Challenges of laboratory diagnosis of Lyme disease ‒ Questionnaire survey results.

Lyme disease. Our second goal was to identify bacterial and viral co-infections occurring concurrently with Lyme disease. Furthermore, it was our intention to also analyze the correlation of laboratory testing with the occurrence of erythema migrans (EM). BACKGROUND: The accuracy in diagnostic testing for Lyme disease in the early stages of infection is an important factor necessary for delivering proper treatment to patients. METHODS: A total of 173 individuals with confirmed Lyme disease or with laboratory testing underway participated in the quantitative survey. RESULTS: ELISA was the first test conducted in 51% of the respondents, 28% of whom yielded positive findings of both IgM and IgG antibody classes. The positivity of ELISA test findings was confirmed by Western blot in 100% of results. Negative results of ELISA were consistent with Western blot only in less than half of the patients. More than half of the respondents had not been tested for any bacterial or viral co-infections. The results of serological testing were not consistent with clinical findings in all cases, including those with clinically discernible skin manifestation of erythema migrans. CONCLUSION: The comparison of results obtained by ELISA and Western blot revealed significant discrepancies. Simultaneous infections by vectors with several pathogens were detected (Tab. 3, Fig. 2, Ref. 15).

The effects of local anesthetics on cancer cells.

During cancer surgery, the perioperative period is characterized by stress response and immunosuppression that can lead to further worsening of the disease and metastatic spread. Local anesthetics have antiproliferative, cytotoxic and antimetastatic effects on cancer cells in vitro. There is scientific evidence that local anesthetics possess anti-inflammatory effects, help to preserve normal immune function and reduce the possibility of metastatic spread. Anesthetic care affects pain, inflammation, and immunosuppression, which may have a great impact on the outcome of oncological patients. The use of local anesthetics during the perioperative period in oncological patients may have a beneficial effect on their survival and cancer recurrence. This article summarizes the effects of local anesthetics in vitro (Tab. 1, Fig. 1, Ref. 36). Keywords: local anesthetics, cancer cells.

Preleukemic fusion genes typical for acute myeloid leukemia.

Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is a highly heterogeneous subtype of leukemia, accounting for 25 % of childhood leukemias. By the presence of genetic mutations in hematopoietic/ progenitor stem cells, the bone marrow produces a large number of abnormal undifferentiated leukocytes (blasts), which significantly impairs the proper differentiation of cells. AML is induced by two interventions. Chromosomal translocation during hematopoiesis of intrauterine development is the first intervention. This creates preleukemic fusion genes (PFG), which can later be transformed by a second intervention (point genetic mutation - deletion, insertion ) into a functional malignant clone. Characteristic AML fusion genes include AML1-ETO, PML-RARA or MLL-AF9, which in turn produce hybrid proteins with altered function. Several studies suggest that these PFGs are considered an important prognostic tool in disease assessment. While the incidence of PFG characteristic of acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) has been relatively well studied by several research groups and has been estimated at 1 to 5% in the umbilical cord blood of healthy neonates, PFG relevant to AML are still not sufficiently clarified.