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.

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).

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.

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.

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.

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%).

Reviews on trichinellosis (II): neurological involvement.

Neurological involvement may occur in 0.2%-52% of cases with trichinellosis, generally in the most severely affected patients. This review focuses on neurotrichinellosis and includes a brief overview of selected cases reported in the literature.

Trichinellosis in children and adults: a 10-year comparative study in Western Romania.

Introduction: This study aims to evaluate and compare the epidemiologic, laboratory, clinical, and therapeutic aspects of trichinellosis in child and adult populations residing in Western Romania.

Patients And Methods: We have retrospectively investigated the medical records of patients with trichinellosis hospitalized between 1996 and 2005 in 5 infectious diseases hospitals located in 4 Western Romanian counties.

Results: Trichinellosis was diagnosed in 1344 patients, of whom 348 were children (26%) and 996 were adults (74%).

Reviews on trichinellosis (I): renal involvement.

Besides cardiac and neurological complications of trichinellosis, renal involvement is the most important as regards the cases published and discussed in literature and is generally characteristic of the severe forms of the disease. This article focuses exclusively on the renal disturbances that may occur in this parasitic illness and includes a synopsis of published cases. Our primary goal was to increase the awareness of infectious diseases specialists, nephrologists, and general practitioners about these complications with possible fatal outcome.

Hereditary hemochromatosis: awareness and genetic testing acceptability in Western Romania.

Aims: a public health strategy to promote early diagnosis of hemochromatosis gene (HFE)-related hemochromatosis (HFE-HH) largely depends on people's acceptance of available screening tests. The present study aimed at evaluating patient awareness of HFE-HH and their acceptance of DNA testing in western Romania.

Results: a total of 221 participants were randomly recruited from the ambulatory unit of the Emergency County Hospital in Timisoara, Romania.

Hemochromatosis genotypes and risk of iron overload--a meta-analysis.

Purpose: The incomplete phenotypic penetrance of high iron Fe genotypes in relation to hemochromatosis poses a practical problem in the interpretation of the genotyping results by clinicians. We carried out meta-analyses of the associations between hemochromatosis genotypes C282Y/C282Y, C282Y/H63D, C282Y/wild-type, H63D/H63D, H63D/wild-type, versus wild-type/wild-type and iron overload, both provisional (elevated serum iron markers) and documented (elevated serum iron markers associated with evidence of iron excess based on liver biopsy and/or quantitative phlebotomy).

Methods: After reviewing 3572 article titles and evaluating 92 articles in detail, odds ratios were pooled from 43 study populations (9986 cases and 25,492 controls) using a random-effects model.

Cardiac involvement in patients with trichinosis hospitalized in western Romania.

Objectives: Cardiovascular disturbances are reported as major trichinosis complications, and myocarditis is the most frequent of them. Previous Romanian surveillances on prevalence of cardiac involvement indicated a rate of 30%–50%. The present study aimed to overview the clinical and the main epidemiological characteristics of persons from western Romania found to have trichinosis and cardiac involvement.

Malaria, a journey in time: in search of the lost myths and forgotten stories.

The saga of malaria parasites precedes the history of humans. Malaria has always been part of the rising and decline of nations, of wars and of upheavals. People of ancient times attributed the malarial manifestations to supernatural influences.

Foodborne nematodal infections in hospitalized patients from a southwestern Romanian county.

Objectives: Caras-Severin County presented the highest incidence of human trichinellosis (108.5 cases per 100,000 inhabitants) throughout Romania in 1993. This study aimed at providing an overview of the epidemiological and clinical characteristics of persons from this county hospitalized with nematodal infections between 1996 and 2008.

Trichinellosis and poverty in a Romanian industrial area: an epidemiological study and brief review of literature.

Objective: Trichinellosis is a foodborne parasitic disease that is acquired by humans through ingestion of raw or inadequately cooked meat containing larvae of different Trichinella species. During a high endemic year, Hunedoara County, part of Transylvania region, was the second most affected Romanian county, with an incidence of 84.8 cases per 100,000 inhabitants.

Epidemiology and epizootology of cystic echinococcosis in Romania 1862-2007.

Infections with cestodes from genus Echinococcus are usually acquired by oral ingestion of eggs, direct contact with carriers, and contaminated food (especially vegetables) or water. Echinococcosis, previously characterized as a malady of medical importance only, depends upon veterinary solutions and faces political obstacles; it is considered the most important zoonotic disease in Romania. As a result of the increased number of human and animal cases, Romania was framed in the forefront of the European countries and among the first countries worldwide in 1995.