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G Agius

Publications and source records attributed to G Agius.

46 records · Page 3Linked to original sources
PubMed1988

Human T lymphotropic virus type I antibody patterns: evidence of difference by age and risk group.

Detection of human T lymphotropic virus type I (HTLV-I) antibody was assessed on 368 sera from subjects with different clinical features and from different parts of the world. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and radioimmunoassay for purified p24 antibodies (p24-RIA) used as screening tests agreed in 88.7% of the sera. The results from 247 selected sera were compared with western blot (WB). WB was reactive in sera five to 25 times more dilute than the last positive ELISA or p24-RIA, but different WB batches varied in sensitivity. ELISA was more sensitive than p24-RIA, and p24-RIA was more specific than ELISA. Indeterminate WB interpretations were common (25.5%). Most seropositive intravenous drug abusers had unusually strong p24 bands by WB. Among healthy individuals, positive WB reactivity increased with age, whereas indeterminate reactivity declined (P = .034). Thus, more-sensitive and -specific HTLV-I antibody tests are needed.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1987

Cryptosporidium oocysts in immunocompetent children: epidemiologic investigations in the day-care centers of Poitiers, France.

The recent discovery of self-resolving Cryptosporidium infection in immunocompetent patients has aroused growing interest in this parasite, which has thus far been known to affect mainly immunodeficient individuals. Following the hospitalization of two children attending the same day-care center in February 1986 Cryptosporidium oocysts were found in the stools of one of them. This led to an epidemiological investigation to assess the frequency of Cryptosporidium oocysts in the stools of children attending the 7 day-care centers in the city of Poitiers, France. Testing for Cryptosporidium oocysts was performed on formalinized stools, after smear staining by the modified Ziehl-Neelsen procedure. Each positive stool was also submitted to virological and bacteriological examination. Stool specimens from 235 children were studied: 9 (3.8%) of them had Cryptosporidium oocysts in their stools. Four of the children had diarrhea, and 5 (2.2%) were asymptomatic. The existence of healthy carriers should lead to caution in the interpretation of stool parasitology.

Animals↗
PubMed1985

[Resistance of Mycobacterium tuberculosis. An 8-year survey in the Poitiers area].

We have studied in Poitiers area from 1977 to 1984 the resistance of 853 Mycobacterium tuberculosis strains to the main anti-tuberculosis drugs. The overall rate of drug resistance was showed to be steady over the years while the primary resistance rate has decreased. The only one drug resistance has concerned para-aminosalicylic acid, streptomycin and isoniazid. Foreigners, most of them Asian people or North-African people, often bear resistant tubercle bacilli (29,03%) compared with French people (9,29%). We encountered drug resistance phenomena essentially among less than 60 years old patients. Drug susceptibility tests remain indispensable for a good epidemiologic supervision at the time of relapses and among patients possibly infected with multiresistant germs.

Adult↗
PubMed1984

[Anti-BCG titers of healthy and tuberculous Africans. Use of the indirect immunoperoxidase test].

This study was intended to assess the presence of antibodies to BCG: immunoglobulin G (IgG) and immunoglobulin M (IgM) in three homogenous african populations: 76 tuberculous patients, 55 adult healthy subjects and 46 newborn. We have used an indirect immuno-peroxidase reaction. Tuberculous patients were clearly distinguished from the other two groups by raised IgG titres, associated with severe clinical and radiological features. In the control population, the IgG anti-BCG were also present, but to a lesser degree. The IgM anti-BCG were seen in high titres (greater than 20 in this study) in healthy adults and patients. The two populations differed significantly (p less than 0.001), nevertheless some healthy adults achieved IgM titres comparable with tuberculous patients. This simple test could be an interesting contributory factor in cases of diagnostic difficult and enables a serological assessment of patients having BCG therapy.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1984

[Rapid detection of rotaviruses in feces. Value of a latex test].

We have sought the presence of rotaviruses in 114 fecal samples. Among them, 14 were from African children and the remainder were samples sent to the Poitiers Hospital Virology Laboratory. Three techniques were applied to each sample: latex agglutination (LTX), electron microscopy (EM) after negative staining and ELISA (Enzyme Linked Immunosorbent Assay). 64% of the samples were negative with the three methods. 19.3% were positive with EM and ELISA. The LTX test showed 16.7% positives among these 19.3%. Our series furnished 5.2% uninterpretable results and 3.5% positive uniquely with the LTX test. ELISA is the most sensitive and the most specific technique but LTX is useful for mass screenings. The advantages of LTX include rapidity, simplicity, reduced instrumentation and low cost price. We suggest the possibility of large scale use of this test in countries with a relatively undeveloped hygienic infrastructure where malnutrition of children aggravates rotavirus infections.

Child↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Nosocomial infections due to rotavirus and respiratory syncytial virus in pediatric wards: a 2-year study].

Rotavirus and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) infections represent up to 30% of the totality of nosocomial infections in paediatric wards. We studied the importance of these infections in the paediatric wards of the University Hospital Center of Poitiers, France, from October 1996 to September 1998. We defined as nosocomial an infection acquired after 3 days of hospitalization for rotavirus and after 7 days for RSV. The 274 cases of children presenting rotavirus gastroenteritis or RSV infection within this period were studied. Rotavirus was detected in stools by using an agglutination test and RSV was diagnosed in nasopharyngeal aspirations by direct examination with an immunofluorescence assay (IFA), cell culture and serotyping with IFA. We noted 50 rotavirus and 224 RSV infections, with a first epidemic of RSV subgroup B (49.5%) and a second epidemic of subgroup A (44.9%). 19 (38%) were rotavirus nosocomial infections and 5 (2.2%) were RSV nosocomial infections. The majority of the nosocomial infections occurred before the age of one year and particularly before the age of 6 months (42.2% for rotavirus, 60% for RSV). In comparison to community-acquired infections, children with rotavirus nosocomial infections were younger (9 months versus 12.5 months) which was the opposite for RSV nosocomial infections (10.8 months versus 6.5 months). The sex-ratio of children with community-acquired infections was 2.1 that was not reported in nosocomial infections. The length of stay in hospital was always longer in nosocomial infections (11.7 days versus 3.6 days for rotavirus; 38.8 days versus 4.8 days for RSV). Diarrhea (p = 0.007) and vomiting (p = 0.013) for enteric infections and wheezing (p = 0.02) for respiratory infections were more often observed in community-acquired infections. This study emphasizes the frequency and the consequences of rotavirus and RSV nosocomial infections in paediatric wards and the importance of the hygienic rules to prevent these infections.

Age Factors↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Anti-BCG antibody titers in healthy and leprous Africans. Value of an indirect immunoperoxidase test].

An immunoperoxidase reaction was used for the titration of immunoglobulins G and M antibodies to BCG in 171 leprosy patients from Dakar. The results show mean titers decreasing from lepromatous to tuberculoid cases. The antibody profiles of some clinical forms such as reverse reactions, erythema nodosum leprosum are discussed. This test associated to the Mitsuda reaction, bacteriology and histology should allow an easier classification of the borderline forms. The main advantages of the technique are simplicity, speed, low cost and the easy availability of the BCG. These qualities are essential in endemic zone.

Antibodies, Bacterial↗