Gastrospirillum Hominis associated chronic active gastritis: the first report from Italy.

Recently a spiral bacterium different from Helicobacter Pylori (HP) was observed in the human stomach and the name of Gastrospirillum Hominis (GH) was proposed for this organism. GH presence is reported to be not associated to HP but related to chronic active gastritis. We describe the case of a 31 year old male suffering from upper abdominal symptoms, who underwent oesophagogastroduodenoscopy, which revealed a picture of duodenal hyperemia. Gastric body showed a normal mucosa and absence of HP, while active chronic gastritis associated with HP was found in the antrum. In addition few spiral bacteria showing 4-5 spirals, larger than HP were observed within the gastric crypts and beneath the mucus layer in this site. This case represents the first report from our geographic area (Southern Italy) of the possibility of finding bacteria different from HP in the human stomach. The simultaneous HP presence does not allow us to relate the chronic active gastritis of the patient with the GH like bacteria. Our finding, however, suggests the possibility that HP and GH may be simultaneously present in the course of type B antral chronic inflammation. This association was not observed in previous investigations.

Serum antibodies to individual cytomegalovirus structural polypeptides in renal transplant recipients during viral infection.

In a longitudinal study we examined by immunoblotting (IB) the development and the evolution of the humoral immune response against individual cytomegalovirus (CMV) structural polypeptides in a total of 80 serum samples from 13 renal transplant recipients showing serological evidence of CMV infection and five renal transplant recipients with an anti-CMV antibody level unchanged over the observation period. The results showed that the IB reactivity at the time of transplantation may be a good index of the host's humoral immune status against CMV; by using this procedure it is possible to identify a seroconversion by the detection of antibodies reacting with some intermediate molecular weight proteins in sera examined at high dilution. Furthermore, IB is a very sensitive procedure also for IgM detection as it anticipates the positivity of the enzyme immune assay for IgM.

A 28000 molecular weight human cytomegalovirus structural polypeptide studied by means of a specific monoclonal antibody.

We have produced a monoclonal antibody against human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) which recognizes a structural protein of 28 000 mol. wt. which is present in both the cytoplasm of infected cells during the late phase of the viral replication cycle and in the extracellular viral particles. This antigen was detected in all HCMV strains assayed and reacted with human sera having anti-HCMV antibodies.

Detection of antibodies to Legionella pneumophila serogroup 1 by indirect immunofluorescence and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.

Indirect immunofluorescence and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay to detect serum antibodies against Legionella pneumophila serotype 1 were compared. A very good agreement was found with the great majority of serum samples (85.07%). For detecting high antibody levels and rise in antibody titres, both methods seem to be suitable, however for the detection of relatively low antibody titres, very important in epidemiological studies, enzyme immunoassay could be more accurate.

In-vivo effect of novobiocin on primary cytomegalovirus infection.

.5 mM of novobiocin completely suppresses the replication of human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) in vitro. Based on the evidence that murine cytomegalovirus (MCMV) titres were reduced in vitro by 60% with the same concentration of the drug, the in vivo antiviral activity of novobiocin has been tested in the murine model. The results showed that if treatment started before the infection virus was not isolated from parenchymal organs during treatment. Virus could be isolated 24 h after stopping treatment, but not from kidney or spleen.

Evolution of serum antibodies against different classes of murine cytomegalovirus--induced antigens and virus isolation following a primary infection.

The primary murine cytomegalovirus infection and the subsequent persistent infection have been studied in respect to virus isolation from various organs and specific humoral immune response. The first acute phase of infection took place in parenchymal organs and it was followed by persistent infection in the salivary glands. The transition from the acute phase to the persistent infection coincided with the peak of specific humoral immune response.

Comparison of the occurrence of antibodies to human cytomegalovirus as demonstrated by complement fixation, enzyme-linked-immunosorbent assay and indirect immunofluorescence.

180 serum specimens from pregnant women and renal transplant recipients, were studied for the presence of antibodies to human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) by complement fixation (CF), enzyme-linked-immunosorbent assay (EIA) for IgG and IgM, and indirect immunofluorescence (IIF). IIF was carried out separately against immediate-early, early and late HCMV-induced antigens. A positive CF test was always associated with the presence of antibodies against late virus antigens. EIA procedures were able to detect HCMV antibodies also when CF was negative and when IIF was positive only against immediate-early and/or early HCM-induced antigens.