Psoriasis confined strictly to vitiligo areas – a Koebner‐like phenomenon?

Vitiligo and psoriasis are both common skin disorders. However, psoriasis strictly confined to pre-existing vitiligo areas is rare and suggests a causal relationship. We report here on two patients with a strict anatomical colocalization of vitiligo and psoriasis. The histopathological examinations showed typical changes for both diseases together with a dense infiltrate of CD4+ and CD8+ T cells. By immunohistochemistry, intracytoplasmatic granzyme B and tumour necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha) were detected within the T-cell population, suggesting the functional activity of these cells and the creation of a local T helper 1 (Th1)-cytokine milieu. Additionally, in one patient we could identify anti-melanocytic T cells by tetramer staining and enzyme-linked immunospot (ELISPOT) analysis. These skin-infiltrating lymphocytes might trigger, by the local production of Th-1 cytokines such as TNF-alpha and interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma), the eruption of psoriatic plaques in patients with a genetic predisposition for psoriasis.     

Circannual variation in lymphocyte subsets, revisited

BACKGROUND: Circadian and circannual variations in lymphocyte subsets, especially CD8+ T-lymphocytes, have been reported. This study focuses on CD4+ T-lymphocyte seasonal variation over a 6-year 8-month period. STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS: Lymphocyte subsets were quantitated monthly for four healthy individuals from 1986 through 1992 as part of a flow cytometry quality-control program. RESULTS: In general, there were no significant seasonal changes in the total number of white cells or in total lymphocyte counts. The absolute numbers of CD4+ T-lymphocytes were lowest in summer when the CD8+ T-lymphocytes were highest. Mean CD4+ T-lymphocyte counts were 846, 967, 618, and 695 per microL for Subjects 1 through 4, respectively, in winter and 432, 670, 355, and 766 per microL, respectively, in summer. Two healthy subjects had CD4+ T-lymphocyte counts lower than 300 per microL on one or more occasions during the study period. In three of the four subjects, the percentage of B-lymphocytes in winter was almost double that in summer. In one of the four subjects, no circannual rhythm was observed in these lymphocyte subpopulations. CONCLUSION: The seasonal variation in CD4+ T- lymphocyte counts demonstrated in three healthy individuals over almost 7 years is again of interest in light of renewed consideration of using surrogate tests, such as CD4+ T-lymphocyte counts, to screen for AIDS- like diseases that may be in the blood supply.     

A rapid microagglutination test for the diagnosis of Legionella pneumophila (serogroup 1) infection

A rapid microagglutination test has been developed which can be performed in 30 minutes. Ninety-seven percent of 96 patients diagnosed as having Legionella pneumophila (serogroup 1) infection by indirect immunofluorescence were also detected by the rapid microagglutination test.     

Microorganisms isolated from clinical specimens of patients from the Department of Thoracic Surgery

The clinical specimens received from patients hospitalized in Department of Thoracic Surgery between 1997 and 2001 were microbiologically examined. The main specimen for microbiological examination was pleural fluid (median 34%). The frequency of specimens from bronchial tree increased significantly (from 4% to 26%) with concurrent decrease of sputum (from 29% to 6%). Among isolated pathogens, Gram negative rods were the most frequent (median 48%) and Pseudomonas sp. was the main pathogen among them. Occurrence of staphylococci was median 22% and Staphylococcus aureus, with a little decrease in analyzed period, was still the main Gram positive pathogen. Simultaneously the occurrence of MRSA in the last three years dropped three times. The number of isolations of yeasts have risen from 5.8% to 10.3%.     

Enzyme immunosorbent assay for Ebola virus antigens in tissues of infected primates.

A sandwich enzyme immunosorbent assay (EIA) using a mixture of mouse monoclonal antibodies for antigen capture and polyclonal hyperimmune rabbit anti-Ebola virus serum for antigen detection was developed and evaluated on the tissues of monkeys naturally or experimentally infected with strains of Ebola viruses. When compared with virus isolation, the antigen detection EIA was both sensitive and specific: 44 of 45 (97.7%) liver homogenates and 38 of 41 (92.7%) spleen homogenates that were culture positive and tested by both techniques were positive for viral antigen, while 85 of 87 (97.7%) culture-negative liver homogenates and 66 of 66 culture-negative spleen homogenates were found to be antigen negative. The assay, initially developed to detect antigens of prototype African strains of Ebola virus, reliably detected related strains of Ebola virus found during two recent outbreaks of Ebola virus infection among imported, quarantined Macaca fascicularis monkeys in the United States. The assay allows economical and rapid testing of large numbers of tissue specimens. Antigen was found in homogenates of spleen and liver and in serum.     

Studies on the origin of redox enzymes in seminal plasma and their relationship with results of in-vitro fertilization

Glutathione (GSH), GSH peroxidase (GPX), GSH reductase (GRD), superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase-like enzyme activity were quantified in seminal plasma from normozoospermic patients, men with known distal ductal occlusion, proven fathers and male partners of couples receiving in-vitro fertilization (IVF) treatment for both male and female causes. Glutathione was non-detectable (< 2.5 microM) in seminal plasma. None of the enzyme activities per unit volume were lower in semen from vasectomized men, suggesting that they did not originate substantially from the testis or epididymis. The strongest relationships between enzyme activities and accessory gland markers were between zinc and GRD (r = 0.678), SOD (r = 0.602) and GPX (r = 0.548), suggesting a largely prostatic origin of these enzymes. Only weak relationships between accessory gland markers and catalase-like activity suggested a multi-glandular source of this enzyme. There was no relationship between the activity of any of the enzymes in the IVF patients with their fertilization rates in vitro or the establishment of pregnancy after IVF. Nor was there any correlation of enzyme activity with the morphology and percentage of motile spermatozoa in semen or with the percentage motility of spermatozoa immediately after swim-up or after overnight incubation. These findings suggest that the protective enzymes in the seminal plasma are contributed largely by the prostate and little by the epididymis, and that in most cases of IVF, they have no major influence on the outcome.