Toxoplasmosis in pregnancy: research on 2295 women in Rome and its province.

The authors report the data concerning 2295 women tested for toxoplasmosis immunodiagnosis, in the Department of Infectious and Tropical Diseases of "La Sapienza" University of Rome in the years 1993-1994. Four hundred eleven cases (17.9%) were positive for IgG only; 2 cases (0.1%) for IgM only; 15 cases (0.6%) for both IgG and IgM while 1867 cases (81.4%) were negative. 1668 women were pregnant. In this group 260 (15.6%) were positive for IgG only, 2 (0.1%) for IgM only, and 10 (10.6%) for both IgG and IgM; in one case there was a spontaneous absorption in the 10th week of pregnancy, in another case a still-birth in the 20th week with brain lesions; a child was born with phocomelia of the right arm and one with a clubfoot. While it is possible to explain the absorption and the still-birth with the toxoplasma infection, it is difficult to understand the causes of the abnormality of the limbs.

[Acyclovir in the treatment of varicella in immunocompetent children]. / L'acyclovir nel trattamento della varicella nei bambini immunocompetenti.

We evaluated safety and tolerance of acyclovir ACV per os in immunocompetent children affected by chicken-pox admitted to our department from January 1993 to December 1994. 183 subjects (102 males and 81 females) aged between 0 and 14 years were treated by ACV (80 mg/kg/daily in 4 divided doses): 88 children were treated within 24 hours and 95 subjects within 48 hours from the onset of symptoms. The control group consisted of 83 children (52 males and 31 females) aged between 0 to 14 years. In all patients routine blood-test were performed and in those with respiratory illness Chest-Rx was also done. We evaluated clinical course, degree of eruption, the appearance and kind of complications, duration of hospitalization, the compliance and the potential consequences on specific antibody response. Our results show a faster improvement of clinical symptoms in treated patients with respect to the control group with shortening of the period of the fever, itch and appearance of new vescicles. The percentage of complications was lower in treated than in untreated patients. 16 cases tested for specific antibody response showed protective titers six months after treatment. In conclusion, ACV administered per os within 48 hours from onset of exanthema causes reduction of the period and the degree of general symptoms and exanthema, a lower incidence of complications even if non statistically significant. The drug is safe and well-tolerated.

[Clinical evaluation of the use of teicoplanin for staphylococcal infections in immunocompetent and immunodepressed patients]. / Valutazione clinica dell'impiego della teicoplanina nelle infezioni stafilococciche in soggetti immunocompetenti ed immunodepressi.

The authors have evaluated the efficacy and tolerance of teicoplanin against Gram-positive infections in 8 patients (four with endocarditis, one with cholangitis, one with purulent arthritis, one with gathered fistula and one with general pyoderma), arose both in the immunocompetent and immunodepressed subjects. All patients received IM teicoplanin at a dosage of 200-400 mg/die, according to the severity of the infectious process. Teicoplanin proved to be an effective and well-tolerated drug in the treatment of staphylococcus infections, both for immunocompetent and with serious deficit of the immune system subjects.

[Ulcerative colitis, thromboses of the cavernous sinuses and prostatic plexus and acute necrotizing hemorrhagic leukoneuraxitis: a case report of a syndromal association]. / Colite ulcerosa, trombosi dei seni cavernosi e del plesso prostatico e leuconevrassite acuta necrotizzante emorragica: descrizione di un caso di associazione sindromica.

The authors describe a case of ulcerative colitis initially complicated by priapism due to cavernous sinus thrombosis and by prostatic plexus thrombosis and, subsequently, by a fatal acute necrotizing hemorrhagic leukoencephalitis. This complex and, apparently, until now unreported association supports the view that ulcerative colitis is the expression of a systemic disease. It also raises important pathogenetic problems which are discussed in connection with the vascular complications of ulcerative colitis reported in the literature.

[A case of disseminated mucormycosis]. / Osservazioni su un caso di mucormicosi disseminata.

Report of a case of disseminated mucormycosis. The Authors, after a review of the literature, report a fatal case of disseminated Mucormycosis observed in a young patient with aplastic anemia, severe neutropenia and treated with Deferoxamine.