Monoclonal antibodies directed to two groups of viral proteins neutralize human cytomegalovirus in vitro

Monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) that neutralized human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) were produced by ten hybrid cells lines, generated from BALB/c mice immunized with HCMV-infected human fibroblasts. By immunoblot technique six antibodies detected a set of HCMV glycosylated polypeptides which, when separated under reducing conditions, migrated with apparent molecular weights (m.wt.) of 47.5K, 51K, 54K, 58K, and 60-69K. One other antibody reacted only with the 47.5 and 51K polypeptides and the 60-69K broad band. Under nonreducing conditions, these antibodies showed no reactivity with any polypeptide. The three remaining MAbs reacted with two high-m.wt. polypeptides of approximately 200K and greater than 200K when separated under nonreducing conditions. One of these antibodies showed no clear reactivity with the polypeptides, one detected a 58K and 92-94K species and one detected a 58K and 130K species, when separated under reducing conditions.     

Clinical and experimental bases for the use of Acryloxide in restorative surgery of the joints

Experimental and clinical investigations showed good prospects of further studies of deformation characteristics of Akryloxide, particularly the elasticity module to judge of the degree of biological destruction of the plastics and possible prognosis of working efficiency of the polymer in individual endoprosthesis of joints.     

Dopamine transporters, D2 receptors, and glucose metabolism in corticobasal degeneration.

Alterations in presynaptic and postsynaptic dopaminergic system and cerebral glucose metabolism in corticobasal degeneration (CBD) were assessed to evaluate the potential usefulness of different imaging methods for CBD. (123)I-FP-CIT/(123)I-beta-CIT SPECT and (123)I-IBZM SPECT as well as (18)F-FDG PET were performed in eight CBD patients. Decreased presynaptic dopamine transporter binding was found in all CBD patients while D2 receptor binding was reduced in only one patient. (18)F-FDG PET displayed a contralateral hypometabolism in cortical and subcortical areas in seven out of eight patients. Our results demonstrate that glucose metabolism and DAT are reduced, while D2 receptors may be frequently preserved in CBD.     

Children hospitalized with influenza B infection

An outbreak of influenza virus type B infection occurred in Philadelphia from December, 1985, to April, 1986. During this epidemic 24 patients were admitted to Children's Hospital from whom influenza B was isolated from routine respiratory viral cultures. All were younger than 3 years of age. Clinical findings included fever (greater than or equal to 38 degrees C) (88%), rhinorrhea (62.6%), cough (50%), otitis (50%), rhonchi (42%), vomiting (38%), diarrhea (33%), rales (21%), pharyngitis (13%) and croup (4%). Remarkably 75% of the patients had underlying diseases which may have contributed to the severity of the infection. Nine (41%) patients had pneumonia. Two patients died of respiratory failure caused by overwhelming influenza B virus infection. Patients admitted to the hospital with respiratory and underlying diseases should have viral respiratory cultures which include influenza B.     

A controlled trial comparing vidarabine with acyclovir in neonatal herpes simplex virus infection. Infectious Diseases Collaborative Antiviral Study Group

BACKGROUND. Despite the use of vidarabine, herpes simplex virus (HSV) infection in neonates continues to be a disease of high morbidity and mortality. We undertook a controlled trial comparing vidarabine with acyclovir for the treatment of neonatal HSV infection. METHODS. Babies less than one month of age with virologically confirmed HSV infection were randomly and blindly assigned to receive either intravenous vidarabine (30 mg per kilogram of body weight per day; n = 95) or acyclovir (30 mg per kilogram per day; n = 107) for 10 days. Actuarial rates of mortality and morbidity among the survivors after one year were compared overall and according to the extent of the disease at entry into the study (infection confined to the skin, eyes, or mouth; encephalitis; or disseminated disease). RESULTS. After adjustment for differences between groups in the extent of disease, there was no difference between vidarabine and acyclovir in either morbidity (P = 0.83) or mortality (P = 0.27). None of the 85 babies with disease confined to the skin, eyes, or mouth died. Of the 31 babies in this group who were treated with vidarabine and followed for a year, 88 percent (22 of 25) were judged to be developing normally after one year, as compared with 98 percent (45 of 46) of the 54 treated with acyclovir (95 percent confidence interval for the difference, -4 to 24). For the 71 babies with encephalitis, mortality was 14 percent with vidarabine (5 of 36) and with acyclovir (5 of 35); of the survivors, 43 percent (13 of 30) and 29 percent (8 of 28), respectively, were developing normally after one year (95 percent confidence interval for the difference, -11 to 39). For the 46 babies with disseminated disease, mortality was 50 percent (14 of 28) with vidarabine and 61 percent (11 of 18) with acyclovir (95 percent confidence interval for the difference, -20 to 40); of the survivors, 58 percent (7 of 12) and 60 percent (3 of 5), respectively, were judged to be developing normally after one year (95 percent confidence interval for the difference, -40 to 50). Both medications were without serious toxic effects. CONCLUSIONS. In this multicenter, randomized, blinded study there were no differences in outcome between vidarabine and acyclovir in the treatment of neonatal HSV infection. The study lacked statistical power to determine whether there were sizable differences within the subgroups of those with localized HSV, encephalitis, or disseminated disease.     

Virus-inhibiting surgical glove to reduce the risk of infection by enveloped viruses

Needle puncture and other accidents that occur during surgery and other procedures may lead to viral infections of medical personnel, notably by hepatitis C (HCV) and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), now that hepatitis B can be prevented by vaccination. A new surgical glove called G-VIR, which contains a disinfecting agent for enveloped viruses, has been developed. Herpes simplex type 1 (HSV) was used as a standard enveloped virus in both in vitro and in vivo tests of the virucidal capacity of the glove. Bovine viral diarrhea virus (BVDV) and feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV) were used as models for HCV and HIV, respectively. For in vitro study, a contaminated needle was passed through a glove and residual virus was titrated; for in vivo studies, animals were stuck with a contaminated needle through a glove. Despite variation in virus enumeration inherent in the puncture technique, statistical evaluation showed that infection was reproducibly and substantially reduced by passage through the virucidal layer. For BVDV, the amount of virus passing through the virucidal glove was reduced in 82% of pairwise comparisons with control gloves that lacked the virucidal agent; when plaque counts were adjusted to a common dilution, the median count for the virucidal glove was on the average reduced >10-fold. In experiments in which the proportion of wells infected with FIV was measured, the ratio of TCID(50) values (control glove to G-VIR) was >15, and probably much higher. For HSV, the amount of virus passing through the virucidal glove was reduced in 81% of comparisons with control gloves; the median of adjusted plaque counts was reduced on the average approximately eightfold or ninefold. In vivo tests with FIV and HSV in cats and mice, respectively, found smaller percentage reductions in infection than the in vitro tests but confirmed the virucidal effect of the gloves.     

Effects of antimacrophage, antithymocyte, antilymphocyte and antispleen serum on the immune response in mice

The effect of antimacrophage serum (AMS) on antibody production was compared to that of antithymocyte (ATS) and antilymphocyte (ALS) serum. All three types of antisera inhibited antibody production to SRBC in mice. Antispleen serum was not immunosuppressive. Immunosuppression could best be demonstrated when the antisera were injected 3 days before a low dose of antigen (10⁷ or 5 × 10⁷ SRBC). None of the antisera affected secondary antibody production.

There was no correlation between the immunosuppressive potency of the antisera and their in vitro cytotoxic or in vivo lymphopenic acitivity. AMS inhibited phagocytosis, whereas ATS and ALS enhanced phagocytosis. So far we have been unable to absorb out immunosuppressive activity of the antisera but have been able to absorb out cytotoxic activity. The significance of these findings is discussed.

     

Enhanced poliovirus replication in cytomegalovirus-infected human fibroblasts.

Replication of poliovirus in human cytomegalovirus (CMV)-infected cells is enhanced 5-to 10-fold over replication in uninfected cells. Enhanced poliovirus replication in dually infected cells was not due to a difference in adsorption on infected cells and was supported by evidence of increased synthesis of polio-specific RNA. A functional CMV genome appeared to be required for the enhancement of polio replication since enhanced replication was not seen in cells infected with uv-irradiated CMV or in cultures treated with the inhibitors of CMV replication. Enhanced polio replication in CMV-infected cells may be due to the enhanced cellular metabolism in these cells.