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Multiple myeloma is associated with a high risk of infections. We hypothesized that Fc gamma receptor (FCGR) and myeloperoxidase (MPO) promoter gene polymorphisms influence the risk of infections after induction chemotherapy (IC) and autologous stem cell transplantation (ASCT). Retrospectively, we analysed 136 patient courses of IC and 113 procedures of ASCT. Genetic analyses were made with PCR techniques on genomic DNA. The incidence rate ratio of sepsis during ASCT in patients homozygous for the G-129MPO promoter type was 0.30 (95% CI: 0.09-0.96). The G-463AMPO promoter polymorphism was not associated with the risk of infections. The polymorphisms of FCGR2A, FCGR3A and FCGR3B were not convincingly associated with infections. The NA1 variant of FCGR3B was strongly skewed with other risk factors, and the results in IC and ASCT were conflicting. Further studies of the G-129AMPO promoter as a potential risk modifier for infections are relevant. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bacterial infections are major causes of morbidity and death in patients with liver cirrhosis. The risk of bacterial meningitis in these patients is unknown, however. In this study on a nation-wide cohort of 22,743 patients with liver cirrhosis in Denmark an incidence rate of bacterial meningitis of 54.4 per 100,000 was found [95% confidence interval (CI) 40.3-71.9]. The highest incidence rate was found in patients with alcoholic cirrhosis, 65.3 per 100,000 person-years (95% CI 46.2-89.6), compared with 34.6 per 100,000 person-years (95% CI 17.3-61.9) in patients with non-alcoholic cirrhosis. The 30-d case fatality rate was 53.1% (95% CI 38.3-67.5), and high age and alcoholic cirrhosis were associated with the highest case fatality rates. The main bacterial pathogens were pneumococci and unspecified bacteria. These findings suggest that patients with liver cirrhosis are at increased risk of bacterial meningitis with a poor prognosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A Danish school class travelled under primitive circumstances in East Africa for 28 d. Four out of 18 persons had febrile illnesses interpreted as malaria during the journey. Retrospective serological testing for antibodies against the P. falciparum circumsporozoite protein indicated a transmission rate of more than 80% despite extensive protection against mosquito bites. The study demonstrates the use of serological evaluation of malaria transmission risk as well as retrospective immunodiagnosis of clinical malaria. Three of the travellers with febrile illnesses used self-medication with mefloquine, and in 2 of the cases a diagnosis of malaria was supported by a positive immunofluorescence assay for malaria antibodies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]