Bacteriological study of Neisseria strains isolated in Romania 1971-1992.

1496 Neisseria strains isolated from patients and carriers from 24 counties in Romania and Bucharest in 1971-1992 were studied. Serogroup A identified in 84.5% in 1987 shows a remarkable decrease in pre- and post-epidemic periods when serogroups B and C reach rates varying from 0 to 66.6% in 1975 for B and 38.8% in 1974 for C. Non-groupable strains were more frequently isolated in inter-epidemic periods, especially in carriers. Sensitivity to antibiotics of the meningococcal strains revealed a law rate of resistant strains, the most active antibiotics in decreasing order being: penicillin, chloramphenicol, tetracycline, ampicillin, rifampicin and erythromycin. Serogroup A was the most resistant to sulfamides as compared to the other serogroups, its resistance rate rising from 18.1% strains resistant to sulfathiazole in 1980-1985 to 60.7% in 1987 and to 83.3% in 1988.

Epidemiology of meningococcal meningitis in Romania 1971-1991.

The paper describes the endemic epidemic picture of meningococcal meningitis in Romania over 1971-1991 period. After the epidemic of 1970 with 1051 cases and a morbidity of 5.2 %000, the incidence of the disease suddenly decreased; thus in 1972-1984 the number of cases ranged from 191 to 534 per year, corresponding to a morbidity rate of 0.9 - 2.3 %000. Starting with the autumn of 1985 the incidence of meningococcal meningitis increased rapidly, reaching a maximum value in 1987 (2623 cases) and a morbidity rate of 11.4 %000. A spectacular decrease to 250-270 cases per year in 1990-1991 and a morbidity rate of 1.1 - 1.2 %000 were reported. Mortality followed closely the morbidity curve with a maximum in 1987 (0.4 %000). By contrast, lethality was higher in endemic periods with a maximum of 7.9% (1972), 8.9% (1975) and 6.3% (1990-1991), in the remaining years the lowest index being 1.4% (1980). The meningococcal meningitis epidemic of 1987 was due to group A Neisseria meningitidis identified in 84.5% of isolates from patients, the same serogroup decreasing in endemic periods to 0 (1991) or 5.5% (1974).

[The attitude of pulmonary tuberculosis patients towards treatment, a factor in the efficacy of chemotherapy]. / Atitudinea bolnavului de tuberculoza pulmonara fata de tratament, factor al eficientei chimioterapiei.

The paper reports on the efficiency at the first treatment of pulmonary tuberculosis chemotherapy in a homogeneous group of 124 bacillary men, belonging to the territory of the Tb out-patient clinic no. 2, all admitted in the Galati Hospital of pulmonary diseases, between 1985 and 1986. This group was divided into 4 subgroups, as a function of the degree of participation to chemotherapy (intermittent treatment 2/7 intensive, for a short period-6 months), i.e.: a) cooperative-conformist in 66 patients; b) cooperative-over-particular in 20 patients without therapeutic failure; c) non-cooperative by interest 21 (16.93%) with 11 failures (52.3%); d) completely noncooperative (nonsocial) 17-13.71% with 13 failures (76.48%). In the 124 patients, 26 failures were recorded (20.97%) but in 19.35% the therapeutic failure was determined by non-compliance; of them, 20 patients left the hospital without the physician's advice. For improving compliance, the individual health education, cooperation with psychologist or psychiatrist, the final compulsory isolation of the nonsocial patients are recommended.