Giornale di batteriologia, virologia ed immunologia最新文献

Between January 1986 and January 1989, 524 non-typhoid salmonella strains, of which 4 (0.8%) from urine, were isolated at the Microbiology Laboratory of Department of Biomedicine (University of Pisa). These strains were isolated from a man with systematic lupus erythematosus, from two little girls with structural defects of the lower urinary tract, and from a woman with ulcerous colitis. Except the last case, the others were associated with immunological or structural abnormalities that are thought to predispose to salmonella infections.

Continuing development of antimicrobial resistance highlights the need for new antimicrobial agents. Despite many new molecules there is still a need for effective oral compounds. The fluoroquinolones are a new group of antibiotics with a wide spectrum of antibacterial activity which includes resistant strains and difficult microorganisms as Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Ofloxacin is a fluoroquinolone available for oral use showing good absorption with high blood levels and quite satisfactory tissue, penetration particularly in O.R.L. district. The treatment, consisting of ofloxacin 200 mg twice daily, of several patient (including two cases of rhinitis) was both safe and effective.

Two cases of purulent meningitis by Group B streptococci are reported. The bacteria agents were clearly transmitted transplacentally from mother to child. The bacteriological and clinical data are reported and discussed in relation to international literature.

The degree of toxicity of the antibiotic Cefonicid on the cellular reactivity of the immune system was evaluated. The effects on some lymphokine (IL-2 and IFN-gamma) production and the degree of proliferation of splenic lymphocytes following mitogen stimulation have been considered. Our results show that Cefonicid does not impair the immune response, except at very high doses (500 micrograms/ml).

A modified dot-immunobinding assay is described for the rapid, specific and reliable screening of human sera for Toxoplasma gondii immunity status. This simple, rapid and sensitive assay proved to be a practical diagnostic technique since it can be performed in 3 hours employing a small amount of antigen (0.3 micrograms/microliters).

Four methods to detect IgG antibodies to Epstein-Barr virus in serum samples of aspirate in renal transplant patients were evaluated. Further to technical characteristics, the assays were compared as to sensitivity, specificity and positive and negative predictive value. 100% of specificity was found for all methods whereas sensibility and negative predictive value were different among the different methods.

With the recent and rapid developments in recombinant DNA technology it has become much easier to use nucleic acid probes in diagnosis of infectious diseases. In this review some parameters like designing of probes, selection of tags, hybridization reaction conditions and in situ hybridization have been discussed. In addition, some examples have been reported which employ techniques of dot-blot hybridization and in situ hybridization for the diagnosis of latent cytomegalovirus infection.

Immunomodulator with significantly modify the immunologic response of the host. The AA. studied the immunologic profile of an oral vaccine to protect the experimental infection in mice and its effect when it was administered with antibiotics. The mice infected with S. enteritidis were protected by the vaccine administered. Also in the group of mice treated with a vaccine and antibiotic combination, the mortality rate was lower than in the untreated groups.

In this study the MicroTrak (Syva Co.) system has been evaluated in comparison with the isolation of Chlamydia trachomatis onto McCoy cell monolayer, testing 120 endocervical samples taken from an unselected women population. The overall results show a higher incidence of positivity in women under 30 years of age; a sensitivity of the immunofluorescence of 76.3% and a specificity of 89.8%. The agreement between the two methods is significative when we test symptomatic patients.