Investigation of the inhibitory activity of some mycobacterial strains on growth of the intratracheally transplanted Deals' sarcoma in guinea pigs.

In this paper the authors describe and analyse results that they obtained by infection of the guinea pig organism carried out by subcutaneous or intratracheal application with five mycobacterial strains, namely Myco bovis BCG-Praha, Myco the H37Ra, Myco Kansasii, Myco fortuitum and Myco smegmatis. At predetermined time intervals following subcutaneously or intratracheally performed infection (on 7th, 16th, 28th and 56th day after infection) transplantation of a Deals' guinea pig sarcoma cell suspension was carried out in guinea pigs by the intraltracheal route. As it appears from the results gained the applied mycobacteria exhibit a partial inhibition of growth od Deals' guinea pig sarcoma cells of different character. From among the utilized strains the Myco bovis BCP-Praha and the Myco tbc H37Ra exhibited the highest, Myco fortuitum and Myco smegmatis the lowest inhibitory activity. Intratracheally performed infections yielded in general better results on the growth inhibition than infections carried out with the same strain but by the subcutaneous route. Furthermore, in the experiments reported on in the present paper the authors could verify their earlier experience, namely that inhibition of growth of sarcoma cells is most pronounced at the time of maximal biological activity (logarithmic phase of multiplication) of the applied mycobacterium.

Application of gibberelic acid (GA) alone or together wih cytostatics in treatment of lung cancer.

Gibberelic acid (GA) was used alone or in combination with cytostatics (Vincristine, Cyclophosphamide, HN3), surgical treatment or radiotherapy, in treatment of 65 patients with lung cancer. The patinets were followed up from the end of 1972 until the end of 1977. It was found that the administration of GA, at the given doses, did not cause toxic effects in treated patients and it improved for shorter or longer period of time some metabolic functions and activity of hemopoiesis. Some analgetic effect(2) of GA was also registered.

[Epidemiologic and microbiological aspects of mycobacteriosis in Slovakia--Mycobacterium szulgai]. / Epidemiologické a mikrobiologické aspekty mykobakterióz na Slovensku--M. szulgai.

The first case of mycobacteriosis caused by M. szulgai in the territory of Czechoslovakia was discovered in the year 1979 in southern Slovakia and was published in our and foreign literature in the year 1981. The purpose of this investigation is to describe the epidemiological situation of the diseases caused by M. szulgai in Slovakia and to compared it with the experiences in chosen developed countries, especially focused on the localization of the disease, factors of transmission, mechanism of transmission and other epidemiological characteristics. The methodology of this paper is based upon surveillance of tuberculosis applied on mycobacterioses. During the period of last 20 years two cases of the disease without mutual epidemiological connection were discovered. In contradiction to other mycobacterioses, diseases caused by M. szulgai, have not the tendency to endemic occurrence. The most often transmission factors are contaminated water and soil. Both cases of M. szulgai in Slovakia suffered from pulmonary diseases. Other localization reported in other countries, for example: olecranon bursitis, skin infections, cervical adenitis, osteomyelitis and renal disease were not reported in our country up to now. (Ref. 23.)

[Epidemiologic and microbiologic aspects of mycobacteriosis in Slovakia. M. fortuitum]. / Epidemiologické a mikrobiologické aspekty mykobakterióz na Slovensku. M. fortuitum.

The purpose of this paper is to confront the knowledge about the epidemiology of this disease abroad with information obtained in Slovakia. The methodology of this paper is based upon surveillance of tuberculosis as applied on mycobacterioses. Pulmonary infections caused by M. fortuitum presents only 10% of pulmonary mycobacterioses caused by facultative pathogenic mycobacteria. Since the year 1979 were in the territory of Slovakia newly discovered 5 cases of mycobacterioses caused by M. fortuitum. 4 of them are men (age 61-77 years old) and 1 women (57 years old). 3 patients are from Eastern Slovakia and 2 patients are from Central Slovakia. All of them had pulmonary location of disease. Another 8 cases (5 men and 3 women) are suspect for mycobacterioses for the meantime. In each isolation of the agents was made 5-8 times but without verification of clinical activity. Findings of M. fortuitum in biological material even when repeated can mean contamination only. During the period of last 10 years 768 isolations of M. fortuitum from 496 persons were registered. (Ref. 36.)

[Epidemiologic and microbiologic aspects of mycobacteriosis in Slovakia--M. xenopi]. / Epidemiologické a mikrobiologické aspekty mykobakterióz na Slovensku--M. xenopi.

The first mycobacterioses caused by M. xenopi in Slovakia were discovered in the year 1979. Gradually they became the most often occurring mycobacterioses caused by facultative pathogenic mycobacteria. The purpose of investigation is to describe epidemiological situation of diseases caused by M. xenopi in Slovakia and to confront it with the situation in chosen developed countries. The methodology of this paper is based upon surveillance of tuberculosis as applied on mycobacterioses. During the period of last 10 years 960 isolations of M. xenopi from 622 persons were registered in Slovakia. Pulmonary mycobacterioses caused by M. xenopi was discovered in 58 persons until the end of the year 1966, 48 of them are men and 10 are women. The most often transmission factor is water in water supply mainly in city-habitation and hospital environment. The occurrence has endemic character. (Ref. 31.)

[Epidemiologic and microbiologic aspects of mycobacteriosis in Slovakia. M. avium complex]. / Epidemiologické a mikrobiologické aspekty mykobakterióz na Slovensku. M. avium komplex.

BACKGROUND: Mycobacteria belonging to M. Avium Complex (MAC) are strains very similar in structure and biochemistry but very different from the point of serology. OBJECTIVES: They are divided into 28 serotypes. The objective of the research is to describe the epidemiological situation in mycobacterioses caused by Mycobacterium Avium Complex in Slovakia and to compare it with the situation in the developed countries. METHODS: The study is methodologically based on the surveillance of tuberculosis and applied to the problem of mycobacterioses. RESULTS: During the period of 19 years we have registered in Slovakia 43 new cases caused by Mycobacterium Avium Complex. The number of new cases per year ranged from 0 to 4 cases. The majority of cases were males in permanent residence in Slovakia. 74.4% of them were from central and eastern Slovakia. CONCLUSIONS: Over the past 19 years the stabilized trend of incidence of mycobacterioses caused by Mycobacterium Complex has not changed. (Ref. 22.)

[Epidemiologic and microbiologic aspects of mycobacteriosis in Slovakia]. / Epidemiologické a mikrobiologické aspekty mykobakterióz na Slovensku--M. kansasii.

Mycobacterioses are diseases caused by mycobacteria other than those that induce the classical tuberculosis: M. tbc (previously to as "human" type) and M. bovis (previously to as "bovine" type of mycobacteria). The purpose of this paper is to confront the limited knowledge about the epidemiology of this disease abroad with the information obtained in Slovakia. The methodology of this paper is based upon the surveillance of tuberculosis as applied on mycobacterioses. Pulmonary mycobacteriosis caused by M. kansasii was diagnosed in 51 subjects in Slovakia within the period 1979-1993: 47 men and 4 women. The average age of men was 47 and of women 55 years. The highest incidence of the disease was observed in Central Slovakia (25 subjects), followed by Eastern Slovakia (18 subjects) and Western Slovakia (8 subjects). Geographic distribution coincides with the profession of Slovak miners who work either in the Slovak mining area or in Ostrava-Karviná mining complex. Miners accounted for 20 out of 51 patients. Apart from preventive measures applied in tuberculosis caused by M. tbc, it is vitally important to pay great attention to the prevention and treatment of pneumoconioses and chronic obstructive bronchitis. Both miners and heavy smokers should avoid working in an environment where M. kansasii is present. Examinations within the focus of the disease should be targeted at the working environment (Ref. 13.).

[Activity of the Department of Clinical Epidemiology during the 25 years of its existence in the clinical arena]. / Skúsenosti s cinnost'ou oddelenia klinickej epidemiológie po 25 rokoch jeho existencie v klinickom zariadení.

Twenty-five years ago in the Institute of Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases in Bratislava was created a Department of Clinical Epidemiology. It was the first department to bear this title. The authors analyze the activity of this department. They paid special attention not only to quantitative characteristics of the gained results, but also to the description of the used strategy in inserting clinical epidemiology into practice of institutions of therapy and prevention. After the lapse of 25 years the authors consider the establishment of the mentioned department as a correct decision which led to qualitative improvement and more effective activity of the Institute. (Ref. 8.)

New trends of postgraduate education in public health in Slovakia (the first experiences of the school of public health in Bratislava).

The School of Public Health (SPH) in Bratislava was established on 1 July 1991, as an organisational unit of the Post-graduate Medical School, directly subordinated to the Ministry of Health of the Slovak Republic. The SPH performs both postgraduate and continuing education of specialists in individual public health branches. It participates in the research activities within the field of public health. Our SPH is engaged in the network of European schools of public health, in association with the Association of Schools of Public Health in the European Region (ASPHER). In coordination with these schools, the SPH elaborates on a system of training Europe-wide a comparable qualification degree in Master of Public Health (MPH). In collaboration with the World Health Organization (WHO), the SPH also organizes training courses and seminars with international participation. The SPH entered into the school year 1992/93 with its 5 departments and sub-departments in the following organisational structure: 1. Department of Health Strategy with sub-departments: Health Legislation Health Education Health Sociology 2. Department of Medical Informatics 3. Department of Health Management 4. Department of Medical Education 5. Department of Preventive Medicine with sub-departments: Epidemiology Hygiene of Children and Adolescents Environmental Hygiene Nutrition Preventive Occupational Health Health Protection against Ionization

Surveillance of tuberculosis caused by Mycobacterium bovis in Slovakia.

The elimination of tuberculosis (TB) among cattle was claimed in Czecho-Slovakia in the middle of the sixties. Experiences from some countries which eliminated TB among cattle earlier than Czecho-Slovakia indicated a sporadic occurrence of TB caused by M. bovis. A long-term investigation of the occurrence of this 'diminishing zoonosis' has been carried out by a special group of experts (epidemiologists, clinicians, bacteriologists, epizootiologists and veterinary surgeons) on the whole territory of Slovakia. During the period of years 1972-1990 there were discovered 68 new cases of TB in humans caused by M. bovis. This paper analyses the results of the epidemiological investigation of this group of patients from several aspects: eg age, sex, occupation and geographical distribution.