Epidemiology and clinical manifestation of HIV infection in Northern Zaire

1275 patients were evaluated for HIV-1+2 seroprevalence and its association with clinical symptoms of HIV infection. Of 667 apparently healthy subjects, 8.2% had anti-HIV-1 antibodies. In 465 patients with clinical signs of AIDS, 39.4% were seropositive. 143 patients with miscellaneous symptoms had positive predictive values for HIV infection between 67% (vaginal ulcerations) and 20% (profound pyogenic abscesses). The WHO definition for AIDS had a specificity of 78.3%, a sensitivity of 72.2% and a predictive value of 61.6%.     

轮状病毒中枢神经及肺部感染

研究背景 轮状病毒性胃肠炎是婴幼儿期最常见腹泻疾病之一。国内外对轮状病毒中枢神经及肺部感染告道甚少。 研究方法 用电镜、免疫电镜、酶联免疫吸附与阻断试验确诊轮状病毒中枢神经及肺部感染。 研究结果 200例轮状病毒性胃肠炎患儿中,并发轮状病毒性脑膜炎一例,轮状病毒性肺炎2例,其中1例同时合并胸膜炎、胸腔积液。 结论 轮状病毒中枢神经及肺部感染预后良好。     

床边纤维支气管镜检查在可疑院内获得性肺炎诊断中的意义

目的评价床边纤维支气管镜检查在可疑院内获得性肺炎诊断中的意义。方法对25例可疑院内获得性肺炎患者进行床边纤维支气管镜检查，同时进行痰标本和支气管肺泡灌洗液标本涂片细菌检测和培养。结果1例为肺出血，2例肺不张，1例肺水肿；21例为院内获得性肺炎，其中14例(72．7％)细菌培养阳性，革兰阴性杆菌占57．1％(12／21)，以铜绿假单胞菌、不动杆菌属、嗜麦芽假单胞菌、肺炎克雷伯菌最常见，革兰阳性球菌2例(9．5％)，主要是耐甲氧西林金黄色葡萄球菌。痰涂片和支气管肺泡灌洗液涂片阳性者分别为3例和10例。支气管肺泡灌洗液细菌涂片阳性率和细菌培养阳性率均高于痰标本(P=0．02和P=0．005)。结论床边纤维支气管镜检查有助除外疑似院内获得性肺炎的非感染性疾病。支气管肺泡灌洗液标本病原学检测优于痰标本。     

腰椎间盘术后椎间盘炎的诊治

目的：探讨腰椎间盘术后椎间盘炎的病因。早期诊断和治疗问题。方法：分析10例术后腰椎间盘炎的临床表现、血象、血流变化、血和病灶细菌培养、腰椎X线平片、CT、MRI所见在发病后的敏感程度，比较3例非手术与7例经前路腹膜后（2例联合后入路）病灶清除，一期椎间植骨融合本治疗的效果。结果：不同程度的发热、痉挛性腰痛、血流增快是本病的特点。MRI、CF、X线片三者的诊断敏感性存在时间差，分别约为发病后1、3、5周。仅2例血和病灶细菌培养均阳性。前路减压植骨融合术减少全身性抗生素和镇痛剂的使用量，明显缩短病程。结论：ESR、MRI对早期确诊、引导手术价值较高。高热、痉挛性腰痛、血沉增快三者具一持续2周得不到控制，可考虑及早手术。手术疗法近期效果更为确切。     

Travel to sunny countries is associated with changes in immunological parameters

Under laboratory conditions, various studies have shown that changes in immunological parameters must be expected after exposure to ultraviolet (UV) light. The objective of the present study was to evaluate, whether such changes can also be revealed after a vacation to a sunny country without prior adaptation to ultraviolet radiation. In 32 volunteers white blood cells, lymphocyte subpopulations, sIL2-R, sCD14, immunoglobulins and complement factor C₃ were determined before and after a vacation in a country with abundant sunshine during winter. The subjects received relevant doses of UVB as confirmed by questionnaires, UVB-dosimetry and the significant increase of 25-hydroxyvitamin D. After vacation, there was a significant decrease of the CD4/8 ratio and the serum concentration of IgG. The serum concentration of sIL2-R, sCD14, IgA and C₃ was increased after the journey. Sunshine exposure without prior adaptation may be responsible for significant alterations in the immune system in association with a vacation during winter.     

Attachment loss and serum antibody levels against autologous and reference strains of Actinobacillus actinomycetemcomitans in untreated localized juvenile periodontitis patients

Abstract Immunological data have been suggested to be a potential tool in the diagnosis, classification and monitoring of periodontal diseases. However, the role of circulating antibodies in periodontal patients is poorly understood. Patients suffering from localized juvenile periodontitis (LJP) are often reported to show high titers of serum IgG antibodies against Aetinobaeillus actinomycetemcomitans (A. actinomycetemcotnitans), but several affected patients do not. Most studies use well-known reference strains of the bacterium for testing against the patients' sera. The aim of the present investigation was to study the relationship between serum IgG antibody levels to autologous A. actinomycetemcomitans strains and clinical attachment loss (CAL). In addition, we wanted to assess the patients’serum titers against 4 well-known reference strains of the bacterium as well as their general potential immunoglobulin response. Intravenous blood samples were taken from 23 LJP patients and 10 healthy individuals, and autologous A. actinomycetemcomitans strains were cultured from 18 of the L.JP patients. CAL was measured at 4 different sites around ail present teeth and assessed as a % of teeth with at least 1 site moderately ≥2<5 mm) or severely (≥5 mm) involved. An enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was performed to evaluate the serum titers of IgG antibodies to A. actinomycetemcomitans antigens. No significant correlation was found between serum IgG antibody titers to autologous strains and CAL. However, there was a trend that low responders had more moderately affected teeth than had high responders and patients with undetectable A. actinomycetemcomitans levels, which is in agreement with a hypothetically protective role of the antibodies. The total counts of immunoglobulin assessed in all participants showed that the predominant class was IgG and the reference group displayed significantly less (p<0.05) IgG and IgG1 counts than the LJP patients. Both the reaction pattern against reference and autologous strains varied widely. We conclude that the specific antibody response against A. actinomycetemcomitans shows a weak correlation to clinical attachment levels in LJP patients.     

TREATMENT OF PSEUDALLESCHERIA BOYDII INFECTION WITH ORAL KETOCONAZOLE AND TOPICAL MICONAZOLE

Skin infection in a man immunosuppressed by corticosteroid treatment was found to be due to Pseudallescheria boydii. Although treatment is often unsatisfactory, infection in this patient responded well to oral ketoconazole and topical miconazole.     

肿瘤患者医院感染的分析与预防措施

目的了解肿瘤科医院感染特点,为临床减少肿瘤患者感染提供参考信息。方法以主动监测与系统回顾相结合的方法,对2005年全年入住肿瘤科2 679例患者的临床资料进行统计、分析、评定。结果2 679例肿瘤患者发生医院感染120例次,医院例次感染率为4.47%,其中感染1次者179例、2次者31例、≥3次者10例;以呼吸道感染占首位,其中上呼吸道38例、下呼吸道36例,其次为消化道10例、血液9例、手术切口感染8例、泌尿道6例和其他部位感染13例。结论提高机体免疫力、控制内源性感染,是预防与控制肿瘤患者感染的主要措施。     

Ia-expressing microglial cells in experimental allergic encephalomyelitis in rats

Summary Monoclonal antibodies (MRC OX-6 and OX-17) recognized three types of cells expressing Ia antigen during the course of acute experimental allergic encephalomyelitis (EAE) in rats. In earlier stages of the disease, in animals with or without paralysis, Ia antigens were mostly localized to subarachnoidal and perivascular lymphocytic and histiocytic cell infiltrates, possibly serving as antigen-presenting cells. On the other hand, in convalescent rats, Ia antigens were expressed in a large number of cells with dendritic processes heavily populating the spinal gray matter. The appearance of these Ia-expressing cells in the convalescent stage coincided with the development of degenerating axon terminals in the spinal gray matter. These Ia-expressing cells possessed morphological features characteristic of microglia and were positive for ML-1 lectin but did not express glial fibrillary acidic protein. Immune electron microscopy disclosed the presence of Ia reaction products in the Golgi apparatus, endoplasmic reticulum and plasma membrane of these cells with dendritic processes, indicating active synthesis of Ia molecules in microglia. In addition, Ia antigens were localized to the cells with ultrastructural features of macrophages. Thus, Ia-expressing cells in EAE seems to play dual roles: the induction of immunological reactions during earlier stages and the participation in reparative processes during convalescence.Supported by Grants-in-aid from the Ministry of Health and Welfare for Intractable Neuroimmunological Diseases and from the Ministry of Education, Science and Culture (Project 61570380 to HK)