Heterologous prime-boost vaccination with H3N2 influenza viruses of swine favors cross-clade antibody responses and protection.

The emergence of multiple novel lineages of H1 and H3 influenza A viruses in swine has confounded control by inactivated vaccines. Because of substantial genetic and geographic heterogeneity among circulating swine influenza viruses, one vaccine strain per subtype cannot be efficacious against all of the current lineages. We have performed vaccination-challenge studies in pigs to examine whether priming and booster vaccinations with antigenically distinct H3N2 swine influenza viruses could broaden antibody responses and protection.

Classification and management of allergic rhinitis patients in general practice during pollen season.

Background: Allergic rhinitis (AR) represents a major challenge in primary care. The Allergic Rhinitis and its Impact on Asthma (ARIA) group proposed a new classification for AR and developed evidence-based guidelines for the management of this disease. We conducted this study to further characterize the classes of AR described by ARIA, and to evaluate whether the management of AR in general practice is in accordance with the ARIA guidelines.

[Rendu-Osler-Weber disease].

Rendu-Osler-Weber disease or hereditary hemorrhagic telangiectasia (HHT) is a multisystem autosomal dominant hereditary disorder. The disorder is manifested by multiple dysplasia of blood vessels of the skin and mucous membranes. This results in recurrent and sometimes severe bleeding, of which epistaxis is the most common.

[Diagnostic image (223). A woman with a bleeding tongue].

An 81-year-old woman suffered from bleeding of the tongue due to vascular malformations accompanying Rendu-Osler-Weber disease.

A review of the second-generation antihistamine ebastine for the treatment of allergic disorders.

Ebastine is a once-daily, non-sedating, selective, long-acting, second-generation antihistamine. The use of ebastine is indicated in patients suffering from intermittent and persistent allergic rhinitis and chronic idiopathic urticaria. Ebastine 10 mg/day, appears as effective as other second-generation antihistamines, such as cetirizine and loratadine.