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Biomedical subjects

A Halstensen

Publications and source records attributed to A Halstensen.

58 records · Page 4Linked to original sources

Human opsonins to meningococci after vaccination.

Two groups of volunteers were immunized with either a serogroup A plus C meningococcal polysaccharide vaccine or a combined serogroup B polysaccharide-serotype 2 protein vaccine. Serum opsonin responses were measured by chemiluminescence of polymorphonuclear leukocytes exposed to opsonized live meningococci. Two of the six volunteers immunized with the A plus C vaccine had an increase in serum opsonins to group A meningococci, four responded to group C meningococci, and none to group B meningococci. Five other volunteers who were immunized with the combined group B polysaccharide-serotype 2 protein vaccine responded with an increase in serum opsonins to group B meningococci of two different protein serotypes, as well as to a group C-serotype 2 meningococcal strain. Although no booster effect was observed after a second dose of the combined vaccine, both the polysaccharide and the protein components appear to be able to stimulate an opsonin response.

Bacterial Vaccines↗

Granulocyte function in malignant monoclonal gammopathy.

Granulocyte function was studied in 22 patients with untreated myelomatosis or macroglobulinaemia. Granulocyte adhesiveness (GA) and migration in capillary tubes (Tm) were, except for light chain disease, significantly decreased in patients of all gammopathy classes especially IgG myelomatosis. A plasma factor inhibited GA. The impairment of Tm was due to an inhibiting factor as well as lack of a stimulating plasma factor. Migration of granulocytes to skin chambers was decreased in patients with IgG myelomatosis. Chemiluminescence production during phagocytosis of opsonized zymosan was decreased. Compared to control sera, the opsonic activity of patient sera was strongly decreased. The impaired granulocyte functions in patients with malignant monoclonal gammopathy may contribute to the enhanced susceptibility to infections in these patients.

Aged↗

Penetration of antibiotics into human leukocytes and dermal suction blisters.

Staphylococcus aureus phagocytized by leukocytes from healthy donors and from patients with chronic granulomatous disease were protected from the antibacterial effect of gentamicin. Considerable numbers of phagocytized bacteria remained viable after exposure for 20 hr to antibiotic concentrations that killed greater than 99% of extracellular bacteria in less than 4 hr. A higher proportion of intracellular bacteria were killed by rifampin; this finding indicated that rifampin penetrates better into the phagocytic vacuole than does gentamicin and/or is more active against phagocytized bacteria than is gentamicin. After oral administration of 450 mg of rifampin to three healthy volunteers, concentrations of the antibiotic in serum and skin blister fluid were measured. Concentrations in serum peaked within 3 hr of oral administration (mean peak level, 13.2 micrograms/ml). Concentrations in blister fluid peaked between 6 hr and 9 hr (mean peak concentration, 2.7 micrograms/ml). Between 9 hr and 12 hr, the concentrations of rifampin in serum and blister fluid were similar; later, levels in blister fluid were higher than those in serum. The mean elimination half-life of rifampin was 2.5 hr in serum and 6.0 hr in blister fluid.

Adult↗