Bollettino dell'Istituto sieroterapico milanese最新文献

The paper reviews some conceptual and methodological aspects of the tissue culture models which, during the past three decades, demonstrated a remarkable mimicry of many important structures and functions of the mammalian Central Nervous System (CNS) and related peripheral sensory and motor elements. Emphasis is placed on an original human neuronal tissue culture model obtained from selective CNS areas. The different cell types were identified and the neurotrophic interactions preliminary characterized. Neuropathological findings suggest hypothesis that can be fully tested using in vitro human models of affected cerebral specific areas.

Secretory IgA (sIgA) in saliva, and sometimes in expectoration, have been titrated in various groups of persons, both in pediatric age and in adults, by means of radial immunodiffusion technic. The aim was to find differences among sIgA levels in the course of respiratory tract infections, both acute and chronic, in consequence of treatment with Erythromycin (in children and in adults) in consequence of surgical intervention (in adults). Adjunctive aim was to establish if it was possible to recognize hereditary of the character that remark the predisposition to produce high sIgA quantities. The very high variability of the data collected in the various occasions and situations allowed serious doubts about the possibility of use of the parameter sIgA in saliva for the evaluations that were assumed as aim of the research. The said high variability was confirmed in a single surely healthy boy, in which sIgA were performed on saliva specimens collected for ten consecutive days, morning and evening, always at the same time (8 a.m. and p.m.). In the attempt to clarify the reason of such a variability, the intervention of psychical solicitation and emotional conditions were ipotized to modify production, mobilization and secretion of IgA generally considered and sIgA particularly.

Lymphocytes of patients with Hodgkin's disease have a deficient production of Interleukin-2. Recently, a soluble form of the receptor for IL-2 has been demonstrated in human sera and in vitro-stimulated culture supernatants from human T lymphocytes. In the present paper we report the production of soluble IL-2R from peripheral blood mononuclear cells in H.D. The unstimulated MNC of patients released more sIL-2R than controls. No difference was observed between PHA-stimulated MNC of patients and controls. These preliminary findings suggest that soluble IL-2R may be provide a new tool for the study of immunological dysregulation in H.D.

Sensitivity and specificity of three commercial latex agglutination tests, i.e. Streptex, Wellcogen (Wellcome Diagnostics, Dartford, England) and Directigen (Becton Dickinson, Baltimore, USA) were evaluated on 233 vaginal swabs and 208 urine specimens after 4h culture in comparison with traditional cultural and identification methods. On vaginal swabs sensitivity of Wellcogen and Streptex was shown to be comparable (43% and 37% respectively), but both tests gave several false positive results; Directigen test showed higher (100%) specificity, but its sensitivity was very low. On urine cultures all the tests were shown to be unsatisfactory in comparison with traditional methods, sensitivity and specificity being demonstrated to be poor.

In the medical studies there are many reports on the risk of being infected that the dental staff run, especially as far as it concerns viral diseases. The first worth is about the research into the problem of infections, in particular of viral hepatitis B, made by the Authors in the area of Modena. The results establish the potential presence of such risk; so, the Authors suggest to the people working in edental clinics to follow carefully the procedures of general and specific prevention.

147 hemodialyzed patient were studied for the presence of allergic reactions related to the dialytic treatment. Total IgE and specific IgE to common inhalants, ethylene oxide and phthalic anhydride were determined in all patients. The same determinations were also performed in two control groups. Specific IgE to ethylene oxide were detected in 7 sera. Among these 6 had a high total IgE level and 2 had a positive Phadiatop. Only 3 among the 7 positive patients had adverse reactions related to the hemodialysis (one suffered from itching, one from urticaria and the third from angioedema and hypotension). The resolution of the symptoms was obtained utilizing a gamma-rays sterilized filter. Therefore ethylene oxide sensitization may be a cause of some problems during hemodialysis. We couldn't find a relationship between atopic status and sensitization to ethylene oxide in as much in only 2 out of 7 patients sensitized to ethylene oxide, specific IgE to common inhalants were detected.

The Authors report a rare case of Legionnaires' disease imported from Spain in a patient with beta-thalassaemia minor. This condition as predisposing factor for Legionella pneumophila infection is discussed, with particular emphasis on the therapeutic implications.

The effect of Neisseria meningitidis group A and C polysaccharide vaccine on nasopharyngeal carriage was studied in the training center for army medical officers in Florence. Nasopharyngeal swabs were cultured for N. meningitidis at the time of vaccination (one week after entry to service) and again seven weeks later in a follow-up cohort of 171 men. During the two surveys the overall carriage did not showed significant difference (respectively 16% and 12%); while the percentage of isolates belonging to the serogroup C showed a significant reduction from 6% to 0.6% (P less than 0.01). No increased prevalence of meningococci belonging serogroups other than A or C was observed during the two surveys. The cumulative carriage was 20%. Out of the 35 carriers during the whole study period, only 5 (14%) belonged to the same serogroup. These findings show that meningococcal vaccine may inhibit the nasopharyngeal carriage of group specific meningococci in army recruits.

A Salmonella typhi strain resistant to ampicillin, streptomycin and sulfonamides was isolated in Catania in 1988. It has been shown that these resistances were encoded by an auto-transferable R-plasmid, of molecular weight 70 Md, belonging to the incompatibility group B.

The Authors report a case of vaginitis caused by Eikenella corrodens (E.C.) and point out it is very rare all over the world (probably the first case reported in Italy). The E.C. was the only one isolated from the vaginal specimen. They emphasized the importance of bacteria isolation in subacute or relapsing vaginitis and relevant sensibility to antibiotic assays. These are generally neglected but still able to give unexpected results then allowing a target therapy.