Alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency in a French General Hospital: fortuitous detection rather than efficient screening.

Introduction: We studied the characteristics of the screening procedure for alpha-1 antitrypsin at Nevers Hospital (France), together with the performance of serum protein gel electrophoresis for the fortuitous detection of patients with deficiency.

Material And Methods: We carried out a retrospective study of requests for alpha-1 antitrypsin determination referred to the laboratory during 3 years. We compared these requests with the numbers of patients seen at the hospital and requiring screening according to international recommendations.

[Mycological examination of a non-uniseriate Fumigati section's Aspergillus].

Aspergillus species are filamentous fungi of Ascomycete class. They are opportunistic pathogens frequently responsible for many severe infections. Among these species Aspergillus fumigatus is the most important human pathogen because of his thermophilic feature.