Tumor necrosis factor alpha and interleukin 6 productions in response to platelet-activating factor in chronic hepatitis B virus infection

Objective: The aim of this study was to determine tumor necrosis factor alpha [TNF-alpha] and interleukin-6 [IL-6] release in response to platelet-activating factor [PAF] induction in peripheral blood mononuclear cells [PBMCs] from chronic hepatitis B virus [HBV] carriers

Methods: Subjects were grouped into three subgroups. The mean age was 37 +/- 10 years. Group A [n = 15], group B [n = 10] and group C [n = 9] subjects were HBV serology-negative, had natural immunity after recovery from an acute HBV infection, and were chronic HBV carriers, respectively

Results: Compared with group A, PBMCs from naturally immune subjects and chronic HBV carriers produced significantly higher amounts of TNF-alpha and IL-6 in response to PAF. In chronic HBV carriers, TNF-alpha [1,633.3 +/- 793.7] and IL-6 [2,533.3 +/- 466.3] production was statistically lower than TNF-alpha [2,630.0 +/- 727.3] and IL-6 [3,870.0 +/- 728.4] obtained from naturally immune subjects to HBV

Conclusion: Differences of TNF-alpha levels between chronic HBV carriers and naturally immune subjects suggest that TNF-alpha may be a critical mediator of HBV clearance

Assessment of chlamydia trachomatis prevalence by cell culture and transcription-mediated amplification in symptomatic women

The frequency of Chlamydia trachomatis in women with mucopurulent discharge was determined by a cell culture technique and a transcription-mediated amplification [TMA] assay in endocervical swab specimens. Subjects and Endocervical swab specimens were obtained from 116 symptomatic patients with genitourinary complaints or abdominal pain. All of the women were married, with an age range of between 19 and 44 [median 29] years. The cell culture assay was used in all specimens. For 75 specimens the TMA assay was also performed. Positive cell culture test results were obtained in 6 [5.2%] patients. Among 75 specimens, 2 were positive by both TMA and culture assays, while 1 specimen was positive only by the culture assay. Of those positive for C. trachomatis, 5 were in the 19- to 25-year age group, and 1 was in the >25-year age group. All of the patients with positive results were of low socioeconomic status. Conclusions: This study revealed a relatively low rate of C. trachomatis infections in symptomatic married women in Turkey. A commercial TMA assay failed to identfy all positive patients, in contrast to a 'gold standard' culture assay used in patients having such infections