Hospital-acquired hepatitis B (HBV) and C virus (HCV) infections continue to occur despite increased awareness of this problem among the medical community. One hundred six patients were infected in a haematology oncology ward for children, over the time period 1996 to 2000. Serum samples from 45 such patients and 3 from infected medical personnel were used for nucleic acid amplification. HBV core, as well as HCV core and hypervariable region 1 (HVR1) nucleotide sequences, were analysed by phylogenetic tree analysis, in order to characterise the epidemiological pattern of viral transmission on the ward. Samples from 32 patients were positive for HBV-DNA or HCV-RNA by PCR. Ten patients were positive for both markers. Seventeen out of twenty-three HCV core gene sequences were found to be evolutionarily related and clustered separately from other local sequences in the phylogenetic tree, indicating nosocomial transmission. This was confirmed by analysis of HVR1 gene sequences. One nurse and one physician from the ward were HCV RNA positive, but their HCV sequences were not related evolutionarily to those of the patient cluster. Fifteen out of nineteen HBV core gene sequences were also clustered together and were positioned separately in the relevant tree. Epidemiological investigation excluded a common source infection and indicated that spread of infection was most likely due to inappropriate infection control measures on the ward. No obvious risk factors for transmission were identified during the retrospective survey in patients with related sequences, except use of multidose vials for saline and poor staff compliance with routine hand hygiene procedures. The preventive measures that were introduced reduced the incidence of infection significantly. No new cases of HBV infection and only three anti-HCV seroconversions occurred over a period of 19 months. The introduction and maintenance of strict prevention measures over a 2 year period, combined with HBV vaccination, reduced significantly the incidence of new HCV and HBV infections.

Background and aim. Complete gonadal dysgenesis or Swyer syndrome is a rare genetic disorder characterized by 46,XY karyotype and female phenotype with undeveloped streak gonads and high malignancy risk. The condition usually manifests in teenage and young adults with delayed puberty and primary amenorrhea. The purpose of this study was to investigate the incidence and potential malignant outcomes of complete gonadal dysgenesis in Latvia. Methods. 37 patients were included in a retrospective study from 1996 to 2016.  In fifteen cases, additional patient information was available. Information from medical records was collected on age at the time of diagnosis: anamnesis data, laboratory results, histology of gonads, and treatment. Results. Complete gonadal dysgenesis with karyotype 46,XY was proven in 36 (97.3%) cases and one (2.7%) case with karyotype 47,XY,+21. The average age of patients at the time of diagnosis was 15.4 ± 8.0 years. The study included 15 cases: eight patients (53.3%) were investigated for primary amenorrhea, and incomplete development of secondary sexual characteristics, 5 patients (33.3%) with abdominal pain and lower abdominal mass, 2 patients (13.3%) were diagnosed at birth. Gonadectomy was performed in 12 cases (80%). The median time between diagnosis and gonadectomy was 0.4 ± 4.3 years. The histopathology results from the gonadal biopsy showed malignancy in 7 cases (58.3%). The most commonly diagnosed tumors were dysgerminoma and gonadoblastoma. Conclusion. Early diagnosis of Swyer syndrome is necessary in view of the risk of malignancy that can develop at a young age. In several cases, the diagnosis of the syndrome was made only after the malignant process development. The study showed the median time between diagnosis and gonadectomy was suboptimal. Therefore, women with amenorrhea and lack of secondary sexual characteristics require careful investigation.

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