The clinico-epidemiological characteristics of the course and diagnosis of tick-borne rickettsiosis in northern Asia

The study of tick-borne rickettsiosis in Northern Asia has made it possible to determine the clinico-epidemiological features of the modern course of this disease, which should be taken into consideration for the timely diagnosis of this infection. The laboratory verification of the diagnosis should be carried out, as recommended by the authors, in the agar precipitation and leukocytosis tests in their modification.     

A sero-epidemiological study of onchocerciasis with the indirect hemagglutination test

A sero-epidemiological study of onchocerciasis was carried out with the IHA test in Guatemala. In the endemic area, 94.8% of 191 subjects with microfilariae, 82.1% of 172 cases with onchocercal nodules, and 22.5% of 236 cases without either microfilariae or nodules gave positive reactions in the IHA test. On the other hand, the positive rate was 3.4% and 2.0% in each of 2 nonendemic populations. A follow-up study of reactors in the IHA with neither microfilariae nor nodules showed that 11 (42%) of 26 cases were microfilaria positive 6--7 mo after the first examination. A clear correlation was found between the results of the IHA test and skin biopsy in surveyed communities. The age distribution curve of the IHA test was closely associated with skin biopsy although the former was higher. IHA titers rose in proportion to microfilarial density. A sex-related difference was evident in the IHA positive rate in the subjects from medium and low endemic areas, but little difference was shown in individuals from a higher endemic area.     

The use of the indirect hemagglutination reaction for the serodiagnosis of HIV infection

An assay system, based on the passive hemagglutination test and permitting the serodiagnosis of HIV infection with correct results in more than 99% of cases, has been developed. Three kinds of freeze-dried erythrocyte diagnostica (with shelf life exceeding 6 months), possessing high serological activity and sensitized with recombinant gene-engineering polypeptides, have been obtained. The proposed assay system is highly promising for mass examination of sera for the presence of antibodies to HIV due to the simplicity of assay techniques, the possibility of storing the diagnostica within a wide range of temperatures (4 degrees-30 degrees C) and obtaining results in a short time (3 hours).     

Cellular immunity factors of tick-borne typhus patients in northern Asia

In patients with North Asian tick-borne typhus fever the deficiency of the T-system of immunity, most pronounced in the acute period of the disease, is observed, which is manifested by low values of lymphocyte blast-transformation and rosette-formation. A decrease in the number of active E-rosette-forming cells depends on the severity of the disease. The shifts in the T-system of immunity, appearing in patients with North Asian tick-borne typhus fever, are compensated for comparatively quickly, the normalization of the functional activity of T-lymphocytes occurring sooner than the restoration of their number. The specific dynamics of the characteristics of cell-mediated immunity in patients with North Asian tick-borne typhus fever is accompanied by a comparatively mild course of the disease and its favorable outcome.     

Use of the indirect hemagglutination test for the study of ornithosis. Report 2. Preparation and approbation of the dry ornithosis erythrocyte diagnostic agent

An original preparation--dry ornithosis erythrocytic diagnostic agent for the indirect hemagglutination test was prepared on the basis of formalinized tannin-treated sheep red blood cells and group-specific phospholipid antigen of the causative agent of ornithosis. This diagnostic agent retained its specific activity for 18 months (observation period). The use of this preparation considerably facilitated the method of performance of this test, this offering a possibility of its wide application in practice. A sufficiently high sensitivity and specificity of the indirect hemagglutination test with the suggested diagnostic agent, in comparison with the complement fixation test was demonstrated.