Search PubMed⌕ Search

SEARCH · Search PubMed

Results for “TREPONEMA INFECTIONS”

Search indexed PubMed citations on genomics, clinical trials, systematic reviews and public health. Explore titles, authors and supplied subject terms, then open the PubMed record.

Quote a phrase for an exact phrase match. Source license links do not imply unrestricted reuse.

At least 1,657 records · Page 92Linked to original sources

[Laboratory-based evaluation of a newly developed immunochromatographic test method by using synthesized oligonucleotide-bound protein probes for simultaneous detection of hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) and specific antibodies to Treponema pallidum].

An immunochromatographic test method using synthesized oligonucleotide-bound protein probes was newly developed and evaluated for simultaneous detection of hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) and specific antibodies to Treponema pallidum (TP). The test principle includes, first, antigen-antibody reaction, and secondly, DNA (oligonucleotide)-DNA interaction. The test device is composed of colloidal gold-labeled HBs antibody and TP antigen, and oligonucleotide-labeled HBs antibody and TP antigen. When the test sample contains HBsAg and/or TP specific antibody, the colloidal gold-labeled probes and oligonucleotide-labeled probes will make a sandwich complex with the target. Then, the formed complex migrates and is immobilized by the respective complementary oligonucleotide fixed on the different lines of the membrane. The color development of colloidal gold was visually read after 20 min and/or 60 min incubation, and easily interpretable, positive or negative. When the performance panels of Boston Biomedica Inc. (BBI) for HBsAg and TP-specific antibody, the results indicated; first, the most positive serum and plasma specimens with 1.2 IU/ml of HBsAg were correctly determined as positive, and secondly, all the test results for TP-specific antibody were comparable to the results of fluorescent treponemal antibody test (FTA-ABS). However, when the seroconversion panel of BBI for hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection, the seroconversion was delayed 20 to 30 days when compared to HBV DNA detection. Also, when the clinical serum and plasma samples were tested, sensitivity and specificity were estimated to be 87.0% and 100% for HBsAg, and both 100% for TP-specific antibody, respectively. With these results, we can conclude that this newly developed immunochromato-graphic test method will be applicable to simultaneous detection of multiple antigen and/or specific antibody in a single device, and will be expected to be widely applied in a clinical setting.

Antibodies, Bacterial↗

DNA exchange and insertional inactivation in spirochetes.

Spirochetes have complex life cycles and are associated with a number of diseases in humans and animals. Despite their significance as pathogens, spirochete genetics are in their early stages. However, gene inactivation has been achieved in Borrelia burgdorferi, Brachyspira hyodysenteriae, and Treponema denticola. Here, we review methods that have been used in spirochetes for gene inactivation and DNA exchange, with a primary focus on B. burgdorferi. We also describe factors influencing electrotransformation in B. burgdorferi. In summary, optimal transformation frequencies are obtained with log phase bacteria, large amounts of DNA (up to 50 microg per transformation), and high field strength (12.5-37.5 kV/cm). Infectious B. burgdorferi isolates transform with frequencies 100-fold lower than those found for high passage, non-infectious strains. Surface characteristics of the bacteria, which often correlate with infectivity, are among the obstacles to effective transformation by electroporation.

Animals↗

[Extramembranous glomerulonephritis of acquired syphilis in a patient recently infected by the hepatitis B virus. Demonstration of the treponemal antigen in the kidney by indirect immunofluorescence].

A 38 years old male homosexual with active secondary syphilis presented with pure nephrotic syndrome while HBs and HBe tests were positive without clinical hepatitis. He had circulating immune complexes, IgG--IgM cryoglobulinemia and high IgA, IgM and IgE levels; the C3 and C4 complement constituents were normal. Examination of renal biopsy sections under light, fluorescent and electronic microscopy showed stage I membranous glomerulonephritis the syphilitic origin of which was confirmed by indirect immunofluorescence and by rapid cure under penicillin treatment. This case calls for the following comments: (1) glomerular deposits are extramembranous rather than subendothelial in syphilitic nephrosis, a disease now classified among circulating immune complexes diseases; (2) in the kidney, the treponema antigen can be demonstrated by indirect immunofluorescence and the anti-treponema antibody, by elution; (3) the outcome of the nephrotic syndrome is always favourable, either spontaneously or after penicillin treatment; (4) syphilis and HBs antigens are frequently associated, particularly in homosexual patients; one should be looked for when the other is discovered.

Adult↗

Infectious complications of tattoos.

Tattooing carries several medical risks, including the transmission of infectious diseases. We review the published literature on the transmission of hepatitis B virus, human immunodeficiency virus, Treponema pallidum, papillomavirus, Mycobacterium tuberculosis, and other organisms by tattooing. Education, through public health measures, should promote the prevention of infectious disease transmission. Particular populations who could benefit from education include prisoners, individuals involved with correctional facilities, youths, military personnel, and health care providers coming in contact with populations at risk for tattoos.

Female↗

Seronegative secondary syphilis in a patient infected with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) with Kaposi sarcoma. A diagnostic dilemma.

Reagin and treponemal antibody tests are highly reliable in diagnosing secondary syphilis. However, patients infected with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) respond abnormally to antigenic stimulation and may fail to develop typical serologic responses to infections. We report the case of an HIV-infected man with Kaposi sarcoma and secondary syphilis whose VDRL test and fluorescent treponemal antibody-absorbed test were repeatedly nonreactive. Correct diagnosis required biopsy of a skin lesion with silver staining to show spirochetes. Clinicians treating HIV-infected patients should be aware of the problems of serologic diagnosis of syphilis in these patients. Biopsy samples of appropriate tissues and staining for spirochetes may be needed to arrive at the correct diagnosis.

Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome↗

Adsorption and biotin-streptavidin amplification in serologic tests for diagnosis of Lyme borreliosis.

Serum samples from persons with Lyme borreliosis, periodontitis, or acute necrotizing ulcerative gingivitis were analyzed by an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) with and without adsorption and amplification procedures. When biotin and streptavidin reagents were used as an amplification procedure in ELISA without the use of commercially prepared sorbent (Treponema phagedenis biotype Reiter), sensitivity increased. Of the 85 serum samples collected from persons with erythema migrans but no detectable antibodies to Borrelia burgdorferi by standard ELISA, 17 (20%) were reactive after amplification. Adsorption of serum samples with a 1:10 dilution of T. phagedenis biotype Reiter sorbent used in conjunction with amplified ELISA also improved the sensitivity of this method. However, cross-reactivity could not be completely eliminated. An adsorbed-amplified ELISA may be helpful in the diagnosis of Lyme borreliosis in the laboratory, particularly during early weeks of infection, when antibodies to B. burgdorferi can be present at a low concentration.

Antibodies, Bacterial↗

Genital ulcer disease in women in Durban, South Africa.

OBJECTIVE: To study the microbial aetiology of genital ulcer disease (GUD) in women. DESIGN: Microbial and clinical assessment of genital ulcers in women. SETTING: City Health sexually transmitted diseases clinic, King Edward VIII Hospital, Durban, South Africa. PARTICIPANTS: 100 Zulu women with genital ulceration who had not received antibiotics in the previous two weeks. RESULTS: Syphilis was diagnosed in 40%, genital herpes in 18%, donovanosis (granuloma inguinale) in 16%, chancroid in 14%, lymphogranuloma venereum in 7% and scabies in 2%. No recognised cause was detected in 18%. Secondary syphilis was diagnosed in 21%, primary syphilis in 16% and mixed primary and secondary syphilis in 3%. Multiple infections were detected in 13 women, of whom 12 had syphilis. Bleeding was observed from the ulcers of 59 during swab collection. Three women had HIV-1 antibodies. Neisseria gonorrhoeae was isolated from the ulcers and endocervix of two women and from the endocervix alone in nine. Generalised scabies was diagnosed in 14. CONCLUSIONS: All the major causes of GUD are prevalent in Zulu women in Durban: secondary syphilis was the commonest diagnosis. Donovanosis, which often presents late with large ulcers, and genital herpes are now significant problems. Mixed infections with coexisting syphilis are common. All women in this population with GUD should be treated for syphilis and receive oral antibiotics effective for chancroid and donovanosis.

Adolescent↗

A survey of sexually transmitted diseases in five STD clinics in Papua New Guinea.

The first multicentre survey of sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) performed in Papua New Guinea was conducted in STD clinics in five towns, Port Moresby, Goroka, Rabaul, Lae and Daru, from September 1989 to May 1990. Infections with Neisseria gonorrhoeae and Chlamydia trachomatis (alone or in combination) were common. Penicillinase-producing N. gonorrhoeae (PPNG) represented 44% of all gonococcal isolates but significant intrinsic resistance to penicillin was not found. Of the other antibiotics tested, significant elevation of minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) was common only for tetracycline, although no high-level tetracycline resistance was detected. C. trachomatis was detected by direct immunofluorescence (DIF) in 26% of 210 males and 27% of 64 females. 10% (21/210) of males and 11% (7/64) of females were both DIF positive for C. trachomatis and culture positive for N. gonorrhoeae. Of 203 males and 78 females tested, 5% and 12%, respectively, had serological evidence of current syphilis infection. Clinically, genital ulcer disease was most commonly due to syphilis, donovanosis or genital herpes, while specific vaginal infections were commonly seen in female patients attending Port Moresby and Lae STD clinics.

Anti-Bacterial Agents↗

Activation of human monocytic cells by Treponema pallidum and Borrelia burgdorferi lipoproteins and synthetic lipopeptides proceeds via a pathway distinct from that of lipopolysaccharide but involves the transcriptional activator NF-kappa B.

There is increasing evidence that lipoproteins of Treponema pallidum and Borrelia burgdorferi are key inflammatory mediators during syphilis and Lyme disease. A principal objective of the present study was to identify more precisely similarities and divergences among lipopolysaccharide (LPS)- and lipoprotein-lipopeptide-induced immune cell signaling events. Like LPS, purified native B. burgdorferi OspA and synthetic analogs of OspA, OspB, and two T. pallidum lipoproteins (Tpp47 and Tpp17) all induced NF-kappa B translocation in THP-1 human monocytoid cells. Acylation of OspA and the synthetic peptides was requisite for cell activation. Polymyxin B abrogated only the response to LPS. By using 70Z/3-derived pre-B-cell lines either lacking or expressing human CD14 (the LPS receptor), it was observed that expression of human CD14 imparted responsiveness to LPS but not to OspA or spirochetal lipopeptides (assessed by induction of NF-kappa B and expression of surface immunoglobulin M). Finally, the biological relevance of the observation that T. pallidum lipoproteins-lipopeptides induce both NF-kappa B and cytokine production in monocytes was supported by the ability of the synthetic analogs to promote human immunodeficiency virus replication in chronically infected U1 monocytoid cells; these observations also suggest a potential mechanism whereby a syphilitic chancre can serve as a cofactor for human immunodeficiency virus transmission. The combined data lend additional support to the proposal that spirochetal lipoproteins and LPS initiate monocyte activation via different cell surface events but that the signaling pathways ultimately converge to produce qualitatively similar cellular responses.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Influence of syphilis in hepatitis B transmission in a cohort of female prostitutes.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES. Prostitutes are a greater risk for hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection than the general population. We studied the influence of age and time as prostitute on HBV infection. We also examined the relationship between syphilis and HBV infection in a cohort of female prostitutes. STUDY DESIGN. The presence of hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg), antibodies to hepatitis B core antigen (anti-HBc), antibodies to hepatitis D virus (anti-HD) and treponemal antibodies (FTA-ABS) were determined in 368 prostitutes, of whom 147 were submitted to medical and serological follow-up every six months to evaluate the influence of syphilis in the transmission of hepatitis B. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION. The prevalence of HBsAg was 4.6%, of anti-HBc 31.2%, anti-HD 0.5% and FTA-ABS 35.0%. There was a statistical association between the presence of treponemal antibodies and anti-HBc (P = 0.022). The cohort study performed shows that the accumulated incidence of HBV infection in the FTA-ABS positive prostitutes (24.6%) was significantly higher than that of the FTA-ABS negative group (9.7%) (RR = 2.544; P = 0.034). Our results indicate that syphilis could facilitate the heterosexual transmission of HBV infection.

Adult↗

Rapid fluorescent-antibody staining technique.

The rapid fluorescent-antibody staining technique described by Kellogg and Deacon for staining Neisseria gonorrhoeae and Treponema pallidum was applied to fluorescent-antibody tests for group A streptococci and enteropathogenic Escherichia coli. Results obtained with this staining technique were compared with results using the conventional staining procedure; excellent correlation was obtained. Considerable time and materials were saved by using the rapid method; it was also found completely satisfactory.

Bacteriological Techniques↗

[Results of modern syphilis serology in blood donors, at the same time a contribution to spontaneous healing of syphilis].

261 out of 336 845 blood donors have been shown to had undergone a syphilitic infection. About 52 per cent of these donors have had knowledge of their infection and of specific treatment of the disease. In about 43 per cent of the investigated cases the T. pallidum infection has had probably an inapparent course and healed without treatment, that means spontaneously. In times with an increasing number of infections by T. pallidum blood banks have to look intensively for donors which are in the first stage of primary syphilis. For identification of these people and for the differentiation between antibodies against T. pallidum and apathogenic treponemes the use of a TPHA-ABS test is discussed.

Antibodies↗

[Syphilis on the march. New reporting requirements].

New public health laws in Germany require the reporting of some infectious agents directly but anonymously to the Robert Koch Institute (RKI). Included in this group are Treponema pallidum und HIV. Reporting responsibility lies with the director of the establishment where the causative agent was identified, usually a laboratory. The doctor who submits the clinical material for diagnosis is required to support the laboratory director in obtaining relevant information. The reporting form is filled out with the available information by the laboratory, sent to the RKI and a copy is sent to the submitting physician, who provides additional information and then sends the second form to the RKI, meeting his legal responsibilities. This new reporting system has provided reliable data about syphilis infections in Germany. In order to accumulate accurate data and plan effective prevention strategies, it is essential that all physicians comply with the new regulations.

AIDS-Related Opportunistic Infections↗

Cognitive change after treatment for neurosyphilis. Correlation with CSF laboratory measures.

The decision to re-treat a patient with neurosyphilis is usually based on the clinical response, cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), cell count, and CSF protein concentration. The value of the CSF Venereal Disease Research Laboratory (VDRL) test on its own as a marker for treatment response in neurosyphilis has not been established. To assess the usefulness of CSF markers for continuing infection, 12 patients with neurosyphilis were reevaluated 1 year after treatment. Change in cognitive functioning, as assessed by the Mini-mental State Examination (MMSE), was correlated with the CSF cell count, protein content, IgG index, and VDRL test titer at follow-up. A significant negative correlation was obtained between 1 year improvement in MMSE score and CSF VDRL titers at both the 6- and the 12-month follow-up examinations, and with the 6-month CSF protein concentration. These findings suggest that the CSF VDRL titer may be an indicator of continued Treponema pallidum activity in patients without obvious clinical deterioration.

Adult↗

Unique physiological and pathogenic features of Leptospira interrogans revealed by whole-genome sequencing.

Leptospirosis is a widely spread disease of global concern. Infection causes flu-like episodes with frequent severe renal and hepatic damage, such as haemorrhage and jaundice. In more severe cases, massive pulmonary haemorrhages, including fatal sudden haemoptysis, can occur. Here we report the complete genomic sequence of a representative virulent serovar type strain (Lai) of Leptospira interrogans serogroup Icterohaemorrhagiae consisting of a 4.33-megabase large chromosome and a 359-kilobase small chromosome, with a total of 4,768 predicted genes. In terms of the genetic determinants of physiological characteristics, the facultatively parasitic L. interrogans differs extensively from two other strictly parasitic pathogenic spirochaetes, Treponema pallidum and Borrelia burgdorferi, although similarities exist in the genes that govern their unique morphological features. A comprehensive analysis of the L. interrogans genes for chemotaxis/motility and lipopolysaccharide synthesis provides a basis for in-depth studies of virulence and pathogenesis. The discovery of a series of genes possibly related to adhesion, invasion and the haematological changes that characterize leptospirosis has provided clues about how an environmental organism might evolve into an important human pathogen.

Bacterial Adhesion↗

Subgingival microbial profile of Papillon-Lefèvre patients assessed by DNA-probes.

The prevalence of 18 selected bacterial species was assessed by means of "checkerboard" DNA-DNA hybridisation in a group of 12 Saudi-Arabian adolescents with Papillon-Lefèvre syndrome. A total of 36 tooth sites were investigated. The patients exhibited severe periodontal disease with deep pockets. All 12 patients harboured the putative bacterial pathogens P. intermedia, F. nucleatum, P. micros and S. intermedius while T. denticola, B. forsythus, P. nigrescens, E. corrodens, S. noxia and C. rectus were recovered from 11 patients. P. gingivalis was recovered from 9 patients and 18 sites while corresponding figures for A. actinomycetemcomitans were 8 and 19, respectively. A number of the investigated species (B. forsythus, T. denticola, P. intermedia, C rectus) reached high levels (> or =10(6) cells) in more than 1/2 of the patients. On the other hand, bacteria such as A. actinomycetemcomitans and P. gingivalis were infrequently encountered at high levels in these subgingival samples. In conclusion, the analysis failed to demonstrate a PLS-specific profile of the subgingival infection, since the bacterial composition of the sampled sites closely resembled that characterising deep pockets in adult periodontitis patients.

Adolescent↗

Adjunctive antimicrobial therapy of periodontitis: long-term effects on disease progression and oral colonization.

BACKGROUND: This study assessed the long-term effects of adjunctive antimicrobial therapy on periodontal disease progression and oral colonization. METHODS: Patients with previously untreated chronic periodontitis and subgingival Actinobacillus actinomycetemcomitans and/or Porphyromonas gingivalis were randomly assigned to subgingival scaling without (control group) or with systemic amoxicillin plus metronidazole and CHX irrigation (test group). Relative attachment levels were determined and subgingival and mucosal plaque samples were taken at baseline, at 10 days (plaque only) and at 3, 6, 9, 12, 18, and 24 months following initial therapy. During maintenance therapy, patients received supragingival debridement only. RESULTS: After 24 months, the 18 test group patients showed at sites with initial probing depths (PD) > or =7 mm a significantly (P <0.05) higher frequency of 2 mm or more attachment gain (37.3% +/- 4.6%) and lower frequency of attachment loss (7.2% +/- 3.1%) compared to the 17 controls (8.2% +/- 3.9% and 19.1% +/- 13.1%, respectively). Compared to controls, the intraoral prevalence of A. actinomycetemcomitans (up to 18 months) and P. gingivalis (up to 3 months) decreased and that of Eikenella corrodens (at 10 days) increased in test patients (P <0.05). In both treatment groups, the detection frequency of Tannerella forsythensis decreased transiently, while an overall increase was recorded for Treponema ssp. CONCLUSIONS: Over the 24-month period, a single course of the administered adjunctive antimicrobial therapy led to a relative risk reduction of 62% for attachment loss at deep sites. However, with the exception of A. actinomycetemcomitans, it failed to induce long-term changes in the prevalence profiles of oral colonization.

Actinobacillus Infections↗

[Sero-epidemiologic study of several sexually transmitted diseases (including HIV infection) in a rural zone of the Central African Republic].

A study of several sexually transmitted diseases (STD) (HIV1, HIV2, hepatitis B and syphilis) was performed among high school students and hospitalized patients in Bozoum, a rural town in the Central African Republic (CAR). The rate of injection for each disease (HBs + : 20.9%, TPHA + : 13.5%, HIV1: 7.3% and HIV2 + : 0%) are similar to the figures obtained in Bangui. The STD's, such as syphilis and hepatitis B, as well as HIV infection, are well established among the population studied. HIV infection in the CAR is no longer limited to Bangui but has filtered out to certain rural centers.

Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome↗