A unique urban encephalitis epidemic in Romania signaled the emergence of neurological infection due to West Nile (WN) virus as a novel public health threat in Eastern Europe and provided an opportunity to evaluate patterns of immunoglobulin G (IgG) and IgM reactivity in IgM capture and IgG enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISAs). WN virus infection was diagnosed serologically in 236 of 290 patients from whom acute serum or cerebrospinal fluid

After an epidemic of West Nile (WN) virus neurologic infections in southeastern Romania in 1996, human and animal surveillance were established to monitor continued transmission of the virus. During 1997 and 1998, neurologic infections were diagnosed serologically as WN encephalitis in 12 of 322 patients in 19 southeastern districts and in 1 of 75 Bucharest patients. In addition, amid a countrywide epidemic of measles, the etiology of the febrile

Little evidence exists on how to efficiently and effectively monitor HIV-disease progression in developing countries. Better understanding regarding cost-effective tests may help to resolve questions regarding treatment. A prospective cohort study was conducted with a 1-year follow-up period. Immune complex-dissociated (ICD) p24 antigen (ICD p24Ag), alone or in combination with HIV p24 antibody (p24Ab), was compared to HIV-RNA and CD4+ count in a

Background. We evaluated the frequency of hepatitis coinfection in Romanian adolescents who were diagnosed with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection prior to 1995. Methods. One hundred sixty-one adolescents (13–18 years of age) with symptomatic HIV infection, but without signs of hepatic dysfunction, and 356 age-matched, HIV-uninfected controls underwent laboratory testing for markers of parenterally acquired hepatitis virus infection.

In the summer of 1996 Romania experienced a large outbreak of West Nile virus (WNV) meningoencephalitis with more than 500 clinical cases and high rates of death (up to 10%). It was the first epidemic recorded in Europe associated with urban/suburban infrastructural conditions that favoured an increase in the distribution and abundance of mosquito vectors. Careful monitoring of acute neurological human cases reported in previously affected districts,

The Romanian HIV epidemic started and evolved as a paediatric one, accounting for more than a quarter of the total European juvenile AIDS cases. In response to this major AIDS outbreak, emphasis was placed on the patient's treatment, by implementation of a free, universal access program of Highly Active AntiRetroviral Therapy. This approach has been highly successful, and has greatly increased the rate of survival in infected children. Nevertheless,