Search PubMed⌕ Search

Biomedical subjects

M Ulrich

Publications and source records attributed to M Ulrich.

At least 127 records · Page 7Linked to original sources
PubMedDate not supplied

The clinical and immunological spectrum of American cutaneous leishmaniasis.

American cutaneous leishmaniasis is characterized by a spectrum of clinical manifestations. These include localized, often self-healing single lesions, intermediate forms which frequently produce mucosal lesions and often show exaggerated delayed-type hypersensitivity (DTH), and the rare diffuse cutaneous leishmaniasis in which no reaction of protective cell-mediated immunity or DTH can be demonstrated. Clinical, pathological and immunological studies have begun to unravel some of the mechanisms associated with different disease manifestations, dependent on complex interactions between the host immune response, measured in terms of indices including lymphocyte subsets and lymphokines in vitro and within active lesions, and different species of Leishmania.

Animals↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Canine visceral leishmaniasis on Margarita Island (Nueva Esparta, Venezuela).

The frequency of American visceral leishmaniasis affecting humans on Margarita Island, Venezuela, has increased in recent years, and infected dogs appear to constitute the principal source of infection. ELISA tests with Leishmania donovani promastigotes and rK39 antigen from L. chagasi in serum from 541 dogs were positive in 33.1% and 21.6% of the samples, respectively. A second blood sample taken from 50 animals after 8-10 months revealed an increase from 24% to 40% of ELISA positivity to both antigens, suggesting high susceptibility and transmission in the canine population. Among 42 serologically positive dogs, 33% of which showed clinical signs of disease, 79% were positive in polymerase chain reactions using primers specific for the L. donovani complex. Control measures including epidemiological hypersurveillance, the humane sacrifice of infected dogs, and rapid diagnosis and treatment of human cases have been initiated.

Animals↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Immunotherapy of american cutaneous leishmaniasis in Venezuela during the period 1990-99.

Of a total of 11532 Venezuelan patients with American cutaneous leishmaniasis (ACL) receiving immunotherapy with a combined vaccine containing heat-killed Leishmania promastigotes and bacille Calmette-Guerin (BCG) during the period 1990-99, we evaluated 5341 from 4 widely separated geographical states. Clinical healing varied from 91.2 to 98.7%, with an average of 95.7%. Adverse reactions were mild and limited to those associated with BCG vaccination alone. Immunotherapy failures in 143 patients included 54.5% with typical localized ulcers and 45.5% with non-mucosal intermediate cutaneous leishmaniasis (ICL). Less than 2% of the patients in this study had lesions suggestive of ICL. The disproportionately large number of immunotherapy failures in the ICL group suggests that it should not be used as monotherapy in this group. Weaker reactivity to purified protein derivative in immunotherapy failures, while not statistically significant in the small group reported here, suggests the possibility that these patients develop a relatively torpid immune response. The high percentage of clinical cures achieved with immunotherapy, associated with few secondary effects and low cost, support the use of immunotherapy in the routine treatment of localized ACL.

Animals↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Peritoneal dialysis solutions and feline splanchnic blood flow.

Splanchnic blood flow is generally considered to be one of the major factors governing the efficiency of peritoneal dialysis; however, few direct measurements of blood flow have been made during peritoneal dialysis. The radioactive microsphere technique was used to assess the effects of 1.5 and 4.25 g/100 ml dextrose-Dianeal solutions on blood flow to various tissues in the abdominal cavity. The effects of dialysis solution on blood flow through the superior mesenteric and coeliac arteries were measured by electromagnetic flowmetry. The results indicate that the commercial peritoneal dialysis solutions dramatically increase blood flow to the mesentery, omentum, intestinal serosa and parietal peritoneum. These changes are not accompanied by significant alterations in blood perfusion in the major abdominal organs (liver, stomach, intestine, pancreas, spleen). Peritoneal dialysis solutions do not significantly alter blood flow through the coeliac and superior mesenteric arteries. These findings indicate that commercial dialysis solutions improve perfusion to the peritoneum without significantly altering splanchnic blood flow.

Animals↗
PubMedDate not supplied

An unusual case of hyper-production of IgE, treated by plasmapheresis.

A 15-year-old boy with severe inflammatory skin lesions from an early age was found to have extremely elevated serum IgE levels (up to 376.000 IU/ml). His skin showed positive direct immunofluorescence for IgE and he had peripheral and bone marrow eosinophilia. No evidence for atopic disease was found, but he suffered intestinal helminthic infection of moderate intensity. He showed a somewhat depressed cell mediated immune response but a normal polymorphonuclear function. Various treatments that included anti-inflammatory, anti-allergic, anti-parasitic, anti-mycotic and PUVA therapy did not significantly improve his condition A therapeutic test using plasmapheresis produced marked, though short-lived clinical improvement. We believe that this case might result from the superimposition of the stimulatory effects of intestinal helminthiasis on a background of intrinsic hyper-production of IgE.

Adolescent↗