| 1. |
- Ahlm, Clas, 1956-, et al.
(författare)
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Central nervous system and ophthalmic involvement in nephropathia epidemica (European type of haemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome)
- 1998
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Ingår i: Journal of Infection. - 0163-4453 .- 1532-2742. ; 36:2, s. 149-155
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Central nervous system (CNS) - related symptoms occur in haemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS). To study the CNS and ophthalmic involvement in nephropathia epidemica (NE), the European type of HFRS, we included 26 patients in a prospective study. Most common CNS-related symptoms were headache (96%), insomnia (83%), vertigo (79%), nausea (79%), and vomiting (71%). Ophthalmic symptoms were reported by 82% of patients; 41% had photophobia and 50% had impaired vision. A transient loss of vision was recorded in one patient, who also had a generalized seizure. Minor white matter lesions were found in about half of the patients investigated with brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Electroencephalography (EEG) showed severe alterations in only one patient, and slight and reversible patterns in another two patients. Neopterin, interleukin-6 and interferon-gamma levels in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) were elevated, which may indicate immune activation. However, we found no evidence of intrathecal NE virus replication. We conclude that CNS-related symptoms are common in NE, and transient ophthalmic involvement can be demonstrated in about half of the patients.
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| 2. |
- Erlandsson, Ann, 1968-, et al.
(författare)
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PCR assay or culture for diagnosis of Bordetella pertussis in the routine diagnostic laboratory?
- 1997
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Ingår i: Journal of Infection. - : Elsevier. - 0163-4453 .- 1532-2742. ; 35:3, s. 221-224
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- A nested PCR method was compared with culture for the detection of Bordetella pertussis in a routine clinical diagnostic laboratory. A total of 241 clinical nasopharyngeal aspirates were examined in parallel in the laboratory. Both methods were positive for 75 samples (31%), eight samples were positive by nested PCR only (3.3%), and one sample was positive by culture only (0.4%). The mean time actually required in the clinical laboratory (not operating with pertussis diagnosis during weekends) from the day of arrival to the diagnosis of a positive or negative sample by the nested PCR assay was 1.8 _+ 1.3 days (mean _+ SD), for positive culture 4.5 _+ 1.4 days and for negative culture 10.5 +_ 1.0 days. The hands-on time in the laboratory to perform the nested PCR was 2 h, for a positive culture 25 min, and for a negative culture 15 min. The cost analysis of the methods, when running one sample at a time, showed that the laboratory cost for PCR was six times higher than culture. When running four samples together the cost for PCR was three times higher than culture. In conclusion, the nested PCR is the more rapid and sensitive method compared to culture. With the present design, the PCR-protocol involves higher material expenditure and claims more bands-on time.
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