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Biomedical subjects

U Krech

Publications and source records attributed to U Krech.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1985

Continuous microbiological and pathological study of 70 sudden and unexpected infant deaths: toxigenic intestinal clostridium botulinum infection in 9 cases of sudden infant death syndrome.

As part of a programme to exclude infection as the cause of death in infants who died suddenly and unexpectedly necropsies were carried out on 70 such infants. In 11 cases (15%), a pathological diagnosis could be made at necropsy; in 9 of these, causative bacteria or viruses were found. The 59 cases in which the cause of death could not be found had histological features characteristic of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS). Botulinum toxin was found in 9 SIDS cases (15%). 8 of these infants had botulinum toxin and organisms of different types (A, B, C, F, G) in the contents of the ileojejunum or colon. 4 of them also had toxin in the serum. No botulinum toxin or organisms were found in the 11 infants who died of identified causes or 18 other infants who died in hospital of known causes.

Botulinum Toxins↗
PubMed1979

A solid-phase immunosorbent technique for the rapid detection of rubella IgM by haemagglutination inhibition.

The rubella haemagglutination inhibition (HAI) test has been modified for the detection of rubella-specific IgM. The rubella HAI test is performed in microtitre plate wells in which IgM from patients' sera has been selectively retained by anti-human IgM bound to the polystyrene surface. The test requires only anti-human IgM-coated microtitre plates, in addition to the standard rubella HAI reagents. The results obtained in this test, a solid-phase immunosorbent technique (SPIT), are in good agreement with results obtained by the sucrose density gradient centrifugation technique (DGCT). Advantages include the essentially unrestricted number of sera which can be tested daily, the availability of results within 24 h and the lack of interference by rheumatoid factor and by rubella-specific IgG.

Antibodies, Viral↗
PubMed1979

Simplified chromatographic separation of immunoglobulin M from G and its application to toxoplasma indirect immunofluorescence.

The indirect immunofluorescent (IIF) antibody technique for the detection of Toxoplasma gondii immunoglobulin M (IgM) often gives false negative results, probably due to the competition between IgG and IgM. We therefore adapted a gel filtration procedure for the separation of IgG and IgM to a routine diagnostic test capable handling at least 10 sera per day and requiring only 50 microliters of serum. The results from 108 sera having positive complement fixation titers for Toxoplasma showed that 17 were IgM positive when the whole serum was tested by IIF compared with 55 positive when the IgM fraction was used. Sera with antideoxyribonucleic acid titers do not give false positive results after fractionation, and the removal of IgG eliminates false positive results due to rheumatoid factor. A prospective study showed that Toxoplasma IgM may persist up to 9 months.

Antibodies↗
PubMed1979

Solid phase immunosorbent technique (SPIT) for the demonstration of specific IGM antibodies by hemagglutination inhibition and passive hemagglutination.

The adsorption of protein to glass and plastic has been well documented. It has also been demonstrated that the absorbed antigen or antibodies retain their activity in as much as they are able to react with a specific antibody respective specific antigen(1). Furthermore the adsorbed antignene or antibody complex may also react with a later added antigen. Anti IgM is adsorbed to the solid phase and will retain IgM from the patient's serum. If the patient's serum contains specific IgM this will react with the specific antignene. If the antigen is a hemagglutinin it will combine with the specific IgM and therefore added erythrocytes will not hemagglutinate. If the antigen is coated on erythrocytes the coated erythrocytes will combine with the specific IgM and hemagglutination will take place. The reaction is schematically demonstrated in Fig. 1.

Erythrocytes↗
PubMed1978

[Legionnaire's disease in Switzerland].

The sera from 2453 patients suffering from pneumonia were investigated for antibodies against the agent causing "Legionnaires' disease". A complement-fixing antigen developed in this institute was used for the screening of these sera, and the positive results were confirmed with the IF-test developed by CDC Atlanta. Antibodies were found in 23 Swiss patients. The clinical details from one of these patients are presented.

Aged↗
PubMed1978

Congenital cytomegalovirus infection in newborn infants of mothers infected before pregnancy.

The rate of congenital cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection was studied in newborn infants in an African population in which all adults had experienced primary CMV infection during childhood. Viruria within the first 12 hours after delivery was taken as evidence of prenatal CMV infection. 28 of 2032 newborn infants examined had viruria, giving a rate of 1.4% congenital CMV infection. The presence of meternal serum antibody therefore appears not to protect the fetus from intrauterine infection. Either reactivation of latent maternal CMV infection or recurrence of infection during pregnancy despite the presence of serum antibodies may explain these findings. Whether the long-term effects of CMV infection acquired in utero differ in cases of primary maternal infection from those due to reactivated or recurrent infection in seropositive mothers, remains undecided. Thus, the value of a live CMV vaccine to prevent prenatal CMV infection may be questioned.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1977

[Clostridium infections with and without manifest gas gangrene. Report on 77 infections in 76 patients].

Systematic microbiological research and correlation of the histopathological findings obtained from random autopsies revealed 23 hitherto undetected clostridial infections including 11 cases of gas gangrene, 4 of septicemia, 3 of bacteremia, and 5 other clostridial infections. The knowledge gained from this study led to clinical diagnosis of several cases of gas gangrene which were confirmed bacteriologically and histologically. Of 8 hospital patients who were thus diagnosed in this surgical clinic, 7 recovered, including a case of gas gangrene of the abdominal wall. The problem in gas gangrene is timely clinical diagnosis. Little is known about gas edema illnesses which are not traumatically conditioned. Recognition of the local and general symptoms (local, violent, yet inappropriate pain in the wound, "unexplained" postoperative secondary bleeding, appearance of tachycardia wholly unrelated to the patient's temperature, sudden shock, rapid deterioration of patient's general condition, jaundice and rise in CPK) makes it possible to diagnose postoperative gas edema in time. 77 infections with isolation of clostridia, seen in 76 patients, are reported. On the basis of clinical and histopathological criteria they have been classified as follows: 22 cases with gas gangrene (clostridial myonecrosis), 16 cases with anaerobic cellulitis, 20 wound infections, 8 cases of septicemia, 5 of bacteriemia, 1 of tetanus, and 5 other clostridial infections.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1977

[Diphtheria epidemic in eastern Switzerland in 1974].

A diphtheria epidemic in the eastern part of Switzerland in 1974 and the measures which were taken for its management and eradication are described. In particular it is pointed out that at present diphtheria displays atypical clinical symptoms in Europe, a fact that renders the diagnosis very difficult in many cases. Therefore, it is important to perform a throat swab in every patient with suspected diphtheria; it is also necessary to explicitly require a search for C. diphtheriae. The early recognition and early treatment of diphtheria with penicillin or erythromycin is of the utmost importance in order to avoid neurological and cardiac complications. With regard to the management and eradication of a diphtheria epidemic, the most important measures are rapid antibiotic protection of all contacts and a widespread immunization of the population. Vaccination of adults with a DiTe vaccine containing a reduced amount of Di-toxoid is recommanded.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1976

The laboratory diagnosis and epidemiology of Mycoplasma pneumoniae in Switzerland.

The analysis of approximately 60,000 serum samples collected from patients with different clinical symptoms between 1965 and 1975 in Switzerland yielded positive reactions indicating a recent infection with Mycoplasma pneumoniae in 2-30% during this period. Among 1,555 patients with clinical symptoms of an acute respiratory infection, 359 patients or 23% had antibody titers indicating a recent infection with M.pneumoniae. On the basis of these results it is concluded that M.pneumoniae is the most frequent cause of acute infections of the respiratory tract.

Antibodies, Bacterial↗