Evaluation of T Cell Proliferation Using CFSE Dilution Assay: A Comparison between Stimulation with PHA and Anti-CD3/Anti-CD28 Coated Beads.

A decrease in T cell count or reduced T cell function can be indicative of T cell immunodeficiency. In the present study, T-cell function was assessed using Carboxyfluorescein diacetate succinimidyl ester (CFSE) dilution test after stimulation with commonly used Phytohaemagglutinin (PHA) or anti-CD3/anti-CD28 coated beads in pediatric patients with recurrent infections. Seven infants with recurrent infections and seven sex/age-matched healthy infants were included in this study. A blood cell count, immunophenotyping, and serum immunoglobulin level were performed. The proliferation of T cells was also assessed with CFSE dilution after stimulation with PHA or anti-CD3/anti-CD28 coated beads.  This study showed increased IgA, IgG, and IgM levels in patients compared to the controls. In contrast to the controls, the immunophenotyping results showed a significant decline in the number of CD4+ T cells in patients. Although there was no difference in CD3+ T cell proliferation between patients and controls, the CD4+ and CD8+ T cell proliferation rates were significantly decreased in patients when stimulated with PHA. As a mitogen with the potential for maximum proliferation of T cells, PHA is better able to distinguish between patients with recurrent infections and controls than anti-CD3/anti-CD28, which mimics only the TCR pathway for stimulation of T cells.

Seroprevalence of Toxocara Infection among Asthmatic Children in Shiraz City, Southern Iran.

BACKGROUND: Human toxocariasis is caused by Toxocara canis and T. cati, the nematodes in the intestine of dogs and cats, respectively. Since the association between asthma and toxocariasis is controversial, the aim of the present study was to investigate the seroprevalence of Toxocara infection among asthmatic children in comparison with healthy children. METHODS: This case-control study was conducted on 92 asthmatic and 91 healthy children aged 1-16 years old in Shiraz City, Southern Iran in 2019-2020. The serum samples were tested for IgG anti-Toxocara antibodies by ELISA method using the T. canis larval excretory-secretory (E/S) antigens. The collected data were analyzed using SPSS software. RESULTS: The seroprevalence of toxocariasis in asthmatic patients was higher than the healthy children with no significant difference in Toxocara seropositivity between two groups (9.8% vs 8.8%, P = 0.817). The association between Toxocara infection and variables such as gender and age were not statistically significant. CONCLUSION: There was no significant association between toxocariasis and childhood asthma. Further study on different regions such as urban and rural areas with a large sample size and using questionnaire for considering risk factors of asthma and toxocariasis is recommended.

Epidemiology of Severe Cutaneous Adverse Drug Reaction and Its HLA Association among Pediatrics.

Severe cutaneous adverse drug reaction (SCAR) is considered to be a multifactorial drug side effect. This study was designed to investigate the epidemiology and human leukocyte antigen (HLA)-A and -B gene polymorphisms in pediatric patients with SCAR admitted in tertiary referral center, southwestern of Iran from 2013 to 2017. Demographic data, past allergy and autoimmune history, clinical presentations, drugs confirmed to be the cause of SCAR as well as its therapy were reviewed for each patient. HLA-A and -B allele frequencies were determined in 40 of the patients using polymerase chain reaction based on sequence specific primers (PCR-SSP) and compared with 40 healthy individuals as control group. Sixty-one patients with mean age of 6 years old and boy to girl ratio was 1.2/1 in this study. The most common type of SCAR in our patients was Steven Johnson Syndrome (SJS)/Toxic Epidermal Necrosis (TEN) mainly caused by beta-lactam antibiotics. Carbamazepine was the second cause of drug-induced SCAR. Moreover, HLA-A*02:01 and A*51:01 were related to the increased risk of SCAR while A*11:01 seemed to be protective against SCAR. HLA-A*02:01, HLA-A*24:02, and HLA-B*51:01 showed associations to the increased risk of SJS. Based on our results, beta-lactam antibiotics and antiepileptic drugs are the most common causes of severe adverse drug reaction in southwestern Iranian pediatric patients. Moreover, some HLA-A alleles can influence risk of SCAR.

Severe Allergic Bronchopulmonary Mycosis and Long-Term Follow-Up.

Allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis (ABPA) is the most common immunologic reaction following fungal allergen exposure in asthmatic patients. A less frequent syndrome in response to other fungal species like candida is allergic bronchopulmonary mycosis (ABPM). This reaction is mostly associated with asthma exacerbation, changes in Immunoglobulin E levels, and nonspecific findings in high resolution computed tomography (HRCT). This study presents a 9-year-old girl, a known case of childhood asthma, resolved 4 years ago as a novel case of ABPM due to Candida albicans manifested by severe emphysema, bronchiectasis, and pneumothorax which consequently required long-term treatment to get relieved.

The effect of baked milk on accelerating unheated cow's milk tolerance: A control randomized clinical trial.

BACKGROUND: Assessing the effect of adding baked milk products to the diet of patients with cow's milk allergy on accelerating the formation of tolerance. METHOD: A randomized clinical trial was carried out with 84 patients (6 months-3 years old) diagnosed with allergy to cow's milk who tolerated baked milk in form of muffin in oral food challenge (OFC). The subjects were divided randomly into case and control groups matched for age and sex. Patients in the case group were asked to consume baked milk in the form of muffin for 6 months and then to consume baked cheese in the form of pizza for another 6 months. The control group were instructed to strictly avoid any milk products for 1 year. Skin prick test (SPT) and serum-specific immunoglobulin E (sIgE) levels (ImmunoCAP) of milk, casein, and beta-lactoglobulin were measured before and after the study. In addition, those in the case group who had satisfactorily tolerated baked products during the study as well as all the subjects in the control group underwent an OFC to evaluate unheated milk tolerance at the end of the study. RESULTS: It was shown that by the end of the 1-year study period, 88.1% (37/42) of the patients in the case group and 66.7% (28/42) of those in control group had developed tolerance to unheated milk (P-value: 0.018). The results of milk-specific SPT and sIgE levels showed a significant decrease in the case group. Initial sIgE levels could not predict unheated milk tolerance in case and control groups. CONCLUSION: Introducing baked milk products into the diet of patients with milk allergy can accelerate the tolerance of unheated milk in these patients. sIgE levels of milk, casein, and beta-lactoglobulin did not predict the tolerance of unheated milk.

Clinical and Immunological Efficacy of Aspirin Desensitization in Nasal Polyp Patients with Aspirin-Exacerbated Respiratory Disease.

This study aimed to investigate the efficacy and the underlining mechanism of aspirin desensitization among patients with Aspirin Exacerbated Respiratory Disease (AERD). Thirty-eight patients, who had undergone an aspirin challenge test and were diagnosed as having AERD, were engaged in a double-blind randomized clinical trial. They were divided into two groups-an active group of patients who went through aspirin desensitization, and the control group, receiving placebo. Clinical symptoms and the quality of life of the patients-in addition to the levels of interleukin 4 and 5 (IL4), (IL5)-were documented at the beginning of the study and again after six months of aspirin desensitization. The quality of life of the patients was significantly higher in the active group after six months (P = 0.001). Medication requirements and symptom score were manifested to be significantly lower in the active group after six months than at the beginning of the study (P = 0.005, 0.017 respectively). Forced expiratory volume in the second one (FEV1) was, also, significantly higher in the active group after six months of the study (P = 0.032). IL5 was found to be significantly lower in the active group after six months (P = 0.019). However, no significant difference was observed in the levels of IL4 between the two groups (P = 0.152). The study revealed that aspirin desensitization can improve the quality of life of patients with AERD, lessen their symptoms and medication requirements, lower their levels of IL5, and improve some pulmonary function tests such as FEV1.