摘要:

Haemophilus influenzaetype b causes considerable morbidity and mortality in infants and young children. Immunity to this organism has been attributed in part to the formation, and increase with age, of antibodies to the capsular polysaccharide of the bacteria. A degree of immunodeficiency could explain why some infants and young children develop invasive haemophilus disease. In this study we investigated immunocom‐petence in ten infants with invasive haemophilus disease. We found normal lymphocyte mitogen responses, neutrophil iodination and bactericidal and fungicidal capacities in this group. While we found no deficiencies of any of the immunoglobulin classes, three patients had low concentrations of IgG4 and two of them had low concentrations of IgG2 as well. These findings suggest that in some infants who develop haemophilus infections, the measurement of IgG subclasses may reveal immune defects that would not otherwise be apparen

ISSN:0905-6157    

DOI:10.1111/j.1399-3038.1993.tb00056.x

出版商:Blackwell Publishing Ltd    

年代:1993

数据来源: WILEY

摘要:

Congenital deficiency of the late components of the complement may predispose the individual to systemic meningococcal infection. Assuming that patients with acquired complement deficiencies may also have an increased risk of contracting meningococcal infections, a retrospective and prospective study to assess this association was conducted. Over 20 years (1970–1989), 30 patients with meningococcemia or meningococcal meningitis, proven by blood or CSF culture, were treated at the Beilinson Medical Center. Only one patient died of the infection. Risk factors were found in three patients (10%). One had a congenital deficiency of C7, and two had acquired complement deficiency due to systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and membranoproliferative glomerulonephritis (MPGN). These latter two patients had low serum concentration of C3 and C4 and reduced complement hemolytic activity before onset of the infection. Since the incidence of culture‐proven systemic meningococcal infection in the Jewish population in central Israel is 1/100, 000, and the prevalence of SLE and MPGN is, at most, 250/100, 000, the finding of two patients with meningococcal infection and these rare disorders is over 100 times the expected incidence. We conclude that patients with acquired complement deficiency are at significant risk of meningococcal infect

ISSN:0905-6157    

DOI:10.1111/j.1399-3038.1993.tb00057.x

出版商:Blackwell Publishing Ltd    

年代:1993

数据来源: WILEY

摘要:

Two boys, aged three and seven years with immune thrombocytopenic purpura continued to show platelet counts below 20, 000/mm3inspite of treatment with high dose gammaglobulin and steroids. Alpha‐2b‐in‐terferon injections were followed by normalisation of platelet counts in both patients. No side effects were seen. Alpha‐interferon may be a safe and effective treatment for childh

ISSN:0905-6157    

DOI:10.1111/j.1399-3038.1993.tb00058.x

出版商:Blackwell Publishing Ltd    

年代:1993

数据来源: WILEY

摘要:

Immunoglobulin (Ig)‐producing cells. T cells (CD3) and epithelial expression of seeretory component (SC) and HLA class II determinants (DR, ‐DP, ‐DQ) were studied by immunohistochemistry in 16 fetal and 15 postnatal specimens from the tracheal wall. Small amounts of secretory component (SC) was present in the traeheal surface and gland epithelium in the fetal period and inereased towards term. A few IgM‐, IgD‐ and IgG‐producing cells were present in some fetal specimens but no IgA‐ and IgE‐produeing cells were found. Only very few CD3 + T‐cells were present in fetal specimens and intraepithelial T‐cells were virtually absent until after birth. Premature infants that lived for 1 week had less SC epithelial expression than mature infants of the same age. The density of CD3 + T‐cells. IgA‐, IgM‐producing cells as well as the epithelial SC expression increased rapidly after birth. Epithelial MHC class II expression was absent in fetal specimens. HLA‐DR was detected on the apical border of the surface epithelium one week after birth and was extensively expressed throughout the remaining postnatal period. E‐pithelial DP and PQ expression were virtually absent during this same period. These features probably reflect local activation of the immune system in resp

ISSN:0905-6157    

DOI:10.1111/j.1399-3038.1993.tb00059.x

出版商:Blackwell Publishing Ltd    

年代:1993

数据来源: WILEY

摘要:

Serum IgG subclasses and Serum IgA were studied in 43 infants with acute bronchiolitis and 20 healthy infants. IgG subclasses were determined by a capture ELISA and IgA was quantified by turbidimetry. IgG1 concentrations were significantly lower in infants with bronchiolitis than in normal infants. The other IgG subclasses and IgA did not differ between the groups. The subgroups of infants with bronchiolitis who had previously suffered from otitis media or bronchitis, had significantly lower IgG2 than the other infants with bronchiolitis. The same was found for infants with bronchiolitis who had suffered from three or more lower respiratory tract infections. In infants who had suffered from upper or lower respiratory infections before the acute bronchiolitis, IgA was significantly higher than in infants without previous respiratory infections. Ten infants with bronchiolitis (23%) had IgGl deficiency, that is values below the lower reference limit calculated in a population of healthy Norwegian infants. No healthy infants had any IgGl deficiency. No infant with bronchiolitis had IgG2 or IgG3 deficiency. The low IgGl values found in infants with acute bronchiolitis, may be one cause for infants to be more susceptible to RS virus infections.

ISSN:0905-6157    

DOI:10.1111/j.1399-3038.1993.tb00060.x

出版商:Blackwell Publishing Ltd    

年代:1993

数据来源: WILEY

摘要:

Responses of plasma vasoactive intestinal polypeptide (VIP) to methacholine inhalation and to exercise loading were studied in asthmatic patients to clarity a significant role of the peptidc. The mean of basal VIP in asthmatics was not significantly different from the normals. The levels were increased after FEV (1. 0) (forced expiratory volume in a second) decreased to 80% of the baseline following methacholine inhalation and were returned to values similar to the baseline when FEV (1. 0) recovered to 100%. Thirty minutes after the exercise, mean VIP was significantly lower in patients with the lowest FEV (1. 0). These results suggest that VIPergic system contributes, at least partly, to relax constricted bronchioles in some patients with bronchial asthma.

ISSN:0905-6157    

DOI:10.1111/j.1399-3038.1993.tb00061.x

出版商:Blackwell Publishing Ltd    

年代:1993

数据来源: WILEY

摘要:

We have determined the correlation between IgE in cord blood and capillary scrum from 98 mature children at 5 days of age, Sixty‐six per cent had no family history of atopy., 29% had a single and 5% a double disposition. The study showed a good correlation, rho = 0. 75, p<10−5, between IgE levels in cord blood and capillary blood samples drawn on the 5th day of life in children both with and without a heredity of atopic diseases. There was no correlation between the concentrations of cord blood IgE and

ISSN:0905-6157    

DOI:10.1111/j.1399-3038.1993.tb00062.x

出版商:Blackwell Publishing Ltd    

年代:1993

数据来源: WILEY

摘要:

Screening of total IgE in 1189 cord blood samples was conducted by Phadebas IgE PRIST in a one‐year birth cohort 1983‐1984 in Viborg. Denmark. 113 children with cord blood IgE levels ≥ 0.5 kU/l and 138 children chosen at random among those with cord blood IgE levels<0. 5 kU/l were seen at a follow‐up at 5 years of age. Based upon history and physical examination a diagnosis of definite atopy or no atopy was established. Allergy (IgE mediated) was defined as atopic disease combined with increased total IgE levels at 5 years of age. The cumulative prevalence of atopic disease was not influenced by cord blood IgE levels or atopic predisposition. Cord blood IgE levels had a low sensitivity as a predictor of atopic disease. A statistically significant correlation between serum levels of IgE at birth and at 5 years was however found (p<0.001), and a significantly greater number of children with elevated cord blood IgE levels developed allergic disease before 5 years of age (p63 kU/l (geometric mean + 1 SD) at the age of 5 years can be regarded as being an elevated level. A cord blood IgE level ≥ 0.3 kU/l in combination with atopic predisposition was predictive of allergic disease, especially allergic bronchial asthma. With regard to allergic disease, the positive predictive value was 26%, the sensitivity 33% and the rate ratio for development of allergic disease 4. In the case of the most serious atopic disease, allergic bronchial asthma, the positive predictive value was 20%, the sensitivity 87% and the ra

ISSN:0905-6157    

DOI:10.1111/j.1399-3038.1993.tb00063.x

出版商:Blackwell Publishing Ltd    

年代:1993

数据来源: WILEY

摘要:

The healthy young infant is immunologically adapted to receiving vast amounts of antigens in diet. At the age of 6 months, nine infants were put on a CM elimination diet for 3 weeks and then challenged with CM. Gut immune response was evaluated indirectly with ELISPOT assay at 6 months, after CM elimination (Day 1) and challenge (Day 8), and at 11 months. CM elimination decreased the numbers of immunoglobulin secreting cells (ISC): in the IgM class from mean [95% CI] 4969 [2555, 9653]at 6 months to 1716 [1024, 2873]/106cells on Day 1 (t = 3. 14. p = 0.01); and in the IgG class from 5547 [3562, 8630] to 2684 [1383, 5208)/106cells (t = 3. 29, p = 0.01). CM challenge further reduced interindividual variation, and at 11 months the scatter of ISC was comparable to that at 6 months. Specific antibody‐secreting cells of the IgA and IgG class were seen at 6 months and again at 11 months, while specific IgM‐secreting cells persisted throughout the dietary manipulation. The results indicate that diet profoundly affects the immune defense system, and further suggest that a focused immune response is vital in acquisition of tolerance to dietary antig

ISSN:0905-6157    

DOI:10.1111/j.1399-3038.1993.tb00064.x

出版商:Blackwell Publishing Ltd    

年代:1993

数据来源: WILEY

摘要:

One hundred and seven chronically wheezing infants, aged 6 months to 3 years, completed a double‐blind placebo controlled multicenter study. Alter a two‐week baseline period the patients were randomized into two groups receiving twice daily either ketotifen or placebo for a period of 12 weeks. The ketotifen dosage was 0. 5 mg for children younger than one year and 1 mg for the older. During the 12‐week treatment period the patients from the two groups demonstrated gradual improvement of the disease severity parameters, as compared with the baseline period. The amelioration was more marked in the ketotifen treated patients and during the 0‐4, and 4‐8 weeks of treatment a significant decrease was achieved in the percentage of days with a cough (p<0.04) and in the number of wheezing episodes (p = 0.02). Moreover, a 50% reduction of the days and nights with cough and in the number of wheezing episodes occurred earlier in the ketotifen than in the placebo treated patients, i. e. after 1. 2 vs 4. 6; 4. 4 vs 8. 6 and 5. 2 vs 7. 2 weeks, respectively. It should be stressed that the ameloration of the asthmatic morbidity in the ketotifen group was achieved with a significantly reduced need for the concomitant use of bronchodilators. The principal side effects observed were weight gain and transient sedation. It is concluded that ketotifen may be effective in the amelioration of asthma associated symptomatology and acceleration in the natural tendency for improvement in chronic wheezin

ISSN:0905-6157    

DOI:10.1111/j.1399-3038.1993.tb00065.x

出版商:Blackwell Publishing Ltd    

年代:1993

数据来源: WILEY