Incidencia del virus herpes simplex en pacientes con infecciones agudas del sistema nervioso central / Incidence of herpes simplex virus infection in patients with acute central nervous system infections

Los Virus Herpes Simple son responsables de una variedad de infecciones a nivel de mucosas bucal y genital, son neurotrópicos, capaces de alojarse en células nerviosas y permanecer latentes con subsecuentes reactivaciones, en algunos casos pueden provocar meningitis y encefalitis. tienen una morbilidad significativa y una mortalidad elevada. El presente estudio tiene como objetivo determinar la incidencia de VHS en la etiología de los síndromes agudos del SNC mediante la detección en suero y LCR de anticuerpos específicos. Se estudiaron 93 muestras pareadas de pacientes con afecciones neurológicas que mostraron resultados negativos en el estudio bacteriológico de LCR y cuya relación Alb-LCR/Alb-suero fue <0,0075. Los anticuerpos fueron detectados por el método de inmunoensayo enzimático Elisa: Enzygnost® anti virus VHS/IgM-IgG (Behring, 1994), donde 1,2% (1/93) de las muestras de suero resultaron positivas para IgM; 89,24% (83/93)de los sueros resultaron positivos para IgG; y 27,39% (20/93) de las muestras de LCR presentaron anti-IgG positivo. La presencia de IgG en LCR sugiere la producción intratecal de estos anticuerpos en el SNC, lo que muestra una participación importante de este agente viral en las infecciones y enfermedades asociadas al SNC

Herpes simplex viruses are agents responsible for a variety of infections on buccal and genital mucosa; they are neurotropic, capable of lodging in the nerve cells and remaining latent with subsequent reactivations; in some cases, they can provoke meningitis and encephalitis; and they have a significant morbidity and are associated with a high mortality. The present project aims to determine HSV’s effect on the etiology of acute central nervous system (CNS) syndromes using the detection of specific antibodies in serum and cerebrospinal fluid. The 93 paired samples from patients with neurological affectations studied demonstrated negative results in the LCR bacteriological study and their Alb-LCR/Alb-serum relation was < 0.0075. Antibodies were detected by the enzymatic immunoassay ELISA method, where 1.2% (1/93) of the serum samples turned out positive for IgM; 89.24% (83/93) of the serum samples resulted positive for IgG; and 27.39% (20/93) of LCR samples were positive for anti-IgG. IgG presence in LCR suggested the intrathecal production of these antibodies inside the CNS, which demonstrates a significant participation by this viral agent in infections and diseases associated with the CNS

Niveles séricos de la molécula CD30 soluble en la infección por el virus de hepatitis B / Serum levels of soluble CD30 molecule in hepatitis B virus infection

Background: The release of CD30 molecule in the soluble form (sCD30) is considered a feature of Th2 activation and proliferation of the cellular phenotype Th2. Aim: To analyze the immunoregulatory role of sCD30 in the evolution of hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection. Patients and methods: Three study groups were formed: 15 patients with acute infection by HBV who remitted toward the resolution of the infection; 15 patients who evolved to the carrier state and 15 subjects without clinical history of infection by this or other viruses. The determination of serological markers for the HBV was done by the Microparticles Enzymatic Immunoanalysis techniques (MEIA). The method of double antibody by ELISA was used For sCD30 determination. Results: A significant sCD30 increase (p < 0.05) was observed in patients with acute infection, during the acute phase (135.7 ñ 36.7). These values decreased to 16.2 ñ 2.5 during the convalescent phase. Patients that evolved to the carrier state, did not experience a rise in sCD30 values (40.2 ñ 6.7, 38 ñ 9.2 and 36.1 ñ 8.3 during the acute phase, at 120 and 240 days respectively). The value in the control group was 34.8 ñ 6.7. Conclusions: The group that evolved towards remission experienced a higher activation of the Th2 cellular phenotype, promoting humoral immune response. An inactivity of sCD30 values was observed in the group that evolved to the carrier state

Seroepidemiología del virus herpes simplex 2 en una población indígena Yukpa: estado Zulia, Venezuela / Seroepidemiology of herpes simplex virus type 2 in the amerindian Yukpa population of Zulia state, Venezuela

Background: Yukpa aborigines start early in life their sexual activity and promiscuity with native and foreign individuals is common among women. This behavior allows the installation and propagation of Herpes simplex virus type 2 (HSV-2). Aim: To determine the presence of antibodies to HSV-2 in a Yukpa Amerindian community at Zulia State, Venezuela. Subjects and methods : We studied 96 natives, between 13 and 49 years old (62.3 percent of the whole population, 100 percent of individuals in fertile age). Control population consisted of 76 individuals, with similar sex and age range distribution, of the urban population from Maracaibo, Zulia State, Venezuela. HSV-2 serologic status was determined by an indirect fluorescent antibody test. Results: Antibodies to HSV-2 were detected in 53.1 percent of Yukpa population and 21.1percent of urban population. Aboriginal women aged 21 to 40 years old had a prevalence of antibodies against HSV-2 of 66.7 percent. Among pregnant native women, the prevalence of antibodies against HSV-2 was 54.6 percent. Conclusions: There is a high prevalence of antibodies against HSV-2 among Yukpa natives in Venezuela