Serum specific IgA antibody to Chlamydia trachomatis in patients with chlamydial infections detected by ELISA and an immunofluorescence test.

Sera obtained from 34 men with Chlamydia trachomatis positive non-gonococcal urethritis, 34 men with C trachomatis negative non-gonococcal urethritis, 42 women with acute salpingitis, 38 healthy women, and 34 healthy men were studied for the presence of specific serum C trachomatis IgA and IgG antibodies. Serological results were correlated with C trachomatis isolation in cell culture. An enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) for C trachomatis specific serum IgA was employed using highly purified elementary bodies of C trachomatis serotype L2 grown in LLC-MK2 cells. Results obtained for C trachomatis IgA antibody by the ELISA test were compared with results obtained for the same sera by a single antigen immunofluorescence technique. A good correlation (r = 0.91) was found between two methods. Serum IgG antibody was also determined in the same sera by the immunofluorescence technique. Patients with C trachomatis positive non-gonococcal urethritis had a significantly (p less than 0.0005) higher prevalence (94.1%) of serum IgA antibody by ELISA compared with patients with C trachomatis negative non-gonococcal urethritis (20.5%) or healthy men (5.9%). Similarly, women with acute salpingitis had a significantly (p less than 0.005) higher prevalence of serum IgA antibody (45.2%) compared with healthy controls (5.2%). Comparable results were obtained for C trachomatis serum IgA antibody using the immunofluorescence technique. The prevalence of C trachomatis IgG antibody was significantly higher in patients with C trachomatis positive non-gonococcal urethritis (97.0%) compared with those with C trachomatis negative non-gonococcal urethritis (33.3%) and healthy controls (23.5%). The importance of using specific C trachomatis serum IgA in the identification of chlamydial infection is discussed.

Virological course of herpes zoster in otherwise normal hosts.

The virological course of herpes zoster infection in 42 otherwise normal hosts was studied by virus isolation and antibody titration. Varicella-zoster virus (VZV) was isolated from vesicle fluid from all three patients examined on the first day of the vesicular eruption and from five out of six examined on the second day. The isolation rate fell to one out of six patients on the seventh day of illness and VZV was not isolated from patients at a later stage of the illness. IgG antibodies were detected by IFAMA and ELISA, in sera from all the patients by the end of the first week of illness; IgG antibody titres were highest during the second and the third weeks. IgM antibodies to VZV were detected in sera from six of the 42 patients with herpes zoster after fractionation by ion-exchange chromatography.

Microvascular changes in progressive systemic sclerosis: immunohistochemical and ultrastructural study.

Fifteen patients affected by Progressive Systemic Sclerosis have been studied. With immunofluorescence, specific antibodies against collagen type IV and laminin clearly outlined the microvessels, while endothelial cells showed a brilliant heavy fluorescence for vimentin antibodies. In the deep dermis, fibronectin proved to have increased. At electron microscopy, microvessels appeared with occluded lumina due to the presence of swollen endothelial cells. Endothelial cytoplasm was filled with intermediate filaments (vimentin type), generally condensed into peripherally located bundles or in perinuclear rings. The perivascular basal lamina was thickened and laminated. Although these changes do not demonstrate a specific pattern, representing a common step in several connective tissue disorders, the data tend to confirm a clear involvement of the microvasculature in Progressive Systemic Sclerosis.

Antibodies to cardiac conducting tissue in progressive systemic sclerosis.

Cardiac conducting tissue antibodies (CCTA) were detected, using indirect immunofluorescence, in 8 (25%) out of 32 sera from patients with progressive systemic sclerosis (PSS) and in 39 (35%) out of 110 with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Conduction abnormalities, namely right bundle branch block, were present in 19 (59%) of the PSS patients and in 37 (32%) of the RA cases. No significant correlation was found between the prevalence of CCTA and conduction abnormalities in PSS patients, while this was present in RA patients (p less than 0.001). CCTA were always negative in 18 patients with systemic lupus erythematosus and were found in one out of 8 cases with Sjögren's syndrome, also positive for rheumatoid factor without clinical RA. These data suggest that CCTA are evoked when involvement of cardiac conducting tissue (as in RA) or working myocardium (as in PSS) is present. Whether CCTA should be mainly regarded as an expression of the immunological derangement underlying these pathological conditions or whether they are secondary to myocardial tissue damage, must still be clarified.

Evaluation of efficacy and tolerance of neuramide in the treatment of herpes zoster and postherpetic neuritis.

Ninety-two patients suffering from herpes zoster were enrolled in a double-blind controlled study aimed at evaluating the efficacy and tolerance of the drug neuramide. Neuramide (N) and placebo (P) were administered to patients intramuscularly twice daily for 28 days as follows: group N + N (patients always treated with neuramide); group N + P (patients treated with neuramide for 1 week, then with placebo); group P + N (patients treated with placebo for 1 week, then with neuramide); group P + P (patients always treated with placebo). During the first week, all patients were also treated with standardized doses of acyclovir. The presence and extent of clinical symptoms were evaluated during the first 4 weeks, while the appearance, degree and duration of postherpetic neuralgia were evaluated both during treatment and over a 6-month follow-up period. There were no significant differences between the four groups of patients when subjective parameters (such as pain and paresis at the lesion site) were examined. However, clinical examination at the end of treatment showed that treatment with neuramide was therapeutic. Indeed, the times for recovery and for regeneration of epithelium were significantly shorter when neuramide was administered for 3 weeks of the treatment period. Furthermore, the change from vesicles to crusts was significantly faster in the neuramide group than in the placebo group. Postherpetic neuritis occurred in the first months of follow-up. However, in groups N + P and P + P, the symptoms lasted throughout the 6-month observation period, while in the other groups this period was shorter. Indeed, there were significant differences (p < 0.05) in terms of the above complications between the following groups: N + N and N + P; N + N and P + P; N + P and P + N; P + N and P + P. No significant differences were observed between the N + N and P + N, or N + P and P + P groups. Taken together, these data demonstrate that neuramide treatment for at least 3 weeks significantly reduces the risk of postherpetic neuritis development.

Intermittent cyclosporin A treatment of severe plaque psoriasis. Long-term follow-up of 26 patients.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the long-term effects of intermittent Cyclosporin A treatment of severe plaque psoriasis. For this purpose we considered the clinical records of 26 patients who had been intermittently treated with Cyclosporin A for 2 to 4 years. All 26 patients had severe plaque-type psoriasis (PASI score > 18) that was unresponsive to conventional treatment. The initial Cyclosporin A dosage was 5 mg/kg/day in 8 cases and 3 mg/kg/day in 18 cases. In all patients, Cyclosporin A treatment was prolonged until complete or nearly complete remission of psoriasis (mean 2 months; range 1-4 months). All patients subsequently underwent a 2-4 months maintenance treatment with Cyclosporin A dosages that were gradually reduced until tapering off. In order to maintain clinical improvement after Cyclosporin A withdrawal, patients were treated with topical steroids, topical tar, emollients and UVA exposure and/or eliotherapy. Cyclosporin A treatment (2.5-3 mg/kg/day) was reintroduced only when clinical relapses reached a PASI score of 12 or more. Duration and dosages of Cyclosporin A cycles were always adapted for the purpose of obtaining an improvement acceptable to the patient (PASI < 8) rather than total clearance of psoriasis. So far, the 26 patients have undergone 3-5 cycles of therapy with low doses of Cyclosporin A. None of these 26 patients interrupted Cyclosporin A treatment because of side effects. In conclusion, in our experience cyclic CyA treatment is effective for the long-term treatment of psoriatic patients.

Bilateral extensive xanthelasma palpebrarum.

A case of xanthelasma palpebrarum with extensive and disfiguring involvement of all four eyelids in a patient without abnormal serum lipid levels is reported.

Hypertrophic lichen planus occurring after surgical procedures.

Two patients showed hypertrophic lichen planus at the sites of previous surgical procedures in their lower extremities after granulomatous reactions. Knots of implanted sutures too close to the epidermis may have caused the inflammatory reaction. Although granulomatous reactions occurring after surgical procedures are fairly common, no cases of lichenoid lesions have been reported previously.

Sexually-transmitted infections in adolescents and young adults in a large city of Northern Italy: a nine-year prospective survey.

To determine demographic, epidemiological, clinical features and risk factors of sexually-transmitted diseases (STD) in adolescents and young adults referring to a STD centre in Northern Italy, patients diagnosed with a STD and aged 13-20 years, were prospectively evaluated from the year 1991. Teenagers showed an appreciable and increasing risk of a broad spectrum of STD, and represented 3.6-13.3% of patients yearly diagnosed with a STD in a nine-year period. More than 10% of patients were under the age of 18, and did not report condom use in the six months preceding diagnosis in 96.7% of cases. A significant increase in the female gender was found since 1993 (but our series was massively influenced by the recent immigration of female sex workers, who declared frequent condom use), while male homosexuals and drug addicts represented a minority. When excluding subjects engaged in prostitution, over 50% of patients declared only 0-1 sexual partners during the last six months, but a significant increase in sexual promiscuity was observed over time (1997-1999 versus 1991-1996) (p<.02). Over two thirds of our teenagers never used a condom prior to the diagnosis of STD, and the apparently increased temporal trend to condom utilization proved related only to the recent immigration of sex workers; lack of condom use proved significantly related to the male gender, and a lower education. Non-gonococcal STD and human Papillomavirus infection accounted for over 60% of overall diseases, while the frequency of molluscum contagiosum, gonorrhea, HSV genital ulcer, and Chlamydia disease ranged from 6.1 to 7.4%, and that of syphilis, phthiriasis, trichomoniasis, and HIV infection varied from 1.3 to 4.7%. Non-gonococcal STD and syphilis were increasingly diagnosed over time, especially in immigrant prostitutes (and despite their frequent condom use). According to our surveillance study of teenagers, a number of demographic, epidemiological, and clinical features of STD showed significant variations over time: recent immigration, spread of prostitution, increased sexual promiscuity, and infrequent condom use, are relevant and/or persisting risk factors. A permanent monitoring of STD in young adults and adolescents is strongly warranted, to allow a timely diagnosis and an appropriate treatment, and to plan preventive strategies specifically addressed to this target population, with special attention to immigrants and sex workers.

[Sexually transmitted diseases (STD) and their relationship with sexual behaviour and condom use, in a cohort of teenagers referring to a STD centre. A nine-year, prospective study]. / Malattie a trasmissione sessuale (MTS) e loro correlazione con il comportamento sessuale el'utilizzo del preservativo In una coorte di giovani adulti afferenti ad un centro per MTS. Nove anni di osservazione prospettica.

In order to assess the relationship between a diagnosis of sexually-transmitted disease (STD), sexual behaviour, condom use, and other social, demographic, and epidemiological variables in a cohort of young adults who referred to a STD centre during a 9-year period, all patients aged 13-20 years were prospectively evaluated, with special attention paid to sexual behaviour, and use of condom or other contraceptive techniques. The 284 assessed young adults represented 6.1% of all patients with a diagnosis of STD: an increasing temporal trend was noticed (from 3. % in 1991, up to 10.4% nel 1999: p<.0001). On the whole, 70.1% of subjects aged 20 years or less never used a condom during the 6 months preceding the diagnosis of STD: only 21.8% of patients reported regular condom use, and 4.9% more subjects referred occasional use, while in the remaining 3.2% of cases other contraceptive methods were employed. Among under age patients (10.6% of study population), the rate of condom use was 3.3% only, while male homosexuals always denied the use of barrier methods. Although a progressive increase in condom use was observed through the study time (from 0% encountered in 1991-1994, to 57.6% of 1999: p<.0001), this phenomenon proved linked only to the massive increase of immigrant sex workers, which occurred since 1997. When excluding from analysis any probable female prostitutes, lack of condom use tested related to the male gender (p<.05), and a low education (p<.04). Over 50% of patients reported 0-1 partners during the last 6 months, even though an increase in sexual promiscuity was observed during the last three years, compared with 1991-1996 (p<.02). Among the 297 different STD episodes (mostly nongonococcal cervicitis-vaginitis and urethritis, and HPV infection), an increasing incidence of nongonococcal STD and syphilis was found, but no correlation was observed between the spectrum of diagnosed STD, sexual behaviour, and condom use. In particular, in 69.9% of the 103 episodes nongonococcal disease occurred despite regular (65 cases), or occasional (7 episodes) condom use. Moreover, no significant relationship was disclosed between STD occurrence, condom use, and other analyzed social, demographic, epidemiological, and clinical variables. According to our survey, an increased risk of STD seems to involve young adults, and to be related to the variation of multiple demographic, epidemiological, and behavioral features. While immigration and prostitution had the major impact during the last three years, sexual promiscuity and infrequent condom use represent persistent; risk factors in this age population. Besides their diagnostic and therapeutic role, STD centres are able to carry out permanent monitoring of STD, as a starting point to plan adequate information campaigns and specific prevention strategies.

[The Lupus Band Test and serology of lupus erythematosus. Our experience]. / Lupus Band Test e sierologia nel lupus eritematoso. Nostra esperienza.

The Authors studied, from 1986 to 1988, 84 patients (24 men and 60 women, in an age group that went from 13 to 75 years, with an average of 42 years) in whom DLE was diagnosed. In these patients, a direct immunofluorescent assay was carried out on the affected skin, on the non-affected photoexposed skin, and on the non-affected non-photoexposed skin: furthermore, the serum of these patients was tested for the presence of antinuclear antibodies (ANA), antibodies to extractable nuclear antigens (anti-ENA), and antibodies to double-stranded DNA (anti-DNA). In the study, a significant correlation between the presence of ANA and entity of cutaneous involvement at the Lupus Band Test was found. Furthermore, it was noticed that anti-ENA and/or anti-nDNA tend to be present in association to a positive Lupus Band Test in all 3 biopsied tissues.