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1.
Neurol Res Pract ; 2: 8, 2020.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-33324914

ABSTRACT

INTRODUCTION: Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) analysis is important for detecting inflammation of the nervous system and the meninges, bleeding in the area of the subarachnoid space that may not be visualized by imaging, and the spread of malignant diseases to the CSF space. In the diagnosis and differential diagnosis of neurodegenerative diseases, the importance of CSF analysis is increasing. Measuring the opening pressure of CSF in idiopathic intracranial hypertension and at spinal tap in normal pressure hydrocephalus constitute diagnostic examination procedures with therapeutic benefits.Recommendations (most important 3-5 recommendations on a glimpse): The indications and contraindications must be checked before lumbar puncture (LP) is performed, and sampling CSF requires the consent of the patient.Puncture with an atraumatic needle is associated with a lower incidence of postpuncture discomfort. The frequency of postpuncture syndrome correlates inversely with age and body mass index, and it is more common in women and patients with a history of headache. The sharp needle is preferably used in older or obese patients, also in punctures expected to be difficult.In order to avoid repeating LP, a sufficient quantity of CSF (at least 10 ml) should be collected. The CSF sample and the serum sample taken at the same time should be sent to a specialized laboratory immediately so that the emergency and basic CSF analysis program can be carried out within 2 h.The indication for LP in anticoagulant therapy should always be decided on an individual basis. The risk of interrupting anticoagulant therapy must be weighed against the increased bleeding risk of LP with anticoagulant therapy.As a quality assurance measure in CSF analysis, it is recommended that all cytological, clinical-chemical, and microbiological findings are combined in an integrated summary report and evaluated by an expert in CSF analysis. CONCLUSIONS: In view of the importance and developments in CSF analysis, the S1 guideline "Lumbar puncture and cerebrospinal fluid analysis" was recently prepared by the German Society for CSF analysis and clinical neurochemistry (DGLN) and published in German in accordance with the guidelines of the AWMF (https://www.awmf.org). /uploads/tx_szleitlinien/030-141l_S1_Lumbalpunktion_und_Liquordiagnostik_2019-08.pdf). The present article is an abridged translation of the above cited guideline. The guideline has been jointly edited by the DGLN and DGN.

3.
Eur J Clin Microbiol Infect Dis ; 28(8): 959-62, 2009 Aug.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-19333630

ABSTRACT

The emergence of the hypervirulent strain Clostridium difficile PCR ribotype 027 has increased the necessity for rapid C. difficile typing tests for clinical and epidemiological purposes. We developed a rapid real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test for the detection of C. difficile. As the target, we chose the tcdC gene, which encodes for a negative regulator in toxin production. A deletion at position 117 of the tcdC gene, which is associated with severe tcdC truncation, is well conserved in all PCR ribotype 027 isolates. Probe sequences of the real-time PCR test were designed to result in distinct melt profiles for sequence variations at positions 117 to 120 of the tcdC gene. The tcdC gene deletion at position 117 was easily detected with real-time PCR and melt curve analysis in all C. difficile ribotype 027 isolates. In five non-027 strains and 46 hospitalised patient samples, melt curve analysis detected no deletion. PCR results were confirmed by DNA sequencing. The combination of real-time PCR and melt curve analysis is a rapid and accurate method for the detection of C. difficile DNA and simultaneous screening for the tcdC gene deletion at position 117, which is closely related to the C. difficile PCR ribotype 027 strain.


Subject(s)
Bacterial Proteins/genetics , Clostridioides difficile/isolation & purification , Enterocolitis, Pseudomembranous/diagnosis , Frameshift Mutation , Polymerase Chain Reaction/methods , Repressor Proteins/genetics , Transition Temperature , Clostridioides difficile/genetics , DNA Primers/genetics , DNA, Bacterial/chemistry , DNA, Bacterial/genetics , Enterocolitis, Pseudomembranous/microbiology , Humans , Ribotyping , Sensitivity and Specificity , Sequence Analysis, DNA
4.
Z Rheumatol ; 66(5): 395-415, 2007 Sep.
Article in German | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-17721785

ABSTRACT

This third part of this series of articles on laboratory diagnostics of rheumatic diseases considers the rheumatic diseases caused by infection by microorganisms, or reactive arthritides. The basis for laboratory diagnostics of infection-reactive arthritides is the investigation of anti-infection antibodies. In some situations, DNA amplification methods may be helpful. Bacterially infected joints should be immediately examined by arthrocentesis and microscopic examination and laboratory culture of the synovial fluid.


Subject(s)
Arthritis, Infectious/diagnosis , Arthritis, Reactive/diagnosis , Arthritis, Rheumatoid/diagnosis , Bacterial Infections/diagnosis , Virus Diseases/diagnosis , Animals , Blood Sedimentation , Diagnosis, Differential , Giardia lamblia , Giardiasis/diagnosis , Humans , Leukocyte Count , Mycoses/diagnosis , Polymerase Chain Reaction , Synovial Fluid/microbiology
5.
Hepatogastroenterology ; 45(24): 2282-94, 1998.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-9951911

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Alpha-interferon (IFN-alpha) is an effective treatment for chronic hepatitis B but only 25-40% of patients will profit from a long-term beneficial response to the currently recommended schedule of 3-6 MU given 3 times a week for 6 months. Clinical trials are therefore needed to investigate alternative modifications of interferon therapy, including combinations of different antivirals or immune modulators in order to improve the therapeutic approach to chronic hepatitis B infection. In a phase II trial we evaluated whether a combination of natural interferon-beta (nIFN-beta) with strong antiviral activity plus recombinant interferon-gamma (rIFN-gamma) with a predominantly immunomodulatory activity is able to increase the response rate compared to historical controls treated with IFN-alpha in a conventional regimen. METHODOLOGY: Forty patients with chronic hepatitis B were included in this trial of combined interferon therapy at a dosage of 6 MU nIFN-beta during week 1 followed by 3 MU for weeks 2-4 plus rIFN-gamma at a daily subcutaneous (s.c.) injection of 150 microg during the entire 4 weeks of the treatment period. Patients entered the trial on the basis of the following criteria: hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAG), HBeAG and HBV-DNA positive for at least 6 months, HDV, EBV, CMV, anti-HIV negative, and chronic hepatitis proven on biopsy taken within 4 weeks of entry as well as 6 and/or 12 months after interferon therapy. The final diagnosis and classification of chronic hepatitis has been based on guidelines according to a revised classification of chronic hepatitis (Desmet 1994). The post-treatment follow-up was 12 months. RESULTS: The combined interferon therapy achieved complete responses with seroconversion from HBeAG to anti-HBe and a negative HBV-DNA (dot blot) test, as well as normalization of ALT activity in 15 patients, and partial response with negativation of HBV-DNA concomitant to a decrease in aminotransferase activity to near normal levels in 6 patients. Nineteen patients showed no response to viral markers but showed relief of clinical symptoms as well as pronounced decrease of serumtransaminase activity. Grading of liver biopsies demonstrated an improvement of histologic parameters after the interferon regimen in half of the evaluable patients (n=22). Histological response has been quantified by a reduction in the score of histological activity (HAI-index) from 12.6 before to 7.6 after interferon therapy, and in the inflammation and cellular degeneration score (ICD) from 9.9 to 5.2. Histological response, however, failed to show a consistent correlation with serologic response. This medium-dose combination of interferon-beta and interferon-gamma was tolerated very well by the patients, this good tolerability being explained by tachyphylaxis in response to daily interferon doses. No serious side effects or decompensation of liver function were observed during the 4-week period of therapy or the follow-up, despite the special clinical situation where 60% of the patients included in the study presented with histologically proven cirrhosis (35% of them with clinical manifestation of mildly decompensated cirrhosis). CONCLUSIONS: This short-term regimen of combined nIFN-beta + rIFN-gamma therapy in patients with chronic hepatitis B proved to be equieffective to long-term treatment with interferon-alpha and combines high clinical tolerability with good practicability, as it can be administered on an in-patient basis, ensuring close patient monitoring.


Subject(s)
Hepatitis B, Chronic/therapy , Interferon-alpha/administration & dosage , Interferon-gamma/administration & dosage , Adolescent , Adult , Aged , Biopsy , Dose-Response Relationship, Drug , Drug Administration Schedule , Drug Therapy, Combination , Female , Hepatitis B, Chronic/pathology , Humans , Interferon-alpha/adverse effects , Interferon-gamma/adverse effects , Liver/pathology , Liver Function Tests , Male , Middle Aged , Recombinant Proteins , Treatment Outcome
6.
Vox Sang ; 67 Suppl 1: 3-7; discussion 8, 1994.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-8091733

ABSTRACT

Following a publication on the sudden outbreak of hepatitis A (HAV) infections in Italian hemophiliacs after treatment with a solvent detergent (S/D) virus-inactivated factor VIII concentrate, we retrospectively examined our patients for HAV seroconversions and clinical symptoms of an acute HAV infection at our center. We found that between 1988 and 1992, 17 hemophilia A patients displayed HAV IgG seroconversions. Of these patients, 13 also had an HAV IgM seroconversion and 10 exhibited clinical symptoms of an acute HAV infection. A feature common to all was the fact that in the months prior to seroconversion they had been treated exclusively with the S/D-virus-inactivated product Octavi manufactured by Octapharma in Düsseldorf (FRG). None of the hemophilia A patients who had been treated with other products and who were susceptible to hepatitis A displayed seroconversion in the above-mentioned time span.


Subject(s)
Blood Component Transfusion/adverse effects , Hemophilia A/therapy , Hepatitis A/epidemiology , Adolescent , Adult , Child , Factor VIII/adverse effects , Germany/epidemiology , HIV Seropositivity/complications , Hepatitis A/transmission , Humans , Male , Retrospective Studies , von Willebrand Diseases/therapy
7.
Blood ; 81(4): 1077-82, 1993 Feb 15.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-8381312

ABSTRACT

This study was performed to determine the risk of family members of anti-hepatitis C virus (HCV)-positive hemophilia patients (index patients) for infection with HCV compared with the risk of acquiring hepatitis B virus (HBV), human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), and hepatitis A virus (HAV) infection. All index patients (n = 141) were found to be positive by first and second generation anti-HCV enzyme immunoassays (EIAs). Among their household contacts (n = 228), 224 were negative and 1 positive by both assays. Three contacts gave positive results in first generation anti-HCV EIA and negative results in second generation assay. This latter result was confirmed by further tests (neutralization test, synthetic peptides, and supplemental assay). Percent positivity for anti-HBc was about the same in non-sexual household contacts and sexual partners (13 of 109 [12%] and 7 of 54 [13%], respectively). Percent prevalence of anti-HBc was higher in contacts of index patients with chronic hepatitis B than in those of index patients who had recovered from that disease (6 of 20 [30%] and 14 of 133 [10%], respectively; P < .05). The HBV infection rate of contacts participating in controlled self-treatment was not higher than that of controls (3 of 57 [5%] and 10 of 98 [10%], respectively). Of 44 sexual partners, 5 (11%) were found to be positive for anti-HIV. Prevalence of anti-HAV matched with the age-related distribution in the German population. These findings suggest that intrafamilial transmission of HCV to family members of hemophilia patients is uncommon. In contacts of hemophilia patients, the risk of acquiring HBV infection seems to be as high in household contacts as in sexual contacts. Participation in controlled self-treatment does not appear to be an additional risk for HCV and HBV infection. There is no doubt that sexual transmission of HCV is less common than that of HBV and HIV.


Subject(s)
Hemophilia A/complications , Hepatitis C/transmission , Adolescent , Adult , Aged , Aged, 80 and over , Child , Child, Preschool , Family , HIV Infections/transmission , HIV Seropositivity , Hemophilia A/microbiology , Hepacivirus/immunology , Hepatitis A/transmission , Hepatitis Antibodies/blood , Hepatitis B/transmission , Hepatitis B Antibodies/blood , Hepatitis B Core Antigens/immunology , Hepatitis C/etiology , Hepatovirus/immunology , Humans , Infant , Middle Aged , Risk Factors , Sexual Partners
11.
J Med Virol ; 34(3): 188-90, 1991 Jul.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-1919541

ABSTRACT

The seroepidemiological profile of HBV and HDV was investigated in 640 male haemophiliacs. Twenty-seven of forty-four HBsAg carriers were anti-HDV-IgG positive, 22 were also anti-HDV-IgM positive. A markedly lower prevalence of HDV infection was found in patients with anti-HBc in the absence of HBsAg and anti-HBs (6/41). Repeated detection of anti-HDV-IgM in 5/41 individuals of this group indicates that circulating HBsAg is not an absolute prerequisite for chronic HDV infection. Overall, chronically active HDV infection was detected more frequently in quiescent than in active chronic HBV infections. Anti-HDV-IgM was not detected in the absence of anti-HDV-IgG antibodies. Anti-HDV-IgG may disappear after resolution of HDV infection, as indicated by the low prevalence (1/42) in such individuals with past HBV infection as well as by loss of anti-HDV-IgG observed in two patients.


Subject(s)
Hemophilia A/complications , Hepatitis D/complications , Hepatitis, Chronic/complications , Adolescent , Adult , Child , Child, Preschool , DNA, Viral/blood , Germany/epidemiology , Hemophilia A/blood , Hemophilia A/epidemiology , Hepatitis D/blood , Hepatitis D/epidemiology , Hepatitis Delta Virus/immunology , Hepatitis, Chronic/blood , Hepatitis, Chronic/epidemiology , Humans , Immunoglobulin G/blood , Immunoglobulin M/blood , Male , Middle Aged
12.
Hautarzt ; 42(5): 293-7, 1991 May.
Article in German | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-1651909

ABSTRACT

An 18-year-old patient requiring steroid treatment for severe bronchial asthma and with atopic dermatitis acquired a cowpox-like virus infection clinically similar to smallpox from a domestic cat as carrier. In spite of intensive care, with controlled pressure breathing and the last available vaccinia hyperimmunoglobulin, the patient died of pulmonary embolism although viral spread had ceased some days before.


Subject(s)
Cat Diseases/transmission , Cowpox/diagnosis , Opportunistic Infections/diagnosis , Smallpox/diagnosis , Vaccinia/diagnosis , Zoonoses , Adolescent , Animals , Antigens, Viral/immunology , Cats , Cowpox virus/immunology , Cytopathogenic Effect, Viral/immunology , Humans , Male , Microscopy, Fluorescence , Opportunistic Infections/transmission , Vaccinia/transmission , Vaccinia/veterinary , Variola virus/immunology
13.
J Virol Methods ; 30(3): 311-8, 1990 Dec.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-2086600

ABSTRACT

Sequences of hepatitis B virus DNA were detected specifically in the sera of infected individuals by a non-radioactive riboprobe nucleic acid hybridization assay. The nucleic acids contained in serum specimens were prepared by an overnight proteinase K-/SDS-digest, phenol/chloroform-extraction and ethanol-precipitation, and immobilized on nylon membranes by the dot-blot technique. Digoxigenin-labelled 1.4 kb RNA-probes were generated by the phage sp 6 RNA-polymerase from a linearized HBV DNA transcription template containing the appropriate promoter. Hybridized probes were detected by alkaline phosphatase-conjugated sheep anti-digoxigenin Fab-fragments, and 5-bromo-4-chloro-3-indolylphosphate (BCIP) and nitroblue tetrazolium salt (NBT) as chromogenic substrates for the subsequent ELISA procedure. With a detection limit of 0.5-1.0 pg HBV DNA and a high specificity, the results were comparable to those obtained by the standard assay employing radioactively labeled DNA-probes.


Subject(s)
DNA, Viral/blood , Hepatitis B virus/genetics , RNA Probes , DNA Probes , Digoxigenin , Humans , Plasmids
15.
Zentralbl Bakteriol Mikrobiol Hyg A ; 267(4): 559-69, 1988 Mar.
Article in German | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-2837877

ABSTRACT

In the experimental model of genital herpes simplex virus (HSV) infection of the mouse--in spite of abundant virus replication on the mucous membranes--no infectious virus can be isolated from the inflamed and swollen draining lymph nodes (DLN), contrary to the positive results in the lumbosacral nerves and their associated ganglia. Attempts to reactivate an abortive infection possibly established in lymph node or spleen cells by stimulation with phytohemagglutinin or lipopolysaccharide rendered no positive results, not even when adult (i.e. at least 6-week old), but immunodeficient mice were used as test animals. On the other hand, isolation of infectious virus from lymph node and--at a lesser rate--from spleen cells was successful in immature 4 to 6-week old mice, particularly when these had undergone pretreatment with cyclophosphamide, silica, antimacrophage serum and/or cortisone; 5 days post infectionem being the date of optimum virus yield. HSV-1 infected mice were more frequently positive than those with HSV-2, and genetically sensitive animals more so than resistant mice. The data indicate that the lymphohaematogenous spread of the virus is inhibited by means of an active defence mechanism, and that unspecific defence factors on the cellular level, probably macrophages and NK-cells, are essentially responsible. This reveals that the lethal generalized infection is prevented and the neural spread can gain its essential role in the pathogenesis of the HSV-infection.


Subject(s)
Ganglia, Spinal/microbiology , Herpes Simplex/physiopathology , Immunosuppressive Agents/therapeutic use , Lymph Nodes/microbiology , Simplexvirus/isolation & purification , Spinal Nerves/microbiology , Spleen/microbiology , Animals , Female , Herpes Simplex/drug therapy , Herpes Simplex/immunology , Mice , Mice, Inbred BALB C , Mice, Inbred C57BL , Mice, Inbred Strains , Mice, Nude
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