[Usefulness of urinary antigen and sputum Gram stain for rapid diagnosis of pneumococcal respiratory infections].

We evaluated the usefulness of a rapid urinary antigen detection kit (Binax NOW) to detect Streptococcus pneumoniae in the early diagnosis of pneumococcal respiratory tract infections in 313 patients with presumptive respiratory tract infections. We compared results of this test with those of sputum Gram staining. Urinary antigen and sputum Gram staining were respectively positive in 37 and 36 of 57 patients with pneumococcal respiratory infections.

[Pathogenesis of beta-lactam-resistant Haemophilus influenzae isolated from sputum].

Haemophlus influenzae persists in the respiratory tract and sometimes causes respiratory tract infections. To evaluate the pathogenesis of beta-lactam-resistant Haemophilus influenzae, we classified 193 Haemophilus influenzae strains isolated from sputum of patients with respiratory tract disease in 24 beta-lactamase positive (BLP) strains, 65 beta-lactamase negative ampicillin resistant (BLNAR) strains and 104 beta-lactamase negative ampicillin sensitive (BLNAS) strains and reviewed the pathogenesis of the strains. The pathogenesis of the strains was evaluated as definite pathogen, presumptive pathogen, colonization and contamination.

[Sudden onset of EDTA-dependent pseudothrombocytopenia in a patient scheduled for open heart surgery].

A 60-year-old woman scheduled for mitral and aortic valve replacement had sudden onset of thrombocytopenia without clinical symptoms. The platelet count was found to decrease after the sampling. Microscopic examinations confirmed platelet aggregations.