Isolation, characterisation and preliminary cross-protection studies with a new pathogenic avian infectious bronchitis virus (Strain PL-84084)

Virological 1 examination of a severe infectious bronchitis (IB)-like field case in laying hens, led to the isolation of a coronavirus anti-genically different from Massachusetts, Connecticut and four Dutch IB variant strains. The virulence of the isolate for the fowl, and its dual tropism for the respiratory and genital tracts were demonstrated. In preliminary cross-protection studies Commercial vaccines did not protect against challenge with this isolate. These points and the possible economic significance of the virus are discussed.     

Hepatitis C virus infection in anti-HIV positive and negative French homosexual men with chronic hepatitis: comparison of second- and third-generation anti-HCV testing

ABSTRACT— To determine the prevalence of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection in homosexuals with chronic hepatitis, we tested for anti-HCV antibodies 113 (47 anti-HIV positive) French non-drug-addicted homosexual men admitted for chronic viral hepatitis. Anti-HCV were detected with second- and third-generation ELISAs (ELISA2 and ELISA3) and RIBAs (RIBA2 and RIBA3). Chronic hepatitis was related to non-A, non-B infection in four, to hepatitis D virus (HDV) infection in five and to hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection in 104 patients. Anti-HCV positivity was found in 50.4% and 12.4% of the 113 patients, with ELISA2 and ELISA3, respectively. Positivity with RIBA2 and RIBA3 was found in only six of the 57 ELISA2 positive patients (all six were ELISA3 positive). The high prevalence of positivity with ELISA2 not confirmed by RIBA2 or RIBA3 suggests false-positive results. ELISA2 positive results were more frequent with frozen serum samples than with fresh serum samples (62% vs 23.5%, p = 0.0003). However, even with fresh serum, ELISA2-positive RIBA-negative results remained frequent in anti-HIV positive patients. ELISA3 seems to give more specific results. We conclude that the prevalence of HCV infection, as assessed with RIBA, was 5.3% among French homosexual men with chronic hepatitis (3.8% after exclusion of transfused patients). This low prevalence suggests that homosexual transmission of HCV is relatively uncommon.     

Case report of a successful pregnancy following thrombolysis for acute myocardial infarction

A non-smoker 24-year-old woman presented to emergency department of Carhaix (France) for evaluation of acute chest pain. She is pregnant since six weeks and has no risk factors for coronary artery disease; her initial electrocardiogram was compatible with an acute posterior myocardial infarction (AMI). After thrombolysis by tenecteplase and treatment with both aspirin and heparin, she underwent coronary and left ventricular angiography that were normal, methergine test involved no coronary spasm. The mechanism of this AMI was not very clear. Nevertheless, an infant is born in good health eight months later after a pregnancy unrolled without any problems (aspirin was stopped at seven months, beta-blocker gradually stopped during second half of pregnancy).     

Follow-up of tumor development in the colons of living rats and implications for chemoprevention trials: assessment of aspirin-difluoromethylornithine combination

We aimed to establish a reliable procedure allowing the follow-up of tumor development by computed tomographic (CT) colonography in an animal model of colon carcinogenesis in order to assess the chemopreventive efficacy of aspirin and difluoromethylornithine (DFMO) given in combination. Fischer rats received an intraperitoneal injection (25 mg/kg) of dimethylhydrazine (DMH) once a week for two weeks in order to initiate colon carcinogenesis. Five months after the last injection of DMH, a first CT colonography was performed and rats were then randomly separated into two groups (control and experimental). The experimental group received a 0.1% mixture of aspirin and DFMO in drinking water. CT colonography was performed at 6, 7 and 8 months. Data showed a precise correlation between location and size of tumors found at autopsy and those detected by CT colonography at 8 months. All tumors were also detected on the CT views obtained previously. Animals of the aspirin/DFMO group exhibited an inactivation of ornithine decarboxylase, a key enzyme in polyamine biosynthesis, and a two-fold reduction in the prostaglandin E2 content of the colonic mucosa (p<0.01). In rats with tumors at the start of the aspirin/DFMO treatment, a significant slow-down of tumor development was observed. In contrast, in rats where no tumors were detected at the start of the treatment, tumor formation was inhibited. Our data show that CT colonography represents a reliable method to assess in a living animal the efficacy of chemopreventive agents.     

Pharmacokinetic study of yohimbine and its pharmacodynamic effects on salivary secretion in patients treated with tricyclic antidepressants.

The pharmacokinetic parameters and the time course of the effect after acute oral administration of yohimbine on salivary secretion in patients treated with tricyclic antidepressants were investigated. Yohimbine (10 mg) increased both salivary outflow and plasma noradrenaline levels for 4 h. Pharmacokinetic parameters (t1/2, tmax, Cmax and AUCexp) and plasma concentrations of noradrenaline were higher in patients treated with tricyclic antidepressants than in controls. At this dose, yohimbine induced a relatively large number of side effects. A lower dose (4 mg) increased salivary secretion for 3 h without any side effects in patients treated with tricyclic antidepressants but not in healthy volunteers. These data describe an interaction between yohimbine and tricyclic antidepressants and thus show that a relatively low dose (4 mg) of yohimbine could be useful in the treatment of dry mouth due to tricyclic antidepressants.