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T Bergström

Publications and source records attributed to T Bergström.

96 records · Page 6Linked to original sources

Ménière's disease and antibody reactivity to herpes simplex virus type 1 polypeptides.

PURPOSE: It has been reported that the inner ear is capable of responding to antigen challenge. In this study, we have investigated the antibody reactivity to herpes simplex virus 1 (HSV-1) proteins in sera from patients with Ménière's disease. PATIENTS AND MATERIALS: Serum from 21 patients scheduled to undergo endolymphatic sac decompression for Ménière's disease was obtained. The sera from 21 age- and sex-matched individuals without a history of ear disease served as the control. An enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was used to detect antibodies to HSV-1, HSV-2 cytomegalovirus (CMV), varicella-zoster virus (VZV), and measles virus. Immunoblotting was used to confirm and further evaluate the HSV-1 antibody response. RESULTS: All but one patient had antibodies to HSV-1. ELISA mean log titers were significantly lower in the patient group to CMV and VZV when compared with controls. A pattern of generally higher antibody reactivity in patients with Ménière's disease was demonstrated to the individual SDS-PAGE HSV-1 polypeptides as judged by immunoblotting. CONCLUSION: The HSV-1 antibody response found in patients with Ménière's disease may indicate viral reactivation and denotes the importance of further studies on the role of infectious agents in this disease.

Adult↗

Treatment of asymptomatic amebiasis in homosexual men. Clinical trials with metronidazole, tinidazole, and diloxanide furoate.

In a randomized trial, the authors treated 42 asymptomatic homosexual men who had Entamoeba histolytica in fecal specimens with either metronidazole or tinidazole (study 1). They treated both groups initially with 2,000 mg in a single dose, and in case of failure with 2,000 mg daily for 5 days. In cases of repeated failure, the authors prescribed a dosage of 500 mg of diloxanide furoate three times per day (TID) for 10 days. In a subsequent study (study 2) the authors treated 49 asymptomatic homosexual men who had E. histolytica in fecal specimens with 500 mg of diloxanide furoate TID for 10 days. In study 1, the parasitological cure rates (PCR) for metronidazole and tinidazole were 29%-56%. Among the men treated with diloxanide furoate, the PCR was 93%. In study 2 the PCR with diloxanide furoate was 88%, which was significantly better (P less than .05) than metronidazole/tinidazole treatment in study 1. The present studies show that diloxanide furoate is an effective treatment of amebiasis in asymptomatic patients.

Adult↗

Herpes simplex virus-2 may increase susceptibility of the sexual transmission of hepatitis C.

OBJECTIVES: Antibodies against herpes simplex viruses-1 and -2, cytomegalovirus, and syphilis were determined in six heterosexual couples with strong indications of having sexually transmitted hepatitis C virus infection and in 17 other heterosexual couples in which one partner was hepatitis C virus viremic (source partner), but the other had remained hepatitis C virus uninfected (exposed partner). STUDY DESIGN: Antibody testing was done with an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Anti-herpes simplex virus 2 and anti-hepatitis C virus findings were further confirmed by immunoblotting. Hepatitis C virus RNA was determined by polymerase chain reaction and genotyped with type-specific primers. RESULTS: Five of six anti-hepatitis C virus-positive exposed heterosexual partners without parenteral risk factors, compared with three of 17 anti-hepatitis C virus-negative exposed partners, had antibodies to herpes simplex virus-2. On the other hand, no statistically significant difference was found regarding the frequency of herpes simplex virus-2 seropositivity when source partners in the anti-hepatitis C virus concordant and discordant couples were compared. The presence of antibodies to herpes simplex virus-1, cytomegalovirus, and syphilis did not significantly differ between source or exposed partners in anti-hepatitis C virus concordant and discordant couples, respectively. No predominance of any one hepatitis C virus genotype or liver morphology in couples concordant compared with discordant for anti-hepatitis C virus was found. CONCLUSIONS: The findings support the role of herpes simplex virus-2 in the heterosexual transmission of hepatitis C virus infections, and more specifically an increase in susceptibility to hepatitis C virus infections in exposed heterosexual partners with antibodies to herpes simplex virus-2.

Adult↗

Recurrent herpes simplex virus type 2 encephalitis in a preterm neonate. Favourable outcome after prolonged acyclovir treatment.

We describe a case of recurrent herpes simplex virus type 2 (HSV-2) central nervous system infection in a preterm neonate. On two occasions, encephalitis occurred together with eruption of vesicles on the right arm, and the patient was treated with acyclovir. New recurrences of vesicles followed each attempt to discontinue antiviral treatment, and prompted a continuous long-term acyclovir prophylaxis. At three years of age, the patient has developed normally. The use of immunoblotting for serologic diagnosis of neonatal HSV-2 infection is demonstrated.

Acyclovir↗