| 1. |
- Ekdahl, Karl, et al.
(författare)
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Bronchoscopic diagnosis of pulmonary infections in a heterogeneous, nonselected group of patients
- 1993
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Ingår i: Chest. - 1931-3543. ; 103:6, s. 1743-1748
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Fiberoptic bronchoscopy with bronchoalveolar lavage and protected specimen brush technique has become an established method for etiologic diagnosis in severe forms of pulmonary infections during recent years. In this study, including 62 bronchoscopies in 53 patients, a standardized program, covering all important pulmonary pathogens, has been evaluated in a heterogeneous group of patients. Results providing therapeutic guidelines were obtained in 53 percent (16/30) of the immunocompromised patients (including 5 bronchoscopies on HIV-positive patients), but only 19 percent (6/32) of the immunocompetent patients (p < 0.001). We conclude that bronchoscopy is of great value for diagnosing pulmonary infections in immunocompromised patients. In immunocompetent patients, the diagnostic yield is lower and the indication for bronchoscopy must be established for each individual patient based on clinical importance, resources, and risk. When bronchoscopy is performed, we believe that a standardized program like ours reduces the risk of missing important pathogens.
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| 2. |
- Abate, Getahun, et al.
(författare)
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Direct colorimetric assay for rapid detection of rifampin-resistant Mycobacterium tuberculosis
- 2004
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Ingår i: Journal of Clinical Microbiology. - 1098-660X. ; 42:2, s. 871-871
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The colorimetric 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyl tetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay was standardized for direct detection of rifampin-resistant Mycobacterium tuberculosis in sputum samples. The sensitivity and specificity of the direct MTT assay matched those of the standard indirect susceptibility assay on 7H10 medium, and interpretable results were obtained for 98.5% of the samples within 2 weeks. Traditional methods of in vitro drug susceptibility testing are time consuming and laborious. Susceptibility tests on clinical isolates require 6 to 9 weeks, and tests conducted directly on smear-positive samples take about 3 weeks (International Union Against Tuberculosis and Lung Disease, The public health service national tuberculosis reference laboratory and the national laboratory network. Minimum requirements, role and operation in a low-income country, Paris, France, 1998, and P. T. Kent and G. P. Kubica, Public health mycobacteriology. A guide for the level III laboratory, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Ga., 1985). More-rapid methods are available but are very expensive for routine use under program conditions in countries with high levels of tuberculosis endemicity.
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| 3. |
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| 4. |
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| 5. |
- Björck, Lars, et al.
(författare)
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On the interaction between beta 2-microglobulin and group A streptococci
- 1984
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Ingår i: Scandinavian Journal of Immunology. - : Wiley. - 1365-3083 .- 0300-9475. ; 20:1, s. 69-79
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- beta 2-microglobulin (beta 2m) was found to interact with many group A streptococcal strains. The interaction appeared to require multipoint attachment, since monomeric beta 2m in solution showed no binding, whereas both beta 2m monomers bound to liposomes, and beta 2m in aggregates showed affinity for the bacteria. Aggregated HLA antigens (-A, -B and -C) and aggregated beta 2m exhibited the same binding patterns when tested in binding experiments with various group A streptococcal strains. Furthermore, beta 2m aggregates in excess completely blocked the binding of aggregated HLA antigens, thereby demonstrating that beta 2m is able to interact with streptococcal surface structures also when it is part of the HLA antigen complex. M protein-positive group A streptococcal strains bound significantly more beta 2m than M protein-negative variants of these strains. Purified M 12 protein partly inhibited the binding of radiolabelled beta 2m aggregates to whole streptococci, and in gel filtration and affinity chromatography experiments, the M 12 protein interacted with beta 2m. These various data suggest that the interaction between beta 2m and group A streptococci could be mediated by M protein. Lipoteichoic acid (LTA) is a constituent of the streptococcal cell wall that has been reported to form complexes with M protein at the bacterial cell surface. However, LTA did not influence the interaction between beta 2m and streptococci, suggesting that the binding of beta 2m to streptococcal M protein represents a pure protein-protein interaction. In vivo such an interaction could be established between infecting streptococci and host cells. Among 45 strains of different M types large differences in beta 2m binding were recorded, whereas among 60 strains of the classical nephritogenic M types 12 and 49, all were highly beta 2m-reactive, which points towards a role for beta 2m in streptococcal pathogenicity.
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| 6. |
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| 7. |
- Brimnes, J, et al.
(författare)
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Reactions of N-N and N-O compounds with horseradish peroxidase and peroxidases from Mycobacterium tuberculosis
- 1999
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Ingår i: APMIS : acta pathologica, microbiologica, et immunologica Scandinavica. - 1600-0463. ; 107:6, s. 555-565
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Several N-N-and N-O-containing compounds were analysed for their ability to act as substrates for horseradish peroxidase and peroxidases in Mycobacterium tuberculosis extracts. Aminoguanidine, diaminoguanidine, isoniazid, hydroxylamine and hydrazine were found to be weak substrates for horseradish peroxidase in reaction I and to inhibit the reaction of horseradish peroxidase with hydrogen peroxide. The same compounds inhibited the reaction of Mycobacterium tuberculosis peroxidase-catalase with hydrogen peroxide, and hydroxylamine was found to be a weak substrate for this enzyme. In growth inhibition experiments, diaminoguanidine inhibited the growth of M. tuberculosis H37Rv at 50 microg/mL, but not the growth of two isoniazid-resistant strains. Isonicotinic acid hydroxamate inhibited the reaction of the peroxidases with hydrogen peroxide, but was not itself a substrate and had no growth-inhibitory effects. On the basis of these results we suggest that the effect of isoniazid on growth of M. tuberculosis results from increased oxidative stress due to inhibition of catalase-peroxidase as well as from generation of toxic radicals with the structure [structure in text].
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| 8. |
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| 9. |
- Gebre, Negussie, et al.
(författare)
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Improved microscopical diagnosis of pulmonary tuberculosis in developing countries
- 1995
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Ingår i: Transactions of the Royal Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene. - : Oxford University Press (OUP). - 1878-3503 .- 0035-9203. ; 89:2, s. 191-193
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The diagnosis of pulmonary tuberculosis (TB) relies on the bacteriological examination of sputum. However, microscopy of smears made directly from sputum has a low sensitivity and there is an urgent need for improved methods. We have compared microscopy of smears made directly from sputum with microscopy after liquefaction of sputum with household bleach (NaOCl) and concentration of bacteria by centrifugation. In 3 studies performed in Ethiopia and India, the use of the NaOCl method increased the number of samples positive for acid-fast bacilli by more than 100%. The technique is appropriate for developing countries and its application would increase the efficiency of TB control programmes. As a potent disinfectant, NaOCl also has the advantage of lowering the risk of laboratory infection.
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| 10. |
- Holst, Elisabet, et al.
(författare)
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In vitro activities of cefcanel and some other cephalosporins against Pasteurella multocida
- 1989
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Ingår i: Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy. - 1098-6596. ; 33:12, s. 2142-2143
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Thirty-five strains of Pasteurella multocida from humans and animals were tested for susceptibility to five cephalosporins by a broth dilution method. Cefcanel showed high activity against all isolates (MIC and MBC, less than or equal to 0.64 micrograms/ml). The corresponding figure for cefaclor and cefuroxime was 2.56 micrograms/ml. Cefadroxil and cephalexin were the least active compounds tested.
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