[Inhibition of several strains of influenza virus type A and B by phenolic polymers]. / Hemmung ausgewählter Influenzavirusstämme der Typen A und B durch Phenolkörperpolymerisate.

Ten synthetic polymers of diphenolic compounds (KOP, HYKOP, CHOP, 3,4-DHTOP Na-ADROP, NH4-ADROP, Na-NORADROP, NH4-NORADROP, GENOP, and 2,5-DHTOP) as well as two phenolic polymers of natural origin (Na-humate, NH4-humate) were tested for their effectiveness on several strains of influenza virus type A and B. The allantois-on-shell system was used for primary screening. Virus multiplication was assessed by means of the infectious titer. All substances tested were found to exert inhibitory effects on influenza virus type A, while 3,4-DHTOP, Na-ADROP, NH4-ADROP as well as GENOP were effective against either type. The highest titer reductions (greater than 4.0 log 10 ID50) were obtained with KOP and HYKOP against influenzavirus A/Brasil/11/78 and with 3,4-DHTOP, KOP and HYKOP against influenzavirus A/Hongkong/1/68. Only GENOP showed antiviral activity against all virus strains tested so far.

[Bacteriological characterization of gingivitis-inducing plaque depending on different sugar levels of the diet]. / Zur bakteriologischen Charakterisierung der Gingivitis induzierenden Plaque bei unterschiedlichem Zuckergehalt der Nahrung.

In a time period of 21 days an experimental gingivitis was induced in 8 volunteers. Four volunteers received a carbohydrate-reduced, the other 4 persons a carbohydrate-enriched diet. Clinical investigations on the development of plaque and gingivitis and bacteriological examinations of the supragingival microflora were performed simultaneously. The change in the composition of the supragingival plaque-microflora were nearly independent of the amount of food-carbohydrate. In the beginning of the experiment all volunteers had an almost pure streptococcal microflora but during the course of the experiment, the supragingival flora developed to a complex microflora with 50% anaerobes. The reduction of the number of streptococci was accompanied by an increase in the number of Gram-negative rods and actinomycetes. The development of gingivitis in persons with carbohydrate-enriched food was more rapid than in persons with carbohydrate-reduced food. It was striking that the occurrence of clinical symptoms correlated with the increase of the number of Actinomyces viscosus in the plaque material.

[Penetration kinetics of potential virustatics into the human skin]. / Penetrationskinetik eines potentiellen Virustaticums in die menschliche Haut.

Caffeic acid oxidation product (KOP), a substance effective against various human viruses, penetrates quickly from a 1% W/O-emulsion into the skin and forms a reservoir in the horny layer. In the epidermis and dermis approximately 30 min after external application KOP concentrations of 1 to 3% of the applied total quantity are achieved, which remain nearly unchanged even after longer penetration time. In addition to references for therapy derivable from this the results permit to draw conclusions about drug resorption that can be proved in animal experiments under in-vivo conditions.

[Virologico-serologic studies in patients with brain tumors]. / Virologisch-serologische Untersuchungen bei Patienten mit Hirntumoren.

The etiological role played by human pathogenic herpes viruses for diseases of the central nervous system has been verified (Herpes simplex virus, varicella zoster virus) or is being discussed (cytomegalo virus, Epstein-Barr virus). In this study, the significance of herpes virus infections for surgically treated cerebral tumour patients is examined. In a total of 30 patients with various cerebral tumours, infectious virus from cerebral tumour tissue could be isolated in none of the cases. The mean geometric antibody titres against herpes virus in the patients did not differ from those of comparable healthy controls. In patients with cerebral tumours, however, acute herpes virus infections were serologically identified with a significantly greater frequency than in the control group. They are mainly an expression of endogenous re-infections with these viruses which inhabit latently the human organism. Possible causes of the observed asymptomatically proceeding herpes virus reactivations are discussed.

Antiviral activity of enzymatically oxidized caffeic acid against herpesvirus hominis type 1 and type 2.

The cytotoxicity and antiviral activity of the caffeic acid oxidation product (KOP), a higher molecular polyphenolic compound of strong antiviral activity against herpesvirus hominis type 1 and type 2 (HVH 1, HVH 2), were tested in 6 cell cultures: rabbit kidney primary cells (RKP), rabbit testis primary cells (RTP), primary human embryo lung fibroblasts (LF), calf testis primary cells (CTP), FL- and HEp-2 cells. A marked inhibitory effect on the multiplication of HVH 1 and 2 has been observed in all cell systems at non-cytotoxic concentrations of 0.1-20 micrograms/ml KOP. The adsorption of the virus to cell surface was the most KOP-sensitive phase of herpesvirus multiplication cycle.

[Antibody formation against specific Epstein-Barr virus antigens in infectious mononucleosis with tonsillectomy in the acute phase of the disease]. / Antikörpertiterverlauf gegen Epstein-Barr-Virus-spezifische Antigene bei infektiöser Mononukleose mit Tonsillektomie in der akuten Krankheitsphase.

In the present study, the clinical course and the specific humoral immunological response to Epstein-Barr virus antigens have been investigated in patients affected with infectious mononucleosis after tonsillectomy in the acute phase of the disease, compared against conservatively treated patients. Clinical results confirm that tonsillectomy in the acute phase of infectious mononucleosis has a favourable effect on the course of the disease, and reduces the duration of the disease by about half of the usual time. Statistically significant differences - indicating a confined, delayed humoral immunological response or unresponsiveness to some extent - regarding the examined antigens after tonsillectomy in the acute phase of infectious mononucleosis, could be observed between the two groups of patients in respect of the production of antibodies against viral capsid and nuclear antigens of the Epstein-Barr virus and heterophilic antibodies. For this reason, tonsillectomy should be suggested only as therapy of infectious mononucleosis in anginous courses of the disease which appear life-threatening.

[Release of chromium 51 by coxsackievirus-infected FL cells]. / Freisetzung von Chrom-51 durch Coxsackievirus-infizierte FL-Zellen.

The time course of chromium-51 (51Cr) release was investigated on FL monolayer cells infected with different serotypes of coxsackievirus. 51Cr release was determined by means of the increase in 51Cr radioactivity in supernatants of cells saturated with 51Cr. Ten hours p.i. the 51Cr release of virus-infected cells was largely increased compared with the control cells. The greatest differences in 51Cr release between normal and virus-infected cells were observed from 10 to 30 hours p.i. The quantitative correlation between virus concentration and 51Cr release as well as the type-specific inhibition of virus-accelerated 51Cr release by virus-neutralizing antisera demonstrate the relationship between 51Cr release and coxsackievirus infection of FL cells. By the use of 51Cr labeled FL cells as an indicator system, the 51Cr release proved to be well suited for objective and quantitative evaluation of coxsackievirus-cell-interactions connected with the cytopathogenic effect (CPE).

Antibodies against herpesviruses in patients with Hodgkin's disease.

The antibody titres to Epstein-Barr virus (EBV), cytomegalovirus (CMV), herpes simplex virus (HSV) and varicella-zoster virus (VZV) were determined in 57 adult patients with Hodgkin's disease and a group of age- and sex-matched controls. In the group of patients, the geometric mean antibody titres to EBV capsid antigen, CMV early and late antigens, and also VZV, were significantly higher than in the healthy controls. Antibodies to early antigens of EBV and CMV were found more commonly in patients than in controls. The raised antibody titres to herpesviruses were taken to be the result of the disturbed cellular immunity in Hodgkin's disease.

Efficacy of (E)-5-(2-bromovinyl)-2'-deoxyuridine against different herpes simplex virus strains in cell culture and against experimental herpes encephalitis in mice.

(E)-5-(2-Bromovinyl-2'-deoxyuridine (BrVUdR) showed strong antiviral activity against different laboratory strains and clinical isolates of herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) on primary rabbit testes (PRT) cells with a 50% inhibition of plaque formation (ID50) at 0.01-0.02 microM. One laboratory strain (HSV-1-S), however, was completely refractory even at concentrations as high as 100 microM. In contrast, the ID50S for all herpes simplex virus type 2 (HSV-2) strains were about 10(2) - 10(3) times higher (8-25 microM) than for the HSV-1 strains. No toxicity in mice treated with 140 mg BrVUdR/kg/day for 14 days was observed, and successful treatments of herpes encephalitis in mice induced experimentally by intracerebral infection with one laboratory strain (HSV-1-Kupka) and one clinical isolate (HSV-1-64) were achieved. Treatment of encephalitis in mice induced by the strain HSV-1-S insensitive to BrVUdR in cell culture failed to be effective. Similar antibody titers against HSV-1 were found in surviving mice of the control and of the BrVUdR-treated groups.