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Biomedical subjects

S J Kraus

Publications and source records attributed to S J Kraus.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1994

The heritability of characteristics associated with dispositional empathy.

This investigation used data from Loehlin and Nichols's (1976) study of over 800 sets of twins to examine evidence for the heritability of three facets of empathy: empathic concern, personal distress, and perspective taking. Expert judges first identified sets of adjectives, included within Loehlin and Nichols's original data, which reflected each empathy construct; these items were then validated in an independent sample. Comparisons of the responses given to these items by identical and fraternal twins in the Loehlin and Nichols investigation revealed evidence of significant heritability for characteristics associated with the two affective facets of empathy--empathic concern and personal distress--but not for the nonaffective construct of perspective taking. This pattern is consistent with the view that temperamental emotionality may underlie the heritability of affective empathy.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1990

Treatment of external genital warts: a randomised clinical trial comparing podophyllin, cryotherapy, and electrodesiccation.

Four hundred and fifty patients were enrolled into a randomised clinical trial in a public sexually transmitted diseases clinic to evaluate the efficacy of podophyllin, cryotherapy, and electrodesiccation for treatment of external genital warts. Complete clearance of warts was observed in 41%, 79%, and 94% of patients who received up to six weekly treatments of podophyllin, cryotherapy, and electrodesiccation, respectively. Relapses occurred in 25% of all patients, yielding 3 month clearance rates of 17%, 55%, and 71% for podophyllin, cryotherapy, and electrodesiccation, respectively. Wart volume and duration did not influence treatment outcome. Response to therapy was greater in women than in men, and did not differ by treatment modality. Electrodesiccation and cryotherapy were more effective than podophyllin for the treatment of external genital warts, but none of these three treatments were highly successful.

Adult↗
PubMed1990

Diagnosis and management of acute genital ulcers in sexually active patients.

Sexually transmitted genital ulcer diseases include herpes simplex, chancroid, granuloma inguinale, lymphogranuloma venereum, and syphilis. Each of these infections has a characteristic clinical picture, but an accurate diagnosis usually requires the support of laboratory tests. The diagnosis will determine the appropriate therapy as well as sexual partner management.

Acute Disease↗
PubMed1989

Evaluation of six media for the growth of Trichomonas vaginalis from vaginal secretions.

Many media have been formulated for the growth of Trichomonas vaginalis, but the relative sensitivities of these media have not been determined. We evaluated the ability of six media, including all five media commercially available in the United States, to grow Trichomonas vaginalis from vaginal secretions. In a first experiment, we evaluated the ability of five media to grow T. vaginalis from vaginal secretions of 375 women and determined the optimal days on which to read culture tubes, by inoculating aliquots of secretions into each medium and reading the tubes 1, 2, 3, 4, and 7 days later. Sixty-five patients (17%) had a positive wet-mount examination for T. vaginalis, and all the positive results were confirmed by growth in at least one medium. Of 310 wet-mount-negative specimens, 37 (12%) grew T. vaginalis; overall, 102 women (27%) had a positive culture. Diamond and modified Diamond media (the latter being the only medium not commercially available) detected 99 (97%) and 92 (90%) isolates, respectively, compared with three formulations of Kupferberg medium, which detected 77 (75%), 50 (49%), and 43 (42%) isolates. The optimal single day to read wet-mount-negative cultures was day 7, but 4 (11%) of the 37 positive specimens were positive only before day 7. In a second study, we compared the ability of modified Diamond medium with that of a sixth medium, Lash medium, to grow T. vaginalis from 48 wet-mount-positive specimens; modified Diamond medium supported growth in all cases, whereas Lash medium supported growth in only 26 (54%) cases. We conclude that formulations of Diamond medium are superior to formulations of Kupferberg or Lash medium for growth of t. vaginalis.

Animals↗
PubMed1984

Chancroidal ulcers that are not chancroid. Cause and epidemiology.

Hemophilus ducreyi was isolated from the ulcer of one of 33 patients in whom chancroid had been diagnosed clinically. Herpes simplex virus was isolated from 16 of these patients. A presumptive diagnosis of chancroid was made in one of three sexual partners of the only index patient with culture-proved chancroid. No chancroidal lesions were found in any of 39 sexual partners of the other 32 index patients. Genital cultures for herpes simplex virus were positive from four of 14 sexual partners of index patients with genital herpes simplex infection. The differential diagnosis of chancroidal genital ulcers is facilitated by herpes simplex virus cultures and a new selective H ducreyi culture medium.

Chancroid↗
PubMed1984

Evaluation and management of acute genital ulcers in sexually active patients.

The causes of genital ulcers vary with the age of the patient. Although sexually related genital ulcers can be seen at any age, they are most common between the ages of 15 and 30. The differential diagnosis includes syphilis, chancroid, genital herpes, lymphogranuloma venereum, granuloma inguinale, fixed drug reactions, and traumatic ulcers.

Acute Disease↗
PubMed1982

Diagnosis of gonorrhea using a genetic transformation test on mailed clinical specimens.

The genetic transformation test (GTT), a technique used for the detection of gonococcal DNA in clinical specimens, was compared with culture testing for the diagnosis of gonorrhea. At the De Kalb County Venereal Disease Clinic, Decatur, Ga., 454 cervical and 160 rectal specimens from women and 191 urethral specimens from men were collected in duplicate. One of each of the two specimens from each anatomic site was immediately plated on Martin-Lewis medium and incubated; the other specimen was mailed to Philadelphia for a GTT. Using culture results as a standard, the GTT had a specificity of 98.1% although some "false-positive" GTT results were probably a reflection of false-negative culture results. The sensitivity of the GTT was greater than 96% except when specimens were collected with Culturettes (Marion Laboratories, Kansas City, Mo.). In situations where Gram staining is not appropriate or where on-site culture facilities are not available, GTT may be the method of choice for the diagnosis of gonorrhea.

Biological Assay↗
PubMed1982

Pseudogranuloma inguinale caused by haemophilus ducreyi.

We used a new selective culture medium to isolate Haemophilus ducreyi from a penile ulcer that had the clinical appearance of granuloma inguinale. The isolation of the organism in pure culture permitted us to make a definitive diagnosis and obtain antimicrobial susceptibility data in a relatively short period. As a result, we were able to change therapy from sulfamethoxazole to erythromycin, and the infection rapidly healed.

Adult↗
PubMed1981

Specificity, sensitivity, and reproducibility among the fluorescent treponemal antibody-absorption test, the microhemagglutination assay for Treponema pallidum antibodies, and the hemagglutination treponemal test for syphilis.

Using 920 sera, we compared the specificity and reproducibility of the hemagglutination treponemal test for syphilis with those of the fluorescent treponemal antibody-absorption test and the microhemagglutination assay for Treponema pallidum antibodies; we found all three tests to be comparable. However, the hemagglutination treponemal test for syphilis, like the microhemagglutination assay for T. pallidum antibodies, lacked sensitivity in sera from patients with primary syphilis.

Antibodies, Bacterial↗
PubMed1980

Metronidazole for vaginal trichomoniasis. Seven-day vs single-dose regimens.

This randomized, double-blind evaluation of metronidazole therapy for trichomonal vaginitis compared the efficacy and side effects of a single 2-g dose and the standard seven-day regimen (250 mg three thimes daily). Eighty (86%) of the 93 women examined seven to 21 days after therapy with the 2-g regimen, and 76 (91.6%) of 83 examined after the seven-day regimen, were cured. These cure rates were not significantly different. In addition, symptom duration and the occurrence of side effects and yeast infection were not significantly different for the two treatment groups. Because the efficacy and side effects of the two regimens are comparable and the 2-g dose is easier to administer and less expensive, we recommend the 2-g dose as standard treatment for trichomoniasis.

Clinical Trials as Topic↗
PubMed1980

Trichomonas vaginalis: reevaluation of its clinical presentation and laboratory diagnosis.

Vaginal discharge is the most common complaint and Trichomonas vaginalis vaginitis the most frequently diagnosed problem among women attending the DeKalb County Georgia, Veneral Disease Clinic. Despite this prevalence, the 1837 observations of Donné are the criteria frequently used in the clinical and laboratory diagnosis of trichomoniasis. Our study shows that a purulent, frothy discharge is indeed a characteristic of trichomonal vaginitis, but if it is used as the sole diagnostic criterion, 88% of women with trichomonal vaginitis will not be identified and 29% will be erroneously diagnosed as infected. Donné's wet-mount test remains highly specific, but culture will detect twice as many trichomonas infections. There is a positive association between trichomoniasis and gonococcal cervicitis, failure to use contraceptive techniques, and lack of yeast in the wet mount of vaginal secretions.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1980

Isolation and identification of Haemophilus ducreyi in a clinical study.

Seventeen strains of Haemophilus ducreyi were isolated from genital lesions which were negative for syphilis by dark-field examination. Media used for primary isolation at various times during the study were enriched chocolate agar, chocolate agar plus vancomycin (3 microgram/ml), rabbit blood agar plus vancomycin (3 micrograms/ml), fetal bovine serum agar, and fetal bovine serum agar plus vancomycin (3 micrograms/ml). H. ducreyi was isolated on chocolate agar plus vancomycin from 10 of 14 patients found to be positive on one or more media, on rabbit blood agar plus vancomycin from 16 of 17 patients, and on fetal bovine serum agar plus vancomycin from 9 of 11 patients. Sera from six animal species were tested to determine if any would support the growth of H. ducreyi. Horse and rabbit sera supported light growth of some strains. Fetal bovine serum supported good growth of all strains included in the study. Biochemical and physiological tests were done on the 17 isolates, a reference strain of H. ducreyi, and two reference strains of Haemophilus haemoglobinophilus. The results agreed with those reported by Kilian, except that H. ducreyi produced alpha-hemolysis in stabs on rabbit blood agar and was oxidase positive, three strains were urease positive, and CO2 improved the growth of seven strains. All 17 isolates were beta-lactamase positive. The reference strains were beta-lactamase negative.

Agar↗
PubMed1980

Resistance to gonorrhea possibly mediated by the genital microbial flora.

The proximal male urethra is normally sterile, but microorganisms exist in the distal urethra. The members of the distal urethra flora change with sexual activity. Components of the urethral flora may include aerobic bacteria, anaerobic bacteria, fungi, and mycoplasmas. These microorganisms may function in the urethra's resistance to some pathogens. Certain patients with urethral meningococci and staphylococci resisted infection following exposure to women with gonococcal cervicitis. In vitro assays showed these bacteria capable of inhibiting Neisseria gonorrhoeae. The inhibition also occurred in vivo, using the animal subcutaneous chamber model of gonococcal infection.

Female↗
PubMed1979

Persistent urethral leukocytosis and asymptomatic chlamydial urethritis.

Chlamydia trachomatis was isolated from 47% of asymptomatic, sexually active men whose urethral smears contained four or more polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMN) per high-power field (hpf) one week after their sexual activity was restricted. C. trachomatis was not detected in any of 23 asymptomatic, sexually active men having less than 4 PMN/hpf in two urethral smears obtained one week apart. Semiquantitation of urethral PMN in the urethral Gram-stained smear is useful in the evaluation of asymptomatic men without gonorrhea who are concerned about the possibility of harboring a urethral pathogen.

Chlamydia Infections↗
PubMed1979

Culture methods for Neisseria gonorrhoea.

Cultures on an appropriate medium are both highly sensitive and specific, but false-negative cultures can occur because of sampling procedures, laboratory errors, sensitivity of certain gonococci to the vancomycin contained in selective mediums, or loss of bacterial viability in transport.

Bacteriological Techniques↗
PubMed1978

Diagnosis and etiology of nongonococcal urethritis.

The observation of more than four polymorphonuclear cells (PMN) per high-power field (hpf) in gram-stained smears of urethral secretions was found to differentiate patients with urethritis from patients without urethritis. A urethral discharge was present in 78% of patients with nongonococcal urethritis (NGU). Dysuria without demonstrable urethral discharge and with fewer than four PMN/hpf did not appear to fit into the NGU spectrum. NGU is now defined to include men who have negative urethral cultures for Neisseria gonorrhoeae with a urethral discharge and/or more than four PMN/hpf in their urethral smears. The findings of more than four PMN/hpf in the urethral smears of 22%of asymptomatic sexually active men with more than one sexual partner (polygamous controls) suggests that asymptomatic NGU is not uncommon. Chlamydia trachomatis was isolated significantly more frequently from the NGU study group than from the control group (P less than 0.001). This study adds Corynebacterium vaginale (Haemophilus vaginalis), group B streptococci, and yeasts to the list of sexually transmitted microorganisms that are not etiologic determinants of NGU.

Chlamydia trachomatis↗
PubMed1977

Experimental animal infections with Mycoplasma hominis and Ureaplasma urealyticum.

Subcutaneous tissue cavities in mice and guinea pigs were infected with human isolates of Ureaplasma urealyticum and Mycoplasma hominis. The minimal infective dose for M. hominis was as low as less than 10 color-changing units (CCU) for mice and 10(2) CCU for guinea pigs. The minimal infective dose for U. urealyticum was as low as less than 10 CCU for mice and 10(4) CCU for guinea pigs. Mouse infections with either U. urealyticum or M. hominis persisted for 1 day to greater than 4 months. Guinea pigs remained infected for up to 4 weeks. Two M. hominis isolates were similar in their ability to infect subcutaneous tissue cavities but two U. urealyticum isolates varied in their ability to infect the cavities. The histopathology of the M. hominis and U. urealyticum infections was similar: an initial intense polymorphonuclear response with giant cells, followed in 4 weeks by histiocytes and giant cells with some plasma cells and lymphocytes.

Animals↗