Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound
Pivot Concepts:   Target Concepts:
Query: UMLS:C0038002 (splenomegaly)
 9,873 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

Prevalence and determinants of HIV infection were assessed in 313 parenteral drug addicts admitted to five Centers for Drug-Addict Assistance and two prisons located in the northeast of Italy (Friuli Venezia-Giulia), an area some distance from the major Italian cities first reached by the AIDS epidemic. The overall prevalence of HIV positivity was also rather high in this area, ie 30% with 24-36% confidence interval. The most important risk factors (besides syringe sharing applicable to all drug addicts), turned out to be of a geographical nature, ie living in Pordenone province (where a US military base is located) or coming from other endemic areas and having travelled long distances in the past three years. Prostitution also seemed to increase the risk of infection, but duration of drug addiction had little effect. In addition to persistent generalized lymphadenopathy (closely linked to HIV infection), reversal of helper:suppressor T-cell ratio was found in 67% of HIV positive individuals, but also in 31% of HIV negative ones. Clinical signs and symptoms strongly linked with HIV positivity were fatigue, weight loss, splenomegaly, fever and nocturnal sweats.
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PMID:Risk factors for HIV infection in drug addicts from the northeast of Italy. 326 Feb 23

A study of 90 asymptomatic hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) carriers in Jerusalem showed a predominance of males over females (4:1) and of North African Jews over Jews of European or American Origin. The predominance of males remained apparent, but was not significant, when origin was controlled. Possible sources of infection were contact with jaundiced patients (29%), dental treatment (58%) and drug addiction (8%). Fifty-one percent had hepatitis B core antibody (anti-HBc) of the IgM class, 2% had hepatitis B e-antigen (HBeAg), 94% hepatitis B e-antibody (anti-HBe) and 93% had hepatitis A antibody (anti-HAV). Fourty-two percent had donated blood at least once prior to the detection of the carrier state. Fifty-five percent of 128 asymptomatic family contacts had evidence of hepatitis B virus infection. Minor abnormalities in liver function tests were found in 22% of the carriers and splenomegaly in 11%. Of ten liver biopsies performed in these cases, one had chronic active hepatitis, five had minimal histological changes, and four were normal.
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PMID:Study of 90 hepatitis B surface antigen carriers in Israel. 726

A total of 103 patients (P) with infectious endocarditis (IE) were treated during the period 1982-1993; 72% of them were male. Mean age was 46.4 (SD 19.7). Eighteen patients were intravenous drug addicts (D) (17.5%). The first case of drug addiction in the IE group was seen in 1986; since then, there was a steady increase of this condition, reaching 50% of all cases. The average age of D patients was 28.17 +/- 8.15 years significantly lower than that corresponding to non-drug addicts (ND), 48.64 +/- 19.5 (p < 0.00001). The infection was located mainly in the left heart of the ND (93%), and in the right heart of the D (78%), the difference being statistically significant. All the cases of left IE occurred on previously damaged valves. Right location in ND was found in all cases in immunosuppressed individuals being treated for systemic diseases, except in one patient having an endocavitary pacemaker. No differences were found between ND and D with regard to the presence of fever, cutaneous manifestations, splenomegaly or cerebrovascular accident. Differences were noted, however, in the case of respiratory involvement, which showed a significantly higher frequency in D (38.9% versus 12.9%; p < 0.014). Blood cultures were positive in 81.6% of the total number of patients, no difference being found between the two groups. Staphylococcal infections were predominant in D (44%) and streptococcal infections in ND (48%), the difference being statistically significant.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
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PMID:[Infective endocarditis and drug addiction]. 785 83