Evaluation of serum copper (Cu) level dynamics in measles patients.

The aim of the present study was to estimate the cuprum(Cu) level in blood serum in patients ill from measles in the acute period of the disease and three weeks after regression of clinical symptoms in comparison with the control group. The investigations included 26 patients aged 14-34, hospitalised due to measles in the Department of Infectious Diseases of the Medical University of Lublin. The analysed group included patients without coexisting diseases, in which clinical improvement after the carried out treatment was obtained. All the patients had Cu concentration in the blood serum twice determined during hospitalisation period and once during the period of convalescence. The control group included 24 healthy persons aged 15-19, who had Cu concentration in blood serum only once determined. The obtained in numbers data were subject to a statistical analysis. Both in the acute period of measles and during convalescence a statistically significantly higher Cu level in blood serum in comparison to the control group was observed.

[Dynamics of serum copper level in patients in the acute phase of hepatitis B and in early convalescence]. / Dynamika stezenia miedzi (Cu) w surowicy krwi chorych w ostrym okresie wzw B i we wczesnej rekonwalescencji.

OBJECTIVE: Analysis of serum copper (Cu) level dynamics during the acute phase of hepatitis acute B and the early convalescence in compliance with gravity of the acute disease course. METHODS: The study included 39 patients (12 men and 27 women), aged 18 to 76 years. They were hospitalised in the Department of Infectious Diseases of Medical Academy in Lublin because of the hepatitis acute B, without coexisting diseases. The diagnosis was based on the epidemiologic anamnesis, clinical symptoms, biochemical and serological examinations. The studied group was divided in respect to sex and the course of the disease as: light, medium-weighty and weighty. In all examined patients, the serum Cu level was determined according to the following scheme: at the first, tenth, twentieth and the last day of the hospitalisation and additionally one time at four weeks after discharging from the clinic. The serum Cu level was made by atomic absorption spectrometry (AAS) at the wave length of 324.8 nm. The received data were subjected to statistical analysis according to t-Student's test and in cases of significant differences according to the variants of c-Cochran and Cox's tests. According to the SI Unit Conversion Guide, the values 11.22 to 23.58 mumol/l were taken as the normal range. The values derived from the control group of 24 healthy persons (13 men and 11 women) aged 22 to 69 years. RESULTS: The significant increase of serum Cu level in comparison with the control values was found both in the acute phase of hepatitis B and the early convalescence. It could be observed a correlation between serum Cu level and the course of hepatitis viralis acuta B.

Interferon and tumor necrosis factor production by peripheral blood leukocytes of patients with infectious mononucleosis.

Blood samples from 29 patients with infectious mononucleosis (IM) in phases of acute disease and convalescence were obtained. Interferon alpha (IFN-alpha) and tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha) activity was detected in sera of patients both in: acute and convalescence phase, however when IFN titers were higher in the acute than convalescence phase, TNF titers were the highest in convalescence. In the whole blood assay Newcastle disease virus (NDV), phytohemagglutinin (PHA) and concanavalin A (ConA) and lipopolysaccharide (LPS) were used as cytokine inducers. A significant decrease in IFN titer induced in vitro with NDV, PHA and ConA was observed in blood leukocytes of patients in the acute IM phase. In convalescence the ability of blood leukocyte of IM patients to produce IFN returned to normal, comparable with control. However, blood leukocytes of IM patients in the acute phase produced more TNF in response to LPS than in convalescence. The role of the observed overproduction of TNF in the course of IM similar to that in HIV infection should be elucidated.

[Investigations concerning the influence of cefuroxime and amikacin on dynamics of selected parameters of nonspecific cellular immunity in experimental animals]. / Badania nad wplywem cefuroksymu oraz amikacyny na dynamike wybranych parametrów nieswoistej odpornosci komórkowej zwierzat doswiadczalnych.

Rabbits divided into two groups were injected intramuscularly antibiotics amikacin or cefuroxime in doses corresponding to mean therapeutic doses for seven days. Blood samples for determination of values of phagocytosis reaction (percentage of phagocytizing neutrophils, phagocyte index) and NBT test were taken before application of antibiotics and on 7, 14, 28 and 42 day of study. After application of cefuroxime significant decrease of NBT value was observed at the 14th day, whereas the percentage of phagocytizing neutrophils was changing at 7 and 14 day. Phagocytic index did not change. After application of amikacin, percentage of phagocytizing granulocytes was significantly decreased (7, 14 and 28 day). Phagocytic index did not change. NBT test value was lowered at 14 day, but it increased at the 42 day.

[Dynamics of the Paul Bunnel-Davidsohn test during infectious mononucleosis]. / Dynamika odczynu Paul-Bunnel-Davidsohna w przebiegu mononukleozy zakaznej.

The study was aimed at establishment whether dependence exists between severity of clinical course of infectious mononucleosis and the level of heterophilic antibodies in the PBD test. Antibody titers were measured three times during illness in 34 persons with infectious mononucleosis, divided into two groups: I--patients with moderate course of the disease and II--patients with moderate-severe course. In five persons out of 34 tested negative PBD test result was obtained, although these patients exhibited symptoms on mononucleosis confirmed by other laboratory methods. Positive result of the PBD test was occurring more frequently and mean titer of heterophilic antibodies was higher in patients with moderate clinical course than in persons with moderate-serious course of the disease. Decrease of PBD test titer was observed between first and third determination in both groups of patients.

[Studies of the effect of cephradine and lincomycin on dynamics of selected parameters of nonspecific cellular immunity in experimental animals]. / Badania nad wplywem cefradyny oraz linkomycyny na dynamike wybranych parametrów odpornosci komórkowej nieswoistej zwierzat doswiadczalnych.

Rabbits of group I received cephradine i.m. and of group II lincomycin in mean therapeutic doses (calculated by body weight) for seven days. Determinations were performed before application of antibiotics and at 7, 14, 28 and 42 days of the study. Following tests were performed: phagocytosis index by determination of phagocytizing neutrophils, phagocytosis index and the NBT test. After application of cephradine, each determination revealed significant decrease of percentage of phagocytosing neutrophils, whereas phagocyte index was lowered at 14 day and the NBT value in 14 and 28 days of investigation. After application of lincomycin, value of percentage of phagocytosing neutrophils was lowered at the 14 day, and of phagocytosis index at the 7 day. NBT test values were lowered at 7 and 28 day and increased at the 42 day of the study.

[Studies on the effect of cephradine, cefuroxime, lincomycin and amikacin on complement levels in experimental animals]. / Badania nad wplywem cefradyny, cefuroksymu, linkomycyny i amikacyny na poziom dopelniacza u zwierzat doswiadczalnych.

Rabbits were injected intramuscularily with antibiotics in mean therapeutic doses (calculated by body weight) for the period of 7 days. Group I received cephradine, group II--cefuroxime, group III--lincomycin and group IV--amikacin. Determination of complement level by CH50 method was performed before application of antibiotics and at 7, 14, 28 and 42 day of the study. Application of the cephalosporin antibiotics did not result in any changes in the complement level. After application of lincomycin, complement level increased at the 17 day and after amikacin treatment it was higher after 7 days of investigation.

[Studies of susceptibility to antibiotics in strains of E. coli isolated from urine in the years 1986-1990]. / Badania nad wrazliwoscia na antybiotyki szczepów E. coli izolowanych z moczu w latach 1986-1990.

From 1986 to 1990 research was conducted on E. coli strains isolated from patients with clinical symptoms of urinary tract infection. The paper-disk-plate technique was applied to determine their susceptibility to ampicillin, carbenicillin, azlocillin, cefamandole, cefotaxime, ceftriaxone, ceftazidime, cefoperazone, amikacin, netilmicin, gentamycin, vibramycin, and colistin. According to the authors' results the efficacy of ampicillin against the examined strains is as low as 3.4%. Aminoglycosides were traditionally recommended in therapy of urinary tract infections. Our research proves amikacin and netilmicin to be more effective against E. coli than gentamycin. The third-generation cephalosporins are recommended as alternative to aminoglycosides, especially since they are proved to be non-nephrotoxic. According to the results of the authors' research ceftazidime, cefotaxime and particularly ceftriaxone show the highest activity against the used strains of E. coli.

[Susceptibility to nitrofurantoin, biseptol and nalidixic acid of E. coli strains isolated from urine in the years 1983-1990]. / Wrazliwosc na nitrofurantoine, Biseptol i kwas nalidiksowy szczepów E. coli izolowanych z moczu w latach 1983-1990.

The group of microorganisms causing urinary tract infections includes the Enterobacteriaceae family, particularly E. coli, being the most commonly detected etiologic factor of the above infections. Research was conducted from 1983 to 1990 on 1102 E. coli strains isolated from patients with clinical diagnosis of urinary tract infection. Susceptibility of the bacteria to nitrofurantoin, Biseptol and nalidixic acid was determined by application of the paper-disk- plate technique. The percentage of nitrofurantoin susceptible strains during the time period of research remained on the low level of 6-20%. The susceptibility of the strains isolated from 1983 to 1987 to Biseptol was also low, 0-11%, however, in later years (1988-1990) the gradual increase of susceptibility was observed, reaching the level of 35% in 1990. The most active of the used chemotherapeutics turned out to be nalidixic acid proven to be effective against 34.3-56.3% of E. coli strains.