Search

In this paper, we report an investigation on cat-scratch disease (CSD) in Northern Italy. Seventy-four cases of CSD were diagnosed at the San Matteo hospital, Pavia, during the period 2005-2010. Of these 74 patients, 18 (24.3 %) reported atypical clinical manifestations such as ocular papillitis, maculopapular eruptions, vertebral infection, pulmonary infiltrates, and granulomatous hepatitis. Contact with cats was documented for 61 patients (82.4 %), while cat-related trauma was reported for 49 patients (66.2 %). We subsequently investigated the presence of Bartonella infection in cats belonging to the above patients and in other domestic and stray cats from three provinces of Northern Italy. Among the 27 domestic cats tested, nine of the 11 belonging to the CSD patients and two of the remaining 16 were infected by B. henselae (81.8 % vs. 12.5 %). Out of over 1,300 stray cats examined, 23.1 % were seropositive for B. henselae; after culturing and genotyping, 17 % were found to be infected by B. henselae (15.5 %) or B. clarridgeiae (1.5 %). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Journal of Ultrasound is the property of Springer Nature and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Journal of Ultrasound is the property of Springer Nature and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Objective: To compare the safety and efficacy of two regimens of lymphoblastoid interferon, 3MU daily for 12 months vs 6MU three times weekly for 12 months, for the treatment of patients with chronic hepatitis C. Design: This was a prospective, randomised, nonblind study. Setting: The study was conducted in outpatients attending the University Hospital in Pavia, Italy, between 1997 and 1998. Patients: 100 treatment-naive outpatients with chronic hepatitis C genotype 1b participated in the study. Main Outcome Measures: We measured serum hepatitis C virus (HCV) RNA levels, serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT), histological activity index score and fibrosis stage. Patients were classified as follows: primary responders (PR) when ALT normalised and HCV-RNA became negative during treatment; nonresponders (NR) if ALT remained elevated and HCV-RNA remained positive during treatment; sustained responders (SR) when HCV-RNA became persistently negative and ALT became normalised during treatment and for at least 6 months after treatment; relapsers (R) were PR whose ALT returned to abnormal values and HCV-RNA became positive again after the end of treatment. Results: 50 patients received 3MU daily, of whom 42 (84%) were PR and eight (16%) were NR. Of the 42 PR, 23 (54.7%) were SR and 19 (45.3%) were R. 50 patients received 6MU three times weekly, of whom 21 (42%) were PR and 29 (58%) were NR. Of the 21 PR, five (23.8%) were SR and 16 (76.2%) were R. Adverse effects were comparable in the two groups and were never serious enough to require withdrawal of therapy. Conclusion: These findings support the choice of a 3MU daily regimen of lymphoblastoid interferon for the treatment of patients with chronic HCV infection and provide corroborative evidence in support of molecular virological data suggesting a relatively rapid viral turnover in this clinical setting. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ascariasis is the most common helminthic infection, but the invasion of worms into the gallbladder is quite rare. This report illustrates the ultrasonographic findings in gallbladder ascariasis of a typical echogenic structure which exhibits nondirectional movements and contains a central anechoic tube, along the long axis of the gallbladder. The role of ultrasound as a diagnostic tool and in the follow-up treatment is stressed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Offers insight on the importance of second biopsy in the diagnosis of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) when histological findings are negative. Different kinds of biopsy; Assessment of effectivity of yielding results after second biopsy; Description of the nodules in patients with HCC.