[Chlamydia trachomatis antibody in Fitz-Hugh-Curtis syndrome].

BACKGROUND: Fitz-Hugh-Curtis (FHC) syndrome is inflammation of the liver capsule associated with pelvic inflammatory disease. We measured Chlamydia trachomatis antibodies in 30 female patients with acute abdominal pain for diagnosis of FHC-syndrome, and the results were compared with other tests. METHODS: A dual-polymerase chain reaction was used for the detection of C. trachomatis in the cervix, and a micro-immunofluorescence test was performed to measure the antibody to C. trachomatis in serum. Cervical specimens were stained with Gram stain and cultured on chocolate agar for detection of Neisseria gonorrhoeae, and abdominal computed tomography (CT) and pelvic examinations were performed. RESULTS: Of the 30 patients examined, 19 were diagnosed as having FHC-syndromes and 11 abdominal pains without FHC-syndrome. C. trachomatis was detected from one of the five patients studied, and no N. gonorrhoeae was isolated from the patients with FHC-syndrome. High titers of IgG antibody (1:512-1:1,024) to C. trachomatis were demonstrated in all patients with FHC-syndrome. The CT scan revealed perihepatitis in 14 patients with FHC-syndrome. CONCLUSIONS: All patients with FHC-syndrome are associated with C. trachomatis infections, and a high titer of C. trachomatis antibody (IgG) is a very useful marker for FHC-syndrome.

Generation of FISH probes using laser microbeam microdissection and application to clinical molecular cytogenetics.

Chromosome microdissection and the reverse FISH technique is one of the most useful methods for the identification of structurally abnormal chromosomes. In particular, the laser microbeam microdissection (LMM) method allows rapid isolation of a target chromosome or a specific region of chromosomes without damage of genetic materials and contamination. Isolated chromosomes were directly amplified by the degenerate oligonucleotide-primed polymerase chain reaction (DOP-PCR), and then the FISH probes labeled with spectrum green- or spectrum red-dUTP were generated by nick-translation. Whole chromosome painting (WCP) probes were successfully generated from only 5 copies of the chromosome. With this method, we produced 24 WCP probes for each human chromosome. We also tried to characterize a marker chromosome, which seemed to be originated from chromosome 11 on conventional banding technique. The marker chromosomes were isolated by the LMM method and analyzed by reverse FISH. We elucidated that the marker chromosome was originated from the short arm of chromosome 5 (5p11-->pter). A fully automated and computer-controlled LMM method is a very simple laboratory procedure, and enables rapid and precise characterization of various chromosome abnormalities.

A de novo centric fission of chromosome 11 in a patient with recurrent miscarriages.

We report on a de novo centric fission of chromosome 11 in a healthy female referred for chromosome analysis due to recurrent miscarriages. Both fission products were mitotically stable. This centric fission of chromosome 11 appears to have no clinical significance for this patient other than recurrent miscarriages.