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Biomedical subjects

Toshio Kishimoto

Publications and source records attributed to Toshio Kishimoto.

29 records · Page 2Linked to original sources
PubMed2004

Factors improving the propagation of Simkania negevensis strain Z in cell culture.

The purpose of the present study was to develop an optimal method for culturing Simkania negevensis. Centrifugation was effective for the propagation of S. negevensis, but sonication was not effective. The addition of cycloheximide to the culture medium significantly decreased the number of inclusions. Pretreatment of host monolayers with diethylaminoethyl-dextran or polyethylene glycol was detrimental. The most optimal conditions were centrifugation of the inocula onto untreated Vero cells, and culture in RPMI 1640 medium containing 10% fetal calf serum without cycloheximide or antimicrobial agents.

Animals↗
PubMed2004

Neisseria gonorrhoea, Chlamydia trachomatis, and Treponema pallidum infection in antenatal and gynecological patients at Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital, Ghana.

Five hundred and seventeen women attending the gynecology and obstetrics clinics of the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital were examined for sexually transmitted infections (STIs). Vaginal swabs were examined for Trichomonas vaginalis, Candida albicans, and Gardnerella vaginalis infection. Endocervical swabs were examined for Neisseria gonorrhoea and Chlamydia trachomatis using a recently developed RNA detection kit. Strain typing was performed to identify serovars of C. trachomatis. Sera were analyzed for Treponema pallidum with a passive-particle agglutination assay kit. The prevalence of infection with N. gonorrhoea was 0.6%, C. trachomatis 3.0%, and T. pallidum 5.6%. Eight samples were PCR-positive for C. trachomatis. Five of these were serovar G, and the rest were serovar E. All cases of mixed infections occurred in pregnant women. In conclusion, a high transmissible risk of T. pallidum infection was observed among our study population and in particular among our pregnant women. The absence of association between the presenting symptoms, clinical findings, and specific pathogens has implications for the syndromic approach to STI case management. The low prevalence of C. trachomatis and N. gonorrhoea may be due to self medication and requires further research in primary health institutions in rural areas to compare rates.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2004

Evaluation of PCR and nested PCR assays currently used for detection of Coxiella burnetii in Japan.

Detection of Coxiella burnetii, the etiologic agent of Q fever, is important for diagnosis of Q fever. PCR-based methods have been widely used for the detection mostly because isolation of C. bumetii is time-consuming. Recent reports showed that PCR-positive rates of Q fever infection widely differed. We have evaluated the PCR and nested PCR assays currently used in Japan. The nested PCR assay detected as few as 6 microorganisms and was 10 times more sensitive than the regular PCR assay. The nested PCR assay did not show any non-specific bands with 12 other bacteria, whereas the PCR assay showed some extra bands for 5 of the 12 bacteria. These results suggest that the nested PCR is more sensitive and specific than the PCR in the detection of C. burnetii. However, nested PCR generally has a risk of cross-contamination during preparation of the 2nd PCR. Using blood specimens serially collected from an acute Q fever patient, the PCR and the nested PCR assays gave very similar results, suggesting that sensitivity of the PCR assay is at an achieved level of the detection for clinical specimens although the nested PCR assay is more sensitive. It is recommended that both the PCR and nested PCR assays should be performed for the detection of C. burnetii to obtain reliable results.

Coxiella burnetii↗
PubMed2003

[Time course of the levels of antibodies to Coxiella burnetii and detection of C. burnetii-DNA in three imported cases of acute Q fever].

Three patients developed acute Q fever after returning from an inspection tour of farms and abattoirs to Australia. Serum levels of antibodies to Coxiella burnetii and the presence of C. burnetii-DNA in blood samples were examined for more than 100 days. Four-fold raises of IgM and IgG antibodies against C. burnetii phase 2 were observed within the first three weeks in all the three cases. Maximum titers of IgM and IgG antibodies were 1,024-2,048 and 512-4,096, respectively. According to the temporal diagnostic criteria of acute Q fever in the convalescent serum: the IgM titer of > or = 64 and IgG titer of > or = 512 against phase 2, patient A, B and C were determined to be antibody positive for 45, 199 and 122 days, respectively. The result suggests that this standard is practical and reasonable for diagnosis of acute Q fever. C. burnetti-DNA was detected in the sera and buffy coat samples of patient A who developed high fever, severe thrombocytopenia and liver disfunction, but not in those of patient B and C. This study provides useful information for optimization and standardization of Q fever diagnosis in Japan.

Acute Disease↗
PubMed2003

In vitro inhibitory effects of tea polyphenols on the proliferation of Chlamydia trachomatis and Chlamydia pneumoniae.

In vitro inhibitory effects of tea polyphenols on Chlamydia trachomatis and C. pneumoniae were investigated. A product of tea polyphenols, Polyphenon 70S was used. Chlamydial strains used were C. trachomatis D/UW-3/Cx and L(2)/434/Bu, and C. pneumoniae AR-39 and AC-43 strains. HeLa229 cells and HL cells were used for cultivation of C. trachomatis and C. pneumoniae, respectively. In the post-inoculation method, no inclusions of C. trachomatis were observed at 0.5 mg/ml of Polyphenon 70S. However, the toxicity of Polyphenon 70S was noted in HeLa229 cells and HL cells at a concentration of 0.25 mg/ml. In the pre-inoculation method, no toxic effects of Polyphenon 70S on the cells were noted. Complete inhibition of C. trachomatis D and L(2) was noted at concentrations of 1.6 and 0.4 mg/ml, respectively. With C. pneumoniae strains, the end points were 0.8 and 1.6 mg/ml for AR-39 and AC-43, respectively. Our findings encouraged the application of tea polyphenols for topical usage.

Chlamydia trachomatis↗
PubMed2002

[Three imported cases of acute Q fever after an inspection tour to Australia and New Zealand].

After an inspection tour to farms and abattoirs in Australia and New Zealand, three Japanese persons simultaneously developed febrile illnesses in Japan. They generally had slight fever and general fatigue, followed by thrombocytopenia and hepatic dysfunction. However, no respiratory symptoms were observed. In one of the cases, severe thrombocytopenia (1.3 x 10(4)/microliter) and high fever up to 40 degrees C were observed. These clinical symptoms were compatible with Q fever. All of the cases showed four hold-elevations of IgM and IgG against Coxiella burnetii phase II between acute and convalescent sera by a serological test. C. burentii-DNA was also detected in the serum of one patient. Minocycline was highly effective in all cases. This report illustrates the typical clinical courses of acute Q fever.

Abattoirs↗
PubMed2002

Familial cases of psittacosis: possible person-to-person transmission.

A 29-year-old woman with primary myelofibrosis developed severe pneumonia, and 20 days later her 31-year-old sister also contracted pneumonia. The first patient had been in contact with parakeets but the second patient had not been in contact with any birds. Psittacosis was diagnosed in both cases by microplate immunofluorescence antibody technique. Person-to-person transmission between the sisters was suspected to have taken place.

Adult↗
PubMed2002

Scrub typhus in Japan: epidemiology and clinical features of cases reported in 1998.

Surveillance for scrub typhus was conducted in Japan in 1998 using a questionnaire. A total of 462 cases were reported. Scrub typhus occurred in both the fall and spring in the northern part of Honshu (the main island), and in the fall in the central part of Honshu and on the island of Kyushu. The occurrence of the disease varied with age, gender, and activity. Seventy-six percent of the patients were more than 51 years old, and 36% and 16% of the patients were engaged in farm work and forestry, respectively. Fever, rash, and eschar were detected in 98%, 93%, and 97% of the patients, respectively. Elevated levels of C-reactive protein, aspartate transaminase, and alanine transaminase were detected in 96%, 87%, and 77% of the patients, respectively. Disseminated intravascular coagulation developed in 34 cases and had a unique regional distribution. This study shows the status of scrub typhus in Japan in 1998 and provides important information for diagnosis and prevention.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2002

Atypical pathogens in adult patients admitted with community-acquired pneumonia in Korea.

This study examined the prevalence of atypical pathogens causing community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) in Korea. We collected sera and clinical data for a period of 1 year for the adult patients consecutively admitted to Chunchon Sacred Heart Hospital with CAP. The diagnosis was made using serologic methods to detect antibodies for Mycoplasma pneumoniae, Chlamydia pneumoniae, Legionella spp., Chlamydia psittaci, and Coxiella burnetii. Among 81 recruited patients, C. pneumoniae (n = 10, 12.3%) was the leading cause of illness, followed by M. pneumoniae (n = 7, 8.6%). One case of C. burnetii pneumonia was detected, but there were no cases of Legionella spp. or C. psittaci. Three cases of C. pneumoniae pneumonia were co-infected with either M. pneumoniae or C. burnetii. There was no significant difference between atypical pneumonia and non-diagnosed pneumonia in terms of clinical manifestations. In conclusion, of the atypical pathogens causing CAP, C. pneumoniae and M. pneumoniae appear to be the important etiologic pathogens in Korea.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1996

Epidemiology of intracellular pathogens.

Epidemiologic studies of Chlamydia pneumoniae have been conducted throughout the world. A rate of antibody prevalence of approximately 50% has been found in adults, with small regional differences. We studied the antibody prevalence of C. pneumoniae in healthy persons and patients with acute respiratory infections in Japan. The microplate immunofluorescence antibody (MFA) technique was used for measuring antibodies, and the cases with IgG titers of greater-than-or-equal 1:64 were considered to have had past chlamydial exposure. Using this criterion, positive serum antibodies against C. pneumoniae were found in 67.4% of healthy subjects and 74.2% of adult patients with respiratory infections. Some seroepidemiologic studies in Western countries have shown that epidemics of C. pneumoniae respiratory infections occur in a 4--6-year cycle, like a Mycoplasma pneumoniae infection. However, during our 7-year survey from 1988 to 1994, we were not able to observe any epidemic episodes. The prevalence of the antibody was lower than 10% in children 5 years old or younger. It increased rapidly between ages 6 and 15, reaching a plateau of 60%. Results suggest that in Japan a high infection rate might occur in children at nursery schools, kindergartens and elementary schools. We encountered an outbreak of C. pneumoniae infection and we were able to trace the source of the infection to a family and the spread of the infection to the schools which the children attended. Transmission is of the non-vector type. The incubation period is 3 to 4 weeks. Transmission occurs only after repeated and close contacts. Small outbreaks may occur in households and schools where persons have prolonged close contacts. Unlike acute viral infections, it may spread slowly.

Journal Article↗