Publications by authors named "Radka T Komitova"

The COVID-19 pandemic has exploded since the first cases were reported in Wuhan in December 2019, engulfing the globe. Many infected individuals are asymptomatic or have a mild or moderate disease. A subset of people with advanced age, the immunocompromised and those with chronic diseases, are prone to serious-to-critical illness.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Introduction: Diagnosis of chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection particularly its occult form requires monitoring and repeat serological and molecular studies. The aim of the study was to investigate the possible relation between the case of a family outbreak of hepatitis A and the finding that a member of this family was diagnosed with chronic hepatitis B.

Methodology: A mother and her two sons, one previously diagnosed with chronic HBV infection, were hospitalized due to suspected acute hepatitis.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Low-dose once weekly methotrexate (MTX) is the first-line disease-modifying antirheumatic drug (DMARD) to treat rheumatoid arthritis and psoriasis. Although methotrexate is generally considered to have a good safety profile it can occasionally induce severe side effects such as pancytopenia, mucositis, disorders of kidney and liver. Oral mucositis should alert physicians to MTX toxicity.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Herpes zoster, caused by reactivation of varicella-zoster virus, is uncommon in infancy. Even more uncommon is herpes zoster ophthalmicus, defined as herpes zoster of the ophthalmic branch of the fifth cranial nerve. Among healthy children, primary varicella-zoster virus infection during gestation as a result of maternal varicella or the first year of life is the major risk factor for development of herpes zoster in a relatively young age.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF
Article Synopsis
  • Hepatitis C virus (HCV) is common among dialysis patients and is usually diagnosed through lab tests due to the unique progression of the disease.
  • A study was conducted with 93 dialysis patients to determine the accurate prevalence of HCV by testing for both anti-HCV antibodies and HCV RNA levels over time.
  • Results showed a 20.6% prevalence of HCV, with longer dialysis duration linked to higher chances of being viremic, indicating that a dual testing approach could improve diagnosis in this patient group.
View Article and Find Full Text PDF