Monitoring of human cytomegalovirus DNAemia during primary infection in transmitter and non-transmitter mothers.

Background And Objectives: It has been reported that maternal DNAemia is detectable in three quarters of pregnant women with acute/recent primary HCMV infections, with a higher median number of HCMV DNA copies/ml blood in transmitter as compared with non-transmitter mothers.

Study Design: The kinetics of HCMV DNA in blood of transmitter vs non-transmitter pregnant women with primary HCMV infection was retrospectively analyzed from their first blood sampling at referral up to amniocentesis strictly performed at 19-21 weeks' gestation. Monthly monitoring of maternal HCMV DNAemia was performed up to prenatal diagnosis.

Multidisciplinary approach to congenital Toxoplasma infection: an Italian nationwide survey.

Italy provides a free voluntary serological screening for toxoplasmosis in pregnancy supported by public health system, as there is an estimated congenital toxoplasmosis rate of 1-2/10,000. The aim of this study was to make an inventory of diagnostic and therapeutic protocols in use in Italy in the absence of a national guideline. A semistructured questionnaire was distributed to AMCLI (Italian Association of Clinical Microbiologists) members who were asked to involve other specialists to fill in the form.

Performance of liver stiffness measurements by transient elastography in chronic hepatitis.

Aim: To compare results of liver stiffness measurements by transient elastography (TE) obtained in our patients population with that used in a recently published meta-analysis.

Methods: This was a single center cross-sectional study. Consecutive patients with chronic viral hepatitis scheduled for liver biopsy at the outpatient ward of our Infectious Diseases Department were enrolled.

Chlorhexidine-silver sulfadiazine-impregnated central venous catheters: in vitro antibacterial activity and impact on bacterial adhesion.

The aim of this study was to compare the in vitro activity and the impact on bacterial adhesion of two different catheters, one impregnated with chlorhexidine-silver sulfadiazine (C-SS) and the other not impregnated with antibacterial agents. The antimicrobial coating prevented the bacterial colonization by slime positive Staphylococcus epidermidis in the first two days. The antibacterial activity of the effluents from catheters impregnated with C-SS dissipated by day seven.

Spiramycin treatment of Toxoplasma gondii infection in pregnant women impairs the production and the avidity maturation of T. gondii-specific immunoglobulin G antibodies.

The aim of the study was to evaluate the influence of treatment with spiramycin on the increase of immunoglobulin G (IgG) titers and IgG avidity indexes (AI) in pregnant women with seroconversion from the beginning of therapy until delivery and after delivery. This group was compared with adult patients with recently acquired untreated toxoplasmosis. One hundred four samples from 32 pregnant women with seroconversion for toxoplasmosis and/or very low IgG AI were followed from the beginning of therapy with spiramycin until delivery.