Quantitative assays of human monocyte-macrophage function.

Monocyte-macrophages are required for the development of cell mediated immunity to a variety of microorganisms and tumors. Quantitative assays of human monocyte-macrophage function would be most useful in the evaluation of cell mediated immune function in man. Five quantitative assays are described that provide a human monocyte-macrophage function profile. These assays parallel the physiologic steps necessary for monocyte-macrophages to function as phagocytes: 1) chemotaxis, 2) opsonization, 3) phagocytosis, 4) phagocytosis-induced metabolic stimulation and 5) destruction of foreign material. Application of these quantitative assays will allow detection and dissection of disorders of monocyte-macrophage function in man.     

Ganciclovir Dosing Strategies and Development of Cytomegalovirus Resistance in a Kidney Transplant Recipient: A Case Report

In renal transplant recipients, delayed graft function and accompanying renal impairment may lead to therapeutic underexposure of valganciclovir. We describe a case of a cytomegalovirus (CMV)-seronegative kidney transplant recipient from a CMV-seropositive donor, whose course was complicated during valganciclovir prophylaxis by CMV disease, ultimately progressing to ganciclovir, foscarnet, and cidofovir resistance. Assessments and adjustments for renal dysfunction, according to both Cockgroft-Gault and Modification of Diet in Renal Disease study equations, are described. Therapy was complicated by outpatient parenteral therapy with pump-administered antiviral therapy, which may have led to drug underexposure and the fostering of antiviral resistance. Suppression was ultimately achieved in conjunction with reduction in immunosuppressive therapy, CMV immunoglobulin, and initiation of leflunomide. At-risk recipients may benefit from 24 hour creatinine clearance assessments, direct creatinine clearance measurement, or therapeutic drug monitoring. Optimal dosing strategies in recipients with impaired kidney function remain undefined, with limited pharmacokinetic data to date.     

A hyperimmunoglobulin E syndrome with normal chemotaxis in vitro and defective leukotaxis in vivo.

A 26-yr-old male with a lifelong history of atopic dermatitis and recurrent severe staphylococcal abscesses was found to have hyperimmunoglobulinemia E. Evaluation of both the humoral and cellular aspects of chemotaxis in vitro showed both neutrophils and monocytes to be normal. However, quantitative neutrophil migration in vivo was significantly suppressed using the patient's own serum as the attractant. This defective migration in vivo was partially corrected by serum from normal donors as the attractant and also partially corrected following plasma infusion in this patient. Evaluation of quantitative leukocyte migration in vivo may be most useful in patients suspected of defects of leukocyte mobility.     

A questionnaire for the examination of psychiatric liaison-consultation programs.

Liaison-consultation services have become an integral part of departments of psychiatry in medical schools and general hospitals. The evaluation of such services has focused most closely, thus far, on the efficacy of their educational programs. The author provides an extensive questionnaire which may be used for a global examination of the working structure of liaison-consultation services and recommends that liaison psychiatrists and personnel from the programs of other institutions be enlisted to participate in the process of evaluating programs.     

艾滋病筛查阳性标本复检与确认试验结果的对比分析

目的通过HIV抗体酶联免疫吸附（ELISA）初筛试验与蛋白印迹（WB）确认试验结果的比对,探讨目前艾滋病检测存在的问题。方法对芜湖市2011年艾滋病筛查阳性标本复检与确证实验结果进行比对,并分析WB确认试验带型及感染者基本信息。结果 119份HIV抗体初筛阳性血清经WB确认80份阳性,23份阴性,16份不确定。其中,两种初筛试剂测试结果均阳性的93份标本经WB确认80份阳性,7份阴性,6份不确定;两种初筛试剂测试结果一阴一阳的26份血样经WB确认16份阴性,10份不确定。在80份HIV-1确认阳性标本中,P55条带出现次数最少,仅为50.00%。在16份不确定标本中,Gp160条带出现频率最高,占总不确定标本的62.50%。结论筛查弱阳性的标本尽量用筛查试剂排除,从而减少＂HIV抗体不确定＂结果。不确定结果与WB试验的假阳性有关,可结合流行病学资料对结果进行准确解释。     

HIV抗体初筛与确认(WB)测试结果对比分析

[目的]探讨疫情报告中HIV抗体初筛试验与确认(WB)测试结果的符合情况。[方法]对初筛和复筛测试的阳性结果分成两组与确认(WB)试验结果对比分析。第一组OD值与临界值(cutoff)的比值(S／CO)≥6．0；第2组(S／CO)比值在1．0～6．0之间；同时观察两种初筛试剂复测结果一阴一阳与确认试验的符合情况。[结果]502份HIV抗体初筛阳性血清经确认(WB)测试HIV抗体阳性499份，HIV抗体阴性2份，不确定血清1份。复筛与确认(WB)测试的第一组(S/CO)比值≥6．0，HIV抗体阳性符合率为100%；第二组(S／CO)比值在1．0～6．0之间，HIV抗体阳性符合率为84．61％。初筛假阳性2份，假阳性率为0．55％；复筛假阳性1份，假阳性率为0．33％。两种初筛试剂测试结果一阴一阳的一份血样品经(WB)确认为阴性结果。[结论]省级疾病控制中心艾滋病确认实验室在实验室质量管理制度和HIV抗体筛查符合《规范》要求的条件下，两次重复(ELISA)(S／CO)比值≥6．0时，可以按HIV感染报告疫情。(S／CO)比值在1．0～6．0之间或复测结果一阴一阳，还应进一步作确认(WB)。