Evaluation of an enzyme immunoassay for detection of herpes simplex viras antigen in genital lesions

To evaluate a non-marketed research prototype of a solid-phase enzyme immunoassay for detection of herpes simplex virus in genital lesions, 154 clinical specimens were collected from 127 men and 27 women with symptoms suggestive of herpes simplex virus infection (erythema, vesicles, ulcers and crustae). The samples were tested using the assay and cultures on four monolayers of human embryonic lung fibroblasts and Vero cells. When the culture was used as reference method, sensitivity was 76.9% and specificity 100% (prevalence 42.4%). Comparison of results by patient group showed that sensitivity was highest in material from patients with vesicles and ulcers. The highest sensitivity was obtained in specimens which developed a cytopathological effect within 48 h and in specimens with three or four positive cell cultures. These findings suggest that the assay is more successful in specimens with high virus titres. The enzyme immunoassay was found to be a rapid, moderately sensitive, highly specific test for detection of herpes simplex virus from genital lesions, but the usefulness of the assay is limited and culture methods should be preferred.     

The density of muscularized pulmonary arteries in normal lungs: a morphometric study

In a series of 24 subjects who ranged in age from 2.5 months to 50 years and who were not suffering from cardiac or pulmonary disease, the density of muscularized pulmonary arteries was established in relation to their diameter. The number of arteries per unit area of lung tissue was corrected to account for various states of lung expansion of or collapse. The density of pulmonary arteries decreased rapidly during the first few years of life, then more gradually during the first two decades of life. Concomitantly, the diameter of the smallest muscularized arterial branches increased with age. These findings indicate that, even after completed development of lung tissue, there is a retraction of media in the sense that small arterioles lose their media, a process that continues until early adulthood. The values thus obtained may serve as a standard for comparison when the pulmonary arterial density is studied in cases of pulmonary hypertension in which it reportedly is greatly diminished.     

Disinfection of fiberscopes by thermochemical disinfection

A new fully automated washing and disinfection machine for fiberscopes was evaluated. This apparatus, the Endoscopic Thermo Disinfector (ETD) uses a combination of heat and a brand name disinfectant containing glutaraldehyde to fulfill its purposes. The disinfectant showed effective antibacterial activity at the concentrations used in the ETD. After artificial contamination of fiberscopes with high concentrations of various bacteria the washing and disinfection process was completely effective. Contaminated debris was also effectively removed from fiberscopes and from the inside of the washing machine during this process. A number of improvements in the design of the washing machine were implemented during the test period and suggestions for further improvements will be considered. Taking into consideration the reported effects of the disinfectant used against viral pathogens, the ETD washing machine effectively cleans and disinfects flexible watertight endoscopes.     

Comparison of primary plexogenic arteriopathy in adults and children. A morphometric study in 40 patients.

Pulmonary vascular changes were studied in histological sections from 15 children and 25 adults with primary plexogenic arteriopathy. The severity of medial hypertrophy and degree of vasoconstriction were measured in histological sections and there was a close correlation between these two variables in both children and adults. More advanced arterial changes, expressed as an index of pulmonary vascular disease, were more common in adults, and their severity correlated positively with the degree of medial hypertrophy. No such correlation was found in children. There were similar numbers of plexiform lesions per square centimetre in children and adults, so that the differences in the indices of pulmonary vascular disease were mainly due to the intimal changes. Concentric laminar intimal fibrosis was more severe in adults. It is suggested that intensive spastic vasoconstriction results in the development of fibrinoid necrosis and subsequently of plexiform lesions and that this may happen irrespective of the presence of severe intimal fibrosis. This suggests that children with primary plexogenic arteriopathy in whom plexiform lesions have not yet developed are more likely to respond to vasodilator treatment than are adults in whom irreversible changes associated with intimal fibrosis have developed.     

Comparison of different culture media for isolation ofChlamydia trachomatis by cell culture on HeLa cells

The isolation yield and number ofChlamydia trachomatis inclusions was compared using DEAE-dextran pretreated HeLa cells cultured in four different media: Eagle's minimal essential medium (EMEM) with and without cycloheximide and Dulbecco's modification of EMEM (DMEM) with and without cycloheximide. Using DMEM without cycloheximide the number of inclusions was significantly higher than using EMEM without cycloheximide. In addition, the size of the inclusions was greatly enhanced. Use of DMEM or EMEM with cycloheximide yielded results comparable to those obtained with DMEM without cycloheximide.