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Biomedical subjects

H Krauss

Publications and source records attributed to H Krauss.

At least 109 records · Page 6Linked to original sources

Chlamydia trachomatis in 'abacterial' prostatitis: microbiological, cytological and serological studies.

Chlamydia trachomatis was isolated from urethral swabs after prostatic massage in patients with 'abacterial' prostatitis. After exclusion of prostatic infections by gram-negative bacteria, enterococci and ureaplasmas, in 20 of 43 patients with apparent monoinfection by C. trachomatis, a leucocytal reaction was demonstrated in prostatic secretions. By microimmunofluorescence test, antibody titers greater than or equal to 1:8 against various types of C. trachomatis were detected in these patients, whereas serology was negative in chlamydia-positive patients without increased leucocyte counts (prostatodynia).

Adolescent↗

[Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) for IgG- and IgM antibodies in chlamydial infections of humans].

The development and evaluation of an indirect ELISA for IgG and IgM antibodies in human sera against the genus-specific chlamydial antigen is described. Application of commercial anti-immunoglobulins for production of conjugates usually resulted in direct conjugate/antigen reactions. Therefore, all immunoreagents had to be prepared by the authors. Using anti-immunoglobulins purified by affinity chromatography for the production of anti-human IgG(H + L)-peroxidase conjugates, these conjugates showed high specific activity and could be diluted 1/10,000 for the test, whereby direct reactions with antigens were negligible (12 +/- 12 ELISA units). Results with the mu-chain-specific IgM ELISA could be verified additionally by rheumatoid factor analysis and gel-chromatographic investigations. Reactions with sodium deoxycholate extracted antigen from cells not infected with chlamydiae ("negative antigen") were observed with sera from persons working with cell cultures. In comparison with microimmunofluorescence (MIF) test and radioimmunoassay (RIA), the ELISA was the most sensitive method. However, for differentiation of urogenital infections associated with chlamydiae, the type-specific MIF test was superior to the genus-specific ELISA. In comparison to persons with chlamydia-associated prostatitis, the high percentage of IgM-positive reactions in patients with nongonococcal urethritis (10% and 56%, respectively) pointed to a predominant participation of genus-specific IgM antibodies in recent infections. As compared to ELISA values of patients with infections of the urogenital tract (up to 875 ELISA units), in some apparently healthy blood donors significantly higher ELISA values (up to 1400 ELISA units) were recorded. Such reactions may be attributed to systemic infections, e.g. chlamydial pneumonias. The importance to differentiate between IgG and IgM antibodies in such infections is discussed.

Antibodies, Bacterial↗

Significance of Chlamydia trachomatis in "abacterial" prostatitis.

Chlamydia (C.) trachomatis was isolated in McCoy cell cultures from urethral swabs after prostatic massage, of 43 out of 233 patients (18.5%) with symptoms of "abacterial" prostatitis, but also from 5 out of 65 control persons (7.7%). Numbers of granulocytes in sediments of cytocentrifuged urine voided after prostatic massage were normal (less than or equal to 2, magn. 400 X) in all 65 control persons, but were increased in 26 out of 43 patients with symptoms of "abacterial" prostatitis (greater than or equal to 4, magn. 400 X). Using an (H + L) chain specific anti-IgG FITC conjugate, microimmunofluorescence tests for detection of antibodies against C. trachomatis could be performed with the sera of all 65 control persons and with those of 37 out of the 43 patients. All control persons, even those five with positive C. trachomatis culture, were serologically negative (titer less than 1:8), while in 13 out of 15 C. trachomatis positive patients with a definitive diagnosis of "abacterial" prostatitis, humoral antibodies with titers of greater than or equal to 1:8, predominantly against serotypes I, J, E, and G, were detected. Serological results correlated well with granulocyte counts in urines after prostatic massage. Patients with symptoms of "abacterial" prostatitis with normal granulocyte counts (less than or equal to 2) and negative serology (titer less than 1:8) were considered suffering from "prostatodynia".

Adolescent↗

Rheumatoid factor-negative arthritis, especially ankylosing spondylitis, and infections of the male urogenital tract.

146 men with rheumatoid factor-negative (sero-negative) arthritis, i.e., 97 patients with ankylosing spondylitis, 36 patients with Reiter's syndrome, and 13 patients with reactive arthritis, were examined for infections of the urogenital tract by following recently established criteria. 74 patients (50.7%) had infections of the male adnexes: 3 patients suffered from balanitis, 14 patients from urethritis, 49 patients from prostatitis, 1 patient from epididymitis, and 7 patients from urinary tract infection. Balanitis and urethritis were almost exclusively associated with Reiter's syndrome. In 37 of 97 patients with ankylosing spondylitis, a urogenital tract infection, mainly a prostatitis (31 patients), was detected. The microorganisms isolated most frequently from patients suffering from urethritis and prostatitis, were Chlamydia trachomatis and Ureaplasma urealyticum.

Arthritis↗

[Studies on the aetiology of non-gonococcal urethritis (author's transl)].

Tests performed on urethral secretion and morning urine specimen identified the causative micro-organism in 143 of 164 males with non-gonococcal urethritis. In 59 patients (36%) there was an infection with Chlamydia trachomatis, in 48 (29.2%) with Ureaplasma urealyticum in significantly high bacterial counts (greater than or equal to 10(4) KbU/ml) urethral secretion (greater than or equal to 10(3) KbU/ml first urine sample), and in a further 18 patients (11%) double infections with Chlamydia trachomatis and Ureaplasma urealyticum. Other causative organisms such as Mycoplasma hominis, enterococci, streptococci of groups A and B, enterobacteria and Trichomonas were isolated in 18 patients (11%). In 21 patients (12.8%) no causative organism was demonstrated. In several instances, Chlamydia was demonstrated in ureaplasma-negative non-gonococcal urethritis, while Ureaplasma was demonstrated in Chlamydia-negative cases. In cases of urethritis caused by Chlamydia gonorrhoeal urethritis was more frequent in the past history than when urethritis was due to Ureaplasma. Treatment with tetracyclines led to clinically and microbiologically good results in 77% of patients with Ureaplasma urethritis, in 64% of patients with Chlamydia urethritis. Adnexial infections such as prostatitis and epididymitis were among the complications seen.

Adolescent↗

Purification of genus-specific chlamydial antigen and its separation into several components by ion-exchange chromatography.

Sodium deoxycholate-extracted genus-specific chlamydial antigen was purified from contaminating substances by ion-exchange chromatography with DEAE-sephacel, resulting in a decrease in the complement-fixing activity of the antigen, whereas the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay activity increased. By successive elution with 0.5, 1.0, and 1.5 M acetate buffer at least three clearly separated components were consistently recovered in 14 trials. The identity of these components as genus-specific chlamydial antigen was demonstrated in enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay tests with specific antisera. The antigenic activity of these components was not diminished by prior treatment of the chlamydial particles with pronase. Antiserum prepared by immunization of rabbits with the antigenic component I of an egg-propagated antigen reacted predominantly with the antigenic components I and II of a cell culture-propagated antigen.

Antigens, Viral↗

[A contribution to stepless antibody determination by the "enzyme linked immunosorbent assay" (ELISA) (author's transl)].

A simple method for the mathematical calculation of ELISA results is described. Using the formula (formula: see text) (Eu, En, Ep = extinction values of the unknown serum, the negative, and positive standard serum, respectively) an index value Iu is calculated for the testserum, whereby the optical density of the testserum is put in relation to the optical density of a negative and positive standardserum. Using three different ELISA test systems, the Iu values of a number of human, bovine and rabbit testsera were relatively uniform and reproducible in repeated investigations. A statistically calculated tolerance limit for the index values of negative sera can be introduced into the formula described, thus facilitating the decision "negative" or "positive" for unknown sera.

Animals↗

[A case of pacemaker-induced tachycardia].

Report of a pacemaker induced tachycardia. Because of congestive heart failure therapy consisted in immediate replacement of the defective pacemaker. Analysis of the explanted pacemaker revealed a defect in the rate determining circuit. The rate protection limit prevented pacemaker runaway.

Aged↗