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Biomedical subjects

S Darougar

Publications and source records attributed to S Darougar.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources
PubMed1987

Value and cost effectiveness of double culture tests for diagnosis of ocular viral and chlamydial infections.

Swabbings from the eyes of 4132 patients attending ophthalmic casualty and outpatients clinics were tested for chlamydiae, adenovirus, and herpes simplex virus. Laboratory isolation tests gave positive results for one of these three agents in 696 (16.8%) cases. When a positive isolation was obtained, only 341 (49%) agreed with the clinical diagnosis while 355 (51%) either had no definite diagnosis marked on the request card or had been clinically diagnosed incorrectly. Routine testing of ocular specimens for all likely organisms can enable the correct treatment to be started sooner than doing one test at each visit, thereby reducing the number of times the patient has to visit the clinic and the expenses involved.

Adenoviridae↗
PubMed1986

Comparison of two immunofluorescence tests for detecting antibodies to C. trachomatis.

Two immunofluorescence tests were compared for detecting antibodies to chlamydiae. The inclusion antigen test was more sensitive, detecting antibodies in more sera and at higher titres. The micro-IF test was more specific, differentiating between antibodies to C. trachomatis and those to C.IOL 207. Antibodies to this non-genital chlamydial type accounted for half the positive results. These antibodies can cause the prevalence of C. trachomatis infections to be over estimated when genus-specific serology tests are used.

Antibodies, Bacterial↗
PubMed1986

Prevalence in human beings of antibodies to Chlamydia IOL-207, an atypical strain of chlamydia.

Samples of serum from 18353 persons from the U.K. and abroad, were tested for type-specific antibodies to Chlamydia spp. Antibodies to an atypical strain, Chlamydia IOL-207, were detected in each population tested. Overall, the prevalence of these antibodies (19.9%) was similar to that of antibodies to C. trachomatis (21.6%). In the U.K., antibodies to C. IOL-207 were rare in children under the age of 5 years but became more common with increasing age. In adults the prevalence of these antibodies increased annually between 1979 and 1984. Antibodies to C. IOL-207 were not associated with sexually transmitted disease and only rarely with ocular disease. Their association with a common complaint such as mild respiratory illness is postulated. The presence of these antibodies within a population may lead to the over-diagnosis of C. trachomatis infections or psittacosis if only genus-specific serological tests are used.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1986

Antibodies to herpes simplex virus type I in intraocular fluids of patients with acute retinal necrosis.

The intraocular fluids and sera from three patients with acute retinal necrosis (ARN) and from 120 age-matched controls were tested for the presence of antibodies to herpes simplex virus type I (HSV-I). Antibodies to HSV-I were detected in both intraocular fluids and sera of two cases, and in intraocular fluids alone in one case of ARN. Among 120 control patients undergoing routine intraocular surgery antibodies to HSV-I were detected in the sera of 85 (79.2%) but in the intraocular fluids of only two (1.7%). The presence of antibody within the eye may indicate local antibody production, antibody sequestration within the eye, or damage to the blood ocular barrier.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1986

Oral doxycycline in the treatment of adult chlamydial ophthalmia.

Ninety-three consecutive patients with adult chlamydial ophthalmia were treated with four different regimens of oral doxycycline. In patients treated with a single dose of 5 mg/kg of body weight (300 mg) of doxycycline the severity of clinical signs was reduced, and in half of the patients shedding of the infective agent was stopped. Treatment with a weekly dose of 300 mg of doxycycline for three weeks or a daily dose of 1.5 mg/kg of body weight (100 mg) for one week produced a clinical and microbiological cure in 100% of patients. However, in some of these patients mild to moderate papillary responses were present up to six months from completion of the treatment. The best results were obtained with a daily dose of 100 mg for two weeks, which produced rapid clinical and microbiological cure in all patients.

Administration, Oral↗
PubMed1986

Sequential antibody changes following ulcerative herpetic keratitis.

Blood and tear levels of immunoglobulins against herpes simplex virus (HSV) were examined in 28 patients with dendritic keratitis over a period of 28 days. By means of an indirect micro-immunofluorescent technique blood and tear HSV IgG were detected, but neither circulating HSV IgM nor local HSV IgA were found. Over a four-week interval non-diagnostic fluctuations of HSV IgG occurred in most patients, though seven (25%) developed a rising blood IgG titre. Tear IgG appeared to be an exudate from blood. HSV was isolated from 68% of corneal swabbings and 11% of conjunctival swabbings. This study provides guidelines for laboratory testing in recurrent herpetic keratitis.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1986

Development of an immunofluorescence test for the serodiagnosis of herpes zoster ophthalmicus.

An indirect immunofluorescence test has been developed and evaluated for the serodiagnosis of herpes zoster ophthalmicus (HZO) by the detection of antivaricella zoster virus (VZV) antibody. The results show that, in patients with HZO, anti-VZV IgG antibody titre usually rises rapidly after onset. One hundred and seven of the 134 sera (80%) from patients with a clinical diagnosis of HZO had an anti-VZV IgG titre of greater than or equal to 256, and IgM antibody at a level of 1 in 8 was present in six of them. In comparison only two of the 216 sera (1%) from patients with a clinical diagnosis of ocular infections other than those caused by VZV had such IgG titres. It was concluded that, on the basis of results of a single sample of serum, it is possible to make a provisional diagnosis of HZO with a high degree of confidence.

Antibodies, Viral↗
PubMed1986

A rapid and sensitive culture test for the laboratory diagnosis of genital herpes in women.

A rapid and sensitive cell culture test has been developed to detect herpes simplex virus (HSV) in women with genital herpes. The virus is cultured by inoculation and centrifugation of cell monolayers, and the virus inclusions are detected using an indirect immunofluorescence test. The test takes only 48 hours to complete compared with the conventional cell culture test, which may take up to eight days. Of a total of 2100 cervical specimens collected from unselected women attending a sexually transmitted diseases (STD) clinic and inoculated in parallel, HSV was isolated from 55 specimens by either or both tests. Of these 55 positive specimens, 54(98%) were positive by the rapid test but only 24(44%) by the conventional test (McNemars test; p less than 0.001).

Culture Techniques↗
PubMed1985

Failure of in vitro fertilization and embryo replacement following infection with Chlamydia trachomatis.

Antibodies to Chlamydia trachomatis were detected in 54 (47.4%) of 114 infertile women attending Bourn Hall Clinic. Antibodies were solely of the IgG class and mainly of a low titer, suggesting past infection. Antibodies were found in significantly more patients with tubal damage (54.4%) than in women whose infertility was due to other causes (16.6%). Seventy-two women completed in vitro fertilization, with 52 having three embryos replaced. We found that this treatment offered the optimum chance of a pregnancy being established, and 20 (38.5%) of these women became pregnant. Antibodies to C. trachomatis were present in only six (30.0%) of the women becoming pregnant, whereas antibodies were found in 21 (65.6%) of those who failed to become pregnant. Thus past infection with C. trachomatis halved the success rate of in vitro fertilization in these patients. The implications of these findings are relevant to all aspects of infertility from prevention to in vitro fertilization treatment.

Adult↗
PubMed1985

Epidemiological and clinical features of primary herpes simplex virus ocular infection.

The epidemiological and clinical features of primary herpes simplex virus ocular infection in 108 patients were studied. Of these, 69 (64%) were aged 15 or over and only eight (7%) were under the age of 5. Associated upper respiratory tract infection was found in 38 (35%) patients and systemic disorders such as mild malaise, fever, and aching in 34 (31%) patients. Common symptoms were redness, watering, discharge, itching, irritation, and lid swelling, whereas pain, photophobia, lid vesicles and ulcers, and blurred vision were less frequent. The major signs consisted of vesicles and ulcers on the lids, papillary responses which were more severe in the upper lid conjunctiva, follicles which were more common in the lower lid conjunctiva, fine and coarse epithelial punctate keratitis, and subepithelial punctate keratitis. Dendritic ulcers and disciform keratitis were found in 16 (15%) and two (2%) patients respectively. The clinical forms of primary herpes simplex virus ocular infection varied. Moderate or severe disease was observed in 41 (38%) and 16 (15%) patients respectively. In eight (7%) patients the disease presented as an acute follicular conjunctivitis without characteristic lid or corneal lesions. A chronic blepharoconjunctivitis which lasted for months developed in 16 (15%) patients. The epidemiological and clinical features in our patients were compared with features of the disease reported previously.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1985

A rapid and sensitive culture test for detecting herpes simplex virus from the eye.

A rapid and sensitive culture test has been developed for detecting herpes simplex virus (HSV) in ocular infections. The virus is cultured by inoculation and centrifugation of cell monolayers grown on coverslips and the inclusions detected by an indirect immunofluorescence technique. This rapid test takes only two days to complete. By comparison, in our hands the conventional culture test, which depends on the development of cytopathic effect, took between 1 and 20 days with a mean of 4.7 days. Of the 1638 ocular clinical specimens inoculated in parallel by the two methods a total of 188 were positive for HSV. The virus was detected from 184 (97.8%) specimens by the rapid test and from 144 (76.6%) by the conventional test (McNemar's test, U = 5.76, p less than 0.001).

Eye↗
PubMed1985

Seroepidemiological survey of chlamydial genital infections in Khartoum, Sudan.

A total of 494 patients (90 men and 404 women) attending a sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) clinic in Khartoum, Sudan, were studied to assess the prevalence of chlamydial genital infections. Antibodies to Chlamydia trachomatis serotypes D to K were found in four (4.4%) men and 42 (10.4%) women, and 10 (2.5%) women had antibodies to serotypes A to C.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1985

Chlamydial pelvic infection in cats: a model for the study of human pelvic inflammatory disease.

The inoculation of feline keratoconjunctivitis agent (Chlamydia psittaci) directly into the oviducts of eight cats produced an acute disease that was characterised by hyperaemia of the tissue and pronounced polymorphonuclear leucocyte infiltration of the epithelium and subepithelial stroma. The lumens of the tubes contained exudates of desquamated epithelial cells and polymorphonuclear leucocytes. After about 30 days the disease subsided leaving chronic inflammation with the tissue infiltrated with both polymorphonuclear and mononuclear cells. Fimbrial scarring and formation of adhesions were apparent by 40 to 50 days after inoculation. Chlamydiae were isolated in McCoy cell cultures from most cats, in one for as long as 51 days after inoculation. Inclusions were seen in histological sections or smears of cells from the fimbriae of four of the eight cats. Six of the eight cats developed antibodies to feline keratoconjunctivitis agent, which were detectable as early as 12 days after inoculation. To facilitate repeated examinations of the cats' fallopian tubes, techniques for laparoscopy in cats and for the collection of specimens while under laparoscopic examination were developed. The latter technique has since been applied successfully in man.

Animals↗
PubMed1984

Evidence of chlamydial infection in infertile women with and without fallopian tube obstruction.

This study investigates the prevalence of Chlamydia trachomatis antibodies in 164 infertile women who underwent diagnostic laparoscopy and dye insufflation as part of routine infertility investigations. C. trachomatis antibodies were found in 36 (22%) of 164 infertile women, which was significantly more than the prevalence of antibodies in a control group (22 of 200, 11%). C. trachomatis antibodies were found in 25 (35.7%) of 70 infertile women who had laparoscopically verified peripheral tubal disease. This was significantly more than the prevalence of C. trachomatis antibodies in infertile women with normal fallopian tubes (6 of 52, 11.5%). The prevalence of C. trachomatis antibodies in infertile patients with laparoscopically verified cornual disease was similar to those without cornual disease. C. trachomatis was not isolated from any of the patients studied. This study confirms that past chlamydial salpingitis is associated with the development of peripheral fallopian tube obstruction with resultant infertility.

Adult↗
PubMed1984

The epidemiology of chlamydial infections in childhood: a serological investigation.

Blood samples from 382 children between the ages of one and 15 years were tested for anti-chlamydial antibody. A low prevalence of antibody against Chlamydia trachomatis was found among children under the age of seven years. Antibody against the Chlamydial agent C IOL-207 was rare before the age of five years, but was found with increasing prevalence in older children. It is suggested that the mode of transmission of the two agents is different and that C IOL-207 may be transmitted at school.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1984

Rapid culture test for adenovirus isolation.

A rapid culture test has been developed and evaluated for the detection of adenovirus in ocular infections. The test requires only two days' incubation of the inoculated cell monolayers on coverslips in flat bottomed tubes followed by detection of adenovirus inclusions using immunofluorescence staining method. The sensitivity of the rapid test is found to be comparable with that of the conventional tissue culture test which depends on the development of a cytopathic effect requiring 2-21 days' incubation (mean 9 X 4, SD 4 X 9).

Adenoviridae Infections↗
PubMed1984

Acute conjunctivitis caused by an atypical chlamydial strain: Chlamydia IOL 207.

A case of acute conjunctivitis in man caused by Chlamydia IOL 207 is described. Chlamydiae were isolated from the eye, and rising titres of type-specific antibodies to C. IOL 207, in serum and tears demonstrated an aetiological role for this agent. C. IOL 207 is an atypical chlamydial strain which serological studies suggest is widespread in some communities.

Acute Disease↗