[Cholera epidemic in Brescia in 1836].

Cholera first made its appearance in Italy in 1836. According to reports of the time the consequences were catastrophic: both the number of the people falling ill and the incidence of mortality were high. On the basis of extensive documentation from various archives, the disease appears to have been known in its clinical aspect but its aetiology remained obscure.

Retinopathy in chronic hepatitis C patients during interferon treatment: a case report.

Ocular involvement, mainly as optic neuropathy or retinopathy, in the course of interferon therapy is clinically rare, while the subclinical retinal toxicity is quite frequent. We present a case of retinal toxicity during treatment with PEG-INF alpha 2b and ribavirin for HCV hepatitis. We suggest that all patients receive an ophthalmological examination at base-line and repeated ophthalmological examination only if clinically advisable.

Which antibiotic prophylaxis to use for urologic procedures in patients at risk for infective endocarditis: a report on two cases.

In urologic surgery, antibiotic prophylaxis is generally recommended for transrectal prostate biopsies and transurethral prostate resection. While a fluoroquinolone (such as ciprofloxacin or levofloxacin) may be appropriate in most instances, patients at risk for infectious endocarditis (IE) may require a different regimen, effective also against Enterococcus species. We describe and comment on the cases of two patients who, following urologic procedures and antibiotic prophylaxis, developed Enterococcus faecalis endocarditis.

Conservative management of deep neck abscesses in adults: the importance of CECT findings.

Objectives: To review cases of DNAs with special emphasis on contrast-enhanced computed tomography (CECT) findings and their implications for treatment planning.

Study Design And Settings: Retrospective evaluation of adult patient records with diagnosis of DNAs on CECT at Treviso Regional Hospital.

Results: Eighty patients were identified.

Deep neck infections: a constant challenge.

Background: Although the advent of antibiotics and improved dental care decreased the incidence and mortality, deep neck infections (DNIs) are not uncommon and present a challenging problem due to the complex anatomy and potentially lethal complications that may arise.

Objectives: This study reviews our experience with DNIs and tries to identify the predisposing factors of life-threatening complications.

Methods: A retrospective review was conducted of patients who were diagnosed as having DNIs in the Department of Otolaryngology and in the Department of Infectious Diseases at Treviso Regional Hospital from 1995 to 2003.

Brain abscess: clinical aspects of 100 patients.

Objective: To verify if, in the last two decades, there have been any changes in epidemiological, clinical, diagnostic, therapeutic and prognostic aspects of patients with brain abscess.

Method: We studied retrospectively 100 patients discharged over a 17-year period from Ca' Foncello Regional Hospital, Treviso, Italy with a diagnosis of brain abscess.

Results: Post-surgical abscesses were more frequent than those related to contiguous infections and the spectrum of etiologic agents was very heterogeneous.

Levofloxacin disposition in cerebrospinal fluid in patients with external ventriculostomy.

In vitro levofloxacin exhibits both potent or intermediate activity against most of the pathogens frequently responsible for acute bacterial meningitis and synergistic activity with some beta-lactams. Since levofloxacin was shown to penetrate the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) during meningeal inflammation both in animals and in humans, the disposition of levofloxacin in CSF was studied in 10 inpatients with external ventriculostomy because of communicating hydrocephalus related to subarachnoid occlusion due to cerebral accidents who were treated with 500 mg of levofloxacin intravenously twice a day because of extracerebral infections. Plasma and CSF concentration-time profiles and pharmacokinetics were assessed at steady state.

Laryngeal tuberculosis: an often forgotten diagnosis.

Objective: Clinical description of laryngeal tuberculosis.

Methods: Clinical case review.

Results: The authors report three cases of laryngeal tuberculosis with lung involvement in HIV-negative patients; symptoms were mostly laryngeal.