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Biomedical subjects

C G Ray

Publications and source records attributed to C G Ray.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources
PubMed1988

Mycoplasma and ureaplasma in bronchoalveolar lavage fluids from immunocompromised hosts.

The significance of Mycoplasma spp. and Ureaplasma urealyticum infection in immunocompromised patients has not been clearly established. We identified mycoplasma or ureaplasma in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid from 12 of 61 (20%) immunocompromised patients with pulmonary infiltrates. A complete microbiological investigation was made on the bronchoalveolar lavage fluids, and Mycoplasma pneumoniae was the sole agent detected in three instances, suggesting that it may have been the cause of the infiltrates in these immunocompromised patients. Other Mycoplasma spp. and ureaplasma were detected in nine patients, but in eight of these patients other pulmonary pathogens were also recovered.

Bronchoalveolar Lavage Fluid↗
PubMed1987

Application of pooled monoclonal antibodies for 1-hr detection of respiratory syncytial virus antigen in clinical specimens.

A fluorescein isothiocyanate-conjugated pool of monoclonal antibodies (MoAb) to respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) was prospectively evaluated for its utility as a direct, 1-hr test for the diagnosis of RSV infection. Direct nasopharyngeal swab smears collected from 109 infants and children with acute respiratory illnesses were studied and compared with results obtained by indirect immunofluorescence using bovine polyclonal anti-RSV antibody on eluted cells derived from pooled nasopharyngeal and throat swab specimens (a 2.5-3 hr procedure), and culture. The MoAb-direct smear method was at least 86%-89% sensitive and 95%-100% specific compared with either of the other procedures. Additional prospective evaluations, as well as retrospective studies on a selected bank of slides stored from the preceding year, established that this MoAb could also be used with confidence in testing where direct smears are not employed.

Antibodies, Monoclonal↗
PubMed1987

Microbiology of endotracheal aspirates in intubated pediatric intensive care unit patients: correlations with radiographic findings.

We studied the utility of Gram-stained smears and semiquantitative cultures of endotracheal aspirates (ETAs) in diagnosing pneumonia in intubated patients in a pediatric intensive care unit. The chest radiographs of 35 intubated patients were independently reviewed by a pediatric radiologist and classified into probable, possible and unlikely pneumonias. Concomitant bacteriologic and radiographic information was available in 15 episodes of probable and 13 of possible pneumonia. These findings were compared with the ETAs obtained during the study from patients with no radiographic evidence of pneumonia (N = 21). There was a good correlation between ETA findings and radiographic evidence of pneumonia when ETAs were obtained within 60 minutes of initial intubation. Only a growth of greater than or equal to 3+ of a pathogen was associated with probable pneumonia when ETAs were obtained more than 60 minutes from initial intubation. There was a poor correlation between the microbiologic findings from ETAs and the results of blood cultures and postmortem examinations. Moreover 5 of 10 pairs of ETAs obtained within 18 hours of each other demonstrated discordant results. The ETAs from patients with indwelling endotracheal tubes correlated poorly with radiographic findings and are of questionable value in diagnosing the presence of pneumonia or its etiology in this group. They must be cautiously interpreted in critically ill patients.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1987

Efficiency of immunofluorescence for rapid detection of common respiratory viruses.

Rapid immunofluorescence (FA) methods for the detection of common respiratory viruses were compared with culture results over a 3-year period to assess the relative efficiency of FA in a clinical laboratory setting. For respiratory syncytial virus, efficiencies were high (sensitivity, 90 to 95%; specificity, 92 to 95%). The sensitivity of FA for detection of parainfluenza virus type 1, parainfluenza virus type 3, influenza A virus, and adenoviruses ranged from 28 to 63%, but specificities for these viruses were uniformly 98 to 100%. The observations form a basis for consideration of selective reduction of routine culture procedures for specimens with initial positive rapid FA results; however, the possibility of dual viral infection in some situations must also be considered.

Adenoviridae Infections↗
PubMed1987

Early testing of cell cultures for detection of hemadsorbing viruses.

Hemadsorption of primary monkey kidney cell cultures was commenced at 1 day after inoculation to evaluate how rapidly influenza A virus, influenza B virus, and parainfluenza virus types 1, 2, and 3 could be detected by this method from respiratory specimens. Overall, 38% of all isolates could be detected within 24 h of inoculation, and 69% could be detected within 48 h. All influenza A viruses and all but one influenza B virus were detected by day 3.

Animals↗
PubMed1987

Comparison between indirect immunofluorescence and microneutralization for detection of antibodies to polioviruses.

Indirect immunofluorescence and microneutralization methods for the detection of antibodies to poliovirus serotypes 1, 2, and 3 were compared. Of the 41 sera tested for poliovirus type 1 antibody, 40% were in complete agreement, 55% differed by one dilution, and 5% differed by two dilutions. For poliovirus type 2, 37 sera were tested; 56% completely agreed, and 44% differed by only one dilution. For poliovirus type 3, complete agreement occurred in 59% of 33 sera, while 41% differed by one dilution. No false-negative results were obtained. These findings suggest that indirect immunofluorescence for poliovirus types 1, 2, and 3 is as sensitive as the microneutralization method and could represent a less cumbersome alternative.

Adult↗
PubMed1986

Raised serum levels of tumour necrosis factor in parasitic infections.

In a study of serum levels of endogenous tumour necrosis factor (TNF) in healthy people and patients with neoplastic or infectious disease, only patients with kala-azar (visceral leishmaniasis) and malaria were found to have a strikingly increased frequency of raised TNF levels (66.6% and 70.0%, respectively). 7.9% of samples from both healthy subjects and patients with neoplastic disease contained measurable TNF. The discovery of elevated TNF levels in the sera of patients with parasitic diseases suggests that this cytokine may play a part in host defences against parasitic infections.

Adult↗
PubMed1986

Unusual acute neurologic presentations with Epstein-Barr virus infection.

We describe two patients with serologic evidence of active Epstein-Barr virus infection who presented with unusual neurologic manifestations and minimal systemic findings of infectious mononucleosis. One girl developed an acute hemiplegic migraine syndrome followed by acute psychosis, and the other patient had severe, generalized chorea. The wide spectrum of presenting central nervous system findings associated with Epstein-Barr virus infections underscores the need to suspect this agent in a variety of acute neurologic syndromes.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1986

An eight-year study of the viral agents of acute gastroenteritis in humans: ultrastructural observations and seasonal distribution with a major emphasis on coronavirus-like particles.

During an 8-yr period, 862 stool specimens from patients with gastroenteritis were examined by electron microscopy after negative staining with 2% phosphotungstic acid (pH 6.5). Forty-one percent of the specimens submitted over an 8-yr period were determined to be positive for virus or viruslike particles belonging to one or more of seven morphologically distinct viral groups. Coronavirus-like particles (CVLPs) were present in 69.8% of the positive stool specimens. Membranous profiles containing "complement-type" holes (10 nm in diameter) were identified in some preparations containing CVLPs. The second most prevalent viral agent found in stool specimens was the rotavirus (17% of all positive stools). The incidence of other viruses identified in the survey were as follows: adenovirus 4.5%, picorna/parvovirus agents 2.9%, Norwalk-like agent 2.9%, astrovirus 1.9%, and calicivirus 0.5%. Unclassified small round viruses (approximately 25-30 nm in diameter) represented 0.5%. It was also determined that there was a seasonal distribution in excretion of all viruses except for CVLPs. A greater number of viruses were identified in the cooler, drier months of the year.

Adenoviruses, Human↗
PubMed1985

Coronaviruslike particles in human gastrointestinal disease. Epidemiologic, clinical, and laboratory observations.

Coronaviruslike particles (CVLPs) were visualized by direct electron microscopy (EM) of diarrheal stools in 49 of 126 infants and children between 1 month and 12 years of age during a three-year observation period. The clinical and epidemiologic features of these patients were analyzed and compared with patients with diarrhea who were shedding rotaviruses, or whose stools were negative for enteric viruses by EM. Seasonal and age distributions for CVLP shedding were similar to those for rotaviruses (in most cases less than 1 year of age; peak months were September through January), as were the symptoms and median durations of illness. Prospective studies of three subsequent patients suggest that the duration of shedding in acute illness is five to at least 25 days. Multiple attempts to cultivate the CVLPs were unsuccessful. In addition, partial purification of CVLPs from stool specimens was performed, and immunologic analysis by immunoelectron microscopy and radial immunodiffusion showed no antigenic relatedness to prototype human (OC43 and 229E) or animal (bovine and canine) coronaviruses. These findings suggest that CVLPs may be an important cause of acute gastrointestinal illness in infancy, and may represent a virus antigenically unrelated to known human and animal coronaviruses.

Child↗
PubMed1985

Evidence for active Epstein-Barr virus infection in patients with persistent, unexplained illnesses: elevated anti-early antigen antibodies.

Forty-four patients, including 26 adults and 18 children under 15 years of age, were referred for evaluation of recurrent or persistent illnesses, with symptoms including pharyngitis, lymphadenopathy, fever, headaches, arthralgia, fatigue, depression, dyslogia, and myalgia. Thirty-nine patients were positive for Epstein-Barr virus antibody with antibody levels compatible with active infection for at least 1 year. Antiviral capsid antigen and anti-early antigen titers of patients were significantly greater (p less than 0.001) than age-group-matched controls. The frequency, number, duration, and patterns of symptoms, as well as patient sex, were compared by age in study patients seropositive and seronegative for Epstein-Barr virus. Illness patterns were not associated with changes in specific antibody titers or clinical findings. Lymphocyte phenotype and function analyses were done in 11 of the 39 patients positive for Epstein-Barr virus antibody; no consistent differences from normal were found. Only 1 of 32 patients had circulating interferon, in contrast to 7 of 7 patients with acute infectious mononucleosis. There were many adverse consequences of the illness. Epstein-Barr virus infection may not be self-limiting, and the virus may be associated with clinically recognizable illness other than infectious mononucleosis in children as well as in adults.

Adolescent↗