Archives de l'Institut Pasteur d'Algerie. Institut Pasteur d'Algerie最新文献

The prevalence of anti-Chlamydia antibodies was studied among 329 patients divided into 5 groups, 34 (36%) of the women with a low genital infection have antibodies at a titre greater than 16 versus 12 (17%) of the patients attending the women's clinic for routine pelvic examination. 44 (100%) of 44 prostitutes had antibodies greater than 16 meanwhile only 2 (7%) of 30 women attending an obstetric clinic had antibodies greater than 16. Titres suggesting active chlamydial infection were found in prostitutes (95%), women with low genital infection (17%) and patients attending a cancer screening clinic (11%). In other hand, using immunofluorescence test with monoclonal anti Chlamydia trachomatis antibodies, 20 (45.5%) of the prostitutes were found antigen positive.

Based on previous data on free immunoglobulin light chains in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) of patients with multiple sclerosis (MS), we evaluated free kappa and lambda light chains in the CSF from 3 patients groups: (a) 42 with MS, (b) 16 with other neurological inflammatory diseases (ONID) and (c) 42 with non inflammatory neurological diseases (NIND) used as control. The kappa and lambda light chains contents were evaluated using a specific and sensitive (0.5 mcg/ml) enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Whole CSF immunoglobulins G (CSF-IgG) concentrations were determined by an immuno-nephelometric method and CSF oligoclonal banding was assessed by agarose gel electrophoresis. Elevated free kappa light chains levels were found in 36 of the 42 (85.7%) MS-CSF, and only in 2 of the 16 (12.5%) ONID-CSF. Moreover, all MS-CSF with oligoclonal banding (21/42) exhibited detectable free kappa light chains. In contrast, elevated free lambda light chains or whole CSF-IgG concentrations were found not so specific. These results suggest that free kappa light chains measurement in MS-CSF may have an important diagnostic usefulness. This assay offers a reliable alternative to other available procedures and may constitute complementary technique in routine investigation of MS-CSF.

Indirect immunofluorescence (IF), immunoperoxidase (IP) and seroneutralization tests were compared for detection and identification or Herpes simplex virus (HSV), directly in tissue smears or in cells inoculated with clinical materials. Detection and clear differentiation between the two HSV serotypes were obtained using rabbit immunoglobulin cross-absorbed with heterologous virus antigen. Immunofluorescent staining with specific monoclonal antibodies is as sensitive and more rapid than standard Vero cell cultures, for the laboratory diagnosis of HSV.

The sensitivity of the methods used for HSV detection depends upon the stage and the transport of the collected lesions. High detection rates are achieved with early vesicular lesions rather with ulcers and scabs . Since HSV is heat-labile and to avoid loss of infectivity, specimens should be collected in transport medium and inoculated as soon as possible on the cell cultures.

The purpose of this study was to determine the prevalence of herpes simplex virus antibodies among the population in Algiers. Anti-bodies to HSV1 are acquired rapidly between the ages of 1 and 6 years and 81.25% of the population is HSV1 seropositive by 15 years of age. Patients suffering from genital disorders possess HSV type 2 antibodies at a rate significantly higher (p less than 0.001) than in the control group.

The Coomassie blue method of proteins quantitation initially reported by Bradford and modified by Macart et al. appears to be simple, fast, sensitive and of low cost. In this study, we report an improved micromethod derived from the technic described by Macart. Applied to the protein quantitation of 100 cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) specimens and 50 serum specimens our method showed a very good correlation with the macromethod of Macart (r = 0.985 for CSF proteins, r = 0.944 for serum proteins) and also with the Lowry technic (r = 0.986 for CSF proteins, r = 0.898 for serum proteins). Our technic may be used with various biological fluids (urines, tears, saliva...) and seems to be of particular interest for low protein level fluids and for little volume samples (it needs only 20 mcl).

This immunoglobulin abnormality was found in the serum of a 33 years old man presenting with anemia, weight loss, bone pain and a single bone lesion. The cellulose acetate electrophoresis of his serum showed 2 homogeneous bands migrating in the gamma and alpha-2 regions. Agar gel immunoelectrophoresis using anti-whole normal serum revealed 2 abnormal precipitin arcs of gamma-2 and alpha-2 respective mobility. These 2 M-components precipitated with anti-human kappa light chain antiserum but failed to react with lambda-light chain specific and H-chains specific anti-sera. Furthermore, the 2 monoclonal kappa chains were still demonstrated in the supernatant of the se-rum treated with 50% saturated ammonium sulphate. The 2 kappa chains were isolated from the supernatant using goat anti-kappa antibodies bound to Sepharose-4B. Their SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis pattern showed a single protein band of 25 Kd molecular weight. This suggest the presence of 2 monomeric kappa chains of different clonal origin. Subsequently, the difference in their electrophoretic mobility was probably due to different V-kappa sequences. However, it is also possible that the unusual alpha-2 mobility is a consequence of a moderate glycosylation without increase in molecular weight.

301 stools were collected during a period of 2 years from children aged 0-3 years, most of them presenting an acute gastro-enteritis; search for rotavirus was carried out using ELISA and latex techniques, together with coproculture. 44 stools were positive (14.61%), 18.68% of these positive cases were in the age groups 0-6 months. The rotavirus gastro-enteritis affects boys (63.63%) two times more often than girls. It is frequent in hospitals (20.51% of all cases). The coproculture shows that about 14% of diarrhoeas are of bacterial origin. Thus, our study demonstrates that viral diarrhoeas are as frequent as the bacterial ones. The combination of both has been found in two cases. Our study shows also that a high incidence of rotavirus diarrhoea is found during spring (18.18%). The latex technique is 18.51% less sensitive than ELISA; however, it has the advantages of simplicity, rapidity and low cost.

Campylobacter enteritis appears to be a frequent cause of bacterial diarrhoea, especially among children. The species isolated in our study are C. jejuni and C. coli. The clinical characteristics are acute diarrhoea (sometimes with blood) and abdominal pain. The evolution is usually favorable without treatment. In serious and prolonged cases, the treatment is based on Erythromycin which was active against all the strains.