Detection of Epstein-Barr virus in leucoreduced blood products.

This study examined the prevalence of three human herpesviruses (HHV), namely HHV-4 (Epstein-Barr virus/EBV), HHV-6b and HHV-7 in leucoreduced blood products obtained from the Sainte-Justine Hospital blood bank. A total of 100 specimens, including 34 red blood cell concentrates, 33 platelet bags and 33 plasma units, were collected and screened by a sensitive PCR assay using virus-specific primers. Positive units were then retested by quantitative PCR. Of the 100 specimens, one platelet unit tested positive for EBV.

Leukocytosis in children with Escherichia coli O157:H7 enteritis developing the hemolytic-uremic syndrome.

BACKGROUND: Fewer than 10% of children with Escherichia coli O157:H7 enteritis develop hemolytic-uremic syndrome (HUS). OBJECTIVE: To determine whether circulating leukocytes are independent risk markers of developing HUS during E. coli O157:H7 enteritis. METHODS: We reviewed the charts of all children with culture-proved E. coli O157:H7 infections seen at Sainte-Justine Hospital between 1987 and 1997. Epidemiologic data, laboratory indices and circulating leukocytes counts were noted. HUS diagnosis was validated with independent HUS patient lists from the pediatric nephrology services of tertiary care hospitals in the Montreal metropolitan area. The date of onset of enteritis was determined by two independent observers. Leukocyte counts were compared among the following independent groups: (1) uncomplicated O157:H7 enteritis (Group 1); (2) O157:H7 enteritis with the subsequent development of HUS (Group 2); (3) HUS already present at the time of medical consultation (Group 3). RESULTS: There were 369 children with E. coli O157:H7 infection. A complete blood count was not performed in 114 (31%) patients. Observers disagreed on the date of onset of gastroenteritis in 34 (9%) children only (kappa 0.92). The study population thus included 221 patients: Group 1, n = 161; Group 2, n = 27; and Group 3, n = 33. Patients developing HUS (Group 2) presented greater total leukocyte (P < 0.008), polymorphonuclear (P < 0.008) and monocyte (P < 0.07) counts than those with an uncomplicated course (Group 1). Logistic regression analysis showed that young age [odds ratio (OR), 0.98; 95% confidence interval (CI), 0.96 to 0.99], duration of enteric prodrome < or =3 days (OR 4.8, 95% CI 1.13 to 20.7) and initial leukocytosis (OR 1.22, 95% CI, 1.11 to 1.35) were independent predictors of HUS. CONCLUSIONS: Based on the variables identified above, further studies are needed to determine whether the inflammatory response of the host represents only a marker of the severity of gastrointestinal infection or whether, alternatively, it is a pathophysiologic factor that leads to HUS.

Suicide and mental disorders: a case-control study of young men.

OBJECTIVE: By means of the psychological autopsy method and a case-control design, the authors examined the association of specific mental disorders and comorbidity with suicide among young men. METHOD: Seventy-five men aged 18-35 years whose deaths were adjudicated as completed suicides by coroners of greater Montreal and Quebec City were matched to 75 living young men for age, neighborhood, marital status, and occupation. For each subject in both groups a key respondent best acquainted with the subject was interviewed by clinicians using standardized schedules. Information from the coroner and medical records was also collected. Two experienced psychiatrists, blind to outcome, established best-estimate DSM-III-R diagnoses. RESULTS: Six-month prevalence rates for all axis I diagnoses for the suicide and comparison groups were 88.0% and 37.3%, respectively; major depression was present in 38.7% and 5.3%, alcohol dependence in 24.0% and 5.3%, psychoactive substance dependence in 22.7% and 2.7%. Borderline personality disorder was identified in 28.0% and 4.0%, respectively. Of the suicide subjects, 28.0% had at least two of the following disorders: major depression, borderline personality disorder, and alcohol or drug dependence; the rate was 0.0% among the comparison subjects. CONCLUSIONS: In young men, completed suicide is linked to specific mental disorders, namely, major depression, borderline personality disorder, and substance abuse. Comorbidity involving any of these disorders is frequently associated with completed suicide.

[Suicide among young male adults in Quebec: psychopathology and utilization of medical services]. / Le suicide chez les jeunes adultes de sexe masculin au Québec: psychopathologie et utilisation des services médicaux.

Seventy five young male adults between the age of 18 and 35 who had committed suicide were compared with 75 male adults still alive matched for age, residence, marital and employment status. For each group a principal respondent was interviewed in order to reconstitute the psychological profile of each individual, as well as their utilisation of health services. This was completed by the study of the coroner's reports and the medical records when available. At six months the prevalence for all axis I diagnosis was 88.8% for the suicide group and 37.3% for the control group. Among the subjects who had committed suicide 38.7% were afflicted by major depression, 24% by alcohol dependency and 28.7% were dependent on drugs. Borderline personalities were present in 28% of the suicide group compared to 5% in the control group. Forty five percent (45%) of the subjects who had killed themselves had consulted a mental health professional in the year preceding the suicide compared to 5% in the control group. However, 78.5% of the suicide group had consulted during the same period a health professional compared to 73.3% of the controls.

High-performance liquid chromatographic detection and quantitation of amines in must and wine.

Three fluorigenic reagents were tried in order to increase the sensitivity of the detection of various amines. The derivatives formed were then used to develop a reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatographic (HPLC) procedure for the separation of at least five amines. Dns-C1 and fluorescamine were rejected. The chromatogram of Dns-amines from red wine was overcrowded with unidentifiable peaks. It was then postulated that ammonia or phenol derivatives or other by-products of the Dns derivatization reaction interfered with the separation of amines. Fluorescamine, although it produced highly fluorescent derivatives, had the drawback of reacting with di- and polyamines to give more than one derivative and this interfered with the resolution. o-Phthaldialdehyde (OPT) was used successfully for the derivatization of amines in red must and wine. The method involved the reaction of amines with OPT in the presence of mercaptoethanol followed by extraction of the derivatives with ethyl acetate. A reversed-phase HPLC system was developed for the separation of OPT derivatives of agmatine, cadaverine, ethanolamine, histamine, phenylethylamine, putrescine, tryptamine, tyramine, spermine and spermidine within 40 min.