RESUMO
The diagnosis of cryptosporidiosis has been carried out using coprologic techniques in the Republic of Korea. However, antibody responses to Cryptosporidium have rarely been studied. Serum antibodies from HIV-positive/oocyst-positive Korean patients recognized significantly 31 and 27 kDa antigens, and HIV-negative/oocyst-positive individuals clearly reacted to 15/17 kDa antigens. Compared with oocyst-positive cases, 18.7% and 75.8% of sera from HIV-positive patients reacted to 31 and 27 kDa antigens. Only 11.1% of HIV-negative individuals reacted to 15/17 kDa. Based on these findings, serum antibody responses were different between HIV-positive and HIV-negative individuals infected with Cryptosporidium, and it is suggested that HIV-positive patients are more frequently exposed to C. parvum compared to HIV-negative individuals.
Assuntos
Adulto , Idoso , Animais , Feminino , Humanos , Masculino , Pessoa de Meia-Idade , Infecções Oportunistas Relacionadas com a AIDS/sangue , Anticorpos Antiprotozoários/sangue , Formação de Anticorpos , Antígenos de Protozoários/química , Western Blotting/métodos , Criptosporidiose/sangue , Fezes/parasitologia , Coreia (Geográfico) , Proteínas de Protozoários/químicaRESUMO
The information of species and quantity of enteric viruses in surface water, finished water, and tap water is important in helping understand the pathogenesis of viruses, providing information about health and hygiene, improving handling technique of drinking water, and establishing the standards of water quality. Using standard total culturable virus assay-most probable number (TCVA-MPN) method, we tried to detect infectious enteric viruses in surface water, finished water, and tap water samples that were collected and evaluated according to the information collection rule (ICR). The results obtained with TCVA method were compared to the results from both reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and integrated cell culture-RT-PCR (ICC-RT-PCR) method. Five of 86 samples (5.8%) were positive as determined by the TCVA-MPN method. Two of 86 samples (2.3%) were positive for reovirus as determined by the RT-PCR and ICC-RT-PCR, and contained infectious reovirus. One of 86 samples (1.7%) was positive for coxsackievirus type B3 as determined by the RT-PCR and ICC-RT-PCR.
Assuntos
Água Potável , Higiene , Qualidade da Água , ÁguaRESUMO
Coxiella burnetii is the causative agent of Q fever worldwide in human and animals. While several clinical cases of Q fever were reported in Korea till the middle of 1990s, nobody has reported a case thereafter. However possibilities for an outbreak have still been raised. In this study, antibody titers to C. burnetii in patients with unknown fever and atypical pneumonia were tested by an indirect immunofluorescence method using the phase II antigen. In addition, the validity of a PCR method in indentifying C. burnetii directly from human sera was tested. Among the 560 specimens from atypical pneumonia patients, 23 sera (4.29%) reacted positively to the phase II antigen of C. burnetii. IgG antiphase II antigen titers were 1:16 in 16, 1:32 in 2, 1:64 in 2, 1:128 in 2, and > or =1:256 in one serum. IgM and IgA antibodies anti-phase II antigen were detected in 6 and 3 sera at 1:16, respectively. And each two sera had IgM antibodies at 1:32 and 1:64. Anti-phase II antigen IgG antibody titers in the patients with unknown fever were 1:16 in 5, 1:32 in 2, 1:128 in 1, and 1:256 in 3 sera. However, IgM antibody wasn't detected in this group. Of the 202 sera from abattoir workers, 5 (2.47%) reacted with phase II antigen. Among 448 sera of healthy controls, anti-phase II antigen IgG titer of 1:16 was found in 7 and 1:32 in 1 and 1:64 in 3 sera. In the case of IgM titer, two sera were reactive at 1:16 and 1:32, each. Significant differences among the test groups were not noted in the present study. The PCR assay to detect C. burnetii com-1 and plasmid genes did not show reliable specificity and sensitivity for the diagnosis of Q fever. So, the usefulness of the PCR for laboratory diagnosis of Q fever still remains controversial.
Assuntos
Animais , Humanos , Matadouros , Anticorpos , Técnicas de Laboratório Clínico , Coxiella burnetii , Coxiella , Diagnóstico , Febre , Técnica Indireta de Fluorescência para Anticorpo , Imunoglobulina A , Imunoglobulina G , Imunoglobulina M , Coreia (Geográfico) , Plasmídeos , Pneumonia , Reação em Cadeia da Polimerase , Febre Q , Sensibilidade e EspecificidadeRESUMO
BACKGROUND: Previous data have been reported that subtype B is prevalent in South Korea, but neither the extent nor the proportion of subtypes could be evaluated. This study was designed to analyze the distribution of HIV-1 subtypes, temporal instructions and transmission dynamics between epidemiological groups. METHODS: 1,280 Koreans had been diagnosed as HIV seropositive during the period 1985 to 2000. Among them, 134 individuals were selected for this molecular epidemiological study. 134 DNAs were isolated from uncultured or cultured peripheral blood mononuclear cells. V3-V5 (0.7 kb) fragment of HIV-1 env gene was amplified by nested polymerase chain reaction and was sequenced. RESULTS: HIV-1 isolates from thirty-seven homosexuals were all subtype B (100%). On the other hand, 66 isolates from 94 heterosexuals were subtype B (70%) and 28 were non B subtypes (30%:13 A, 4 C, 2 D, 8 E, 1 G). Only subtype B strains were isolated from 73 males who were infected with HIV inside Korea while 16 B and 20 non B subtype strains were isolated from 36 males who were HIV infected outside of Korea. However, B and non B strains were isolated half and half from females who were infected inside Korea except one. CONCLUSION: The HIV-1 subtype B strains are prevalent in Korea from the early HIV infection until present in both homo and heterosexuals. Non B strains have been transmitted from men who were infected outside Korea to their spouses and casual partners. So, we need further study to monitor subtype B and non B HIV transmission in epidemiological groups of Korea.
Assuntos
Feminino , Humanos , Masculino , DNA , Genes env , Mãos , Heterossexualidade , HIV , Infecções por HIV , HIV-1 , Hominidae , Homossexualidade , Coreia (Geográfico) , Epidemiologia Molecular , Reação em Cadeia da Polimerase , CônjugesRESUMO
BACKGROUND: Follicular dendritic cells (FDCs) play key roles during T cell-dependent humoral immune responses by allowing antigen-specific B cells to survive, proliferate, and differentiate within the FDC networks of secondary follicles, i.e., germinal centers (GC). METHODS: A novel monoclonal antibody, 3C8, was generated by immunizing with an FDC line HK, in order to understand the molecular signals involved in the FDC-B cell interactions in the microenvironment of the GC. RESULTS: The 3C8 antibody did not bind to mononuclear cells, including T cells, B cells, and monocytes. Murine L929 and human skin fibroblasts exhibited no or little reactivity to 3C8. However, 3C8 specifically recognized HK cells by flowcytometry. Furthermore, the antigen recognized by 3C8 was restricted to the GC of the human tonsil. Dendritic networks of the GC were intensely stained by 3C8, but cells out side the GC were not. CONCLUSION: Our result s suggest that the antigen 3C8 may play some unique role on FDCs during the GC reactions.
Assuntos
Humanos , Linfócitos B , Comunicação Celular , Células Dendríticas Foliculares , Fibroblastos , Centro Germinativo , Imunidade Humoral , Monócitos , Tonsila Palatina , Pele , Linfócitos TRESUMO
Phylogenetic analysis was conducted to monitor transmission of HIV and to investigate the genetic structure of primary isolates from 12 HIV-1 subtype A infected Koreans. The individuals infected with subtype A viruses had been diagnosed as HIV-1 seropositives during the period 1987 to 1995 and blood samples have been collected from 1991 to 1997. DNA of each individual was isolated from uncultured or cultured peripheral blood mononuclear cells. V3-V5 (0.7 kb) fragment of HIV-1 rev gene was amplified by nested polymerase chain reaction and the PCR products were sequenced. The mean value of the divergence of nucleotide of HIV-1 euv V3-V5 fragment was 17.0+/-4.06% (8.6~25.8%) within HIV-1 subtype A isolates from Koreans. This diversity was higher than those of African isolates (13.7+/-2.66%). In the phylogenetic tree, Korean subtype A isolates were not grouped together, but intermingled into African isolates. The results of this study suggested that HIV-1 subtype A variants be introduced from multiple sites of Africa into Korea and the big genetic diversity of Korea HIV-1 subtype A isolates may be further influenced by the range of geographic locations in which the infection occurred rather than the elapsed time between infection and collection of samples and the disease progression.
Assuntos
África , Progressão da Doença , DNA , Genes env , Genes rev , Estruturas Genéticas , Variação Genética , Localizações Geográficas , HIV , HIV-1 , Coreia (Geográfico) , Reação em Cadeia da PolimeraseRESUMO
Phylogenetic analysis was conducted to monitor transmission of HIV and to investigate the genetic structure of primary isolates from 12 HIV-1 subtype A infected Koreans. The individuals infected with subtype A viruses had been diagnosed as HIV-1 seropositives during the period 1987 to 1995 and blood samples have been collected from 1991 to 1997. DNA of each individual was isolated from uncultured or cultured peripheral blood mononuclear cells. V3-V5 (0.7 kb) fragment of HIV-1 rev gene was amplified by nested polymerase chain reaction and the PCR products were sequenced. The mean value of the divergence of nucleotide of HIV-1 euv V3-V5 fragment was 17.0+/-4.06% (8.6~25.8%) within HIV-1 subtype A isolates from Koreans. This diversity was higher than those of African isolates (13.7+/-2.66%). In the phylogenetic tree, Korean subtype A isolates were not grouped together, but intermingled into African isolates. The results of this study suggested that HIV-1 subtype A variants be introduced from multiple sites of Africa into Korea and the big genetic diversity of Korea HIV-1 subtype A isolates may be further influenced by the range of geographic locations in which the infection occurred rather than the elapsed time between infection and collection of samples and the disease progression.
Assuntos
África , Progressão da Doença , DNA , Genes env , Genes rev , Estruturas Genéticas , Variação Genética , Localizações Geográficas , HIV , HIV-1 , Coreia (Geográfico) , Reação em Cadeia da PolimeraseRESUMO
BACKGROUND: HIV-1 p24 antigen assay is useful for the detection of circulating viruses, and infection prior to seroconversion. However, circulating HIV-1 p24 antigen may be complexed with HIV antibody and prevent it from being detected by antigen capture assay. To detect HIV-1 p24 antigen in the specimen, it is necessary to dissociate immune complexes and confirm the presence of HIV-1 p24 antigen after the neutralization with the specific antibody. METHODS: We tested 32 sera from HIV-1 infected persons who were diagnosed from 1987 tO1996 in Korea for HIV-1 p24 antigen by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA.) with or without the dissociation of immune complexes. And we confirmed the antigen assay results by the neutralization with HIV-1 specific antibody as a confirmatory test. We also calculated the concentration of HIV-1 p24 antigen in each specimen. RESULTS: Eleven of 32 sera tested were initially positive for HIV-1 p24 antigen. After the dissociation of immune complexes for 29 sera except two of which signal/cutoff ratios were higher than 7.0 and except one which was not enough for the assay,13 were shown to be positive for HIV-1 p24 antigen and their signal/cutoff ratios were increased by 10 times. Five of antigen negative cases were turned to be positive after the immune complex dissociation. After neutralization with HIV-1specific p24 antibody for sera of 13 which were positive for HIV-1 p24 antigen with or without the immune complex dissociation, all were shown to be neutralized. We have observed more than 90% neutralization reduction for 12 sera and more than 50% less than 90% for one. The average concentration of HIV-1 p24 antigen was8.76pg/ml by antigen assay and was increased to 76.81~g/m~ after immune complex dissociation. CONCLUSION: We concluded that the sensitivity and the specificity of HIV-1 p24 antigen assay could be increased by dissociation of the immune complexes and neutralization with the specific antibody.
Assuntos
Humanos , Complexo Antígeno-Anticorpo , Ensaio de Imunoadsorção Enzimática , HIV , HIV-1 , Coreia (Geográfico) , Sensibilidade e EspecificidadeRESUMO
To examine AZT resistance of HIV-1 isolates from AZT treated or untreated Korean, several biological characteristics such as syncytium formation, HIV-1 reverse transcriptase activity and the p24 antigen production in MT-2 cells infected with 4 HRT_1 isolates were determined. As controls, we tested HIV-1 HTLV-IIIB and pre-drug isolate as AZT susceptible strains, in addition to HIV-1 RTMC/MT-2 and post-drug isolate as AZT resistant strains. When the inoculum size of HIV-1 was 300 TCID50well and 100 TCID50/well, the AZT susceptibility of AZT untreated HIV-1 isolates 8806 and 9571 were similar to that of HIV-1 HTLV-IIIB and AZT-susceptible HIV-1 strains. When we evaluated AZT resistance of isolates HRs-1 8812 and 9113 treated with AZT for 36 months by observation of syncytium formation, HIV-1 8812 showed resistance simillar to that of HIV-1 RTMC/MT-2 strain forming syncytium up to AZT 1microgram/ml, and HIV-1 9113 showed resistance identical with that of AZT-resistant HIV-1 strain which formed syncytium up to AZT 10 microgram/ml. Especially, when we evaluated AZT resistance by HIV-1 reverse transcriptase activty and the p24 antigen production, HIV-1 isolates 8812 and 9113 showed much higher resistance (>10 - 200 fold) compared with HN-1 RTMC/MT-2 and AZT-resistant HIV-1 strain.
Assuntos
Células Gigantes , HIV-1 , Coreia (Geográfico) , Características da População , DNA Polimerase Dirigida por RNA , ZidovudinaRESUMO
Methanol and/or boiling water extraction of 201 natural products and subsequent MTT assay using MT-4 cell line was carried out to screen the anti-HIV-1 activity. Among 97 methanol extracts, 7 extracts from Chrysanthemi Indicium Flos, Magnoliae Cortex Machili Cortex, Reynoutriae Rhizoma, Lithospermi Radix Agastachis Herba, and Chaenomelis Fructus showed anti-HIV-1 activity and their SI value were 2.25 to 5.77. In addition, among 119 boiling water extracts, 10 extracts from Lonicerae Caulis et Foloium, Elsholtziae Herba, Leonuri Herba, Portulacae Herba, Schizonepetae Herba, Curcumae Rhizoma, Amomi Cardamomi Fructus, Cirsii Radix et Herba, Carpesii Herba, and Siegesbeckiae Herba showed anti-HIV-1 activity and their SI value were 1.30 to 7.64. Methanol extracts of above seven natural products were fractionated and the anti-HRs_1 activity of each fraction was examined. Extraction was carried out with hexane, chloroform, butanol, and water to trace active anti-HIV-1 componets. As a result, the water fraction of Magnoliae Cortex, Machili Cortex, Reynoutriae Rhizoma, Agastachis Herba, Chaenomelis Fructus and the butanol fraction of Chrysanthemi Indicium Flos, Reynoutriae Rhizoma showed anti-HIV-1 activity and their SI value were 1.40 to 8.02. We could reach a conclusion that studies to trace the anti-HIV-1 active component of each natural products in further Sractionation and to identify its structure by Infrared spectroscopy, NMR spectroscopy and gel permeation chromatography were needed.
Assuntos
Produtos Biológicos , Linhagem Celular , Clorofórmio , Cromatografia em Gel , Curcuma , Lamiaceae , Lithospermum , Lonicera , Espectroscopia de Ressonância Magnética , Magnolia , Programas de Rastreamento , Metanol , Portulaca , Análise Espectral , ÁguaRESUMO
For 16 years after the finding of HIV as an agent of AIDS in 1981, HIV therapeutic drugs of reverse transcriptase inhibitors (AZT, ddI, ddC, d4T) and protease inhibitors have been developed. Recent studies also were focused on a combination therapy by using HIV therapeutic drugs or natural compounds. Korean red ginseng (KRG) of natural compounds has been well known as a good reinforcement agent in Asia. The percentage of CD3+CD4+ T cell in nine HIV-infected patients without KRG treatment averaged 17.8% on baseline and decreased 15.8% after 6 months, whereas the percentage of the cell in fifteen HIV-infected patients with KRG treatment averaged 15.3% on baseline and increased up to 18.9% after the same period. The average percentage of CD3+CD8+ T cell of KRG-nontreated and KRG-treated HIV patients increased after 6 months 47.8% to 50.7% and 44.7% to 51.4%, respectively; and the average percentage of B and NK cell in the KRG-nontreated and KRG-treated HIV patients decreased 9.4% to 7.9% and 13.0% to 9.7%, 8.9% to 8.5% and 16.2% to 11.6%, respectively, KRG, therefore, didn't have any effects on the CD3+CD8+ T cell, B cell, and NK cell. However, it seems that KRG has a potential activity for stimulating the
Assuntos
Humanos , Ásia , HIV , Células Matadoras Naturais , Subpopulações de Linfócitos , Linfócitos , Panax , Inibidores de Proteases , Inibidores da Transcriptase ReversaRESUMO
In order to investigate psychological and behavioral characteristics homosexuals and to present evidence that homosexuals are in danger of HIV infection in Korea, this study was done by self-administered questionnaire and then direct interview with the 28(35%) HIV infected homosexual/bisexuals of 79 HIV infected persons reported in 1992. Homosexuals without heterosexual activity were 9 and the others were bisexuals. Sixty-five percent of respondents had a guilty conscience for their homosexual activity. Twenty(71%) were in twenties and 5(18%) in thirties. Twelve(43%) were detected via health card checking by health office, 21% by blood donation, 18% by hospital visit, and 7% by partner notification. Motivations for homosexual activity were curiosity(36%), temptation or recommendation(14%) and compulsion(11%). Eighteen(72%) never used condom on anal sex. Nine of 26 respondents had experience for anal sex with foreigners. Fourteen(54%) of 26 respondents had history for sexually transmitted diseases. Fightly percent did not have sexual contact after HIV infection and the others usually used condom. It was confirmed that over 57% of the respondents were infected within 1 year before HIV diagnosis and over 82% within 2 years. These data suggest that HIV infection among homosexual group is rapidly spreading.
Assuntos
Humanos , Bissexualidade , Doadores de Sangue , Preservativos , Consciência , Busca de Comunicante , Inquéritos e Questionários , Diagnóstico , Emigrantes e Imigrantes , Heterossexualidade , Infecções por HIV , HIV , Homossexualidade , Coreia (Geográfico) , Inquéritos e Questionários , Comportamento Sexual , Infecções Sexualmente TransmissíveisRESUMO
No abstract available.