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Biomedical subjects

E Stolz

Publications and source records attributed to E Stolz.

At least 127 records · Page 7Linked to original sources

Development and evaluation of a monoclonal antibody inhibition enzyme linked immunosorbent assay to diagnose syphilis.

A highly specific inhibition enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) using murine monoclonal antibodies to treponemes has been developed to diagnose syphilis. The monoclonal antibodies used in this study were reactive to antigens of both Treponema pallidum and Treponema pertenue and not to antigens of non-pathogenic treponemes. Inhibition of the binding of monoclonal antibody to the treponemal antigens was successful with serum antibodies of patients with syphilis in an inhibition ELISA using monoclonal antibodies raised against T pallidum antigens with molecular weights of 42 and 47 kilodaltons. In contrast, the binding of monoclonal antibodies obtained by immunising mice with treponemal membrane protein TmpB, derived from recombinant DNA was not inhibited by serum antibodies from patients with syphilis. The sensitivity of the inhibition ELISA using monoclonal antibody against the 47 kilodalton T pallidum antigen was 93% in 58 serum samples from patients with untreated syphilis. The sensitivity was 79% if the monoclonal antibody against the 42 kilodalton T pallidum antigen was used. By a combination of the test results obtained in these two inhibition assays a sensitivity of 97% in the 58 serum samples from untreated patients and 64% in 64 from treated patients was obtained. The specificity of the inhibition ELISA performed with either monoclonal antibody was 100% in 500 serum samples from non-infected people. The specificity in 432 non-infected patients attending a sexually transmitted disease clinic was 98.8% for the monoclonal antibody against the 42 kilodalton antigen, 99.5% for the monoclonal antibody against the 47 kilodalton antigen, and 98.4% for the combined antibodies. The sensitivity and specificity of the inhibition ELISA using the combination of test results obtained by the application of the monoclonal antibodies against the 42 kilodalton treponemal membrane protein, TmpA, and against the 47 kilodalton T pallidum antigen were comparable with those of the Treponema pallidum haemagglutination assay (TPHA) and the fluorescent treponemal antibody absorption (FTA-ABS) test for diagnosing early untreated disease. The inhibition ELISA offers the potential for additional confirmation of early untreated syphilis. Its use for confirming late untreated syphilis is still under investigation. The test is highly specific for pathogenic treponemes and does not need sorbens.

Animals↗

Early yaws, imported in The Netherlands.

Early yaws in a 9 year old girl from Ghana, diagnosed as imported disease in The Netherlands is reported. She had lived in The Netherlands for six months. Tropical non-venereal treponematoses are rarely seen in Europe, and only a few case reports have been published. Migration and travelling may confront the medical profession with cases of tropical diseases such as yaws. Positive serological reactions in non-venereal tropical or venereal treponematoses cannot be distinguished at present.

Arm↗

Why men with hair loss go to the doctor.

Consultations, motives, experience, and attitudes were explored in 201 men with alopecia androgenetica who had two years before shown interest in hair treatment using minoxidil. During the past two years, one-third consulted a professional on account of hair loss. General practitioners were consulted by 60% and other professionals by about 75%. The main motive for the consultation was hair treatment, which was offered to half of the consulting subjects. Medical professionals were generally considered to be more suitable than other professionals for consultation on minoxidil treatment. The perceived chance of the treatment being successful and the amount of hair problems experienced seemed more important factors for consulting than the views on the suitability of a professional or the extent of baldness. There were indications that subjects who consulted both general practitioners and other professionals had also more general problems.

Alopecia↗

The effect of cyproterone acetate on hair roots and hair shaft diameter in androgenetic alopecia in females.

Twenty female patients suffering from androgenetic alopecia were treated during one year with 50 micrograms ethinyloestradiol plus 2 mg cyproterone acetate and additional 20 mg cyproterone acetate on days 5-20 of the menstrual cycle. The control group consisted of eight untreated female patients with androgenetic alopecia. The parameters used to evaluate therapeutic results were trichogram, hair shaft diameter of full anagen and number of hairs measuring less than 40 microns. Hair roots were epilated from two locations of the scalp: fronto-cranial and left temporal (reference point). The trichogram of the fronto-cranial scalp region showed an increase of anagens as well as a decrease of telogens. These changes were statistically highly significant. Further, there was a decrease of dysplastic/dystrophic forms. The left temporal scalp region showed no significant differences. The mean hair shaft diameter of full anagen (n = 8) increased, while the number of hairs measuring less than 40 microns (n = 8) decreased. The last two findings showed no statistically significant differences. The therapeutic results warrant the conclusion that cyproterone acetate seems to be effective in androgenetic alopecia in women.

Adolescent↗

[Tattoos].

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Humans↗

Solid phase enzyme immunoassay for detection of non-complicated cervical infection with Chlamydia trachomatis.

To evaluate the usefulness of a solid phase enzyme immunoassay for diagnosis of cervical chlamydial infections, cervical smear samples from 246 women were tested using the assay and cell culture. The overall sensitivity of the assay was 67% and the specificity 92.4%. The sensitivity of the immunoassay was 54% in samples with chlamydial culture with less than 20 inclusions per slide. Thus the enzyme immunoassay failed to detect chlamydial infections in nearly half of the patients with a low amount of chlamydial antigen.

Antigens, Bacterial↗

Some aspects of the diagnosis of specific vaginal infections in the Rotterdam STD clinic population.

We studied specific vaginal infections in 351 consecutive women who visited the Rotterdam STD clinic. Prostitutes less often had vaginal or vulvar complaints than non-prostitutes (Fisher test, p less than 0.01), but more often had abnormal discharge (Fisher test, p less than 0.001). Normal secretions were found in 52% of the women. Clue cell-positive discharge (CCPD) was by far the most prevalent vaginal disease entity (32%). The wet mount showed pseudo-hyphae in 14 women (4%) and Trichomonas vaginalis was detected in 20 (6%). Microscopy (normal saline, no KOH 10%) had an overall sensitivity of 18% in the diagnosis of vaginal yeast infection. The sensitivity substantially rose with the 'degree' of infection. In the case of trichomoniasis the sensitivity was 55%. The rates of positive cultures of Candida species, T. vaginalis, N. gonorrhoeae and C. trachomatis were 21%, 13%, 9% and 10% respectively. Symptoms and signs were not of much help in the correct classification of the different diagnostic categories due to considerable overlap. However, curdy secretions are indicative of candidal infection. Tests for anaerobic overgrowth showed a 99% correct classification of normal secretions, which implies that smelling the vaginal secretions on the withdrawn speculum is a major diagnostic office procedure.

Adult↗

Characterization of the mononuclear infiltrate in basal cell carcinoma: a predominantly T cell-mediated immune response with minor participation of Leu-7+ (natural killer) cells and Leu-14+ (B) cells.

We investigated the peritumoral inflammatory infiltrate in 22 basal cell carcinoma (BCC) from 18 patients using a series of monoclonal antibodies. In all the 22 BCC the infiltrate consisted mainly of T cells (55 +/- 15%) and only in three cases an invasion of the tumor nests by these cells was observed. The T helper (TH) subset predominated over the T suppressor/cytotoxic (TS/C) subset (TH/TS/C ratio of 1.9 +/- 0.8). In 8 of 22 BCC mild infiltrate was observed with 48 +/- 13% T cells and a TH/TS/C ratio of 1.5 +/- 0.6. In 14 of 22 BCC moderate to heavy infiltrate with 59 +/- 15% T cells and a TH/TS/C ratio of 2.0 +/- 1.0 was observed. There was a significant difference in the percentage of T cells in BCC with moderate to heavy infiltrate and that in BCC with mild infiltration. The mean percentage of HLA-DR+ cells was 54 +/- 11%; Langerhans cells (LC) 4 +/- 5%; and Leu-M5+ (monocytes and macrophages) 16 +/- 11%. Less than 2% Leu-14+(B) cells were seen in the infiltrate. The mean percentage of Leu-7+ (natural killer) cells was 4 +/- 4%, and only 1 of 22 BCC Leu-7+ cells invaded tumor nests, contacting with tumor cells. From these results we concluded that T cells play a major role in the defence against BCC proliferation. The main role of Langerhans cells and Leu-M5+ cells may be that of antigen presentation. B cells and NK cells probably play a minor role in the local defence against BCC proliferation.

Adult↗

Elastosis perforans serpiginosa: clinical, histomorphological and immunological studies.

In two cases of elastosis perforans serpiginosa (EPS) new clinical and laboratory data are described and discussed. In Case 1, EPS was triggered by penicillamine-D within an unusually short period (about one year). In Case 2, EPS was apparently primarily triggered by a vena puncture. In both cases the light and electron microscopic findings were strictly compatible with EPS. These findings are summarized. In the active lesions of both cases increased numbers of helper T-cells and Langerhans cells were shown, while cytotoxic-suppressor T-cells were nearly completely absent. Leu 3a+ cells and Leu 6+ cells were also present in the inactive central area of the lesions. The data presented may cast doubt on the relationship of immunological findings to pathogenetic events in the disease.

Adult↗