Jacek Wysocki - Academia.edu (original) (raw)
Papers by Jacek Wysocki
Ginekologia Polska
This article has been peer reviewed and published immediately upon acceptance. It is an open acce... more This article has been peer reviewed and published immediately upon acceptance. It is an open access article, which means that it can be downloaded, printed, and distributed freely, provided the work is properly cited. Articles in "Ginekologia Polska" are listed in PubMed.
Children, 2022
Background: Multisystem inflammatory syndrome (MIS-C) is a condition related to COVID-19. It’s mo... more Background: Multisystem inflammatory syndrome (MIS-C) is a condition related to COVID-19. It’s most significant feature is cardiac involvement. Methods: We have analyzed data from 42 hospitals in the Polish MIS-C Registry. To compare the effect of GCS on fever, we formed two groups: the first treated with IVIG and the second treated with IVIG+GCS. Results: There were 111 boys and 56 girls; the mean age was 8.57 years. All the patients were treated with IVIG: 76 patients with IVIG only, and 91 patients with IVIG+GCS. There were no statistically significant differences between the groups regarding age, gender, BMI, or inflammatory markers. Methylprednisolone was the most common drug (80%). Echocardiographic abnormalities on admission were more prevalent in the IVIG+GCS group. Mean time from IVIG infusion to subsidence of fever was 1.1 days, and 1.5 for those in the IVIG+GCS group. Conclusions: GCS are commonly used in the treatment of MIS-C patients in Poland. Various GCS regimens are...
BackgroundIn response to the recent information about the outbreak of Kawasaki disease (KD) in ch... more BackgroundIn response to the recent information about the outbreak of Kawasaki disease (KD) in children connected to SARS-Cov-2 pandemic, we would like to present a group of six patients hospitalized from March to May 2020 with an inflammatory disease similar to KD. Findings There were four girls and two boys, aged from 15 months to 16 years. They all presented with fever lasting at least five days, irritability, bilateral nonexudative conjunctivitis, lymphadenopathy, mucus membrane changes, rash, edema.Neither the patients nor the other members of the patients' households had a positive history of COVID-19 infection. None of the six children had a positive PCR result for SARS-CoV-2 or a positive results for antibodies to SARS-CoV-2. All patients received empiric antibiotic therapy. Four patients were diagnosed with KD. Three children received standard treatment. One boy did not respond and received an additional 14-days course of methylprednisolone.In two girls, the diagnosis o...
Reumatologia/Rheumatology, 2016
A 17-year-old female patient was referred to the Infectious Diseases Ward because of fever lastin... more A 17-year-old female patient was referred to the Infectious Diseases Ward because of fever lasting for 14 days. On admission to the hospital the patient was in a generally good state, without any abnormalities on physical examination. Laboratory investigation revealed elevated inflammatory markers. Diagnostic imaging comprising chest X-ray, abdominal ultrasonography, and echocardiography showed no abnormalities. During the hospitalization, there occurred episodes of fever with skin rash and musculoskeletal pain of the lower limbs. Procalcitonin concentrations continued to increase. C-reactive protein concentrations decreased during therapy, starting from 191 mg/l. On the 23 rd day of the disease, edema of the feet, ankles, and knees appeared. On the basis of the clinical picture and after excluding other possible causes of fever, the patient was diagnosed with adult onset Still's disease. The procalcitonin concentration was normalized after 5 days of steroid therapy. The patient was discharged under ambulatory rheumatologic supervision.
World Journal of Gastroenterology, 2017
substantially contributed to the conception and design of the study, samples and data collection ... more substantially contributed to the conception and design of the study, samples and data collection and interpretation of results; Świątek-Kościelna B, Kałużna E, Rembowska J and Barcińska D performed the experiments; Świątek-Kościelna B and Strauss E analyzed the results; all authors drafted the article and made critical revisions related to the intellectual content of the manuscript, and approved the final version of the article to be published; Świątek-Kościelna B, Kałużna E and Strauss E contributed equally to this work. Institutional review board statement: The study was approved by the Bioethics Committee of the Poznan University of Medical Sciences (No. 650/12).
Medicine, 2017
Differential Diagnosis of bacterial and viral meningitis remains an important clinical problem. A... more Differential Diagnosis of bacterial and viral meningitis remains an important clinical problem. A number of methods to assist in the diagnoses of meningitis have been developed, but none of them have been found to have high specificity with 100% sensitivity.We conducted a retrospective analysis of the medical records of 148 children hospitalized in St. Joseph Children's Hospital in Poznań. In this study, we applied for the first time the original methodology of dominance-based rough set approach (DRSA) to diagnostic patterns of meningitis data and represented them by decision rules useful in discriminating between bacterial and viral meningitis. The induction algorithm is called VC-DomLEM; it has been implemented as software package called jMAF (http://www.cs.put.poznan.pl/jblaszczynski/Site/jRS.html), based on java Rough Set (jRS) library.In the studied group, there were 148 patients (78 boys and 70 girls), and the mean age was 85 months. We analyzed 14 attributes, of which onl...
International Journal of Infectious Diseases, 2016
Globally, 80-185 million people are infected with the hepatitis C virus (HCV). 1 The majority of ... more Globally, 80-185 million people are infected with the hepatitis C virus (HCV). 1 The majority of infected individuals (75-80%) are unaware of their infection. These patients are at risk of progression of HCV disease, leading to cirrhosis (in 20-30% of them after 10-20 years of infection), end-stage liver disease, and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). 2 There are seven HCV genotypes with whole-genome nucleotide sequences differing by more than 30%. 3,4 According to Robertson et al., genotypes 1, 2, 4, and 5 form separate clades (1, 2, 4, and 5, respectively), genotypes 3 and 10 form clade 3, and genotypes 6, 7, 8, 9, and 11 form clade 6. 5 For the purpose of this article, the term genotype has been used. The heterogeneity within genotypes has resulted in 67 subtypes. Isolates from the same HCV subtype differ in nucleotide sequence by no more than 5-15%. 4,5 Because acute HCV infection is typically asymptomatic, most genotyping is probably conducted on individuals with chronic infection. The frequency of the different HCV genotypes is different in different parts of the world. Genotype 1 is the most widely dispersed worldwide. In the USA, genotype 1 accounts for 70% of infections and genotypes 2 and 3 account for the majority of the remaining 30%. 1 In Europe the percentage of genotype 2 and 3 infections is greater than in the USA. Genotype 2 is widely
Central European Journal of Immunology, 2015
Introduction: Pneumocystis jirovecii is an opportunistic pathogen causing pneumocystis pneumonia ... more Introduction: Pneumocystis jirovecii is an opportunistic pathogen causing pneumocystis pneumonia (PCP), a life-threatening infection, in immunocompromised patients. In this study, retrospective analysis of the presence of P. jirovecii DNA in different samples collected from children with suspected PCP was carried out. Material and methods: Three hundred and six specimens [152 bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) specimens, 80 blood specimens, 18 bronchial secretions (BS), 34 induced sputum samples, 10 endotracheal aspirates (ETA), and 12 other type samples] obtained from patients with suspected PCP were examined by real-time PCR. Results: Forty (13.1%) patients were positive for P. jirovecii: 4 (7.7%) patients with malignancies, 3 (6.8%) transplant recipients, 15 (23.1%) other immunocompromised patients, and 18 (12.4%) immunocompetent patients. Pneumocystis jirovecii DNA was detected in 20.4% of BAL specimens, 11.1% of BS samples, 10% of ETA sample, 8.8% of induced sputum samples, and in 3.7% of blood samples. Comparing the frequency of the presence of P. jirovecii DNA between the group of children treated with PCP chemoprophylaxis (malignancy patients and transplant recipients) and a group of children not receiving this prophylaxis (other immunocompromised and immunocompetent children), we found that the occurrence of PCP was twice as high in the latter group of children (7.3% and 15.7%, respectively). Conclusions: Respiratory samples, such as BS, BAL, or ETA specimens, are the material of choice for the diagnosis of PCP. Due to high incidence of PCP in certain groups of immunocompetent and immunocompromised patients, besides cancer patients and transplant recipients, consideration of PCP prophylaxis is required in these groups as well.
Folia histochemica et cytobiologica / Polish Academy of Sciences, Polish Histochemical and Cytochemical Society, 2006
The studies performed till now have pointed to an increased serum levels of interleukin 2 (IL-2) ... more The studies performed till now have pointed to an increased serum levels of interleukin 2 (IL-2) in infection with hepatitis C virus (HCV). The present study was aimed at examining intrahepatic expression of IL-2 in children (n=15) and in adults (n=11) with chronic hepatitis C as well as its correlations with histological lesions and selected clinical data. The immunocytochemical techniques and in situ hybridization method were applied at light and electron microscopy level. Under the light microscope, expression of IL-2 was analysed semiquantitatively. As compared to the control material, in livers of both groups of chronic hepatitis C patients augmented expression of IL-2 was demonstrated. The reaction product was localized mainly in the cytoplasm of hepatocytes which was confirmed by hybridocytochemistry. The mean proportion of cells with positive reaction for IL-2 mRNA was significantly lower than the proportion of cells positive for the respective protein. No correlation was di...
Medycyna pracy, 2005
This article presents problems involved in the prevention of tuberculosis, which is essential in ... more This article presents problems involved in the prevention of tuberculosis, which is essential in the practice of occupational medicine physicians. Tuberculosis prevention is an important issue since TB morbidity in Poland is relatively high compared with other European countries. The authors discuss TB risk factors among health care workers, epidemiology of tuberculosis as an occupational disease in European countries, including Poland, and the principles of medical prevention.
International journal of occupational medicine and environmental health, 2002
Viral hepatitis is the most frequent occupational disease in the health service workers. On the g... more Viral hepatitis is the most frequent occupational disease in the health service workers. On the ground of epidemiological data on certifications of occupational diseases, an analysis of morbidity of viral hepatitis was performed. Among viruses that can cause occupational hepatitis there are HAV, HBV and HCV. However, occupational HDV and HGV infections are also possible. In Poland, the number of hepatitis diagnosed as occupational diseases became more stable in the years 1996-1998, whereas morbidity of hepatitis C significantly increased. Such an epidemiological situation could be observed in the area of Wielkopolska and throughout the country. In the former province of Poznań and in the present province of Wielkopolska, occupational hepatitis occurred mostly in nurses. In the nineteen sixties and seventies, the most dramatic increase in the incidence of hepatitis B was noticed in the population of nurses and midwives at the age between 21 and 30 years. This can provide evidence of ...
Acta poloniae pharmaceutica
Pegylated interferon α and ribavirin in treatment of chronic hepatitis C in children is used rare... more Pegylated interferon α and ribavirin in treatment of chronic hepatitis C in children is used rarely. The aim of the study was to find prognostic factors for sustained virological response and to analyze the safety of pegylated interferon α2a and ribavirin in children with chronic hepatitis C. The study covered a group of 44 children, mean age 14 years, with diagnosed chronic hepatitis C. Clinical, biochemical and virological parameters, as well as side effects were evaluated. Combined treatment allowed to obtain sustained virological response in a total of 77.5% of the treated children. Lower viral load and lower fibrosis grade contributed to sustained virological response. The response was not gender-related. The best response is obtained in children whose treatment was started after they attained the age of 10 years. Therapy with pegylated interferon α2a and ribavirin is well tolerated by pediatric patients.
Liver International, 2005
Aims and methods: The cellular localization of hepatitis C virus (HCV) proteins in chronic hepati... more Aims and methods: The cellular localization of hepatitis C virus (HCV) proteins in chronic hepatitis C remains a debatable issue. Aim of the studies included cellular and subcellular localization of two HCV proteins, NS3 and C protein, in liver biopsies from 20 children with chronic hepatitis C employing commercially available monoclonal antibodies and a semiquantitative technique of the proteins expression. In the studies advantage was taken of (Strept)avidin-biotin peroxidase complex and ImmunoMax technique. Results: The cytoplasmic localization of both proteins dominated over nuclear localization. The total amount of NS3 protein exceeded that of C protein. At the ultrastructural level, we observed both proteins in endoplasmic reticulum membranes and mitochondria, but small amount of both proteins was seen also in cell nuclei. The amount of either protein did not correlate with liver histology in our patients. No correlation could be disclosed between content of both proteins and HCV RNA levels in serum. Content of NS3 demonstrated negative correlation with activity of alanine transaminase. Conclusion: In conclusion, the new aspect in present studies involved localization of C and NS3 proteins at the levels of light and electron microscopy in children. For the first time also intramitochondrial localization of NS3 protein was demonstrated.
Journal of Histochemistry & Cytochemistry, 2004
Hepatitis C virus (HCV) is one of the principal causes of hepatitis, which in more than 80% of ca... more Hepatitis C virus (HCV) is one of the principal causes of hepatitis, which in more than 80% of cases leads to chronic lesions in the liver and involvement of extrahepatic organs. It remains unknown why the infection so frequently turns chronic, independently of patient age. Using immunocytochemistry (IHC) and in situ hybridization (ISH) (both linked to the ImmunoMax technique) we examined cell sources of TNF-α, IL-1α, and IL-2 in control and HCV-infected children and adults. We demonstrated augmented expression of all the cytokines in HCV-infected patients compared to controls. No differences were detected in amounts of studied transcripts or cytokine proteins between biopsies taken from HCV-infected children and adults. Expression of TNF-α was localized mainly in liver sinusoidal cells (macrophages, endothelial cells). A high proportion of hepatocytes demonstrated expression of TNF-α, IL-1α, and IL-2. In both groups of patients, higher amounts of cytokine proteins than studied tran...
Japanese journal of infectious diseases, 2007
Identification of hepatitis C virus (HCV)-RNA in blood serum is crucial for hepatitis C diagnosis... more Identification of hepatitis C virus (HCV)-RNA in blood serum is crucial for hepatitis C diagnosis and for appropriate treatment. Detection of HCV-RNA in blood serum is used for therapy monitoring of patients with hepatitis C. Despite HCV-RNA elimination from blood serum during treatment in some patients, HCV viremia appears again after the completion of therapy. The aim of this study was to assess HCV-RNA in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) of hepatitis C patients in relation to HCV-RNA and antibodies to HCV in the serum. The study involved 71 patients undergoing anti-viral therapy (interferon and ribavirin). RNA isolated from serum and PBMCs was examined for the presence of HCV-RNA by an RT-PCR technique using specific oligonucleotide primers or by commercially available kits. In order to show the possible presence of HCV sequences in PBMCs, molecular DNA probes were constructed with a PCR amplicon and biotin-labelled by nick translation, and FISH and extended chromatin f...
Ginekologia Polska, 2021
Rapid spread of severe acute respiratory syndrome coranovirus-2 virus (SARS-CoV-2) caused the pan... more Rapid spread of severe acute respiratory syndrome coranovirus-2 virus (SARS-CoV-2) caused the pandemic of Coronavirus Disease 19 (COVID-19). Clinical course of the disease presents symptoms mainly from the respiratory system such as: cough, dyspnea and fever, and among some patients, can deteriorate even further to acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), eventually leading to death. This outbreak, as well as previous ones (SARS, MERS) pose a significant challenge for health care managers, epidemiologists and physicians. Below we are presenting the clinical profile of the COVID-19 among special group of patients; pregnant women and newborns, who require special clinical management during hospitalization. In the summary of this manuscript, we present practical guidelines for managing pregnant women infected with SARS-CoV-2, labor and care of the newborn of a positive mother, as well as practical guidelines for COVID-19 vaccinations. It is important to stress, that this manuscript is based on information available as of December 2020.
Children, 2021
The DRSA method (dominance-based rough set approach) was used to create decision-making rules bas... more The DRSA method (dominance-based rough set approach) was used to create decision-making rules based on the results of physical examination and additional laboratory tests in the differential diagnosis of Kawasaki disease (KD), infectious mononucleosis and S. pyogenes pharyngitis in children. The study was conducted retrospectively. The search was based on the ICD-10 (International Classification of Diseases) codes of final diagnosis. Demographic and laboratory data from one Polish hospital (Poznan) were collected. Traditional statistical methods and the DRSA method were applied in data analysis. The algorithm formed 45 decision rules recognizing KD. The rules with the highest sensitivity (number of false negatives equals zero) were based on the presence of conjunctivitis and CRP (C-reactive Protein) ≥ 40.1 mg/L, thrombocytosis and ESR (Erythrocyte Sedimentation Rate) ≥ 77 mm/h; fair general condition and fever ≥ 5 days and rash; fair general condition and fever ≥ 5 days and conjunct...
Vaccines, 2021
COVID-19 vaccinations are about to begin in various countries or are already ongoing. This is an ... more COVID-19 vaccinations are about to begin in various countries or are already ongoing. This is an unprecedented operation that is also met with a loud response from anti-vaccine communities—currently using all available channels to manipulate public opinion. At the same time, the strategy to educate on vaccinations, explain their mechanism of action, and build trust in science is subdued in different world parts. Such actions should go much beyond campaigns promoting the COVID-19 vaccines solely on the information provided by the health institutions and national authorities. In this paper, actions provided by independent expert groups needed to counteract the anti-vaccine propaganda and provide scientific-based information to the general public are offered. These actions encompass organizing groups continuously communicating science on COVID-19 vaccines to the general public; tracking and tackling emerging and circulating fake news; and equipping celebrities and politicians with scie...
Vaccines, 2021
Vaccine hesitancy is a major threat to the success of COVID-19 vaccination programs. The present ... more Vaccine hesitancy is a major threat to the success of COVID-19 vaccination programs. The present cross-sectional online survey of adult Poles (n = 1020) expressing a willingness to receive the COVID-19 vaccine was conducted between February and March 2021 and aimed to assess (i) the general trust in different types of vaccines, (ii) the level of acceptance of the COVID-19 vaccines already in use in Poland (BNT162b2 by BioNTech/Pfizer, mRNA-1273 by Moderna and AZD1222 by Oxford/AstraZeneca) as well as eight vaccines approved outside European Union (EU) or in advanced stages of clinical trials, (iii) level of fear of vaccination against COVID-19, and (iv) main sources of information on COVID-19 vaccination. Among all major vaccine technology, the highest level of trust was observed for the mRNA platform, with a considerable number of surveyed (>20%) not aware of the existence of vaccines produced using the traditional approach (inactivated and live attenuated vaccines). The age of ...
Ginekologia Polska
This article has been peer reviewed and published immediately upon acceptance. It is an open acce... more This article has been peer reviewed and published immediately upon acceptance. It is an open access article, which means that it can be downloaded, printed, and distributed freely, provided the work is properly cited. Articles in "Ginekologia Polska" are listed in PubMed.
Children, 2022
Background: Multisystem inflammatory syndrome (MIS-C) is a condition related to COVID-19. It’s mo... more Background: Multisystem inflammatory syndrome (MIS-C) is a condition related to COVID-19. It’s most significant feature is cardiac involvement. Methods: We have analyzed data from 42 hospitals in the Polish MIS-C Registry. To compare the effect of GCS on fever, we formed two groups: the first treated with IVIG and the second treated with IVIG+GCS. Results: There were 111 boys and 56 girls; the mean age was 8.57 years. All the patients were treated with IVIG: 76 patients with IVIG only, and 91 patients with IVIG+GCS. There were no statistically significant differences between the groups regarding age, gender, BMI, or inflammatory markers. Methylprednisolone was the most common drug (80%). Echocardiographic abnormalities on admission were more prevalent in the IVIG+GCS group. Mean time from IVIG infusion to subsidence of fever was 1.1 days, and 1.5 for those in the IVIG+GCS group. Conclusions: GCS are commonly used in the treatment of MIS-C patients in Poland. Various GCS regimens are...
BackgroundIn response to the recent information about the outbreak of Kawasaki disease (KD) in ch... more BackgroundIn response to the recent information about the outbreak of Kawasaki disease (KD) in children connected to SARS-Cov-2 pandemic, we would like to present a group of six patients hospitalized from March to May 2020 with an inflammatory disease similar to KD. Findings There were four girls and two boys, aged from 15 months to 16 years. They all presented with fever lasting at least five days, irritability, bilateral nonexudative conjunctivitis, lymphadenopathy, mucus membrane changes, rash, edema.Neither the patients nor the other members of the patients' households had a positive history of COVID-19 infection. None of the six children had a positive PCR result for SARS-CoV-2 or a positive results for antibodies to SARS-CoV-2. All patients received empiric antibiotic therapy. Four patients were diagnosed with KD. Three children received standard treatment. One boy did not respond and received an additional 14-days course of methylprednisolone.In two girls, the diagnosis o...
Reumatologia/Rheumatology, 2016
A 17-year-old female patient was referred to the Infectious Diseases Ward because of fever lastin... more A 17-year-old female patient was referred to the Infectious Diseases Ward because of fever lasting for 14 days. On admission to the hospital the patient was in a generally good state, without any abnormalities on physical examination. Laboratory investigation revealed elevated inflammatory markers. Diagnostic imaging comprising chest X-ray, abdominal ultrasonography, and echocardiography showed no abnormalities. During the hospitalization, there occurred episodes of fever with skin rash and musculoskeletal pain of the lower limbs. Procalcitonin concentrations continued to increase. C-reactive protein concentrations decreased during therapy, starting from 191 mg/l. On the 23 rd day of the disease, edema of the feet, ankles, and knees appeared. On the basis of the clinical picture and after excluding other possible causes of fever, the patient was diagnosed with adult onset Still's disease. The procalcitonin concentration was normalized after 5 days of steroid therapy. The patient was discharged under ambulatory rheumatologic supervision.
World Journal of Gastroenterology, 2017
substantially contributed to the conception and design of the study, samples and data collection ... more substantially contributed to the conception and design of the study, samples and data collection and interpretation of results; Świątek-Kościelna B, Kałużna E, Rembowska J and Barcińska D performed the experiments; Świątek-Kościelna B and Strauss E analyzed the results; all authors drafted the article and made critical revisions related to the intellectual content of the manuscript, and approved the final version of the article to be published; Świątek-Kościelna B, Kałużna E and Strauss E contributed equally to this work. Institutional review board statement: The study was approved by the Bioethics Committee of the Poznan University of Medical Sciences (No. 650/12).
Medicine, 2017
Differential Diagnosis of bacterial and viral meningitis remains an important clinical problem. A... more Differential Diagnosis of bacterial and viral meningitis remains an important clinical problem. A number of methods to assist in the diagnoses of meningitis have been developed, but none of them have been found to have high specificity with 100% sensitivity.We conducted a retrospective analysis of the medical records of 148 children hospitalized in St. Joseph Children's Hospital in Poznań. In this study, we applied for the first time the original methodology of dominance-based rough set approach (DRSA) to diagnostic patterns of meningitis data and represented them by decision rules useful in discriminating between bacterial and viral meningitis. The induction algorithm is called VC-DomLEM; it has been implemented as software package called jMAF (http://www.cs.put.poznan.pl/jblaszczynski/Site/jRS.html), based on java Rough Set (jRS) library.In the studied group, there were 148 patients (78 boys and 70 girls), and the mean age was 85 months. We analyzed 14 attributes, of which onl...
International Journal of Infectious Diseases, 2016
Globally, 80-185 million people are infected with the hepatitis C virus (HCV). 1 The majority of ... more Globally, 80-185 million people are infected with the hepatitis C virus (HCV). 1 The majority of infected individuals (75-80%) are unaware of their infection. These patients are at risk of progression of HCV disease, leading to cirrhosis (in 20-30% of them after 10-20 years of infection), end-stage liver disease, and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). 2 There are seven HCV genotypes with whole-genome nucleotide sequences differing by more than 30%. 3,4 According to Robertson et al., genotypes 1, 2, 4, and 5 form separate clades (1, 2, 4, and 5, respectively), genotypes 3 and 10 form clade 3, and genotypes 6, 7, 8, 9, and 11 form clade 6. 5 For the purpose of this article, the term genotype has been used. The heterogeneity within genotypes has resulted in 67 subtypes. Isolates from the same HCV subtype differ in nucleotide sequence by no more than 5-15%. 4,5 Because acute HCV infection is typically asymptomatic, most genotyping is probably conducted on individuals with chronic infection. The frequency of the different HCV genotypes is different in different parts of the world. Genotype 1 is the most widely dispersed worldwide. In the USA, genotype 1 accounts for 70% of infections and genotypes 2 and 3 account for the majority of the remaining 30%. 1 In Europe the percentage of genotype 2 and 3 infections is greater than in the USA. Genotype 2 is widely
Central European Journal of Immunology, 2015
Introduction: Pneumocystis jirovecii is an opportunistic pathogen causing pneumocystis pneumonia ... more Introduction: Pneumocystis jirovecii is an opportunistic pathogen causing pneumocystis pneumonia (PCP), a life-threatening infection, in immunocompromised patients. In this study, retrospective analysis of the presence of P. jirovecii DNA in different samples collected from children with suspected PCP was carried out. Material and methods: Three hundred and six specimens [152 bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) specimens, 80 blood specimens, 18 bronchial secretions (BS), 34 induced sputum samples, 10 endotracheal aspirates (ETA), and 12 other type samples] obtained from patients with suspected PCP were examined by real-time PCR. Results: Forty (13.1%) patients were positive for P. jirovecii: 4 (7.7%) patients with malignancies, 3 (6.8%) transplant recipients, 15 (23.1%) other immunocompromised patients, and 18 (12.4%) immunocompetent patients. Pneumocystis jirovecii DNA was detected in 20.4% of BAL specimens, 11.1% of BS samples, 10% of ETA sample, 8.8% of induced sputum samples, and in 3.7% of blood samples. Comparing the frequency of the presence of P. jirovecii DNA between the group of children treated with PCP chemoprophylaxis (malignancy patients and transplant recipients) and a group of children not receiving this prophylaxis (other immunocompromised and immunocompetent children), we found that the occurrence of PCP was twice as high in the latter group of children (7.3% and 15.7%, respectively). Conclusions: Respiratory samples, such as BS, BAL, or ETA specimens, are the material of choice for the diagnosis of PCP. Due to high incidence of PCP in certain groups of immunocompetent and immunocompromised patients, besides cancer patients and transplant recipients, consideration of PCP prophylaxis is required in these groups as well.
Folia histochemica et cytobiologica / Polish Academy of Sciences, Polish Histochemical and Cytochemical Society, 2006
The studies performed till now have pointed to an increased serum levels of interleukin 2 (IL-2) ... more The studies performed till now have pointed to an increased serum levels of interleukin 2 (IL-2) in infection with hepatitis C virus (HCV). The present study was aimed at examining intrahepatic expression of IL-2 in children (n=15) and in adults (n=11) with chronic hepatitis C as well as its correlations with histological lesions and selected clinical data. The immunocytochemical techniques and in situ hybridization method were applied at light and electron microscopy level. Under the light microscope, expression of IL-2 was analysed semiquantitatively. As compared to the control material, in livers of both groups of chronic hepatitis C patients augmented expression of IL-2 was demonstrated. The reaction product was localized mainly in the cytoplasm of hepatocytes which was confirmed by hybridocytochemistry. The mean proportion of cells with positive reaction for IL-2 mRNA was significantly lower than the proportion of cells positive for the respective protein. No correlation was di...
Medycyna pracy, 2005
This article presents problems involved in the prevention of tuberculosis, which is essential in ... more This article presents problems involved in the prevention of tuberculosis, which is essential in the practice of occupational medicine physicians. Tuberculosis prevention is an important issue since TB morbidity in Poland is relatively high compared with other European countries. The authors discuss TB risk factors among health care workers, epidemiology of tuberculosis as an occupational disease in European countries, including Poland, and the principles of medical prevention.
International journal of occupational medicine and environmental health, 2002
Viral hepatitis is the most frequent occupational disease in the health service workers. On the g... more Viral hepatitis is the most frequent occupational disease in the health service workers. On the ground of epidemiological data on certifications of occupational diseases, an analysis of morbidity of viral hepatitis was performed. Among viruses that can cause occupational hepatitis there are HAV, HBV and HCV. However, occupational HDV and HGV infections are also possible. In Poland, the number of hepatitis diagnosed as occupational diseases became more stable in the years 1996-1998, whereas morbidity of hepatitis C significantly increased. Such an epidemiological situation could be observed in the area of Wielkopolska and throughout the country. In the former province of Poznań and in the present province of Wielkopolska, occupational hepatitis occurred mostly in nurses. In the nineteen sixties and seventies, the most dramatic increase in the incidence of hepatitis B was noticed in the population of nurses and midwives at the age between 21 and 30 years. This can provide evidence of ...
Acta poloniae pharmaceutica
Pegylated interferon α and ribavirin in treatment of chronic hepatitis C in children is used rare... more Pegylated interferon α and ribavirin in treatment of chronic hepatitis C in children is used rarely. The aim of the study was to find prognostic factors for sustained virological response and to analyze the safety of pegylated interferon α2a and ribavirin in children with chronic hepatitis C. The study covered a group of 44 children, mean age 14 years, with diagnosed chronic hepatitis C. Clinical, biochemical and virological parameters, as well as side effects were evaluated. Combined treatment allowed to obtain sustained virological response in a total of 77.5% of the treated children. Lower viral load and lower fibrosis grade contributed to sustained virological response. The response was not gender-related. The best response is obtained in children whose treatment was started after they attained the age of 10 years. Therapy with pegylated interferon α2a and ribavirin is well tolerated by pediatric patients.
Liver International, 2005
Aims and methods: The cellular localization of hepatitis C virus (HCV) proteins in chronic hepati... more Aims and methods: The cellular localization of hepatitis C virus (HCV) proteins in chronic hepatitis C remains a debatable issue. Aim of the studies included cellular and subcellular localization of two HCV proteins, NS3 and C protein, in liver biopsies from 20 children with chronic hepatitis C employing commercially available monoclonal antibodies and a semiquantitative technique of the proteins expression. In the studies advantage was taken of (Strept)avidin-biotin peroxidase complex and ImmunoMax technique. Results: The cytoplasmic localization of both proteins dominated over nuclear localization. The total amount of NS3 protein exceeded that of C protein. At the ultrastructural level, we observed both proteins in endoplasmic reticulum membranes and mitochondria, but small amount of both proteins was seen also in cell nuclei. The amount of either protein did not correlate with liver histology in our patients. No correlation could be disclosed between content of both proteins and HCV RNA levels in serum. Content of NS3 demonstrated negative correlation with activity of alanine transaminase. Conclusion: In conclusion, the new aspect in present studies involved localization of C and NS3 proteins at the levels of light and electron microscopy in children. For the first time also intramitochondrial localization of NS3 protein was demonstrated.
Journal of Histochemistry & Cytochemistry, 2004
Hepatitis C virus (HCV) is one of the principal causes of hepatitis, which in more than 80% of ca... more Hepatitis C virus (HCV) is one of the principal causes of hepatitis, which in more than 80% of cases leads to chronic lesions in the liver and involvement of extrahepatic organs. It remains unknown why the infection so frequently turns chronic, independently of patient age. Using immunocytochemistry (IHC) and in situ hybridization (ISH) (both linked to the ImmunoMax technique) we examined cell sources of TNF-α, IL-1α, and IL-2 in control and HCV-infected children and adults. We demonstrated augmented expression of all the cytokines in HCV-infected patients compared to controls. No differences were detected in amounts of studied transcripts or cytokine proteins between biopsies taken from HCV-infected children and adults. Expression of TNF-α was localized mainly in liver sinusoidal cells (macrophages, endothelial cells). A high proportion of hepatocytes demonstrated expression of TNF-α, IL-1α, and IL-2. In both groups of patients, higher amounts of cytokine proteins than studied tran...
Japanese journal of infectious diseases, 2007
Identification of hepatitis C virus (HCV)-RNA in blood serum is crucial for hepatitis C diagnosis... more Identification of hepatitis C virus (HCV)-RNA in blood serum is crucial for hepatitis C diagnosis and for appropriate treatment. Detection of HCV-RNA in blood serum is used for therapy monitoring of patients with hepatitis C. Despite HCV-RNA elimination from blood serum during treatment in some patients, HCV viremia appears again after the completion of therapy. The aim of this study was to assess HCV-RNA in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) of hepatitis C patients in relation to HCV-RNA and antibodies to HCV in the serum. The study involved 71 patients undergoing anti-viral therapy (interferon and ribavirin). RNA isolated from serum and PBMCs was examined for the presence of HCV-RNA by an RT-PCR technique using specific oligonucleotide primers or by commercially available kits. In order to show the possible presence of HCV sequences in PBMCs, molecular DNA probes were constructed with a PCR amplicon and biotin-labelled by nick translation, and FISH and extended chromatin f...
Ginekologia Polska, 2021
Rapid spread of severe acute respiratory syndrome coranovirus-2 virus (SARS-CoV-2) caused the pan... more Rapid spread of severe acute respiratory syndrome coranovirus-2 virus (SARS-CoV-2) caused the pandemic of Coronavirus Disease 19 (COVID-19). Clinical course of the disease presents symptoms mainly from the respiratory system such as: cough, dyspnea and fever, and among some patients, can deteriorate even further to acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), eventually leading to death. This outbreak, as well as previous ones (SARS, MERS) pose a significant challenge for health care managers, epidemiologists and physicians. Below we are presenting the clinical profile of the COVID-19 among special group of patients; pregnant women and newborns, who require special clinical management during hospitalization. In the summary of this manuscript, we present practical guidelines for managing pregnant women infected with SARS-CoV-2, labor and care of the newborn of a positive mother, as well as practical guidelines for COVID-19 vaccinations. It is important to stress, that this manuscript is based on information available as of December 2020.
Children, 2021
The DRSA method (dominance-based rough set approach) was used to create decision-making rules bas... more The DRSA method (dominance-based rough set approach) was used to create decision-making rules based on the results of physical examination and additional laboratory tests in the differential diagnosis of Kawasaki disease (KD), infectious mononucleosis and S. pyogenes pharyngitis in children. The study was conducted retrospectively. The search was based on the ICD-10 (International Classification of Diseases) codes of final diagnosis. Demographic and laboratory data from one Polish hospital (Poznan) were collected. Traditional statistical methods and the DRSA method were applied in data analysis. The algorithm formed 45 decision rules recognizing KD. The rules with the highest sensitivity (number of false negatives equals zero) were based on the presence of conjunctivitis and CRP (C-reactive Protein) ≥ 40.1 mg/L, thrombocytosis and ESR (Erythrocyte Sedimentation Rate) ≥ 77 mm/h; fair general condition and fever ≥ 5 days and rash; fair general condition and fever ≥ 5 days and conjunct...
Vaccines, 2021
COVID-19 vaccinations are about to begin in various countries or are already ongoing. This is an ... more COVID-19 vaccinations are about to begin in various countries or are already ongoing. This is an unprecedented operation that is also met with a loud response from anti-vaccine communities—currently using all available channels to manipulate public opinion. At the same time, the strategy to educate on vaccinations, explain their mechanism of action, and build trust in science is subdued in different world parts. Such actions should go much beyond campaigns promoting the COVID-19 vaccines solely on the information provided by the health institutions and national authorities. In this paper, actions provided by independent expert groups needed to counteract the anti-vaccine propaganda and provide scientific-based information to the general public are offered. These actions encompass organizing groups continuously communicating science on COVID-19 vaccines to the general public; tracking and tackling emerging and circulating fake news; and equipping celebrities and politicians with scie...
Vaccines, 2021
Vaccine hesitancy is a major threat to the success of COVID-19 vaccination programs. The present ... more Vaccine hesitancy is a major threat to the success of COVID-19 vaccination programs. The present cross-sectional online survey of adult Poles (n = 1020) expressing a willingness to receive the COVID-19 vaccine was conducted between February and March 2021 and aimed to assess (i) the general trust in different types of vaccines, (ii) the level of acceptance of the COVID-19 vaccines already in use in Poland (BNT162b2 by BioNTech/Pfizer, mRNA-1273 by Moderna and AZD1222 by Oxford/AstraZeneca) as well as eight vaccines approved outside European Union (EU) or in advanced stages of clinical trials, (iii) level of fear of vaccination against COVID-19, and (iv) main sources of information on COVID-19 vaccination. Among all major vaccine technology, the highest level of trust was observed for the mRNA platform, with a considerable number of surveyed (>20%) not aware of the existence of vaccines produced using the traditional approach (inactivated and live attenuated vaccines). The age of ...