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PubMed1990

Virus-induced autoantibody response to a transgenic viral antigen.

The induction of autoantibodies and their possible role in the pathogenesis of autoimmune disease are poorly understood. Involvement of infectious agents has been suspected, but direct evidence is sparse. Whether immunological unresponsiveness to self by antibody-forming B cells is maintained by clonal abortion, clonal anergy or suppression, or how the scenario of interactions between helper T cells, B cells and antigen-presenting cells is distorted in autoantibody responses, is being analysed and widely debated. To evaluate tolerance of neutralizing B-cell responses we used transgenic mice expressing the cell membrane associated glycoprotein (G) of vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV) as self-antigen. We show that autoantibodies to VSV-G cannot be induced by VSV-G in adjuvant or by recombinant vaccinia virus expressing VSV-G, but are triggered by infection with wild-type VSV. The data show that helper T-cell tolerance is crucial in maintenance of B-cell non-reactivity and that cognate T-B recognition is necessary to break tolerance of self-reactive B cells. These results may help to understand mechanisms of virus-induced autoimmunity.

Animals↗
PubMed2006

Low incidence of subdural grid-related complications in prolonged pediatric EEG monitoring.

Invasive EEG monitoring is one of the best tools available for localization of epileptogenic foci in the brain. However, published data in mixed series of adult and pediatric patients show high incidence of epidural bacterial contamination, cerebrospinal fluid leakage, and skin infection after subdural electrode implantation. We sought to determine whether the complication rate from prolonged subdural electrode implantation would be lower in a purely pediatric series. Thirty-three subdural electrode implantation procedures were performed in 29 pediatric patients (age range 4-19) for an average of 7.2 days (range 3-14 days). Electrode number varied from 32 to >128 with a range of 4-11 electrode wires piercing the skin >1 cm from the primary incision. Of the 33 implantations and resections (66 craniotomies), 5 were for reimplantation. There were no permanent complications related to grid implantation. Transient complications included 1 case of prolonged prothrombin time and 1 patient with unexplained fever, both of which resolved upon removal of the grids. There were two culture-positive infections, one epidural and one superficial, both in patients undergoing reimplantation. There was no percutaneous cerebrospinal fluid leakage noted and no operation was aborted due to bleeding caused by grid placement. Our data suggest that subdural grid implantation in children is remarkably safe even for prolonged implantation, though infectious risk is significantly higher in reoperation (p = 0.019). This observation may contribute to lowering the threshold for two-stage invasive monitoring approaches in children with epilepsy.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1974

Differences between laboratory strains of Epstein-Barr virus based on immortalization, abortive infection, and interference.

Biologic activities of extracellular Epstein-Barr virus (EB virus) from two laboratory strains, namely, P(3)J-HR-1 (P-H) from Burkitt lymphoma and B95-8 (B95) from infectious mononucleosis, were compared. Virus stocks from both sources contained approximately the same number of virions. Virus from the P-H line induced "early antigen" in six nonproducer EB virus genome carrier cell lines; virus from B95 did not induce "early antigen." Extracellular virus from B95 regularly caused lymphocytes from human umbilical cords to form continuous lines (immortalization); P-H virus did not cause primary cultures of human lymphocytes to grow continuously. B95 virus stimulated DNA synthesis as determined by rate of incorporation of [(3)H]thymidine into acid-insoluble material; P-H virus did not stimulate DNA synthesis. Pretreatment of lymphocytes with undiluted P-H virus inhibited immortalization and stimulation of DNA synthesis by B95 virus. The inhibitory properties of the P-H virus were sedimented at 100,000 x g and inactivated by heat and UV irradiation; interference by the P-H virus was neutralized by human serum with antibody to EB virus and not by antibody-negative human serum. The hypothesis most consistent with these results is that the P-H virus is defective in gene(s) needed for initiation of immortalization. We speculate that the absence of this gene allows early antigen to be expressed upon super-infection of nonproducer cell lines. The availability of two laboratory strains of EB virus which differ in biologic behavior provides starting material for analysis of the mechanism of lymphocyte immortalization by EB virus and of virus structural differences which affect immortalization.

Antigens, Viral↗
PubMed2001

[Post-abortum peritonitis pelviperitonitis at the Androva Mahajanga University Hospital: 23 cases].

In many underdeveloped countries, illegal abortion can lead to death or sequelae. Pregnancy termination is illegal in Madagascar except for medical reasons. We report 23 observed between April 1990 and December 1994 at the Androva Mahajanga University Hospital. Post-abortum infectious complications ranked 19th for hospital admissions. Peritonitis was the most frequent (70%) and most serious complication. The women were young (mean age 24 years, 44% under the age of 20 years). Thirty percent were primigravidae and had poor living conditions (74% were homemakers and 13% were students; 44% were single). Clinical signs were malodorous loss and abdominal pain. A surgical procedure was performed in 74% of the cases: 3 salpingo-oophoectomies, 2 hysterectomies and 10 uterine sutures. Mortality was high, 13%. Illegal abortion must be prevented with better information on contraception and better health education programs. The question of the usefulness of current legislation is discussed.

Abortion, Illegal↗
PubMed1998

Immunoelectron microscopic localisation of the OMP90 family on the outer membrane surface of Chlamydia psittaci.

The putative outer membrane location of the OMP90 (formerly POMP) family from the ovine abortion strain of Chlamydia psittaci was investigated by immunoelectron microscopy. Using a non-embedding technique, antigens were shown to be localised on the outer membrane surface of both elementary and reticulate bodies, the infectious and non-infectious forms of Chlamydiae respectively. Antibodies affinity-purified against the expressed amino- and carboxy-terminal halves of one of the family members. OMP90A, demonstrated that the amino half is surface-exposed while the carboxyl half is most probably localised internally. Surface localisation on elementary bodies indicates the importance of these proteins as protective antigen candidates.

Abortion, Veterinary↗
PubMed2003

[An abortive type of tick-borne meningoencephalitis].

OBJECTIVE: Tick-borne encephalitis (TBE) was detected in the Koprivnica-Krizevci County 50 years ago. To date, it has retained the leading position among inflammatory diseases of the central nervous system (CNS), with an average morbidity of 20 patients per year. In 88% of patients, the infection manifested with signs of meningitis or biphasic meningoencephalitis (ME). Monophasic course was recorded in only 12% of patients of older age, during which the first initial stage remained inapparent, and the disease manifested only with ME stage. An abortive type of TBE virus infection with fever, headache and other general symptoms of infection is presented. The initial stage of the disease, without subsequent CNS involvement, is rarely described. PURPOSE OF WORK: To determine the frequency and present epidemiological, clinical and laboratory characteristics as well as diagnostic procedures in patients suffering from abortive type of TBE. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A prospective study was conducted in the period from 1997-2002, and included patients with possible tick-borne disease, examined at the Infectious Disease Department of the Koprivnica General Hospital. According to the set criteria, the study included patients of all age groups, sex and occupation, patients with febrile disease (T 38 degrees C) that developed within 6 weeks from the tick bite, patients who showed no signs of ME on their first examination, and patients in whom serologic analysis revealed recent infection with TBE virus. On admission to the hospital, detailed epidemiological and history data were collected, and clinical examination and laboratory testing were performed. ELISA test was used to detect specific IgM and IgG antibodies. At the same time all serum samples were tested for other tick-borne diseases, including Lyme disease and human monocyte and granulocyte ehrlichiosis. Oral consent was obtained from all patients enrolled in the study. RESULTS: A total of 127 patients met the study criteria. Specific antibodies to TBE virus were detected in 49 (38.5%) patients. After the latency period, 43 (87.7%) patients developed the second stage of ME disease. An abortive type of infection with TBE virus, without subsequent CNS involvement, was recorded in 6 (12.2%) patients. The diagnosis was confirmed in the first initial stage in 12% of patients and during the second ME stage in the remaining 37 (75.5%) patients. Active immunization against TBE was not conducted in any patient. CONCLUSION: We report on the first patients diagnosed with an abortive type of TBE virus infection in the Koprivnica-Krizevci County. The frequency of and new knowledge about this type of disease were assessed in the study.

Adult↗
PubMed1994

Abortive replication of influenza virus A/WSN/33 in HeLa229 cells: defective viral entry and budding processes.

Since influenza A virus replication is defective in HeLa229 cells but productive in Madin-Darby canine kidney (MDCK) cells, we have investigated the steps in the infectious cycle of A/WSN/33 virus defective in HeLa229 cells. We find that both the entry and exit processes of the infectious cycle were defective in HeLa229 cells. During entry, viral adsorption was apparently normal in HeLa229 cells but a subsequent step(s) involving one or more processes namely the fusion/uncoating and nuclear transport of viral ribonucleoprotein was inefficient and slow compared to those in MDCK cells. Fewer HeLa229 cells were infected at the same multiplicities of infection, resistance to ammonium chloride developed much more slowly and degradation of the incoming virus proteins was delayed when compared to those in MDCK cells. Subsequent to the entry process, there was no significant difference in either the synthesis of viral proteins or the transport, maturation, and membrane insertion of viral glycoproteins although the glycosylation pattern of hemagglutinin was different and the peak protein synthesis was albeit delayed in HeLa229 cells compared to that in MDCK cells. However, there was a major defect in the budding and release of viral particles. In HeLa229 cells, viral bud formation occurred but viral particles remained attached to the plasma membrane and were not released into the medium. This defect in virus release was not due to lack of neuraminidase activity but could be, at least partly, overcome by cytochalasin B treatment, suggesting a possible involvement of microfilaments in virus release. These results indicate that the abortive replication of influenza virus A/WSN/33 in HeLa229 cells appears to be due to multiple defects involving both the entry and release of viral particles and that host cell membrane and microfilaments may be important contributing factors in these processes.

Animals↗
PubMed1990

Prevalence of Toxoplasma gondii antibodies in gravidas and recently aborted women and study of risk factors.

Two hundred seventeen parturients and eighty six recent aborters were screened for IgM and IgG toxoplasma antibodies. Age, profession, educational level, residence (urban/rural), presence of cat and other domestic animals were recorded for each subject. None of the subjects was IgM-positive. Prevalence of IgG positivity was 52.3% in the parturients and 50.2% in the recently aborted women. None of the personal or social characteristics investigated could be related to IgG positivity. However, the frequency of toxoplasma antibodies was found to be higher in recent aborters from rural areas where contact with soil is common regardless of whether cats are kept as pets or not. This study confirms other investigators' conclusion on the importance of soil contact as a risk factor for infection.

Abortion, Spontaneous↗
PubMed1992

HIV infection at outcome of pregnancy in the Paris area, France.

The prevalence of HIV infection in women at end of pregnancy, irrespective of outcome, was determined in a comprehensive survey of both women and medical centres during successive 4-week periods in four areas of the Paris region, France. Blood samples were tested anonymously for antibodies to human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-1 and HIV-2. Of the 11,593 blood samples 0.40% (95% confidence interval [CI] 0.28-0.51) were positive for HIV-1 and 0.02% (95% binomial interval [BI] 0.002-0.065) for HIV-2. Seroprevalence was higher among women with ectopic pregnancy (2%) (95% BI 0.24-7.04); the rate in women having an elective or therapeutic abortion was more than twice that in those delivering babies (0.70% vs 0.28%, p less than 0.05, relative risk 2.54, 95% CI 1.36-4.75). Studies with neonatal HIV seroprevalence as a surrogate for HIV prevalence in pregnant women would underestimate prevalence in these women.

Abortion, Therapeutic↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Experimental Coxiella burnetii infection in pregnant goats: a histopathological and immunohistochemical study.

Pregnant goats were inoculated subcutaneosly with Coxiella burnetii and the course of infection was studied. Abortion in the last third of pregnancy occurred in all infected animals. Tissues from the placenta and other organs were studied before and after abortion by immunohistochemistry and PCR analysis. After infection, mild lesions were observed in several maternal organs, mainly the mammary gland but also the lung and the liver. The trophoblast cells of the choriallantoic membrane were the first target cells of the placenta; there was, however, a substantial delay between initial infection and placental colonization. In the last weeks of pregnancy, just before abortion, massive bacterial multiplication was detected in the placenta. In this stage of infection a necrotic and suppurative placentitis separated the fetal trophoblast cells from maternal syncytial epithelium. Vasculitis was observed in the fetal mesenchyme. A strong maternal T-cell response was detected in the inter-placentomal areas but not in the placentomes, where only neutrophils and smaller numbers of macrophages were associated with the lesions. Neither lesions nor C. burnetii DNA were found in maternal organs in animals maintained until day 120 post-abortion.

Aborted Fetus↗
PubMed2005

Neospora abortions in dairy cattle: diagnosis, mode of transmission and control.

AIM: To determine the contribution of Neospora caninum to abortions on a dairy farm in NSW (Australia), determine the mode of transmission and develop and trial a control option for infection. METHODS: Two whole herd bleeds were conducted 12 months apart and the association between serological status and abortion events were calculated for a number of bovine abortifacients. Family trees were constructed for N. caninum seropositive cattle in the herd. Some N. caninum seropositive cows were culled from the herd and no female offspring was retained from seropositive cows. RESULTS: At the first whole-herd bleed in December 2002 a seroprevalence of 10.2% for N. caninum infection was detected. Cows with N. caninum infection were 13 times more likely to abort than uninfected ones. Seventy-five percent of seropositive animals in the herd were related, suggesting a high degree of congenital infection/transmission. Only 15% of infections were likely to be postnatally acquired. Selective culling of seropositive cows and not breeding from them reduced the number of seropositive animals. Only one newly sero-converted cow was detected at the second whole-herd bleed 12 months later. CONCLUSIONS: Seroepidemiological approaches were able to establish a high degree of association between N. caninum infection and low-level abortion in the dairy herd. Vertical transmission of infection was the predominant mode of infection and hence control efforts aimed at selectively culling seropositive animals from the herd were highly successful in reducing the level of infection.

Abortion, Veterinary↗
PubMed2001

Evidence of post-natal transmission of Neospora caninum in Dutch dairy herds.

Eighteen dairy herds with neosporosis-associated abortions were analysed for antibodies against Neospora caninum. Blood samples of all cows, heifers and calves were collected on the same day for each farm. A total of 2430 heads of cattle were examined. For each herd, the seropositive and seronegative animals were plotted against month of birth. Analysis of seroprevalence in relation to age showed an equal distribution of seropositives in all age-groups in 10 herds. In contrast, in eight herds an age-group could be identified which had a significantly higher seroprevalence than the other animals in the herd. Most seropositive animals in the high seroprevalence age-groups had either seronegative dams or seronegative offspring, whereas there was a strong relationship between the serostatus of dams and offspring in the other animals in the herd. Aborting animals were mainly part of the high seroprevalence age-group. These findings strongly indicate a post-natal infection of the animals in the high seroprevalence age-groups, probably due to a point source exposure to N. caninum.

Abortion, Veterinary↗
PubMed1999

Bovine neosporosis: comparison of serological methods using outbreak sera from a dairy herd in New Zealand.

Serological methods developed to detect Neospora caninum specific bovine antibodies were compared using sera from an abortion outbreak on a dairy farm in New Zealand. These methods included four ELISAs, IFAT and immunoblot. The abortions (n = 16) on the farm were restricted to one of two groups of the herd which consisted of 194 adult dairy cows. All ELISAs, IFAT and immunoblot (applying stringent cut-off levels) revealed a statistically significant association between seropositivity and abortion among the adult cows from the afflicted group 1. The strength of this association varied between different tests, and different seroprevalences were determined for various animal groups. Among the different ELISAs, the strength of the relationship between single test results was characterised by a considerable variation in the determinants of correlation. Discrepancies in positive-negative classification between the two commercial ELISAs and one of the in-house ELISAs were due mainly to differences in the cut-off selection.

Abortion, Veterinary↗