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Biomedical subjects

S A Halperin

Publications and source records attributed to S A Halperin.

63 records · Page 4Linked to original sources
PubMed1985

Exacerbations of asthma in adults during experimental rhinovirus infection.

To determine the incidence of wheezing in adult asthmatics with rhinovirus infection, we exposed 21 asthmatic volunteers to 1 of 2 rhinovirus serotypes. Symptoms, spirometry, and histamine inhalation challenge were assessed prior to, daily during, and 3 wk after the rhinovirus infection. Four volunteers had fiberoptic bronchoscopy performed on the fourth study day. Nineteen volunteers became infected with rhinovirus; 17 of 19 had typical coryzal symptoms. Volunteers did not have significant changes in spirometry or histamine sensitivity during rhinovirus infection when taken as a group or when categorized by severity of asthma or severity of the clinical illness. A subgroup of 4 volunteers was identified that had a 10% or greater decrease in FEV1 and a parallel increase in histamine sensitivity during rhinovirus infection; these 4 volunteers were not otherwise distinguishable from the group as a whole. Rhinovirus was recovered from bronchoscopy specimens of 1 of the 4 infected volunteers bronchoscoped. Thus, exacerbations of wheezing occurred in the minority of experimental rhinovirus infections in adult asthmatics, suggesting that other viral pathogens may play a more important role in precipitating asthma attacks.

Adult↗
PubMed1985

Oculoglandular syndrome caused by Francisella tularensis.

Oculoglandular syndrome developed in a 9-year-old boy with a recent history of tick bites and minor eye trauma. Francisella tularensis was isolated on chemically supplemented chocolate agar from a swab of a conjunctival ulcer and an aspirate of a preauricular lymph node, confirming the diagnosis of tularemia. In addition, a rise in agglutination titer to the pathogen was detected in paired sera. The differential diagnosis of oculoglandular syndrome is discussed, with emphasis on the clinical characteristics which led to the diagnosis of tularemia.

Cellulitis↗
PubMed1985

Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay for identification and measurement of antibodies to group A streptococcal bacteriophage.

A sensitive enzyme immunoassay (ELISA) was developed to identify and measure antibodies to group A streptococcal bacteriophage hyaluronidase. With a purified preparation of bacteriophage hyaluronidase as the solid-phase antigen, the ELISA was shown to be as specific as and more sensitive than the standard bacteriophage neutralization test for measurement of antibody to bacteriophage. In rabbits immunized with bacteriophage, the ELISA detected antibody earlier than the neutralization assay (7 vs. 11 days) and was able to distinguish IgG and IgM class antibodies. A strong correlation was demonstrated between antibody titers measured by ELISA and bacteriophage neutralization (r = 0.88; P less than 0.001). Preliminary data using the ELISA, modified to measure human antibody to bacteriophage hyaluronidase, indicated that an antibody response of both IgG and IgM classes occurred in humans after group A streptococcal infection. This ELISA provided a sensitive method for detection and measurement of antibody to a specific bacteriophage antigen, which will be useful in the investigation of the role of bacteriophage in the pathogenesis of group A streptococcal infections.

Animals↗
PubMed1983

Pathogenesis of lower respiratory tract symptoms in experimental rhinovirus infection.

To investigate the pathogenesis of lower respiratory tract symptoms during rhinovirus infection, 19 healthy young adult volunteers were exposed to a currently unnumbered rhinovirus strain (HH). Spirometry and bronchoprovocation with histamine sulfate were performed prior to and on Days 4, 5, and 21 after exposure to the virus. Fiberoptic bronchoscopy for visualization and culture of the tracheobronchial mucosa was done on Day 4 or Day 5. Fourteen of 19 volunteers were infected with rhinovirus; 9 of the 14 had clinical illness. Rhinovirus was isolated from the bronchial brush specimens in 5 of the 13 infected volunteers bronchoscoped, all of whom had clinical illness. Rhinovirus was not isolated at bronchoscopy from any of the 5 infected volunteers without clinical illness (p = 0.025, Fisher's exact test). Spirometry and histamine bronchoprovocation were unchanged during experimental rhinovirus infection. Rhinovirus may invade the lower respiratory tract in symptomatic infections, and thereby cause lower respiratory tract symptoms.

Adult↗
PubMed1982

Bacterial cultures of the lower respiratory tract in normal volunteers with and without experimental rhinovirus infection using a plugged double catheter system.

To test a method of obtaining specimens for microbiologic culture from the lower respiratory tract, we bronchoscoped 25 otherwise normal subjects with and without experimental rhinovirus infections and collected specimens for bacterial culture with a brush housed in a plugged double catheter apparatus. Fifty-two specimens of the lower respiratory tract were obtained from the 25 subjects; nasopharyngeal swabs were also obtained from each subject prior to bronchoscopy. Specimens obtained from the lower respiratory tract were positive for bacteria in 21 (84%) of 25 subjects and at 38 (73%) of 52 sites. The frequency of obtaining positive bacterial cultures was similar in volunteers with (69%) or without (90%) rhinovirus infection. Oropharyngeal contamination of bronchial specimens was minimized by administering atropine and by bronchoscoping subjects in the supine or Trendelenburg position. These data indicate that the plugged double catheter brush system does not consistently yield specimens that are free of bacterial contamination from the oropharynx.

Adolescent↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Pertussis encephalopathy in an adult: case report and review.

A 39-year-old man developed paroxysmal cough, occasional vomiting after cough, and subconjunctival hemorrhage. His illness was complicated by episodes of seizure, with clonic movements of the arms and legs, brief loss of consciousness, and confusion. The episodes were triggered by mild, unremarkable coughing paroxysms. A diagnosis of pertussis was confirmed serologically by measurement of IgG, IgA, and IgM antibodies to pertussis toxin and filamentous hemagglutinin. Serologic studies confirmed the presence of Bordetella pertussis infection in the patient's 10-year-old daughter and suggested that his wife was infected as well. This case report illustrates the occurrence of typical pertussis with serious complications in an adult. Further research is required to determine the scope of this problem and the need for a program of adult immunization against pertussis.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Absence of viremia in primary herpetic gingivostomatitis.

Using current techniques of viral isolation, whole blood, plasma and buffy coat from 17 children with herpetic gingivostomatitis were cultured. Recovery of herpes simplex virus was inhibited by anticoagulation of blood with heparin and unaffected by anticoagulation with citrate. Herpes virus was not detected in any blood fraction during primary herpes gingivostomatitis.

Adolescent↗