[Attempted suicide during interferon therapy: a case report and literature review] / Tentato suicidio in corso di terapia con interferon: descrizione di un caso clinico e revisione della letteratura.

Occasionally, in the medical literature, attempted or successful suicides during interferon therapy are reported. We report a case of a 32-year-old man who developed a psychotic syndrome with attempted suicide at the third month of treatment. The cessation of interferon and an appropriate psychiatric therapy determined a complete remission of symptoms. A medical literature review, through several computerized searches, showed a lack of research into the subject. The main conclusion of our article emphasizes the importance of recognizing the early neuropsychiatric symptoms, that are reversible at the cessation of treatment.

[The immunogenicity of the hepatitis B vaccine in drug addicts with human immunodeficiency virus infection]. / Immunogenicità del vaccino anti-epatite B in tossicodipendenti con infezione da virus dell'immunodeficienza umana.

In order to evaluate the antibody response to anti-hepatitis B vaccine, 21 heroin addicted with HIV infection previously vaccinated, were studied. 18 patients were asymptomatic and 3 were at the LAS stage. An antibody response was estimated at 1 and 12 months after the end of the vaccination. The first control showed that 62% presented a protective anti-HBs (higher than 10 mU/ml); after one year 70% of responders had a persistent immunity. The antibody response showed no correlation with the value of immunologic tests; the vaccine showed neither a significant evidence of side-effects nor a negative influence on the HIV infection.

[Multiple myeloma in HIV infection]. / Mieloma multiplo in corso di infezione da HIV.

The Authors describe a case of multiple myeloma in a patient with HIV infection: this is an exceptional observation in young people and in HIV seropositive patients. The marked proliferation of lymphocyte B polyclones, typically found in the advanced stages of HIV infection, could be a determining factor in the appearance of a malignant clone, causing the onset of multiple myeloma.

[2-year follow-up of a series of cases of asymptomatic carriers of HBsAg antigen]. / Controllo a distanza di due anni di una casistica di portatori asintomatici dell'antigene HBsAg.

20 asymptomatic carriers of HBsAg antigen have been subjected to haemato-chemical examinations and liver biopsy and followed up after two years. The only altered serological test result regarded transaminases, except for one case where other liver function indices were irregular, and these were up in 13 cases at the first control and in 6 at the second. The histological changes observed in respectively 18 and 17 patients were in the majority of cases of persistent chronic hepatitis type. In one case the histopathological picture was related to active chronic hepatitis. It is therefore concluded that the term asymptomatic carrier is often inexact as the subjects are suffering from clinically silent chronic hepatitis.

[Australia antigen and viral hepatitis. Clinico-statistical considerations]. / Antigene Australia ed epatite virale. Considerazioni clinico-statistiche

204 cases of viral hepatitis, 192 related to the MS1 form and 12 to MS2, were studied for the presence of Au. antigen and possible relations between this and the course of the disease. The antigen was encountered in 12 cases of the first group (6.2%) and in 7 of the second (58.3%). The disease was more serious and developed more slowly in Au.-positive cases compared to negative cases, it was also observed that only after the disappearance of the antigen from the serum was clinical cure possible.

[2 cases of toxic epidermal necrolysis or Lyell's syndrome]. / Considerazioni su due casi di necrolisi epidermica tossica o sindrome di Lyell

Two cases of Lyell's syndrome (toxic necrolysis of the epidermis) are reported on account of their rarity. The differential diagnosis of this form and its aetiopathogenesis and treatment are described.

[Case of severe renal insufficiency appearing during a course of viral hepatitis]. / Su di un caso di grave insufficienza renale comparsa in corso di epatite virale

Notes on the literature data concerning renal alterations observed in the course of virus diseases, and on the results of experiments designed to show the nephrotoxic action of viruses and their possible investigation of certain nephropathies, are followed by the presentation of a case of serious renal insufficiency in a young woman with virus hepatitis. The clinical data, the history and the results of blood chemistry and function tests showed this to be attributable to glomerulonephritis, probably caused by the same virus.