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Biomedical subjects

B West

Publications and source records attributed to B West.

At least 109 records · Page 6Linked to original sources
PubMed1976

Clostridia isolated from faeces.

Clostridia were isolated from human faecal samples from England, Scotland, Wales, USA, Hong Kong, Uganda and Japan. Strains were identified on the basis of various biochemical reactions and on the type of fatty acid produced from glucose. Analysis of these acids was by gas-liquid chromatography. Clostridium paraputrificum was common in stool samples from England, Scotland, Wales, and USA, but rare in samples from Hong Kong, Uganda and Japan.

Adult↗
PubMed1975

A prospective evaluation of heterophile and Epstein-Barr virus-specific IgM antibody tests in clinical and subclinical infectious mononucleosis: Specificity and sensitivity of the tests and persistence of antibody.

Three heterophile antibody tests and a test specific for IgM antibody to Epstein-Barr virus were evaluated during prospective studies of infectious mononucleosis. Specificity was judged by the frequency of false-positive results in sera of known qualities taken before illness; except for two patients bled during early, unrecognized illnes,, titers of greater than or equal to 1:40 were detected in 12% by the absorbed sheep red cell test, in 6.7% by the absorbed horse red cell test, and in none by the beef cell hemolysin test. None had IgM antibody specific for Epstein-Barr virus in sera obtained before illness. In addition, no rises in titer of heterophile antibody were detected by the horse cell test in 38 patients with proved rubella and/or influenza infection. In terms of sensitivity (indicated by the percentage of cases with diagnostic titers during infectious mononucleosis), 97% were positive by the Epstein-Barr virus IgM test, 96% by the horse cell agglutination test, 85% by the beef hemolysin test, and 81% by the sheep cell agglutination test. Persistence of antibody was judged by serial bleedings up to three years after illness; titers of heterophile antibody by the sheep agglutination and beef hemolysin tests as well as titers of IgM antibody to Epstein-Barr virus returned to normal in two to three months, whereas the horse cell heterophile test remained positive for a year or more in 75%. Inapparent and mild infections with Epstein-Barr virus resulted in the production of horse cell heterophile antibody in 48.4% of 122 subjects.

Antibodies, Heterophile↗
PubMed1975

The nuclear dehydrogenation of steroids by intestinal bacteria.

We have postulated that bacteria able to dehydrogenate the bile-acid nucleus are important in the aetiology of cancer of the colon. In this paper we report on screening for the ability to carry out two such reactions. The relevant enzymes are produced by a high proportion of strains of Clostridium paraputrificum, C. tertium and C. indolis, and by small numbers of strains in other clostridial species, but not by organisms of the other genera tested. Strains able to dehydrogenate the bile-acid nucleus represent a high proportion of the lecithinase-negative clostridia isolated from faeces of people living in Britain but a low proportion of those from people living in Uganda or Hong Kong.

Androstenedione↗
PubMed1974

Effects of sulphasalazine (Salazopyrin) on faecal flora in patients with inflammatory bowel disease.

The faecal flora of 21 patients with proctocolitis and five patients with Crohn's disease of the large bowel was examined both while sulphasalazine was being administered and during control periods. Patients with proctocolitis and Crohn's disease who were not receiving sulphasalazine had a similar flora which did not differ in any way from the normal. The effect of sulphasalazine was to decrease the numbers of opalescent-negative clostridia, enterobacteria, and total non-sporing anaerobes. It is suggested that this antibacterial effect of sulphasalazine, which has not been previously demonstrated, may be related to the beneficial effects of this drug in proctocolitis and should be investigated further.

Adrenal Cortex Hormones↗