ABSTRACT
Exclusion of donors implicated in transfusion-associated hepatitis (TAH) remains important as a means of preventing this disease. By sending a six-month follow-up post card to the physician of every patient receiving blood, the report rate of TAH for one hospital has increased six times the average of the region.
Subject(s)
Hepatitis B/prevention & control , Hepatitis C/prevention & control , Hepatitis, Viral, Human/prevention & control , Hospital Records , Records , Blood Transfusion , Follow-Up Studies , HumansABSTRACT
The authors compared referee (senior author) microscopic counts, microscopic counts by several technologists, and counts obtained with two pattern-recognition leukocyte classifiers, (1) Larc and (2) Hematrak, and a cytochemical automated method for leukocyte counting, (3) Hermalog D, using samples from (1) a random patient population, (2) a selected abnormal patient population, and (3) healthy individuals. All instruments showed good accuracy and flagged abnormal results for review. Variability in pattern-recognition counts was found to be due mainly to the distribution of the cells on prepared blood smears. The Larc classifier was found to be very sensitive to minor alterations in the cytoplasm or nucleus, and rejected a number of slides. The Hemalog D showed the greatest precision. The method of preparation of slides would be a major decision factor in selecting one pattern-recognition instrument over another.
Subject(s)
Computers , Leukocyte Count/instrumentation , Adult , Humans , Leukocyte Count/methods , Lymphocytes , Monocytes , Neutrophils , Pattern Recognition, AutomatedABSTRACT
A case of acute acquired toxoplasmosis presenting as a fever of unknown origin is described in a 62-year-old man. The diagnosis was prompted by the presence of Toxoplasma gondii in lymph nodes obtained at abdominal laparotomy. The unusual features of the case include the patient's age, the presence of cysts in the lymph node, and itc clinical presentation as a prolonged remittent fever.
