Contribution of the Pittet's index,antigen assay,IgM, and total antibodies in the diagnosis of invasive candidiasis in intensive care unit

ObjectiveNosocomial invasive candidiasis is about 15% of nosocomial infections in patients in intensive care units (ICUs). Clinical signs of severe infection lack specificity, and bloodstream lack of sensitivity. Suggested tools for improving the prognosis by providing an early diagnosis include the colonization index (CI), mannan antigenemia, and anti-Candida antibodies.MethodsWe evaluated these three tools in an ICU. Patients at risk for candidiasis were screened for colonization at ICU admission, and then once a week. The CI was determined at each timepoint. Serum was collected at the same timepoints for determination of mannan antigen (ELISA Platelia^®, Bio-Rad, France), anti-Candida IgM (ELISA, Candiquant-IgM^®, Biomerica distributed by Biotrin, Lyon, France), and total anti-Candida antibodies (immunofluorescence).ResultsDuring the 2-year study period, there were 75 eligible patients. In the 46 medical patients, antigenemia had the best sensitivity and specificity (75% and 57%) but failed to separate infected from non-infected patients (Fisher exact test, 0.240). In the 29 surgical patients, the CI allow us to differentiate infected patients (Fisher exact test, P = 0.052).ConclusionSerological tests failed to differentiate infected from non-infected patients. The Pittet's CI identified infected surgical patients (Fisher exact test, 0.052), which are in the population with CI > 0.5.     

Anomalous Mixed Lymphocyte Culture Reactivity between HLA—A, —B, —C, —DR Identical Siblings

Complete HLA typing including HLA--A, --B, --C, --DR (D related B cell typing), --D, mixed lymphocyte culture (MLC), and primed lymphocyte testing (PLT), together with complete red blood cell (RBC), glyoxalase (GLO), GBG (Factor B), and phosphoglucomutase 3 (PGM3) typings were performed on a informative family. The five siblings inherited the four possible combinations of parental HLA haplotypes, and two of the siblings were HLA--A, --B, --C and --DR identical. Repeated MLC testing of the family revealed positive mixed lymphocyte reactivity in all combinations. B cell typing for the DR specificities demonstrated no variation from the expected inheritance pattern and specifically no recombination event. GBG and GLO typings militated against a recombination involving the paternal chromosome. HLA--D testing revealed that only one of the HLA--A, --B, --C, and --DR identical siblings gave typing responses to the HLA--Dw3 specificity present on that maternal haplotype. Utilizing HLA haploidentical combinations, lymphocytes were primed against the four parental haplotypes and the non-Dw3 haplotype of interest (Aw24--B8--DRw3--LDY) in the PLT. The sibling inheriting this haplo-type did not restimulate cells primed against the A2--B40--DRW6--LDY specificity. Furthermore, no discrimination was observed in the restimulation of lymphocytes primed against this haplo-type. Possible interpretations of these family data include: a spontaneous mutation, non-major histocompatibility locus (MHC) stimulation, and HLA--DR/D recombination.     

Koagulation unlöslicher,gefällter polymermoleküle,grundlagen der trübungstitration

After the precipìtation of polymer from a solution of concentration c the light scattering intensity R₀ (in the direction of the primary beam) usually does not reach a constant value but is equal to kc²t, t being the time since precipitation. The constant k does not depend on molecular weight M (10⁴<M<10⁶) and is proportional to 1/η₁, η₁ being the viscosity of the dispersing medium. Various polymers with refractive index increments v_i have nearly the same value of k/v. Furthermore long chain branching or intramolecular crosslinks do not influence this value. These results prove that the coagulation of polymers is controlled by diffusion (theory of coagulation by Smoluchowski). Coagulation and coalescence are retarded if the polymer molecules are able to associate or to crystallise. They stop at low particle weights if the particles are hard or if they carry about 10 electric elementary charges per particle. During turbidimetric titrations freshly precipitated molecules are quickly adsorbed by the existing particles, thus increasing mainly the number average particle weight. If this increase in turbidity is small compared to that resulting from the coagulation of particles, the increase of R₀·V/V₀ with log V is proportional to the square of the concentration of all the precipitated molecules during titrations of chemically equal molecules. (V is the volume of the titrated solution.) From titration curves one may thus derive the distributions of solubilities and molecular weights. Similar evaluations give the distribution of chemical compositions, if polymers with nearly equal molecular weights are titrated (GPC-eluates).     

HLA—A, —B, and —D Antigens in Paralytic Poliomyelitis

Sixty-two unrelated Caucasian patients from the Munich area who had had paralytic poliomyelitis in the 1950s and the early 1960s were analyzed. HLA-A and -B typing was performed for 26 antigens. HLA-D tying was done using six different established homozygous typing cells defining the specificities Dw1-Dw5 and Dw11, plus one locally defined typing cell. None of the HLA-A, -B or -D determinants showed a significant deviation in frequency from control populations. Of interest may be a decrease of B8 and an increase of Bw16 (Bw38/39) and B27, but these deviations are not significant in their P values are corrected for the number of comparisons made.     

Polymères thiocarboxyliques, 3. Réaction avec les dérivés amines: ammoniac,amines, diamines,amino-acides,dipeptides, colorants

Dithiocarboxylic groups as side groups on linear or crosslinked polymers were transformed quantitatively into the corresponding thioamides by ammonia and primary or secondary amines, whereas reaction with 1,2-diaminoethane led to poly(Δ2-imidazoline)s. Due to the high reactivity of carboxymethyl diethioesters [(2-thioacylthio)acetic acid] the fixation of amino acids, dipeptides, and amino dyes on macromolecular chains was realized with high yields.     

Quantification de Stachybotrys chartarum par PCR en temps réel dans l'environnement domestique,hospitalier, et agricole

ObjectiveStachybotrys chartarum is a toxigenic mould that could be responsible for severe illness. Detection and quantitative measurement of S. chartarum conidia in environmental samples using direct microscopic examination or culture methods were labour intensive and time consuming, and have a low sensibility. The aim of our study was to evalue the real-time PCR for S. chartarum detection in indoor building, agricultural and hospital environments.MethodsDetection of S. chartarum using real-time PCR was performed in 76 samples: 1) air samples (N = 15) and hay samples (N = 30) from farmer environment; 2) air samples (N = 3) and surface samples (N = 5) from indoor buildings; 3) air samples (N = 2) and surface samples (N = 13) from a hematology unit.ResultsS. chartatum was detected in 4/76 samples using culture method and in 6 additional samples (i.e. 10/76) using real-time PCR. Detection limit in air samples was about 40 spores/m³ using real-time PCR. S. chartarum was not detected in farmer environment. In indoor building samples, culture data were confirmed by real-time PCR results. In the hematology unit, real-time PCR results help to identify the source of contamination of a patient room from a water damaged technical local.ConclusionReal-time PCR was a rapid method for S. chartarum quantitative measurement in environmental samples. Real-time PCR detection of other indoor moulds (Aspergillus, mucorales, Penicillium, Cladosporium) could be useful for fungal environmental control in indoor buildings and in hospital units.     

Helminths of the vagrant shrew, <Emphasis Type="Italic">Sorex vagrans</Emphasis>, from western Montana,USA

A total of 19 helminth species (1 trematode, 11 cestodes, 7 nematodes) were collected from 45 vagrant shrews, Sorex vagrans (Mammalia, Soricidae), in western Montana, USA. One trematode (Brachylaima sp.), 2 cestodes (Paruterina candelabraria, Staphylocystoides longi), and 6 nematodes (Baruscapillaria rauschi, Eucoleus oesophagicola, Longistriata meylani, Paracrenosoma sp., Parastrongyloides winchesi, Pseudophysaloptera formosana) are reported for the first time from this host. Baruscapillaria rauschi n. comb. is proposed for Capillaria rauschi Read, 1949. This is the first record of merocercoids of P. candelabraria from a shrew, and the first report of the genus Paracrenosoma in North America.     

Two species of the genus <Emphasis Type="Italic">Kalicephalus</Emphasis> Molin, 1861 (Nematoda,Diaphanocephaloidea) from the water monitor, <Emphasis Type="Italic">Varanus salvator</Emphasis> (Laurenti, 1768) in Guangdong Province,China

Two species of Kalicephalus Molin, 1861 were collected from the intestine of Varanus salvator (Laurenti, 1768) from Guangdong Wildlife Rescue Centre, Guangzhou, Guangdong Province, China. Kalicephalus (Kalicephalus) guangdongensis sp. nov. is similar to K. (K.) schadi Ogden, 1966 and K. (K.) schadi fotedari Kalia et Nayital, 1989 in having extremely long spicules, but differs from the latter in the relative length of spicules (spicules longer than the total body length instead of spicules almost three quarters of the total body length). Kalicephalus (Kalicephalus) schadi fotedari Kalia et Nayital, 1989 is reported for the first time in China, and Varanus salvator is a new host record.     

Genetic variability and phylogeny of the high‐risk HPV‐31, ‐33, ‐35, ‐52, and ‐58 in central Brazil

More than 100 HPV types have been described, 13 of which are classified as high‐risk due to their association with the development of cervical cancer. The intratype genomic diversity of HPV‐16 and ‐18 has been studied extensively, while little data have been generated for other less common high‐risk types. The present study explores the nucleotide variability and phylogeny of the high‐risk HPV‐31, ‐33, ‐35, ‐52, and ‐58, in samples from Central Brazil. For this purpose, the LCR and the E6 and L1 genes were sequenced. Several variants of these HPV types were detected, some of which have been detected in other parts of the world. Furthermore, new variants of all types examined were characterized in a total of 13 new variants. Based on the E6 and L1 sequences, variants were described comprising conservative and non‐conservative amino acid changes. For phylogenetic tree construction, samples characterized in this study were compared to others described and submitted to GenBank previously. The phylogenetic analysis of HPV‐31, ‐33, ‐35, and ‐58 isolates did not reveal ethnic or geographical clustering as observed previously for HPV‐16 and ‐18. HPV‐35 analysis showed a dichotomic branching characteristic of viral subtypes. Interestingly, four clusters relative to the analysis of HPV‐52 isolates were identified, two of which could be classified as Asian and European branches. The genomic characterization of HPV variants is crucial for understanding the intrinsic geographical relatedness and biological differences of these viruses and contributes further to studies on their infectivity and pathogenicity. J. Med. Virol. 81:685–692, 2009 © 2009 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.