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Biomedical subjects

M Longson

Publications and source records attributed to M Longson.

10 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1990

Donor seropositivity and prednisolone therapy as risk factors for cytomegalovirus infection and disease in cyclosporin-treated renal allograft recipients.

We attempted to assess the importance of blood transfusion, donor seropositivity, and prednisolone therapy as risk factors for cytomegalovirus infection in cyclosporin-treated renal allograft recipients. Primary infection was diagnosed in 27 of 86 patients (31 per cent) and recurrent infection in 27 of 79 patients (34 per cent). Receipt of banked blood from unselected donors after transplantation did not increase the incidence of primary infection in the few transfused patients. Kidney donor seropositivity and maintenance prednisolone in addition to cyclosporin were associated with increases in the incidence of primary or recurrent infection, respectively. Cytomegalovirus infection was clinically mild. Presumed bacterial pneumonias occurred in three patients with recurrent cytomegalovirus infection. The absence of severe cytomegalovirus disease probably reflected the minimal use of prednisolone. Matching of seronegative donors with seronegative recipients seemed unjustifiable in cyclosporin-treated renal transplant patients.

Adult↗
PubMed1990

Antiphospholipid antibodies and Mycoplasma pneumoniae infection.

Anticardiolipin antibody levels were measured in 57 patients with Mycoplasma pneumoniae infection and 21 patients with other infections. Significantly more patients in the mycoplasma group had increased IgM and IgG anticardiolipin. Within the mycoplasma group significantly higher titres were found in patients with severe infection (assessed by need for hospital admission) and in patients with cold agglutinins. A tendency for particularly high titres to occur in patients with extra-pulmonary complications was identified.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1978

Persistence in herpes simplex virus infections.

Diseases of man caused by the virus of herpes simplex fall into two broad categories. The primary disease occurs only once in any individual's life and is caused by transmission of virus from an already infected human. Thereafter, the individual may be subject to recurrent herpetic disease, the manifestations of which are different from the primary disease. Recurrent disease varies in severity from trivial, to incapacitating and frankly lethal (as in diseases resulting from the virus's neurotropic and oncogenic properties). The source of the virus in recurrent herpetic disease has never been conclusively resolved, but is almost certainly endogenous to the patient. Theories, case reports and experiments exist to show that endogenous virus may, in periods of clinical quiescence, be latent (or persistent) at the site of the recurrent lesions itself, or more remotely in nerve tissues related to the site of recurrence.

Animals↗
PubMed1977

Herpes encephalitis.

Four cases of herpes encephalitis treated with dexamethasone and cytarabine. Cases were all verified by brain biopsy and immunofluorescent techniques. Attention is called to the need for early diagnosis, but the difficulty of deciding when to perform brain biopsy is discussed. Early treatment with effective drugs is necessary to prevent permanent brain damage.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1976

Influenzavirus A2 infections presenting with febril convulsions and gastrointestinal symptoms in young children.

We present the clinical features of Influenzavirus A2 infection in 75 young children admitted to a children's hospital. The most common presenting features were febrile convulsions. vomiting, coughing, diarrhea, and anorexia. At any age, the illness may present with respiratory tract symptoms and signs but in young babies gastroinestinal symptoms are often the presenting complaint. Children aged one to three years often present with febrile convulsions. Only in older children does the adult pattern begin to emerge. Evidence is put forward to suggest that encephalitis in association with influenza can be due to direct invasion of the central nervous system by the virus.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1976

Chronic Q fever.

Sixteen cases of chronic Q fever are described. In eight there was a history of exposure to infection from farms or farm products. All had valvular heart disease, involving the mitral valve in nine and the aortic valve in seven. Infection occurred on a prosthetic valve in two patients. Arterial embolism was common. Venous thrombosis occured in three patients, and pulmonary embolism occurred in three other patients. Complement fixing antibodies to phase 1 antigen were found in a titre of 1:200 or greater in all except two patients. In one of these post-mortem examination revealed rickettsial bodies in mitral valve vegetations, and in the other Coxiella burneti was isolated from heart valve tissue. The majority presented with infective endocarditis but two presented primarily with liver disease. All patients had evidence of liver involvement and in one this led to death from cirrhosis. Abnormal tests of liver function, particularly hyperglobulinaemia, raised alkaline phsophatase and abnormal bromsulphthalein retention were found in all patients. Hepatic histology was abnormal in all eight patients in whom it was studied. The commonest features were mononuclear cell infiltration of the portal tracts and prominence of the sinusoidal Kupffer cells. Patchy focal necrosis of parenchymal cells, granulomata, fatty change, and eosinophilia of the sinusoidal walls were also noted in several patients and cirrhosis developed in one. Six patients had a purpuric rash, and in 12 there was thrombocytopenia. It is suggested that the presence of hepatomegaly and liver involvement and thrombocytopenia may help to differentiate Q fever endocarditis from bacterial endocarditis. Raised serum IgM and IgA levels occured frequently, but with only a moderate dominance of IgM. Sheep cell agglutination and latex fixation tests for rheumatoid factor were occasionally positive. Several features of the disease suggest the possibility that immune-complex mechanisms may play a role in chronic Q fever. Treatment was with prolonged courses of tetracycline usually combined with lincomycin. Seven patients underwent valve replacement surgery for haemodynamic reasons. Five patients died; two from heart failure, one from cirrhosis, one seven days after valve replacement and one from intraperitoneal haemorrhage following percutaneous liver biopsy. Three patients have survived for more than five years, and another six for more than three and a half years after diagnosis. Of these nine patients, three received medical therapy alone and six required valve replacement as well. Antibiotics have been discontinued in four patients who have had valve surgery and three others. Six patients had received antibiotics for continuous periods varying from 29-62 months. In the period after stopping therapy varying from 15-21 months, no relapse has occured. A seventh patient, who had received antibiotics for four months prior to valve replacement, has survived 43 months after the withdrawal of antibiotics...

Adult↗