COPD: magnesium in the plasma and polymorphonuclear cells of patients during a stable phase.

Magnesium is one of the most important factors for regulation of inflammatory response as well as muscle function, and COPD is a multicomponent disease characterized by abnormal inflammatory response of the lungs with systemic muscle dysfunction. Because polymorphonuclear (PMN) cells are significantly represented in the pathogenesis of COPD, concentrations of total (tMg) and ionised magnesium (iMg) were determined in plasma and isolated PMN cells in 46 patients in stable phase of COPD (past smokers, current smokers, and non-smokers), 24 healthy smokers and 37 healthy non-smokers. In the same samples concentrations of total (tCa) and ionised calcium (iCa) were determined, due to the antagonism of magnesium towards calcium. We found decreased biological active iMg in PMN compared to the group of healthy non-smokers (5.42, 1.98-17.31 micromol/10(9) cells vs. 7.50, 3.27-15.15 micromol/10(9) cells, p < 0.05). In the plasma and isolated PMN of the patients the ratio of total calcium/total magnesium (tCa/tMg) was significantly increased (2.89, 2.15-3.86 and 1.19, 0.07-9.87) compared to the group of healthy non-smokers (2.65, 2.19-3.44 and 0.67, 0.14-2.40, p < 0.05) and to the group of healthy smokers (2.58, 2.26-3.24 and 0.66, 0.14-2.85, p < 0.05). In the group of patients the concentration of tCa was significantly increased in all samples compared to the healthy group of non-smokers and healthy smokers. The results of univariant logistic regression analysis for smoking, concentration of tCa and ratio of tCa/tMg in PMN showed high odds ratio for COPD status. These results raise a possibility that intracellular polymorphonuclear value of magnesium could be a distinctive marker for COPD risk disclosure among smokers.

Community acquired diarrhea--the incidence of Astrovirus infections in Germany.

Astroviruses are increasingly recognized as a cause of human gastroenteritis. Electron microscopy (EM) has been considered the "gold standard" method for diagnosis, but this approach is limited to a few laboratories. We evaluated a commercial enzyme immunoassay (EIA) (IDEIA Astrovirus, DAKO Diagnostika, Hamburg, Germany) for the direct detection of antigen in fecal samples. In comparison to EM, the assay scored 100% in sensitivity and specificity (n = 213; 26 positive samples) and reacted with strains representing all known serotypes. Over an 11-month period 4,211 stool samples from unselected German patients suffering from acute gastroenteritis were examined. Etiologically responsible microorganisms were found in 13.0% of cases, with astrovirus the third most common pathogen (1.2%) behind Salmonella spp. (2.9%) and Rotavirus (2.5%), representing 13.5% of all positive specimens. Norwalk-like viruses (NLV), fungi, and protozoa were not tested. In infants of < 2 years of age (n = 458) the incidence of astrovirus infection was significantly higher (2.8%) compared to children of 2-7 years of age (n = 578; 1.7%) and those of > 7 years of age (n = 3,175; 0.9%). The frequency revealed a peak in winter (mean November-February: 2.0% versus other months: 0.8%).

Interaction of L. pneumophilia and a free living amoeba (Acanthamoeba palestinensis).

Co-cultivation of Legionella pneumophila serogroup I and Acanthamoeba palestinensis in Neff's medium at 35 degrees C resulted in the intracellular multiplication of the bacteria as demonstrated by electron microscopy and immunofluorescence. In the closed experimental system used, the number of legionellae rose from 10(7) colony forming units (c.f.u.)/ml initially to a maximum of 10(10) c.f.u./ml on day 5. Legionellae were seen in expelled phagosomes, in some amoebae filling the cytoplasm and in others in which the process of encystment appeared to have commenced. At 20 degrees C the acanthamoebae phagocytosed and digested the legionellae. The bacteria disappeared from the co-cultivation flask by day 2 but reappeared in low numbers (10(2) c.f.u./ml) by day 6 suggesting that even at this temperature some intra-amoebal multiplication occurred.

Rubella-specific IgM detected by an antibody capture assay/ELISA technique.

A sensitive method for detecting rubella IgM antibody, the first step of which is the attachment of the serum IgM to a solid phase, is described. Specific IgM antibody was found in all 52 people with acquired rubella in the early convalescent period, in all 38 infants with congenital rubella examined in the first seven months of life, and in 23 of 26 people immunised one to four months before testing. Twenty-four of 44 rheumatoid factor-positive sera, however, gave false-positive readings. In routine use the test was economical of both reagents and time.