Clinical course and sequelae for tick-borne encephalitis among children in South Moravia (Czech Republic).

UNLABELLED: This study of 170 children in the Czech Republic examines the clinical course and sequelae for tick-borne encephalitis. Evaluated were demographic and epidemiological data, signs and symptoms at admission, clinical course during hospital stay and laboratory findings. Cerebrospinal fluid was analysed for white blood cells, protein, impairment of blood-cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) barrier and tick-borne encephalitis virus (TBEV)-specific antibodies. Subjective complaints and objective neurological deficits were investigated. Tick bites were reported in 74 % of the children. The illness had a biphasic clinical course in 58 % of cases. The second phase was characterized by headache in 98 %, high fever in 86 % (more than 38.5 °C), vomiting in 64 % and meningeal signs in 92 % of children. Meningitis (77 %) dominated over meningoencephalitis (13 %). Inflammatory changes in CSF were found in 90 % of children. Immunoglobulin M (IgM) antibodies against TBEV in serum were found early in the infection in 99 %. IgM positivity lasted up to 1,126 days. Neurocognitive abnormalities were found in 19 (11 %) of children. Acquired aphasia, lasting tremor of the upper extremities, speech impairment, inversion of sleep and wakefulness, abnormal hyperkinetic movements and vertigo were found to be permanent but not progressing. Severe sequelae persisted in two children (1 %) while in three (2 %) were classified as mild or moderate. CONCLUSION: Tick-borne encephalitis in children has a benign course with minimal sequelae. Meningitis with biphasic course is the prevalent involvement and the duration of IgM antibodies in serum and index of positivity are not decisive for postencephalitic disorders.

Acute toxoplasmosis-etiological factor for development of Hodgkin's lymphoma?

The case of an HIV-positive man treated for acute toxoplasmosis with no traces of malignancy is reported. A second lymph node extirpation was performed after 5 months, which identified the presence of Hodgkin and Reed-Sternberg (HRS) cells. This case suggests that toxoplasmosis may cause changes in the regulation of surrounding cells and induce neoplastic proliferation.

[Efficacy of pegylated interferon alpha-2a and ribavirin treatment in chronic hepatitis C patients depends on various baseline parameters and early viral kinetics]. / Závislost úcinnosti lécby chronické hepatitidy C pegylovaným interferonem alfa-2a a ribavirinem na v stupních parametrech a virové kinetice v pocátcích lécby.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of the study was to compare efficacy and viral kinetics during antiviral treatment in different chronic hepatitis C patients--naïve, relapsers and non-responders to previous pegylated interferon alpha (PEG-IFN) and ribavirin treatment, with different genotypes, baseline viremia, body weight, age and gender--and to find some baseline parameters which can predict Sustained Virological Response (SVR; negative serum HCV RNA 24 weeks after treatment). MATERIAL AND METHODS: 216 chronic hepatitis C patients were treated with PEG-IFN alpha-2a 180 mg/wk and ribavirin 1 000 or 1 200 mg/day. There were 140 men and 76 women, mean age 40, range 19-70 years; 142 (66 %) naïve, 37 (17 %) relapsers after previous PEG-IFN and ribavirin treatment, and 37 (17 %) non-responders to this treatment. 172 (79,6%) has genotype 1 infection, 4 (1,9 %) genotype 2, 34 (15,6 %) genotype 3, 1 (0,5 %) genotype 4 or 6 infection, and 4 (1,9 %) were infected by unknown viral genotype. Quantitative detection of HCV RNA was done at baseline (216 pts.), 24 hours (83 pts.), 14 days (85 pts.), 28 days (88 pts.), and 84 days (211 pts.) after the first dose of PEG-IFN. RESULTS: 195 patients have completed the treatment period and 179 patients the 24-week follow-up period. The probability of SVR was significantly higher (P < 0,001) in naïve patients (74/114, 64,9 %) and relapsers (22/30, 73,3 %) than in non-responders (9/35, 25,7 %) and in genotype 3 patients (23/28, 82,1%) than genotype 1 patient (77/143, 53,8 %) (P = 0,002). The patients with SVR comparing those without SVR have significantly lower weight (mean 72,8 kg vs. 79,1, P = 0,008(, were younger (mean 36,2, vs. 45,5, P > 0,001), and had lower baseline viremia (mean 1,014 3 106 IU/mL vs. 2,415 3 106 IU/mL, P > 0,001). SVR was more frequent in women than in men (43/63, 62,8 % vs. 62/116, 53,4 %) but difference was not significant (P = 0,059). Undetectable serum HCV RNA at week 12 was more predictive of SVR than early viral response (minimum 2 log decrease of serum HCV RNA during the first 12 weeks of treatment)--98/122 (80,3 %) versus 104/141 (73,1 %) of SVR. CONCLUSIONS: 1) The monitoring of viral kinetics during first 12 weeks of antiviral therapy in hepatitis C patients was an important predictive value for SVR. 2) Negative serum HCV RNA at week 12 was more predictive of SVR than early viral response. 3) The probability of SVR was significantly higher in patients with lower baseline viremia, body weight and younger adults. 4) Gender was not significant for the efficacy of treatment.

[Can the determination of IgG antibodies to the pertussis toxin help the diagnosis of the disease?]. / Muze být v diagnostice pertuse prínosné stanovení IgG protilátek k pertusovému toxinu?

BACKGROUND: In the differential diagnosis of protracted irritating cough we should always consider the possibility of pertussis. Serology performed primarily in a late stage of the disorder does not always provide a clear answer. We wanted to verify whether a quantitative determination of IgG antibodies to the pertussis toxin (IgG-PT) could help establish a clear diagnosis. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Between 1 January and 30 June 2005 we performed serological investigations in 139 children presenting with an irritable cough or after application of an acellular pertussis vaccine. In 95 children we compared the serological response of agglutination antibodies and IgG-PT. RESULTS: After vaccination the children presented with different levels of antibodies and these were not always identical in two types of serological response. Children with clinical manifestations of pertussis presented a good formation of antibodies, but the two kinds of antibodies often persisted for long periods at unchanged levels. CONCLUSIONS: The determination of IgG-PT can assist the diagnosis of the disease, but this investigation alone cannot yield a clear-cut confirmation of pertussis.

[Comparison of EIA Borrelia recombinant IgM of the 3rd generation with EIA test based on whole cell antigen in the diagnosis of Lyme borreliosis]. / Srovnání soupravy III. generace EIA Borrelia recombinant IgM s vysetrením EIA testem s celobunecným antigenem v diagnostice Lymeské borreliózy.

OBJECTIVES: Evaluation of a new kit of the 3rd generation, EIA Borrelia recombinant IgM in the serodiagnosis of Lyme borreliosis (LB) and comparison with the EIA test based on the whole cell antigen in the detection of IgM antibodies. MATERIAL AND METHODS: In total 123 children (147 sera) were examined, 71 children (93 sera) of whom showed clinically defined stage of LB. The other 54 sera of 52 children were tested for suspicion for LB which was later excluded, and for cross-reacting antibodies. They represented the control group of children with other infectious or autoimmune diseases. The EIA B. recombinant IgM kit (Test-Line, CR) is based on the selected antigen fragments: outer surface protein C (OspC) and internal flagellin (p41i). The fragments were selected according to the most frequent Borrelia spp. in the Czech Republic. RESULTS: Samples compared 101/147 (69 %) with both tests showed correspondent reactions. 46 samples reacted inconsistently, 26 from children with LB and 20 from the control group. The total specificity and sensitivity of the recombinant kit in IgM antibody class was 88,9 % and 26,9 %, respectively. In the case of early disseminated LB infection the sensitivity was 35,6 % and it is comparable with the sensitivity of immunoblot. Statistically, there is no difference in the sensitivity (p = 0,101) and specificity (p = 0,383) of EIA B. recombinant IgM and immunoblot. CONCLUSIONS: The EIA B. recombinant IgM kit shows comparable diagnostic sensitivity in children with acute LB together with significantly higher specificity in children with non-specific response in kits based on the whole cell antigen and at the same time high conformity with results of IgM class immunoblot. This kit of the 3rd generation is reliable for screening of IgM antibodies.