bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Coronary Angioplasty Induces Rise in
Chlamydia pneumoniae
-Specific Antibodies
Authors: Tiran Andreas , Tio Rene A. , Ossewaarde Jacobus M. , Tiran Beate , den Heijer Peter , The T. Hauw , Wilders-Truschnig Martie M. 
Published: December 2019

ABSTRACT

Chlamydia pneumoniae
is frequently found in atherosclerotic lesions, and high titers of specific antibodies are associated with increased risk for acute myocardial infarction. However, a causative relation has not been established yet. We performed a prospective study of 93 patients undergoing percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty (PTCA) to investigate whether angioplasty influences
Chlamydia
-specific antibody titers and whether there is an association with restenosis. Blood samples were obtained before and 1 and 6 months after angioplasty. Antibodies against chlamydial lipopolysaccharide and against purified
C. pneumoniae
elementary bodies were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). After angioplasty, the prevalence of antibodies to lipopolysaccharide rose from 20 to 26% for immunoglobulin A (IgA), from 53 to 64% for IgG, and from 2 to 7% for IgM (
P
= 0.021, 0.004, and 0.046, respectively). There was a rapid increase of mean antibody titers of all antibody classes within 1 month of PTCA. During the following 5 months, antibody titers decreased slightly but were still higher than baseline values. Results of the
C. pneumoniae
-specific ELISA were essentially the same. The rise of anti-
Chlamydia
antibodies was not caused by unspecific reactivation of the immune system, as levels of antibodies against cytomegalovirus did not change. Neither seropositivity nor antibody titers were related to restenosis. However, increases in mean IgA and IgM titers were restricted to patients who had suffered from myocardial infarction earlier in their lives. In conclusion, we show that PTCA induces a stimulation of the humoral immune response against
C. pneumoniae
. These data support the idea that plaque disruption during angioplasty might make hidden chlamydial antigens accessible to the immune system.
Development and Characterization of Complex DNA Fingerprinting Probes for the Infectious Yeast
Candida dubliniensis
Authors: Joly Sophie , Pujol Claude , Rysz Michal , Vargas Kaaren , Soll David R. 
Published: December 2019

ABSTRACT

Using a strategy to clone large genomic sequences containing repetitive elements from the infectious yeast
Candida dubliniensis
, the three unrelated sequences Cd1, Cd24, and Cd25, with respective molecular sizes of 15,500, 10,000, and 16,000 bp, were cloned and analyzed for their efficacy as DNA fingerprinting probes. Each generated a complex Southern blot hybridization pattern with endonuclease-digested genomic DNA. Cd1 generated an extremely variable pattern that contained all of the bands of the pattern generated by the repeat element RPS of
Candida albicans
. We demonstrated that Cd1 does not contain RPS but does contain a repeat element associated with RPS throughout the
C. dubliniensis
genome. The Cd1 pattern was the least stable over time both in vitro and in vivo and for that reason proved most effective in assessing microevolution. Cd24, which did not exhibit microevolution in vitro, was highly variable in vivo, suggesting in vivo-dependent microevolution. Cd25 was deemed the best probe for broad epidemiological studies, since it was the most stable over time, was the only truly
C. dubliniensis
-specific probe of the three, generated the most complex pattern, was distributed throughout all
C. dubliniensis
chromosomes, and separated a worldwide collection of 57
C. dubliniensis
isolates into two distinct groups. The presence of a species-specific repetitive element in Cd25 adds weight to the already substantial evidence that
C. dubliniensis
represents a bona fide species.
Comparison ofEhrlichia murisStrains Isolated from Wild Mice and Ticks and Serologic Survey of Humans and Animals withE. murisas Antigen
Authors: Kawahara Makoto , Ito Tadahiko , Suto Chiharu , Shibata Shinichiro , Rikihisa Yasuko , Hata Kazuhisa , Hirai Katsuya 
Published: December 2019

ABSTRACTIn metropolitan Tokyo, theEhrlichia murisseropositivity rate of 24 wild mice was 63% in Hinohara Village, but in the surrounding areas, it was 0 to 5%. This finding suggests that the reservoir ofE. murisis focal. Among the 15 seropositive mice, ehrlichiae were isolated from 9Apodemus speciosusmice and 1A. argenteusmouse, respectively. Five ehrlichial isolates were obtained from 10 ticks (Haemaphysalis flava) collected in Asuke Town, Aichi Prefecture, where theE. muristype strain had been isolated. These new isolates were compared with theE. muristype strain. The mouse virulence and ultrastructure of the new isolates were similar to those of the type strain, and all of them were cross-reactive with each other, as well as with the type strain, by indirect immunofluorescent-antibody test. The levels of similarity of the base sequences of the 16S rRNA gene of one of theA. speciosusisolates and one of the tick isolates to that of theE. muristype strain were 99.79 and 99.93%, respectively. We suggest that all of these isolates areE. muris; thatE. murisis not limited toEothenomys kageusbut infects other species of mice; and thatE. murisis present at locations other than Aichi Prefecture. It appears thatH. flavais a potential vector ofE. muris. Twenty (1%) of 1803 humans from metropolitan Tokyo were found to be seropositive forE. murisantibodies. A serological survey revealed that exposure toE. murisor organisms antigenically cross-reactive toE. murisoccurred among dogs, wild mice, monkeys, bears, deer, and wild boars in Gifu Prefecture, nearby prefectures, and Nagoya City, central Japan. However, human beings andRattus norvegicusrats in this area were seronegative. These results indicate broader geographic distribution of and human and animal species exposure toE. murisor relatedEhrlichiaspp. in Japan.
Evidence for Nasal Carriage of Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococci Colonizing Intravascular Devices
Authors: Frebourg Noëlle Barbier , Cauliez Bruno , Lemeland Jean-François 
Published: December 2019

ABSTRACT

Nasal surveillance cultures were performed for 54 patients exhibiting ≥10
3
CFU of methicillin-resistant coagulase-negative staphylococci per ml in central venous catheter (CVC) rinse cultures over a 6-month period. Forty-two of the nasal cultures yielded growth of methicillin-resistant coagulase-negative staphylococci, and 33 of the 42 cultures contained organisms that belonged to the same species as the CVC isolates. Of the 33 same-species isolates, 20 appeared to be identical strains by pulsed-field gel electrophoresis analysis. These data suggest that measures should be taken to reduce cross-contamination between the respiratory tract and intravascular devices. However, the potential interest in detecting methicillin-resistant coagulase-negative staphylococcus carriage in high-risk patients is hampered by the lack of sensitivity of nasal surveillance cultures.
Central Line Sepsis in a Child Due to a Previously Unidentified Mycobacterium
Authors: Hogg Geoffrey G. , Schinsky Mark F. , McNeil Michael M. , Lasker Brent A. , Silcox Vella A. , Brown June M. 
Published: December 2019

ABSTRACT

A rapidly growing mycobacterium similar to strains in the present
Mycobacterium fortuitum
complex (
M. fortuitum
,
M. peregrinum
, and
M. fortuitum
third biovariant complex [sorbitol positive and sorbitol negative]) was isolated from a surgically placed central venous catheter tip and three cultures of blood from a 2-year-old child diagnosed with metastatic hepatoblastoma. The organism’s unique phenotypic profile and ribotype patterns differed from those of the type and reference strains of the
M. fortuitum
complex and indicate that this organism may represent a new pathogenic taxon.
Isolation of a Human Rotavirus Strain with a Super-Short RNA Pattern and a New P2 Subtype
Authors: Nakagomi Toyoko , Horie Yasuo , Koshimura Yumi , Greenberg Harry B. , Nakagomi Osamu 
Published: December 2019

ABSTRACT
Super-short rotavirus strains that have a rearranged gene segment 11 are rarely found in humans, and only five isolates, all from Southeast Asia, have been described in the literature. We report the first isolation in Japan from an infant with severe diarrhea of a rotavirus possessing a super-short RNA pattern. This strain, designated AU19, had a G1 VP7 and is also the first isolate in Japan that possesses a P2[6] VP4. Furthermore, the P2[6] VP4 carried by AU19 was divergent in the hypervariable region of the amino acid sequence from the P2A[6] VP4s carried by asymptomatic neonatal strains or from the P2B[6] VP4 carried by porcine rotavirus strain Gottfried. Thus, AU19 is likely to represent a new VP4 subtype, which we propose to call P2C. Given the recent emergence of the P2[6] VP4s in India, Brazil, and the United States and the role of VP4 in protective immunity, further scrutiny is justified to see whether the emergence of the previously underrepresented P2[6] VP4 serotype is related to this new P2 subtype.
Production of Specific Monoclonal Antibodies to
Aspergillus
Species and Their Use in Immunohistochemical Identification of Aspergillosis
Authors: Fenelon L. E. , Hamilton A. J. , Figueroa J. I. , Bartholomew M. A. , Allen M. H. , McCarthy P. , Hay R. J. 
Published: December 2019

ABSTRACT

Two anti-
Aspergillus
murine monoclonal antibodies (MAbs), designated 164G and 611F, have been produced; both specifically recognize cytoplasmic antigens of
A. fumigatus
,
A. flavus
, and
A. niger
by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. The MAbs can identify
Aspergillus
spp. both in frozen sections by immunofluorescence and in paraffin-embedded clinical specimens by immunofluorescence and immunoperoxidase staining.
Case of Sepsis Caused by
Bifidobacterium longum
Authors: Ha Gyoung Yim , Yang Chang Heon , Kim Heesoo , Chong Yunsop 
Published: December 2019

ABSTRACT

We report a case of sepsis caused by
Bifidobacterium longum
in a 19-year-old male who had developed high fever, jaundice, and hepatomegaly after acupuncture therapy with small gold needles. Anaerobic, non-spore-forming, gram-positive bacilli were isolated from his blood and finally identified as
B. longum
. He recovered completely after treatment with ticarcillin and metronidazole. To our knowledge, this is the first report of incidental sepsis caused by
B. longum
.
Extensive Cross-Contamination of Specimens with
Mycobacterium tuberculosis
in a Reference Laboratory
Authors: de C. Ramos Marcelo , Soini Hanna , Roscanni Glaucia C. , Jaques Monica , Villares Maria C. , Musser James M. 
Published: December 2019

ABSTRACT

A striking increase in the numbers of cultures positive for
Mycobacterium tuberculosis
was noticed in a mycobacterial reference laboratory in Campinas, Sao Paulo State, Brazil, in May 1995. A contaminated bronchoscope was the suspected cause of the increase. All 91
M. tuberculosis
isolates grown from samples from patients between 8 May and 18 July 1995 were characterized by spoligotyping and IS
6110
fingerprinting. Sixty-one of the 91 isolates had identical spoligotype patterns, and the pattern was arbitrarily designated S36. The 61 specimens containing these isolates had been processed and cultured in a 21-day period ending on 1 June 1995, but only 1 sample was smear positive for acid-fast bacilli. The patient from whom this sample was obtained was considered to be the index case patient and had a 4+ smear-positive lymph node aspirate that had been sent to the laboratory on 10 May. Virtually all organisms with spoligotype S36 had the same IS
6110
fingerprint pattern. Extensive review of the patients’ charts and investigation of laboratory procedures revealed that cross-contamination of specimens had occurred. Because the same strain was grown from all types of specimens, the bronchoscope was ruled out as the outbreak source. The most likely source of contamination was a multiple-use reagent used for specimen processing. The organism was cultured from two of the solutions 3 weeks after mock contamination. This investigation strongly supports the idea that
M. tuberculosis
grown from smear-negative specimens should be analyzed by rapid and reliable strain differentiation techniques, such as spoligotyping, to help rule out laboratory contamination.
Phylogenetic Classification and Species Identification of Dermatophyte Strains Based on DNA Sequences of Nuclear Ribosomal Internal Transcribed Spacer 1 Regions
Authors: Makimura Koichi , Tamura Yoshiko , Mochizuki Takashi , Hasegawa Atsuhiko , Tajiri Yoshito , Hanazawa Ryo , Uchida Katsuhisa , Saito Hiuga , Yamaguchi Hideyo 
Published: December 2019

ABSTRACT

The mutual phylogenetic relationships of dermatophytes of the genera
Trichophyton
,
Microsporum
, and
Epidermophyton
were demonstrated by using internal transcribed spacer 1 (ITS1) region ribosomal DNA sequences.
Trichophyton
spp. and
Microsporum
spp. form a cluster in the phylogenetic tree with
Epidermophyton floccosum
as an outgroup, and within this cluster, all
Trichophyton
spp. except
Trichophyton terrestre
form a nested cluster (100% bootstrap support). Members of dermatophytes in the cluster of
Trichophyton
spp. were classified into three groups with ITS1 homologies, with each of them being a monophyletic cluster (100% bootstrap support). The
Arthroderma vanbreuseghemii-Arthroderma simii
group consists of
A. vanbreuseghemii
,
A. simii
,
Trichophyton mentagrophytes
isolates from humans,
T. mentagrophytes
var.
quinckeanum
,
Trichophyton tonsurans
, and
Trichophyton schoenleinii. Arthroderma benhamiae
,
T. mentagrophytes
var.
erinacei
, and
Trichophyton verrucosum
are members of the
Arthroderma benhamiae
group.
Trichophyton rubrum
and
Trichophyton violaceum
form the
T. rubrum
group. This suggests that these “species” of dermatophytes have been overclassified. The ITS1 sequences of 11 clinical isolates were also determined to identify the species, and all strains were successfully identified by comparison of their base sequences with those in the ITS1 DNA sequence database.
Evaluation of Accuracy and Repeatability of Identification of Food-Borne Pathogens by Automated Bacterial Identification Systems
Authors: Odumeru Joseph A. , Steele Marina , Fruhner Lynne , Larkin Carolyn , Jiang Jiangdong , Mann Elroy , McNab W. Bruce 
Published: December 2019

ABSTRACT

The performances of five automated microbial identification systems, relative to that of a reference identification system, for their ability to accurately and repeatedly identify six common food-borne pathogens were assessed. The systems assessed were the MicroLog system (Biolog Inc., Hayward, Calif.), the Microbial Identification System (MIS; MIDI Inc., Newark, Del.), the VITEK system (bioMérieux Vitek, Hazelwood, Mo.), the MicroScan WalkAway 40 system (Dade-MicroScan International, West Sacramento, Calif.), and the Replianalyzer system (Oxoid Inc., Nepean, Ontario, Canada). The sensitivities and specificities of these systems for the identification of food-borne isolates of
Bacillus cereus
,
Campylobacter jejuni
,
Listeria monocytogenes
,
Staphylococcus aureus
,
Salmonella
spp., and verotoxigenic
Escherichia coli
were determined with 40 reference positive isolates and 40 reference negative isolates for each pathogen. The sensitivities of these systems for the identification of these pathogens ranged from 42.5 to 100%, and the specificities of these systems for the identification of these pathogens ranged from 32.5 to 100%. Some of the systems had difficulty correctly identifying the reference isolates when the results were compared to those from the reference identification tests. The sensitivity of MIS for the identification of
S. aureus
,
B. cereus
,
E. coli
, and
C. jejuni
, for example, ranged from 47.5 to 72.5%. The sensitivity of the Microlog system for the identification of
E. coli
was 72.5%, and the sensitivity of the VITEK system for the identification of
B. cereus
was 42.5%. The specificities of four of the five systems for the identification of all of the species tested with the available databases were greater than or equal to 97.5%; the exception was MIS for the identification of
C. jejuni
, which displayed a specificity of 32.5% when it was tested with reference negative isolates including
Campylobacter coli
and other
Campylobacter
species. All systems had >80% sensitivities for the identification of
Salmonella
species and
Listeria
species at the genus level. The repeatability of these systems for the identification of test isolates ranged from 30 to 100%. Not all systems included all six pathogens in their databases; thus, some species could not be tested with all systems. The choice of automated microbial identification system for the identification of a food-borne pathogen would depend on the availability of identification libraries within the systems and the performance of the systems for the identification of the pathogen.
Identification of
Mycobacterium kansasii
by Using a DNA Probe (AccuProbe) and Molecular Techniques
Authors: Richter Elvira , Niemann Stefan , Rüsch-Gerdes Sabine , Hoffner Sven 
Published: December 2019

ABSTRACT

The newly formulated
Mycobacterium kansasii
AccuProbe was evaluated, and the results obtained with the new version were compared to the results obtained with the old version of this test by using 116
M. kansasii
strains, 1
Mycobacterium gastri
strain, and 19 strains of several mycobacterial species. The sensitivity of this new formulation was 97.4% and the specificity was 100%. Still, three
M. kansasii
strains were missed by this probe. To evaluate the variability within the species, genetic analyses of the
hsp65
gene, the spacer sequence between the 16S and 23S rRNA genes, and the 16S rRNA gene of several
M. kansasii
AccuProbe-positive strains as well as all AccuProbe-negative strains were performed. Genetic analyses of the one
M. gastri
strain from the comparative assay and of two further
M. gastri
strains were included because of the identity of the 16S rRNA gene in
M. gastri
to that in
M. kansasii
. The data confirmed the genetic heterogeneity of
M. kansasii
. Furthermore, a subspecies with an unpublished
hsp65
restriction pattern and spacer sequence was described. The genetic data indicate that all
M. kansasii
strains missed by the AccuProbe test belong to one subspecies, the newly described subspecies VI, as determined by the
hsp65
restriction pattern and the spacer sequence. Since the
M. kansasii
strains that are missed are rare and all
M. gastri
strains are correctly negative, the new formulated AccuProbe provides a useful tool for the identification of
M. kansasii
.
Evaluation of Three Glycoprotein G2-Based Enzyme Immunoassays for Detection of Antibodies to Herpes Simplex Virus Type 2 in Human Sera
Authors: Eis-Hübinger Anna Maria , Däumer Martin , Matz Bertfried , Schneweis Karl Eduard 
Published: December 2019

ABSTRACT
Three new glycoprotein G-based enzyme immunoassays (ETI-HSVK-G 2, Sorin Diagnostics Biomedica [assay A]; HSV Type 2 Specific IgG ELISA, Gull Laboratories, Inc. [assay B]; Cobas Core HSV-2 IgG EIA, Roche [assay C]) for the detection of herpes simplex virus (HSV) type 2 (HSV-2)-specific antibodies were evaluated. By testing sera from 25 individuals with culture-proven HSV-2 infection, the assays showed a sensitivity of 96%. The specificities, evaluated with sera from 70 HSV antibody-negative children, 75 HSV antibody-positive children, and 69 HSV antibody-negative adults, were 100% for assay A, 96.2% for assay B, and 97.8% for assay C, respectively. Discrepant results by any of the three assays, i.e., reactivity of a specimen in only one or two assays, occurred with similar frequencies for HSV-seronegative individuals as well as HSV-seropositive children and adults. For sera with discrepant results, the positive reactivity was mostly low. Thus, for determination of the prevalence of HSV-2 antibodies, only concordantly positive results were considered. On the basis of the results obtained with sera from 41 adults with culture-proven HSV-1 infection and from 173 HSV-antibody-positive pregnant women, the HSV-2 seroprevalence was 9.8%. The results show that the new glycoprotein G2-based enzyme immunoassays are useful tools for the detection of type-specific HSV-2 antibodies. However, if only one assay is performed, careful interpretation of the results is indicated, especially if the exhibited reactivity is low, and for determination of the definitive HSV-2 serostatus, confirmatory assays may still be necessary.
Highly Sensitive Methods for Quantitation of Human Immunodeficiency Virus Type 1 RNA from Plasma, Cells, and Tissues
Authors: Fischer Marek , Huber Werner , Kallivroussis Alex , Ott Peter , Opravil Milos , Lüthy Ruedi , Weber Rainer , Cone Richard W. 
Published: December 2019

ABSTRACT
Precise and sensitive quantitation of viral RNA in specimens from human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) type 1 (HIV-1)-infected individuals has become an indispensable tool for the monitoring of the efficacy of highly active antiretroviral combination therapy. The present report describes reproducible and efficient protocols with enhanced sensitivity for quantitation of HIV-1 RNA from plasma, peripheral blood mononuclear cells, and tissues with Qiagen silica columns for RNA purification combined with the Roche Amplicor HIV-1 Monitor test for quantitative reverse transcription-PCR (RT-PCR). Extraction of RNA from 0.5 ml of plasma resulted in the detection of fewer than 20 HIV RNA copies/ml of plasma, equivalent to the centrifugation-based boosted RT-PCR assay. Silica extraction of cellular RNA resulted in the detection of fewer than 3 HIV-1 RNA copies/μg of total RNA. These techniques facilitate direct comparisons of viral loads between liquid and cellular specimens. Application of these sensitive methods may improve the assessment of the response to new antiretroviral regimens.
Serological Discrimination of Dogs Infected with GastricHelicobacterspp. and Uninfected Dogs
Authors: Strauss-Ayali Dalit , Simpson Kenneth W. , Schein Amy H. , McDonough Patrick L. , Jacobson Richard H. , Valentine Beth A. , Peacock Jeff 
Published: December 2019

ABSTRACTCharacterization of the humoral immune responses of people toHelicobacter pyloriinfection has facilitated the investigation of the host response to bacterial virulence factors and the development of sensitive and specific diagnostic tests. Dogs are commonly infected with gastricHelicobacterspp., but the presence of multipleHelicobacterspp. and possible coinfection in individual dogs have complicated serological evaluation. Evaluation of the antigenic homology ofHelicobacterspp. revealed that the major protein bands ofHelicobacter felisandHelicobacter bizzozeronii, twoHelicobacterspp. that infect dogs, were very similar to UreA (29 to 31 kDa), UreB (63 to 66 kDa), and HSP (58 to 60 kDa) ofH. pylori, and sera from infected and uninfected dogs bound in a similar way to each antigen. Immunoblotting and an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) withH. felisATCC 49179 antigen were performed with 101 serum samples (from 78 infected dogs and 23 uninfected dogs). Samples from uninfected dogs (median = 8) had fewer bands on immunoblotting than samples from infected dogs (median = 16) (P< 0.05). Combinations of the presence of any two of the low-molecular-mass bands (19, 25, 30, 32, and 37 kDa) or the high-molecular-mass bands (86 and 94 kDa) were found almost solely in samples from infected dogs (P< 0.0001). Kinetic ELISA results were significantly higher for samples from infected dogs (median = 0.0802 optical density unit [OD]/min) than for samples from uninfected dogs (median = 0.01428 OD/min). The combination of ELISA and immunoblotting results gave a specificity of 95.6% and a sensitivity of 79.8%. No correlation between ELISA results, colonization density, degree of inflammation, and presence of lymphoid follicles was observed. The results indicate substantial antigenic homology betweenH. felis,H. pylori, andH. bizzozeronii. The combination of ELISA and immunoblotting was a highly specific and moderately sensitive indicator of infection. The degree of seropositivity assessed by ELISA was not related to bacterial colonization density, the degree of gastric inflammation, or the presence of lymphoid follicles.