Treatment of lower respiratory tract infections with ceftazidime.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy and tolerance of ceftazidime in the treatment of patients with lower respiratory tract infection. Fifty patients were included. Most of the patients received 1.0 g ceftazidime im three times daily. Thirty-seven patients were cured and eight improved (90%). A pathogen was isolated in 19 cases, (sputum 14, blood 4 and pleural fluid 1). The micro-organism was eradicated from the sputum in all but two cases. The result was unassessable in one. One or more side-effects probably related to the drug were found in 15 patients (30%), pain at injection site (10), an allergic rash (2), diarrhoea (2), pyrexia (1) and dyspnoea (1). Abnormal laboratory tests were seen in seven patients, an elevation in liver enzymes (4), an elevation in urea (1), leucopenia and granulocytopenia (1) and haemolytic anaemia (1). Most of the side-effects were mild and transient but the drug was stopped in five cases. The diarrhoea was severe in one case and the granulocytopenia was noted at a check-up four months after the treatment.

Clinical experience in the treatment of lower respiratory tract infections with ceftazidime.

In this study we report our results on the efficacy of ceftazidime in the treatment of 15 patients with lower respiratory tract infections. Most patients were elderly and had underlying diseases. Eleven patients were cured and one improved. In two cases the treatment was stopped after a few days because of local pain and in one patient a bacteriological failure was noted. Possible side-effects were noted in four cases: skin rash in one, local pain in two and transient rise in liver enzymes in one.

Measurement of IgM and IgG antibodies to Yersinia by solid-phase radioimmunoassay.

Solid-phase radioimmunoassays for IgM and IgG antibodies to Yersinia enterocolitica serotype 3. Y. enterocolitica serotype 9, and Yersinia pseudotuberculosis IA are described. Bacteria were adsorbed onto polystyrene balls, and serum antibodies bound to the antigen-coated balls were quantitated by their capacity to bind 125I-labeled antibodies to human immunoglobulins.

Clinical efficacy of meningococcus group A capsular polysaccharide vaccine in children three months to five years of age.

We performed field trials in the course of an epidemic in Finland to learn whether Group A memingococcal capsular polysaccharide vaccine protects infants and young children from meningitis. The first trial involved 130,178 children between the ages of three months and five years; 49,295 children received the vaccine, 48,977 received a control Haemophilus influenzae Type b polysaccharide vaccine, and 31.906 remained unvaccinated. No cases of meningitis or sepsis caused by Group A meningococci were seen in the first year of observation among the children vaccinated with meningococcal vaccine whereas six occurred among those vaccinated with the H. influenzae vaccine and 13 among those not vaccinated. In the second trial 21,007 children of the same ages received the meningococcal vaccine. No cases caused by Group A occurred among those vaccinated, although five to seven would have been expected within the year. Meningococcal Group A vaccine appears efficacious in young infants and children.

Skin manifestations in human yersiniosis.

In 1969-1973, acute yersiniosis was diagnosed in 30 cases of erythema nodosum (EN), in 6 cases of EN and simultaneous erythema multiforme (EM), in one case of EN and erythema figuratum, in one case of EM, and in one case of drug eruption-like exanthema, respectively. During these years, 180 patients with EN due to other causes were seen. The most marked difference in the clinical course between yersiniosis and other cases was the duration of the eruption. EN nodules in yersinia EN faded away in 4 weeks in all but one case while the 4-week cure rate among the other patients with EN was only 37%. There were two types of EM lesions, namely cockade-like lesions and vesicopapules. They usually appeared some days before or together with EN nodules and they disappeared within 2 weeks without any scarring. Yersiniosis was caused by Y. enterocolitica serotype 3 in 19 cases. Y.ent. serotype 9 in 17 cases, and Y.pseudotuberculosis in 3 cases. Of the patients, 21 suffered from abdominal pains and/or diarrhoea prior to skin manifestations, but 11 had no pregastrointestinal symptoms resembling those of yersiniosis.