[Association between raised IL-8 serum levels and resistance to combined peg-interferon plus ribavirin therapy in HCV+ active chronic hepatitis].

IL-8 serum levels were measured in a group of 44 patients affected with Chronic Active Hepatitis (CAH) HCV+ at the beginning and end of peg-interferon plus ribavirin combined therapy. IL-8 levels were compared with those measured in a group of healthy controls. The patients were treated for 12 months, and then followed up for 6 months after the end of the therapy.

[A case of severe thrombocytopenia in infectious mononucleosis].

The authors discuss a case of thrombocytopenia with bleeding occurred in a young woman with infectious mononucleosis admitted to the Infectious Disease Department of University of Catania. It is reported the pathogenetic hypothesis of virus-induced thrombocytopenia and therapy.

HCV and HIV infection among intravenous drug abusers in eastern Sicily.

In a study of 175 intravenous drug addicts from Eastern Sicily, 58.3% were found to be anti-HCV positive. In this population, the presence of anti-HCV was independent of HIV infection, age, duration of drug use and the practice of needle sharing.

A case of repeated reversible cerebrovascular attacks caused by two hemorrhagic lesions.

A case of repeated reversible cerebrovascular deficit proved on computerized tomography to be hemorrhagic in origin. It would seem advisable to await the outcome of CT before classifying a case of cerebrovascular disease even though the clinical features point to ischemia as the cause.