Efficacy of mecobalamin (vitamin B) in the treatment of long-term pain in women diagnosed with fibromyalgia: protocol for a randomised, placebo-controlled trial.

Introduction: Fibromyalgia causes long-term pain. It affects at least 2% of the population, the majority being women. In addition, extended symptoms corresponding to vitamin B deficiency occur.

Acute viral infections of the central nervous system in immunocompetent adults: diagnosis and management.

Patients with viral infections of the central nervous system (CNS) may present with a variety of neurological symptoms, most commonly dominated by either encephalitis or meningitis. The aetiological panorama varies in different parts of the world as well as over time. Thus, virological first-line diagnostics must be adapted to the current epidemiological situation and to the individual patient history, including recent travels.

Broadly targeted multiprobe QPCR for detection of coronaviruses: Coronavirus is common among mallard ducks (Anas platyrhynchos).

Coronaviruses (CoVs) can cause trivial or fatal disease in humans and in animals. Detection methods for a wide range of CoVs are needed, to understand viral evolution, host range, transmission and maintenance in reservoirs. A new concept, "Multiprobe QPCR", which uses a balanced mixture of competing discrete non- or moderately degenerated nuclease degradable (TaqMan) probes was employed.

[Increased risk of infection with biological immunomodifying antirheumatic agents. Clear guidelines are necessary as shown by case reports].

Several potent immunosuppressive drugs have become available in the new millennium for patients with rheumatologic diseases, Crohn's disease and other autoimmune disorders. Five patient cases from Växjö central hospital (uptake area 178 000 individuals) with Listeria meningitis, Pneumocystis jiroveci and tuberculosis pneumonia, Listeria sepsis, Legionella pneumonia and E coli sepsis are described. A doubled risk for infections has previously been observed for RA patients, as compared to healthy individuals.

[The risk of severe complications of body piercing should not be underestimated].

Mankind has a long history of body decoration and body piercing has now reached epidemic popularity within a large proportion of the population. Complications such as bleeding and local infection are common, but severe infections like septicaemia, endocarditis and transmission of hepatitis may occur. We describe a 39 year old man with genital piercing who spent 43 days hospitalized because of Foumier's gangrene with necrotizing fascitis starting in the genital tract and perineum.

Quantitative PCR-enhanced immunoassay for measurement of enteroviral immunoglobulin M antibody and diagnosis of aseptic meningitis.

A PCR-enhanced immunoassay (PIA) to detect enterovirus (EV) immunoglobulin M (IgM) for diagnosis of recent EV infection was recently developed. This test was compared with another EV IgM capture technique, the solid-phase reverse immunosorbent test (SPRIST). Fourteen of 43 serum samples from aseptic meningitis patients were positive by PIA, whereas 10 were positive by SPRIST.

Fournier's gangrene after genital piercing.

A fulminant case of streptococcal toxic shock syndrome is described. Early surgery was life saving, and the antibiotic regimen should include clindamycin. The value of secondary measures is discussed.

[Microbial diagnosis with PCR will become clinically beneficial with a faster analysis].

PCR was introduced in 1985 by Mullis and was immediately recognized as a valuable tool in biomedical research and was awarded the Nobel Prize in 1993. Two culture-negative meningitis cases are described where Haemophilus influenzae and Neisseria meningitidis were found by 16SRNA-PCR. The modern real time PCR technology using fluorescent probes (hybridization probes, lightup probes, molecular beacons etc) for detection of the PCR-product or on DNA microarray chips, is under development for routine use.

A sensitive and quantitative single-tube real-time reverse transcriptase-PCR for detection of enteroviral RNA.

Background: Enteroviruses (EVs) are significant human pathogens. Rapid and sensitive diagnostic techniques are desirable.

Objectives: To develop a quantitative single-tube real-time reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) for human enterovirus ribonucleic acid (RNA) (QPCR), with protection against amplimer contamination.

Trace element changes in the pancreas during viral infection in mice.

Introduction: The trigger for some cases of juvenile diabetes has been suggested to be an interaction between a virus and various trace elements. Infection with human coxsackievirus B3 (CB3) in the murine model results in viral replication and inflammation in the pancreas.

Aim: To determine how infection affects the trace element balance in the pancreas.

Cardiomyocyte apoptosis after antiviral WIN 54954 treatment in murine coxsackievirus B3 myocarditis.

Objective: Cardiomyocyte apoptosis (CA) is known to occur in experimental coxsackievirus B3 (CVB3) myocarditis. However, the mechanisms of CA induction are not well known. In this study we investigate the role of direct viral induction of CA in CVB3 myocarditis.