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Parvovirus B19 (B19), also known as "erythema infectiosum", is a disease that occurs in smaller outbreaks during late winter and early summer; and in Denmark an epidemic occurs every three years. The symptoms vary from fever, fatigue and the characteristic maculopapoulous erythema to asymptomatic cases in 50% of the infected patients. Two-thirds of the Danish population have been infected. The virus has a broad spectrum of clinical manifestations ranging from erythema nodosum in children, arthralgia/arthritis (especially in adults), aplastic crisis in patients with haemolytic anaemia, chronic anaemia in immunocompromised patients, to hydrops foetalis following acute infection during pregnancy. In two adult females aged 41 and 35 years with persisting fatigue, malaise, transitory swelling and arthralgia we found elevated ALT and alkaline phosphatase (pt. 1), despite no serological evidence of hepatitis, cytomegalovirus (CMV), or Epstein-Barrvirus and no story of alcohol consumption or recent travelling outside Denmark. Ongoing B19 infection was diagnosed by ELISA and confirmed by B19 DNA PCR in case 2 and IgG avidity and epitope-type specificity in case 1, who was B19 DNA negative in three different samples. The concentrations of alkaline phosphatase and ALT returned to normal as the antibody response shifted from acute B19 infection to IgG positivity. In conclusion we suggest that a serological test and/or B19 DNA for B19 infection is a relevant test to undertake when screening patients for viral hepatitis especially during B19 epidemics and in exposed individuals.

Patients with skin diseases caused a spread of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) to 17 patients in our Department of Dermatology, because of their heavily scaly skin. Patients with severe dermatosis are regularly treated with dicloxacillin. The resistance of bacteria strain concerned suggests a selection because of the use of dicloxacillin in the Department. The strain is sensitive to gentamicin, which differentiates it from strains imported from abroad. Increased hygienic precautions, isolation of infected patients, staff and management efforts and a close contact with the microbiologists prevented MRSA from spreading to other hospital wards.

Medical reports of 17 patients with discitis after lumbar disc operation (PD) were analyzed retrospectively. None of the patients had had previous lumbar disc operations. The diagnosis was confirmed by laminar tomography. The prevalence of PD was 2.75%. We found indications of bacterial infection in 82% of the cases. For all patients the infection was long lasting, with hospital contact for a mean period of eight months. PD was classified into three categories according to symptoms and laboratory investigations (ESR, CRP, WBC and alkaline phosphatase): type I = acute septic PD (53%), type II = subacute septic PD (29%), and type III = aseptic PD (18%). For PD type I and type II we recommend that antibiotics be administered intravenously until a fall in ESR and CRP are seen, followed by peroral antibiotics until normalisation. For all three types immobilisation of the back and analgetics are necessary.

By staining human bone marrow cells with a monoclonal antibody reacting with surface antigens on erythroid precursor cells (AS-E1) and with propidium iodide reacting with nuclear DNA, we have evaluated the proliferative activity of erythropoiesis in patients with myelodysplastic syndromes using flow cytometric analysis. Comparing 36 patients (13 RA/RAS, 13 RAEB, 10 RAEB-t) with seven normal controls, significant differences in both the percentage of erythroid precursor cells and the fraction of these cells in the S or S-G2M-phase of the DNA cell cycle between the four groups were found. Since neither the percentage of erythroid precursor cells nor their fraction in S or S-G2M phase alone was found to characterize their proliferative activity, we calculated the proliferative fractions of the erythroid cells, i.e. the number of the erythroid precursor cells in S or S-G2M related to all bone marrow cells in S or S-G2M phase. Applying these parameters, we found significantly increased proliferative fractions of erythroid precursor cells in the RA/RAS patients compared to the normal controls (p-0.03 and 0.002 respectively), as well as a highly significant decrease with disease progression.

Nosocomial infections, especially pneumonias, are a common problem in Intensive Care Units (ICU) and are a major cause of morbidity and mortality. During the past ten years a new regime, selective decontamination of the digestive tract (SDD) has been introduced to prevent these infections which are often preceded by colonization with aerobic potentially pathogenic microorganisms. Topical antibiotics are applied both orally and by nasogastric tube to prevent secondary endogeneous infections with Gram-negative enteric rods, Staphylococcus aureus and yeasts, in combination with parenteral antibiotics for the treatment of early primarily exogeneous and endogeneous infections. The effect of SDD on morbidity and mortality has been studied in many papers which are very conflicting and their results are difficult to interpret. This article reviews 11 published randomized trials of SDD in ICU among intubated and artificially ventilated adult patients aged more than 15 years. Of the eleven available controlled studies, eight showed a significant reduction of nosocomial pneumonias among patients who received selective decontamination. Only two studies demonstrated a reduction in infection related mortality rates.

Cryptococcal meningitis is a chronic or subacute meningeal infection that may have pulmonary or systemic manifestations and is caused by the yeast Cryptococcus neoformans. It has become an increasingly important pathogen in immunocompromised hosts, whereas cryptococcal meningitis is relatively rare in immunocompetent patients. The diagnosis is often delayed because of the sparse and nonspecific symptoms. We present two cases of cryptococcal meningitis in two patients without known predisposing factors. The symptomatology, diagnosis and treatment of the disease are discussed. The two cases illustrate that Cryptococcus neoformans should be considered in patients with cerebral symptoms and fever. The disease is potentially curable and early diagnosis with specific treatment are important prognostic factors.

A prevalence rate of asymptomatic Chlamydia trachomatis infection among young Danish male military conscripts of 7.8% in 1989 and of 10.8% in 1992 is presented. A urine sample seems to be as valid a specimen type as a conventional urethral swab for demonstrating presence of Chlamydia trachomatis antigen by either ELISA (Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay) or DFM (Direct Fluorescent Microscopy). The method is noninvasive and very suitable for screening young men in order to control urogenital Chlamydia trachomatis infection.

We have evaluated the effect of intravenous infusions of granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) in ten patients undergoing autologous bone marrow transplantation after total body irradiation (11 Gy) and cyclophosphamide (120 mg/kg) conditioning for malignant lymphomas or acute lymphoblastic leukaemias. Mild side effects related to GM-CSF were seen in six patients, of whom one chose to discontinue treatment. Compared to a historic control group consisting of six patients treated with an identical conditioning regimen, a tendency was seen towards a more rapid neutrophil regeneration and a decreased need for erythrocyte transfusions. Moreover, a statistically significant improvement in thrombocyte related parameters was demonstrated. In contrast, there were no significant differences in severe toxicity, days on i.v. antibiotics, septic episodes or duration of hospitalization. In conclusion, it seems that GM-CSF treatment is of value in patients undergoing AKMT.

In 56 adult acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) patients, 71% presented with extramedullary leukemic infiltration in lymphoid tissues (EML- spleen, liver, lymphnodes or thymus). EML was seen most often in patients with T-ALL (0.05 greater than p greater than 0.02) and in patients with high white blood counts (0.1 greater than p greater than 0.05). Surprisingly, these more often achieved complete remissions (0.1 greater than p greater than 0.05), of which both the duration and disease-free survival were longer. Thus, EML at diagnosis seems to be a favourable prognostic factor. At diagnosis, 23% of the patients had extramedullary leukemic infiltration in non-lymphoid tissue (EMIL-CNS, testis, skin, pleural cavities or gingiva). While more of these patients were of T-cell origin (61%, p less than 0.01), they were less likely to achieve CR, both the duration of remissions (p less than 0.01) as well as the disease free survival were shorter. Not unexpectedly, during the course of disease, the incidence of relapse localised at EMIL (the majority presenting in "sanctuary sites") increased, while that in the bone marrow decreased. Interestingly, in patients in CR presenting with EMIL, the first sign of relapse was unilateral peripheral facial paralysis in 60%. Finally, it should be stressed that the course of disease in patients presenting with simultaneous EML- and EMIL involvement was like that seen for EMIL patients. We conclude that while involvement of leukemia in EMIL represents a bad prognostic sign, the affection of leukemia in EML does not seem to confer a poorer prognosis, for adult ALL patients.

A physically and mentally healthy man aged 22 years was referred for biochemical investigation in a department for clinical biochemistry on account of disagreeable body odour. Ion-exchange chromatographic amino acid analysis revealed intermittent hypermethioninaemia. Dietary treatment with a methionine-poor diet solved the problem both subjectively and objectively. Amino-acidopathy should be borne in mind in cases of individuals with abnormal body odours.