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C Rechnitzer

Publications and source records attributed to C Rechnitzer.

34 records · Page 2Linked to original sources
PubMed1987

Defective monocyte oxidative metabolism in a child with non-pneumonic legionellosis.

A case of non-pneumonic legionellosis with gastrointestinal manifestations is described in a 13-year-old boy without premorbidity. A selective defect in monocyte oxidative metabolism was found and consistently demonstrated throughout the following year. We suggest that the observed monocyte deficiency may have facilitated the development of legionnaires disease and that otherwise normal monocyte function may have contributed to the favourable course of disease.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1987

Modulation of human neutrophil and monocyte oxidative burst by Legionella pneumophila sonic extract.

The effect of Legionella pneumophila sonic extract on human neutrophil and monocyte oxidative burst was studied by superoxide anion release and luminol-enhanced chemiluminescence assays. Legionella pneumophila sonic extract by itself did not stimulate neutrophils and monocytes. The sonic extract at 8-2000 micrograms/ml primed neutrophils for enhanced superoxide release and, at 8-62.5 micrograms/ml, for enhanced chemiluminescence. Monocytes were only primed for enhanced chemiluminescence at very low extract concentrations (below 16 micrograms/ml). Monocyte superoxide release was suppressed by extract concentrations higher than 2000 micrograms/ml and the chemiluminescence response of neutrophils and monocytes by concentrations higher than 250 and 125 micrograms/ml, respectively. The priming activity was heat stable and present in fractions below 5 kDa. On the basis of these findings it is suggested that enhanced production of oxygen metabolites by neutrophils in contact with legionella components at low concentrations could contribute to the lung tissue damage seen in Legionnaires' disease, whereas the suppression of phagocyte oxidative burst by higher extract concentrations may be one of the mechanisms by which Legionella pneumophila survives intracellularly.

Endotoxins↗
PubMed1987

Borrelia meningitis in Denmark.

We studied 23 patients with borrelia meningitis, a tick-borne spirochetosis increasingly recognized in Denmark. The disease showed a seasonal incidence from June to December. Twenty one patients experienced a painful sensory radiculitis, in 17 cases followed by a predominantly cranial mononeuritis multiplex mainly affecting the facial nerve (Bannwarth's syndrome). Three patients had focal CNS involvement in the form of a transverse myelitis, a focal encephalitis and a disseminated leucoencephalopathy, respectively. The CSF showed invariably lymphocytic pleocytosis and elevated spinal protein concentration. Measuring borrelia antibodies in the CSF seemed of higher diagnostic sensitivity than in serum. Penicillin therapy was effective even in cases with focal CNS lesions.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1987

Priming of neutrophils for enhanced oxidative burst by sputum from cystic fibrosis patients with Pseudomonas aeruginosa infection.

Neutrophils accumulate in the lungs of cystic fibrosis (CF) patients and inflict tissue damage by release of oxygen radicals and proteases. Here we report on the ability of sputum to prime neutrophils for enhanced release of oxygen radicals. Sol phase was prepared by ultracentrifugation of sputum obtained from CF patients attending the CF Clinic, Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen. The oxidative burst response of neutrophils from healthy individuals was measured by oxygen consumption, superoxide production and chemiluminescence. Neutrophils were preincubated with sputum or buffer and then stimulated with f-Met-Leu-Phe or zymosan. Appropriate controls were included in the experiments. It was shown that neutrophils preincubated with CF sol phase and stimulated with f-Met-Leu-Phe generated a three- to five-fold higher chemiluminescence response than those preincubated with buffer. There was no enhancement of the response when zymosan was used for stimulation of the cells. Neutrophils incubated with sol phase alone exhibited no response. Attempts were made to identify and partially characterize the priming factor(s). It was found that the sputum samples contained bacterial endotoxins. The priming activity was resistant to heating at 100 degrees C for 15 min, and was present only in fractions with molecules larger than 100 KD. It is suggested that the priming factor(s) consist of bacterial endotoxins and/or immune complexes. Activation and enhanced release of oxygen radicals from neutrophils may play an important role in the host defence as well as pathogenesis of tissue damage in the lungs of these patients.

Cystic Fibrosis↗
PubMed1986

Defective monocyte function in Legionnaires' disease complicating hairy cell leukaemia.

We describe a case of Legionnaires' disease in a 64-year-old man, in which hairy cell leukaemia was diagnosed after the onset of the infection. Immunological studies revealed a complete suppression of blood monocyte chemotactic and oxidative burst activities. We suggest that in hairy cell leukaemia both monocytopenia and defective functions of monocytes underlie the increased susceptibility to intracellular infections including Legionnaires' disease.

Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2↗
PubMed1986

Effects of Legionella pneumophila sonicate on human neutrophil granulocyte and monocyte chemotaxis.

The interaction of L. pneumophila serogroup 1 sonic extract with human polymorphonuclear neutrophils and monocytes was studied in an in vitro chemotaxis assay. The sonicate showed heat-stable chemotactic activity towards neutrophils and monocytes. It also exhibited cytotoxicity for neutrophils but not for monocytes. Incubation and pretreatment with the sonicate at apparently non-toxic concentration resulted in inhibition of the chemotactic response of neutrophils to various chemoattractants while monocyte chemotaxis was unaffected. The inhibitory activity was reduced to one half by heat treatment of the sonicate. High endotoxic activity was demonstrated in both heated and non-heated extract. Only two antigens (nos 1 and 61) were identified in the sonicate exposed to 121 degrees C for 1 h. It is therefore suggested that the lipopolysaccharide (no. 61) of L. pneumophila could contribute to the chemotactic activity. The adverse effects exerted by L. pneumophila on neutrophils may be one of the mechanisms by which Legionella bacteria resist the normal phagocytic host defenses.

Antigens, Bacterial↗
PubMed1986

Prevalence of Legionnaires' disease in pneumonia patients admitted to a Danish department of infectious diseases.

During a 14-month study period, 92 patients admitted to the University Clinic for Infectious Diseases with pneumonia were investigated to determine the prevalence and severity of Legionnaires' disease (LD). The diagnosis of LD was based on positive serology. Antibodies to 10 different legionella antigens--Legionella pneumophila serogroups 1-6, Fluoribacter (Legionella) bozemanae, F. dumoffii, F. gormanii, and Tatlockia (Legionella) micdadei--were measured by the microagglutination (MA) and indirect fluorescent antibody (IFA) techniques. LD was diagnosed in 22 patients showing a 4-fold or greater rise of MA titers. 10 patients showed a 4-fold or greater rise of IFA titer, 2 had standing high titer. One patient died. Legionella infection was the second most common cause of pneumonia. However, in half of the cases legionella infection occurred concomitantly with Streptococcus pneumoniae, Haemophilus influenzae, Mycoplasma pneumoniae, Chlamydia psittaci, or viral infections. All 22 LD cases were sporadic. LD had been contracted abroad by 6 patients. Two of the legionella pneumonias were hospital-acquired. Half of the LD patients were older than 60 years. The majority of cases occurred during the winter months. Neither clinical chemistry parameters nor clinical features could distinguish LD from other types of pneumonia.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1985

In vitro modulation of human neutrophil chemotaxis by cis(Z)- and trans(E)-clopenthixol, and chlorpromazine.

Phenothiazines have been shown to depress several functions of neutrophils, including chemotaxis. A biphasic effect of chlorpromazine (CPZ) and other phenothiazines on human neutrophil chemotaxis has recently been described. We investigated the effect of the stereo-isomers of clopenthizol, a thioxanthene, and of CPZ on human neutrophil chemotaxis. CPZ, at a concentration of 157 microM, and cis(Z)- or trans(E)-clopenthixol, at 105 microM, decreased cell viability. Cis(Z)- and trans(E)-clopenthixol as well as CPZ exerted a biphasic effect on neutrophil chemotaxis with a maximal enhancement of 57%, 92%, and 119%, respectively, and inhibition at higher concentrations. Enhancement of human neutrophil chemotaxis and possibly of the antibacterial activity of these cells by CPZ and the stereo-isomeric compounds of clopenthixol may have clinical implications especially in immunocompromised hosts. The enhancing effect of trans(E)-clopenthixol is of particular importance as this stereo-isomer of clopenthixol exhibits both antimicrobial and antiplasmodial activity but has no antipsychotic or antihypersecretory effect.

Bacterial Infections↗
PubMed1984

Tuberculous osteomyelitis of the mandible.

A rare case of tuberculous osteomyelitis of the mandible presenting as an aggressive, sequestrating lesion of the symphyseal area in a 26-year-old Eritrean woman is reported. The patient had disseminated tuberculosis, and all but the oral lesion responded well to chemotherapy. Upon sequestrectomy and decortication uneventful healing of the mandibular lesion took place.

Adult↗
PubMed1982

Vasoactive intestinal polypeptide (VIP) in children with neural crest tumours.

The concentration of vasoactive intestinal polypeptide (VIP) in plasma was measured in 22 children with neural crest tumours (NCT) during a 5-year period; the mean concentration of VIP in plasma was 22.5 pmol/l (interval 2.0-95.0 pmol/l). To establish a reference interval the plasma concentration of VIP was measured in 41 children without tumours; the mean concentration of VIP in plasma was 6.2 pmol/l (interval 0.5-19.0 pmol/l). Of the 22 children with NCT 16 had a plasma concentration of VIP within the normal range while 6 children (27%) had elevated plasma concentration of VIP between 28 and 95 pmol/l. Only one child, whose plasma concentration of VIP was 95 pmol/l had diarrhoea. Elevated plasma concentration of VIP in children with NCT but no diarrhoea has not previously been described. The urinary excretion of vanillylmandelic acid (VMA) was increased in 18 of the children with NCT (82%). In 2 of the children with normal excretion of VMA the concentration of VIP in plasma was elevated. Thus, the plasma concentration of VIP may be a supplement to VMA as a tumour marker in some cases of NCT.

Child↗
PubMed1981

Methotrexate in the plasma and cerebrospinal fluid of children treated with intermediate dose methotrexate.

Serious complications can follow treatment with intermediate dose methotrexate of acute lymphoblastic leukemia in childhood. Toxicity has been shown to be correlated to plasma methotrexate concentrations. During intravenous infusions of methotrexate (500 mg/m2) the mean concentrations achieved 1 to 41/2 hours after the start of infusion were 1.3 X 10(-7) mol/l in cerebrospinal fluid and 1.7 X 10(-5) mol/l in plasma. At 72 hours after start of methotrexate infusion, plasma methotrexate concentrations were significantly higher in cases with symptoms of toxicity. In all the children who developed toxic symptoms 72-hour plasma methotrexate concentration was above 1 X 10(-7) mol/l. Assuming that leucovorin is given 48 hours after the start of methotrexate infusion, 72-hour plasma methotrexate is suitable for detection of patients at risk for toxicity. In children treated with intermediate dose methotrexate we therefore recommend estimating plasma methotrexate concentration 72 hours after the start of infusion, and instituting supplementary leucovorin when plasma methotrexate concentration exceeds 1 X 10(-7) mol/l.

Brain Neoplasms↗