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B Cacciapuoti

Publications and source records attributed to B Cacciapuoti.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources
PubMed1984

[The diagnosis of leptospirosis in the hospital microbiology laboratory].

Confirmatory diagnosis of clinical leptospirosis may be achieved by each hospital laboratory performing all-purpose bacteriological methods. Direct microscopic examination of blood may frequently demonstrate circulating leptospiras in the first few days of pyrexia. Leptospiras may be tentatively cultured from blood in the same initial period of illness, in fluid semisynthetic commercial media according to the original Ellinghausen medium. Sero-conversion for leptospira antibodies is constantly observed on two serum samples taken in the first few days of illness and ten days thereafter respectively, in each case of current leptospirosis.

Agglutination Tests↗
PubMed1982

Human leptospirosis in Somalia: a serological survey.

Sera from Somalis of both sexes between the ages of 16 and 60 were examined for leptospiral agglutinins. 37% of 105 apparently healthy individuals living in the arid Mogadishu area were positive, as were 64% of 107 schistosomiasis patients living in two villages on the Shabeele River (50.5% over-all). Pools of sera from similar subjects, as well as leprosy patients living on the Juba River and patients in Mogadishu hospitals with suspected viral hepatitis showed a similar prevalence rate of 56%. These figures are higher than prevelance rates for leptospiral antibodies generally found in other parts of the world, and in part may be related to the nomadic, cattle-driving existence common in Somalia. The titres of 11.2% of the positive sera examined singly indicated recent infection. Approximately twice as many subjects from the river villages as from the Mogadishu area were positive for more than one serovar, and a greater number of serovars were recorded from the villages. Antibodies to bratislava serovar, not previously recorded in Africa, were found in 57% of positive subjects, showing the highest prevalence rate among the investigated serovars. Co-antibodies to saprophytic Leptospira biflexa serovars were found in many of the sera.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1981

Antitoxoplasma antibodies in mothers in labour and their newborn children.

A serological investigation on antitoxoplasma antibodies of women in labour and their newborn babies was carried out on a population sample representative of a defined geographical area. The relevant findings revealed: a) high titer antibodies in 21.2% of parturient-newborn pairs; b) slight or non-apparent toxoplasma infection, limited to 2.4% of newborns with high titer antibodies; c) quick drop of antibody titer in two thirds of seropositive women in labour observed 90 days from childbirth; d) a steady proportion of seronegative pregnant women - 40% ca. - detected in all age groups from 20 and 40 years and over. These findings are discussed, and assumptions on their meaning are put forward.

Adult↗
PubMed1979

Complement fixation reaction in toxoplasmosis.

In toxoplasmosis serodiagnosis the complement fixation reaction (CF) is barely sensitive and specific and supplies results below the general standard levels of this technique. The reasons for this deficiency are discussed and detected in the preparation modalities of the toxoplasma antigens. Two diagnostic antigens are prepared and evaluated; the former, a suspension of whole toxoplasma (WT) the latter a total extract of toxoplasma (TET). The antigens are characterized by the preparative process, culture host and the extractive technique with a modified ultrasonic disintegrator. The antigens are used in the CF reaction, performed with the modified LBCF method, with a 100% hemolysis reading (H 100). The LBCF-H 100 reaction with WT and TET antigens is evaluated parellely to the indirect immunofluorescence reaction (IF) and dye test (DT) on 2514 human sera from cases os suspected toxoplasmosis and pregnant women. The analysis of the serological results pointed out that the LBCF-H 100 reaction performed with WT antigen, shows a sensitivity and specificity equivalent to that of the DT. The LBCF-H 100 reaction with TET antigen extends the range of the antibodies detectable with WT antigen. The optimal serological combination to identify the highest number of seropositive cases of toxplasma infection is given by LBCF-TET and IF reactions.

Complement Fixation Tests↗
PubMed1978

[Evaluation of non-treponemal VDRL and RPRC reactions].

The non-treponemal reactions VDRL and RPRC for the serological diagnosis of syphilis were compared in serum samples having low-titer antibodies and/or antibody dissociations. The analysis of the serological results obtained by performing non-treponemal (VDRL, RPRC) and treponemal (FTA-5, FTA-ABS) tests indicates the best choice of reactions for the serology of lues, which may be summarized as follows: a) The VDRL is the most sensitive and specific test of the non-treponemal reactions which employ cardiolipin antigen. b) A screening serology of syphilis, performed by associating two selected tests (VDRL, FTA-5), demonstrates more positive cases than the use of only one test. c) The serological identification of the antibodies present in luetic sera, obtained by associating selected treponemal and non-treponemal tests (VDRL, FTA-5, FTA-ABS, CF-ATPS) enables us to correlate the serological data with the main biological phases of lues, even during the periods of clinical latency of the disease.

Antibodies↗
PubMed1977

Leptospiras as causative organisms of meningitis.

Data concerning the incidence of meningeal syndromes during the course of leptospirosis are analyzed, in relation to the Italian epidemiological situation in the years 1973-1976. From this analysis, some characteristic aspects concerning meningitis from leptospiras emerge. Specifically: the remarkable frequency of meningeal syndromes in leptospirosis; the greater incidence of the syndrome among young people; the neurotropism common to all serotypes of leptospira observed in Italy. These data suggest to extend the search for leptospiroses in all forms of the so called aseptic meningitis in order to determine better the actual incidence of leptospiroses in meningeal syndromes.

Adult↗
PubMed1976

Co-antibodies in human leptospirosis.

Investigations concerning the co-antibodies formed in the course of human leptospirosis and the extractive antigens of leptospiras were reviewed. As a whole, the results concerning leptospira antigens point, next to antigens of serotype, to genus-specific and intertype antigens deeply seated in the cells. These cannot be identified by the MAL test, and therefore are not related to the co-agglutinins in human leptospirosis. The associations of co-antibodies in human leptospirotic sera were analyzed, using the MAL and CF tests performed with 20 pathogenic and water serotypes of leptospira. The results showed that in the course of human leptospirosis high titer co-antibodies are formed, both agglutinating and complement fixing, variably associated for one or more serotype antigens not belonging to the infecting strain. The various biological interpretations of the phenomenon were discussed and the hypothesis of antigenic changes of leptospira strains in vivo as well as in vitro was discussed, as a determining factor in the formation co-antibodies in leptospirosis.

Agglutinins↗
PubMed1976

[Immunofluorescence with incident light in syphilis serology. FTA-5-1 and FTA-ABS-1 reactions].

The FTA-5 and FTA-ABS reactions have been comparatively evaluated on human sera by two microscopic systems in incident and transmitted light. The results demonstrate that the sensitivity of the reactions is increased by employing the incident light microscopic system. Furthermore they demonstrate the opportunity of performing both reactions FTA-5-I and FTA-ABS-I on each serum in order to distinguish type-specific and genus-specific antibodies present in luetic sera.

Fluorescent Antibody Technique↗