ABSTRACT
AIM: Evaluation of a qualitative HTLV-I/II DNA polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test for the detection of HTLV-I/II DNA (Roche Diagnostic Systems, Branchburg, N.J., USA) in various panels. METHODS: The panels consisted of fresh EDTA blood samples from blood donors who were anti-HTLV-I/II ELISA repeatably reactive: 53 were Western blot (WB) positive, 228 were WB indeterminate and 15 were WB negative. Elevent ELISA-negative blood donors were used as negative controls. Furthermore, specimens from 1 HTLV-II-infected intravenous drug user and from 1 HTLV-II-infected blood donor were included in the panel. Peripheral blood lymphocytes were prepared by red blood cell lysis with the Roche washing solution and stored at < -23 degrees C until processing. Amplification products were analyzed with the HTLV-I/II detection kit. RESULTS: All 53 anti-HTLV-I/II ELISA- and WB-positive samples and both HTLV-II-positive samples tested positively by PCR. All 228 anti-HTLV-I/II ELISA-positive and WB-indeterminate, all 15 ELISA-positive and WB-negative and all II ELISA-negative control samples tested negative by PCR. CONCLUSION: The Roche Amplicor HTLV-I/II test is a simple test, suitable for the confirmation of HTLV-I and-II infection in individuals with indeterminate or positive WB patterns.
Subject(s)
DNA, Viral/analysis , HTLV-I Infections/diagnosis , HTLV-II Infections/diagnosis , Polymerase Chain Reaction/methods , Reagent Kits, Diagnostic/standards , Blood Donors , Blotting, Western , Human T-lymphotropic virus 1/genetics , Human T-lymphotropic virus 2/genetics , HumansABSTRACT
The Wellcozyme HTLV-I/II ELISA (Murex Diagnostics) was evaluated in 7800 samples of various serum panels. Repeat activity was found by Wellcozyme in (A) 1/2181 (0.05%) Dutch blood donors, (B) 44/3036 (1.4%) Curaçao (Caribbean area) blood donors, (C) 46/2533 (1.8%) individuals of different Ethiopian population subsets, (D) 30/30 (100%) confirmed anti-HTLV-I positive samples and (E) 20/20 (100%) HTLV-II PCR-positive samples. All 91 Wellcozyme-positive samples were tested for confirmation by Western blot (WB, Diagnostic Biotechnology). Among Wellcozyme HTLV-I/II ELISA-positive individuals, HTLV-I/II WB positivity was found in 0/1 Dutch blood donors, 40/44 (88.9%) Curaçao blood donors and 20/46 (43.5%) Ethiopian individuals. HTLV-I positivity was found in 40 (1.3%) WB-positive Curaçao blood donors and in 9 (0.35%) Ethiopian individuals. HTLV-II positivity was found in 11 (0.43%) WB-positive Ethiopian individuals. The Wellcozyme HTLV-I/II ELISA had a specificity of 99.95% in Dutch blood donors and a sensitivity of 100% on confirmed HTLV-I- and HTLV-II-positive samples. In Ethiopia 55% of the HTLV-I/II WB-positive individuals were exclusively HTLV-II positive, whereas in Curaçao no HTLV-II infections were found.
Subject(s)
Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay/methods , HTLV-I Antibodies/blood , HTLV-I Infections/diagnosis , HTLV-II Antibodies/blood , HTLV-II Infections/diagnosis , Blotting, Western , Evaluation Studies as Topic , Female , HTLV-I Antibodies/immunology , HTLV-I Antigens/immunology , HTLV-I Infections/immunology , HTLV-II Antibodies/immunology , HTLV-II Infections/immunology , Humans , Male , Recombinant Fusion Proteins/immunology , Sensitivity and Specificity , Seroepidemiologic StudiesABSTRACT
In 1952 Ito described the occurrence of a bilateral systematized depigmented nevus in a 22-year-old Japanese woman. He used the term incontinentia pigmenti achromians. The condition has been described under various designations, such as for instance Ito's hypomelanosis. Till now 71 patients with this syndrome are described. We will report 4 cases, 2 boys and 2 girls, 2 Caucasian, 1 Indonesian and 1 Caribean child. The cutaneous signs in these 4 patients fit in with the syndrome of Ito's hypomelanosis. Of these 4 children 3 are mentally retarded, 2 have epilepsy. Congenital malformations are seen in 3 children. Electronmicroscopy of skin biopsies of the hypomelanotic nevus and of the normal skin were performed. In the biopsy of the normal skin of one patient interruption of the basement membrane is seen. Anomalies of the central nervous system as seen in our patients occur in about 40% of the cases. Abnormalities of skin derivatives next to other ectodermal anomalies are described. Affection of other germ layers also occur to a varying degree. In our 4 patients some of these abnormalities exist also. These 4 cases are presented to underline the fact that this syndrome seems not to be as extremely rare as is proposed.
Subject(s)
Abnormalities, Multiple/pathology , Central Nervous System/abnormalities , Nevus, Pigmented/pathology , Pigmentation Disorders/pathology , Skin Neoplasms/pathology , Adolescent , Child, Preschool , Female , Humans , Infant , Male , Microscopy, Electron , Skin/pathology , SyndromeSubject(s)
Anatomy , Societies, Medical/history , History, 19th Century , History, 20th Century , NetherlandsSubject(s)
Epidermolysis Bullosa/diagnosis , Pemphigoid, Benign Mucous Membrane/diagnosis , Skin Diseases, Vesiculobullous/diagnosis , Aged , Basement Membrane/immunology , Diagnosis, Differential , Epidermolysis Bullosa/immunology , Female , Fluorescent Antibody Technique , Humans , Immunoglobulin G/analysis , Microscopy, Electron , Pemphigoid, Benign Mucous Membrane/immunology , Skin/immunologySubject(s)
Darier Disease/diagnosis , Nevus/diagnosis , Skin Neoplasms/diagnosis , Adolescent , Adult , Aged , Diagnosis, Differential , Female , Humans , Male , Middle Aged , Nevus/drug therapy , Nevus/ultrastructure , Skin/ultrastructure , Skin Neoplasms/drug therapy , Skin Neoplasms/ultrastructure , Tretinoin/therapeutic useABSTRACT
A mother and her oldest son suffering from acrogeria are described; in the mother the disease was complicated by elastosis perforans serpiginosa. Microscopic and ultramicroscopic details are given.
Subject(s)
Foot Diseases/genetics , Hand , Progeria/genetics , Adult , Child , Connective Tissue Diseases/complications , Elastic Tissue , Female , Humans , Male , Microscopy, Electron , Progeria/complications , Progeria/pathology , Skin/ultrastructureABSTRACT
Four patients with the clinical picture of epidermolysis bullosa acquisita were investigated. Biopsies were taken from the involved and uninvolved areas of the skin and the immunohistochemical and microscopic changes were studied. Direct immunofluorescence showed deposition of IgG and C3/4 in a linear or norched pattern along the epidermal basement membrane in both the involved and the uninvolved skin. In addition IgA (3/4), IgM (1/4), C4 (3/4) and properdin (3/4) could be detected. Indirect immunofluorescence revealed the presence of circulating antibodies against inter alia the epithelial basement membrane zone in one patient. Routine electron microscopy showed that the blister was situated in the dermis leaving the basal lamina in the roof of the blister. With immunoelectron microscopy using peroxidase-labelled antibody the in vivo deposition of IgG was observed just beneath the basal lamina in the dermis of both the perilesional and the uninvolved skin. These observations show that epidermolysis bullosa acquisita is a distinct entity, in which autoimmune mechanisms might possibly play a role.
Subject(s)
Complement System Proteins/analysis , Epidermolysis Bullosa/immunology , Immunoglobulin G/analysis , Adult , Aged , Complement C3/analysis , Epidermolysis Bullosa/pathology , Female , Fluorescent Antibody Technique , Humans , Male , Microscopy, Electron , Skin/ultrastructureABSTRACT
Two negro siblings with focal epithelial hyperplasia of the oral mucosa are described. A review of the literature is presented.
Subject(s)
Mouth Diseases/pathology , Mouth Mucosa/ultrastructure , Black or African American , Child , Female , Humans , Hyperplasia/pathology , Microscopy, Electron , Mouth Diseases/geneticsABSTRACT
Post-inflammatory elastolysis and cutis laxa (Marshall, Heyl & Weber, 1966) is a skin disease in African infants which appears to be comparatively common in at least two countries. Destruction of elastic tissue and atrophy are preceded by urticarial or by annular erythematous-popular lesions and result in severe disfigurement. The clinical features are intermediate between anetoderma (macular atrophy) and acquired cutis laxa, but sufficiently typical and characteristic to constitute a distinctive syndrome, which might represent an abnormal reaction to the bite of an arthropod.
