[From HIV screening to diagnosis : indications, tests, and post-exposure prophylaxis].

Despite the substantial national resources invested in the fight against HIV to achieve its elimination, its incidence has remained stable in recent years. In 2022, the FOPH estimated that 7% of people living with HIV in Switzerland remained undiagnosed, underlining the potential for improving screening. The aim of this article is to present the process of HIV screening and diagnosis in clinical practice, adapted to the Federal Office of Public Health (FOPH) national strategy, and including the different indications for screening, the interpretation of available tests, and the place of post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP).

[Infectious disease: what's new in 2022].

While recent epidemics have generated particular interest in viral infections, it should be noted that diagnostic, prophylactic or therapeutic innovations concerning other pathogens are not lacking. New vaccines (malaria, shingles) but new viruses (Lengya, child hepatitis), new therapeutic options against disabling parasitic diseases and bacteria becoming more and more resistant, including tuberculosis, shortening of treatment durations (tuberculosis, endocarditis), new diagnostic tests (borreliosis) are, among others, some notable recent innovations.

Nosocomial influenza in south-western Swiss hospitals during two seasonal epidemics: an observational study.

Background: In Switzerland each year, influenza leads to between 112,000 and 275,000 medical consultations. Data on nosocomial influenza infection are limited.

Aim: To describe nosocomial cases of seasonal influenza in south-western Switzerland.

[Antiretrovirals: drug and food interactions].

As with antibiotics, antiretroviral drugs used in the treatment of human immunodeficiency virus infection are subject to multiple drug interactions. Although less well known than those of antibiotics, these interactions can sometimes have very severe consequences. The main objective of this article is therefore to make practitioners in the ambulatory practice or in the hospital aware of the main inter actions of antiretroviral therapies with drugs frequently used in daily clinical practice, but also to discuss the influence of food.

[The flu in its worse forms].

Influenza A and B infections are marred with variable morbidity and, in some cases, develop into severe or even fatal respiratory, circulatory and neurologic complications. Respiratory complications are most common and involve primary-Influenza pneumonia and pneumonia from bacterial or fungal superinfections. Nonrespiratory complications can affect several organs/systems, namely the heart (myocarditis, type 1 and 2 myocardial infarction) and the nervous system (stroke, encephalitis, Guillain-Barré Syndrome).

Impact of drugs on hypoglycaemia in hospitalised patients.

Objectives: Hospital admission rates for hypoglycaemia now exceed those for hyperglycaemias among older adults. A growing number of reports associating hypoglycaemia with non-antidiabetic drugs have been published. Clinical pharmacists are often faced with hypoglycaemia in patients taking multiple medications.

Endoscopic removal of a gastric pharmacobezoar induced by clomipramine, lorazepam, and domperidone overdose: a case report.

Introduction: Gastric pharmacobezoars are a rare entity that can induce mechanical gastric outlet obstructions and sometimes prolong toxic pharmacological effects. Certain medications, such as sustained-release forms, contain cellulose derivatives that may contribute to the adhesion between pills and lead to the creation of an aggregate resulting in a pharmacobezoar. Case reports are rare, and official guidelines are needed to help medical teams choose proper treatment options.

An uncommon complication of infection: Polyradiculoneuritis following Listeria meningoencephalitis.

, primarily a foodborne pathogen, is commonly responsible for disorders affecting the central nervous system and cranial nerves. We hereby present the first case to our knowledge of listeriosis linked to a peripheral neurological disorder causing acute upper limb weakness.

[Vancomycine-resistant enterocci (VRE) : a new reality in our hospitals].

Limiting the emergence and spread of multi-resistant bacteria is a global concern and the management of colonized patient represents a real challenge, especially in the hospital setting, where risks of acquisition and transmission are increased. Switzerland is not protected from undesirable trends : for instance, recent outbreaks of vancomycin-resistant enterococci (VRE) have been reported in several hospitals in western Switzerland. Since 2011, more than 250 patients have been tested positive during these outbreak episodes and the molecular analysis of the documented strains shows an unexpected diversity, including both sporadic and epidemic strains.

[Candida in urine: colonization ? Infection ? When and how to treat ?].

Candida is frequently found in urine cultures. Deciding whether this represents simple colonization or true infection is often difficult since Candida is a normal genital and urinary tract commensal. Urinary tract colonization is facilitated by well identified risk factors.

[Hospital pathway of complex patients in a medical service of a local Hospital].

In the current Swiss medical system, hospital care is provided by both university hospitals and so-called « peripheral » hospitals. While university hospitals offer advanced technology and a wide range of medical specialists, how is care organized within the smaller, less complex structure of a peripheral hospital ? In emergencies, although patients usually go to their local hospital, they should not be exposed to lower quality care. Quality treatment is guaranteed by a well-organized structure, supported by a competent team of general doctors and specialists who have access to advanced technology.

[2011 news in infections diseases: selected readings].

A study published in 1998 linking MMR vaccine and autism was recently retracted by the Lancet because the data were falsified. The impressive reduction of invasive pneumococcal diseases with the 7-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine is due to a more than 90% reduction in rates of infections due to vaccinal serotypes at the expense of a slight increase in non-vaccinal serotypes. Genes encoding resistance factors to several antibiotic classes were detected in 30000-year-old samples.

[Hospital infection control--beyond the hospital].

Health care related infections are expensive untoward events, not only in terms of morbidity and mortality, but also cost. Prevention is essential, as well as limiting dissemination. Specify measures refer usually to hospital hygiene.

[Foodborne diseases].

Foodborne diseases are frequent, even though food safety has never been so high in industrialized countries. The epidemics of previous centuries, such the cholera, disappeared from our everyday public health concerns. The persistence of foodborne diseases depends largely upon poor compliance with the rules of proper food hygiene, especially with storage and preparation of food items.

Major depressive disorder in the general hospital: adaptation of clinical practice guidelines.

Major Depressive Disorder is particularly frequent among physically ill inpatients. Despite the considerable human burden and financial costs, Major Depressive Disorder remains under-detected and under-treated. To improve this situation, clinical practice guidelines for the management of Major Depressive Disorder were developed for patients in the general hospital.

Cloning and sequencing of a Candida albicans catalase gene and effects of disruption of this gene.

Catalase plays a key role as an antioxidant, protecting aerobic organisms from the toxic effects of hydrogen peroxide, and in some cases has been postulated to be a virulence factor. To help elucidate the function of catalase in Candida albicans, a single C. albicans-derived catalase gene, designated CAT1, was isolated and cloned.

Pima Indian males have lower beta-adrenergic sensitivity than Caucasian males.

The sympathetic nervous system controls cardiovascular homeostasis and regulates energy metabolism. Pima Indians, a population with a low prevalence of hypertension and a high prevalence of obesity, have low sympathetic nervous activity, compared with Caucasians. Preliminary findings suggest that they may also have a low beta-adrenergic sensitivity.

Human platelets damage Aspergillus fumigatus hyphae and may supplement killing by neutrophils.

Neutropenia is considered a significant risk factor for invasive aspergillosis but is almost always associated with concurrent thrombocytopenia. Studies determined that platelets, like neutrophils, attached to cell walls of the invasive hyphal form of Aspergillus fumigatus. Organisms were damaged as shown by loss of cell wall integrity in scanning laser confocal microscopy and release of defined hyphal surface glycoproteins.

Mechanisms and target sites of damage in killing of Candida albicans hyphae by human polymorphonuclear neutrophils.

Target sites of fungal cell damage were studied to define mechanisms of neutrophil-mediated killing of Candida albicans hyphae. Neutrophils induced hyphal cell wall damage, as evidenced by release of cell wall glycoproteins and confocal microscopic changes. Damage occurred in the presence of neutrophil granule extracts and did not require oxidants.

A simplified new assay for assessment of fungal cell damage with the tetrazolium dye, (2,3)-bis-(2-methoxy-4-nitro-5-sulphenyl)-(2H)-tetrazolium-5-carboxanil ide (XTT).

Studies of antimycotic host defenses have been limited by the paucity of rapid, reproducible quantitative assays for fungal cell damage. Prior studies defined a colorimetric method that uses MTT, a tetrazolium dye, to quantify polymorphonuclear leukocyte (PMNL)-mediated damage to fungi. These relatively simple, rapid, and reproducible assays require cumbersome extraction of precipitated MTT-formazan and high cell densities to overcome relatively low sensitivity.

Norepinephrine turnover and energy expenditure in Pima Indian and white men.

There is growing evidence of the involvement of sympathetic nervous system (SNS) activity in determining metabolic rate. Whole-body plasma norepinephrine turnover and its relationship to resting metabolic rate (RMR) and 24-hour energy expenditure (24EE) were compared in 14 Pima Indian men (25 +/- 4 years, 96 +/- 33 kg, 25% +/- 9% fat) and nine white men (25 +/- 3 years, 88 +/- 43 kg, 17% +/- 13% fat). Plasma norepinephrine turnover rate correlated strongly with body surface area (r = .