Seroepidemiology of hepatitis A among Greek children indicates that the virus is still prevalent: Implications for universal vaccination.

A national cross-sectional seroprevalence survey was conducted in order to evaluate the current seroepidemiology of hepatitis A among 1,383 children, aged 0-14 years, residing in Greece. Stratification of the study population was conducted according to age and area of residence. Sera from study participants were tested for the presence of anti-HAV IgG antibodies.

A case of Listeria meningoencephalitis complicated by hydrocephalus in an immunocompetent infant.

We report a very unusual case of meningoencephalitis due to Listeria monocytogenes in a 7-month-old immunocompetent boy. Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) culture was initially negative, but was positive on the seventh day. The disease was complicated by seizures and hydrocephalus managed with temporary ventriculostomy.

Seroepidemiology of hepatitis B in Greek children 6 years after the implementation of universal vaccination.

The seroepidemiology of hepatitis B in children living in Greece 6 years post-implementation of universal infant immunization (1998) was studied. We collected 90-100 sera/year of age, stratified by geographic region. The prevalence of HbsAg(+) was 0.

The HIF-2alpha/VEGF pathway activation in cutaneous capillary haemangiomas.

Aim: To investigate the pathogenesis of capillary haemangiomas, a common form of vascular malformation.

Methods: Twenty-five cutaneous capillary haemangiomas, excised from patients under 14 years of age, were studied immunohistochemically for endothelial cells, the angiogenic factors thymidine phosphorylase (TP) and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), the proliferation index Ki-67, and the hypoxia inducible factors-1alpha (HIF-1alpha) and -2alpha (HIF-2alpha).

Results: Endothelial-lined channels reacted strongly with CD31 in all cases, clearly definining capillary spaces.

Nucleolar organizer regions (NORs). Their significance in the determination of the origin of the lymphoid vessels.

Aim: The aim of this study is the evaluation of the cellular activity of the embryonal mesenchyme in order to investigate if the primitive lymph vessels are derived from clefts of the mesenchyme or from capillary offshoots from the endothelium of the veins. For this reason we applied the quantitative estimation of nucleolar organizer regions (NORs) in the endothelial cells of the lymph and blood vessels, as well as in the mesenchymal cells that surround these vessels.

Methods: Our material consisted of the histological sections from the proper mesenterium of 30 embryos in different stages of development (10th, 12th, 15th, 20th, 23th and 30th week).

Sirenomelia in uneventful pregnancy.

A rare case of sirenomelia at 38 weeks of gestation is reported. Fusion of the lower extremities and incomplete development of the bony pelvis was associated with agenesis of the urinary and genital systems, anorectal atresia and a single large umbilical artery. There was complete situs inversus of the single lower limb.

A quantitative study of collagen production by human smooth muscle cells during intestinal morphogenesis.

Differentiating mesenchymal cells and the extracellular matrix that these cells produce constitute the structural basis for developing organs. The splanchnopleuric mesenchyme surrounding the developing gut and respiratory tubes provides connective tissue cells to the lamina propria/submucosa and smooth muscle cells to the muscularis musosae/muscularis externa. In human fetal intestine, the identity of the matrix-producing cell or cells has begun to be elucidated.

Spontaneous abortions with increased CD5 positive cells in the placental tissue during the first trimester of gestation.

Most spontaneous abortions occur before 12 weeks' gestation, and most are due to chromosomal errors in the conceptus. Relatively few truly spontaneous abortions take place between 12 and 20 weeks' gestation. Thereafter, between 20 and 30 weeks another type of premature spontaneous termination due to ascending infection becomes prevalent.

Factors affecting the peak expiratory flow rate in children.

Standing height and peak expiratory flow rate (PEFR) were measured in 339 British schoolchildren aged 7-16 years. Enquiry was made into a past history of wheeze or atopy, a family history of asthma or atopy, or a cold within the preceding 2 weeks. A strong correlation was found between PEFR and height, expressed by the equation PEFR = 5.

Unexpectedly high peak expiratory flow rates in normal Greek children.

Peak expiratory flow rate (PEFR) and standing height (Ht) were measured in 522 healthy Greek children aged 7-16 years. The regression equation of PEFR on height in centimetres was PEFR = 5.34 Ht--380.