Surgical embolectomy in a cat with cardiogenic aortic thromboembolism.

A seven-year-old, spayed female, domestic longhair cat was referred for management of a sudden aortic thromboembolism (ATE). Echocardiography showed hypertrophic cardiomyopathy with severe left atrial enlargement. Ultrasonography of the abdominal aorta confirmed a large thrombus at the level of the aortic trifurcation, involving both iliac arteries. Considering the recent onset and bilateral involvement of the iliac arteries, the cat underwent emergent surgical embolectomy (SE) of the aortoiliac embolus. A standard caudal celiotomy was performed and the abdominal aorta was identified. Vessel loops with tourniquets were placed around the abdominal aorta proximal to the thrombus and on both iliac arteries distal to the thrombus. A full-thickness incision was made in the ventral surface of the aorta. The aortic thromboembolus was removed. The trifurcation was subsequently flushed with sterile saline. The SE resulted in a good outcome, with both clinical and ultrasound signs of complete reperfusion of the rear limbs within a few hours. Long-term treatment included antiplatelet drugs, furosemide and benazepril. Eighteen months after surgery, the cat was free of clinical signs, without recurrence of ATE or congestive heart failure. Based on the present case, SE could be considered as a feasible alternative to traditional conservative treatment in cats with a very recent onset of bilateral ATE.

Impact of hepatitis B vaccination in children born to HBsAg-positive mothers: a 20-year retrospective study.

BACKGROUND: Preventive measures remain the best approach to control the spread of hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection. PATIENTS AND METHODS: To evaluate the effectiveness of vaccination against HBV, we conducted a 20-year retrospective study on 100 subjects, born to hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg)-positive mothers, who had received postexposure prophylaxis at the Clinic of Infectious Diseases (Siena University, Italy) during 1984-2004. All patients were tested for the presence of HBsAg, anti-HBs and anti-HB core antigen (anti-HBc). RESULTS: Two subjects (2%) acquired the infection as shown by the presence of anti-HBc. Of the 98 patients who did not acquire the infection, 62 of these (63.3%) had an anti-HBs concentration considered protective (> or =10 mIU/ml). The percentage of protected subjects decreased in relation to time from vaccination with a significant reduction (p = 0.009) of anti-HBs geometric mean titre (GMT) after 5 years, which reached the level of 10 mIU/ml after about 15 years. No patients without protective concentration have acquired the infection as of today. Only 12% of the HBsAg-positive mothers were followed in specialized structures after pregnancy, reflecting the scarce knowledge of the problem in the general population. CONCLUSION: Our data, while confirming the effectiveness of anti hepatitis B vaccination, highlight the need for postvaccination follow-up, particularly in high-risk categories, to prolong protection, through booster doses if necessary. We show, moreover, the importance of maintaining active surveillance in the territory to improve follow-up to chronic carriers and to sensitize families.

Comet assay on thawed embryos: An optimized technique to evaluate DNA damage in mouse embryos.

Our objective was to optimize the CA technique on mammal embryos. MATERIALS AND METHODS: 1000 frozen 2-cell embryos from B6CBA mice were used. Based on a literature review, and after checking post-thaw embryo viability, the main outcome measures included: 1) comparison of the embryo recovery rate between 2 CA protocols (2 agarose layers and 3 agarose layers); 2) comparison of DNA damage by the CA on embryos with (ZP+) and without (ZP-) zona pellucida; and 3) comparison of DNA damage in embryos exposed to 2 genotoxic agents (H2O2 and simulated sunlight irradiation (SSI)). DNA damage was quantified by the % tail DNA. RESULTS: 1) The recovery rate was 3,3% (n=5/150) with the 2 agarose layers protocol and 71,3% (n=266/371) with the 3 agarose layers protocol. 2) DNA damage did not differ statistically significantly between ZP- and ZP+ embryos (12.60±2.53% Tail DNA vs 11.04±1.50 (p=0.583) for the control group and 49.23±4.16 vs 41.13±4.31 (p=0.182) for the H2O2 group); 3) H2O2 and SSI induced a statistically significant increase in DNA damage compared with the control group (41.13±4.31% Tail DNA, 36.33±3.02 and 11.04±1.50 (p<0.0001)). The CA on mammal embryos was optimized by using thawed embryos, by avoiding ZP removal and by the adjunction of a third agarose layer.

[Retrospective study of tuberculosis in the Province of Siena]. / Studio retrospettivo sui ricoveri per tubercolosi nella Provincia di Siena.

We report here the results of a retrospective study carried out on 200 tuberculosis cases admitted to the Hospital of Siena during the period 1994-2003. For each case, epidemiological, clinical and microbiological data were collected in order to analyze the trend of tuberculosis over the years and to compare our experience with similar studies. Indigenous patients were significantly older than immigrants (60.1 vs 34.2 yrs) more frequently affected by underlying chronic diseases. Overcrowding and HIV infection were predisposing conditions in 30 subjects (15% of cases) recently arrived from high endemicity countries. Pulmonary tuberculosis (TB) was diagnosed in 71% of cases, irrespective of origin. The death rate was 5%. Microbiological investigation was positive in 74.4% of examined subjects; 9.8% of isolates were resistant to one or more antituberculous drugs. The number of cases admitted to the Hospital seems to have slowly decreased in the last few years; factors that may influence this trend are discussed. Our results confirm a distinct epidemiological pattern of the disease between indigenous patients and immigrants, which is typical of low-endemicity countries. The delay in the diagnosis and management of the disease observed in this case-series report underlines the need to improve information on TB and skill in treatment, and to maintain specialized centres.

Chlamydia pneumoniae antibodies and angiographically demonstrated coronary artery disease in a sample population from Italy.

Recent reports suggest an association between Chlamydia pneumoniae and chronic coronary heart disease. This case-control study investigates the relationship between the presence of immunoglobin G (IgG) and immunoglobin A (IgA) when measured by means of microimmunofluorescence (MIF) and angiographically diagnosed coronary disease. Cases (n = 150) were angiography patients with at least one coronary artery lesion occupying at least 50% of the luminal diameter. Controls (n = 49) were angiography patients with no detectable signs of coronary artery disease and patients (n = 56) without signs or symptoms of coronary disease and with normal ECG results. No significant differences were revealed between the seroprevalence of IgG and IaA and geometric mean titers (GMT) as measured in cases and controls. When cases were compared with controls whose angiographic results were normal, after adjusting for established risk factors (cholesterol, smoking, hypertension, diabetes, age, gender and family history), the estimated risk of coronary artery disease was 0.79 (95% confidence interval (C.I.), 0.31-1.99) for the presence of IgG and was 0.94 (95 C.I., 0.37-2.39) for IgA. When cases were compared with controls with normal ECG results, the adjusted odds ratio (O.R.) for coronary artery disease was 1.17 (95%, C.I., 0.52-2.62) for the presence of IgG and 0.82 195% C.I., 0.36-1.86) for the presence of IgA. These results do not support an association between C. pneumoniae infection and coronary disease.

Molecular typing of Staphylococcus aureus isolates from an intensive care unit.

Seventeen S. aureus clinical isolates, collected from an Intensive Care Unit (ICU) during a seven-month period were analyzed to investigate their antimicrobial susceptibility and clonal diversity. Eleven isolates (65%) were found to be resistant to methicillin (MRSA). Pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) profiles of genomic DNAs, and analysis of the polymorphisms of the variable regions of the protein A (spa) and coagulase (coa) genes revealed a lower clonal heterogeneity among MRSA than among methicillin-susceptible isolates (MSSA). Two of the MRSA clones were repeatedly isolated in different patients, within a variable period of time, suggesting the presence in the ward of a resident, endemic and multi-drug resistant MRSA population. Our results also emphasize the lower discriminatory power of spa and coa typing compared with PFGE typing.

Immunity to diphtheria in a sample of adult population from central Italy.

A sample of 643 healthy subjects from central Italy aged 20 to 80, were screened for diphtheria antitoxin. Serum diphtheria antitoxin was assayed by a new passive haemagglutination technique using turkey red blood cells sensitized with diphtheria toxoid, after having performed a correlation study between this technique and the reference in vivo neutralization test. Of the studied population 26.7% showed a lack of serum antitoxin titres considered to be protective. The rate of susceptible subjects increased with age, showing the highest value (38.9%) in the sixth decade of age. Males proved less protected than females; 53.2% of the male population aged 50-59 were lacking a protective anti-diphtheria immunity. On the basis of present results, a periodical revaccination of the entire adult population with reduced doses of diphtheria toxoid would be advisable.

Immunity to Haemophilus influenzae type b on sample population from central Italy.

A study on natural immunity to Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib) was carried out in the province of Siena on 474 subjects ranging in age from 3 days to 70 years. The titration of antibody to capsular polysaccharide (PRP) was performed by the radioantigen-binding assay (RABA) method. A total of 66.67% of the population studied presented an antibody level considered to be protective (greater than or equal to 0.15 microgram ml-1). Seropositivity was 5.7% in the 5-7 month age group and 29.09% in the 8-17 month age group. This rose progressively in successive age groups reaching 79.54% between 4 and 6 years old and a value greater than 90% after 7 years old. From 3 to 17 months even the geometric mean of antibodies to PRP was below the protective limit. Our data indicate that, even in Italy, the majority of the infant population is not protected against H. influenzae, and therefore that vaccination should also be introduced in this country.

Muscular-skeletal cryptococcosis in a patient with idiopathic CD4+ lymphopenia.

A healthy 27-year-old woman presented, four months after childbirth, ingravescent pain and claudication of the left lower limb. Magnetic Resonance Imaging of the lumbosacral and iliac regions showed widespread muscular-skeletal lesions. The patient underwent surgery; Cryptococcus neoformans was isolated from surgical samples. Liposomal amphotericin B, fluconazole and itraconazole were administered. Laboratory findings showed lymphocytopenia, with reduction of CD4+ lymphocytes (23 cells per cubic millimeter) in the absence of HIV infection and any other defined immunodeficiency. This is a rare case of muscular-skeletal cryptococcal infection isolated in a subject affected with idiopathic CD4+ lymphocytopenia.

Antibiotic susceptibility of 206 Haemophilus influenzae isolates collected from children in central Italy.

Susceptibility of 206 H. influenzae isolates was evaluated by disk diffusion method for 11 antimicrobial agents. No isolates were found to be resistant to third-generation cephalosporins, amoxicillin+clavulanic acid, gentamicin and ciprofloxacin. Four untypable isolates (1.9%) were beta-lactamase producing ampicillin-resistant; one of these was also resistant to chloramphenicol. The rate of resistance against rifampin was 0.5 percent.

Staphylococcus aureus nasal carriage in the community: a survey from central Italy.

Recently, concern has increased regarding the spread of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) in the community. We studied 812 subjects from central Italy to establish the rates of nasal carriage of S. aureus, and antibiotic susceptibility patterns, in the community. The prevalence of S. aureus nasal carriage was 30.5%. Only one subject, with predisposing risk factors for acquisition, was identified as carrier of MRSA (prevalence of 0.12%). The presence of MRSA in the community of our area still appears to be a rare event. Among methicillin-susceptible S. aureus (MSSA) isolates, a surprisingly high rate (18%) of resistance to rifampin was observed.