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K Schopfer

Publications and source records attributed to K Schopfer.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources
PubMed1989

[Listeria in food].

Since some outbreaks of listeriosis have been traced to various foods, the contamination rate of the foodstuffs is of great interest. Out of 1708 samples of milk and milk products, 105 samples (6.1%) proved to contain Listeria spp. L. monocytogenes was isolated from 54 specimens (3.0%). The isolation rate among 496 samples of meat and raw meat products was 38.9%. L. monocytogenes was found in 14.1% of these samples. Salads and vegetables proved to be contaminated by Listeria spp. in 6.4%; 2.1% of the strains were identified as L. monocytogenes. 57.4% of food samples contained less than 10 Listeria spp. per gram, while in the other samples the Listeria count ranged between 10 and 10(3)/g. In only one sample of cheese was more than 10(3) Listeria/g found. In contrast to cheese, where the contamination normally occurs during the ripening process and must be considered a hygiene problem, meat is already contaminated during slaughtering and processing. Beside these findings, there are further differences in the listerial microbiology of cheese and raw meat products. Additional studies are needed to determine the bearing of these factors on the epidemiology of human listeriosis.

Animals↗
PubMed1987

[BCG osteitis in Switzerland. A report of 6 cases].

BCG osteitis is a rare complication after vaccination in the newborn. On the basis of various, not yet fully known mechanisms, an increase in the number of cases is nevertheless possible. In the period 1980-1985 the authors recorded 6 instances of BCG osteitis. The clinical findings and diagnostic criteria are described. The incidence, pathogenesis and therapy of the disease are discussed.

Antitubercular Agents↗
PubMed1987

Comparison of human and porcine insulin therapies in children with newly diagnosed diabetes mellitus.

A multicenter, longitudinal study of children below the age of 16 years with newly diagnosed Type 1 (insulin-dependent) diabetes treated either with porcine monocomponent insulin (n = 26) or semisynthetic human monocomponent insulin (n = 26) was performed during the first 24 months after onset of diabetes. The two groups were carefully matched for age, duration of disease symptoms, initial metabolic values, islet cell antibodies and HLA-DR antigens. During the 24-month observation period there was no significant difference between the two groups in respect to the clinical course, insulin dosage, HbA1 and residual B-cell activity. No child in either group had a real remission without necessitating insulin therapy. The prevalence of insulin antibodies increased slowly and was 62% in the group treated by human insulin and 52% in the porcine insulin-treated group after 24 months. The titres were generally low and there was no statistical difference between the two groups in respect to insulin antibody formation.

Antibody Formation↗
PubMed1986

[Viral respiratory infections in children: new diagnostic methods for early detection. Initial results of a pilot project in Switzerland].

The new methods of rapid viral diagnosis make it possible to specify a number of the most prevalent agents of respiratory tract infections within 24 hours. The techniques are based on the immunological detection of antigens of respiratory syncytial (RSV), adeno, parainfluenza type 1, 2 and 3, as well as of influenza A and B viruses in nasopharyngeal secretions. During a one-year period we have used these methods to evaluate diagnostically 1541 outpatients presenting with upper and lower respiratory tract infections. The patients included babies, infants and children under 16. In about 50% of all sick babies below the age of three months a definite viral infection could be established, and in approximately 30% of infants and children aged up to 4 years. RSV was most frequently observed, accounting for 53.6% of all infections (80% of all babies below the age of 3 months, in whom specified agents could be identified, had RSV infection). The next most frequent pathogens were parainfluenza type 3 (18,8%), influenza A (11,3%) and, finally, adenoviruses (10.2%). The epidemiological and clinical characteristics of these infections are summarized. In addition, the results of these antigen detecting assays have been compared with those of concomitantly conducted virus isolation techniques in cell cultures. This comparative analysis most impressively revealed the time saved by attempting an etiological diagnosis using the antigen detecting system: in only 6% was a specific diagnosis established on the basis of virus isolation, whereas the delay was equal or more than 8 days in 36% of all patients enroled.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Adenoviridae↗
PubMed1986

Abnormal humoral immune response to Staphylococcus aureus in patients with Staphylococcus aureus hyper IgE syndrome.

Patients with the S. aureus hyper IgE syndrome (SAHIGES) have an abnormal IgE response to cell wall and surface antigens of S. aureus. In this paper we describe the detection of IgE antibodies to soluble antigens of staphylococci (S. aureus and S. epidermidis) and qualitative abnormalities of the IgG response to soluble S. aureus antigens in patients with SAHIGES. These findings may be of pathogenetic importance and help to delineate SAHIGES from other diseases.

Adult↗
PubMed1985

[Rotavirus and pararotavirus infections in adults. Analysis of a nosocomial infection and some sporadic cases].

A nosocomial infection in adults due to rotavirus is described. The identity of the infecting rotavirus strains was demonstrated by genomic dsRNA electrophoresis. At an interval of 19 days another patient in the same hospital developed a pararotavirus infection. Pararotaviruses or rotavirus-like agents are antigenetically distinct from rotaviruses and thus cannot be detected at present by the available antibody mediated antigen detection systems. The current prevalence of pararotavirus infections in adults is unknown in Switzerland. The question whether there is a relationship between the small nosocomial rotavirus epidemic and the sporadic pararotavirus infection remains speculative. We also performed microbiological workups of 394 fecal samples from outpatients with diarrhoea. During the study period from January to April 1984 rotaviruses were the third most frequent aetiological agent, after salmonella and campylobacter, in acute adult gastroenteritis. Selecting the bacteriologically negative fecal samples with a watery and non-bloody aspect, rotaviruses were found in 30%.

Adult↗
PubMed1985

[Clinical significance of antimitochondrial antibodies].

Clinical, histological and serological data of 72 patients with antimitochondrial antibodies (AMA) were analyzed. 56 (78%) of the patients exhibited chronic cholestatic hepatopathy; in 30 of these primary biliary cirrhosis (PBC) was diagnosed and in 26 "possible PBC". The remaining 16 patients were subsumed in an "other illness' group. A collagen or autoimmune disease was found in 8 patients of the chronic cholestatic hepatopathy group and in 3 of the "other illness" group. Histological findings were diagnostic for PBC or cirrhotic liver in 90% of the patients with clinical signs, while 64% of the symptomfree patients had unspecific histological liver alterations. In general, increasing serum IgM, alkaline phosphatase, gamma-GT and symptoms paralleled increasing AMA titers, although asymptomatic patients with high AMA titers were also seen. The prevalence of hepatopathies rose with increasing AMA titers, but otherwise no association of AMA titers and diagnosis was observed. Therefore, a positive AMA test bears out suspicion of hepatopathy, but cannot be regarded as specific for PBC when other liver signs are absent.

Autoantibodies↗
PubMed1985

Immune response to Staphylococcus aureus in atopic dermatitis.

The skin of patients with atopic dermatitis (AD) is severely colonized with Staphylococcus aureus. Therefore, a study was conducted to assess some basic features of the S. aureus-specific immune response in patients with AD and healthy nonatopic individuals. Some particular features were found: a selective hyporesponsiveness to purified S. aureus cell walls (PCW) in delayed skin reactivity; half of our AD patients showed serum IgE to PCW and soluble S. aureus protoplast antigens; elevated PCW-IgE did not correlate with positive immediate skin reactions to whole S. aureus and their cell walls; regional lymphadenopathy but not impetiginization was associated with increased PCW-IgE and high total IgE. It is suggested that these changes in the immune response to S. aureus are related to the chronic S. aureus colonization of the skin.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1985

The immune response to S. aureus in atopic dermatitis.

The skin of patients with atopic dermatitis is heavily colonized with S. aureus, and their immune response to S. aureus shows some particular features: (1) A selective hyporesponsiveness to purified S. aureus cell walls in delayed type hypersensitivity skin reactions. (2) The presence of IgE to cell walls and soluble antigens of S. aureus in patients with high serum IgE levels. (3) Elevated cell wall IgE do not correlate with positive immediate skin reactions to whole S. aureus and their cell walls. (4) Regional lymphadenopathy but not impetiginization is associated with high total IgE and S. aureus cell wall IgE. We suggest that these changes in the immune response to S. aureus are related to the chronic S. aureus colonization of the skin.

Adult↗
PubMed1985

[Rotavirus infections in childhood: studies using a molecular biology method (gene electrophoresis)].

During a 15-month period all children below 16 years admitted to the Children's Hospital in St. Gallen with acute diarrheal disease were studied for rotavirus (RV) infection. Stool samples from control patients without gastrointestinal disease were investigated for RV shedding in order to detect RV carriers or asymptomatically infected children. RV was detected by electrophoresis of RV genomic dsRNA in 154 children. 119 (58%) of 205 patients hospitalized because of diarrhea were RV associated, 25 children became symptomatically ill during their hospitalization, and in 10 (1%) of 954 control patients RV could be found. During the winter 1983/1984 two epidemic peaks of RV associated diarrhea were noted, whereas in the summer period RV related disease occurred only sporadically. The peak incidence of RV infection was in the age group between 10 and 12 months. After the 3rd year of life RV infection only rarely required hospitalization. During this study period 8 different genomic RNA patterns of RV were found. The number of patients within these 8 RV types, however, is too small to allow definite correlations between epidemiological or clinical features and selected electrophorotypes. The possibility to perform refined epidemiological and clinical analyses of RV infection by genomic dsRNA electrophoresis offers important advantages when compared to other RV detection systems. In addition, this method has proven to be fast, simple and reliable.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1985

Staphylococcus aureus skin colonization in atopic dermatitis patients.

A study was conducted to compare the Staphylococcus aureus skin colonization of 21 patients with atopic dermatitis (AD) and 22 healthy controls. It was found that the total aerobe count (total CFU/cm2), the S. aureus fraction thereof and the S. aureus carrier frequency were significantly higher in apparently normal skin of AD patients than in healthy individuals. In addition, compared to normal skin of patients S. aureus density was 100 to 1,000 times higher in the 3 different kinds of lesional skin (dermatitic, lichenified and impetiginized sites). 190 S. aureus strains isolated from the skin of AD patients were tested for sensitivity to 5 topically used antibiotics and the results reported. Besides the biological consequences for the person affected by AD this severe colonization with S. aureus is of epidemiological importance. Several outbreaks of S. aureus infections by dispersal from dermatitic skin have been described. Therefore some preventive and therapeutic aspects are discussed.

Dermatitis, Atopic↗
PubMed1984

Spontaneous and pokeweed mitogen-induced in vitro IgG production specific for S. aureus cell wall determinants in man.

A system has been established to produce in vitro IgG specific for cell wall determinants of S. aureus by human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC). PBMC of healthy individuals, of patients with S. aureus infections and of patients with other bacterial infections were cultured for 12 days. In the culture supernatants (SN) total IgG was determined by a competitive RIA, and IgG to purified cell walls (PCW) of S. aureus strain H by a two step ELISA. PBMC of 11 healthy persons produced anti-PCW IgG upon stimulation by pokeweed mitogen (PWM). This indicates the presence in some healthy persons of circulating B cells which can be induced in vitro to synthesize PCW specific IgG. PBMC of S. aureus infected patients, however, synthesized anti-PCW IgG in culture medium alone. This is the first description of spontaneous in vitro production of specific IgG during a bacterial infection and may be analogous to short phases of spontaneous specific IgG production described after immunizations and viral infections. Finally, compared to healthy individuals, an increased total IgG synthesis in vitro by PBMC obtained from patients with S. aureus and from patients with other severe bacterial infections was found. It is concluded that this polyclonal B cell activation has been initiated in vivo. Its biological significance is unknown.

Adult↗