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Biomedical subjects

A Moyes

Publications and source records attributed to A Moyes.

48 records · Page 3Linked to original sources
PubMed1990

Is coexisting chlamydial infection more common in gonococcal infections with serogroup WI?

Over a 4-year period a total of 8974 women were screened for Neisseria gonorrhoeae and Chlamydia trachomatis. There were 489 cases of cervical gonorrhoea, 261 serogroup WI and 228 serogroup WII/III. A total of 169 (34.6%) cases had a dual infection with C. trachomatis, 92 from the WI serogroup and 77 from the WII/III. Using Fisher's exact test, no statistically significant difference was observed in the rates of chlamydial carriage between the two serogroups (P = 0.39). These findings are at odds with previously reported data, which suggested a biological interaction resulting in a positive correlation between colonization with serogroup WI and C. trachomatis. Possible reasons for the difference between the findings are discussed.

Chlamydia Infections↗
PubMed1989

Utility of monoclonal antibody coagglutination to identify Neisseria gonorrhoeae.

The Phadebact monoclonal gonococcus coagglutination test was evaluated with 1367 (996 anogenital and 371 pharyngeal) neisserial isolates from patients who gave positive diagnostic test results for Neisseria gonorrhoeae. The overall correlation with carbohydrate utilisation was 99.7%. The Phadebact test had a specificity of 100% (286/286) and a sensitivity of 99.7% (1077/1080). The three non-reactive strains were epidemiologically linked and were of a very unusual serovar. Unlike polyclonal antibody based tests, the monoclonal antibody test provides reliable identification of gonococci from anogenital and pharyngeal sites. Because non-reactive strains are rare, however, negative anogenital isolates from heterosexual patients should be tested biochemically. The use of two reagents comprising separate pools of monoclonal antibodies against gonococcal protein IA and IB permitted the identification of an appreciable number of double infections, which would otherwise have been missed. Genital, rectal, and pharyngeal isolates from the same patient should be identified individually.

Agglutination Tests↗
PubMed1989

Screening for treponemal infection by a new enzyme immunoassay.

A new enzyme immunoassay (EIA, Captia Syphilis-G) for detecting IgG antibodies against Treponema pallidum was evaluated as a screening test for syphilis. When serum samples were tested at a dilution of 1 in 20 (EIA20), the overall agreement between the IgG EIA and serological status based on the T pallidum haemagglutination assay (TPHA) and the fluorescent treponemal antibody absorption (FTA-ABS) test was 99.2% (1310/1321). The sensitivity of the EIA20 was 98.4% (60/61) and the specificity 99.3% (1251/1260). Discrimination between patients with and without treponemal infection was good: the mean EIA20 absorbance ratios (patient/mean low titre positive control results) were 0.49 for antibody negative patients, 3.30 for patients with positive Venereal Diseases Research Laboratory (VDRL) test and TPHA results, and 1.77 for patients with negative VDRL but positive TPHA results. The cut off point for excluding treponemal infection was taken as 0.9. Specimens with ratios of more than 0.9 should be confirmed by the FTA-ABS test and evaluated for specific IgM antibodies to treponemes. When serum samples were tested at a 1 in 50 dilution (EIA50) the sensitivity was lower (80.3%) but the specificity was absolute. The reduction in sensitivity correlated with low absorbance ratios in the patients who were VDRL negative and TPHA positive. The screening performance of the IgG EIA20 is thus comparable with that provided by a combination of the VDRL test and TPHA. The potential for automation makes the EIA an attractive alternative, particularly in larger centres. Alternatively, the test can be performed at a 1 in 50 dilution (EIA50), at which level it is ideally suited for confirming the treponemal status of antibodies in serum samples preselected by positive cardiolipin antigen screening test results.

Antibodies, Bacterial↗
PubMed1989

Fluorescent monoclonal antibody test for the confirmation of Neisseria gonorrhoeae.

The Microtrak fluorescein labelled monoclonal antibody test for the culture confirmation of Neisseria gonorrhoeae was evaluated with 157 clinical isolates of oxidase-positive Gram-negative diplococci, including 110 strains of N. gonorrhoeae. Seventy-eight stock cultures of neisseria were tested to confirm the results from clinical samples. The test gave a specificity of 100% and sensitivity of 98%. Only four strains of the rare serovar Behj were non-reactive. As the prevalence of this serovar influences the utility of the test, the rarity of this serovar in different geographical locations is discussed.

Antibodies, Monoclonal↗
PubMed1978

Comparison of susceptibility of Neisseria meningitidis to sodium sulphadiazine and sodium fusidate in vitro.

Out of 100 strains of meningococci examined 62 were resistant to 1 mg/l or more of sodium sulphadiazine, including 82% of group W135 strains and 69% of group B strains. All strains were sensitive in vitro to 0.5 mg/l of sodium fusidate. Sodium fusidate should be considered as a chemoprophylactic agent for those who may be at risk of meningococcal disease.

Drug Resistance, Microbial↗
PubMed1976

Comparison of laboratory methods in the diagnosis of urinary tract infection.

Three methods of semiquantitative culture and two techniques of microscopy were compared with a surface viable count for the detection of significant bacteriuria in one thousand midstream specimens of urine. The results obtained with the blotting-paper-strip method on MacConkey agar and with Uricult dip-slides correlated well with the results of the surface viable count, and both methods were suitable for routine use. The blotting-paper-strip method was preferred for laboratory use because of expense but dip-slides are useful for general practice and outpatient clinics. Semi-quantitative culture by Microstix dip-strips gave less accurate results, and the nitrite test area detected only a small proportion of infected specimens. The microscopic examination of a Gram-stained film of the centrifuged deposit of urine specimens yielded more useful information and was more reproducible than examination of a wet film of the untreated urine.

Bacteria↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Anogenital non-gonococcal neisseriae: prevalence and clinical significance.

Over a 13-year period non-gonococcal neisseriae (NGN) were isolated from 114 of 88,670 patients (0.13%) screened for anogenital gonorrhoea at a Genitourinary Medicine Unit. During the same period there were approximately 9000 anogenital gonococcal infections (10%). The prevalence of NGN was 0.09% (27/31,500) in women, 0.04% (20/52,800) in heterosexual men and 1.5% (67/4370) in homosexual men: the differences in prevalence between women and heterosexual men (P < 0.01) and between heterosexual patients and homosexual men (P < 0.001) are highly significant. Neisseria meningitidis was isolated most frequently and accounted for 85% (99/114) of the NGN. Whenever possible, N. meningitidis was serogrouped and its occurrence correlated with patient symptoms. Eleven of 18 heterosexual men who had meningococci isolated from their urethras had urethritis but co-existing chlamydial infection was excluded in only 5. None of 9 women with cervical colonization had clinical evidence of pelvic inflammation. Only one of 49 men with rectal colonization had proctitis. The management of anogenital NGN infection is discussed in relation to our findings and those of previously published studies. Within each patient group the prevalence and incidence of anogenital NGN were similar at the beginning and end of the study period indicating that levels have not been influenced by the advent of AIDS.

Anus Diseases↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Markers of past syphilis in HIV infection comparing Captia Syphilis G anti-treponemal IgG enzyme immunoassay with other treponemal antigen tests.

The sensitivity of the Captia Syphilis G anti-treponemal IgG enzyme immunoassay (EIA-IgG) was compared with the Treponema pallidum haemagglutination assay (TPHA) and the Fluorescent Treponemal Antibody Absorbed (FTA-Abs) test as a marker for past syphilis in 28 HIV-infected and 31 HIV-negative patients with a past history of syphilis. The specificity of EIA-IgG was compared in 89 patients without a history of syphilis who were known to be HIV antibody positive with a control group of 89 patients who had tested HIV negative. In patients with a past history of syphilis each treponemal test (EIA-IgG, TPHA and FTA-Abs) gave a lower sensitivity (82%, 86%, 79%) in the HIV-positive group than in the HIV-negative group (97%) but the difference was significant only in the case of the FTA-Abs test (P < 0.05). In the HIV-positive patients 11% (3/28) were negative in all 3 treponemal tests while 25% (7/28) were negative in at least one treponemal test. In patients without a past history of syphilis the EIA-IgG antibody index in the HIV-positive group (0.436) was significantly higher than in the HIV-negative group (0.378): the specificity, however, was similar in the HIV-positive (100%) and HIV-negative group (99%). We conclude that the Captia Syphilis G anti-treponemal IgG enzyme immunoassay is of similar specificity in HIV-positive and HIV-negative patients and is of similar sensitivity to the TPHA and FTA-Abs as a marker of past syphilis in HIV-infected patients.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Antibodies, Bacterial↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Temporal changes in the sensitivity of Neisseria gonorrhoeae to penicillin in Edinburgh, Scotland.

Increased resistance of Neisseria gonorrhoeae to penicillin has been reported from many centres around the world since the introduction of antibiotic therapy in the 1940s. This study reports the temporal changes in gonococcal penicillin sensitivity over a 3-year period. All patients with a diagnosis of gonorrhoea in the city of Edinburgh, Scotland between 1990 and 1992 were included in the study. Penicillin sensitivity of isolates was analysed in relation to the sex and sexual orientation of the patient and the antibiotic therapy given. Four hundred and twenty-seven new patient episodes of infection occurred of which penicillin sensitivities were available in 426. Eleven episodes of PPNG infection occurred. Chromosomally mediated penicillin resistance did not increase over the study period. No differences were evident in the sensitivity of isolates from homosexual and heterosexual patients. Unlike many other areas the relative resistance of N. gonorrhoeae is not increasing in Edinburgh at present. This may relate to local antibiotic policies combined with intrinsic characteristics of N. gonorrhoeae itself. Unlike previous reports there did not appear to be any increased resistance to penicillin in isolates from gay men.

Female↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Determinants of the gonococcal serovar pattern in Edinburgh, Scotland: a multivariate analysis.

The geographical and temporal variety of gonococcal serovar patterns are well described but it remains uncertain what characteristics possessed by the organism, or sexual behaviour pattern in the patients, determine the particular serovar pattern in a given area at a given time. This study was designed to assess the relative contribution of various demographic and clinical features of infection to the observed pattern of serovars in Edinburgh between 1990 and 1993. Five hundred and eight isolates were included in a multivariate analysis model to control for potential interactions between variables. Associations were noted between certain serovars and an asymptomatic clinical presentation, method of acquisition and site of infection. Certain physical characteristics of Neisseria gonorrhoeae in conjunction with the sexual behaviour patterns of patients are partially responsible for observed serovar patterns but more detailed analysis requires further sub-classification of serovars using molecular techniques.

Adult↗