Escherichia coli is the species of the genus Escherichia with the greatest epidemiological impact. Escherichia coli infections are found mainly in places with poor hygiene; the infants with ages between 1 and 3 years old are included in the category with the highest risk. It is a "fecal-oral" transmission mechanism as a result of consumption of contaminated food or water, or by "dirty hands". The foods most commonly implicated in the transmission of the infection are unpasteurized milk and milk products, beef, especially the one insufficiently cooked, unpasteurized fruit juice, lettuce and insufficiently washed vegetables. The disease has been reported worldwide, being described numerous episodes of infection with Escherichia coli that caused multiple illnesses and deaths. Escherichia coli has three types of antigens: antigen "O" (somatic), antigen "H" (flagella) and antigen "K" (capsular). Clinical manifestations are present in the form of non-specific diarrhea, a dysentery form of enteritis, choleriform enteritis, hemorrhagic colitis and hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS). The Escherichia coli infection diagnosis is made by identifying the etiologic agent and/or by highlighting the VTI toxin in the feces. The treatment consists in precautionary antibiotherapy, hydrodynamics and electrolyte rebalancing, blood transfusions and dialysis, if in the case of renal failure. The prevention of infections with Escherichia coli is achieved by personal hygiene, food hygiene and work hygiene.
Introduction: Clostridium difficile infection stands nowadays as one of the major emerging health problems still underestimated. Only in 2009 the European Society of Clinical Microbiology and Infection (ESCMID) was able to publish guidelines for this serious disease. Actually the guidelines were updated in 2013 so we can speak of a united action towards the resolution of this healthcare problem. Methods: This is a review article aiming to shed light in various aspects of clostridium difficile infection as clinical presentation, symptoms and signs, therapeutic options and risk factors with a focus on urologic pathology. Conclusions: This type of infection represents a challenge from many points of view like treatment, relapse approach, mortality, morbidity, germ’ s adaptability to treatment and last but not the least the outbreak of different aggressive strains like B1,NAP1 or ribotype 027 toxinotype III.
Purpose: This study is carried out to evaluate the diagnostic value of using common features of computed tomography (CT) imaging in COVID-19 disease, and to assess the relationship between blood oxygen saturation level and severity of CT findings. Materials and Methods: In this retrospective study, the chest CT of 173 test-confirmed COVID-19 patients have been evaluated to determine the patterns of involvement in multiple phases of illness. Then, the correlation between the severity of lung involvement and oxygen saturation levels has been assessed. Results: The chest CT results show that 87.6% of patients had GGO, which was the most common pattern in our findings. 83.8% of patients had bilateral lung involvement with the dominant multifocal and peripheral distribution. peribronchovascular involvement was also a common finding in our study (47.2 %). we found predominantly peribronchovascular view in 3 patients (1.7%), pleural effusion in 4 patients (2.3%), lymphadenopathy in 10 patients (5.8%), the tree in the bud in one patient (0.6%), and nodules in 4 patients (2.3%). We also found that GGO is the most common pattern during the early phase of the disease (97.4% of early phase cases). However, in the intermediate and late phases, consolidation and crazy paving patterns are more common. Moreover, our findings indicate that there is a significant relationship between oxygen saturation level and Total Severity Score, with the exclusion of the young adult patients (20-40 years). Conclusion: Relying on chest CT-scan findings apart from the oxygen saturation level is sufficient for the diagnosis and management of patients with COVID-19 pneumonia.
Introduction: BK virus is an opportunistic infectious disease that causes disease and serious problems when the immune system is suppressed. One of the treatments used against this virus is intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG). We aimed to review the major relevant articles in case of the efficacy of IVIG and determine its usefulness. Methods: We searched online databases such as PubMed, MEDLINE, Wiley, EMBASE, ProQuest Dissertations and Thesis, ISI Web of Knowledge, Scopus, and Google scholar. Two reviewers have independently assessed and extracted the titles and abstracts. Disagreements were being fixed by discussion. Where resolve was not feasible, a third review author was discussed. Results: We screened a total of 6 full texts. Three studies evaluated the effectiveness of IVIG in the Treatment of BK Infection in Renal Transplant Patients. Also, three studies assessed the various treatment options for Nephropathy due to the BK virus. Results showed that mean peak BK reduced with IVIG therapy after a one-year follow-up. Also, a high percentage of patients have functioning grafts after IVIG therapy. Conclusion: A review of studies shown powerful follow-up and early decrease of immunosuppression leading detection of BK viremia, with qualitative monitoring, can avoid the progress of clinically notable BK nephropathy. Combination treatment IVIG is more successful in removing viral load in patients with BKVAN, compared with traditional standard-of- care therapy.
The squamous cell carcinoma antigen is a tumor marker that is receiving more interest due to its biological properties and importance in both pathological and normal physiological processes. Numerous clinical studies have been conducted to determine the potential function of squamous cell carcinoma antigen and its isoform complexes in clinical practice. These studies have been prompted by the fact that not only squamous cell carcinoma antigen but also circulating immune complexes of it and immunoglobulin M are involved in normal physiological and pathological processes. The therapeutic use of squamous cell carcinoma antigen as a tumor marker for either squamous carcinoma diagnosis or for monitoring the response to radiation or chemotherapy, tumor recurrence, and treatment failure are supported by prior investigations. The diagnostic or prognostic utility of squamous cell carcinoma antigen is debatable, nevertheless, as these investigations provide conflicting findings. A uniform detection method, scoring system, and cutoff level must be devised to limit clinical variability between studies and to provide a more accurate and trustworthy comparison of data. Additionally, even if the effectiveness of several approaches is equivalent, only one method should be used for the dynamic monitoring of tumor marker kinetics.
More than 75 years after its accidental discovery, methotrexate remains an important treatment option for many diseases. Whether it is various hematological and non-hematological neoplasms, rheumatological, dermatological, or other conditions, methotrexate remains in scope. For rheumatoid arthritis, current clinical guidelines (EULAR, ACR) recommend methotrexate as the first therapeutic option. This article aims to highlight important moments in the history of this remarkable drug, to review the literature on its mechanisms of action and the arguments for which after more than half a century, methotrexate remains the gold standard in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis but also an important option for treatment of psoriasis vulgaris (PV) and psoriatic arthritis (PsA).
The laboratory tests that should be performed and their frequency during isotretinoin treatment are controversial. We wanted to investigate muscle and joint pain and laboratory tests in acne patients who received isotretinoin. Between April 2019 and February 2023, serum CK, AST, ALT, and GGT levels were retrospectively evaluated in acne patients before and three months after systemic isotretinoin treatment. This study included 410 patients. The median serum AST, ALT, and GGT levels significantly increased, whereas serum CK levels were similar in all patients three months after treatment. 23 (5.6%) patients revealed muscle or joint pain after treatment. No significant difference was detected in patients with or without pain in the median serum CK, AST, ALT, and GGT levels after treatment. Isotretinoin treatment at a dose of 10 mg/day was more common in patients with pain than in those without pain, whereas none of the patients who received isotretinoin 40 mg/day developed muscle or joint pain. We suggest that routine evaluation of serum CK levels is unnecessary in acne patients treated with isotretinoin. However, muscle and joint pain may develop even at doses as low as 10 mg/day. Furthermore, monitoring AST, ALT, and GGT levels may be beneficial in acne patients treated with isotretinoin.
The Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) and the Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS) remain significant public health concerns worldwide. This review seeks to present an updated perspective on the spread, consequences, and control measures of HIV/AIDS, focusing on military personnel as a particular at-risk group. It starts by outlining general information about the transmission of the virus and summarizing recent global epidemiological trends. This review further explores the difficulties that HIV/AIDS presents in military settings, including policies regarding the management of service members living with the virus. Additionally, it examines several prevention strategies implemented by militaries around the world, such as educational programs, provision of condoms, and efforts to reduce the stigma associated with the infection.
