A case of dengue from Pune, India.

Dengue is an acute infectious disease, caused by a single stranded ribonucleic acid (RNA) virus of the family of Flaviviridae, genus Flavivirus, transmitted by Aedes mosquitos, the most important vectors being Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus. There are four serotypes, DEN-1, DEN-2, DEN-3, DEN-4 that are nearly human specific. The geographical distribution of dengue is pantropical, except for Madagascar and some African regions. It is endemo-epidemic in tropical and subtropical countries included between 25 degrees north latitude and 25 degrees south latitude, particularly in southeast Asia and epidemic in the Caribbean, West-Africa, tropical American and Pacific Islands. Further spread will depend on the invasion of Aedes aegypti into new areas in South America. Maintenance of dengue is supported by an increasing demography, uncontrolled urbanization and climatic conditions favorable to the vectors. Spread of dengue is primarily caused by modern transportation, especially aircraft. No vaccine and no specific treatment exist so that mosquito control is the only way to reduce the incidence of dengue around the world. Dengue is, obviously, an important risk for travelers going to endemic areas.

[The use of erythropoietin in HIV myelodysplasias. Preliminary study]. / Uso dell'eritropoietina nelle mielodisplasie da HIV. Studio preliminare.

The authors gave recombinant human erythropoietin to four anaemic patients with HIV-infection treated with zidovudine. After erythropoietin administration an increase in haemoglobin, erythrocytes and haematocrit was observed and patients could continue AZT therapy.

[Seroepidemiology of HIV-1 and HIV-2 in the USSL 76 area--Casale M.To. Preliminary study]. / Sieroepidemiologia di HIV-1 ed HIV-2 nell'area dell'USSL 76--Casale M.to. Studio preliminare.

The reported results show a prevalence of HIV-1 antibodies in drug addicts by ELISA and Western Blot. In this case report the presence of persons (drug addicts) whose sera have antibodies to HIV-1 and HIV-2 by ELISA and Western Blot advise that further epidemiological studies are necessary to assess the real HIV-2 circulation in Italy.

[Imported malaria. Clinico-epidemiologic and therapeutic observations]. / Malaria d'importazione. Osservazioni clinico-epidemiologiche e terapeutiche.

The authors notice a prevalence of P. falciparum in eight observed cases of imported malaria and confirm the increasing polychemioresistance of plasmodium and its prophylactic and therapeutic problems.

[A case of Plasmodium vivax malaria]. / Considerazioni su di un caso di malaria da Plasmodium vivax.

A case of malaria caused by Plasmodium vivax is reported in order to underline the importance of correct pharmacological prophylaxis and meticulous anamnestic and epidemiological investigations.

[Evaluation of the hemorheologic effects of the eicosapentaenoic and docosahexaenoic acids in asymptomatic dyslipidemic and arteriopathic subjects]. / Valutazione degli effetti emoreologici degli acidi eicosapentaenoico (EPA) e docosaesaenoico (DHA) in soggetti dislipidemici ed arteriopatici asintomatici.

The low incidence of cardiovascular disease in Greenlandic Eskimos is related to the effect of dietary omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids. An important anti-atherosclerotic mechanism of compounds such as EPA and DHA consist in the modulation of cell membrane and properties. A change in the lipid composition of the diet and a dietary supplementation with EPA and DHA contribute to suggested potential therapeutic effect on peripheral vascular disease. The Authors report the results obtained by Doppler C.W. ultrasound in hyperlipidemic-arteriopathic patients.

[Doppler ultrasound method in the study of vertigo syndrome]. / La metodica Doppler C.W. nello studio della sindrome vertiginosa.

Doppler C.W. technique represents a non-invasive, singular method to evaluate cerebrovascular diseases; therefore is now considered a screening method for vascular insufficiency, particularly in basilar artery insufficiency. Subclavian steal syndrome functional evaluation by Doppler C.W. is an important complement to angiographic studies.