Effect of anti-herpes specific transfer factor

Using a blood cell separator, lymphocytes were collected from otherwise healthy convalescents suffering from herpetic infections. A specific anti-herpes dialysate (AH-DLE) was prepared from the lymphocytes, using standard procedures. Patients with recurrent herpetic infections were treated with a single dose of the dialysate, at the initial signs of herpetic infection (group A), with two doses (group B) or with three doses (group C). A total number of 37 patients (29 women, 8 men, age range 15–73 years) were treated. No improvement was observed in 7 patients (18.9%), whilst 7 patients did not manifest any exacerbation of their herpetic infection in the course of the one-year follow-up. The remaining 62.2% of the patients showed a marked improvement: decrease of the frequency and/or duration or relapses. Before AH-DLE administration, the mean number of herpes relapses in this group of patients was 12 p.a.. After therapy, the number of relapses decreased to 3.5 p.a.. No statistically significant difference was observed between groups A and B. The least favourable results were registered in group C. However, this group included 6 female patients extremely resistant to the previously therapeutic attempts, including inosiplex, non-specific DLE or acyclovir. Thus, even in this group, the therapy was successful in 50% of the patients.     

Clinical significance of oxidation and acetylation genetic polymorphism in patients with hyperthyreosis

INTRODUCTION: The relationship between genetically determined polymorphic oxidation and acetylation and susceptibility to some disease was aroused much interest. The aim of our study was to evaluate whether patients with hyperthyreosis differ from healthy persons in their ability to oxidize sparteine and acetylate sulphadimidine as model drugs. Oxidation and acetylation were estimated in 48 patients with hiperthyreosis. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The control group consisted of 160 healthy volunteers for comparison of oxidation phenotype and 60 healthy volunteers for comparison of acetylation phenotype. The phenotyping of oxidation revealed two distinct populations among 40 patients with hyperthyreosis: 38 persons (95%) were extensive metabolizers (EM) of sparteine and 2 persons (5%) was poor metabolizers (PM). In 160 healthy persons (91.2%) were EM and 14 persons (8.8%) were PM. The difference between frequency distribution of PM and EM in healthy persons and in patients with hyperthyreosis was not statistically significant. RESULTS: The phenotyping of acetylation showed among 48 patients with hyperthyreosis 8 persons (13%) were rapid acetylators (RA) and 40 persons (87%) were slow acetylators (SA). In 60 healthy volunteers the phenotype of rapid acetylation was observed in 31 persons (51%) and slow acetylation in 29 persons (49%). Relative risk (odds ratio) of development of thyroid diseases was 5.34 times higher for SA in comparison to RA. The prevalence of SA among patients with hyperthyreosis in comparison to healthy volunteers was statistically significant (p < 0.0002). CONCLUSIONS: The results of our study may suggest that slow acetylation phenotype is associated with increased risk of the development of hyperthyreosis.     

Occurrence of Acute Upper Respiratory Diseases among Children as a Result of Infection by Herpes Simplex Virus

One hundred and twenty-one children showing symptoms of acute upper respiratory disease were bled during a period of nine months, from winter to summer, for detection of complement-requiring neutralizing (CRN) antibody against herpes simplex virus. Six of the cases, all from children under the age of 13 years, were unequivocally related to herpetic infection as evidenced by the presence of anti-herpes CRN antibody. During the same period, 144 other children who were normal healthy or suffering from unrelated non-febrile diseases were tested as controls; anti-herpes CRN antibody was not detected in any of them. Further, the age distribution of individuals with antibodies was compared between patients in the acute upper respiratory disease group and the control group. This analysis showed that approximately 5 to 7% of the acute upper respiratory diseases in the young children in this study would be attributed to herpetic infection.     

Serum antibodies of periodontitis patients compared to the lipopolysaccharides of Porphyromonas gingivalis and Fusobacterium nucleatum

Serum antibody titers against the lipopolysaccharides (LPSs) of Porphyromonas gingivalis and Fusobacterium nucleatum were compared between 9 periodontitis patients and 24 healthy persons. The IgG titers against the LPSs of P. gingivalis ATCC 33277(T) and W50 were clearly higher in the patients than in the healthy persons. However, IgM titers against the LPSs of P. gingivalis strains were relatively low, and no significant difference was observed between the patients and healthy persons. On the other hand, IgG and IgM titers against the LPS of Fusobacterium nucleatum JCM 8532(T) in some patients were significantly higher than those in the healthy persons, although the difference in IgG titers was not large compared to that of the LPS of P. gingivalis. These results suggest that the antibody measurement of patients' sera against the LPS of periodontal bacteria can be applied for the diagnosis of periodontitis.     

The use of immunoenzyme analysis and immunoblotting for the serological characterization of mycobacterial antigens]

The enzyme immunoassay and immunoblotting were used for the study of the serological activity of different mycobacterial antigens and the spectrum of antibodies to them in patients with different forms of tuberculosis and healthy persons. Antibodies in patients' sera were shown to bind antigens with different molecular weight. The level and spectrum of antibodies to purified protein fraction I made it possible to differentiate between patients with various forms of tuberculosis and healthy persons.     

Improvement of herpetic stomatitis therapy in patients with chronic tonsillitis

To determine the clinicopathogenetic efficacy of cycloferon liniment in combined therapy of herpetic stomatitis, 60 patients with herpetic stomatitis and chronic tonsillitis were examined and treated. It was shown that the use of cycloferon liniment in the combined therapy of herpetic stomatitis in the patients with chronic tonsillitis allowed to lower the infection load in the parodontal recesses and the local inflammation, to normalize the immunity indices and to reduce the level of the endogenous intoxication, that provided acceleration of the recuperation processes and decreased the frequency of stomatitis backsets.     

Prevalence of GB virus C/hepatitis G virus in Hungary

In 1995 a new flavivirus, GB virus C/hepatitis G virus (GBV-C/HGV), was discovered. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of the virus in healthy persons and hepatitis patients in Hungary. The sera of 408 healthy persons older than 60 years were tested for the presence of GBV-C/HGV antibodies, and 113 were positive (28%). Eight of the 71 healthy persons younger than 60 years and twenty of the 51 sera (39%) taken from patients suffering from hepatitis of unknown origin proved to be positive for GBV-C/HGV antibodies. Ten of the 124 sera (8%) of healthy persons and 36 of the 247 sera (14.6%) of hepatitis patients proved to be positive for GBV-C/HGV RNA. Eleven PCR products were sequenced, and the sequences were found to be different from each other and from the previously published ones. However, three sequences taken from the same patient at different times were identical. These results show that GBV-C/HGV is present in Hungary and cannot be considered rare.     

Proteolytic peptide patterns as indicators for fungal infections and nonfungal affections of human nails measured by matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry

The discrimination of onychomycoses from endogenous diseases showing macroscopically similar symptoms is difficult. Long-lasting but ineffective antifungal therapies using systemic medicaments with often severe adverse reactions may be the consequence. We introduce a novel mass spectrometric method for the discrimination of fungal infections and nonfungal affections. Horn samples from patients infected by Trichophyton rubrum, from patients with psoriasis affecting nails, and from healthy persons were investigated. Onychomycoses are basically associated with proteolytic attacks of the virulent fungi-secreting proteases partly hydrolyzing the horn material. Endogenous diseases lack these proteolytic activities, conserving intact structural proteins. Tryptical digestion of horn material produced cleavage peptides detectable by matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight (MALDI-TOF) mass spectrometry. Mass spectra of horn material infected by T. rubrum were clearly different from those originating from healthy test persons and from patients with psoriasis. Two methods were successfully applied to quantify the differences between groups of samples. One is based on the Euclidean match factor, and the other is based on the identification of specific peptide peaks occurring exclusively within one group of persons. The Euclidean match factor distributions and the occurrence of specific peptide peaks allowed a clear differentiation of T. rubrum infections from psoriasis patients and healthy test persons. No differences were found between healthy test persons and psoriasis patients. The method is rapid and does not require any cultivation.     

Hereditary polymorphism in the haptoglobin system of schizophrenic patients and healthy subjects]

Hereditary polymorphism of haptoglobin is studied by means of starch gel electrophoresis in schizophrenic patients (200 persons) and in healthy people (154 persons), in habitants of Minsk. It is concluded that Minsk inhabitants do not differ considerably from the rest European population in their frequencies of haptoglobin alleles. No reliable differences in the distribution of haptoglobin genotypes were found between patients and healthy persons. However, hereditary types of haptoglobins turned to be markers of the course and the prognosis of schizophrenia.     

Structural changes in nucleoprotein systems under the influence of serum from ill and healthy subjects]

A thermomechanical method was applied to the study of the interaction of the model desoxyribonucleoprotein systems (DNP-systems) of chromatin with the blood sera of healthy and sick persons. It was demonstrated that the blood sera of healthy persons caused decondensation of the DNP-systems. The intensity of this action varied when the sera with the composition altered as a result of pathology were used: the sera of the patients suffering from systemic lupus erythematosus increased the condensation; in comparison with the sera of healthy persons, the sera of schizophrenic patients intensified the DNP-system decondensation. The sera action was not connected with the activity of the serum enzymes. The role played by the serum components in regulation of the structural-functional chromatin properties is discussed.     

染色体着丝点结构变化与习惯性流产的关系

为探讨染色体Cd结构变化与习惯性流产关系,采用Cd-NOR同步银染技术,对38例习惯性流产患者和42例正常人Cd结构变异、Cd结构消失、Cd结构最大横径和Cd-NOR融合进行测量和比较分析。发现习惯性流产患者的Cd结构变异和Cd结构消失的频率明显高于正常人,Cd结构最大横径明显小于正常人。Cd结构消失和Cd结构变异频率的增高以及Cd结构最大横径变小可能是影响习惯性流产的相关因素。 Abstract:To study the correlation between chromosome centromeric dots and habitual abortions,Cd variation,Cd loss,maximum diameter of Cd and Cd-NOR of 38 habitual abortion patients and 42 healthy persons were measured,compared and analysed with Cd-banding technique.It was found that the frequencies of Cd variation and Cd loss were obviously higher and maximum diameter of Cd was smaller in habitual abortion patients than those in healthy persons.The increase of frequencies of Cd variation and Cd loss and the decrease of maximum diameter of Cd might be the causes affecting habitual abortions.     

The diagnostic effectiveness of an immunoenzyme test system for determining diphtheria toxin antigens in the blood serum in a clinical laboratory trial

The data on the approbation of the diagnostic value of the enzyme immunoassay (EIA) system for the determination of diphtheria toxin in the blood sera of diphtheria patients and persons suspected for diphtheria are presented. The EIA system was prepared on the basis of F(ab)2 fractions of purified antidiphtheria antibodies. 240 serum samples from diphtheria and tonsillitis patients and from healthy persons were studied. Diphtheria toxin was determined in all patients with the toxic form of diphtheria and in 41.3% of patients with its localized forms. Blood was taken mainly of the first week of the disease. In healthy persons the results of EIA were negative. Thus, the trial of the assay system in a clinical laboratory showed its good diagnostic effectiveness. The use of this EIA system in medical practice is believed to be quite promising.     

Antibody avidity in candidiasis patients]

The properties of antibodies to Candida albicans in healthy persons, candidiasis patients and patients with somatic pathology of nonmycotic genesis were studied. Healthy persons were found to have the highest avidity of antibodies at the minimal neutralizing dose of the antigen. In all groups the titers of antibodies were inversely related to their avidity.     

Circadian rhythms of blood components in dementia senilis

In eleven patients with dementia senilis circadian rhythms of hematocrit, hemoglobin, erythrocytes, leukocytes, serum iron and transferrin were studied by means of the cosinor method. An evident circadian rhythm was observed for all blood components, except leukocytes. There were no significant differences between patients with dementia senilis and healthy aged persons as far as hematocrit, hemoglobin, erythrocytes, and leukocytes are concerned. Acrophase for serum iron and transferrin occurs a little earlier and mesor is lower than in healthy aged persons.     

The cytogenetic effect of natural modifiers of mutagenesis in a human lymphocyte culture: the modification of the mutagenic effect by recombinant interferon in vitro in the lymphocytes of bronchial asthma patients and of healthy donors]

The significant protective effect of recombinant interferon in the cultures of lymphocytes of healthy donors and patients with bronchial asthma has been revealed. The cytogenetic damage were stimulated by alkylating agents thioTEPA and photrin during their administration at the stages Gi-S of the cell cycle. No differences were revealed in the action of mutagens and protector in the patients and healthy persons.     

Effect of the functional state of the internal organs on the pharmacokinetics of benzylpenicillin in angina]

The levels of benzylpenicillin on its intramuscular administration in doses of 100000 or 200000 units, as well as the renal and hepatic functions and the antibiotic binding by the host protein components were studied in 44 angina patients and 29 healthy persons. The benzylpenicillin levels were always markedly higher in the angina cases than those in the healthy persons. The ratio of the free and protein bound fractions of the antibiotic in the above groups was practically the same. At the same time the amount of benzylpenicillin excreted with the urine was higher in the angina patients than in the healthy persons approximately by 2 times. The study of the function of the internal organs revealed a marked decrease in the daily diuresis in all the angina patients and microhematuria in the 1/4 of the cases. The impairment of the renal function was determined by the laboratory methods practically in all the patients. On the basis of the data obtained it was concluded that the increased benzylpenicillin levels in the angina cases were connected with a decreased capacity for inactivating this substance by the liver enzymatic systems due to the changed function of this organ. The fact of the increased antibiotics levels in the host is considered as a positive phenomenon providing inhibition of the disease causative agents resistant to usual concentrations of the drug.     

Humoral immunity indices of chronic alcoholism patients

Sera obtained from 642 patients with chronic alcoholism and 400 sera from healthy donors, collected in different regions of the USSR (Moscow, the Kirghiz SSR, Transcarpathian Province, the northern Caucasus), were studied. Out of all patients with chronic alcoholism whose blood sera were examined, persons aged 20-30 years constituted 22%, 31-40 years, 41.8%, 41-50 years, 27.5%, above 50 years, 8.7%. The results of the study of the immune structure of these patients with respect to the causative agents of respiratory diseases revealed a large proportion of persons seropositive to influenza virus B Leningrad/369/75 (92-93%) and coronavirus OC-43 (78-93%). Patients with chronic alcoholism were shown to belong to a high risk group with respect to Legionella pneumophila infection. The proportion of persons with antibodies to L. pneumophila among such patients (up to 21.1%) was considerably higher than among healthy donors (not more than 6%). In different regions of the USSR large risk groups with respect to diphtheria (42-56%) and tetanus (12-45%) were detected among patients with chronic alcoholism. These patients also showed considerably higher levels of anti-tissue antibodies in comparison with the healthy population.     

TT virus in Hungary: sequence heterogeneity and mixed infections

The majority of the viral hepatitis cases is caused by five hepatitis viruses (A,B,C,D,E). In 1997, TT virus was discovered. It was supposed that a number of the unknown hepatitis cases was caused by the TT virus. The aim of this study was to characterize TT viruses carried by healthy individuals and patients suffering from hepatitis of unknown origin in Hungary. TTV DNA was detected by seminested PCR with the commonly used N22 primers. Twenty of the 108 sera (18.5%) taken from healthy persons and 115 of the 228 sera (50.4%) of patients with hepatitis of unknown origin were found to be positive. The nucleotide sequences of 26 clones derived from 17 hepatitis patients and 15 clones from nine healthy persons were determined and a phylogenetic tree was constructed. Genotype 2 (group 1) was found to be the most frequent, but other group 1 genotypes (1, 6) and genotypes 8 and 17 of group 2 were also detected. Mixed TTV infections were found in eight cases (two healthy persons and six hepatitis patients). Variants belonging to the same group were carried in seven cases, and the presence of group 1 (genotype 2) and group 2 (genotype 8) TTV sequences were found in one single hepatitis patient.     

Vision-Related Quality of Life in Herpetic Anterior Uveitis Patients

We investigated the vision-related quality of life (VR-QOL) and the prevalence and severity of depression in patients with herpetic anterior uveitis (AU). This study was conducted in 2012 at the ophthalmology department of the University Medical Center of Groningen (tertiary referral center). We selected patients from an existing uveitis database, all eligible patients were approached. Thirty-six of 66 (55%) patients with herpetic AU (herpes simplex virus or varicella zoster virus) participated, patients were 18 years or older. The diagnosis was made by clinical presentation or a positive anterior chamber tap. All patients received an information letter, informed consent form, National Eye Institute Visual Functioning Questionnaire-25 (NEI VFQ-25), Beck Depression Inventory (BDI-II), Social Support List – Interactions (SSL-I), Social Support List – Discrepancies (SSL-D) and an additional questionnaire for gathering general information. Medical records were reviewed for clinical characteristics. Analyses were conducted on various patient and ocular characteristics. We compared our NEI VFQ-25 scores with those previously found in the literature. Our main outcome measures were VR-QOL, prevalence and severity of depression, social support and various patient and ocular characteristics that could influence the VR-QOL. We found that the NEI VFQ-25 mean overall composite score (OCS) was 88.1±10.6. Compared with other ocular diseases our OCS is relatively high, but lower than that found in a normal working population. The mean general health score was 59.0±19.0; this score is lower than in patients with other ocular diseases, except for untreated Behçet’s patients. Depression was scarce, with only one patient (2.8%) having a moderate depression (BDI-II score of 21). We concluded that herpetic AU affects the VR-QOL in a moderate way. The prevalence of depression in our group of herpetic AU patients was low and therefore does not seem to indicate a need for specific screening and intervention measures in these patients.