Isolation and characterization of an immunogenic fragment of heat shock protein 60 from Trichophyton mentagrophytes.

Heat shock protein 60 (hsp60) were isolated from several fungal, protozoal and many bacterial pathogens and successfully used for protective vaccination in some infection models. This work focuses on the isolation of recombinant hsp60 from the dermatophyte, Trichophyton mentagrophytes as a potentially protective antigen in trichophytosis. With the help of a previously tested set of degenerated primers, it was used reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) for isolation of partial cDNA of the hsp60 T. mentagrophytes (labelled hsp60-TM814), which was cloned into cloning vector. The sequencing of hsp60-TM814 cDNA and global alignment confirmed homology of the hsp60-TM814 with other members of the hsp60 family. Hsp60-TM814 cDNA corresponds to the region encoding the immunoprotective fragment of the hsp60 from Histoplasma capsulatum, used successfully in mouse model of histoplasmosis. A recombinant fragment (r-hsp60-TM664), 220 amino acids in length, was prepared in a prokaryote expression system, and its identity confirmed by mass spectroscopy. High immunogenicity of r-hsp60-TM664 was proven after subcutaneous immunization of mice. Immunized mouse sera recognized r-hsp60-TM664 on Western blots as well as hsp60 from mouse liver lysate and lysate of Candida albicans.

[Clostridium difficile infection associated with pseudomembranous colitis in district hospitals]. / Asociace infekce Clostridium difficile a pseudomembranózní kolitidy v nemocnici okresního typu.

At a regional hospital serving 150,000 inhabitants, the authors were tracking the occurrence of antibiotic-associated diarrhea caused by a nosocomial infection of the Clostridium difficile, especially its most serious form--pseudomembranous colitis. Six cases of the disease were found in a retrospective study in 2001, another 20 cases were diagnosed while actively searching for the disease from January till September of 2002. The patients suffered from many complications, were of an average age of 69.24 years, their hospitalization averaged 34 days and 15 (52%) of them underwent surgery during their hospitalization. It could be demonstrably proved that 25 cases of nosocomial infection occurred during hospitalization and 3 patients were admitted to hospital with the disease. However, 2 of them had been released from hospital less than 20 days before being admitted again. Twenty-five patients (96%) had been treated with antibiotics, often in combined therapy. Most often this involved penicillin with betalactamas activity (50%), clindamycin (42%) and cefalosporins (42%). We used methods for detecting enterotoxin A in the stool, rectoscopy and anaerobic cultivation of the stool in the diagnostic process. Rectoscopy discovered pseudomembranous colitis in 14 of 17 patients examined this way. The sensitivity for proving enterotoxin A in the stool using EIA, for patients with proven pseudomembranous colitis via rectoscopy, was 75%. Anaerobic cultivation of the stool was done in 12 patients and all the results were negative. The mortality rate of 38% for our group of patients testifies to the seriousness of this disease, which we consider to be the results of antibiotic therapy. In conclusion, nosocomial infection caused by Clostridium difficile is quite often a nosocomial disease, a prognosis that especially worsens for seriously ill patients.

[Oral health in cariology and endodontics to the year 2000]. / Orální zdraví v kariologii a endodoncii do roku 2000.

In 1978 the World Health Organization proclaimed the programme "Health for All by the Year 2000". In 1982 the International Stomatological Federation joined this programme with "Oral Health by the Year 2000". It comprises actual anti-caries targets for various age groups, e.g. 50% of 65-year-old subjects should have 20 natural functional teeth. Comparative investigations indicate that the above programme is successfully implemented in those developed industrial countries where it has become a matter of course for the wide public and where in its implementation also non-stomatological medical disciplines participate. The purpose of the present paper is to remind of some comprehensive coordinated aspects of caries prevention and some most frequent complications of caries, i.e. pathological conditions of the dental pulp and apical periodontium.

[Epidemiological investigation of oral health in a group of Prague University students]. / Epidemiologická studie orálního zdraví u skupiny prazských vysokoskoláku.

In the submitted paper the authors investigated the state of teeth, periodontium and the need of treatment in a group of Prague university students. In the investigated group they recorder a lower cariosity than in the same age group 30 years ago. The percentage of subjects without dental extraction on account of caries is smaller than foreseen by WHO in the year 2000. Both is evidence of early therapeutic and preventive care in previous years. To maintain therapeutic and preventive care in previous years. To maintain the positive results of systematic dental care, regular dental treatment also in adult age is essential.

Prognostic factors in Hodgkin's disease.

Between 1978-84 371 patients with HD were treated according to Protocol of LCG. 72.5% achieved complete, 10.8% partial remission and 16.7% were nonresponders. The evaluation of results was performed by PIL program from BMDP 81. The mean survival was 61 and disease-free survival (DFS) 60 months. The cumulative survival and DFS at 5 years were 65% and 68%, resp. Advanced HD, B symptoms, histopathology LD, male sex and age above 40 years influenced survival adversely. DFS decreased with CS III B, in males and age above 60 years significantly and in histopathology MC and LD with lack of significance. However, the size of mediastinal involvement was not a poor prognostic factor for survival, but influenced DFS. The prognostic value of major risk factors in HD was estimated by means of frequencies of their associations.

[Familial malignant melanoma]. / Familiární maligní melanom.

Two families with a familiar occurrence of malignant melanoma have been described. In the first family malignant melanoma has been histologically verified in two generations. In the other family, malignant melanoma occurred in four generations, but it has been verified histologically in two of them only. In the remaining two generations there were positive anamnestic data.