Biomedical subjects
Publications and source records attributed to U Bienzle.
HBs-antigen was determined in serum, red cells and whole blood dried onto filter paper. In samples from HBs-antigen carriers readings of the Ausria II-test were higher in whole blood than in serum or red cells. The relevance of this finding was tested and the value of the method was demonstrated in a study on HBs-antigen prevalence in West Africans.
A liver abscess was diagnosed by sonography and surgery in a sewer-man who had never left Germany 14 weeks after he fell into a clearing basin and swallowed sewage. The causative agent of the abscess was confirmed immunologically to be Entamoeba histolytica.
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In each of six family members who were heterozygous at the X-linked locus for glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase, only one or the other of the two alleles at that locus was almost exclusively expressed. The data are consistent with evidence that X-chromosome inactivation is a random process that may be followed by selection for one of the two resulting cell types on the basis of an unknown gene, which is located on the X chromosome and which can affect the rate of proliferation of hemopoietic cells in humans.
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Population genetic studies in Saudi Arabia are performed for EsD, GPT, AcP, ADA, AK, 6-PGD, PGM, C3, Tf, Hp, Gc, Pi, Bf, Hb, ABO-blood groups and Rh-factor, level of the third component of complement and immunoglobulins. The data are compared with reported frequencies in European and African populations.
The article reports on a case of visceral leishmaniasis in a 3-year-old child of German residents in Rome who had passed two vacations on the isle of Ischia. Initial signs were intermittent temperatures, marked anorexia, hepatosplenomegaly and pancytopenia, with spontaneous recovery after three weeks. At that time, leishmania serology was already positive, whereas no leishmania were found in several bone marrow preparations despite a most thorough search. During the following eight weeks, the patient had chickenpox and mumps. During the mumps, relapse of the visceral leishmaniasis occurred, associated with a dramatic increase of the hepatosplenomegaly and recurring pancytopenia. It was only now that we could discover multiple leishmania infection of the bone marrow. Subsequent therapy with sodium stibogluconate (Pentostam) was effective without any complications, and eventually cured the patient.
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A case of congenital malaria due to Plasmodium malariae in one of two living Greek twins born in Germany is presented. In the child fever, anaemia and hepatosplenomegaly were first noticed at the age of two months. Plasmodium malariae parasites were demonstrated in the peripheral blood and bone marrow. The sera of mother and infant contained malaria antibodies. However the mother never showed clinical signs of malaria. Diagnosis and therapy of congenital malaria and the possible mode of transmission of this rare disease are discussed.
The high frequencies of the Hb S and G6PD-deficiency genes in the tropics are explained by their relative resistance against malarial infection. They may confer advantage through lower infection rates or through lower parasitaemia. There is evidence that heterozygote carriers of these genes are partially protected. The mechanism of resistance is known for Hb S but not completely understood for the G6PD-deficiency gene. Other red cell factors are discussed with respect to innate resistance against malaria.
In a clinical study, 702 Nigerian children aged 1-6 years were examined for malaria. Comparison of morbidity rates and parasitemia of patients with different glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD) status provided evidence that in heterozygous females the gene for G6PD deficiency (GdA-/GdB) confers an advantage against malaria.
Twenty-seven patients with Amobebic Liver Abscess were observed during the last two years and were analysed retrospectively with respect to diagnostic procedures and therapeutic strategies. Seven of the 27 patients had surgery and were subsequently referred to our hospital. Those patients with surgery had a longer duration of illness and hospitalization (3.3 months) compared to the other 20 patients with chemotherapy alone (2 months). Most important diagnostic parameters for extraintestinal amoebiasis were: typical clinical findings, time spent in tropical or subtropical countries, strongly positive Latex agglutination against Entamoeba histolytica antigen, and isotope and/or ultrasound scanning to confirm abscess formation in the liver. The vast majority of abscesses were found in the right liver lobe. Response to treatment with complete cure was seen in all patients, regardless of whether Metronidazole alone or combinations of Metronidazole with Chloroquine and Metronidazole and Dehydroemetine or Chloroquine and Dehydroemetine were used. There is a need for prospective therapeutic studies to compare the different drug regimen concerning side-effects, toxicity, costs, application, and duration of hospitalization. From the retrospective data it seems that surgery is not beneficial for the patients.
The efficiency of the polycarbamate membrane filtration technique for detecting Schistosoma haematobium eggs in urine has been increased by using a pore size of 14 micrometers diameter and the suction of a water jet pump. The technique permits filtration of several 1000 ml of urine in one test. Eggs concentrations of 1 egg in more than 1000 ml of urine were detected. Viability was assess after filtration by staining with trypan blue. Preliminary data of 118 Schistosoma haematobium-positive urine samples of 32 patients suggest that the filtration trypan blue-staining-technique is of high validity in light infection with scanty egg-output.
74 persons of Northern European origin with recent primary exposure to Leishmania tropica in Saudi Arabia were examined for their antibody responses to leishmaniae with the fluorescent antibody test (FAT), the complement fixation reaction. (CFR), and the indirect hemagglutination test (IHA). The FAT detected antibodies to L. donovani in 19 of the 41 individuals with acute lesions or scars characteristic of cutaneous leishmaniasis but in none of the 33 individuals without lesions. Our data suggest that the high proportion of persons with antibodies, as compared to other studies of cutaneous leishmaniasis of the Old World, may be the result of the relatively severe course of the disease in the majority of our patients. The CFR and the IHA did not prove to be useful for the diagnosis of this disease.
In a double-blind study in Cameroon the vermicidal effect of Ciclobendazole, a new Benzimidazole derivative, was evaluated and compared to Mebendazole. Ciclobendazole and Mebendazole were equally effective in the treatment of Ascaris and Hookworm infestations. An increase in the dosis of Ciclobendazole from 600 mg to 1200 mg did not lead to an improvement in the effectiveness. When treating trichuriasis significantly better results were achieved with Mebendazole (p = 0.01). Both drugs were tolerated equally well. Side effects, such as vomiting and diarrhoea, only occurred in a small percentage of cases.
Cutaneous leishmaniasis is endemic in Saudi-Arabia. Nonimmune Europeans and their families living temporarily in this area were affected by the disease in great number, resembling an epidemic outbreak. Clinical features and treatment of the disease, problems of re-infection and immunity, as well as epidemiological factors are discussed. Using biochemical methods the parasite was identified as Leishmania tropical major.
A total of 1428 stool specimens were examined to evaluate the usefulness of different methods of detecting intestinal protozoa and helminths. The following methods were compared: a combination of routine laboratory methods (Normal saline, Lugol's solution and Iron-haematoxylin), the MIF technique (Mertheolate-iodine-formaldehyde) and the MF-Heidenhain method for protozoa. The Telemann method and MF-Telemann method for worm eggs. The MIFC technique for both protozoa and worm eggs. According to the criteria: diagnostic yield, accuracy, simplicity, time consumption and cost, it is concluded that the MIFC method is superior to the other methods used in this study.
A new method of membrane protein analysis was used to demonstrate an erythrocyte membrane protein anomaly. Our approach employed electrofocusing linked to sodiumdodecylsulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. We observed an aberrant protein, isoelectric at approximately pH 4.5 with an apparent molecular weight of approximately 25,000 in membrane preparations from a patient with congenital stomatocytosis. This protein has not been observed in any healthy donor examined to date.