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Biomedical subjects

U Wegner

Publications and source records attributed to U Wegner.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2005

Molecular and clinical characteristics of respiratory syncytial virus infections in hospitalized children.

The objective of this study was to determine the importance of respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) for hospitalization in the north east of Germany and to obtain molecular epidemiological data of the circulating strains. Using a rapid and sensitive reverse transcriptase-PCR, it was found that a quarter of pediatric respiratory disease admissions were due to RSV. Infections caused by RSV in hospitalized patients were determined over the whole year. Both RSV groups A and B were identified with a predominance of RSV A (86%) over the entire period. The analysis of the deduced amino acid sequences by direct sequencing showed that very similar RSV strains are circulating in the community.

Child↗
PubMed2004

Are enterovirus infections a co-factor in sudden hearing loss?

Since viral infections are believed to be one of the causes of sudden hearing loss we have used serological assays for herpes simplex virus (HSV), varicella zoster virus (VZV), and enterovirus as well as polymerase chain reaction for enterovirus to test 55 sudden hearing loss patients for viral infections. Serological screening of these patients for HSV and VZV failed to reveal significant differences between the patient group and the controls. In contrast, enterovirus sequences were detected by RT-PCR in 40% of the patient group, but in none of the controls, suggesting that enterovirus infections may be associated with sudden hearing loss.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2003

[Diagnostic shifts of functional psychoses in the transition from ICD-9 to ICD-10].

In order to identify diagnostic changes caused by the transition from ICD-9 to ICD-10, in a sample of 218 first hospitalised patients from the years 1980 and 1981, ICD-9 diagnoses were compared with ICD-10 diagnoses. For this comparison, functional psychoses were classified into five main diagnostic groups. Results showed a decreased frequency of the diagnostic groups schizophrenia, schizoaffective psychoses, and paranoid psychoses and an increased frequency of the diagnostic groups acute psychoses and affective psychoses. With the exception of acute psychoses and schizoaffective psychoses, a high agreement between ICD-9 and ICD-10 diagnoses was found, and the Kappa value was 0.70. With regard to the homogeneity of psychopathological symptoms, ICD-10 diagnoses showed no improvement over ICD-9 diagnoses. Nevertheless, ICD-10 diagnoses have gained in predictive validity because schizophrenia was further narrowed to cases with a more unfavourable outcome.

Adult↗
PubMed2003

Real-time PCR to improve the diagnosis of respiratory syncytial virus infection.

Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is one of the most important virus respiratory pathogens in infants and young children. A rapid and sensitive diagnosis is essential to focus any outbreak due to this virus. A real-time RT-PCR method was designed using a primer/probe pair from the F gene. Simultaneously with nested RT-PCR and antigen ELISA, 71 consecutive specimens from hospitalized children with clinical symptoms of acute respiratory distress were evaluated to confirm the incidence of RSV infection. RSV was detected in 25 (35.2 %) specimens by real-time RT-PCR and in 19 (26.7 %) by nested RT-PCR. The assay was specific for RSV. The procedure offers a rapid and sensitive alternative to conventional RT-PCR. Closed-tube detection eliminates the risk of contamination.

Antigens, Viral↗
PubMed2003

Inhibitory effect of Bergenia ligulata on influenza virus A.

Methanol water extract from rhizomes of Bergenia ligulata, a plant used in Nepalese ethnomedicine, inhibited in vitro the replication of influenza virus in a dose dependent manner and did not show virucidal activity at effective concentration. Pretreatment of cells with B. ligulata extract was shown to be most effective to prevent cell destruction. The extract inhibited viral RNA synthesis and reduced viral peptide synthesis at 10 microg/ml. The virus inhibitory effect is related to the presence of condensed tannins in the extract.

Animals↗
PubMed2002

Cyanobacteria a potential source of antiviral substances against influenza virus.

Aqueous and methanolic extracts of cultured cyanobacteria of several genera, Microcystis, Nodularia, Oscillatoria, Scytonema, Lyngbya and Calothrix were evaluated for their in vitro antiviral activity against influenza A virus in Madin Darby canine kidney cells. None of the methanolic extracts showed cytotoxic effects. The inhibitory concentration (IC(50)) of antiviral activity ranged between 20.0 micro g to 79.0 micro g extract/ml. The most active extract in this screening derived from genus Microcystis. The further analysis of methanolic extracts of cultured strains of genus Microcystis revealed a remarkable antiviral activity against influenza A virus for M. aeruginosa, M. ichthyoblabe and M. wesenbergii. The observed antiviral activity was associated with protease inhibitory activity of approximately 90% and suggest that protease inhibitory activity may be responsible for reducing virus replication. These results show that cyanobacteria are able to produce compounds with biological activity that may be of potential clinical interest.

Animals↗
PubMed2001

Screening of Nepalese medicinal plants for antiviral activity.

In an ethnopharmacological screening, plants used in Nepalese traditional medicine were evaluated for antiviral activity. Methanolic and methanolic-aqueous extracts derived of 23 species were assayed in two in vitro viral systems, influenza virus/MDCK cells and herpes simplex virus/Vero cells. Two species, Bergenia ligulata and Nerium indicum showed the highest antiinfluenzaviral activity with 50% inhibitory dose of 10 microg/ml. Holoptelia integrifolia and N. indicum exhibited considerable antiviral activity against herpes simplex virus. None of these extracts showed cytotoxic effects. Additionally for B. ligulata and H. integrifolia partial protease inhibitory activity was estimated.

Animals↗
PubMed2000

Inhibition of adenovirus DNA polymerase by modified nucleoside triphosphate analogs correlate with their antiviral effects on cellular level.

Adenovirus (Ad) infection results in significant morbidity and mortality in both immunocompetent and immunosuppressed hosts. There is currently no licensed chemotherapy effective in dealing with this virus infection. In this study the anti-adenoviral activity of a group of modified nucleoside analogs was investigated. The most efficient 3-fluorosubstituted nucleoside triphosphate inhibitors of Ad DNA polymerase were 3'-fluorothymidine triphosphate (IC50 0.63 microM), 2',3'-dideoxy-3'-fluoroguanosine triphosphate (IC50 0.71 microM) and 2',3'-dideoxy-3'-fluorouridine triphosphate (IC50 2.96 microM). The most efficient 2',3'-dideoxynucleoside triphosphates were 2',3'-dideoxycytidine triphosphate (ddCTP; IC50 1.0 microM), 2',3'-dideoxyadenosine triphosphate (IC50 1.6 microM) and 2',3'-dideoxythymidine triphosphate (IC50 1.82 microM). Kinetic studies indicate competitive inhibition of adenovirus DNA polymerase by ddCTP. These data confirm results previously obtained at the cellular level using a focus reduction assay involving Ad2-infected FL cells. Whereas the D-enantiomers 3'-fluorothymidine and 2',3'-dideoxycytidine are potent inhibitors of adenoviral replication, the corresponding L-enantiomers exhibited no inhibitory activity.

Adenoviruses, Human↗
PubMed2000

Evaluation of the efficacy of 2',3'-dideoxycytidine against adenovirus infection in a mouse pneumonia model.

The antiviral activity of 2',3'-dideoxycytidine (ddC) has been investigated in a mouse pneumonia model. Consolidation of lung, histopathological changes, DNA synthesis as well as levels of TNFalpha were assayed. In this in vivo model, the oral administration of ddC twice daily over 4 days, displayed an inhibitory effect. The drug significantly reduced histopathologic responses. Analysis indicated that under treatment pulmonary lesions were less severe than those of untreated controls. These data confirm the in vitro activity of ddC against adenovirus. Thus, ddC represents a potential therapeutic approach for inhibiting adenovirus infection and may offer promise as an anti-adenovirus agent for immunocompromised patients in whom serious adenovirus infection may prove fatal.

Adenoviridae Infections↗
PubMed2000

Long-term course of schizophrenic, affective and schizoaffective psychosis: focus on negative symptoms and their impact on global indicators of outcome.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to compare indicators of outcome between different types of psychosis and to verify whether or not negative symptoms (NS) have a special relevance for schizophrenia. METHOD: This is a follow-up study on functional psychosis according to ICD-9. Patients were assessed standardized at the time of first hospitalization and about 12.5 years later. RESULTS: Comparison of global outcome parameters and NS revealed that schizophrenia had the poorest outcome of all types of psychosis. NS had the highest impact on global functioning and the severity of illness in schizophrenia. NS assessed at the first hospitalization were associated with the different outcome parameters only in schizophrenia at follow-up. CONCLUSION: The course of schizophrenia is a more deteriorating one than that of affective or schizoaffective psychosis. The findings point to the special relevance of NS for the outcome and their relative specificity for schizophrenia.

Adult↗
PubMed1999

Deficit syndromes in schizophrenic patients 15 years after their first hospitalisation: preliminary results of a follow-up study.

This study is a follow-up study on broadly defined schizophrenic disorders. Patients were assessed standardized at the time of their first hospitalization (admission and discharge) and reassessed in an standardized manner 15 years later. The aim of the analyses presented here was to evaluate the frequency of patients with markedly expressed negative symptoms in terms of deficit syndrome and to analyze which of the variables assessed at the time of first hospitalization were predictive concerning deficit syndromes at follow-up. Results indicate that nearly one third of patients have developed a deficit syndrome 15 years after their first hospitalization. These patients are characterized by severe impairments in important areas of life, such as partnership or employment. Furthermore, apart from more pronounced negative symptoms, these patients also have more paranoid-hallucinatory symptoms than schizophrenic patients without deficit syndromes. Predictive signs for non-development of a deficit syndrome 15 years later were good global functioning, female gender, pronounced depressive symptoms and good treatment response concerning negative and paranoid-hallucinatory symptoms at first hospitalization. A longer duration of symptoms prior to first hospitalization, lack of a partnership, pronounced negative symptoms at admission and at discharge were predictive of developing a deficit syndrome. Results are discussed with regard to the literature and to methodological limitations.

Adult↗
PubMed1999

[Psychiatric side effects during adjuvant therapy with interferon-alphain patients with malignant melanoma. Clinical evaluation as well as diagnostic and therapeutic possibilities].

Interferon-alpha (IFN-alpha) is of high interest in the adjuvant treatment of malignant melanoma. During long term treatment, psychiatric side effects play an important role and not infrequently lead to reduction or discontinuation of therapy. Most common are sleeping disturbance, agitation, weariness, sleepiness, irritability, social withdrawal and depression, which most often develop during the first three months of the therapy. Also more severe side effects may occur, like delirium, organic depression, psychotic episodes and organic personality change, which in some patients may even lead to suicidal thoughts or suicide attempts, which is illustrated in two case reports. Therapeutic intervention depend to the severity of side effects. Moderate depressive syndromes may successfully be treated by antidepressive drugs like serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRI), which may even allow continuation of IFN-alpha therapy. In patients with severe depression or organic personality changes with increased risk of suicide, immideate discontinuation of IFN-alpha therapy is mandatory and treatment in a psychiatric hospital must be considered.

Adult↗
PubMed1999

[Dysmorphophobia--symptom or diagnosis?].

Dysmorphophobia as a new psychiatric syndrome was described by the Italian psychiatrist Morselli in 1891. Dysmorphophobic symptoms are associated with several other psychiatric disorders. The term of dysmorphophobia will be discussed along a theoretical review. We present the case of a 20-year-old patient with dysmorphophobic symptoms. In the scope of ICD 10, DSM-III-R/DSM IV diagnostical criteria we outline problems of the diagnostical classification of dysmorphophobic signs.

Adult↗
PubMed1999

Hantavirus Dobrava infection with pulmonary manifestation.

Dobrava virus infection was diagnosed serologically by enzyme-linked immunosorbent and immunofluorescence assays. To determine which hantavirus serotype was involved, sera were analyzed by a focus reduction neutralization test. The clinical data indicated that only pulmonary manifestation was present. Our data support the presence of Dobrava virus infection outside the Balkan region. In conclusion, a previously healthy adult with unexplained pulmonary perfusion failure should be investigated for hantavirus infection.

Adult↗
PubMed1997

Inhibitory activity of 3'-fluoro-2' deoxythymidine and related nucleoside analogues against adenoviruses in vitro.

Antiviral effects of nucleoside analogues against human adenoviruses (ADV) belonging to subgroup B (ADV3) and C (ADV2) were comparatively analysed using focus reduction assay on Fogh and Lund (FL) cells. 3'-Fluoro-2'-deoxythymidine (FTdR), 3'-fluoro-2'-deoxyuridine (FUdR), 2',3'-dideoxycytidine (ddC) and 3'-fluoro-2'-deoxyguanosine (FGdR) emerged as potent and selective inhibitors. They were nontoxic for the FL cells at the tested doses. FTdR was proved to be the most effective inhibitor against both serotypes ADV2 and ADV3 (0.05 microM/0.02 microM). The inhibitory effect of FTdR was also analyzed on the level of viral proteins and viral DNA synthesis using radioimmunoprecipitation and PCR, respectively. Neither the main structural protein of ADV, the hexon, nor viral DNA could be detected in ADV-infected FL cells that had been exposed to FTdR.

Adenoviruses, Human↗