Brote de triquinosis en la comuna de Purranque X Región, Chile: octubre/noviembre 1992 / Outbreak of trichinosis in Purranque county X Region, Chile: october/november 1992

An outbreak of trichinosis occurred in Purranque county, X Region, Chile, between october and november of 1992, which involved 36 persons. The incubation period, determinated by the clinical picture and laboratory assays, fluctuated between 10 and 12 days, myalgias (88,9 for percent) and palpebral oedema (86,1 por percent) were the most important symptoms, followed by fever (44,4 for percent) and headache (33,3 for percent). Eosinophils count ranged from two to 42 for percent the first week, and this value raised to 55 for percent the second week of the outbreak. Anti-trichinella spiralis antibodies were determinated by some serological tests such as: precipitin test (PT), bentonite flocculation test (BFT) and indirect hemagglutination test (IHAT) in sera IHAT (21,4 for percent) and BFT (3,6 for percent). After 15 days, the three tests were perfomed in sera from 12 patients. At that time, the positivity was elevated in all of them: PT (100,0 for percent), BFT (66,7 for percent) and IHAT (91,7 for percent). It is believed that the outbreak had its origin in infected pork meat that was consumed raw or insufficiently cooked without a previous veterinary inspection

Floc formation of some water soluble homopolymers

Polyelectrolytes such as polyacrylamide [nonionic polymer], polysodium acrylate [anionic polymer] and poly diallylethylamine-hydrochloride [cationic polymer] were prepared by gamma radiation initiated polymerization of acrylamide, sodium acrylate and diallylethylamine- hydrochloride, respectively. The efficiency of flocculation of these polyelectrolytes was tested on copper sulfate solution at different pH and polymer concentrations. Results were discussed and suggestions for possible floc formation are presented

Antyphospholipid antibodies in syphilis

1. An enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was used to determine the phospholipid specificity of antibodies in sera from 35 syphilis patients. 2. Based on the cross-reaction obtained aginst a mixture of cardiolipin, phosphatidylcholine and holesterol that is standard for flocculation tests according to the Venereal Disease Research Laboratory (CECON, Säo Paulo, Brazil), all 35 patients tested positive for antibodies of the IgG class whereas 13 (37%) also had IgM antibodies for the same mixture of lipids. IgG antibodies to cardiolipin were demonstrated in 2 patients (6%) and IgM antibodies in 5 (15%). Significant levels of IgG anti-phosphatidylcholine were detected in 3 patients (9%) and IgM antibodies in 4(11%). IgG anti-phosphatidylethanolamine antibodies were found in 1 patient (3%) and IgM antibodies in 3(9%). Antibody binding to cardiolipin plus cholesterol or cardiolipin plus phosphatidycholine was as effective as when the standard mixture of all 3 lipids was used. 3. A comparison with serum from systemic lupus erythematosus patients and inhibition studies using liposomes o cardiolipin or the mixture of 3 lipids suggests that there are at least 3 groups of anticardiolipin antibodies

Prueba de floculación-aglutinación en capilar el diagnóstico serológico de fiebre tifoidea en niños / Capillary flocculation-agglutination test in the serodiagnosis of typhoid fever in children

Un antígeno bacteriano coloreado, liofilizado y empacado en un tubo capilar al ser mezclado con el suero de pacientes con fiebre tifoidea, produjo un fenómeno de aglutinación-floculación, visible en un tiempo menor de 30 segundos al ser comparado con los sueros controles. A un total de 75 sueros de niños con fiebre tifoidea comprobada por aislamiento de S. typhi en sangre y a un mismo número de controles se les practicó las pruebas de hemoaglutinación (HA), inmunoenzimática (ELISA), fijación en superficie (FS) y la prueba capilar (PC) a describir en este trabajo. Los resultados fueron: HA: sensibilidad 88%, especificidad 94%; ELISA: sensibilidad 84%, especificidad de 94%; FS: sensibilidad 90%, especificidad de 100%; PC: sensibilidad 89%, especificidad 100%. La prueba de capilar mostró sensibilidad comparables a las demás pruebas. Tiene las ventajas de ser económica, rápida y fácil de interpretar. Como prueba de escrutinio puede ser útil en pequeñas comunidades donde la fiebre tifoidea es endémica

Forma aguda da doença de Chagas no Rio Grande do Sul - aspectos laboratoriais / Acute phase of Chagas disease in Rio Grande do Sul - laboratory aspects

Os AA. analisam os aspectos laboratoriais encontrados em 12 casos agudos da Doença de Chagas, estudados na Santa Casa de Misericórdia de Pelotas - Rio Grande do Sul - Brasil, no período 1970-1976. Näo foi encontrado um padräo uniforme, tanto com relaçäo aos aspectos bioquímicos estudados. Entretanto, observaram, de modo quase constante,linfocitose, tanto relativa quanto absoluta, aumento da velocidade de sedimentaçäo globular e positividade da prova da proteína-C reativa. Do lado bioquímico estiveram presentes: hipoalbuminemia,inversäo do coeficiente A/G e positividade das reaçöes de floculaçäo e turvaçäo. A funçäo hepática, analisada pela dosagem das bilirrubinas, GPT, GOT e fosfatase alcalina, näo mostrou desvios importantes dos padröes normais

Seridiagnosis of Syphilis / 대한피부과학회지

The most frequently used serodiagnostic test for syphilis in Korea is VDRL test, which is one of several flocculation tests utilizing cardiolipin-lecithin as antigen. This test remains popular because it is easily performed, inexpensive, is standard for screening purposes, and is useful for following the serologic response to treatment. A common problem is weakly reactive (or 'rough' result) VDRL test or reactive VDRL in the absence of definite evidence of present or past syphilis; the diagnosis of syphilis in these cases should be confirmed by using the specific treponemal antigen tests. The Fluorescent Treponemal Antibody-Absorption (FTA-ARS) test is the result of continued attempts to improve the original FTA procedures. This test uses virulent T. pallidum (Nichols strain) as antigen and uses fluorescein-tagged antihuman globulin as reaction indicator. The FTA-ABS test is very sensitive in all stage of syphilis, especially in early syphilis. The FTA-ABS test was carried out on 448 persons with reactive and weakly reactive VDRL tests and divided the groups of routine physical check and out patients. (countinued..)

Serodiagnosis of Syphilis / 대한피부과학회지

The serodiagnostic test of syphilis employed with the greatest freguency in this country is the VDRL procedure which is one of the flocculation test utilizing cardiolipin-lecithin as an antigen. As well known, the immunologically nonspecific nature of this test relegates it only to screening test, so that all the sera displaying weakly reactive or reactive VDRL in the absence of definite evidence of present or past syphilis should be confirmed by using the specific treponemal antigen tests. However, there are only lirnited numbers of institutions at which the specific treponemal antigen tests are carried out, because the tests usually need quite coaiplicatnl technology and specifically trained personnel. The Treponema. pallidum hema.gglutination assay (TPHA) which was first described by Rathlev in 1965 and established as more improved and standardized procedure in serodia,gnosis of syphilis by Tornizaxva and Kasamatsu (1966) has been found to h as sensitive and specific as the technically more complicated Fluorescent treponemaI antibody absorption (FTA-ABS) or Treponema pallidum immobilization (TPI) po cedure by rnany investigators from different parts of the world during these 10 years. The TPHA has also been found to have definite advantage over the other tests because it is easy to perform and economic. The present authors felt. that the TPHA meight be the most reasonable method to be used in this country and decided to evaluate it in the serodiagnosis of problem cases. Sera from 516 presumed normal persons, 686 pregnant women ancl 1345 patients with various diseases other than syphilis were screened with the standard VDRL procedure as described and recommanded by USPHS. Out of these, 475 of t.he presumed normal persons, 646 of the pregnant women and 1243 of the patient group wit;h various diseases other than syphilis v;ere serologically nonreactive and 10, 12 and Rl sera from each of the above groups, respectively, were found to be true syphilitc with definite evidence of clinical signs or history of syphilis. Thirty-one out of the presumed normal persons, 28 out of the pregnant women and 71 out of the patient group with various diseases other than syphilis showed either weakly reactive or reactive VDRI, in undiluted sera without definite evidence of syphilis and these 130 sera from 130 persons were the subject of the present study. The TPHA was carried out on these 130 sera. according to the ma.nual MEA-TP instructed by National Institute of Health, Japan. The reagents used in this study rvere rnanufactured and supplied hy the Fujizoki Pharmaceutical Co. Ten (32.3%) out of the R1 sera from preaumed normal persons, 11 (39.4%) out of the 28 sera from pregna.nt women a.nd 28 (69.4%) out of the patient group with various disea ses other then syphilis showed reactive TPHA. Eighty-seven of the total 130 sera showed weakly reactive VDRL so called rough result and 19 (21.8%) Of these 87 sera showed reactive TPHA, while 30(69.8%) of the 43 sera which showed reactive VDRL were found to be TPHA reactive. These results arc in general agreement with those of other investigators confirmed by the more complicated FTA-ABS or TPI. The overall incidence of syphilis was 3.87%, 3.35% and 4.38% in presumed normal persons, in pregnant women and in patient group with various diseases other than syphilis respectively. Considering the relative lack of study concerning to the false positive reactions in this country, these results may be helpful to the clinician to rnake a cert.ain diagnostic decision when they meet such a patient whose VDRL is weakly reactive or reactive in the absence of definite evidence of syphilis. The authors concluded that: the MHA-TP technique is easy in performance, economic and highly specific in serodiagnosis and that this technique is highly recommanded in this country. * The authors thank Fujizoki Pharrnaceutical Company, Tokyo, Japan which provided the TPHA reagents used in this study.