Induction of cellular immune response and anti-Salmonella enterica serovar typhi bactericidal antibodies in healthy volunteers by immunization with a vaccine candidate against typhoid fever.

Typhoid fever remains a serious public health problem. We have developed a vaccine from Salmonella enterica serovar typhi (S. typhi) outer-membrane proteins (OMPs) known as porins. A single subcutaneous dose of 10 microg of porins induced a five-fold (P = 0.05) seroconversion index consisting of IgM and IgG at 7 and 15 days after vaccination as well as the production of IgG1 and IgG2 isotypes. The porins-based vaccine induced a two-fold increase (P = 0.05) in bactericidal titres in volunteers, whom also developed a T-cell response characterized by the production of interferon-gamma (INF-gamma). Side effects after vaccination were mild and transient. The data showed that our S. typhi porins-based candidate vaccine is safe and immunogenic in healthy humans.

[Prevalence of latex-fruit syndrome in health workers with latex allergy]. / Prevalencia del síndrome de látex-fruta en trabajadores de la salud con alergia al látex.

BACKGROUND: Prevalence of latex allergy in the general population is lesser than 1%. These patients have clinical and immunochemical cross-reactivity between latex and fruits; sometimes this has been referred to as the "latex-fruit-syndrome" (LFS); atopy was found to be a risk factor to sensitization to fruits. OBJECTIVE: To investigate the prevalence of LFS, in a group of health care workers with latex-allergy. METHODS: Hospital employees were initially screened for latex allergy with a questionnaire; these patients were divided into the following two groups: 1) health care workers with latex-allergy, classified into two subgroups: a) with a familial history of atopy; b) without a familial history of atopy, and 2) health care workers with familial history of atopy but without latex-allergy. Skin prick tests with latex and fruits extracts (kiwi, avocado, banana and chestnut) were done. RESULTS: Based in clinical history and with confirmation by skin testing, three patients of the health care workers' group with latex allergy have LFS (prevalence of 12.5%). Sensitivity and specificity for skin prick test in health care workers with latex-fruit syndrome were: latex, kiwi and chestnut sensitivity: 100%; latex and avocado specificity: 90%; chestnut and kiwi specificity: 100%. CONCLUSION: A low prevalence of latex-fruit syndrome was detected in our population. We found a higher prevalence in females with a history of atopy. Our findings were consistent with other literature reports.

Estudio comparativo de dos pruebas diagnósticas: espirometría VS Pletismografía en adultos asmáticos asintomáticos / Comparative study of two diagnostic test: espirometría vs pletismografia in asthmatic asymtomatic adults

Se comparó la sensibilidad de la espirometría con la pletismografía en 20 adultos asmáticos asintomáticos, en condiciones basales y posterior al uso de salbutamol en el aerosol. Resultados: valoraes iguales para la capacidad vital (CV) con un p =0.02 por ambos métodos. Para la capacidad pulmonar total (CPT) una p = 0.05, p = 0.02 y elevación del volumen residual (VA) con p = 0.001 por plestismografía en condiciones basales y post-salbutamol. La conductancia específica (CE) mostró una p = <0.01. la velocidad de flujos (VFso, VF2s-7S) y (VF7S,VF7s-8S), mostró obstrucción similar para las vías aéreas periféricas de mediano y pequeño calibre con una p = <0.02. Conclusión: ambos métodos tienen especificidad similar, más nola misma sensibilidad, la pletismografía resultó más sensible para la detección de obstrucción en las vías aéreas centrales.