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N F Hallam

Publications and source records attributed to N F Hallam.

6 recordsLinked to original sources

Detection of B19 parvovirus in human fetal tissues by in situ hybridisation.

Evidence of B19 parvovirus infection was sought by in situ hybridisation with biotinylated probes in 65 tissue samples from 32 pregnancies (fetuses, products of conception and/or placentas). Twenty-seven samples were reactive and the results were confirmed by other methods for B19 virus detection in 22 cases. The other methods used were in situ hybridisation with 3H and 35S labelled probes; dot-blot hybridisation with biotin and 32P labelled probes; polymerase chain reaction assay; negative stain and thin section electron microscopy; and radioimmunoassay for B19 antigen. The five false positive results by in situ hybridisation with biotinylated probes were considered to be due to non-specific biotin capture and were more frequent with unfixed samples than with formalin fixed material. It was concluded that while biotinylated probes offered advantages over radioactive probes for detecting B19 DNA by in situ hybridisation, positive findings should be confirmed by other methods.

Biotin

Detection of B19 parvovirus in human fetal tissues by electron microscopy.

We present the electron microscopy observations on samples from 38 pregnancies that were investigated for B19 parvovirus infection. Thirty-four had resulted in fetal loss thought to be due to a virus infection and 22 of the 38 were positive for B19 parvovirus in one or more of the tissues. Twenty-one placentas and 75 fetal tissue samples were examined. Fresh samples were investigated by immune electron microscopy while formalin-fixed tissues were examined as thin sections and by negative staining of tissue extracts with direct electron microscopy. Electron microscopy was more sensitive on fresh than on fixed samples. The ultrastructural observations on thin sections of fixed tissues yielded new information locating B19 parvovirus particles in both nucleus and cytoplasm of infected fetal cells. The diagnostic results of the range of electron microscopy assays were compared with those of two hybridization methods. The fresh samples yielded comparable results from electron microscopy and hybridisation assays but on formalin-fixed materials hybridisation was more sensitive.

Erythema Infectiosum

Human papillomavirus type 31 infection of the uterine cervix in England.

A total of 452 uterine cervical scrapes, from two centres in England, has been examined by dot blot hybridisation for the presence of human papilloma virus (HPV) types 6, 11, 16, 18 and 31. HPV DNA was found in 36.5% samples. Twenty-nine of the women were infected with more than one type. Of those with detectable HPV, 14.5% had HPV type 31 infections. This type appears to cause significant infection of the genital tract in England.

Cervix Uteri