmission; however, patients Ag HIV+/Ac HIV (first weeks of infection, ...) imply that severe voluntary exclusion procedures are maintained for the donors; similar measures are also valid for malaria prevention.

AIDS Serodiagnosis↗
PubMed1988

Teicoplanin compared with vancomycin in methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus infections: preliminary results.

Twenty-one patients were included in an open randomized study comparing vancomycin 1 g bd with teicoplanin 400 mg daily in severe methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus infections. The median duration of therapy was 15 days for vancomycin and 21 days for teicoplanin. Most patients presented with severe underlying conditions, such as major surgery (8), solid tumours (5), multiple trauma (3). The infections treated, included septicaemia, osteomyelitis, bronchopneumonia, cellulitis and acute pyelonephritis. Mean MICs of the strains were 0.39 mg/l for vancomycin and 0.195 mg/l for teicoplanin. Mean trough and peak serum concentrations of vancomycin were 14.3 +/- 5 mg/l and 34.3 +/- 13 mg/l, while the teicoplanin values were 7.5 +/- 4 mg/l and 17 +/- 7 mg/l. The cure rate was seven of 12 in the teicoplanin group and six of nine in the vancomycin group, with four and three cases, respectively, of improvement and one failure in the teicoplanin group. Transient renal impairment occurred in two cases with both regimens; superinfection and colonization in three patients and one patient, respectively, with both regimens.

Adult↗