Herpesviridae in the coronary arteries and aorta of young trauma victims.

The presence of herpes simplex virus (HSV) and cytomegalovirus (CMV) nucleic acid and/or antigen was demonstrated in the coronary arteries and thoracic aortas of young trauma victims by the in situ DNA hybridization and ABC immunoperoxidase methods, respectively. Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) nucleic acid and capsid antigen were not detected in the arteries sampled in this study. Of 8 subjects in which virus was detected in the coronary arteries, 6 were positive for HSV and 2 for CMV; of 7 cases positive in the thoracic aorta, 5 were identified as HSV and 2 as CMV. Viral DNA and/or antigen were found in occasional cells in the intact luminal surface and in focal clusters of spindle-shaped or "foamy" cells in the intimal layer. The histologic findings indicate that HSV and CMV are associated with areas showing early or advanced atheromatous changes in the coronary arteries and with lesion-free as well as lesion areas in the thoracic aorta. The virologic findings support the concept that herpes-viruses may potentially play a direct or indirect role in the pathogenesis of human atherosclerosis.

Humoral and cellular immunity studies in patients with Vogt-Koyanagi-Harada syndrome and pars planitis.

We performed a comprehensive immunologic assessment of 17 patients with Vogt-Koyanagi-Harada syndrome (VKH) and nine with pars planitis (PP). Several variations in humoral and cellular immunity were found when the patients were compared with normal controls. Elevated serum IgD levels, positive results from various autoimmune profile assays, and deviations from normal levels of viral antibody titers were noted in both groups of patients. However, only some VKH patients had elevated beta 2 microglobulin, total complement level and E-active and EA rosette counts. HLA haplotype typing revealed no distinct correlation between patients when compared with a normal population.

Adenovirus types 8 and 19 infection of rabbit corneal organ cultures.

Adenovirus types 8 and 19 are responsible for a large number of cases of acute follicular conjunctivitis, mainly in the form of epidemic keratoconjunctivitis (EKC). This study successfully demonstrates the establishment of adenovirus infection in rabbit corneal organ cultures. Normal rabbit corneas were maintained in culture without significant morphologic alterations for up to 7 weeks. Adenovirus types 8 and 19 replication in rabbit corneas was demonstrated by viral growth curves and subpassage studies. Intracellular localization of adenoviral antigens was confirmed with immunofluorescent techniques. The characteristic cytopathic effects of adenoviral infection were observed with the use of various histochemical stains. Thus an in vitro corneal organ culture model was established for the study of the pathogenesis of corneal lesions in adenovirus EKC.

Clinical manifestations of infections with herpesviruses after kidney transplantation: a prospective study of various syndromes.

Herpesviruses infections occur commonly following kidney transplantation and immunosuppression, and contribute substantially to morbidity in the transplant recipient. In this prospective study, stomatitis, mononucleosis, hepatitis, or interstitial pneumonia occurred in 24 of 30 patients (80%) as a result of reactivation of latent herpesvirus infections, but the majority of these syndromes were self-limited and the infections were often asymptomatic. Rejection occurred significantly more frequently in CMV-infected patients, but a distinct causal relationship cannot be deduced.

Prospective study of prevalence, incidence, and source of herpesvirus infections in patients with renal allografts.

The prevalence, incidence, and source of infections with different types of herpesviruses were determined prospectively for 25 persons undergoing hemodialysis, 30 allograft recipients, and 16 kidney donors. The prevalence of prior infections with cytomegalovirus (CMV), herpes simplex virus (HSV), and Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) was high (72%-100%) and was similar for healthy persons and those with renal failure. The incidence of infections in patients undergoing hemodialysis was no greater than that before dialysis. In allograft recipients, the incidence of infection with CMV was 73%; HSV, 57%; EBV, 30%; and varicella-zoster virus (clinical), 7%. Ninety-seven percent of the patients developed an infection with one or more herpesviruses. Transfusions, hemodialysis, the allograft, and hospital environment were not significant sources in transmission. Uremia and splenectomy were unimportant in the reactivation of infection. Immunosuppressive drugs possibly algmented by a graft rejection response account for the high incidence of recrudescent infections with CMV and HSV.

Cytologic diagnosis of adenoviral epidemic keratoconjunctivitis by direct immunofluorescence.

A direct immunofluorescence technique for the diagnosis of acute adenoviral keratoconjunctivitis and pharyngoconjunctivitis was found to be a reliable, sensitive, and specific technique for the detection of soluble adenoviral antigens in epithelial cells on conjunctival scrapings of patients with epidemic keratoconjunctivitis. Of 25 patients with clinical findings consistent with epidemic keratoconjunctivitis or pharyngoconjunctival fever, all had positive diagnostic scrapings by direct immunofluorescence.

Enhanced immunogenicity in mice of a purified, tween-ether-treated influenza vaccine.

The immunogenic response of mice vaccinated intranasally or subcutaneously with increasing doses of a purified, concentrated intact A(2)/Taiwan influenza vaccine or its Tween-ether derived vaccines was compared. Immunogenicity was measured by serum neutralization and hemagglutination-inhibition antibodies, lung lesions scores, and protection against respiratory challenge with live airborne influenza virus. Intact (untreated) vaccine, Tween-ether-treated (ET) vaccine, and the isolated hemagglutinins (HA) provided protection and stimulated homologous antibody response at the 35- and 70-chicken cell agglutination (CCA) unit level. At a lower dosage level, the vaccines administered by the subcutaneous route appeared to confer better protection. The ET vaccine was superior to intact virus or HA vaccines when administered subcutaneously. The minimum amount of the HA and intact vaccine given subcutaneously that protected mice against respiratory challenge was 7 CCA units (3.5 units injected twice) compared to 0.7 CCA units (0.35 units injected twice) for the ET vaccine. No heterologous antibody to the A/PR/8/34 or B/Mass/3/66 was noted. Low-level serum-neutralizing antibody was found against the A(2)/Japan/170 strain but, despite high levels of homologous A(2)/Taiwan/64 antibody, no cross-reactivity was found with the recent A(2)/Hong Kong/68 variant.

Recovery of a canine herpesvirus from primary kidney cultures derived from a closed dog colony.

The recovery of a canine herpesvirus from one of eight lots of primary canine kidney cultures derived from a closed dog colony is reported.

Quantitative assay of Coxiella burnetii in mice.

Experimental data are presented which demonstrate that the complement-fixing antibody response in individual mice can be used for quantitative assay of Coxiella burnetii. The method allows the replacement of a single guinea pig with a single mouse, thus resulting in considerable savings in caging requirements and animal costs.