[Analysis of alpha-1-antitrypsin phenotypes and genotypes in patients with early-onset pulmonary emphysema].

An increased risk for the development of emphysema occurs in all carriers of deficient variants of Alpha-1-Antitrypsin (A1AT). A DNA polymorphism in the 3' promoter region of A1AT gene (locus Pi), which is important for a modulation of gene expression in a response to inflammation, seems to be an additional genetic risk factor for emphysema. In the study, we present two relatively young patients with panlobular lung emphysema associated with a normal level of A1AT in serum.

[Microbiological and molecular analysis of mycobacterium tuberculosis complex strains isolated from patients with pulmonary tuberculosis].

The aim of the study was to perform microbiological and molecular analysis of Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex strains isolated from patients with pulmonary tuberculosis originating from two different regions of Silesia voivodship in 2000 year. One of 135 strains subjected to the study lacked IS6110 insertion sequence. Its belonging to Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex was confirmed by positive test for specific gyrB gene sequence.