[Evaluation of the usefulness of a rapid immunochromatographic membrane test to detect Streptococcus pneumoniae antigen in the early diagnosis of pneumococcal respiratory tract infections and the relationship to the severity of pneumonia].

We evaluated the usefulness of a rapid immunochromatographic membrane test (Binax NOW Streptococcus pneumoniae kit; ICT) to detect Streptococcus pneumoniae antigen in early diagnosis of pneumococcal respiratory tract infections and the relationship to the severity of pneumonia. We diagnosed 155 of 592 samples, which were performed by ICT, as S. pneumoniae respiratory tract infections.

[Evaluation of ImmnoCard mycoplasma for diagnosis of Mycoplasma pneumoniae infection].

We compared the differences of two tests, for the diagnosis of Mycoplasma pneumoniae infection a rapid detection kit for Mycoplasma pneumoniae-specific IgM antibody, ImmunoCard (IC) Mycoplasma test (Meridian Bioscience-USA), and a particle agglutination (PA) test in a retrospective study among 57 patients. They were all suspected to be suffering from atypical bacterial respiratory infection and were checked by the IC test at the Fukuroi Municipal Hospital from January 2004 to January 2006. In this study, the concordance of IC and PA results showed a great difference in children and adults.

[Predictive factors for treatment incompletion in elderly patients with newly diagnosed pulmonary tuberculosis].

Background: To identify predictive factors of treatment incompletion in elderly patients with newly diagnosed pulmonary tuberculosis.

Materials And Methods: In elderly patients of more than 65-years old and with newly diagnosed pulmonary tuberculosis, a retrospective study was conducted. A total of 88 patients were admitted in International Medical Center of Japan with pulmonary tuberculosis between June 2000 and February 2002.

Response of a thymic mucoepidermoid carcinoma to combination chemotherapy with cisplatin and irinotecan: a case report.

A chemotherapeutic regimen for advanced thymic carcinoma has not yet been established. We describe a patient with advanced thymic mucoepidermoid carcinoma who achieved a complete response to combination chemotherapy with cisplatin (Randa) and irinotecan hydrochloride (Campto). A 74-year-old man was admitted to our hospital because of chest pain, general fatigue, appetite loss and weight loss.