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Biomedical subjects

R H Gelber

Publications and source records attributed to R H Gelber.

At least 73 records · Page 4Linked to original sources
PubMed1983

Serological specificity of phenolic glycolipid I from Mycobacterium leprae and use in serodiagnosis of leprosy.

The serological activities of the specific phenolic glycolipid I from Mycobacterium leprae, its dissected parts, and related glycolipids from other mycobacteria were examined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay against hyperimmune anti-M. leprae rabbit antiserum and sera from patients with leprosy and other mycobacterial diseases. High anti-phenolic glycolipid I immunoglobulin M antibodies were found in 23 of 24 (96%) of lepromatous leprosy patients on short term chemotherapy and in 8 of 13 tuberculoid leprosy patients (62%). Sera from patients with tuberculosis or atypical mycobacterial infections were devoid of anti-phenolic glycolipid I activity. The structurally related phenolic glycolipids from Mycobacterium kansasii and Mycobacterium bovis and the aglycone segments of the M. leprae product showed no significant activity. Thus, the trisaccharide determinant of phenolic glycolipid I is specific in its structure, serological activity, and, to a lesser extent, the antibody class it evokes.

Animals↗
PubMed1982

Suppressed natural killer cell activity during episodes of erythema nodosum leprosum in lepromatous leprosy.

Natural killer (NK) cell activity was investigated in peripheral blood mononuclear cells of patients with leprosy. The NK activity of patients with borderline or lepromatous leprosy did not differ significantly from that of normal subjects. However, in a group of patients with lepromatous leprosy undergoing an episode of erythema nodosum leprosum (ENL), NK activity was significantly depressed. In four patients with ENL, NK activity was virtually abolished. Depressed NK activity could not be attributed to the effects of corticosteroid therapy, nor did a serum factor appear to be responsible. Evidence was obtained that depressed NK activity in patients with ENL was not due to dysfunction of the NK cells themselves; they functioned normally when separated from the individual's total mononuclear cell population. Additional cell depletion studies suggested that the patients' monocytes were responsible for the observed depression of NK activity.

Erythema Nodosum↗
PubMed1981

Dapsone in saliva and plasma of man.

Concentrations of dapsone (DDS) and its metabolite, monoacetyl dapsone (MADDS) were measured in plasma and saliva samples collected concurrently from volunteers receiving a 50-mg oral dose of DDS. A liquid chromatographic technique was employed to separate the compounds from each other and from endogenous materials. Fluorescence detection provided limited sensitivities to 0.1 ng/ml of sample. Saliva levels of DDS were consistently 15-20% of the plasma levels of DDS during the study period, which ranged from 4 to 48 h. Decay rates for DDS from saliva and plasma were nearly identical. In 4-hour samples of plasma subjected to equilibrium dialysis, we found amounts of DDS in the dialysates nearly identical to levels found in saliva collected at that time. Saliva levels of MADDS ranged from 0.8 to 2.6% of their plasma levels at all times. Decay rates of MADDS from the two fluids were nearly identical and saliva levels of MADDS in 4-hour samples were nearly identical to levels found in paired plasma dialysates. Nevertheless, levels of MADDS were so low that a reliable definition of the subjects' acetylator phenotype from levels of MADDS in saliva only was impossible.

Acetylation↗
PubMed1981

Intestinal parasites in Southeast Asian refugees.

A survey of intestinal parasitism in 6,241 Southeast Asian refugees (3,576 males and 2,665 females) indicated that 32.9 percent of the refugees had one or more intestinal parasites. A total of 1,178 (57.3 percent) males and 878 (42.7 percent) females harbored the parasites, with helminths representing the most frequent isolate. Intestinal parasitic infections may be considered minimal public health threats in the United States because of effective hygienic practices and sanitation facilities. However, it is important to emphasize that the attack rate also will be influenced by continued health education, job activities, and diagnosis and treatment of the refugees for these parasites.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1980

Viability of Mycobacterium leprae after multiplication in mice.

To measure the rate at which Mycobacterium leprae are killed in the course of the mouse footpad infection after the maximum of multiplication has been achieved, M. leprae were harvested shortly before and at intervals after multiplication had reached the level of 10(6) organisms per footpad, serially diluted, and inoculated into the footpads of passage mice. Beginning 1 year later, foot-by-foot harvests of M. leprae were performed from passage mice, and the proportion of viable organisms in the passage inocula was calculated by means of a most-probable-number calculation. In addition, the proportion of solidly staining M. leprae was measured in the passage inocula. The proportion of viable M. leprae in the passage inocula was found to decrease with the time after multiplication to 10(6) organisms per footpad of donor mice; the half-time of loss of viable M. leprae was 25 days. The proportion of solidly staining organisms appeared to be directly related to the proportion of viable organisms, as measured by mouse passage, and inversely proportional to the time after multiplication to 10(6) organisms per footpad.

Animals↗
PubMed1978

Rifampicin for lepromatous leprosy: nine years' experience.

Over 100 patients with lepromatous leprosy were treated with rifampicin in a series of pilot, uncontrolled, and controlled trials in 1968-77. The rapid bactericidal effect of rifampicin on Mycobacterium leprae was confirmed. Clinical improvement became apparent sometimes as early as 14 days after the start of treatment. Nevertheless, a few persisting viable M leprae were detected as long as five years after the start of treatment with rifampicin either by itself or in combination with the bacteriostatic drug thiambutosine. Treatment with rifampicin and dapsone for six months reduced the number of persisting leprosy bacteria more than treatment with dapsone alone. Although rifampicin proved more effective than dapsone, it is unlikely that used by itself if can significantly shorten the length of treatment in lepromatous leprosy. Therefore initial intensive combined treatment with two or more bactericidal drugs (including rifampicin) warrants further investigation in both untreated leprosy and lepromatous leprosy resistant to dapsone.

Animals↗