Diverse genotypes of Kaposi's sarcoma associated herpesvirus (KSHV) identified in infant blood infections in African childhood-KS and HIV/AIDS endemic region

Kaposi's sarcoma-associated herpesvirus (KSHV or HHV-8) has been associated with several neoplasias, including childhood endemic Kaposi's sarcoma (KS). It is possible that strain genotypes could contribute to the differences in regional presentation (mainly sub-Saharan Africa), childhood infection, lack of male sex bias, distinct disseminated forms and rapid fatality observed for childhood endemic KS. Early studies, at the advent of the HIV/AIDS epidemic, identified only the K1-A5 genotype in childhood KS biopsies as well as blood of a few HIV positive and negative febrile infants in Zambia, a highly endemic region. This current enlarged study analyses blood infections of 200 hospitalized infants (6-34 months age) with symptoms of fever as well as upper respiratory tract infection, diarrhoea, rash or rhinitis. KSHV and HIV viraemia and were prevalent in this group, 22% and 39%, respectively. Multiple markers at both variable ends of the genome (K1, K12, and K14.1/K15) were examined, showing diverse previously adult-linked genotypes (K1 A2, A5, B, C3, D, with K12 B1 and B2 plus K14.1/K15 P or M) detected in both HIV positive and negative infants, demonstrating little restriction on KSHV genotypes for infant/childhood transmission in a childhood endemic KS endemic region. This supports the interpretation that the acquisition of childhood KSHV infections and subsequent development of KS are due to additional co-factors.     

西部开发中的虫媒病传播问题

西部开发地区存在许多虫媒病 ,即昆虫和蜱螨传播的疾病 ,为了保障开发人群的健康 ,首先需要对这些疾病的传播 ,特别是有些疾病的自然疫源地或流行区有所了解。本文列述了 13种虫媒病及其在这个地区的分布 ,对其中值得我们更重视的 4类重要疾病 ,包括鼠疫、莱姆病、疟疾和登革热的病原体传播媒介或有的贮存宿主以及重要性等作了扼要的介绍。本文并提出了这类疾病在开发中和开发后可能产生的危害性 ,以及防止或减少它们危害的建议。作者认为从开发地区的长远利益出发 ,应该重视开发中自然环境改变对上述虫媒病传播影响的研究     

Molecular epidemiological and clinical aspects of hepatitis D virus in a unique triple hepatitis viruses (B,C, D) endemic community in Taiwan

The molecular epidemiological and clinical aspects of hepatitis D virus (HDV) in a unique HBV, HCV, and HDV triple virus endemic community in southern Taiwan were investigated. A total of 2,909 residents aged 45 or older were screened for hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg), anti-HCV antibody, and anti-HDV antibody (specifically for HBsAg-positive carriers). Factors that might be associated with HDV infection, viral nucleic acid detection, and genotyping of HBV, HCV, and HDV were investigated. The prevalence of HBsAg and anti-HCV were 12.6% (366/2,909) and 41.6% (1,227/2,909), respectively. For HBsAg carriers, 15.3% (56/366) were positive for anti-HDV assay. Living in a higher endemic district of HCV infection (odds ratio [OR] = 3.2; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.7-6.3), male gender (OR = 1.9; 95% CI = 1.1-3.6) and co-infection with HCV (OR = 1.8; 95% CI = 1.0-3.3) were significantly independent factors associated with HDV infection. The detection rate of HDV RNA among anti-HDV-positive patients was only 12.7% (7/55). The mean HBV titer of triple infection group was significantly lower than in the HBV/HDV co-infection group (2.23 vs 3.05 in log(10), copies/ml, P = 0.046). HCV RNA detection among the triple infection group showed 47.4% (9/19) viremia rate and viral loads of 579,121 IU/ml in median (16,803-1,551,190 IU/ml). The prevalent genotype of HBV was type B (23/25); HCV was 1b (7/9) and HDV was IIa/IIb (4/4). Only the presence of HCV RNA predicted the presence of elevated ALT significantly (OR = 25.0; 95% CI = 3.39-184.6). In conclusion, the geographical aggregation of HDV infection paralleled that of HCV infection in this community. HCV suppressed the replication of HBV among triple vital infection patients. HBV and HDV lapsed into a remission or nonreplicative phase in most cases, and HCV acted as a dominant factor in triple viral-infected individuals. Only the presence of HCV RNA was associated with elevated ALT values, but not HBV or HDV.     

Epidemiologic survey and genetic analysis of endemic hepatitis C virus infection in a Japanese town with a high prevalence of hepatitis B virus carriers

Mass screening for hepatitis C virus antibody was carried out in 875 inhabitants (313 men and 562 women) of a town in Japan with a high rate of hepatitis B virus infection. The overall rate of positivity for anti-HCV was 8.8% (6.4% in men and 10,1% in women). The rate of positivity for hepatitis B virus surface antigen was 11.2%. Five subjects (0.6%) were positive for both markers. HCV-RNA was detected in 65 (88.4%) of 77 individuals who were positive for anti-HCV and in 1 (1.5%) of 60 individuals negative for anti-HCV. The genotype of the HCV genome was determined by PCR analysis using type-specific primers in 60 individuals. HCV type 1b was detected in 51 subjects (85%), type 2a in 3 subjects (5%), and type 2b in 6 subjects (10%). None of the individuals was infected with more than one genotype. The nucleotide sequences of the partial nonstructural 5 region of HCV type 1b genotype obtained from 6 individuals showed at least 92.0% homology in the nucleotide sequence, and 94.8% homology in the amino acid sequence. Homology among these clones was greater than their homology with previously described type 1 b sequences. The findings suggest that there was a specific local origin of HCV infection, although it was not possible to identify any single source of HCV infection. The results also indicate the presence of asymptomatic HCV carriers. © 1995 Wiley-Liss, Inc.     

Study of induction of activation of human peripheral blood mononuclear cells with a non-activating form of anti-CD3 MoAb in autoimmune thyroid disease (AITD).

Anti-CD3 (OKT3) MoAb is a mitogenic agent which activates lymphocytes. We have studied the effects of murine anti-human OKT3 MoAb (IgG1) alone or in combination with IL-2, human thyroglobulin (Tg) and thyroperoxidase (TPO) antigens on the proliferation of whole peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) (including monocytes) or subtypes (T, CD4+, CD8+, B) as measured by tritiated thymidine (3H-TdR) incorporation. B cell differentiation was studied by measuring numbers of IgG-secreting cells and specific anti-TPO/anti-Tg-secreting cells by SPOT ELISA. PBMC or lymphocyte subtypes, obtained from 45 patients with Hashimoto's thyroiditis (HT), 40 Graves' disease (GD) and 51 normal controls were cultured in 96 microtitre plates for 6 days in the presence of OKT3 MoAb at final concentrations 25-250 ng/ml, IL-2 15 U/ml, Tg and TPO (1 micrograms/ml). Then cultures were pulsed with 0.2 microCi 3H-TdR/well and incorporation was measured after 18 h. IgG and anti-TPO/Tg-secreting cells were detected at 7 days. Higher proliferative responses from whole PBMC preparations in response to any of the combinations including OKT3 MoAb were observed in the HT preparations, while the basal values were the lowest. IL-2 alone increased these responses markedly, but equally in all groups. IL-2 in combination with OKT3 had an additive effect on proliferation, with higher responses in HT. Tg and TPO antigens did not change these responses. Most HT preparations responded with their maximum proliferation to the lowest concentration of OKT3 MoAb (25 ng/ml), whereas in GD and control preparations of PBMC these responses were shifted to higher concentrations (250 ng/ml); even with those, proliferation was not so enhanced in controls when compared with HT and GD preparations. In contrast, the proliferative responses of T cells alone and subpopulations of CD8+ suppressor/cytotoxic cells were decreased in HT preparations compared with controls. Monocytes were necessary for proliferation. In the subpopulation of B cells (> 95% pure) and CD4+ helper/inducer cells, differences did not reach significance. In spite of the effect on proliferation, OKT3 MoAb only mildly but significantly increased the numbers of IgG-secreting cells in HT and GD preparations and did not stimulate synthesis of specific antibodies. Our data suggest that the increased proliferative responses of whole PBMC to OKT3 MoAb in HT preparations might be due to insufficient activation of T suppressor/cytotoxic cells.     

新疆奎屯地区地方性砷中毒致癌致突变远期作用的干预研究

目的:探讨防治新疆奎屯地方性砷中毒干预实验前后患者砷中毒病情与癌变之间的关系。方法 :以皮肤癌变、内脏癌变、染色体畸变和微核率作为评价指标 ,对奎屯砷中毒地区改水防病干预 15年后进行致癌、致突变流行病学调查研究。 结果 :干预实验 15年来 ,77%的病区饮用水已符合卫生学要求 ,90 %以上砷中毒患者病情有了好转 ,无新发病例 ,但原有的中度和重度砷中毒患者中仍有癌症发生 ,染色体畸变率和微核率也明显高于对照人群。 结论 :砷致癌、致突变的远期效应是明显的。     

地方性氟中毒家猪胫骨形态计量学的初步研究

本文应用 Mop-Videoplan 图象分析仪对氟中毒家猪胫骨进行了骨计量学的初步研究。四环素双标记后将家猪胫骨制备成骨磨片,在荧光及普通光学显微镜下测量了一系列骨计量学参数。结果表明,氟中毒导致家猪胫骨髓腔面皮质新骨体积明显增加,但其增加程度不与血氟呈正相关。新骨体积增加可能是造成临床 X 线氟骨症表现骨髓腔狭窄的原因。骨动力学研完表明,氟中毒造成四环素双标记明显减少,这可能与氟抑制骨组织的转换过程有关。     

三次抛物线配合方法在碘缺乏病区居民患病率分析中的应用

<正>在碘缺乏病区,居民甲状腺肿患病率在年鹅分布上的特征,可用二次抛物线加以描述[l].根握资料类型的不同,可选择更为适合的三次抛物线来描述.根据现场调查资料,本文采用三次抛物线方法进行配合,并将配合结果与二     

碘缺乏地区补碘后儿童智力发育及尿碘调查分析

采用希－内智力测验对碘缺乏地区山西省沁源县白孤窑乡１４８名儿童补碘后智力发育调查。结果显示，智商均值９９．９３±１９．２４，智力低下者占３．３８％，超出正常地区水平。学龄期男童智商显著高于学龄前期儿童及学龄期女童。地方性甲状腺肿患病率９．４６％，尿碘中位数３９９．７３ｎｍｏｌ／Ｌ，小于１９６．９９ｎｍｏｌ／Ｌ者占１３．８９％，超出国家碘缺乏病基本控制标准     

Autoantibodies to melanocytes and characterization of melanophages in patients affected by a new variant of endemic pemphigus foliaceus

Background: Melanin and melanophages are commonly seen under the basement membrane zone of the skin in patients affected by a new variant of endemic pemphigus foliaceus in El Bagre, Colombia (El Bagre‐EPF). Objective: Our study was conducted to determine the nature of these pigmentary alterations. Methods: We utilized clinical, histopathologic and immunologic techniques including direct and indirect immunofluorescence, immunohistochemistry, Bielschowsky staining and immunoelectron microscopy studies. Results: In the El Bagre‐EPF patients, we detected dermal melanin in melanophages and antigen‐presenting cells, in close proximity to neural and vascular markers. The melanophages consisted of a mixed population expressing CD68, myeloid/histoid antigen and S‐100 protein. By immunoelectron microscopy, the presence of autoantibodies in proximity to melanin granules was confirmed within the melanocytes utilizing 10‐nm gold particles. Conclusion: Dermal antigen‐presenting cells, including melanophages, seem to contain a diverse combination of molecules, representative of an immunologic process where these cells are engulfing both autoantigens and/or cellular debris in El Bagre‐EPF. Autoantibodies to discrete components of melanocytes were also identified; the clinical and immunologic significance of these findings remains unknown. Our work may provide a possible explanation of a darkened complexion in patients affected by endemic pemphigus foliaceus. Abreu Velez A M, Yi H, Googe PB Jr, Mihm MC Jr, Howard MS. Autoantibodies to melanocytes and characterization of melanophages in patients affected by a new variant of endemic pemphigus foliaceus.