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S A Morré

Publications and source records attributed to S A Morré.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2006

Chlamydia trachomatis-associated tubal factor subfertility: Immunogenetic aspects and serological screening.

Chlamydia (C.) trachomatis female genital tract infections usually remain asymptomatic and untreated. Therefore, an adequate immune response, rather than antibiotic treatment, is essential to clear the pathogen. Most women will effectively clear C. trachomatis infections, but some will have persistent C. trachomatis infections, which may ascend to the upper genital tract and increase the risk of tubal factor subfertility. Pattern recognition receptors (PRRs) of the toll-like receptor (TLR) and nucleotide-binding oligomerization domain (NOD) families recognize C. trachomatis and initiate the immune response. Host immune factors are determinants of the course of C. trachomatis infections. Genetic variations in TLR and NOD genes may affect receptor function, leading to inadequate recognition of C. trachomatis, an inadequate immune response, and consequently an increased risk of persistence and late sequelae. For the risk assessment of tubal pathology in subfertile women, C. trachomatis immunoglobulin (Ig) G antibody testing (CAT) in serum is widely used. A positive CAT is indicative of a previous infection but not of a persistent infection. Measuring serological markers of persistence, of which C-reactive protein (CRP) seems promising, in CAT-positive women may identify a subgroup of subfertile women with persistent C. trachomatis infections and the highest risk of tubal pathology.

C-Reactive Protein↗
PubMed2006

Chlamydia trachomatis infections in Nicaragua: preliminary results from a competitive voucher scheme to prevent and treat sexually transmitted infections and HIV/AIDS among sex workers.

A donor-supported competitive voucher scheme in Nicaragua provides prevention and treatment services for sexually transmitted infections (STIs) and HIV/AIDS to high-risk populations such as sex workers and their partners and clients. Beyond detecting and treating STIs, HIV and AIDS, these health services can also raise awareness of risks and promote safer behavior, leading to widespread benefits. This review describes the voucher scheme, summarizes published data on Chlamydia trachomatis infection in Nicaragua and provides preliminary prevalence data on C. trachomatis obtained in 2003 through the voucher scheme.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2006

Animal models for the study of Chlamydia trachomatis infections in the female genital infection.

Despite intensive research on chlamydial pathogenesis and host immune responses, vaccine development has been hampered by incomplete understanding of the virulence factors and the critical factors governing protective immunity. It is unknown why certain Chlamydia trachomatis serovars cause asymptomatic or symptomatic infection or ascend to the upper genital tract. Former studies have used nonprimate monkey, mice or guinea-pig infection models. However, pigs are genetically and physiologically related to man and are susceptible to chlamydial infections. The main objective of the present study was the validation of the pig as an alternative animal model for C. trachomatis female genital tract infection.

Animals↗
PubMed2006

Description of the ICTI consortium: an integrated approach to the study of Chlamydia trachomatis infection.

The use of an integrated approach to the study of Chlamydia trachomatis infection of the female genital tract, presented at the mini-symposium "Chlamydia trachomatis infections" and described in the thesis of Joseph M. Lyons, has resulted in the creation of the ICTI consortium. The ICTI consortium is based on strong interaction and collaboration between basic scientists, clinicians, epidemiologists, and health care policy makers. This translational approach will help to further the valuable insight into the immunopathogenesis of this sexually transmitted infection (STI) and the development of new intervention strategies, including the vaccines and screening programs necessary to effectively diagnose, treat and prevent C. trachomatis infection. A background of the need for this integrated approach is presented and the goals and participants of the consortium are described.

Animals↗
PubMed2005

Combined carriership of TLR9-1237C and CD14-260T alleles enhances the risk of developing chronic relapsing pouchitis.

AIM: To investigate the single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in genes involved in bacterial recognition and the susceptibility to pouchitis or pouchitis severity. METHODS: Analyses of CD14 -260C>T, CARD15/NOD2 3020insC, Toll-like receptor (TLR)4 +896A>G, TLR9 -1237T>C, TLR9+2848G>A, and IRAKM + 22148G>A SNPs were performed in 157 ileal-pouch anal anastomosis (IPAA) patients (79 patients who did not develop pouchitis, 43 infrequent pouchitis patients, 35 chronic relapsing pouchitis patients) and 224 Italian Caucasian healthy controls. RESULTS: No significant differences were found in SNP frequencies between controls and IPAA patients. However, a significant difference in carriership frequency of the TLR9-1237C allele was found between the infrequent pouchitis and chronic relapsing pouchitis groups [P = 0.028, oddos ratio (OR) = 3.2, 95%CI = 1.2-8.6]. This allele uniquely represented a 4-locus TLR9 haplotype comprising both studied TLR9 SNPs in Caucasians. Carrier trait analysis revealed an enhanced combined carriership of the alleles TLR9 -1237C and CD14 -260T in the chronic relapsing pouchitis and infrequent pouchitis group (P = 0.018, OR = 4.1, 95%CI = 1.4 -12.3). CONCLUSION: There is no evidence that the SNPs predispose to the need for IPAA surgery. The significant increase of the combined carriership of the CD14 -260T and TLR9 -1237C alleles in the chronic relapsing pouchitis group suggests that these markers identify a subgroup of IPAA patients with a risk of developing chronic or refractory pouchitis.

Adult↗
PubMed2005

[The risk of pelvic inflammatory disease associated with urogenital infection with Chlamydia trachomatis; literature review].

OBJECTIVE: To determine the rate of PID in women with genital Chlamydia trachomatis infection. DESIGN: Systematic literature review. METHOD: MEDLINE and EMBASE were searched over the years 1975-2003 using the keywords 'Chlamydia trachomatis', 'complication', 'pelvic (inflammatory disease)', 'PID', 'endometritis', 'adnexitis', and 'salpingitis'. The reference lists ofthe articles retrieved were checked for other relevant publications. The PID complication rate was determined, as were the characteristics of the study populations and the validity of the diagnostic methods and outcome measures used. RESULTS: 9 prospective studies were identified. The rate of PID in women with a genital C. trachomatis infection varied between o and 72%. Asymptomatic women who were diagnosed with C. trachomatis infection in general screening had the lowest rate of PID: 0-4%. PID occurred in 12-30% of symptomatic women or women with a higher risk of having an STD (e.g. visitor of an STD clinic, double-infection with gonorrhoea, high risk assessed by questionnaire, having a partner with symptomatic C. trachomatis infection). Women who underwent legal abortion had the highest rate of PID (27-72%). CONCLUSION: The PID rate in women with C. trachomatis varied considerably. Risk depended on whether the infection was symptomatic and the prior probability of having an STD.

Adult↗
PubMed2005

No evidence for involvement of the Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) A896G and CD14-C260T polymorphisms in susceptibility to ankylosing spondylitis.

OBJECTIVES: Ankylosing spondylitis (AS) is a multifactorial and polygenic disease. Apart from HLA, other genes very probably play a role in disease susceptibility. Indigenous bacteria of the gastrointestinal flora appear to play a role in the pathogenesis of the disease; therefore, genes controling the innate and acquired immune response are good candidates to study disease susceptibility. CD14 and Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) are key receptors for the sensing of bacteria. The CD14 C-260T and TLR4 A896G single nucleotide polymorphims are associated with aberrant signal transduction for bacterial agonists. METHODS: The distribution of the CD14 C-260T and TLR4 A896G polymorphisms was studied in genomic DNA from 113 unrelated white Dutch AS patients and 170 ethnically matched healthy controls. The diagnosis of AS was made according to the modified New York criteria. The CD14 C-260T and TLR4 A896G polymorphisms were genotyped by PCR-RFLP methods. RESULTS: No significant differences were found between patients and controls in the frequencies of the carriership of the less frequent CD14-260T allele (odds ratio 0.65; 95% confidence interval 0.37 to 1.15) or the TLR4 896G allele (1.68; 0.67 to 4.19). CONCLUSIONS: There is no evidence for involvement of the CD14 C-260T or TLR4 A896G polymorphisms in susceptibility to AS. An important role of bacteria and genetic predisposition of the innate immune system in cases of AS cannot be excluded by these findings. Therefore, studies of the surprisingly highly polymorphic candidate genes in this field should be continued.

Adult↗
PubMed2005

Differences in growth characteristics and elementary body associated cytotoxicity between Chlamydia trachomatis oculogenital serovars D and H and Chlamydia muridarum.

AIM: In vitro growth and elementary body (EB) associated cytotoxicity of two Chlamydia trachomatis strains belonging to serovars D and H and C muridarum were compared to identify difference(s) that correlate with virulence variations between these strains in the mouse model of human female genital tract infection, and phenotypic characteristics that could explain human epidemiological data on serovar prevalence and levels of shedding during serovar D and H infection. METHODS: Replication cycle kinetics, inclusion characteristics, and EB associated cytotoxicity were assessed in McCoy cell monolayers using culture, light microscopy, and lactate dehydrogenase release. RESULTS: Over 72 hours, more rapid production and release of inclusion forming units (ifu) allowed C muridarum to initiate two replication rounds, resulting in 4-8 times more ifu/input unit of infection than with serovars D and H. Although C muridarum EBs were significantly more cytotoxic to McCoy cell monolayers than serovar D at moderate and high multiplicity of infection ratios (MOI), serovar H EBs were significantly more cytotoxic than C muridarum, even at the lowest MOI tested. CONCLUSIONS: These phenotypic differences are consistent with the more invasive course and severe pathological outcome of infection in mice infected with C muridarum, providing an objective basis for questioning the appropriateness of C muridarum as a surrogate for the human biovar of C trachomatis in the murine model of female genital tract infection. The differences seen between the human strains could help explain human epidemiological data relating to differences in prevalence and level of shedding that occurs during infection with oculogenital serovars D and H.

Cell Cycle↗
PubMed2005

Polymorphisms of CD14 gene and TLR4 gene are not associated with ulcerative colitis in Chinese patients.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Toll-like receptor 4 and CD14 are the components of the lipopolysaccharide receptor complex. The aim of this study was to investigate the associations between polymorphisms TLR4 Asp299Gly and CD14 C-260T and Chinese patients with ulcerative colitis (UC). METHODS: Using a polymerase chain reaction based restriction fragment length polymorphism, the study genotyped polymorphisms TLR4 Asp299Gly and CD14 C-260T in 114 patients with UC and 160 healthy controls in the Chinese Han population. Moreover a comparison was made with 170 healthy Dutch white subjects. RESULTS: No TLR4 Asp299Gly mutation was detected in any patients or healthy controls in the Chinese Han population, which was similar to Japanese subjects, but the mutation occurred in 10% of the Dutch white subjects. There were no significant differences of CD14 genotypes between healthy controls and the patients with UC.

Asian People↗
PubMed2005

CD14 and TLR4 gene polymorphisms in adult periodontitis.

Bacterial deposits, smoking, and host genetic factors play a major role in an individual's predisposition to periodontitis. Bacterial components are recognized by CD14 and toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4), resulting in a NF-kappaB-based inflammatory response. We hypothesized that functional CD14 and TLR4 polymorphisms contribute to periodontitis susceptibility. We aimed to investigate the occurrence of CD14-260C>T, TLR4 299Asp>Gly, and 399Thr>Ile gene polymorphisms in adult periodontititis. DNA was collected from 100 patients with severe periodontitis and from 99 periodontally healthy controls. The gene polymorphisms were determined by the PCR technique. The presence of the periodontal pathogens Porphyromonas gingivalis and Actinobacillus actinomycetemcomitans, and whether the subjects smoked, was included in the analyses. The CD14-260T/T genotype was found in 34.0% of periodontitis patients and in 20.2% of controls. Logistic regression analysis adjusted for gender, age, smoking, and prevalence of P. gingivalis and A. actinomycetemcomitans showed an association between the CD14-260T/T genotype and periodontitis (P = 0.004, OR 3.0, 95% CI 1.4-6.9). We conclude that the CD14-260T/T genotype contributes to the susceptibility to severe periodontitis in Dutch Caucasians.

Adult↗
PubMed2004

CARD15 gene mutations in periodontitis.

OBJECTIVES: The CARD15 gene encodes the Nod2 protein, which is involved in intracellular recognition of bacterial products like peptidoglycan, activates inflammation and regulates apoptosis through nuclear factor-kappa B, a transcription factor that plays a central role in the innate immunity. Two functional mutations, an insertion mutation at nucleotide 3020 (3020insC) and a missense mutation C2104T in the CARD15 gene (originally NOD2 gene) have been reported to be associated with Crohn's disease. Our aim was to investigate the occurrence of CARD15 gene polymorphisms in adult patients with periodontitis taking into account smoking and presence of putative periodontal pathogens as additional variables. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A case-control study was performed in 104 Dutch Caucasian patients with severe adult periodontitis (54 non-smokers and 50 smokers, mean age 46 years) and in 97 ethnically matched, periodontal healthy controls (73 non-smokers and 24 smokers, mean age 40 years). DNA isolated from a mouthwash was typed with PCR technology. Presence of putative periodontal pathogens was established by culture technique. RESULTS: Frequencies of the CARD15 3020insC and 2104T mutations were similar in the periodontitis group and in the control group (5.1% and 13.3%; 5.2% and 10.3%, respectively). The highest carrier frequency of CARD15 mutations was found in non-smoking patients without Porphyromonas gingivalis and Actinobacillus actinomycetemcomitans (29.4% versus 17.4% in controls); however it did not reach statistical significance. CONCLUSION: Our results suggest no role for CARD15 3020insC and C2104T mutations in adult periodontitis.

Adult↗
PubMed2004

Chlamydia trachomatis serovar E isolates from patients with different clinical manifestations have similar courses of infection in a murine model: host factors as major determinants of C trachomatis mediated pathogenesis.

BACKGROUND: Some investigators have proposed an association between certain Chlamydia trachomatis serovars and the clinical course of infection in humans. A recent study of over 1100 patients with culture confirmed and serotyped C trachomatis urogenital infection detected no such association. AIMS: To corroborate these results using a murine model of female genital tract infection. METHODS: Various parameters of infection were assessed in mice intravaginally infected with human genital isolates of C trachomatis serovar E from four cases with either a clear symptomatic or asymptomatic clinical course in both the patient and their partner. RESULTS: No differences were seen among the strains in the incidence or duration of infection, polymorphonuclear granulocyte responses, or upper genital tract progression. CONCLUSIONS: An investigation to determine the correlation between the clinical manifestations of different isolates of C trachomatis serovar E in humans and certain parameters of microbial pathogenesis in a mouse model failed to reveal an association between the measured parameters and the tendency of serovar E to produce symptomatic versus asymptomatic infections in humans. These findings suggest that differences in the clinical course of infection in humans seen with these strains may be more related to host factors than to genetic variation among strains.

Animals↗
PubMed2003

Prevalence and determinants of Chlamydia trachomatis infections in women from Bogota, Colombia.

OBJECTIVES: Chlamydia trachomatis infection in the cervix and uterus has been hypothesised to be a co-factor for cervical cancer. We performed a cross sectional study in Bogota, Colombia, where cervical cancer rates are high, to determine the prevalence and determinants of C trachomatis infection, and in particular its association with human papillomavirus (HPV). METHODS: 1829 low income sexually active women were interviewed and tested for C trachomatis, using an endogenous plasmid PCR-EIA, and for 37 HPV types, using a general primer GP5+/6+ mediated PCR-EIA. RESULTS: The overall prevalence of C trachomatis was 5.0%, and it did not differ substantially between women with normal (5.0%) and those with abnormal (5.2%) cervical cytology. Women infected with any HPV type (15.1%) had a slightly increased risk of being simultaneously infected with C trachomatis (adjusted OR 1.3, 95% CI: 0.8 to 2.4). This association was stronger when multiple HPV infections (adjusted OR 2.5, 95% CI: 1.1 to 5.9) were present. No other lifestyle or reproductive characteristics were clearly associated with risk of C trachomatis infection. CONCLUSIONS: HPV infected women, particularly women with multiple HPV infections, are at increased risk of being infected with C trachomatis.

Adult↗