Anemia management and transfusion strategy in internal medicine units: Less is more.

Blood transfusion is one of the most overused procedures, especially in elderly patients. Despite the current transfusion guidelines recommending a restrictive transfusion strategy in stable patients, the clinical practice varies according to physicians' experience and implementation of patient blood management. This study aimed to evaluate the anemia management and transfusion strategy in anemic elderly hospitalized and the impact of an educational program.

Leukocyte alkaline phosphatase in Plasmodium falciparum malaria.

We studied leukocyte alkaline phosphatase in malaria to assess leukocyte defence mechanisms. Twenty-seven patients with malaria were stratified into two classes on the basis of disease severity. Fifteen malaria negative patients were taken as controls.

Azithromycin in the treatment of Plasmodium falciparum gametocytes. Preliminary observation.

Background: Treatment of malaria represents a problem as antimalarial drugs are relatively few, and because of the increasing widespread resistance of Plasmodium falciparum to most of these drugs. A partial efficacy of azithromycin against Pl. falciparum hepatic stage and against trophozoytes in the erythrocytic stages of the disease has been demonstrated.

[Histoplasmosis: not only a tropical disease].

Histoplasmosis is a fungal infection resulting from inhalation of spores from the fungus Histoplasma capsulatum; it is known to be endemic in various parts of the world, especially in North and Latin America, and can produce a spectrum of illness, from subclinical infection to progressive disseminated disease. The majority of infected persons have an asymptomatic, self-limiting illness. Clinical pneumonia occurs in those with exposure to a large number of infecting spores.