Publications by authors named "H F Orth"
Objective: Subacute thyroiditis (SAT) is a painful inflammatory disorder of the thyroid gland, which - after a phase of thyrotoxicosis - leads to transient, or less frequently permanent hypothyroidism. Apart from a strong association with specific HLA alleles, the causes are uncertain. Viral disease has been hypothesised as a trigger, with Enteroviruses, namely Echoviruses and Coxsackieviruses, showing a seasonal distribution that coincides with the incidence of SAT.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFPurpose: This study aims to evaluate the burden of respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) infections in patients with haematological diseases. It seeks to analyse the relevance of prevention, diagnosis and treatment of RSV infections.
Methods: A multi-centre, retrospective study was conducted across University Hospitals in Cologne, Düsseldorf, Bonn, and the University Medical Centre Hamburg-Eppendorf between Jan 2016 and Aug 2023.
Article Synopsis
- Febrile illnesses are a major health issue in sub-Saharan Africa, often leading to inadequate treatment due to limited diagnostic resources and a wide range of possible pathogens.
- This study focused on evaluating a multiplex polymerase chain reaction (PCR) method for diagnosing febrile diseases in patients at a hospital in Central Ethiopia over two years, testing samples from 511 patients.
- The results showed that while pathogens were detected in only 6.3% of the samples, including Plasmodium and Borrelia, the use of multiplex PCR can still enhance diagnostic capabilities and inform better clinical management in settings with limited resources.
Mayaro virus is endemic to the tropical Americas, where the incidence is currently increasing. Like other viruses of the Semliki Forest virus serocomplex, such as , symptomatic infections are typically characterised by an acute febrile disease followed by long-lasting arthralgia. Cases in travellers are rarely reported but may be underdiagnosed.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFPurpose: The IL-6 receptor inhibitor tocilizumab reduces mortality and morbidity in severe cases of COVID-19 through its effects on hyperinflammation and was approved as adjuvant therapy. Since tocilizumab changes the levels of inflammatory markers, we aimed to describe these changes in patients treated with tocilizumab, analyse their value in predicting death and bacterial superinfection and determine their influence on mortality rates.
Methods: A retrospective analysis of 76 patients who were treated with tocilizumab for severe COVID-19 in 2020 and 2021 was conducted.