Search PubMed⌕ Search

Biomedical subjects

W R Faber

Publications and source records attributed to W R Faber.

83 records · Page 5Linked to original sources
PubMed1978

Immunofluorescence studies across the leprosy spectrum.

Forty biopsies from skin lesions of untreated (24) and treated (16) leprosy patients, representing the whole leprosy spectrum, were examined by means of immunofluorescence (IF) methods. Only few or no cells staining with FTC-labelled antihuman immunoglobulin antisera were found in the lesional skin of all patients examined. Sparse IgM-deposits along the basement membrane of the epidermis were observed in a few borderline lepromatous and lepromatous patients. Complement deposits along the basement membrane of the epidermis and in the vessel walls were found in tuberculoïd as well as in lepromatous patients. Complement and in a lesser number IgG-deposits were observed around sweat glands and sometimes around sweat gland ducts and other skin appendages. Autofluorescing macrophages were noted in patients at the lepromatous side of the leprosy spectrum; approximately half of these patients showed complement deposits in an around these cells.

Complement System Proteins↗
PubMed1978

Immunofluorescence studies in reactional leprosy with relevance to treatment.

Twenty-three biopsies of skin lesions of patients with various types of leprosy, showing a recent reaction, were examined by means of immunofluorescence (IF) methods. The patients were divided into two groups according to the number of inflammatory cells, staining with various FTC-labelled anti-immunoglobulin antisera, in representative areas of the biopsies. It was found that the presence of these cells was correlated with a good response to thalidomide treatment.

Fluorescent Antibody Technique↗
PubMed1978

Lymphocyte transformation test in leprosy: decreased lymphocyte reactivity to Mycobacterium leprae in lepromatous leprosy, with no evidence for a generalized impairment.

Untreated leprosy patients were examined with respect to lymphocyte transformation in vitro after stimulation with mycobacterial and other microbial antigens, allogeneic lymphocytes, or nonspecific mitogens. Methods were used to circumvent technical variability. The results were compared with those obtained in controls matched for age, sex, race, and environment. No evidence was found for a generalized impairment of lymphocyte transformation in vitro, whereas a specific defect towards Mycobacterium leprae was demonstrable in lepromatous leprosy patients. The response to M. leprae, investigated in untreated and treated leprosy patients, decreased along the leprosy spectrum. Moreover, the results of the one-way mixed lymphocyte cultures showed that lymphocytes from leprosy patients had a normal stimulator and responder capacity, when they were tested against a panel of allogeneic lymphocytes. The influence of serum factors was investigated in untreated leprosy patients in the mixed lymphocyte culture. On average, tuberculoid as well as lepromatous sera showed a low-level depressive effect, but some sera showed a stimulatory effect. Therefore, a depressive effect of serum factors cannot be considered to be a general feature of leprosy. The correlation between the Mitsuda type of lepromin skin test and the lymphocyte reactivity in vitro to M. leprae was studied, and a positive correlation was found.

Antigens, Bacterial↗
PubMed1978

Hereditary congenital hypopigmented and hyperpigmented macules.

Congenital hypomelanotic and hypermelanotic macules traced in three generations of a family suggested autosomal dominant inheritance. Some affected membbers also showed retarded growth and mental deficiency. Light microscopic findings of "splitdopa" preparations of lesional and normal skin were comparable, except that background staining of keratinocytes in dark macules was higher than in control skin. In light macules it was lower. Ultrastructurally, hypomelanotic skin showed small melanosomes (0.3 mu) that occurred in keratinocytes in melanosome complexes. Hypermelanotic skin revealed large melanosomes (0.6 mu) that were singly distributed in keratinocytes. Melanosome size in normal skin averaged 0.4 mu; distribution pattern was mixed. Melanin granules inside keratinocytes were fully melanized. Hyperpigmented, normal and hypopigmented skin of one person had histological features of black oriental and white skin. This clinical picture could well represent a new neurocutaneous syndrome different from tuberous sclerosis.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1976

Immunoglobulin-bearing cells in leprosy.

Peripheral blood lymphocytes of 28 untreated and 17 treated patients with different types of leprosy were investigated for the occurrence of immunoglobulin (Ig) bearing cells by means of a smear method. Seven healthy Africans served as controls. In a later stage a complementary study was performed on 6 tuberculoid and 6 lepromatous leprosy patients by means of a suspension method. The immunofluorescence technique was used for the detection of Ig-bearing cells, In tuberculoid leprosy an increase of Ig-bearing cells seems to occur during treatment, predominantly expressed by an increase in IgD-bearing cells. In lepromatous leprosy no increased percentages of Ig-bearing cells were observed.

B-Lymphocytes↗
PubMed1975

CLq precipitin in the sera of patients with allergic vasculitis (Gougerot-Ruiter Syndrome).

The sera from two well-documented cases of allergic vasculitis were examined for the presence of C1q precipitins. Both sera contained material capable of precipitating C1q in agarose gel. The material from one of the sera was partially purified using ammonium sulfate precipitation. Sephadex G-200 filtration, and DEAE-cellulose chromatography. Attempts to identify the nature of C1q precipitin were unsuccessful, but it resembled the high-molecular-weight precipitins of sera from patients with systemic lupus erythematosus. In a lesion, deposition of fibrinogen, immunoglobulins, and complement were noted mainly in the vessel walls. No correlation between immunoglobulin and complement deposition in the skin and the presence of C1q precipitins in the blood could be established.

Aged↗
PubMedDate not supplied

First reported case of Mycobacterium ulcerans infection in a patient from China.

Buruli ulcers have not been previously described in China, and only once at higher latitudes on the northern hemisphere. A patient who travelled in the Shan Dong Province in the People's Republic of China developed an ulcer which was proven to be a Buruli ulcer. The clinical picture and histopathological findings from biopsy specimens are characteristic for a Buruli ulcer, and also the growth in culture (Coletsos medium) at a restricted temperature of 30 degrees C. A multiplex polymerase chain reaction (PCR) based on the amplification of the gene encoding for 16S ribosomal RNA and a nested PCR based on the Mycobacterium ulcerans specific repeated sequence 2404 were performed. These PCR investigations identified the bacteria as M. ulcerans, subspecies shinshuense. The patient was initially treated with clarithromycin and rifampicin, which was changed to ciprofloxacin and rifabutin when rifampicin resistance of the first isolate was established. There were no signs of reactivation of the disease 6 months after the end of treatment. M. ulcerans infection occurs above 30 degrees latitude on the northern hemisphere in China and is caused by M. ulcerans, subspecies shinshuense. This case appears to be cured by chemotherapy alone, in contrast to the general experience that surgical treatment is indicated. The granulomatous reaction with only fragments of acid-fast bacteria in the biopsy at the end of treatment many indicate the development of an adequate cell-mediated immune response leading to resistance to the infection.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Treponemicidal levels of amoxicillin in cerebrospinal fluid after oral administration.

Seven patients in various stages of syphilis were treated by oral administration of amoxicillin (6 g daily) and probenecid (2 g daily) for 15 days. The treponemicidal level of amoxicillin was studied by a Treponema pallidum immobilization assay and found to be 0.070 micrograms/ml, as compared with 0.003 micrograms of penicillin/ml. Taking into account the WHO-recommended level of 0.018 micrograms/ml of penicillin, the minimal level of amoxicillin was estimated as 0.42 micrograms/ml. This level was obtained in serum and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) of all patients treated with the above mentioned oral combination. It is concluded that treponemicidal levels of amoxicillin can be obtained in CSF after oral administration. The amoxicillin regimen described may be a valuable alternative to single-dose parenteral penicillin in the treatment of syphilitic patients with suspected CNS involvement, provided that reasonable compliance can be obtained.

Administration, Oral↗