Establishing a hepatitis C continuum of care among HIV/hepatitis C virus-coinfected individuals in EuroSIDA

Objectives The aim of the study was to establish a methodology for evaluating the hepatitis C continuum of care in HIV/hepatitis C virus (HCV)-coinfected individuals and to characterize the continuum in Europe on 1 January 2015, prior to widespread access to direct-acting antiviral (DAA) therapy. Methods Stages included in the continuum were as follows: anti-HCV antibody positive, HCV RNA tested, currently HCV RNA positive, ever HCV RNA positive, ever received HCV treatment, completed HCV treatment, follow-up HCV RNA test, and cure. Sustained virological response (SVR) could only be assessed for those with a follow-up HCV RNA test and was defined as a negative HCV RNA result measured > 12 or 24 weeks after stopping treatment. Results Numbers and percentages for the stages of the HCV continuum of care were as follows: anti-HCV positive (n = 5173), HCV RNA tested (4207 of 5173; 81.3%), currently HCV RNA positive (3179 of 5173; 61.5%), ever HCV RNA positive (n = 3876), initiated HCV treatment (1693 of 3876; 43.7%), completed HCV treatment (1598 of 3876; 41.2%), follow-up HCV RNA test to allow SVR assessment (1195 of 3876; 30.8%), and cure (629 of 3876; 16.2%). The proportion that achieved SVR was 52.6% (629 of 1195). There were significant differences between regions at each stage of the continuum (P <0.0001). Conclusions In the proposed HCV continuum of care for HIV/HCV-coinfected individuals, we found major gaps at all stages, with almost 20% of anti-HCV-positive individuals having no documented HCV RNA test and a low proportion achieving SVR, in the pre-DAA era.Peer reviewe

Efficacy of mebendazole in treatment of selected parasitoses - a retrospective study

The efficacy of mebendazole was evaluated as a result of six-year experience in the treatment of patients of Outpatients Clinic and Clinic of Infectious, Parasitic and Tropical Diseases in Łódź. The treatment covered 6132 subjects infected with: Ascaris lumbricoides, Ancylostoma duodenale, Trichiuris trichiura, Enterobius vermicularis and Echinococcus granulosus. Nematode infections were diagnosed by coproscopic methods whereas echinococcosis with serologie tests and ultrasonographic examination of abdominal cavity. Mebendazole was administered in the dose of 200 mg per day: for 3 days in ascariasis, for 5 days in A. duodenale, T. trichiura and mixed infections. In enterobiosis was applied a pulsation therapy: 200 mg a day for 3 days, a week of break (three subsequent cycles). In echinococcosis the drug was administered in the daily dose of 600 mg for 30 days. Follow-up examinations were carried out 30, 60, 120 and 160 days after the treatment. In the case of inetfectiveness of the first course, the treatment was repeated. The efficacy of the therapy was as follows: ascariasis 97.1%, A. duodenale infection 100%, trichuriasis 92.1%, enterobiosis 93.3%, mixed infections 95.3%, echinococcosis 77.2%. No side effects were observed

OCULAR TOXOCAROSIS — A CASE REPORT

A case of ocular toxocarosis treated by Hetrazan (diethylcarbamazine) was described

Toksokaroza oczna - przypadek kliniczny

A case of ocular toxocarosis treated by Hetrazan (diethylcarbamazine) was described

Choroby pasozytnicze i zakazne u osob powracajacych z tropiku

Due to dramatic development of modern means of transport, exotic countries located on distant continents are today within a few-hour reach by a jet. Every year several million people travelled by air in business or as a tourists. This results in easy transmission of parasitic and infectious factors from continent to continent or from country to country. Plasmodium vivax infection: diagnosis concerned 6 men who had returned from Thailand, India, Senegal and Zaire. The parasitosis was detected as a result of thin smear of periferal blond tests - there were found P. vivax trophozoites an shizontes in erythrocytes. In the patients we found haematologic and termoregulation disturbances as well as hapepatosplenomegaly. Halfan was applied in therapy. Plasmodium falciparum infection: the infection was found in a man and a women after return from Kenya and Sudan. The parasitosis was detected as a result of thin smear of peripheral blond test - there found trophozoites of the parasite in erthorocytes. The course of malaria in the woman was very severe with cerebral malaria, DlC syndrome and blond circulation disturbances, hepatocellular and nephrocellular damage. Entamoeba histolytica, HAV and Candida albicans mixed infections: found in men who had returned from India. Severe E. histolytica infection: diagnosed in a women after return from Greece. There were found massive lesion of large intestine mucosa and high-degree disturbances. Leptospirosis icterohaemorrhagiae infection: found in a man after return from Belarus. Haematologic disturbance and hepatocellular and nephrocellular damage were observed

Infekcje dermatofitowe u osob powracajacych z tropiku

Over the years 1996-1997 mycological examination were performed in 367 persons with cutaneous lesions, returning from the tropics. Fungal infection was diagnosed in 141 patients. Twenty nine (42.65%) of the cases were of single-focal, 32 (47.06%) of bifocal and 7 (10.29%) of multifocal nature. One hundred forty one isolates included 50 (35.6%) moulds 23 (16.3%) yeast - like fungi and 68 (48.1%) dermatophytes. Genus classification of the dermatophytes was as follows: Microsporum - 16 (23.5%), Epidermophyton - 15 (22.1%), Trichophyton - 37 (54.4%). Over the years 1996-1997 the following dermatophyte species were isolated: M audouini, M. ferrugineum, M canis, T. rubrum, T. mentagrophytes var. granulosum, T. tonsurans, T. violaceum, E. floccosum. Microsporum genus was isolated from persons returning from East, West and Central Africa, and from South Europe, Trichophyton genus was isolated from persons returning from Asia and South America