[Experimental toxocariasis in rabbits: immunological markers of ocular infections]. / Doswiadczalna toksokaroza królików: immunologiczne markery inwazji ocznej.

Rabbits were infected with an oral dose of 50 000 eggs of Toxocara canis or with an intracarotid injection of the second stage larvae of the parasite in order to develop ocular toxocariasis. Serum and ocular fluid samples were collected from the rabbits after 1, 3 and 6 months after infection and examined for specific toxocaral antibodies and circulating parasite antigen. Furthermore, an ophthalmoscopic examination was performed at the time of sampling. None of the infected animals showed the signs of ocular involvement, however, toxocaral IgG antibodies and circulating parasite antigen were present in the anterior chamber fluid samples.

[Nested PCR in the diagnosis of Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia (PCP) in AIDS patients]. / "Nested" PCR w diagnostyce przypadków pneumocystozowego zapalenia pluc (PCP) u pacjentów z AIDS.

The studies were undertaken to evaluate the usefulness of a nested PCR assay in the diagnosis of Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia (PCP) in AIDS patients. To achieve the end, 51 excretions samples from the respiratory tract were collected from HIV-infected patients with respiratory symptoms, and examined for the presence of specific DNA. A portion of the mitochondrial large-subunit rRNA gene of Pneumocystis carinii was amplified with outer primers pair pAZ 102E, pAZ 102H and internal primers pAZ 102X, pAZ 102Y. Positive nested PCR results were obtained with 36 out of 51 examined samples. Some 52.8% of the positive results were obtained with samples collected from patients without clinical diagnosis of PCP. It was concluded, that the nested PCR method, being too sensitive, is not suitable for the routine diagnosis of PCP in AIDS patients.

[Production of interferon-gamma and interleukin-10 by splenic cells of mice infected with Toxoplasma gondii or immunized with antigens of killed parasites]. / Wytwarzanie interferonu-gamma i interleukiny-10 przez komórki sledzionowe myszy zarazonych Toxoplasma gondii lub immunizowanych antygenem zabitych pasozytów.

Splenic lymphocytes from T. gondii infected mice produced high levels of IFN-gamma in vitro. The production of IFN-gamma was increasing until 10-th day of infection, reaching a level 1600-fold higher to that found in control cultures, then it began to decrease. The level of IL-10 released by lymphocytes to the medium was also increasing up to the 10-th day of infection, afterwards its content dropped down to the level 18-fold higher than that at the beginning of experiments. There were no effects of immunization with antigens of killed parasites on the production of IFN-gamma by splenic cells in vitro.

[Determination of specific immunoglobin G avidity in serodiagnosis of toxoplasmosis]. / Oznaczanie awidnosci swoistych przeciwcial klasy G w serologicznej diagnostyce toksoplazmozy.

A total of 37 serum samples from pregnant women were examined for the avidity of toxoplasma IgG antibodies using commercially available enzyme immunoassay (Vidas Toxo IgG Avidity, bio Merieux). Low values of the avidity index were found for 4 samples and borderline ones were found in further 3 cases. Out of 19 serum samples showing the presence of IgG and IgM toxoplasma antibodies, 13 had high avidity index, including 9 samples from women in the first trimester of pregnancy. The results of examinations in these 9 cases allowed to exclude the possibility that toxoplasma infection was acquired during gestation. It is to be concluded that determinations of antitoxoplasma IgG avidity should become routine in every pregnant woman positive in the test for specific IgM antibody.

[Suggestions concerning serological diagnosis of echinococcosis in Poland]. / Propozycje dotyczace schematu serologicznej diagnostyki bablowicy w Polsce.

It has been suggested to change the present way of serological diagnosis of echinococcosis in Poland which utilizes immunoelectrophoresis for confirmation of positive results in a screening test. Diagnostic procedure should be indicated with a sensitive test, such as indirect haemagglutination or immunoenzymatic assay, and every positive result should be verifies later using a Western-blot method in order to detect the most specific reaction with 8 kDa fraction of Echinococcus antigen. Further diferentiation of the infecting species may be accomplished with the aid of Em2 plus ELISA test which detects antibodies specific for E. multilocularis.

[The occurrence of intestinal parasites among children attending first classes of the elementary schools in Poland in the school year 1997/1998]. / Analiza wystepowania pasozytów jelitowych u dzieci klas pierwszych w Polsce w roku szkolnym 1997/1998 na terenie wybranych województw.

OBJECTIVE: The studies were undertaken to: (i) evaluate the epidemiological situation of infections with intestinal parasites among seven-year-old children attending first classes of the elementary schools in 25 provinces of Poland (ii) answer the question concerning an influence of the summer flood 1997 on the epidemiological situation of intestinal parasitoses in the affected regions. METHODS: The studies included 30,110 children, i.e. 10% of the population of seven-year-olds, in the provinces under study, and were based on the examination of a single faecal specimen and a cellophane swab using the following methods: wet mount preparations in 0.9% NaCl and diluted Lugol,s iodine, zinc sulphate centrifugal flotation and decantation. RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS: The parasites most frequently encountered in the examinations included: Enterobius vermicularis (in 16.45% of the examined), Ascaris lumbricoides (2.8%), Giardia intestinalis (1.02%), Entamoeba coli (0.73%), Trichuris trichiura (0.29%). The obtained results confirmed the decreasing frequency of infections with intestinal parasites in Poland and indicated that the summer flood of 1997 had a little influence on the epidemiological situation of intestinal parasitoses in the affected regions.

[Use of western blot methods for serodiagnosis of hydatidosis in Poland]. / Zastosowanie metody western blot do serologicznej diagnostyki bablowicy w Polsce.

46 sera and 1 cerebrospinal fluid samples from 47 patients suspected of hydatidosis were examined by Western blot method, and the results were compared with those of the indirect haemagglutination, immunoelectrophoresis and an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The examinations confirmed high sensitivity and specificity of the reactions with 8 kDa antigenic fraction in the Western blot. The above data supported the concept, that serological diagnosis of hydatidosis should be carried out using a high sensitivity screening test, such as ELISA, then the Western blot method to verify positive results.

[Detection of specific toxoplasma class A antibodies: a comparison of diagnostic usefulness of commercially available diagnostic kits]. / Wykrywanie swoistych przeciwcial toksoplazmowych klasy A: porównanie diagnostycznej przydatnosci zestawów dostepnych w handlu.

Diagnostic significance of the presence of specific anti-Toxoplasma gondii IgA antibodies was discussed with particular reference to the cases of congenital toxoplasmosis and infections in pregnant women. Furthermore, the possibilities of testing for anti-Toxoplasma IgA antibodies with commercially available diagnostic kits were presented. From amongst the examined 5 diagnostic kits, Platelia Toxo IgA and ISAGA Plus IgA/IgM showed the highest sensitivity and specificity.

[Analysis of the occurrence of intestinal parasites among children in first grade in elementary school in Poland in the school year 1992/3]. / Analiza wystepowania pasozytów jelitowych u dzieci klas pier wszych w Polsce w roku szkolnym 1992/93.

In 1992/93 there were reexamined in Poland 10% of the population of children aged 7 years for the presence of intestinal parasites, continuing country-wide operation launched in 1988. The examination included 60,288 children, 38,003 inhabiting towns and 22,285 from the country. Among the examined in each voivodeship the numbers of children from towns and country were proportional to the actual number of children living in the two localities. The methods included examination of direct faecal smear in 0.85% NaCl and in Lugol's iodine, zinc sulphate flotation, decantation and cellophane swabs according to NIH. The parasites encountered in order of decreasing frequency comprised: E. vermicularis, G. intestinalis, Entamoeba coli, A. lumbricoides and T. trichiura. The highest number of infected children was found in the Biala Podlaska district. The number of infected among children inhabiting country was significantly higher than among those from the towns. The obtained results have confirmed hitherto existing views that in Poland the epidemiological situation of infections with intestinal parasites is steadily improving.

[Detection of Giardia antigens in feces by immunoenzymatic method; advantages and disadvantages of commercially available diagnostic kits]. / Wykrywanie antygenów Giardia lamblia w kale metoda immunoenzymatyczna; zalety i wady handlowych zestawów diagnostycznych.

The results of routine microscopical examination of faeces for infection with Giardia were compared with those obtained by immunoenzymatic investigation for stool antigens of the parasite, using tests currently available on the Polish market. It was found that the results of microscopical examination were very consistent with the results of immunoenzymatic tests of the following manufactures: Alexon, LMD Labs and Dialab. The above tests may be used as a sole diagnostic method for epidemiological or follow-up studies, however, they cannot replace microscopical examination.

Detection of a circulating parasitic antigen in acute infections with Trichinella spiralis: diagnostic significance of findings.

Circulating parasitic antigen was demonstrated in the sera of rats and patients infected with Trichinella spiralis. Using a dot-immunobinding method, the antigen was detected in the sera of experimental animals from the fourth day of infection and in more than one third of the patients by the end of the third week from infection. The method proved to be simple, sensitive and specific. It should assist an early diagnosis of trichinellosis demonstrating the antigen in some cases with negative or doubtful results for specific antibodies.

[Utilization of ELISA IgE method in diagnosis of Toxocariasis in humans]. / Uzytecznosc metody ELISA IgE w diagnostyce toksokarozy u ludzi.

In order to improve the immunodiagnosis of toxocariasis, an immunoenzymatic assay (ELISA) with excretory-secretory antigens from Toxocara canis larvae was developed for the detection of specific immunoglobulin E. Titers of IgE were lower than those of IgG in the same samples, however IgE ELISA appeared to be more specific. IgE ELISA might be an interesting complementary method in the diagnosis of toxocariasis.

[Occurrence of intestinal parasites among elementary school children in Poland in 1988]. / Analiza wystepowania pasozytów jelitowych u dzieci klas pier wszych w Polsce w roku 1988.

In 1988 there were examined in Poland 10% of the population of children aged 7 years for the presence of intestinal parasites. The examination included 61,700 children, 39,018 inhabiting towns and 22,682 from the country. Among the examined in each province the numbers of children from towns and country were proportional to the actual number of children living in the two localities. The methods included examination of direct faecal smear in 0.85% NaCl and in Lugol's iodine, zinc sulphate flotation according to Faust, decantation and cellophane swabs according to NIH. The parasites encountered in order of decreasing frequency comprised: E. vermicularis, T. trichiura, A. lumbricoides, G. intestinalis and E. coli. The highest number of infected children were found in the middle-eastern territories of Poland. The differences in numbers of infected in towns and the country were insignificant.

[Use of the peroxidase-antiperoxidase method for detection of experimental Toxoplasma gondii infection of the central nervous system in mice]. / Zastosowanie metody peroksydaza-antyperoksydaza do wykrywania inwazji Toxoplasma gondii w osrodkowym ukladzie nerwowym doswiadczalnie zarazonych myszy.

Peroxidase-antiperoxidase (PAP) method was used to detect Toxoplasma gondii in the central nervous system of experimentally infected mice. Due to its capability for accurate localization of a parasite antigen among the populations of host cells, the method proved very useful in the diagnosis as well as in observations on the development of pathological changes.

[Detection of circulating Toxoplasma gondii antigens by the dot-ELISA method]. / Wykrywanie krazacego antygenu Toxoplasma gondii metoda dot-ELISA.

Dot-immunobinding technique was used to detect circulating Toxoplasma antigens in the sera of men and animals. Serum samples were collected from mice and rabbits infected experimentally with parasites of the RH strain of T. gondii while human sera were obtained from persons suspected of having active toxoplasmosis. Circulating Toxoplasma antigens were detected in the samples of mice sera that had been collected since the 2-nd day of infection and in the sera of rabbits during 2 and 3 week of infection. From amongst 146 human sera, 35 (24%) gave positive reaction in the test while 14 (9,5%) produced doubtful results. The experiments proved the method to be sensitive, reproducible and easy to perform. It obviates the need of special equipment while most of the necessary reagents are commercially available. High percentage of doubtful results is the main drawback of the method.