Is rapid hepatitis C virus testing from corpses a screening option for index persons who have died after mass-casualty incidents in high-prevalence settings in the field?

INTRODUCTION: We tested a commercially available rapid hepatitis C virus (HCV) test assay for its potential use for analyses of corpses as a screening option for index persons who have died after mass-casualty incidents in high-prevalence settings in the field. MATERIALS AND METHODS: 50 blood samples were drawn from 16 recently deceased confirmed HCV-positive patients whose corpses were stored at 4°C in the mortuary and were analysed at admission and up to 48 h post mortem by rapid serological testing using the ImmunoFlow HCV test (Core Diagnostics, Birmingham, UK) in comparison with automated serological assays and PCR. Samples from 50 HCV-negative corpses were also analysed. RESULTS: The blood of only four of the 16 HCV-positive corpses reacted clearly with the ImmunoFlow HCV test, while in five cases the result was only weakly reactive and three cases showed very weak reactivity. Four of the infected corpses showed initially negative results, three of which became very weakly reactive 48 h post mortem. 49 out of 50 samples (98%) from HCV-negative corpses tested negative. DISCUSSION: The rapid test system we investigated showed insufficient sensitivity regarding the identification of HCV positivity. Automated serological testing or PCR should be preferred if it is realistically available in the deployed military setting.

Lack of de novo hepatitis C virus infections and absence of nosocomial transmissions of GB virus C in a large cohort of German haemodialysis patients.

To determine the prevalence and incidence of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infections among haemodialysis patients, a large prospective multicentre trial was conducted in the German Federal State of North Rhine-Westphalia. Sera obtained from the recruited patients in two separate sampling rounds run 1 year apart were analysed for both anti-HCV antibodies and HCV RNA. HCV RNA positive samples were also genotyped by direct sequencing of an HCV core fragment. In the first and second rounds, 150 (5.2%) of 2909 and 114 (5.4%) of 2100 patients were anti-HCV positive, respectively, and 4% of individuals were viraemic. Evaluation of potential risk factors in a case-control study indicated that the factors 'foreign country of birth', 'blood transfusions given before 1991' and 'duration of treatment on haemodialysis' were associated with the risk of HCV infection. Among the 2100 patients of whom 'paired' serum samples from both rounds were available for testing, not a single 'de novo' HCV infection could be recorded. The fact that in a subset of about 20% of these patients no nosocomial GB virus C (GBV-C) transmission occurred during the observational period suggests that the lack of HCV seroconversions was not only attributable to the isolation of HCV-infected patients but also to the strict adherence to so-called universal hygienic precautions for infection control maintained in the participating dialysis centres.

PCR for varicella zoster virus genome negative in corneal epithelial cells of patients with Thygeson's superficial punctate keratitis.

PURPOSE: To find out if varicella zoster virus is the causative agent of Thygeson's superficial punctuate keratitis. METHODS: Epithelial cells were harvested from the punctuate epithelial lesions 9 patients with Thygeson's superficial punctate keratitis. After DNA extraction polymerase chain reaction was carried out with varicella zoster virus primers. RESULTS: All samples were negative with regard to varicella zoster virus genome. CONCLUSIONS: This result suggests that varicella zoster virus is most probably not the causative agent of Thygeson's superficial punctate keratitis.

Spectroscopic studies on polymeric cobalt(II) and nickel(II) complexes with bridging succinonitrile and succinonitrile isotopomer ligands.

A series of cobalt(II) and nickel(II) complexes were synthesized using succinonitrile and its [1,4-13C2], [15N2]-, [2,2,3,3-2H4]- and [1,4-13C,-2,2,3,3-2H4]- isotopomers as bridging ligands. Spectroscopic studies, as well as X-ray powder diffraction profiles, were used to identify the nature of the octahedral coordination sphere of the central metal ions and to assign the vibrational spectra in full detail. The succinonitrile ligands were found to be in trans configuration in all the complexes studied and to be coordinated via the lone pairs of their nitrile nitrogens. The rule of mutual exclusion was found to be fulfilled for the succinonitrile ligands under the Ci symmetry of the complexes and the vibrations of the succinonitrile ligands were found to appear in either the infrared or the Raman spectra. All succinonitrile isotopomers exhibited blue-shifts of 43-71 cm(-1) upon coordination, while most of the other vibrations remained unchanged or underwent small shifts of only a few wavenumbers. The mass differences of the succinonitrile isotopomers were found to shift mainly the vibrations of the respective affected part of the molecules in comparison with the normal succinonitrile. The exchange of the halides, which are coordinated to the central metal ion, was also found to influence the vibrations of the associated water molecules and we could identify vibrational bands arising due to the H-bond interaction between the halides and the water molecules. Finally, we showed that all complexes under consideration have, spectroscopically, the same symmetry.

Contraceptive agents from cycloaddition reactions of diarylcyclopropenones and diarylthiirene 1, 1-dioxides.

The potential for compounds with antifertility activity from the reactions of diphenylcyclopropernone (1) and 2, 3-diphenylthiirene 1, 1-dioxide (2) with enamines is described. In certain instances, a marked dissociation of antifertility from estrogenic activity was possible. Two series were studied extensively, one was stilbene amides (7) and the other stilbene amino ketones (8). The latter series (8) afforded several materials from which, on further biological work-up, was singled out compound 21 as a potent antifertility agent in rats and hamsters.

PIP: The antifertility activity from the reactions of diphenylcyclopropene (1) and 2,3-diphenylthiirene 1,1 dioxide (2) with enamines was investigated in laboratory rodents. A considerable dissociation of antifertility from estrogenic activity was observed in certain instances. Stilbene amides (7) and stilbene aminoketones (8) we re extensively studied. The stilbene aminoketone group provided several materials of which compound 21 was found to be a highly potent antifertility agent. The preparation of the materials is described.