Elevated IgE Levels-An Allergy or an Underlying Inborn Error of Immunity in Children with Recurrent Infections?

Elevated immunoglobulin E (IgE) is a hallmark of allergic diseases. However, high IgE levels also occur in a number of other infectious and noninfectious diseases. In most cases, elevated IgE levels indicate allergy, eczema, or chronic skin infection.

Preventable Hazards from in Vitro Fertilization - A Case Series of CF Patients from Bulgaria.

Pre-implantation genetic diagnosis (PGD) is not often performed when donor gametes are used, due to its high cost. This is with the presumption that the donors are healthy. We report on five cases of babies with confirmed cystic fibrosis (CF), being the result from in vitro fertilization (IVF) with donor (4 cases) or own gametes (one case).

Periostin and IFN-γ levels in serum and nasopharyngeal aspirate in infants with viral-induced wheezing - 2 year follow-up.

Background: The present study assesses the immune response in children with viral-induced wheezing by examining the two factors-interferon-gamma (IFN-γ) and periostin in serum and nasopharyngeal aspirate (NPA). The aim was to find a pattern with the severity and frequency of wheezing episodes.

Methods: Sixty-nine infants (40 boys and 29 girls), with a mean age of 11.

Prevalence and Genetic Characteristics of Human Bocaviruses Detected in Patients with Acute Respiratory Infections in Bulgaria.

Нuman bocaviruses (hBoVs) are often associated with acute respiratory infections (ARIs). Information on the distribution and molecular epidemiology of hBoVs in Bulgaria is currently limited. The objectives of this study were to investigate the prevalence and genetic characteristics of hBoVs detected in patients with ARIs in Bulgaria.

The Prevalence and Genetic Characterization of Human Metapneumovirus in Bulgaria, 2016-2019.

Introduction: We investigated the prevalence of human metapneumovirus (hMPV) among patients with acute respiratory infections in Bulgaria, and performed genetic characterization of the F gene of these strains.

Methods: Nasopharyngeal swabs collected from patients of a range of ages were tested by using real-time PCR for 12 respiratory viruses. The F gene was sequenced, and phylogenetic and amino acid analyses of the F gene/protein were performed.

Predominance of ON1 and BA9 genotypes of respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) in Bulgaria, 2016-2018.

The objectives of this study were to investigate the prevalence of respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) infections in Bulgaria, to characterize the genetic diversity of the RSV strains, and to perform amino acid sequence analysis of the RSV G protein. Clinical, epidemiological data and nasopharyngeal swabs were prospectively collected from children aged less than 5 years presenting with acute respiratory infections from October 2016 to September 2018. Real-time polymerase chain reaction for 12 respiratory viruses, and sequencing, phylogenetic, and amino acid analyses of the RSV G gene/protein were performed.

Predominance of influenza B/Yamagata lineage viruses in Bulgaria during the 2017/2018 season.

In this study, we investigated the antigenic and genetic characteristics of influenza viruses circulating in Bulgaria during the 2017/2018 season. The detection and typing/subtyping of influenza viruses were performed using real-time RT-PCR. Results of antigenic characterisation, phylogenetic and amino acid sequence analyses of representative influenza strains are presented.

Viral pathogens associated with acute lower respiratory tract infections in children younger than 5 years of age in Bulgaria.

Acute lower respiratory infections (ALRIs) are a leading cause of morbidity and hospital admissions in children. This study aimed to determine the viral etiology of these infections in children aged < 5 years during three successive epidemic seasons in Bulgaria. Nasopharyngeal and throat specimens were collected from children with bronchiolitis and pneumonia during the 2015/2016, 2016/2017, and 2017/2018 seasons.

Middle Term Results of Simple Open Hip Reduction of Irreducible DDH - What Is the Cut-off Age to Safely Perform It with Lower Complications?

PURPOSE OF THE STUDY When developmental dysplasia of the hip (DDH) is irreducible by conservative means, then surgical open hip reduction is the choice. When done before walking age simple open hip reduction (SOHR) is most often enough to stabilize the hip. We tested the hypothesis that simple open hip reduction gives enough stability even in severe Tönnis 4 grades of dislocation.

Predominance of influenza A(H3N2) viruses during the 2016/2017 season in Bulgaria.

Purpose: Influenza viruses are characterised by high variability, which makes them able to cause annual epidemics. The aim of this study is to determine the antigenic and genetic characteristics of influenza viruses circulating in Bulgaria during the 2016/2017 season.

Methodology: The detection and typing/subtyping of influenza viruses were performed using real time RT-PCR.

primary bacteremia in previously healthy patient from Taiwan: case report.

Background: Diseases caused by invasive nontyphoidal strains present with various extraintestinal manifestations, including bacteremia. Factors affecting the incidence include serotype, geographic location, and host factors.

Case: We present an unusual case of primary bacteremia in a patient without any risk factors and originating from a region with the lowest burden of invasive nontyphoidal infections.

Dynamics of occlusal caries in permanent molars and premolars in children aged 7 to 14 years.

Aim: The present cross-sectional epidemiologic study was to determine the dynamics of occlusal caries in permanent molars and premolars depending on the occlusal morphology.

Patients And Methods: The study included 960 children aged 7 to 14 years recruited randomly from schools in Plovdiv selected at random. The data were registered in a statistical form.

I. Prevalence of crown fractures of permanent incisors in schoolchildren aged 7-11 years from Plovdiv.

Unlabelled: The aim of the study was to determine the prevalence of crown fractures of permanent incisors in schoolchildren aged 7-11 years from the town of Plovdiv.

Material And Methods: The present study included 2572 children (1287 boys and 1285 girls) at the age of 7 to 11 years from Plovdiv. A modification of the WHO classification for reporting crown fractures was used.

Neonatal muscle hypotonia--an early manifestation of cerebral palsy.

Unlabelled: Cerebral palsy causes a number of diagnostic, therapeutic, organisational, and social problems. A timely diagnosis reduces the unfavourable effects of the disease and the resulting disability of the children.

Aim: The aim of the present study was to evaluate the role of the neonatal muscle hypotonia as an early indicative symptom of cerebral palsy (CP).

[Effect of bombesin on the frequency of slow potentials of the smooth muscles of the gastrointestinal tract and migrating myoelectric complex].

In dogs with electrodes implanted in the smooth muscle wall of the stomach, small intestine and colon, i.v. administration of bombesin (50, 100, 200 and 300 ng/kg) during the 2nd phase of the migrating myoelectric complex (MMC) increased the dose-dependent frequency of slow potential in the small intestine and stomach leaving unchanged the frequency of slow potentials in the colon.

Participation of cholinergic mechanisms in the realization of the effect of bombesin on the migrating myoelectrical complex.

The experiments were carried out on dogs with chronically implanted bipolar ball-shaped silver electrodes in the antral part of the stomach and duodenum. The effect of bombesin (injected intravenously in a dose of 200 ng/kg) on the migrating myoelectrical complex (MMC) was examined after pretreatment with hexamethonium (10 mg/kg) or atropin (100 micrograms/kg), or alpha-antagonists (phentolamine, 2 mg/kg) and beta-antagonists (propranolol, 2 mg/kg) of the adrenergic receptors. Introduced during the second MMC phase, bombesin caused inhibition of the spike activity, accompanied by an increase of the slow potential frequency.

Changes in the conductivity and in the functional refractory period of the atrioventricular node during hypoxia.

The experiments were carried out on preparations from rabbit right atrium, containing the sinoatrial node, the interatrial barrier, the atrioventricular node and the His-bundle. Surface electrodes were used to record the atrial and His-electrograms. The conduction time (AH-interval) was measured and the functional refractory period of the node was determined during normoxia (95% O2, 5% CO2) and hypoxia (30% O2, 65% N2 and 5% CO2) for 45 min.

Development of the second contraction component after restoration with isoprenaline of pre-inhibited contractile activity of isolated myocardium.

Transmembrane action potentials and contractile activity were registered under isometric conditions during in vitro experiments on the papillary muscle of guinea-pig myocardium. The blocking agents of the slow transmembrane inward current: D 600 (10(-6) to 5 X 10(-6) M) and Mn2+ (5 X 10(-3)M), induce strong inhibition of the contraction amplitude. Applied on this background, isoprenaline (5 X 10(-7) to 10(-6)M) completely restores the contraction amplitude.

Influence of stenopril on the isometric myogram and the action potential of isolated myocardium of warm-blooded animals.

The effect of the original Bulgarian drug Stenopril (1-phenyl-2/1-phenylpropyl-/3/-amino/propane hydrochloride) on the papillary muscle of guinea-pig right ventricle was studied in vitro. The isometric myogram and the transmembrane cellular activity were recorded. At low Stenopril concentrations (1-5 x 10(-6)M) three effects were observed: weak positive inotropic effect, phasic response (initial increase and subsequent decrease of the amplitude of the contractions) and weak negative inotropic effect.

Effects of some calcium antagonists on the excitation-contraction coupling in the myocardium under steady-state and nonsteady-state conditions of operation.

The specific features of excitation-contraction coupling in guinea-pig myocardium were studied by applying two different calcium antagonists--Mn2+ and methoxyverapamil (D 600). The muscle preparations were placed under two different conditions of operation: upon stimulation with equal interstimulus intervals (0.5, 1, 5 and 10 s)--steady state and with presentation of the same test-stimuli with the same intervals after a priming high-frequency series--nonsteady-state.

Changes of certain cardio-vascular parameters and the sympathetic nervous activity upon afferent vagal stimulation in cats.

Afferent stimulation of the cervical vagus in cats for 5 s upon bilateral vagotomy reduces systemic blood pressure by 15--50 percent. The maximum of this depressor reaction occurs 10--15 s after the beginning of the stimulation, its latency being 2--3 s. The decrease in the blood pressure is preceded by inhibition of the electrical activity of some preganglionic (n.

On the mechanism of the depressor reaction upon afferent vagal stimulation in cats. II. Role of the beta-adrenergic structures for the development of the depressor reaction.

Electrical stimulation of the central section of the cervical vagus in cats with bilateral vagotomy results in lowering of the arterial blood pressure. A study is made of the effect of some beta-adrenotropic drugs on the depressor reaction. Propranolol (3 mg/kg i.