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Biomedical subjects

D Van Beers

Publications and source records attributed to D Van Beers.

32 records · Page 2Linked to original sources
PubMed1984

Effect of surgical trauma on various aspects of the immune response in rats.

The effects of a standard laparotomy on different aspects of the immune response were studied in Wistar R/A rats. When the antigen was administered at the time of operation, antibody synthesis against sheep red blood cells (SRBC), a thymo-dependent antigen was significantly stimulated. The same phenomenon was observed when a soluble antigen extracted from SRBC was injected during the surgical procedure. On the contrary, late antibody production induced by formalinized Salmonella enteritidis or Escherichia coli lipopolysaccharide, two thymo-independent antigens, was reduced in operated animals. Cell-mediated immunity against SRBC was investigated by the radiometric ear index test described by Kostiala in 1977. Surgery did not alter the induction phase but suppressed the expression of the cellular immune response. Carrageenin-induced edema was inhibited in operated rats. These results show that surgical trauma acts differently on the various aspects of the immune response.

Animals↗
PubMed1981

Significance of persisting IgM anti-HBc antibodies in hepatitis B virus infection.

Igg and IgM antibodies to the core antigen of hepatitis B virus (HBV) were measured in 136 patients who developed acute HBV hepatitis and who were followed prospectively. After acute hepatitis all the patients developed transiently IgM anti-HBc lasting for two to five months. In contrast, IgM anti-HBc persisted 8 and 9 months in two patients who developed persistent hepatitis and were continuously detected for two years in nine patients who developed aggressive hepatitis. The results suggest that the determination of IgM anti-HBc might be useful to predict the outcome of chronic hepatitis B infection.

Acute Disease↗
PubMed1980

[Legionnaire's disease contracted in Brussels. One case (author's transl)].

A 71-year-old patient living in a street where major road works were taking place developed diffuse bronchopneumonia with changes in hepatic and renal biochemical tests. Since neutrophilia was moderate and all bacteriological investigations were negative, the patient was given erythromycin and was tested for antibodies directed against Legionella pneumophila. The titers of these antibodies rose from 32 to 2048 after one month. The patient was cured.

Aged↗
PubMed1980

[Acute infections central nervous system. The significance of antiviral antibodies in the cerebrospinal fluid (author's transl)].

Examination of the CSF of 107 patients suffering from a viral infection of the central nervous system for the presence of antiviral antibodies indicated that 26 subjects (24 %) developed monospecific antibodies. The distribution of these antibodies differed according to whether the diagnosis was of meningitis or of encephalitis and myelitis since 3 patients out of 73 (4 %) with meningitis developed antibodies whilst the latter were detectable in 23 of the 34 subjects with encephalitis or myelitis (67 %). This difference was highly significant (p 0,001) and suggests that examination for antiviral antibodies in the CSF could be of use in the differential diagnosis between meningitis and encephalitis. Furthermore, the results presented suggest the existence of local production of antiviral antibodies in the CSF.

Acute Disease↗
PubMed1978

Diagnosis of hepatitis B by Dane particle associated DNA polymerase assay.

We have studied prospectively 478 subjects exposed to hepatitis B virus and 20 pregnant women who developed HBs antigen during the last trimester of pregnancy. The results suggest that the DNA polymerase assay might be useful for the diagnosis of hepatitis B infection and that in confirmed cases of hepatitis, the enzyme might be detected in the absence of HBs antigen. HBe antigen appeared in 19% of those subjects who developed HBs and a positive correlation between HBe antigen and DNA polymerase was found in 40% of the cases positive for this antigen. The data presented also suggest that HBe antigenemia in pregnant women is not consistently associated with HBs infection in the babies born to them. However the children born to HBe positive mothers are at higher risk than those born to HBe negative mothers.

Carrier State↗
PubMed1977

e antigen and antibody, DNA polymerase, and inhibitors of DNA polymerase in acute and chronic hepatitis.

A high positive correlation was found between e antigen (HBe Ag) and DNA polymerase in hemodialyzed patients with acute hepatitis B, chronic carriers of hepatitis B surface antigen undergoing hemodialysis, and patients with chronic hepatitis. In contrast, the correlation was poor in nonhemodialyzed patients with acute hepatitis. Among the patients with chronic hepatitis, HBe Ag and DNA polymerase were were found mostly in those with aggressive hepatitis and rarely in those with persistent hepatitis. This difference was significant (P less than 0.01) and suggests that the persistence of these antigens may be a factor in the progression of the disease. Our data also indicate that the development of antibodies to HBe Ag (anti-HBe) might be a sign of a favorable prognosis, since 50% of the patients with persistent hepatitis vs. 6% of the patients with aggressive hepatitis were anti-HBe-positive. Inhibitors of DNA polymerase, which are possibly antibodies, appeared regularly after acute hepatitis and were transient. Their presence may be associated with viral replication.

Acute Disease↗
PubMed1977

Early diagnosis of Hepatitis B by Dane particle associated DNA polymerase assay.

We have studied prospectively 178 subjects exposed to hepatitis B and 120 haemodialysed patients for the presence of HGs antigen, e antigen and DNA polymerase as well as for anti-HBs and anti-HBc antibodies. The results suggest that the DNA polymerase assay enables us to diagnose hepatitis B earlier than the radioimmunoassay for HGs and that DNA polymerase might be present in the blood in the absence of HBs in cases of confirmed hepatitis B. A posititive correlation between e antigen and DNA polymerase was observed in 83% of the patients on haemodialysis who developed hepatitis B but only in 9% of normal patients developing the same disease.

Antibodies, Viral↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Recurrent viral associated hemophagocytic syndrome in a child with Langerhans cell histiocytosis.

Langerhans cell histiocytosis (LCH) with subsequent viral-associated hemophagocytic syndrome (VAHS) or secondary hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (HLH) is extremely rare. A 15-month-old girl with disseminated LCH experienced three episodes of VAHS during maintenance therapy. Viral infection, with influenza A, herpes simplex, and adenovirus, respectively, was documented at each episode. She recovered each time after interruption of maintenance therapy. The occurrence of fever and pancytopenia in patients with chemotherapy-treated LCH can be associated with VAHS and not with relapsing LCH.

Adenoviruses, Human↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Congenital toxoplasmosis associated with transient monoclonal IgGl-lambda gammopathy.

A congenital toxoplasmosis infection was diagnosed in a newborn child with severe oculo-central nervous system involvement. Antibodies to toxoplasma became detectable in the mother's serum during pregnancy, and at delivery both mother and child had high titers of IgG toxoplasma antibody. A normal protein profile was found in the serum of the mother, but transient monoclonal gammopathy (IgG1- lambda ) was found in the child. A specific antiidiotype serum raised against this monoclonal immunoglobulin failed to react with the serum of the mother and with other sera positive for toxoplasma antibody. The toxoplasma antibody in the serum of the newborn child was restricted to IgG-lambda, but no evidence was found that the monoclonal fraction was responsible for the antibody activity.

Animals↗