Natale Figura

Publications (172) View all

• Article: Erythema nodosum associated with Staphylococcus xylosus septicemia.

  Nicola Giordano, Claudio Corallo, Clelia Miracco, Panagiotis Papakostas, Antonio Montella, Natale Figura, Ranuccio Nuti
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  ABSTRACT: Staphylococcus xylosus is a coagulase-negative staphylococcus. It is a commensal bacterium associated with skin and mucous membranes and occasionally it can cause human infections. We report the first case of erythema nodosum developed in a young woman with S. xylosus septicemia and specific serum antibody response.
  Journal of microbiology, immunology, and infection = Wei mian yu gan ran za zhi 12/2012; · 0.99 Impact Factor
• Article: Factors modulating the outcome of treatment for the eradication of Helicobacter pylori infection.

  Natale Figura, Elena Moretti, L Vaglio, F Langone, Remo Vernillo, Carla Vindigni, Nicola Giordano
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  ABSTRACT: A group of 180 H. pylori culture positive dyspeptic patients (64 patients with peptic ulcer, PU) completed a 2-week treatment with omeprazole, amoxicillin and metronidazole and underwent endoscopy again 6-8 weeks after the end of therapy. One hundred and twenty-four patients (68.8%) were successfully treated. Factors increasing the rates of eradication were the presence of PU (p=0.007) and anti-CagA serum antibodies (p=0.003). Factors negatively modulating eradication were the presence of coccoid forms (p=0.0008) and metronidazole-resistant strains (p=0.001); degrees of histological gastritis had no significant effect on eradication rates. Microscopic examination of smeared biopsies for the detection of the coccoid morphoytpe of H. pylori may help avoiding therapeutic failures.
  The new microbiologica: official journal of the Italian Society for Medical, Odontoiatric, and Clinical Microbiology (SIMMOC) 07/2012; 35(3):335-40. · 1.00 Impact Factor
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  Article: Infection by CagA-Positive Helicobacter pylori Strains may Contribute to Alter the Sperm Quality of Men with Fertility Disorders and Increase the Systemic Levels of TNF-α

  Giulia Collodel, Elena Moretti, Maria Stella Campagna, Serena Capitani, Cristina Lenzi, Natale Figura
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  ABSTRACT: This study was aimed to address the possibility that Helicobacter pylori infection may play a detrimental role in semen quality of men with idiopathic infertility. Infection by H.pylori and by strains expressing CagA was determined in 80 male infertile patients by Western blotting and ELISA. Semen analysis was performed by light microscopy and transmission electron microscopy quantitatively elaborated (fertility index, immaturity, necrosis, and apoptosis percentages). Systemic levels of IL-6 and TNF-α were evaluated. Infertile patients infected with H.pylori showed a low sperm quality respective to uninfected patients. Particularly, in CagA-positive patients we observed a significant reduction in sperm motility and in the fertility index, while apoptosis and necrosis were increased. In these patients, the means of systemic TNF-α levels were higher than those of uninfected patients. The negative influence of CagA-positive H.pylori infection on sperm quality may help to understand the role of chronic infections in reproductive disorders.
  Digestive Diseases and Sciences 04/2012; 55(1):94-100. · 2.12 Impact Factor
• Article: cagA structural types of Helicobacter pylori strains isolated from patients with gastric carcinoma and chronic gastritis only.

  Natale Figura, Elena Moretti, Francesco Roviello, Francesco Papini, Daniele Marrelli
  Internal and Emergency Medicine 02/2012; 7 Suppl 2:S103-5. · 2.06 Impact Factor
• Article: Influence of Helicobacter pylori Infection on Levels of Ghrelin and Obestatin in Human Semen.

  Elena Moretti, Giulia Collodel, Maria Stella Campagna, Maria Beatrice Franci, Francesca Iacoponi, Lucia Mazzi, Natale Figura
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  ABSTRACT: Helicobacter pylori (HP) infection might have negative effects on the semen parameters of infertile men. We explored the possibility that this infection can influence systemic and seminal levels of ghrelin and obestatin, hormones mainly produced by the stomach. Ghrelin and obestatin exert many activities, including the regulation of reproductive biology, and are present in many organs and fluids, including human semen. In 78 men, we determined HP infection and cytotoxin-associated gene A protein (CagA) status by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and Western blotting, semen quality following World Health Organization guidelines, and ghrelin and obestatin levels in the blood stream (47 subjects) and semen by radioimmunoassay. Twenty-seven men (34.6%) were infected (HP+) and 11 out of 27 infected men (40.7%) were seropositive for CagA (CagA+). Sperm motility was significantly reduced in HP+/CagA+ men compared with HP+/CagA- men (P < .01). Ghrelin semen levels were decreased in HP+ men compared with uninfected individuals (P < .05), whereas they were increased in HP+/CagA+ men compared with HP+/CagA- subjects (P < .01). Ghrelin semen concentrations in HP+/CagA- men were lower than those measured in uninfected subjects (P < .001). Semen obestatin concentration was increased, in a nonsignificant manner, in HP+/CagA+ men. The obestatin levels were approximately 4 times higher than those of ghrelin in semen and approximately half the levels of ghrelin in serum specimens of all the analyzed groups. No significant differences were found in systemic levels of ghrelin and obestatin in HP+ to uninfected individuals. HP infection may influence the ghrelin seminal concentrations, probably as a response to a negative effect of infection on the semen quality.
  Journal of Andrology 12/2011; 33(5):938-43. · 2.97 Impact Factor