The effect of polymethyl methacrylate on latex-free surgical gloves.

In the current medical environment of increased awareness about latex sensitivity, more patients are presenting with known latex allergy. One such patient presented to us for total knee arthroplasty. During this procedure, we noticed holes in our latex-free surgical gloves when polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) was being handled. Through subsequent testing of different brands of latex-free surgical gloves with various brands of bone-cement, we found that Allergard latex-free surgical gloves are destroyed by contact with PMMA. Biogel Neotech and Duraprene latex-free gloves show no such destruction. These results indicate that Allergard gloves should not be used in procedures in which bone-cement is employed. Biogel Neotech and Duraprene latex-free gloves are an acceptable alternative.

IFN-gamma and CD8+ T cells restore host defenses against Pneumocystis carinii in mice depleted of CD4+ T cells.

Host defenses against infection are profoundly compromised in HIV-infected hosts due to progressive depletion of CD4+ T lymphocytes and defective cell-mediated immunity. Although recent advances in antiretroviral therapy can dramatically lower HIV viral load, blood CD4+ T lymphocytes are not restored to normal levels. Therefore, we investigated mechanisms of host defense other than those involving CD4+ T lymphocytes against a common HIV-related opportunistic infection, Pneumocystis carinii (PC) pneumonia. Using CD4-depleted mice, which are permissive for chronic PC infection, we show that up-regulation of murine IFN-gamma by gene transfer into the lung tissue results in clearance of PC from the lungs in the absence of CD4+ lymphocytes. This resolution of infection was associated with a >4-fold increase in recruited CD8+ T lymphocytes and NK cells into the lungs. The role of CD8+ T cells as effector cells in this model was further confirmed by a lack of an effect of IFN-gamma gene transfer in scid mice or mice depleted of both CD4+ and CD8+ T cells. Cytokine mRNA analysis revealed that recruited, lung-derived CD8+ T cells had greater expression of IFN-gamma message in animals treated with the IFN-gamma gene. These results indicate that CD8+ T cells are capable of clearing PC pneumonia in the absence of CD4+ T cells and that this host defense function of CD8+ T cells, as well as their cytokine repertoire, can be up-regulated through cytokine gene transfer.