A tool for mass-screening of paragonimiasis: an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay with urine samples.

BACKGROUND: Paragonimiasis is one of the foodborn trematodiases and number of the patients was estimated to be about 23 million around the world. To obtain good compliance of people for the surveillance of paragonimiasis, an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) for the diagnosis of paragonimiasis with unconcentrated urine samples was developed. RESULTS: Paragonimus westermani antigen specific IgG and IgG4 were detected in urine samples from paragonimiasis patients and the levels correlated well with those detected in the paired serum samples. Cross-reactions observed among other trematodiasis and a tuberculosis patient with the antigen specific IgG were much reduced by detecting the antigen specific IgG4; 9.2 % to 2.3 %. CONCLUSIONS: The ELISA with urine samples, which are collected safely and easily, will be a useful tool for a mass-screening of paragonimiasis.

[Influence of recombinant human growth hormone on body fluid compartments and water-sodium retention in severe burn patients].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the influence of recombinant human growth hormone (rhGH) on body fluid compartments and water-sodium retention in severe burn patients. METHODS: Thirty adult patients with severe burn were divided into treatment (T) and control (C) groups by block randomized design. Patients in both groups were subcutaneously injected with same amount of rhGH (12 IU/d) or isotonic saline during 7 - 21 post burn day (PBD). The total body water (TBW), intracellular water (ICW), extracellular water (ECW) were measured by bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA) on 7, 14, 21 PBD. The 24 h urinary output of Na+ was determined by ion selective electrode method (ISE). RESULTS: There were no significant difference in levels of TBW, ICW, ECW and 24 h urinary output of Na+ between two groups on 7, 14, 21 PBD (P > 0.05). No difference in results was found between groups at different time points (P > 0.05). After the data were analyzed, the level of TBW (36 +/- 6 L), ICW (21 +/- 4 L) on 21 PBD were evidently lower than those on 7 PBD (38 +/- 6 L, 23 +/- 7 L, P < 0.01). CONCLUSION: The level of ICW and TBW in severe burn patients decreased along with the time. Proper dosage of rhGH has no significant effect on body fluid compartments and water-sodium retention.

Diagnosis of visceral leishmaniasis by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay using urine samples.

A diagnostic method has been developed to detect anti-Leishmania donovani immunoglobulin G (IgG) in urine by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). In measuring anti-L. donovani IgG, IgA, and IgM in urine, the method performed best in the detection of IgG. The sensitivity and specificity of the assay were determined with panels of urine samples from 62 visceral leishmaniasis (VL) patients, 59 healthy controls from areas of endemicity, 53 healthy controls from areas of nonendemicity, 59 malaria patients, 13 tuberculosis patients, 23 cutaneous leishmaniasis patients, and 7 patients with other diseases. Using L. donovani promastigote crude antigen, the test had 93.5% sensitivity (58 positives of 62 VL patient samples) and 89.3% specificity (191 negatives of 214 non-VL patient samples). The ELISA with acetone-treated L. donovani promastigote antigen raised the sensitivity and specificity to 95.0 and 95.3%, respectively. Western blot analysis revealed that most of the samples that cross-reacted with crude antigen in ELISA did not recognize any antigenic component of L. donovani crude antigen. We also checked 40 serum samples from the same group of VL patients for anti-L. donovani IgG and got 90.0% sensitivity with both crude and acetone-treated antigens. As collection of urine is much easier than collection of serum, the detection of anti-L. donovani IgG in urine with acetone-treated antigen will be useful in epidemiological studies. It could be an adjunct of laboratory diagnosis.