Seroepidemiology of hepatitis A among Greek children indicates that the virus is still prevalent: Implications for universal vaccination.

A national cross-sectional seroprevalence survey was conducted in order to evaluate the current seroepidemiology of hepatitis A among 1,383 children, aged 0-14 years, residing in Greece. Stratification of the study population was conducted according to age and area of residence. Sera from study participants were tested for the presence of anti-HAV IgG antibodies.

A case of Listeria meningoencephalitis complicated by hydrocephalus in an immunocompetent infant.

We report a very unusual case of meningoencephalitis due to Listeria monocytogenes in a 7-month-old immunocompetent boy. Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) culture was initially negative, but was positive on the seventh day. The disease was complicated by seizures and hydrocephalus managed with temporary ventriculostomy.

Seroepidemiology of hepatitis B in Greek children 6 years after the implementation of universal vaccination.

The seroepidemiology of hepatitis B in children living in Greece 6 years post-implementation of universal infant immunization (1998) was studied. We collected 90-100 sera/year of age, stratified by geographic region. The prevalence of HbsAg(+) was 0.

The HIF-2alpha/VEGF pathway activation in cutaneous capillary haemangiomas.

Aim: To investigate the pathogenesis of capillary haemangiomas, a common form of vascular malformation.

Methods: Twenty-five cutaneous capillary haemangiomas, excised from patients under 14 years of age, were studied immunohistochemically for endothelial cells, the angiogenic factors thymidine phosphorylase (TP) and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), the proliferation index Ki-67, and the hypoxia inducible factors-1alpha (HIF-1alpha) and -2alpha (HIF-2alpha).

Results: Endothelial-lined channels reacted strongly with CD31 in all cases, clearly definining capillary spaces.

Nucleolar organizer regions (NORs). Their significance in the determination of the origin of the lymphoid vessels.

Aim: The aim of this study is the evaluation of the cellular activity of the embryonal mesenchyme in order to investigate if the primitive lymph vessels are derived from clefts of the mesenchyme or from capillary offshoots from the endothelium of the veins. For this reason we applied the quantitative estimation of nucleolar organizer regions (NORs) in the endothelial cells of the lymph and blood vessels, as well as in the mesenchymal cells that surround these vessels.

Methods: Our material consisted of the histological sections from the proper mesenterium of 30 embryos in different stages of development (10th, 12th, 15th, 20th, 23th and 30th week).