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Biomedical subjects

S Sutherland

Publications and source records attributed to S Sutherland.

At least 73 records · Page 4Linked to original sources
PubMed1985

An enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay for detection of Brucella abortus in cattle using monoclonal antibodies.

One group of 24 cattle was vaccinated with the usual calfhood dose of B. abortus strain 19 and a further 27 cattle were similarly vaccinated but as adults. Twenty-four cattle (12 from each group) and a control group of 12 cattle were subsequently challenged with B. abortus strain 544. Two monoclonal antibodies (MA (A) and MA (B) ) conjugated to horseradish peroxidase were used independently in a competitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) to test the serums. After vaccination with B. abortus strain 19, the performance of the monoclonal antibodies was in general agreement with the CFT as fewer calfhood vaccinates were positive 12 weeks after vaccination to the ELISA with MA (A) and MA (B) than adult vaccinates. After challenge, MA (A) and MA (B) ELISA tests detected the infected cattle earlier than the CFT, but more positive reactions occurred in the cattle that proved uninfected at slaughter.

Animals↗
PubMed1985

Early experience and difficulties with bronchoalveolar lavage and transbronchial biopsy in the diagnosis of AIDS associated pneumonia in Britain.

Bronchoalveolar lavage and transbronchial biopsy have been used as adjuncts to the management of patients with pneumonia associated with the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) at the Middlesex Hospital and the experience gained and difficulties encountered in the first five cases are reported. Widely varying organisms were isolated from lavage aspirates, some of which may have been nasopharyngeal contaminants, and organisms cultured from the transbronchial biopsy specimens may offer a better guide to antimicrobial treatment. Pneumocystis carinii was found in two of the patients. In view of the potentially serious toxicity of high dose co-trimoxazole, continuation of this treatment may be inadvisable if Pneumocystis carinii is not identified by all available methods unless there are strong clinical grounds to suspect its presence.

Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome↗
PubMed1984

Prophylactic oral acyclovir in recurrent genital herpes.

56 patients with frequently recurring genital herpes were treated in a randomised double-blind trial with either oral acyclovir 200 mg four times a day or placebo for 12 weeks. 29 patients received the drug and 27 the placebo. The mean recurrence rate per month of treatment was 1.4 in the placebo-treated patients and 0.05 in the acyclovir group. Median time to the first recurrence after the start of therapy was 14 days in the placebo group compared with 100 days in the acyclovir group. After the end of treatment the recurrence rate was similar in the two groups. Prophylactic oral acyclovir seems to be an effective treatment for patients with frequently recurring genital herpes.

Acyclovir↗
PubMed1984

Detection of IgM antibodies against cytomegalovirus: comparison of two radioimmunoassays, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and immunofluorescent antibody test.

The sensitivity and specificity of direct antibody radioimmunoassay (RIA), M-antibody capture RIA (MACRIA), enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), and the immunofluorescent antibody (IFA) test for the detection of CMV-specific IgM was compared using 40 sera selected from different groups of patients. RIA, MACRIA, and ELISA gave concordant results with thirty-two sera but discordant results with eight sera, of which three were cord sera from congenitally infected babies, three were from immunocompromised patients with recurrent CMV infections, and two were from patients with lymphadenopathy and Paul-Bunnell-positive mononucleosis, respectively. RIA, MACRIA, and ELISA were of similar sensitivity with sera from adult patients, but ELISA was apparently less sensitive than RIA and MACRIA for the detection of CMV IgM in cord serum. By comparison IFA was significantly less sensitive than the other three tests. Rheumatoid factor is reactive in RIA, ELISA, and IFA but can efficiently be removed by absorption with latex-IgG beads or cross-linked human IgG.

Adult↗
PubMed1984

Homosexual men in London: lymphadenopathy, immune status, and Epstein-Barr virus infection.

By November 7, 1983, 24 cases of AIDS in the United Kingdom had been reported to the Communicable Disease Surveillance Centre. At the same time an increasing number of homosexual men with unexplained lymphadenopathy syndrome (LAS) have been seen in our department. Between December 1982 and July 1983, 14 homosexual men with LAS and 11 healthy homosexual men were studied. Patients with LAS had a high number of lifetime episodes of sexually transmitted diseases, a history of recent sexual activity in the United States (9 of 14), sexual contact with British AIDS patients or other persons with LAS (7 of 14), and hypergammaglobulinemia. Low T-helper/T-suppressor ratios (less than 0.8), due mainly to a decrease in T-helper cells, were found in both groups. Lymph node biopsies showed follicular hyperplasia and hypocellular pattern. All 25 patients studied had antibodies to Epstein-Barr virus capsid antigen (anti-VCA) and 11 had antibodies to early antigen (anti-EA); 13 of 17 were excreting the virus; and two showed no Epstein-Barr-virus-specific regression. Peripheral blood immunoglobulin-producing B-cells from six patients with hypergammaglobulinemia were negative for the Epstein-Barr virus nuclear antigen (EBNA). Five lymph node biopsies showed no EBNA-positive cells. Epstein-Barr virus reactivation is common in the patients with LAS and healthy homosexual men in London, but would not seem to be the cause of the polyclonal B-cell activation or lymphadenopathy.

Adult↗
PubMed1984

Antibodies to cytomegalovirus in homosexual and heterosexual men attending an STD clinic.

We studied the prevalence of antibody to cytomegalovirus (CMV) in 262 men (132 homosexual, 20 bisexual, and 108 heterosexual) attending the sexually transmitted diseases (STD) clinic at this hospital. Antibody to CMV at a titre of 1/4 or more was found in 92% of the homosexuals, 80% of the bisexuals, and 56% of the heterosexuals (p less than 0.0001). Among heterosexuals, but not homosexuals, nationality and social class showed a significant association with antibody to CMV. In both heterosexuals and homosexuals a history of gonorrhoea was more common in patients with antibody to CMV than in those without it. A similar finding was seen in heterosexual men with a history of non-specific urethritis (NSU). Using a series of log linear models, sexual orientation was shown to be the most important determinant of antibody to CMV in this population.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1983

The detection of antibodies to cytomegalovirus in the sera of renal transplant patients by an IgM antibody capture assay.

An IgM antibody capture assay for detection of cytomegalovirus (CMV) IgM antibody (MACRIA) was developed. It was shown to be of similar sensitivity to the indirect immunofluorescence test but has the advantage that rheumatoid factor does not react in it and pretest fractionation of serum is not required. It does, however, give false results with some Paul Bunnell-positive sera. The assay was used to measure the IgM response in 28 renal transplant patients followed prospectively. Seven patients (100%) with primary infections and six of 13 (46%) patients with secondary infections developed IgM by MACRIA. Nine of 13 (69%) patients with CMV IgM-positive sera had symptoms other than pyrexia associated with CMV infections, while only one of seven (14%) IgM-negative infections were symptomatic. Four of seven irreversible rejection episodes were associated with CMV IgM. The possible significance of CMV IgM production is discussed.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1983

Genital herpes - the disease and its treatment including intravenous acyclovir.

This paper firstly reviews the natural history of genital herpes, giving special attention to the differences between primary and non-primary initial disease and recurrent disease and between herpes simplex virus 1 and 2. Secondly, previous therapies for genital herpes, and in particular the problems associated with previous drug trials are considered. The final part of the paper reviews a double-blind placebo controlled randomized study of intravenous acyclovir in patients with severe first attack, genital herpes. Intravenous acyclovir significantly reduced the duration of viral shedding, the healing time, the duration of vesicles and new lesion formation, and the duration of all symptoms, but did not prevent subsequent recurrences.

Acyclovir↗
PubMed1983

Identification of medical student problems and comparison with those of other students.

The perceived problems of 585 medical students were compared with those of 1,110 students in the other health sciences colleges at the same institution. Through the use of a 5-point Likert scale, the students were able to indicate the degree to which each of 83 problem items on an inventory was of concern to them. The inventory included items concerning problems with life situation and school environment, other people, behavior, and feelings. The medical students were found to have the same spectrum of perceived problems as the other students but complained of these problems significantly more intensely on 35 items. Married students as a group responded to the problem items with significantly less intensity than the single students. Analyses of subgroups by marital status, gender, age, and year in school are also reported.

Adaptation, Psychological↗
PubMed1982

Intravenous acyclovir in genital herpes. An interim report.

Twenty-five patients with primary genital herpes were treated in a double-blind placebo-controlled randomized trial of intravenous acyclovir. Thirteen patients received the drug and 12 a placebo. Three in each group were male. In the acyclovir group 10 patients had true primary herpes compared with six in the control group. The median time to healing of all lesions was significantly decreased from 11 to seven days (p less than 0.05), and the median duration of viral shedding from all lesions was decreased from eight to two days (p less than 0.001). The time to cessation of new lesions was decreased from a median of two days to zero days (p less than 0.001). Intravenous acyclovir is an effective treatment in decreasing the length and severity of primary genital herpes.

Acyclovir↗
PubMed1981

Actions of the crude venom of the Sydney funnel-web spider. Atrax robustus on autonomic neuromuscular transmission.

1 The effects on mammalian autonomic neuromuscular transmission of the crude venom of the female Sydney funnel-web spider Atrax robustus, have been investigated.2 At doses of 10 mug/ml or lower the indirectly elicited twitch-like responses of the rat anococcygeus preparation were inhibited. At doses greater than 10 mug/ml there was an initial reduction in the twitch-like response followed by a sustained contracture of the tissue.3 The long-lasting contracture caused by the venom was abolished by the application of phentolamine. It was virtually non-existent in muscle preparations isolated from reserpine-treated rats.4 In the presence of tetrodotoxin the contracture was smaller and less well maintained than in its absence.5 The venom caused a small reduction in the amplitude of the indirectly elicited twitch-like response of the longitudinal muscle of the guinea-pig ileum, followed by an increase in the tone of the preparation. The increase in tone was maintained for several minutes and was rapidly abolished by the application of atropine. The presence of venom did not affect control responses to either histamine or acetylcholine.6 Inhibitory transmission in the rat anococcygeus preparation was unaffected by the venom.7 The neurally-mediated twitch-like responses of both guinea-pig and rat vas deferens were inhibited by the venom at doses below 10 mug/ml. At higher doses the inhibition was accompanied by spontaneous contractions, and at doses in excess of 100 mug/ml the inhibition of twitch-like responses was transient and was followed by a potentiation of the motor response and extensive spontaneous activity. The preparation became quiescent 20 min after the application of venom and the evoked response was abolished after 60 min.8 The venom had qualitatively similar effects on motor transmission in the human vas deferens as on the rat and guinea-pig preparations. However, the human preparations were 50 to 100 times more sensitive to the effects of the venom.

Animals↗