Introduction: Recently diagnosis of latent tuberculosis infection (LTBI) can be made using the tuberculin skin test (TST) or by techniques known as interferon-γ release assays (IGRAS), being QuantiFERON(®)-TB Gold In-Tube (QF-G-IT) the most used. The IGRAS avoid some drawbacks of the TST, especially cross-reaction with bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG) vaccine, but also present some problems such as those arising from cost and the need of having an adequate infrastructure and experience. There is no clear consensus on which technique should be preferentially used for the diagnosis of LTBI.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFObjetive: To study the characteristics and evolution of group B Streptococcus (GBS) late-onset diseases, over a period of 15years in 8hospitals the Barcelona area and analyze the possible impact of prophylactic measures for the prevention of early-onset neonatal infections.
Methods: Retrospective review of all patients diagnosed with late-onset neonatal disease due to GBS from 1996 to 2010.
Results: A total of 143 patients were diagnosed.
Background And Objective: The aim of this study was to know: 1) the prevalence of antibodies against toxoplasma in pregnant women, 2) the incidence of primary infection during pregnancy and 3) the prevalence of congenital toxoplasmosis.
Subjects And Method: Seroprevalence was prospectively analyzed in 16,362 pregnant women visited in 8 hospitals and 2 day care centers in Barcelona during 1999. Each participant laboratory included their own assays to detect toxoplasma-specific immunoglobulins IgM, IgA, IgG and IgG avidity antibodies.