Introduction of pharmacogenetic screening for the human leucocyte antigen (HLA) B*5701 variant in Polish HIV-infected patients.

OBJECTIVE: Prospective pharmacogenetic screening for the human leucocyte antigen (HLA) B*5701 allele can significantly reduce the number of cases of abacavir-related hypersensitivity among HIV-infected patients treated with this drug. The aim of this study was to establish the frequency of the HLA B*5701 variant in HIV-infected Poles. METHODS: The sequence-specific primer (SSP) test was used to assess the feasibility of the introduction of such testing in clinical practice. For this purpose, 234 randomly selected HIV-positive patients were screened using a low-resolution SSP assay, with HLA B*5701-positive results confirmed using a high-resolution test. RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS: The HLA B*5701 variant was found in 11 of 234 subjects (4.7%). Testing with the selected method proved quick and reliable.

[Pneumonia in HIV-infected patients: clinical observations]. / Zapalenie pluc u osób zakazonych HIV--obserwacje kliniczne.

OBJECTIVES: To determine the occurrence of pneumonias in HIV-infected patients in our hospital during 1990-1999; to evaluate the clinical significance of pneumonias in HIV-seropositive patients; to estimate the ethiology of pulmonary infection. MATERIALS AND METHODS: One hundred and two HIV-infected patients, 17 (16.6%) female and 85 (83.3%) male with mean age of 29 +/- 4.5 yrs, were retrospectively analysed. All patients had a physical examination particularly concerning the clinical symptoms of pulmonary infection, X-ray exam and tuberculin skin test (PPD). The stage of HIV infection according to the 1993 CDC classification was determined. All patients had the microbiology test of sputum (Pc, TB, fungi, other pathogen). In some cases the bronchofiberoskopy with bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) was performed. RESULTS: One hundred and two HIV-positive patients had 129 episodes of pneumonia. We determine the bacterial ethiology in 94/129 (72.9%) cases--TB in 11/129 (8.5%) cases. Fourteen patients had 23 episodes of Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia (PcP). Three patients had CMV--pneumonitis, detected post mortem. In seven cases the ethiology of pulmonary infection was unknown. In summary the ethiology of pneumonia was determined in 58/129 (44.9%) cases. Thirty three patients were died. The pulmonary infections were main cause of death in 23 (67.7%) persons. CONCLUSIONS: In the era of high active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) the pulmonary infections in HIV-positive patients are the main cause of death as before. The PPD test is useless in HIV-positive patients. We make a note the increase cases of TB in HIV-infected patients during the time of observations.

Disseminated infection with Saccharomyces kluyveri in a patient with AIDS.

A 47-year-old man with acquired immune deficiency syndrome was found to have disseminated Saccharomyces kluyveri infection. The yeast was isolated from blood and cerebro-spinal fluid. An autopsy revealed the presence of the microorganism in many organs including liver, kidneys, pancreas, spleen, lung, and brain. The case confirms a potential pathogenicity of yeasts of the genus Saccharomyces in patients with profound immune deficiency, especially in advanced HIV infection.

[Profile of liver diseases from personal observations]. / Profil chorób watroby w obserwacjach wlasnych.

In this paper a cohort study from Infectious Diseases Department in Szczecin the etiology and dynamics of liver diseases in hospitalized patients from 1994 to 1996 are presented. The number of patients is increased during this period. Chronic liver diseases are common and predominately are cause of by hepatitis B virus. Men from urban environmental are most often stricken with sickness.

[Neurologic manifestations of HIV infections and AIDS]. / Manifestacje neurologiczne zakazenia HIV oraz AIDS.

The paper presents the review of neurological manifestations of HIV infection. The pathogenesis of changes caused by HIV within central nervous system is discussed. The most common neurological syndromes occurring in AIDS patients as well as the division of these changes concerning peripheral and central nervous system are described.

[A case of bacterial endocarditis (BZW) caused by Corynebacterium group JK]. / Przypadek bakteryjnego zapalenia wsierdzia (BZW) wywolanego przez Corynebacterium grupy JK.

A case of bacterial endocarditis caused by Corynebacterium group JK treated with penicillin, chloramphenicol and gentamycin has been described. Finally the artificial aortal valve has been implanted.