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Biomedical subjects

N Spyrou

Publications and source records attributed to N Spyrou.

26 records · Page 2Linked to original sources
PubMed1994

Restrictive cardiomyopathies.

Restrictive cardiomyopathy has always been a fairly common cause of cardiac death in the tropics through endomyocardial fibrosis. In temperate climates, amyloidosis is the most common form of the disease, whereas Löffler's endocarditis is quite rare. Amyloidosis is more frequently encountered as the population ages, but restrictive cardiomyopathy is still rare outside the tropics. Differentiation between cardiac restriction and constriction is still the major clinical consideration as treatment for constrictive pericarditis is easily administered.

Amyloidosis↗
PubMed1991

Response of recurrent giant cell myocarditis in a transplanted heart to intensive immunosuppression.

A 35-year-old man developed giant cell myocarditis resulting in severe congestive cardiac failure. He needed urgent orthotopic cardiac transplantation despite maximal doses of inotropes and augmentation with an intra-aortic balloon pump. The patient presented with rhythm disturbances and echocardiographically diminished ventricular function at subsequent follow-up. Biopsies then taken revealed recurrence of myocarditis in the transplanted heart. Investigations revealed no obvious cause for the myocardial granulomas nor any evidence of systemic granulomatous disease. The patient received, in addition to maintenance cyclosporin A and azathioprine, high doses of corticosteroids which resulted in complete resolution of the inflammatory process and no recurrence has been detected to date. This case shows that giant cell myocarditis can recur in the transplanted heart despite routine immunosuppression with azathioprine and cyclosporin A and that additional treatment with high dose corticosteroids is effective in causing regression of the inflammatory process.

Adult↗
PubMed1988

Evaluation of enteric virus levels and serotypes recovered from wastewater and sea-water.

The present study attempted to assess the levels of enteric viruses, as well as their serotypes, present in the wastewaters of the central Athens sewer of Keratsini (Greece), and in the receiving coastal sea-waters in the vicinity. From the parallel examination of 24 samples from each sampling source, during 1985, viruses were detected in 100% of wastewaters and in 87.5% of the receiving sea-waters. The virus loads in the receiving waters, 100 meters away from the polluting source, were found to be as low as 13% of the total virus content detected at the polluting source. From the identification of the recovered field-isolates it was found that in the polluting source (wastewater) 13 different serotypes of enteroviruses were present (not including untyped isolates), where as in the receiving coastal waters were found nine different serotypes, which correlate with those found in sewage effluents. The maximum levels detected from both sources were found in late Summer early Fall.

Humans↗
PubMed1985

Seasonal distribution of enteroviruses and adenoviruses in domestic sewage.

A seasonal distribution of enteroviruses and adenoviruses in raw sewage effluents of Athens, Greece, was observed over a 15-month surveillance period. All 36 samples tested were positive for both virus groups. Adenovirus concentration levels ranged from 70 to 3200 cytopathic units per litre of sample, whereas the corresponding values for enteroviruses were 90-900 cytopathic units per litre. Peak values for adenoviruses were recorded during the months of April and June 1983, whereas for enteroviruses the peak was recorded in September 1983. All three types of poliovirus were present. Coxsackievirus types B-1, B-2, B-4, and B-5 and echovirus type 7 were also isolated. Adenovirus types 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, and 15 were detected as well.

Adenoviruses, Human↗
PubMed1982

Are viral studies indicated in juvenile-onset diabetes?

Recent observations have shown that insulin-dependent diabetes (JOD) may be the result of autoimmunity causing more or less rapid pancreatic isle cell destruction. This autoimmune process may be initiated in individuals who are genetically vulnerable to specific virus action. Several viruses have been implicated as causing JOD. Rubella and mumps viruses were the first viruses to be proved diabetogenic. A few years ago Coxsackie B viruses were added to the list. A prospective study of all new diabetics was undertaken in order to clarify the association of viral illness with JOD. 45 new insulin-dependent diabetics were studied (complement fixation, neutralizing antibodies or hemagglutination inhibition) within 3 days following admission. Screening for viral illnesses included the study for antibodies to the following: psittacosis, mycoplasma, Q fever, mumps, measles, herpes, CMV, rubella and chickenpox. Control bloods matched for sex, age, season and year with patients were obtained from individuals screened for viral illnesses during the same period. 18 JOD patients had antibodies against various Coxsackie B viruses. 4 patients had elevated rubella antibody titers.

Adenovirus Infections, Human↗
PubMed1979

Autoradiography of technetium-labelled diphosphonate in rat bone.

The passage of technetium-labelled methylene diphosphonate (99mTc-MDP) across rat bone was examined by autoradiography. The autoradiographs showed that shortly after an injection of the bone-seeking agent there was activity outside the bone, within the bone marrow and also adjacent to the highly vascular epiphysial plate; the distribution of the isotope in the incubated bone appeared to be non-uniform, a high concentration being seen adjacent to the epiphysial plate and also on the surfaces of the bone. The evidence suggested that a two-fold mechanism resulted in the uneven distribution of 99mTc-MDP. The first factor probably represented the regional distribution of blood flow with a transcapillary movement of the tracer from the capillary bed to the extravascular space; the subsequent incorporation of the tracer into bone appeared to depend on the nature of the bone matrix.

Animals↗
PubMedDate not supplied

The presence of both antivirus and antiself antibodies in sera from patients with adenovirus and influenza B.

Using the ELISA method we examined serum samples from 62 male patients aged 19-23 infected with adenovirus (serotype 7), 22 children aged 7-14 infected with influenza B (B/Norway 1/84) and 113 normal subjects aged 5-30. The infections were diagnosed serologically by complement fixation, by inhibition of hemagglutination, by ELISA and by viral culture. Moreover using enzyme-linked short-time culture assay, the production of specific antivirus antibodies and autoantibodies in vitro by spleen cells (1 x 10(6) cells/well) from normal mice and from mice immunized with adenovirus and influenza B was studied. At the same time their sera antibody titers were determined. All the serum samples were tested against the following antigens: adenovirus, influenza B, ds-DNA, actin, myosin, myoglobin, thyroglobulin, H. transferrin, H. interferon a and BSA. FV. For the further characterization of positive sera, an evaluation of specificity by competitive ELISA-test and by preparations of F(ab')2 fragments from patients' sera was also carried out. It was found that the percentage of positivity for the specific virus and other antigens was higher in the patients' samples than in the samples from the normal subjects. The specific antivirus antibody was of IgG class and their titers ranged from 1/4, 800 up to 1/19,200. Autoantibodies belonged to IgM, IgA, IgG classes and their titers ranged from 1/400 to 1/1,600. In comparison, titers of normal subjects' sera ranged from 1/150 to 1/600 and 1/150 to 1/300, respectively and both were IgG classes. Both specific virus antibodies and autoantibodies appeared at the same time. The competitive ELISA-test showed a marked inhibition (95-98%) of antivirus antibodies with the specific antigen, whereas autoantibodies were less inhibited (40-50%) by homologous antigens. The antigen-antibody reaction occurred at the Fab portion of the immunoglobulin molecule, since these fragments inhibited antibody reactivity. The same results were observed with spleen cells from immunized mice and the above-mentioned antigens when cultured in vitro.

Adenoviridae Infections↗