[Infectious diseases in 2003].

A brief survey of the present incidence of infectious diseases (by WHO) and new possibilities of their team study. Global significance of morbidity and mortality of some infections is stressed, namely those of malaria, tuberculosis, HIV infection, infantile diarrhoea, respiratory diseases. Alarming trends in age distribution of some diseases (87% of HIV infection affects young population between 15 to 19 years) or the significance of HIV infection in combination with tuberculosis in previous 10 years in Africa are pointed out.

[New drugs for treatment of parasitic infections].

In this review we have summarized published data on two new compounds, which can represent important antiparasitic drugs in the near future, nitazoxanide for treatment of intestinal parasitic infections including cryptosporidiosis and miltefosine for oral treatment of visceral leishmaniasis.

Lymphocyte subset numbers in cerebrospinal fluid: comparison of tick-borne encephalitis and neuroborreliosis.

Objective: The aim of this study was to analyze lymphocyte subset numbers in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) from patients with tick-borne encephalitis (TBE) and acute neuroborreliosis.

Methods: CSF lymphocyte subsets were enumerated in 42 TBE and nine neuroborreliosis patients using flow cytometry.

Results: The CSF numbers of CD4+, CD8+, HLA-DR+ and total-T lymphocytes, B lymphocytes, and NK cells were all greater in neuroborreliosis patients than in TBE patients.

Changes in lymphocyte subpopulations and CD3+/DR+ expression in sepsis.

Objective: To detect lymphocyte subpopulations and CD3+/DR + expression in sepsis.

Methods: In a prospective clinical study we evaluated subpopulations of lymphocytes and percentage of CD3+/HLA-DR+ lymphocytes using two-color flow cytometry in 40 patients with sepsis and compared them with 34 healthy adults.

Results: Septic patients, when compared with healthy controls, have significantly lower percentage and absolute numbers of total T lymphocytes and CD4 T lymphocytes (P < 0.