Cytomegalovirus, Chlamydia pneumoniae, and Helicobacter pylori IgG antibodies and restenosis after stent implantation: an angiographic and intravascular ultrasound study.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the impact of previous infection with cytomegalovirus, Chlamydia pneumoniae, and Helicobacter pylori on neointimal proliferation after coronary angioplasty with stent implantation. DESIGN: The study population was made up of 180 patients who had stent implantation in a native coronary artery with systematic angiographic and intravascular ultrasound (IVUS) follow up at six months. Quantitative coronary angiography was used to assess the late lumen loss. The mean area of neointimal tissue within the stent and the ratio of neointimal tissue to stent area were assessed from IVUS images. Previous cytomegalovirus, C pneumoniae, and H pylori infection was identified by IgG antibody determination. RESULTS: Previous cytomegalovirus infection was detected in 50% of the population, previous C pneumoniae in 18%, and previous H pylori in 33%. Mean (SD) reference diameter was 2.94 (0.48) mm and mean minimum lumen diameter after stent implantation was 2.45 (0.42) mm. At six months, the mean late loss was 0.74 (0.50) mm, the mean neointimal tissue area was 3.8 (1.7) mm(2), and the average ratio of neointimal tissue area to stent area was 45 (18)%. None of these variables of restenosis was linked to any of the three infectious agents. By multivariate analysis, lesion length was the variable best correlated with mean neointimal tissue area, the ratio of neointimal tissue to stent area, and late loss, explaining respectively 31%, 39%, and 8% of their variability. CONCLUSIONS: Previous infection with cytomegalovirus, C pneumoniae, or H pylori was not a contributing factor in the process of restenosis after stent implantation.

Optimization of in situ hybridization for detection of viral genomes in cultured cells on 96-microwell plates: a cytomegalovirus model.

In situ hybridization (ISH) for identification of infectious replicative cytomegalovirus (CMV) in cell culture microplates (96 microwells) infected by clinical specimens was tested by using a biotin-labeled DNA probe and an avidin-alkaline phosphatase conjugate. A total of 395 specimens were examined by using ISH and a monoclonal antibody (MAb) specific for an early antigen of CMV. Of 47 specimens that gave a positive signal for CMV by ISH, 33 were confirmed virus positive by MAb staining. Of 141 blood samples tested, 4.96% were positive by ISH, and 0.7% were positive by the MAb technique. ISH shows 40% more sensitivity than MAb staining. This technique should be widely applicable for the specific identification of viral isolates (e.g., herpesvirus, myxovirus, paramyxovirus, and enterovirus) in cell culture 96-microwell microplates, thereby making it feasible to screen a larger number of samples than is possible with classical methods using conventional culture tubes, shell vials, or 24-well plates.

Detection of human papillomavirus and human cytomegalovirus in cervical lesions by in situ hybridization using biotinylated probes.

Infections with specific types of human papillomavirus (HPV) have emerged as necessary but not sufficient factors in the development of the majority of cervical cancers. The infection by human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) has also been implicated in both cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN) and cancer. In order to test prevalence of these viral pathogens in genital lesions with suspect cytopathic changes after observation of smears, cervical biopsies from 131 patients were obtained under colposcopic guidance. The biopsies were tested for the presence of HPV and HCMV by the in situ hybridization technique using biotinylated DNA probes on paraffin-embedded sections. Presence of HCMV is twice more frequent in women with HPV-induced cervical lesions (40%) than in women with any detectable HPV (20%). It may be concluded that HCMV might contribute as one synergistic factor in the development of cervical dysplasia.

[Inhibition of plasmid transfer in Escherichia coli by oxolinic acid]. / Inhibition du transfert de plasmides chez Escherichia coli, par l'acide oxolinique.

Oxolinic acid inhibits the appearance of transconjugants between Escherichia coli harbouring RP4/R6K plasmids and recipient strains. This effect is detected from 1 microgram/ml, (3, 8 microM) without loss of viability, and is not due to a curing process.