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Biomedical subjects

E Kuwert

Publications and source records attributed to E Kuwert.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1985

T lymphocyte populations in multiple sclerosis.

In 36 patients representing different clinical stages of multiple sclerosis (MS) (9 patients with acute exacerbations; 21 patients in remission; 5 patients with chronic progressive MS) determinations of T lymphocyte populations using monoclonal antibodies against surface antigens (OKT3 (pan T cells), OKT4 (helper T cells), OKT8 (cytotoxic/suppressor T cells] were performed. Compared to the control group (40 healthy individuals) a clear elevation of the T4/T8 ratio was found in acute exacerbations and to a lesser degree in patients with inactive phases of MS. Patients with chronic progressive disease did not show increased T4/T8 ratios. Serial determination of lymphocyte populations after corticosteroid therapy in 10 selected patients revealed no significant changes which could be attributed to this therapeutic modality. Pathogenetic and clinical implications of the shifts in surface antigen expression of T lymphocyte populations mirroring the clinical course of MS are discussed.

Adult↗
PubMed1979

[Chronic, nonpathogen-related orchitis].

Chronic non-infectious orchitis was found in 8.1% of fertility-patients, who underwent testicular biopsy because of severe disturbances in spermatogenesis. The histopathological findings were characterized by a membraneous and interstitial orchitis. In these cases, the cause of the disease was unknown; but immunological abnormalities were found suggesting an imbalance of cell-mediated immune responses: all cases of chronic non-infectious orchitis showed a significant T-cell-deficiency.

Biopsy↗
PubMed1979

[Antibody response to hemagglutinin and neuraminidase induced by an influenza subunit vaccine (author's transl)].

To study antigenicity, persistence of antibody (efficacy) and reactogenicity of a new bivalent influenza subunit vaccine, Sandovac, it was given in two different concentrations (1000 and 2000 IU) to 156 subjects from two epidemiologically destinct areas (119 students from Essen, average age 22 years, 37 residents from Kassel average age 56 years). Serum antibody response was measured by hemagglutination inhibition (HI) and neuraminidase inhibition (NI) tests before, one, two and six months after vaccination. The following results were obtained: 1. Four weeks post vaccination an excellent strain specific and crossreactive (H3 N2 variant-specific) antibody response was observed. Subtype specific (H0, H1 or H2) activity could not be detected. 2. Six months post vaccination a still notably higher antibody level as compared to the preimmunization status could be demonstrated. 3. A difference, however, existed between the immune responses of the Essen student population with an average age of 22 years, and of the Kassel resident population with an average age of 56 years. The immune response being significantly better in younger vaccinees. 4. High and low concentrated vaccines revealed neither objective nor subjective differences in reactogenicity and were very well tolerated. 5. In all immunological parameters tested the double concentrated vaccine (S 2000) proved to be slightly superior to the lower concentrated vaccine (S 1000) that is officially licensed in the German Federal Republic.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1978

Detection of antigenic variation in influenza virus neuraminidase by the ESSEN-NIT and the WHO standard procedure.

A new rapid modified micro-neuraminidase-inhibition test (ESSEN-NIT) has recently been described. This test was originally devised to facilitate large-scale screening for serum antibodies to influenza virus neuraminidase. It was shown that this test yielded results comparable to those obtained with the WHO standard procedure. Our report presents data on the comparison between the WHO method and the ESSEN-NIT with respect to their capability in detecting antigenic differences in neuraminidase of various strains of influenza A viruses belonging to the H3N2 subtype family. Two antiserums against the N2 antigens of the A/Hongkong/1/68 (X15HK) and of the A/Port Chalmers/1/73 (X42) recombinant strains were used in characterization experiments. The results obtained indicate that the ESSEN-NIT is at least as sensitive in detecting antigenic variations of neuraminidase as the WHO standard procedure. The drift of the N2 enzyme which occurred as early as 1969 and is known to continue to date, could be clearly demonstrated. Major and minor antigenic changes of neuraminidase in representative influenza isolates were equally well detected by both assays. The ESSEN-NIT offers the advantage of speed, economy, and computerized evaluation of data.

Antigens, Viral↗
PubMed1978

Comparison studies on potency tests for rabies vaccines.

Eleven laboratories from eight countries and four continents took part in a collaborative study to evaluate experimental procedures to be used in selecting the new standard reference rabies vaccine prepared in human diploid cell cultures. The following procedures were used : (a) the NIH potency test in mice, (b) the antibody binding technique (by either mouse inoculation or the tissue culture method), (c) virus-neutralizing antibody levels in mice used for the NIH test, and (d) antibody induction in human volunteers treated with vaccine alone and in combination with human rabies gamma globulin. The four methods used for determination of rabies antibodies were mouse inoculation, rapid fluorescent focus inhibition, plaque reduction and complement fixation techniques. All results were expressed in International Units as compared to the standard WHO serum and vaccine preparations. In general, a close correlation was noted in results from different laboratories, and it was recommended that the future rabies standard vaccine should be evaluated by three testing procedures, the NIH test, the antibody-binding technique, and antibody levels in mice used for the NIH test.

Animals↗
PubMed1977

[Morphological alteration and desintegration of dane particles after exposure with "Gigasept". A first methological attempt for the evaluation of the virucidal efficacy of a chemical disinfectant against hepatitisvirus B ( author's transl)].

A test system based on morphological alterations and desintegration of hepatitis virus B (HBV) is presented for the approximative evaluation of the virucidal efficacy of a chemical disinfectant. Dane particles, supposed to be the infectious entity of HBV, were partially purified by a trap and a rate zonal ultracentrifugation from serum samples of a patient with chronic hepatitis undergoing an immune suppressive treatment because of leukemia. "Gigasept" on the basis of succine dialdehyd and formaldehyd served as disinfectant for this investigation. In one experiment partially purified Dane particles were exposed to the action of a 5% solution of "Gigasept" on electron microscopic grids. Morphological alterations resulting in derounding, break up of the outer membrane, spiral uncoiling as well as asymmetric enlargement of the space between the outer membrane and the core of the HBV was observed after 2 mins. After 15 mins, the HBV were diffusely stained with loss of the characteristic substructure and became polygonal. The decrease of the number of the particles was proportional to the length of the contact time with the disinfectant. In a second series equal volumes of a 5% solution of "Gigasept" and of a HBV containing serum were in contact for 2 hours, with consecutive purification and morphological characterization of the HBV. The sedimentation of the HBs antigenicity differed from the control. A part of the Dane particles was diffusely stained and lost its substructure. Moreover empty particles in the range of the HBc antigen were found. Another part of Dane particles, however, was morphologically unchanged. The relation of intact and non intact particles could possibly serve as parameter for the HBV virucidy.-Thermo inactivation (3 mins, +98 degrees C) of the HBV in a serum was undertaken for comparison.

Aldehydes↗
PubMed1977

[Virucidal efficacy of a chemical instrument surface disinfectant ("Gigasept") against coxsackie virus type B3. II. Investigation in the instrumental surface test (author's transl)].

The virucidal efficacy of the chemical disinfectant "Gigasept" on the basis of succine dialdehyde and formaldehyde was tested with an instrumental surface test which was elaborated for the control of instrument-surface disinfectants. These must be able to inactivate viruses on plastics, rubber and metal. Therefore, PVC tubes, PVC dental suction tubes, red rubber catheter and aluminium surfaces were included in this investigation. Coxsackie virus type B3 served as test virus. The surfaces were coated with liquid virus suspensions with the exemption of the aluminium surface which was contaminated with a gelatinous virus suspension. The instrumental surface test procedure enabled not only the analysis of the specific virucidal effect but also the evaluation of the unspecific virus adsorption onto the surface as well as the unspecific virus resuspension from the surface. Parameter for the disinfectant activity was the virus inactivation kinetic, i.e. the interdependence of the titer reduction vs. disinfectant contact time of a 5% solution of "Gigasept". An optimal disinfection must gain absence of virus, a titer reduction of larger than or equal to 103ID 50 and a significant titer decrease of p less than 0.0001. According to these criteria an optimal disinfection was achieved with a 5% Gigasept concentration after 4 hours. The different surfaces did not influence the virucidal activity of the disinfectant. The results of the instrumental surface tests confirmed those of the suspension test.

Disinfectants↗
PubMed1976

[Autolymphocytotoxins (CoCoCy) in different forms of hepatitis and cirrhosis (author's transl)].

Sera of altogether 282 patients with different forms of hepatitis and cirrhosis were screened for cold reacting complement dependant auto-lympho-cytotoxins (CoCoCy). These antibodies are 19S-IgM-immunoglobins and have no HLA-antigen-specificity. CoCoCy occurred in 48% of the patients with chronic aggressive hepatitis (CAH), in 14% of the patients with chronic persistent hepatitis (CPH) and in intermediate rates in the sera of patients with acute hepatitis. No correlations was found between CoCoCy and hepatitis B-antigen (HB-Ag). CoCoCy could be demonstrated also in 20% of the sera of a HB-Ag-positive and in 6% of a HB-Ag-negative control group. The serum concentration of CoCoCy is low. CoCoCy seems to be of T-cell-specificity and to reflect the overall-immunoreactivity without relation to the specificity of the antigenic stimulus. Thus demonstration of CoCoCy may be of pathogeneic and pathodynamic rather than of diagnostic interest.

Acute Disease↗
PubMed1976

HLA antigens and immunoresponsiveness to insulin in insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus.

HLA-A and B antigens were determined in 112 patients with insulin-dependent juvenile onset diabetes mellitus, who could be subdivided into "non" and "high responder" to insulin. The data revealed a trend of an association of these diabetes subgroups with only one of the diabetes-associated antigens HLA-B8 and HLA-BW15 and indicated the existence of at least two different genetic constellations for susceptibility to juvenile diabetes mellitus. One form with a strong immune-response to insulin seemed to be associated with HLA-BW 15 and the other form without humoral immunoreactivity to insulin seemed to be associated with the presence of HLA-B8 and the absence of HLA-B7.

Diabetes Mellitus↗
PubMed1976

HLA antigen segregation analysis in multiple sclerosis (MS) families.

HLA antigen segregation analysis was performed in 38 families with a total of 52 multiple sclerosis (MS) patients including 14 families with 2 affected sibs. HLA-A3 and especially B7 occurred more frequently in familial MS cases (propositi) (A3: 42.9%, B7: 64.3%) than in non-familial cases (A3: 35.8%, B7: 35.3%). As could be expected from the increased phenotype frequencies of A3 and B7, the haplotype A3-B7 showed a disturbed segregation among the MS patients but not among their healthy sibs. A second haplotype, A1-B8, was found more frequently than expected among the MS patients but also among their unaffected sibs. These data may suggest increased MS susceptibility associated with the haplotype A3-B7 and, conversely autoimmune or protective properties associated with A1-B8 in MS patients and their healthy sibs, respectively.

Female↗