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The authors submitted 8 patients with bronchiectasis to endobronchial therapy with Aztreonam 2 gr twice a week for 4 weeks after endobronchial lavage with sodium chloride solution. They observed a definite clinical and radiological improvement and a stabilized condition of the disease was observed. No hepatic or renal toxicity was detected.

Several years of experience have demonstrated that levamisole can be used on a wide scale in pneumology, not only in lung cancer but also in: chronic and acute tuberculosis, in purulent bronchiectasic bronchitis, in lung abscess, in sarcoidosis and in some lung mycosis. In fact, in our patients we have observed a marked improvement of the clinical and radiological conditions and of the immunological data. In several cases the satisfactory results obtained remained unchanged during the whole period of our control (8 months): in other cases showing the beginning of an impairment a new short period of treatment with levamisole following the usual schedule was sufficient to block the threat of a worsening situation.

Major epidemiological aspects of tuberculosis, a worldwide diffuse disease, are examined with regard to socio-economical consequences in different countries. These data are compared with the latest statistical informations collected in Italy. Although incidence and prevalence of tuberculosis in our country are constantly decreasing, the disease is still a problem both from the diagnostic and therapeutic point of view and from the social one, also in view of the diminished surveillance on the disease. Diagnostic aspects of tuberculosis are also discussed, and the present rarity of some clinical forms (miliary tbc, caseating pneumonia) is emphasized.

A review of the relevant literature is followed by the presentation of experimental and clinical results obtained with intradermal administration of the histamine releaser 48/80. The value of this substance in the diagnosis and treatment of bronchial asthma is stressed.