Optimized microturbidimetric assay for fibrinogen.

In this assay we measure the turbidity produced by precipitation of plasma fibrinogen with a reagent composed of ammonium sulfate, EDTA, and guanidine hydrochloride. The two-step reagent addition, and use of fixed reaction times, eliminates interference from bilirubin, hemoglobin, and chylomicrons. We checked 135 monoclonal proteins for interference, finding the probability of encountering major interference in samples from adults to be very low, P = 0.0002. The method is calibrated with purified fibrinogen and the response is linear over the range 0-10 g/L. Within-run precision (CV) is less than 2% from 1 to 10 g/L. Correlations with the immunoturbidimetric (r = 0.99), chronometric (r = 0.99), and clotting (r = 0.97) methods were extremely high.

Nosocomial outbreak of Campylobacter jejuni meningitis in newborn infants.

In a nosocomial outbreak of Campylobacter jejuni infection 11 newborn infants (7 female, 4 male) had meningitis. The outbreak was caused by a single strain of C jejuni, as demonstrated by biotyping (biotype I), serotyping (LAU 7/PEN 18 on heat-stable antigens, a new serotype on heat-labile antigens), and the identical susceptibility pattern and outer-membrane-protein profile on sodium dodecyl sulphate/polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. Specific antibodies against the outbreak strain (enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and Western blot) developed in all the babies. They were treated with gentamicin and ampicillin. All but one baby, who had a moderately dilated left lateral ventricle after the meningitis, recovered well. The source of infection could not be clearly determined. Thus, C jejuni can cause serious nosocomial infection; it should be considered as a possible agent of meningitis of unknown origin, particularly in newborn infants and other compromised hosts.

[Micromethod of estimation of total bilirubin using a single stable reagent (author's transl)]. / Microméthode de dosage de la bilirubine totale utilisant un réactif unique et stable.

The authors propose a method of estimation of total bilirubin characterised by the use of a single stable reagent, excellent reproducibility and a particularly narrow correlation (r = 0.993) with Michaelsson's method. They study the influence of protein, reduced glutathion and hemoglobin on the reaction.

[Adaptation to the Centrifichem of the estimation of blood sugar according to Trinder's method. Kinetic study of the main drug interferences (author's transl)]. / Adaptation au Centrifichem du dosage de la glycémie selon Trinder. Etude cinétique des principales interférences médicamenteuses.

The method of estimation of glucose described by Trinder was adapted to analysis by centrifugation (Centrifichem). A kinetic study of drug interferences (ascorbic acid, gentisic acid, levodopa, alphamethyldopa) was carried out. The choice of parameters of the method was justified by an increased specificity of the reaction and by an extremely narrow correlation with the technics using hexokinase (r = 0.994) and glucose dehydrogenase (r = 0.996).