1/94. inhalation anthrax in a home craftsman.inhalation anthrax with complicating subarachnoid hemorrhage due to simultaneous infection with two capsular biotypes of bacillus anthracis of different virulence for the mouse is reported. The patient, a home craftsman, acquired his infection from imported animal-origin yarn.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 1keywords = animal (Clic here for more details about this article) |
2/94. Sewer workers: occupational risk for hepatitis c--report of two cases and review of literature.Two sewer workers contracted hepatitis c. The epidemiological literature in which sewer-contaminated water is described as a known vector for outbreaks of hepatitis c, as well as the specific occupational history of the two patients described here, suggest that sewer workers may be at increased risk of contracting hepatitis c.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 8.2278496608261keywords = hepatitis (Clic here for more details about this article) |
3/94. Molecular evolutionary analysis of the complete nucleotide sequence of hepatitis B virus (HBV) in a case of HBV infection acquired through a needlestick accident.To elucidate needlestick transmission of hepatitis b virus (HBV), strains isolated from 1 physician who acquired HBV infection through a needlestick accident and 3 patients with chronic hepatitis B (donor patients A, B, and C) were tested using molecular evolutionary analysis based on full-length HBV genomic sequences. Nucleotide sequences of these isolates were aligned with 55 previously reported full-length genomic sequences. Genetic distances were estimated using the 6-parameter method, and phylogenetic trees were constructed using the neighbor-joining method. Strains isolated from patient A and the recipient pair were clustered within a closer range of evolutionary distances than were strains recovered from the recipient pair and patients B and C. Furthermore, strains from patient A and the recipient were also clustered on the S gene sequences of HBV. These results demonstrated that patient A alone was the source of direct transmission to the recipient. This approach can be used to investigate the transmission route of HBV.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 7.0524425664224keywords = hepatitis (Clic here for more details about this article) |
4/94. Cat cuddler's cough.pasteurella multocida typically causes cutaneous infections in humans following animal bites or scratches. Primary pulmonary disease, however, can occur in humans after inhalation of airborne particles or by aspiration of colonized or infected nasopharyngeal secretions containing this organism. Symptoms of P. multocida pulmonary infection in humans are variable, ranging from cough with or without hemoptysis to severe prostration. P. multocida infection of the lower respiratory tree has a predilection for elderly patients with underlying lung pathology, especially chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and bronchiectasis. This report reminds the clinician that P. multocida can cause pulmonary infection in patients without underlying lung disease, and stresses the importance of careful history when presented with an indolent infection.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 1keywords = animal (Clic here for more details about this article) |
5/94. Localised spontaneous regression in mesothelioma -- possible immunological mechanism.Malignant mesothelioma (MM) is an aggressive tumor usually associated with asbestos exposure. Although it can remain stable for prolonged periods, it has not been described to spontaneously regress. MM tumors are thought to be immunogenic based both on animal studies and on the good responses in some humans treated with immunotherapy. Here we present a case of pleural MM in which a transient spontaneous regression was associated with tumor tissue infiltration with mononuclear cells and serological evidence of anti-MM reactivity. The patient's tumor eventually progressed and with this progression there was evidence of loss of serological reactivity to some, but not all, of her MM antigens. The patient survived for 20 months and, in contrast to her initial biopsy, no significant lymphoid infiltrate was detected in her MM tissue at post mortem examination.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 1keywords = animal (Clic here for more details about this article) |
6/94. Report of occupational asthma due to phytase and beta-glucanase.OBJECTIVES: Occupational asthma is the principal cause of respiratory disease in the workplace. The enzymes phytase and beta-glucanase are used in the agricultural industry to optimise the nutritional value of animal feeds. A relation between these enzymes and occupational asthma in a 43 year old man was suspected. methods: inhalation challenge tests were performed with the enzymes phytase, beta-glucanase, and amylase. Skin prick tests were performed with the enzymes diluted to a concentration of 1 mg/ml and 5 mg/ml. Specific IgE to phytase and beta-glucanase were measured with a radioallergosorbent test. RESULTS: Baseline spirometry values were normal. A histamine challenge test showed bronchial hyperreactivity. Exposure to phytase and beta-glucanase led to significant reductions in forced vital capacity and forced expired volume in 1 second. No significant differences were noted after exposure to amylase. skin tests showed a positive reaction to beta-glucanase (5 mm) at a concentration of 1 mg/ml and positive reactions to beta-glucanase (7 mm) and phytase (5 mm) at a concentration of 5 mg/ml. Similarly specific IgE was present against both phytase and beta-glucanase, at 2.5% and 9.3% binding respectively (2% binding is considered positive). CONCLUSIONS: This is the first description of occupational asthma due to the enzymes phytase and beta-glucanase. Their addition to the ever increasing list of substances associated with occupational asthma will have notable implications for those exposed to these enzymes.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 1keywords = animal (Clic here for more details about this article) |
7/94. Successful treatment with adefovir dipivoxil in a patient with fibrosing cholestatic hepatitis and lamivudine resistant hepatitis b virus.Fibrosing cholestatic hepatitis (FCH) is a severe clinical and histological variant of hepatitis b virus (HBV) infection seen most commonly in the HBV infected allograft after liver transplantation. Without treatment, FCH is fatal, rapidly and universally. Remission has been reported with lamivudine but is associated with evolving resistance to lamivudine. Adefovir dipivoxil has recently been reported to be a potent and highly effective inhibitor of HBV replication in both wild-type and lamivudine resistant HBV infection. We report a case of FCH 15 months after liver transplantation for HBV related cirrhosis despite therapy with lamivudine and hepatitis B immunoglobulin (HBIg). Within two weeks of commencing treatment with adefovir dipivoxil 10 mg once daily, the patient had made a remarkable recovery with resolution of jaundice and normalisation of liver biochemistry. HBV dna and hepatitis B e antigen were lost from serum subsequently and liver histology had improved at four months. This case report suggests firstly, that advanced FCH can be reversed and secondly, that addition of adefovir dipivoxil to lamivudine and HBIg may be an effective antiviral strategy.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 14.104885132845keywords = hepatitis (Clic here for more details about this article) |
8/94. Chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) associated with staphylococcus spp. bacteremia, responsive to potassium arsenite 0.5% in a veterinary surgeon and his coworking wife, handling with CFS animal cases.Chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) in human patients remain a controversial and perplexing condition with emerging zoonotic aspects. Recent advances in human medicine seem to indicate a bacterial etiology and the condition has already been described in horses, dogs, cats and birds of prey in association with micrococci-like organisms in the blood. To evaluate the possibility of a chronic bacteremia, a veterinary surgeon (the author) and his coworking wife, both diagnosed with CFS and meeting the CDC working case definition, were submitted to rapid blood cultures and fresh blood smears investigations. blood cultures proved Staph-positive and micrococci-like organisms in the blood were repeatedly observed in the 3-year period preceding the arsenical therapy, during which several medicaments, including antibiotics, proved unsuccessful. Following treatment with a low dosage arsenical drug (potassium arsenite 0.5%, im., 1 ml/12 h, for 10 days) both patients experienced complete remission. At the post-treatment control made 1 month later, micrococci had disappeared from the blood, and the CD4/CD8 ratio was raising.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 4keywords = animal (Clic here for more details about this article) |
9/94. Occupational asthma after inhalation of dust of the proteolytic enzyme, papain.papain is a proteolytic enzyme widely used by biochemists. In experiments on animals papain has been shown to cause emphysema either when they inhaled a single small dose or after intratracheal inhalation. Four food technologists were occupationally exposed to heavy concentrations of papain dust in air. Subjects 1 and 2 developed an immediate acute asthmatic reaction, and symptoms of obstructive airways disease persisted for some months while each remained in the same working area, presumably exposed to small gradually diminishing amounts of residual papain dust. Tests of respiratory function were carried out on all four subjects 1 1/2 years later and showed in subjects 1 and 3 minimal abnormality of bronchial reactivity and of ventilation distribution. review of the literature reveals only two reports of asthma resulting from papain inhalation, although its antigenic and skin sensitizing qualities have been known and described for many years. It seems remarkable that a substance such as papain, shown to be a potent cause of lung damage in experimental animals, should have produced so little evidence of abnormality in our subjects after considerable exposure. Follow-up ventilatory function tests may cast further light on this but we postulate that the asthmatic response may be biologically protective and those lacking this reaction could later develop emphysema as a long-term outcome.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 2keywords = animal (Clic here for more details about this article) |
10/94. Specific sensitization to the common housefly (Musca domestica) not related to insect panallergy.BACKGROUND: Allergy to houseflies is rare. We report a case of respiratory allergy from occupational exposure to houseflies in a farmer. CASE REPORT: A 30 year-old female farmer with a long-standing history of grass pollen allergy observed for 2 years rhino-conjunctivitis and mild asthma when entering livestock stables and barns. Allergy retesting revealed sensitization to various pollens but not to animal danders. houseflies (Musca domestica) occurring on the farm in great quantity were suspected by the farmer herself as the causative agent. RESULTS: Skin prick testing with housefly was positive in the patient and negative in four controls. Experimental radioallergosorbant test was class 3 positive. Sensitization to house dust mite, storage mites and cockroach was not detectable. Western blots with housefly extracts revealed immunoglobulin e (IgE)-binding to bands of 70, 50, and approximately 16 kDa. tropomyosin in the housefly extract (35 kDa) was recognized by a tropomyosin reference serum but not by the patient. In enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) inhibition assays using housefly as the solid phase, IgE-binding of the patient was inhibited by 75% by M. domestica and by 44% by the closely related lesser housefly (Fannia canicularis), but not by extracts from blowfly (Lucilia spp.), fruit fly (drosophila spp.), horsefly (Haematopota pluvialis) and mosquito (culex pipiens). The IgE-binding of the tropomyosin control serum was inhibited by 60-80% by all species. CONCLUSIONS: In accordance with previous reports, this case demonstrates that respiratory sensitization to insects may be highly specific. According to ELISA inhibition, cross-sensitization in the present case was restricted to species of the family of true flies (muscidae).- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 1keywords = animal (Clic here for more details about this article) |
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