PubMed Health⌕ Search

Biomedical subjects

M Wery

Publications and source records attributed to M Wery.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources
PubMed1988

[Treatment of human trypanosomiasis caused by Trypanosoma brucei gambiense using alpha-difluoromethylornithine. Results in 7 patients].

Alpha-difluoromethylornithine (DFMO, eflornithine) is a specific irreversible inhibitor of ornithine decarboxylase, shown to be curative in various Trypanosoma species infections of animals. In the present open study, the efficiency of DFMO was assessed in 7 patients (4 Africans, 3 Europeans) with Trypanosoma brucei gambiense (Tbg) infection, 4 in the advanced stage and 3 in the early phase of the disease. Treatment with DFMO at initial dosages ranging 300-500 mg/kg/day administered IV (except 1 case) for 10-15 days, followed by 200-300 mg/kg/day per os for 28-69 days was associated with clearing of trypanosomes from blood within 1-4 days, a trend towards normalisation or full normalisation of all altered biological values characterizing the disease and disappearance of clinical symptoms. Side effects of DFMO, including loose stools (5 cases), anemia (3 cases) and decreased hearing (1 case), were mild and transient requiring no treatment or interruption of the drug, except in one case. Pharmacokinetic studies carried out in 4 patients, demonstrate penetration of the drug into CNS. In 6 cases, no evidence of relapse was found at 24 months posttreatment follow-up indicating that DFMO can be curative in early and late-stage of Tbg sleeping sickness. In 1 case, no relapse could be detected after a follow-up of 6 months. Further studies are needed to confirm our encouraging results and to determine the optimal regimens of DFMO for the cure of the early and late-stage of sleeping sickness.

Adult↗
PubMed1987

Difluoromethylornithine, an effective new treatment of Gambian trypanosomiasis. Results in five patients.

Recent studies have shown DL-alpha-difluoromethylornithine (eflornithine), an inhibitor of polyamine biosynthesis, to be curative in various Trypanosoma species infections of laboratory animals. Five patients are described with Gambian trypanosomiasis treated in Belgium with difluoromethylornithine, using various intravenous and oral dosage schedules. Three patients had late-stage and two had early-stage disease. Difluoromethylornithine treatment was associated with clearing of parasites from blood within one to four days, a trend towards normalization of all altered biologic values associated with the disease, and marked amelioration of clinical symptoms. Side effects of difluoromethylornithine, including loose stools in three patients and both anemia, and a decrease in auditory acuity in one patient, were mild, transient, and never required interruption of drug treatment. The presence of difluoromethylornithine in cerebrospinal fluid, determined in three patients, demonstrated that difluoromethylornithine penetrates into the central nervous system. In three patients, follow-up of at least 24 months after treatment demonstrated a continued healthy state without evidence of relapse. These promising, albeit preliminary, results of difluoromethylornithine therapy, even in patients with central nervous system involvement, indicate that extended clinical trials are warranted to determine the optimal dosage regimen in patients with early- and late-stage disease.

Adult↗
PubMed1987

Simultaneous use of Plasmodium falciparum crude antigen and red blood cell control antigen in the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay for malaria.

An enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay for malaria, based upon duplicate testing of serum samples on both a crude Plasmodium falciparum antigen and a red blood cell control antigen, is evaluated. Results were analyzed using the Student's t-test for identification of positive serum samples (t greater than or equal to 2.92, P less than or equal to 0.05) and for calculation of the mean difference in absorbance values (delta ABS) obtained between the P. falciparum wells and the control wells. Cross-evaluation with the IFA test for P. falciparum antibodies gave 89.6% concording positive or negative results. Among discrepant sera 8.35% were ELISA+/IFA- and 2.05% ELISA-/IFA+. In addition, delta ABS values in ELISA were highly correlated to titers obtained in immunofluorescence (r = 0.80, P less than 0.001). The results confirm the high degree of species-specificity of the ELISA using P. falciparum crude antigen. The necessity of the simultaneous use of red blood cell control antigen with a crude plasmodial antigen is demonstrated by comparing the presented results with those obtained on the P. falciparum antigen only.

Antigens↗
PubMed1985

In vivo and in vitro susceptibility to chloroquine of Plasmodium falciparum in Kinshasa and Mbuji-Mayi, Zaire.

From April to June 1983, combined in vivo and in vitro studies were conducted to assess the response to chloroquine of Plasmodium falciparum in Kinshasa and Mbuji-Mayi, Zaire. A total of 109 patients were treated with chloroquine, either as a single dose of 10 mg/kg or as a full dose of 25 mg/kg. All patients rapidly cleared their asexual parasitaemia, no recurrence being noted during the subsequent 3 weeks of follow-up. In the fourth week, recurrences were noted in 3 out of 66 patients treated with the full dose of chloroquine and in 10 out of 43 patients treated with the single dose. A total of 101 in vitro tests (30 macro tests, 39 micro tests, and 32 48-hour tests) were successfully performed with blood samples collected from 51 of these patients. Full sensitivity to chloroquine was demonstrated in all but 3 of the successful in vitro tests, the results from these 3 tests being contradicted either by alternative in vitro tests or by the corresponding in vivo findings. These investigations thus failed to detect chloroquine resistance at the level reported in East Africa or eastern Zaire (in Kivu).

Adolescent↗
PubMed1985

[Seroepidemiology of malaria in a residual focus in Algeria: Khemis El Kechua district].

The residual focus of Khemis el Kechna represented in 1981 nearly the totality of the autochtonous cases detected in Algeria that year (51 cases/53 cases). Control measures were applied during 3 successive years, the number of cases dropped from 51 in 1981 to 18 in 1982 and to 0 in 1983. In order to confirm the interruption of malaria transmission a sero-epidemiological study was carried out in 1984. The analysis of serological results by age, time and place of residence led to the conclusion that malaria transmission no longer occurs. A comparison of the serological results obtained by two blood sampling techniques (serum/dried blood on filter paper) confirmed the reliability of the results when eluted dried blood is used. A statistically significant difference was observed between the proportions of positives sera according to the antigen species used (P. falciparum culture strain or P. vivax obtained from patient originating from India.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1983

[Current methods of immunologic diagnosis in parasitology].

This review of the immunological diagnosis of parasitic diseases defines the various indications, the means of collection and preparation, the various levels of specificity and the choice of parasitic antigen which should be used for immuno-diagnosis. The detection and assay of circulating antibodies relies on the techniques of immuno-precipitation (immunodiffusion, immunoelectrophoresis, electrosyneresis), indirect agglutination (latex and haemagglutination) or the use of labelled compounds (immunofluorescence, enzymo-immunoassay, radio-immunoassay). Their respective advantages and disadvantages are discussed. The detection and assay of circulating antigens involve the use of agglutination techniques (mycoses), radio-immunoassay or enzymo-immunoassay (protozooses and helminthiases). The authors review the applications of immunological diagnosis for the helminthiases (Trichinosis, Toxocarosis, Filariasis, Anguillosis, Ascaridiasis, Echinococcosis, Taeniasis and Cysticercosis, Distomatosis and Schistosomiasis), the protozoan infections (malaria, Toxoplasmosis, Amebiasis, Trypanosomiasis, Leishmaniasis) and the mycoses (Aspergillosis, Candidiasis, Cryptococcosis). They also discuss the prospects for the development of immunological diagnosis by identification, purification and standardization of parasitic antigens and the study of circulating antigens and idiotypic anti-parasitic antibodies. Finally, they outline the respective responsibilities of the biologist and the prescribing doctor for the proper use of immunological diagnosis of parasitic diseases.

Antibodies↗