Original Article

By using a new method for estimation of histamine, evolved in Pharmacological Department of our Univesity, a study was made on the relation between histamine and hemothorax, in order to determine the part which a vascular factor may play in the development of hemothorax following resection of the lung. In animal experiments using grown-up dogs, it was observed that performing thoracotomy and lung operation, as well as anoxia, caused histamine in the pulmonary veins to increase. In rabbits in which pleurisy and hemothorax had been experimentally induced, it was observed that the amount of histamine in the blood and thoracic exudation showed an increase immediately after induction of inflammation. Histopathologic investigation showed a multiplication of mast cells in the pleural cavity of rabbits in which hemothorax had experimentally been induced. There was an increase in the amount of histamine in the blood and thoracic exudation in 23 patients who had undergone resection of the lung ; some showed a sudden decrease, while some a gradual increase. A study made on the relation between the amount of histamine and the amount of blood lost during operation and aspirated after operation showed that the greater the amount of histamine, the greater was the amount of blood wasted during and after operation and the higher was a tendency to postoperative development of hemothorax. Histamine, having actions of dilating the capillaries and promoting their permeability and of lowering resistance of the blood vessels, may cause hemothorax to occur when it is abnormally increased in amount

Active Case Finding for Communicable Diseases in Prison Settings: Increasing Testing Coverage and Uptake among the Prison Population in the European Union/European Economic Area

Prison populations are disproportionally affected by communicable diseases when compared with the general community because of a complex mix of socioeconomic determinants and environmental factors. Tailored and adequate health care provision in prisons has the potential to reach vulnerable and underserved groups and address their complex needs. We investigated the available evidence on modalities and effectiveness of active case-finding interventions in prisons by searching PubMed, Embase, and the Cochrane Library for records on prison and active case finding with no language limit. Conference abstracts and unpublished research reports also were retrieved.We analyzed the findings by testing modality, outcomes, and study quality. The included 90 records-63 peer-reviewed, 26 from gray literature, and 1 systematic review-reported variously on viral hepatitis, human immunodeficiency virus, sexually transmitted infections, and tuberculosis. No records were retrieved for other communicable diseases. Provider-initiated opt-in testing was the most frequently investigated modality. Testing at entry and provider-initiated testing were reported to result in comparatively higher uptake ranges. However, no comparative studies were identified that reported statistically significant differences between testing modalities. Positivity rates among tested inmates ranged broadly but were generally high for all diseases. The evidence on active case finding in correctional facilities is limited, heterogeneous, and of low quality, making it challenging to draw conclusions on the effect of different testing modalities. Scale-up of provider-initiated testing in European correctional facilities could substantially reduce the undiagnosed fraction and, hence, prevent additional disease transmission in both prison settings and the community at large

Management of latent Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection:WHO guidelines for low tuberculosis burden countries

ABSTRACT Latent tuberculosis infection (LTBI) is characterised by the presence of immune responses to previously acquired Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection without clinical evidence of active tuberculosis (TB). Here we report evidence-based guidelines from the World Health Organization for a public health approach to the management of LTBI in high risk individuals in countries with high or middle upper income and TB incidence of <100 per 100000 per year. The guidelines strongly recommend systematic testing and treatment of LTBI in people living with HIV, adult and child contacts of pulmonary TB cases, patients initiating anti-tumour necrosis factor treatment, patients receiving dialysis, patients preparing for organ or haematological transplantation, and patients with silicosis. In prisoners, healthcare workers, immigrants from high TB burden countries, homeless persons and illicit drug users, systematic testing an

Additional file 1: of Initiation and completion rates for latent tuberculosis infection treatment: a systematic review

PICO questions. (DOC 45 kb

Additional file 1: of Interventions for improving adherence to treatment for latent tuberculosis infection: a systematic review

Materials and methods. (DOCX 47 kb

Additional file 3: of Interventions for improving adherence to treatment for latent tuberculosis infection: a systematic review

Study characteristics, outcomes, and quality aspects of risk of bias assessment of articles on determinants of initiation, adherence and completion of LTBI treatment regimens. (DOCX 151 kb