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Biomedical subjects

G Haukenes

Publications and source records attributed to G Haukenes.

At least 55 records · Page 3Linked to original sources
PubMed1991

Chlamydia pneumoniae infections in Norway 1981-87 earlier diagnosed as ornithosis.

Ornithosis has been a notifiable disease in Norway since 1957. During an outbreak of respiratory disease in 1981-82, described as ornithosis, contact with birds was stated in only 50% of the cases, suggesting that the infection was spread by interhuman transmission. A similar outbreak occurred in the western part of Norway in 1987. Serum specimens from altogether 260 patients, collected during the outbreaks in 1981-82 and in 1987, were investigated for antibodies against Chlamydia pneumoniae (strain TWAR). Evidence of recent infection with C. pneumoniae was found in 67.7% of the cases. The results indicate that the increased incidence of ornithosis in 1981-82 and in 1987 was due mainly to C. pneumoniae infections.

Chlamydia Infections↗
PubMed1990

[Viral infections in immunocompromised patients].

An increasing number of patients are immunocompromised due to modern treatment of cancer, organ transplantations and HIV-infections. Opportunistic viral infections are common and may cause serious disease among these patients. New vaccines, immunomodulators and antiviral drugs make it possible to prevent and treat many of these infections. We review the host defence against viral infections and the most important viral infections. We also discuss prophylaxis, diagnosis and therapy.

Antiviral Agents↗
PubMed1990

[Genital herpes in pregnancy. Time for new advice?].

This article surveys recent literature on genital herpes. In cases of active primary genital herpes, Caesarean section should be performed if delivery is possible within 4 to 6 hours after rupture of the membranes. There is no indication for repeated viral cultures or Caesarean section in patients with recurrent herpes or asymptomatic disease if there are no lesions at the time of delivery and the patient is without symptoms. With recurrent infections the risk of neonatal infection is low after vaginal delivery even if the mother is shedding virus at the time of birth, and vaginal delivery can be allowed even if the mother has lesions. In such instances, however, the neonate must be observed closely. Virus cultures must be prepared, and, if the virus is isolated, treatment with acyclovir should be started.

Female↗
PubMed1990

[Silent HIV infection in HIV seronegative persons].

Detection of HIV-1 provirus in HIV-1 seronegative individuals at risk has been described in several recent reports. Some of these sero-negative individuals remain so for prolonged periods, maybe for the rest of their lives. We do not know the significance of this finding and how it relates to pathogenesis and infectiousness. However, these persons seem to represent a minor group in the population. At present, these studies do not give valid reasons to change the Norwegian approach to the follow-up of persons at risk who have been tested and found HIV-antibody negative.

AIDS Serodiagnosis↗
PubMed1990

Stability of the nucleotide sequence of the phosphoprotein gene of measles virus during lytic infections.

Three clones with cDNA inserts encoding large portions of the measles virus phosphoprotein mRNA were characterized and compared with a previously published sequence of the Edmonston strain of measles virus. The two cloned viruses were separated by more than 100 passages. Only one out of 1477 nucleotides differed in the two sequences reflecting a very low mutation rate of the phosphoprotein gene during dilute lytic passages. The discovery that a third reading frame in the phosphoprotein gene may code for a novel peptide chain in addition to the P and C peptides may explain some of the high stability of the gene. The new reading frame was accessed by a translational shift caused by insertion of one extra G at a particular site in one of three otherwise identical cDNA sequences. A discrepancy was also found between the presumably high error rate of viral RNA polymerases and the stability of nucleotides in which mutations would not lead to amino acid substitutions. A few errors in the previously published sequence were discovered and the corrections are presented.

Base Sequence↗
PubMed1990

The significance of anti-hepatitis C virus antibodies measured in chronic liver disease.

The frequency of hepatitic C virus (HCV) antibodies was determined in two different laboratories in stored sera from 128 consecutive patients with chronic liver disease and from 41 healthy blood donors. Repeated measurements were performed in most patients. At the first determination the frequency of HCV antibodies was 7% in primary sclerosing cholangitis, 42% in primary biliary cirrhosis, 40% in autoimmune chronic active hepatitis, and 27% in alcoholic liver disease. The reproducibility of the determinations was rather poor, with a within-assay variation of 9.9%, whereas the between-assay variation was 34% and 47% in the two laboratories. There was a significant difference in the results obtained in the controls, depending on the handling of the sera. Freezing and thawing and, possibly, protracted storing of sera had a major impact on the assay and may have invalidated the results obtained in many studies. A significant association between IgG levels and titers of HCV antibodies was found in the total group of patients (p less than 0.005), in autoimmune chronic active hepatitis (p less than 0.005), and in primary biliary cirrhosis (p less than 0.01). It may be questioned whether the assay really is specific for anti-HCV antibodies in these patients. Whether HCV has anything to do with the etiology and pathogenesis of chronic liver disease apart from NANB-hepatitis is still undetermined.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1990

The AIDS epidemic: profiles of development.

As all HIV-infected subjects become virus carriers, the epidemic will not attain a "steady state" until the number of deletions (from death and other factors) equals or outnumbers that of new cases, i.e. each HIV-infected subject transmits the infection to only one subject in the course of his lifespan. A full stop of all spreading of HIV will most likely require worldwide vaccination. By simple mathematical models it is shown that calculation of the number of HIV infected individuals based on the number of AIDS cases is very uncertain. The ratio of HIV infected subjects to AIDS cases is greatly influenced by the length of the incubation period and the case doubling time. Since the growth of the epidemic is exponential, all efforts to control the epidemic should be continuously intensified as single measures will only retard the rate of spread. The effect of saturation/deletion on the number of susceptible individuals is insignificant in this phase of the epidemic, except in small groups at special risk.

Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome↗
PubMed1990

Prevalence of antibodies to human T-lymphotropic virus type 1 (HTLV-1) in an HIV-endemic region of Africa.

Serum samples from 267 healthy subjects and patients either infected or not infected with HIV-1 in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, were examined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and western blot techniques for evidence of HTLV-1 infection. Specific antibodies were detected in only 1% of the sera. Positive sera were likely to be from individuals infected with HIV-1. Tanzania and probably the other East African countries are non-endemic for HTLV-1. Prevalences are too low to provide justification for screening of blood donations. However, screening of donor blood for HIV-1 will limit transmission of HTLV-1 by this route as well.

Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay↗
PubMed1990

Mumps mistaken for rubella in the first trimester of pregnancy. The role of the microbiology laboratory in the diagnosis of the infection. A case report.

A case of mumps with an exanthema is described. However, the parotid swelling was mistaken for enlarged lymph nodes, and the case was described as one of "typical rubella". As the patient was pregnant in her first trimester, an induced abortion was considered. Serum specimens for rubella antibody testing had been taken, but the information given by the consulting physician was incorrect and led to testing for past infection and immunity. After re-examination of the patient by a gynaecologist, mumps was suspected and the diagnosis verified serologically. The present case shows that in certain situations adequate information must be given to the laboratory in order to ensure a meaningful interpretation of the results of the serological examination.

Adult↗
PubMed1989

Two species of the phosphoprotein mRNA with differently edited reading frames discovered in measles virus infected Vero cells. Brief report.

One cDNA clone representing the phosphoprotein mRNA sequence of the Edmonston strain of measles virus contained 4 G nucleotides at a particular position. Two other clones contained 3 G nucleotides at the same position. Otherwise the nucleotide sequence were identical. The mRNA with 3 G nucleotides codes for the 70 kD phosphoprotein. The mRNA with 4 G nucleotides may code for a putative new peptide with 231 aminoterminal amino acids in common with the P protein whereas the 68 carboxyterminal amino acids are different from any amino acid sequence of the phosphoprotein. Thus the consequence of the insertion of one additional G is a translational shift to a shorter open reading frame. There are several indications that the observation is of biological significance.

Animals↗
PubMed1988

False-positive band in the gp41 region in anti-HIV western blotting.

A consistently positive ELISA reaction and a band in the gp41-region of the HIV-1 western blot were found in repeated serum samples from a healthy pregnant woman. The band was more clearly defined than the HIV gp41 band. Additional ELISA testing and repeated western blot analyses using different test kit batches confirmed our suspicion of a false-positive reaction.

Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome↗
PubMed1988

Construction and characterization of complementary DNA libraries from Vero cells infected with measles virus.

Several cDNA libraries have been generated from poly(A)RNA from Vero cells infected for 24 hours with measles virus. Different protocols for cDNA library construction were compared and some critical steps were evaluated. From these libraries, a measles virus specific sequence corresponding to 885 of 1600 nucleotides of the measles virus phosphoprotein gene has been cloned. The phosphoprotein gene accounts for 1% of the total cDNA library after 24 hours of infection at 37 degrees C. The technique of differential colony hybridization was used to analyze the distribution and change of the poly(A)-RNA expression in uninfected Vero cells and in cells infected with measles virus for 24 hours.

Animals↗
PubMed1988

Prevalence of infection with rotavirus and enteric adenoviruses among children in Tanzania.

The prevalence of rotavirus and enteric adenoviruses was studied by a latex agglutination test in stool samples from 87 children below 36 months of age admitted to the diarrhoea ward of the National Teaching Hospital in Dar es Salaam. Rotavirus was detected in 17 (19.5%) of the samples, while enteric adenoviruses were detected in two (2.3%). The relative frequency of rotavirus diarrhoea was significantly lower than that observed in developed countries. Further, serum samples from healthy donors, 61 school children and 50 adults, were examined for IgG and IgM antibodies. IgG antibodies were found in 73.8% of the children (mean age 9.6 years) and 86% of the adults (mean age 31.2 years). IgM antibodies were not detected. Rotavirus is an important enteropathogen in Tanzania, and the latex agglutination test for rotavirus and adenoviruses is a rapid and reliable diagnostic method.

Adenoviridae Infections↗