Measurement of red blood cell antibodies in autoimmune hemolytic anemia

The enzyme-linked antiglobulin test (ELAT) was employed to measure the number of IgG molecules per red blood cell (IgG/RBC0 in 11 patients with autoimmune hemolytic anemia (AIHA). All patients with AIHA had high levels of red cell-associated IgG (110-3,650IgG/RBC). The control group consisted of normal volunteers (N=10) and patients with hereditary spherocytosis (N=1), ß--thalassemia (N=1), immunologic thrombocytopenic purpura (N=3) and IgG multiple myeloma (N=4). All control individuals presented low levels of red cell IgG (less than 38IgG/RBC) with the exception of one of four patients with myeloma who had a mildly elevated value (50 IgG/RBC). Since the multiple myeloma patients had > 2g/dl IgG, the possible nosnspecific uptake of IgG onto the RBCs of patients with elevated serum IgG values did not interfere with the results of ELAT. ELAT proved to be a useful method for accurate quantification of the amount of IgG specifically bound on the surface of RBC of patients with AIHA

Trypanosoma rangeli (Tejera, 1920) isolated from a sylvatic rodent (Echimys dasythrix) in Santa Catarina island, Santa Catarina state: first report of this trypanosome in southern Brazil

A trypanosome strain isolated from a sylvatic rodent (Echimys dasythrix) from Santa Catarina Island (Santa Catarina State, Brazil) was characterized by the following methods: experimental transmission and development in invertebrate hosts, morphometry, cross protection, complement sensitivity, lectin agglutination and isoenzyme profiles. Comparasions were made with standard Trypanosoma cruzi and T. rangeli strains. All methods except isoenzyne analysis led to the identification of the isolate as T. rangeli. The isoenzyme differences found could be explained on the basis of polymorphism. Therefore this is the first report of T. rangeli in southern Brazil, increasing the geographical distribution of this parasite

Dosagens (RIA) de prolactina e progesterona na esterilidade feminina. / Dosages (RIA) of prolactin and progesterone in female sterility

Foram estudados 36 casos de esterilidade feminina com dosagens (RIA) de prolactina e de progesterona na segunda fase do ciclo menstrual (entre 21o. e 23o. dias do ciclo) de mulheres com menstruacoes normais. Para comparacao foram realizadas as mesmas dosagens no mesmo periodo em 16 mulheres com antecedentes de partos normais. A galactorreia foi encontrada em quatro mulheres sem esterilidade (25%) e em cinco casos com esterilidade (13%). Excluindo-se em cada grupo os casos de galactorreia com hiperprolactinemia, o valor medio da prolactina e significativamente superior na esterilidade primaria (15 casos).Os valores de progesterona apresentam, todavia, uma dispersao dentro da faixa de normalidade do metodo, sem exibir qualquer tendencia nos dois grupos. Na discussao do mecanismo do hipogonadismo dependente da taxa de prolactina, os presentes achados permitem supor que o aumento da prolactina nao causa a anovulacao; e uma consequencia, igualmente, de um disturbio hipotalamico previo como causa primaria