In contrast to the other Nordic countries Sweden has long had a favourable position as regards meningococcal disease. In the last 10 year period the annual incidence has been only about one case per 100,000 inhabitants. The treatment once the cause is confirmed is conventional and no different from that in the other Nordic countries but varies somewhat in the event of unknown etiology. Cortisone therapy also seems to be more frequent in treatment of meningitis. Two strategies for antibiotic prophylaxis are used in Sweden.
A study was made of clinical effectiveness and mechanism of action of the inhibitor of the specific 3',5'-cAMP phosphodiesterase papaverine in a therapeutic complex of measures designed to treat RA patients involving an immunodepressive preparation free from any cytopenic effect prospidin as a basic mediator. It has been shown that the papaverine antiarthritic action is associated with its positive effects on the unspecific component of the immune-complex inflammation, viz. processes of lipid peroxidation, activity of the antioxidant system of defence as well as on the vascular tone and microcirculation. All this improves tissue metabolism, and in this way enhances efficiency of RA basic therapy.
Three cases of visceral leishmaniasis (kala-azar) are presented. One of these was in a 43-year-old patient with AIDS who was infected in Southern Spain. Another was in a man aged 25 years infected in West Africa. These cases are the first two adults to be reported in Denmark. The third case was an 18 month old previously healthy boy, infected in Southern Spain. The symptomtology, diagnosis and treatment of the disease are discussed and it is stressed that serological diagnostic tests have limited value in HIV positive patients.
