Distinguishing visceral leishmaniasis from intolerance to pegylated interferon-alpha in a thalassemic splenectomized patient treated for chronic hepatitis C.

A 37-year-old splenectomized man affected by beta-thalassemia and chronic hepatitis, recently treated with pegylated interferon-alpha (Peg-IFN), was admitted because of elevated fever lasting 3 months and unresponsiveness to broad-spectrum antibiotics. Laboratory studies showed white blood cell and platelet counts within the normal range but lower than observed before Peg-IFN treatment and an elevated erythrocyte sedimentation rate. The blood transfusion rate was reported to be increased compared with the period preceding Peg-IFN treatment.

Pneumococcal meningitis in childhood: a longitudinal prospective study.

After implementation of programmes for active immunization against Haemophilus influenzae b, Streptococcus pneumoniae and Neisseria meningitidis became the most common agents of bacterial meningitis in childhood. Over a 9-year period, children showing clinical and laboratory findings of meningitis on the basis of their positive cultures of blood or cerebro-spinal fluid (CSF) for S. pneumoniae were enrolled.

Four cases of meningitis by streptococci other than pneumoniae in adults: clinical and microbiological features.

Meningitis sustained by streptococci other than pneumoniae, infrequent in community medicine, is emerging as a hospital-acquired infection. We describe four cases of meningitis caused by streptococci other than pneumoniae in adults.

[Non post-operative spondylodiskitis. Our experience during the period 1990-2001].

Unlabelled: Aim of the study was to evaluate the prevalence and characteristics of non operative spondylodiskitis (SD) in our geographic area.

Methods: We evaluated retrospectively epidemiological, clinical, laboratory and radiological features of patients with non operative SD observed between 1990 and 2001 in our department of the "D. Cotugno" hospital - Naples.