Wiadomości parazytologiczne
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Ascariasis is the most common soil-transmitted helminth infection in the world. The objective of this study was to analyze the clinical symptoms and selected hematological indices of ascariasis in hospitalized children from the northeastern region of Poland. Patients in the Pediatric Ward hospitalized in the Regional Hospital in Dabrowa Białostocka in the period of 2005-2007 were included in this retrospective study. ⋯ Significant predictors of intestinal stage ascariasis in a multivariate logistic regression model were: abdominal pain as a reason for hospital admission (OR-2.19; 95% CI 1.62-2.95; p < 0.001) and age from 4 to 7 years (OR-2.0; 95% CI 1.41-2.80; p < 0.001). The prevalence rate of ascariasis was not higher in the group of patients with atopic diseases (bronchial asthma, allergic rhinitis, atopic dermatitis) and co-existing ascariasis did not affect the eosinophil counts in the peripheral blood. Ascariasis is still a current pediatric clinical problem characterized by non-specific clinical manifestations, which should be taken into consideration in the differential diagnosis of children's diseases.
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The first human cases of infections with entire avian influenza strain were caused by subtype A/H5N1/ and occurred in 1997 in Hong Kong. Since this year until 27 March 2007 World Health Organization confirmed over 370 human cases of infections with avian influenza and almost 160 persons died due to this pathogen. ⋯ Nevertheless, it is possible that with time virus will adapt to human sufficiently to be able to cause next influenza pandemic. Despite intensive studies and global influenza surveillance there is no possible to predict when pandemic will begin and what kind of virus will cause this outbreak.
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Review Historical Article
[Scientific standards in parasitology in historical perspective].
An analysis of scientific standards in parasitology was carried out from the perspective of anthropology of knowledge - a new discipline that emerged from non-classical history science in the 1990s. The history of parasitology, its development and limitations, are presented in a broad socio-cultural context, as the answers of scientists to different social needs in historical periods. In parasitological history there are some periods characteristic for all newly emerging disciplines of natural science. ⋯ After World War II, in the fourth stage of parasitology development, attention was mainly paid to local natural environment in order to diagnose parasites and their vectors. At the same time, parasitology became an applied science practiced in many specialized centres not only at universities. Presently, the main aims of parasitology are studies on biodiversity of parasites and environmental protection in the developed countries, and within tropical medicine as the travel medicine, because of rapid increase of tourism.
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Climate warming may have significant impacts on human health, including changes in the distribution and seasonality of vector-borne diseases. We discuss the consequences of climate change on infectious diseases. Effects of transmission of the imported tropical diseases in Europe are discussed.
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Biography Historical Article
[Professor Roscislaw Kadlubowski: scholar and academic teacher (80th anniversary of his birthday].