PubMed Health⌕ Search

Biomedical subjects

M Leinonen

Publications and source records attributed to M Leinonen.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2006

Pathogenic bacteria and viruses in induced sputum or pharyngeal secretions of adults with stable asthma.

BACKGROUND: Respiratory infections are well known triggers of asthma exacerbations, but their role in stable adult asthma remains unclear. METHODS: 103 asthmatics and 30 control subjects were enrolled in the study. Sputum was induced by inhalation of 3% NaCl solution. Oropharyngeal swab specimens were obtained from the posterior wall of the oropharynx. Respiratory specimens were analysed by RT-PCR for rhinovirus, enterovirus and respiratory syncytial virus and by PCR for adenovirus, Chlamydia pneumoniae, Mycoplasma pneumoniae and Bordetella pertussis. RESULTS: Sputum samples from two of the 30 healthy controls (6.7%), five of 53 patients with mild asthma (9.4%), and eight of 50 with moderate asthma (16.0%) were positive for rhinovirus. Rhinovirus positive asthmatic subjects had more asthma symptoms and lower forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV(1)) (79% predicted) than rhinovirus negative cases (93.5% predicted; p = 0.020). Chlamydia pneumoniae PCR was positive in 11 healthy controls (36.6%), 11 mild asthmatics (20.8%), and 11 moderate asthmatics (22%), and PCR positive asthmatics had lower FEV(1)/FVC than negative cases (78.2% v 80.8%, p = 0.023). Bordetella pertussis PCR was positive in 30 cases: five healthy controls (16.7%), 15 mild asthmatics (28.3%), and 10 moderate asthmatics (20%). Bordetella pertussis positive individuals had lower FEV(1)/FVC (77.1% v 80.7%, p = 0.012) and more asthma symptoms than B pertussis negative cases. CONCLUSIONS: Rhinovirus, C pneumoniae, and B pertussis are found in the sputum or pharyngeal swab specimens of asthmatic subjects without concurrent symptoms of infection or asthma exacerbation, as well as in some healthy controls. Positivity is associated with lower lung function and more frequent asthma symptoms.

Adult↗
PubMed2006

Inhibitory effect of dietary phenolic compounds on Chlamydia pneumoniae in cell cultures.

Chlamydial infections are very common worldwide. All chlamydial species have a tendency to cause persistent infections, which have been associated to several chronic diseases including blinding trachoma, infertility and coronary heart disease (CHD). At present, no efficient treatment for the eradication of chronic chlamydial infections exists and, thus, new antichlamydial compounds are urgently needed. This study was designed to screen antichlamydial activity of natural flavonoids and other natural and structurally similar synthetic compounds against Chlamydia pneumoniae in human cell line (HL). HL cells were infected with C. pneumoniae and incubated 72 h with studied compounds. Reduction in the number of inclusions was determined with immunofluorescence staining. In vitro minimum inhibitory concentration was also determined for some of the most active compounds. Thirty seven percentage of the studied compounds (57 in total) were highly active against C. pneumoniae and all the studied compounds were non-toxic to the host cells at studied concentrations. Our study revealed direct antichlamydial effect for selected polyphenolic compounds against C. pneumoniae, in vitro. We also demonstrated the ability of some of the investigated compounds to accumulate inside cells or into cell membranes and cause inhibition, even when present only prior to infection.

Anti-Bacterial Agents↗
PubMed2006

Bacterial coinfections in children with viral wheezing.

Bacterial coinfections occur in respiratory viral infections, but the attack rates and the clinical profile are not clear. The aim of this study was to determine bacterial coinfections in children hospitalized for acute expiratory wheezing with defined viral etiology. A total of 220 children aged 3 months to 16 years were investigated. The viral etiology of wheezing was confirmed by viral culture, antigen detection, serologic investigation, and/or PCR. Specific antibodies to common respiratory bacteria were measured from acute and convalescent serum samples. All children were examined clinically for acute otitis media, and subgroups of children were examined radiologically for sinusitis and pneumonia. Rhinovirus (32%), respiratory syncytial virus (31%), and enteroviruses (31%) were the most common causative viruses. Serologic evidence of bacterial coinfection was found in 18% of the children. Streptococcus pneumoniae (8%) and Mycoplasma pneumoniae (5%) were the most common causative bacteria. Acute otitis media was diagnosed in 44% of the children. Chest radiographs showed alveolar infiltrates in 10%, and paranasal radiographs and clinical signs showed sinusitis in 17% of the older children studied. Leukocyte counts and serum C-reactive protein levels were low in a great majority of patients. Viral lower respiratory tract infection in children is often associated with bacterial-type upper respiratory tract infections. However, coexisting bacterial lower respiratory tract infections that induce systemic inflammatory response are seldom detected.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2006

Prevalence and persistence of antibodies to herpes viruses, Chlamydia pneumoniae and Helicobacter pylori in Alaskan Eskimos: the GOCADAN Study.

The prevalence and persistence of antibodies against cytomegalovirus (CMV), herpes simplex virus types 1 (HSV1) and 2 (HSV2), Helicobacter pylori and Chlamydia pneumoniae were determined in Alaskan Eskimos. The study included 610 individuals (mean age 43 +/- 15 years; 45% males) participating in the Genetics of Coronary Artery Disease in Alaska Natives (GOCADAN) study. Archived serum samples and those collected during the GOCADAN study were analysed for antibodies against the above pathogens by ELISA. The current prevalence of antibody seropositivity was 94% to CMV, 90% to HSV1, 38% to HSV2, 80% to H. pylori, and 42% to C. pneumoniae. The persistence of antibodies (in both archived and current samples) against CMV, HSV1 and H. pylori was high (83%, 84% and 67%, respectively) compared with those against HSV2 (26%) and C. pneumoniae (29%). Moreover, the seroconversion rates to these organisms were low. Most individuals acquired CMV, HSV1 and H. pylori antibodies by the age of 24 years (94%, 90% and 72%, respectively), and >50% carried HSV2 and C. pneumoniae antibodies by the age of 45 years. There were gender differences in antibody seropositivity rates. Over 70% of individuals had antibodies to at least three of the five pathogens tested. The study demonstrated the high prevalence and lifelong persistence of multiple antibodies, suggesting chronic infections among Alaskan Eskimos.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2006

New standardised texts for assessing reading performance in four European languages.

AIMS: To develop standardised texts for assessing reading speed during repeated measurements and across languages for normal subjects and low vision patients. METHODS: 10 texts were designed by linguistic experts in English, Finnish, French, and German. The texts were at the level of a sixth grade reading material (reading ages 10-12 years) and were matched for length (830 (plus or minus 2) characters) and syntactic complexity, according to the syntactic prediction locality theory of Gibson. 100 normally sighted native speaking volunteers aged 18-35 years (25 per language) read each text aloud in randomised order. The newly designed text battery was then applied to test the reading performance of 100 normally sighted native speaking volunteers aged 60-85 years (25 per language). RESULTS: Reading speed was not significantly different with at least seven texts in all four languages. The maximum reading speed difference between texts, in the same language was 6.8% (Finnish). Average reading speeds (SD) in characters per minute are, for the young observer group: English 1234 (147), Finnish 1263 (142), French 1214 (152), German 1126 (105). The group of older readers showed statistically significant lower average reading speeds: English 951 (97), Finnish 1014 (179), French 1131 (160), German 934 (117). CONCLUSION: The authors have developed a set of standardised, homogeneous, and comparable texts in four European languages (English, Finnish, French, German). These texts will be a valuable tool for measuring reading speed in international studies in the field of reading and low vision research.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2005

Radiological findings in children with acute pneumonia: age more important than infectious agent.

PURPOSE: To evaluate whether radiological findings and healing time in children with pneumonia are correlated to etiologic agent. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A total of 346 children with radiologically verified acute pneumonia, and with accomplished serological tests for bacteria and viruses, were included in the study. Five etiological groups were analysed: children with bacterial etiology only, with viral etiology only, with mixed bacterial and viral etiology, with Mycoplasma only, and children with no etiology. RESULTS: The chest films of each etiological group were analysed and the findings were correlated to the children's age. The radiological findings did not differ between the etiological groups. Radiological findings correlated significantly with the patient's age. The radiological healing frequency at check-up X-ray was found to be significantly lower in children with mixed bacterial and viral etiology compared to children in each of the other groups and to the material as a whole. CONCLUSION: Conclusions about the etiology could not be drawn from the chest X-ray findings.

Acute Disease↗
PubMed2004

Treatment of acute Chlamydia pneumoniae infection with telithromycin in C57BL/6J mice.

OBJECTIVES: The efficacy of telithromycin, a new ketolide antibiotic, was investigated in the treatment of acute Chlamydia pneumoniae infection in a mouse model. METHODS: C57BL/6J mice were inoculated intranasally, and the effects of three different doses of telithromycin (25, 50 and 100 mg/kg) were assessed after 5 and 10 days of treatment. Lungs for culture, PCR, histopathology, and blood for serum samples were collected immediately after each treatment period and at 3 weeks post-inoculation. C. pneumoniae-specific antibodies were analysed, and the effect of treatment was assessed by culture, detection of C. pneumoniae DNA and determination of histopathological inflammatory changes in mouse lungs. RESULTS: Culture negativity in the lungs was achieved with the higher doses, 50 and 100 mg/kg, after 10 days of treatment. C. pneumoniae DNA was not totally eradicated with the treatments, but the groups treated with 50 and 100 mg/kg doses for 10 days had the lowest DNA positivity rates (10%) 3 weeks after the inoculation. In lung histopathology, the efficacy of telithromycin on inflammatory changes was also dose-dependent: higher doses were more effective in reducing the inflammatory reaction. Overall, the 25 mg/kg dose had a weaker effect compared with the others. CONCLUSIONS: Telithromycin had both time- and dose-dependent effects on the eradication of chlamydia and on reducing infection-induced inflammatory changes in mouse lungs.

Acute Disease↗
PubMed2004

Heat shock protein 60 autoimmunity and early lipid lesions in cholesterol-fed C57BL/6JBom mice during Chlamydia pneumoniae infection.

Chronic Chlamydia pneumoniae infection and autoimmunity to heat shock protein 60 (Hsp60) have both been documented to be associated with atherosclerosis. Herein, we studied the effects of C. pneumoniae infection and a diet with a low-cholesterol supplement on the development of autoantibodies to mouse Hsp60 and early lipid lesions in the aortic valve of C57BL/6JBom mice. In addition, pulmonary infection was investigated. C57BL/6JBom mice were given one to three C. pneumoniae inoculations and fed either a regular diet or a diet enriched with 0.2% cholesterol. Autoantibody responses against mouse Hsp60 developed in both diet groups when the mice were infected with C. pneumoniae and in uninfected mice fed a cholesterol-enriched diet. C. pneumoniae infections increased subendothelial foam cell accumulation in mice on a 0.2% cholesterol-enriched diet (p = 0.022), without apparent hypercholesterolemia. These in vivo data suggest that autoantibodies against mouse Hsp60 develop as a consequence of cholesterol feeding and repeated C. pneumoniae infections. Further, infectious burden increased early lipid lesions in C57BL/6JBom mice fed a cholesterol-enriched diet.

Animals↗
PubMed2004

Streptococcus pneumoniae in nasopharyngeal secretions of healthy children: comparison of real-time PCR and culture from STGG-transport medium.

Precise methods for the detection of Streptococcus pneumoniae are needed for predicting the consequences of pneumococcal conjugate vaccines on nasopharyngeal carriage. In this study, 400 nasopharyngeal swab samples from children were analyzed using a real-time pneumolysin (ply)-PCR method. The specimens were originally collected into STGG-transport medium and cultured in 1999, after which they were stored at -80 degrees C until analyzed by real-time PCR in 2001. The sensitivities of real-time PCR and culture methods were also studied by analyzing 10-fold dilutions of a pneumococcal broth culture using both methods. Of the 400 nasopharyngeal swab samples, 158 (40%) were positive in culture and 276 (69%) by real-time PCR. A minor part (4%) of the culture-positive samples remained negative by PCR. There was a trend between the quantity of genome equivalents detected by PCR and the number of colonies found in culture. When analyzing 10-fold dilutions of a pneumococcal broth culture, a higher number of genome equivalents were detected using real-time PCR than the number of colonies detected by culture. Quantitative real-time PCR provides feasible means for quantifying pneumococcal carriage. Further studies are needed to confirm that positive PCR findings really indicate the presence of viable pneumococcus in nasopharyngeal specimens.

Bacterial Proteins↗
PubMed2004

Type-specific enzyme immunoassay for detection of pneumococcal capsular polysaccharide antigens in nasopharyngeal specimens.

We developed a new competitive EIA method for the demonstration of pneumococcal capsular polysaccharides from respiratory samples. The pediatric types 4, 6B, 9V, 14, 18C, 19F and 23F were selected for this study, because these capsular polysaccharides were included in the first heptavalent pneumococcal conjugate vaccines, which were used in the Finnish Otitis Media Vaccine Trial. Sensitivity of the EIA tests for purified polysaccharide antigens varied between 5 and 100 ng/ml, depending on the type. The assays performed well in 100 nasopharyngeal samples (NPS) samples processed through an enrichment culture, with an almost 100% sensitivity compared with routine culture. The method appeared type-specific, except that EIA for 6B capsule also detected 6A. The method is applicable for type-specific identification of pneumococcus in carriage studies.

Antibodies, Bacterial↗
PubMed2004

Association between Chlamydia trachomatis antibodies and subfertility in the Northern Finland Birth Cohort 1966 (NFBC 1966), at the age of 31 years.

The objective of this study was to assess the serological association between previous Chlamydia trachomatis infection and subfertility in a general population sample. A nested case (n = 493)-control (n = 986) study in a population-based birth cohort consisting of 12,058 live births from the year 1966 was conducted. The analysis was restricted to those 6007 cohort members who replied to a postal inquiry and participated in a health examination including blood samples at the age of 31 years. The presence of C. trachomatis-specific serum IgG antibodies was screened by a synthetic peptide-based enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. All the positive sera were further tested by the microimmunofluorescence method using immunotype pools and individual immunotypes of C. trachomatis as antigens. An association was found between the detection of immunotype-specific C. trachomatis antibodies and subfertility both in men and women. The results of the present study confirm the serological association between past C. trachomatis infections and subfertility in male or female partners of the couple in the population-based sample.

Adult↗
PubMed2004

Antibodies to Chlamydia trachomatis heat shock proteins Hsp60 and Hsp10 and subfertility in general population at age 31.

PROBLEM: To assess the association between antibodies to Chlamydia trachomatis heat shock proteins 60 and 10 (Hsp60 and Hsp10) and subfertility in a general population sample. METHOD OF STUDY: A nested case (n = 146)-control (n = 278) study in a population-based birth cohort. Serum immunoglobulin (Ig)G and IgA antibodies against C. trachomatis Hsp60 and Hsp10, explanatory factors, were measured by enzyme immunoassay, using recombinant proteins as antigens. The main outcome variable was subfertility (time to pregnancy > or =12 months). RESULTS: The prevalence and medians of serum IgA antibodies to Hsp60 and Hsp10 were significantly higher in the female partners of subfertile couple than in their fertile controls. On the contrary, among male partners of subfertile couple, especially among smokers serum antibody levels to Hsp antigens were lower than in the controls. CONCLUSION: The results indicate a serological association of antibodies to chlamydial Hsp antigens with female subfertility in a population-based sample.

Adult↗
PubMed2003

The tolerability and efficacy of entacapone over 3 years in patients with Parkinson's disease.

The long-term safety and efficacy of the catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT) inhibitor entacapone was investigated in a 3-year open-label extension of the 6-month double-blind placebo-controlled Nordic (NOMECOMT) study. After a wash-out following this study, 132 patients with Parkinson's disease (PD) experiencing motor fluctuations treated with levodopa/dopa decarboxylase (DDC) inhibitor received additional therapy with entacapone 200 mg, administered with each dose of levodopa. The most common adverse events (AEs) were insomnia (30%), dizziness (20%), nausea (20%), aggravated parkinsonism (17%) and hallucinations (14%). Only 19 (14%) patients discontinued because of AEs. Most dopaminergic AEs occurred shortly after initiation of entacapone, and these could be managed by levodopa down-adjustment. The mean duration of benefit of a single dose of levodopa increased significantly from 2.1 to 2.8 h (P < 0.01) at 3 months and remained prolonged for the whole study. At the end of the study, the mean daily dose of levodopa was significantly decreased from baseline (from 737 to 696 mg; P < 0.05). The patients' global assessment indicated that 69% of patients improved when given entacapone and this proportion was maintained until the end of the study (64%). There was a significant worsening of disability upon withdrawal of entacapone. In conclusion, entacapone given in combination with levodopa, has a good long-term safety profile and a sustained beneficial effect in patients with PD with motor fluctuations.

Aged↗
PubMed2002

Detection of Streptococcus pneumoniae DNA by using polymerase chain reaction and microwell hybridization with Europium-labelled probes.

The present paper describes a novel modification of polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for the detection of Streptococcus pneumoniae DNA in clinical specimens. PCR was based on the detection of a 209-base pair segment of the S. pneumoniae pneumolysin gene. For the demonstration of the amplification product, microwell hybridization with a Europium-labelled oligonucleotide probe complementary to a biotinylated strand of the PCR product was performed, and the presence of the PCR product was monitored by time-resolved fluorescence (TRF) of the Europium chelate. The sensitivity of the assay for purified S. pneumoniae DNA was 50 fg DNA corresponding to 20 genome equivalents of S. pneumoniae DNA. The efficiency of the hybridization step was monitored by using known amounts of synthetic target oligonucleotides as standards. Sensitivity of 3 x 10(8) molecules per individual reaction well was achieved with a 30-min attachment time and a 3-h hybridization time. Detection of PCR-amplified products by the microwell hybridization technique and TRF was compared to agarose gel electrophoresis in 50 middle ear fluid samples obtained from children with acute otitis media. The agarose gel and TRF detection methods identified all culture-positive samples, but both were also positive for 55% of the culture-negative samples. The results suggest that the detection of amplified PCR products by microwell hybridization using Europium-labelled oligonucleotides is a reliable method for the demonstration of the pneumolysin gene fragment. Furthermore, the method is suitable for automation and, thus, for testing high numbers of samples. The clinical significance of the PCR findings remains to be studied.

Bacteriological Techniques↗
PubMed2002

Evaluation of gene-technological and conventional methods in the identification of Streptococcus pneumoniae.

To find reliable methods able to identify the "difficult" Streptococcus pneumoniae isolates, an in-house polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for pneumolysin gene (Ply-PCR) and a commercial RNA hybridisation test (AccuProbe) were evaluated. Selected isolates of suspected pneumococci, sent for confirmation of identification and for serotyping, were classified into four groups based on their optochin sensitivity and capsule reaction. All isolates in Group 1, which consisted of 24 typical, optochin-sensitive, encapsulated pneumococcal strains, were positive in the Ply-PCR and AccuProbe tests. In Group 2, which consisted of 25 optochin-sensitive, but unencapsulated pneumococcal strains, all the isolates were positive in the Ply-PCR test, and 23 were positive in the AccuProbe test. In Group 3, which consisted of 15 atypical, optochin-resistant but encapsulated pneumococci, 12 of the isolates were positive in the Ply-PCR and 12 in the AccuProbe test, and 11 of these 12 strains were positive in both tests. In Group 4, which consisted of 36 equivocal optochin-resistant, unencapsulated isolates, 15 strains were positive in the Ply-PCR test and 8 strains in the AccuProbe test. As a conclusion, the Ply-PCR and AccuProbe tests identified similarly typical optochin-sensitive pneumococci, but gave partly controversial results about atypical pneumococci. Thus, they did not reliably help in the identification of suspected pneumococcal isolates lacking the conventional characteristics of pneumococcus.

Bacterial Capsules↗
PubMed2002

Efficacy and safety of entacapone in Parkinson's disease patients with suboptimal levodopa response: a 6-month randomized placebo-controlled double-blind study in Germany and Austria (Celomen study).

OBJECTIVES: To determine the efficacy and safety of the catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT) inhibitor entacapone, used as an adjunct to levodopa, in Parkinson's disease (PD) patients. PATIENTS AND METHODS: In this parallel group, randomized, double-blind study, 301 PD patients, the majority with motor fluctuations, received entacapone (200 mg) or placebo with each daily dose of standard or controlled-release (CR) levodopa. The 24-week treatment period was followed by 2 weeks of entacapone withdrawal. Efficacy was determined by home diaries ('on' and 'off' times), Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale (UPDRS) and changes in levodopa dosage, and safety by adverse-event inquiry, vital signs, electro cardiography (ECG) and laboratory tests. RESULTS: In the total population, the UPDRS activities of daily living and motor scores were significantly improved (P < 0.05) by entacapone vs placebo. In fluctuating patients, 'on' time increased (1.7 h) and 'off' time decreased (1.5 h) significantly more with entacapone than with placebo (0.5 and 0.6 h, respectively; P < 0.05), and the daily levodopa dose was reduced by 54 mg with entacapone and increased by 27 mg with placebo (P < 0.05). Entacapone benefit was lost on withdrawal. Entacapone efficacy was comparable between patients using CR and standard levodopa preparations. Increased dyskinesias (entacapone 34%, placebo 26%) and nausea (10 and 5%, respectively), mostly occurring shortly after treatment initiation, were generally managed by reducing the levodopa dose. Diarrhoea (entacapone 8%, placebo 4%) was seldom severe. There were no differences in vital signs, ECG or laboratory results. CONCLUSION: Entacapone is an effective and safe levodopa extender and enhancer, improving the symptomatic efficacy of levodopa in PD and adding to the patients' benefit.

Aged↗
PubMed2002

Enterovirus, mycoplasma and other infections as predictors for myocardial infarction.

OBJECTIVES: To study antibodies against five infectious agents for their prediction of major coronary events in men with and without evidence of coronary heart disease at baseline. DESIGN: A case-control study nested within a prospective population study. SUBJECTS: The study cases included 441 men 45-64 years old with nonfatal myocardial infarction or coronary death within a mean follow-up time of 10 years. A total of 165 men had already signs of heart disease at baseline, whilst 276 were apparently healthy at the beginning of the study. Two controls for each case were matched for age, heart disease status and place of residence. Antibodies against enterovirus, Mycoplasma pneumoniae, Chlamydia pneumoniae, cytomegalovirus and adenovirus were determined. RESULTS: Men without reported baseline heart disease, but not those with heart disease, showing the highest quartile of antibodies to enterovirus and mycoplasma or increased levels of immune complex-bound antibodies to chlamydia had a significantly higher risk of coronary events than men with lower level of antibodies. The increased risk demonstrated in men with high levels of antibodies to enterovirus and mycoplasma remained significant after adjustment for other antibodies, acute-phase reactant and conventional risk factors. Serological evidence of infection by multiple agents was also significantly associated with coronary events. CONCLUSIONS: Serological evidence for several infectious agents is associated with the risk of coronary heart disease, but only in men without baseline history of heart disease.

Acute-Phase Reaction↗