Thermographic differential diagnosis of acute tonsillitis and exacerbation of chronic tonsillitis.

OBJECTIVE: The aim: To elaborate the thermosemiotics of acute and chronic tonsillitis during exacerbation. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Materials and methods: 48 patients with acute tonsillitis and 19 patients with chronic tonsillitis were examined during disease exacerbation. Thermographic examination was carried out by the medical thermometer TI-120. Statistical processing of data was carried out with computer program "Microsoft Excel" and "Statistica for Windows" v. 6.0, StatSoft Inc. (USA). RESULTS: Results: Symmetry, homogeneity and isotherm are normal thermographic features of the skin. Presence of hyperthermia in carotid triangle, on the palms were revealed in patients with acute tonsillitis. In chronic tonsillitis in the stage of exacerbation, a moderate overall «warming up¼ of the neck and projections of the submandibular lymph nodes was also observed. The average temperature indices of the knee joints were statistically significantly higher than the corresponding values in healthy people °C (P<0.01). CONCLUSION: Conclusion: Only in patients with acute tonsillitis clear strong positive correlation between the temperature of half of the submandibular area and warming in the center of the palm - r = 0.812 ... 0.859 (P<0.01) and in the middle of the tenar on the corresponding side - r = 0.790 ... 0.827 (P<0.01) was observed. Only in the case of chronic tonsillitis, in the stage of exacerbation, the temperature difference over the knees and the lower part of the femur is always greater than 0.5 ºC.

Line Immunoblot Assay for Tick-Borne Relapsing Fever and Findings in Patient Sera from Australia, Ukraine and the USA.

Tick-borne relapsing fever (TBRF) is caused by spirochete bacteria of the genus Borrelia termed relapsing fever Borreliae (RFB). TBRF shares symptoms with Lyme disease (LD) caused by related Lyme disease Borreliae (LDB). TBRF and LD are transmitted by ticks and occur in overlapping localities worldwide. Serological detection of antibodies used for laboratory confirmation of LD is not established for TBRF. A line immunoblot assay using recombinant proteins from different RFB species, termed TBRF IB, was developed and its diagnostic utility investigated. The TBRF IBs were able to differentiate between antibodies to RFB and LDB and had estimated sensitivity, specificity, and positive and negative predictive values of 70.5%, 99.5%, 97.3%, and 93.4%, respectively, based on results with reference sera from patients known to be positive and negative for TBRF. The use of TBRF IBs and analogous immunoblots for LD to test sera of patients from Australia, Ukraine, and the USA with LD symptoms revealed infection with TBRF alone, LD alone, and both TBRF and LD. Diagnosis by clinical criteria alone can, therefore, underestimate the incidence of TBRF. TBRF IBs will be useful for laboratory confirmation of TBRF and understanding its epidemiology worldwide.

Changes in leptospirosis etiology in animals and humans.

INTRODUCTION: Leptospirosis is endemic in Ternopil region. In Ukraine, the disease is registered in almost all regions, including the Ternopil region. The aim of the research is to study the regularities of epidemic and epizootic processes of leptospirosis, and the circulation of its pathogens among different sources (small mammals, animals) and humans. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Etiologic spectrum of leptospirosis registered in Ternopil region in 1972-2016 among small mammals, farm animals and sick people was studied. RESULTS: Due to the analysis of pathogens circulation among different sources (small mammals, animals), as well as the annual morbidity in humans, it was proved that new leptospira serovars are endemic and brought into the regions mostly by farm animals. Farm animals introduce the infection to humans through the environment, sometimes within 3-5-years. The spread was observed of pathogen serovars, which are new in certain areas, among all types of mouse-like small mammals and rats. It was established that livestock and small mammals are parallel reservoirs. CONCLUSIONS: In the regions with endemic species, the structural modification in the etiology of leptospirosis in humans is caused by additional reservoirs among animals, as well as the circulation of other pathogen serovars that were absent in the main natural reservoir, i.e. mouse-like small mammals and rats. The constant monitoring of the population, contamination and carrier state of mouse-like small mammals, rats and farm animals, is required In order to predict the future epidemiological situation on leptospirosis among the population and to improve leptospirosis diagnosis.