A rare case of renal hydatidosis in a child with congenital solitary kidney.

Hydatid cyst of a solitary congenital kidney is a rare entity because of the small percentage of cases with renal hydatidosis and the reduced number of cases with this renal anomaly. We report a case presenting this extremely rare combination and having a favorable outcome. The diagnosis was confirmed based on an association of imagistic techniques and positive serology.

Meta-analysis: ARFI elastography versus transient elastography for the evaluation of liver fibrosis.

Aims: This meta-analysis aims to compare the diagnostic performance of acoustic radiation force impulse (ARFI) elastography and transient elastography (TE) in the assessment of liver fibrosis using liver biopsy (LB) as 'gold-standard'.

Methods: PubMed, Medline, Lilacs, Scopus, Ovid, EMBASE, Cochrane and Medscape databases were searched for all studies published until 31 May 2012 that evaluated the liver stiffness by means of ARFI, TE and LB. Information abstracted from each study according to a fixed protocol included study design and methodological characteristics, patient characteristics, interventions, outcomes and missing outcome data.

Severe adverse events during antiviral therapy in hepatitis C virus cirrhotic patients: A systematic review.

Aim: To identify severe adverse events (SAEs) leading to treatment discontinuation that occur during antiviral therapy in hepatitis C virus (HCV)-infected cirrhotic patients.

Methods: We identified all the articles published prior to December 2011 in the PubMed, Medline, Lilacs, Scopus, Ovid, EMBASE, Cochrane and Medscape databases that presented these data in cirrhotic patients. These studies evaluated the rate of SAEs leading to discontinuation of standard care treatment: Pegylated interferon (PegIFN) alpha 2a (135-180 μg/wk) or PegIFN alpha 2b (1 or 1.

Role of interleukin-28B polymorphism as a predictor of sustained virological response in patients with chronic hepatitis C treated with triple therapy: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background And Objective: Chronic hepatitis C represents an important health problem. The aim of our meta-analysis was to establish the role of reference single nucleotide (rs) 12979860 allele of interleukin-28B (IL28B) CC versus CT+TT genotype (the most researched allele of IL28B) as a predictor of sustained virological response (SVR) in patients with chronic hepatitis C treated with triple therapy.

Methods: The PubMed, MEDLINE, Lilacs, Scopus, Ovid, EMBASE, Cochrane and Medscape databases as well as abstract books from important gastroenterology and hepatology meetings were searched for all studies published until 15 July 2012 that analysed the relationship between the polymorphism of IL28B and SVR in patients with chronic hepatitis C, genotype 1, treated with pegylated interferon + ribavirin + direct antiviral agents (telaprevir or boceprevir).

Giant primary splenic hydatid cyst in a rural patient from southwestern Romania: a rare presentation of the hydatid disease.

Echinococcosis or hydatid disease is a parasitic zoonosis acquired by humans through ingestion of viable helminthic eggs of Echinococcus sp. with their food. A hydatid cyst of the spleen is a rare condition, commonly reported in 0.

Cystic echinococcosis in children and adults: a seven-year comparative study in western Romania.

This study aims to compare the epidemiological, clinical, and laboratory aspects of cystic echinococcosis (CE) in children with those of adults from western Romania, and to determine the specifics of this disease in the younger population. The medical records of the patients diagnosed with CE and hospitalized during 2004-2010 in four western Romanian counties were retrospectively investigated. Overall, 82 children (mean age, 10.

Epidemiology of ascariasis, enterobiasis and giardiasis in a Romanian western county (Timis), 1993-2006.

The purpose of this study is to bring new and important data regarding the epidemiology of ascariasis, enterobiasis and giardiasis in the Romanian largest county during a 14-year period. We have performed a retrospective collection and analysis of the available information provided by the general practitioners to the Statistics Department database of the Timis County Public Health Authority. The mean annual incidence of the studied parasitic diseases during 1993-2006 was the following: 194 cases per 100,000 inhabitants (range: 90-304) for ascariasis, 777 cases per 100,000 inhabitants (range: 417-1241) for enterobiasis and 1076 cases per 100,000 inhabitants (range: 93-1770) for giardiasis.

Epizootiology of trichinellosis in pigs and wild boars in Western Romania, 1998-2011.

This article reports for the first time data regarding trichinellosis in sacrificed animals (domestic pigs and wild boars) inspected during the period from January 1998 to November 2011 in the largest of the Romanian counties. The data were collected from the Veterinary Public Health Department of Timis County. A total of 5,586,431 domestic pigs on farms, 609,325 pigs in private households, and 823 wild boars were examined during the study period.

Cystic echinococcosis in Arad County, Romania.

Cystic echinococcosis (CE) is a major parasitosis in Romania, a country where in the past at least one person from 45.5% of its localities underwent surgery for this disease. This survey aimed to provide new epidemiological and clinical data regarding human cases of CE in a western Romanian county.

Giant pulmonary and hepatic hydatid cysts in a child.

This case report focuses on hydatidosis, one of the most important parasitic zoonoses in Romania. We describe an interesting paediatric case of an eight-year old boy from a rural region presenting with a both giant and life-threatening pulmonary cyst (that was successfully managed) and a hepatic cyst. Noteworthy are the negative consequences of this disorder on children's health and development as a result of prolonged hospitalizations, surgical interventions and chemotherapy.

Human cystic echinococcosis in two south-western and central-western Romanian counties: a 7-year epidemiological and clinical overview.

Purpose: To analyze the epidemiological and clinical characteristics of human cystic echinococcosis (CE) in two Romanian counties, of which one is known from a previous survey as hyperendemic, whereas in the other no extensive studies have been undertaken so far.

Methods: Retrospective investigation of the medical records of the patients diagnosed with this condition and hospitalized during 2004-2010 in Caras-Severin and Hunedoara counties.

Results: A total of 190 patients aged 5-88 years (44.

The roots of evil: the amazing history of trichinellosis and Trichinella parasites.

This review aims to investigate, from a historical point of view, the roots of the Trichinella pathogens and the disease they produce, beginning from the times first recorded in the Bible and continuing until the scientific mysteries of the pathogen were finally unveiled. Our journey sheds light on "strange" epidemics developing before the discovery of the parasite and bearing a clinical similitude to trichinellosis; it follows the controversies that erupted after the nineteenth century discovery of the parasite and the subsequent official outbreaks, and then examines the pioneering methods used for its visualization. Finally, it tries to reveal the possible relationship of trichinellosis with the arts.

New foci of trichinellosis in western Romania, 2011.

Romania reported the highest incidence of trichinellosis in the world in 2004, and the figures continue to be high. This report aims to bring new information regarding 2 foci of trichinellosis that occurred in the winter of 2011 in a western Romanian region. Data were collected from the outbreak reports and hospitalization documents of the patients diagnosed with this condition.

Response to standard of care antiviral treatment in patients with HCV liver cirrhosis - a systematic review.

Background: Patients with HCV liver cirrhosis are a category difficult to treat. The aim of this study was to establish the sustained virological response (SVR) rates in HCV patients with liver cirrhosis treated with standard of care therapy (Pegylated Interferon and Ribavirin for 48 weeks in genotypes 1 and 4 and 24 weeks in genotypes 2 and 3).

Methods: Searching the PubMed, Medline, Lilacs, Scopus, Ovid and Medscape databases we identified all the articles published until February 2011 that included only HCV cirrhotic patients.

Knowledge and interests of Romanian medical students in parasitology, tropical and travel medicine.

As travel has become easier and faster, the rate of tropical infections across the world is expected to increase; more students working abroad are going to encounter these diseases more often. Disorders of parasitic etiology play an important role in travel and tropical medicine. The aim of our study was to assess the preclinical students' knowledge regarding parasitic diseases, tropical and travel medicine in the broad context of their professional background.

How to build a scientific publishing career based on hundreds of letters-to-the-editor: "The Art of Loss".

Letters-to-the-editor represent an important characteristic of scientific interchange especially because the initial peer-review may not fulfill the qualitative control of a manuscript. On the other hand, it is well known that such publications are accepted easier than regular ones and may be a gateway for authors without outstanding scientific merits to input their names in high impact factor journals. A letter-to-the-editor (intended as a commentary to one of our works) allowed us to discover a very peculiar and unexpected fact for the medical literature, worthy to be shared with the worldwide scientific community.

Epidemiology of syphilis, gonorrhea and chlamydia in Romania, 1980-2009.

Objectives: This study aims to analyze the epidemiology of syphilis, gonorrhea and genital chlamydial infections in Romania during 1980-2009 when radical changes occurred during transition from a communist regime to a democratic society.

Methods: Surveillance data was retrieved from the National Center for Surveillance and Control of the Communicable Disease in Romania and the World Health Organization.

Results: The mean annual incidences of syphilis, gonorrhea and genital chlamydia infections in Romania were 25.

International travel increase and malaria importation in Romania, 2008-2009.

Objectives: This report aims to assess the epidemiological characteristics of imported malaria in Romania in the context of international travel increase, and to compare them with the data reported by other European countries.

Methods: Data on malaria cases were provided by the National Centre for Surveillance and Control of the Communicable Disease, whereas the data regarding international travels to and from Romania were retrieved from the Romanian Statistical Yearbook.

Results: The number of Romanian citizens who traveled to Africa in 2007 increased by over 600% as compared to the previous year.

Reviews on trichinellosis (IV): hepatic involvement.

Trichinella sp. larvae are released from the intestine and usually migrate through the liver into the general circulation. Nevertheless, hepatic involvement does not represent a leading feature of human trichinellosis.

Epidemiology of foodborne botulism in Romania 1980-2009.

In 2007, Romania, the largest southeastern European country, reported the highest notification rate of botulism cases in the European Union (0.18 per 100,000 inhabitants), which was 18 times higher than the reported rate in the United States (0.01 per 100,000 inhabitants).

Medical controversies and dilemmas in discussions about the illness and death of Mihai Eminescu (1850-1889) Romania's national poet.

Mihai Eminescu, the first great Romanian poet and a defining figure in Romanian culture, may be situated among the most important romantic bards of his times--Byron, Novalis, Holderlin, Hugo, Lamartine, and Leopardi. He was born to a family affected by tuberculosis and predisposed to mental disorders. Although Eminescu may have suffered from bipolar disorder and may have been killed by iatrogenic mercury poisoning, erysipelas, head trauma, or endocarditis, his final illness and death continue to be associated with the most stigmatized disease of those times, syphilis.

Reviews on trichinellosis (III): cardiovascular involvement.

Cardiovascular complaints represent the most important complications of trichinellosis and are particularly evident in the moderate and severe courses of the disease. An overview of 17 epidemiological studies on trichinellosis (including 5268 cases) indicated that cardiovascular events occurred in 26% of patients (range: 1.5%-75%).

Reemergence of human infections with West Nile virus in Romania, 2010: an epidemiological study and brief review of the past situation.

Objectives: The aim of this report was to provide concise epidemiological data regarding a recent reemergence of West Nile virus (WNV) in the human population of Romania simultaneously with the threatening occurrence of this condition in other European countries. Also, we attempted to present a brief synopsis of the past situation regarding WNV infections in this country.

Materials And Methods: Data were collected from the National Centre for Surveillance and Control of the Communicable Disease, Bucharest.

Epidemiology and history of human parasitic diseases in Romania.

Intestinal parasitic diseases such as enterobiasis, giardiasis, and ascariasis are detected most frequently in Romania, but their importance is definitely surpassed by trichinellosis, cystic echinococcosis, and toxoplasmosis. Malaria was common until its eradication in 1963, and only imported cases are reported nowadays. The aim of this review was to bring together essential data on the epidemiology and history of human parasitoses in Romania.