Evaluation of C-reactive protein as an inflammatory marker of pemphigus foliaceus and superficial pyoderma in dogs.

BACKGROUND: C-reactive protein (CRP) is a major acute phase protein in dogs and may be an inflammatory marker of autoimmune diseases. HYPOTHESIS/OBJECTIVES: To measure pre- and post-treatment CRP levels in dogs with superficial pyoderma (SP) and pemphigus foliaceus (PF) compared to normal dogs; to evaluate possible correlation between CRP values, indirect immunofluorescence (IIF), and pemphigus foliaceus extent and severity index (PEFESI) scores. ANIMALS: Fifty nine dogs divided into three groups: Group I (control, n = 31), Group II (SP, n = 14) and Group III (PF, n = 14). METHODS: CRP levels were measured in Group I dogs. Skin biopsies of Groups II and III dogs were obtained for histopathological examination. In Group II dogs, CRP levels were measured at days 0, 15, 30 and 60. In Group III dogs were evaluated by PEFESI, IIF and CRP levels at days 0, 15, 30, 60 and 90. RESULTS: Group III showed a higher median CRP (37.4 mg/mL) compared to the other groups (Group I, CRP 2.9 mg/mL, P < 0.0001; Group II CRP 3.8 mg/mL, P = 0.008). There was no significant difference in CRP levels between groups I and II. IIF titres and CRP levels decreased in most cases of PF with clinical improvement. Dogs with CRP >10.6 µg/mL were 5.5 times more likely to have PF than SP. There was a strong positive correlation between CRP values and PEFESI and a weak positive correlation between CRP values and IIF titres. CONCLUSION AND CLINICAL IMPORTANCE: CRP levels are increased in dogs with PF and exceed levels found in most dogs with SP.

Identification of vaccine candidate antigens of Staphylococcus pseudintermedius by whole proteome characterization and serological proteomic analyses.

The recent emergence of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus pseudintermedius (MRSP) has complicated considerably the treatment of infections caused by these bacteria. Therefore new treatment strategies are urgently needed, namely through the development of vaccines towards the control of bacterial infections. Our study describes an extensive characterization of the proteome of S. pseudintermedius through a 2-DE MALDI-TOF/TOF approach, followed by SERological Proteome Analysis (SERPA) to identify potential vaccine candidate antigens. We were able to identify 361 unique proteins, of which 39 are surface proteins. In order to assess the immunogenic potential of S. pseudintermedius proteins, a Western blot analysis of two-dimensional gels was carried out with serum from healthy dogs, dogs with atopic dermatitis infected and not infected with S. pseudintermedius. Only immunogenic areas detected by ≥ 50% of the dogs with atopic dermatitis infected with S. pseudintermedius sera and by <50% of the healthy dogs sera were excised and identified from Coomassie-colloidal stained gels. The areas identified by IgE were not considered as vaccine targets, because those proteins could induce hypersensitivity. We were able to identify 13 unique proteins after in-gel digestion of selected protein gel spots, with 4 antigenic proteins showing promising features for vaccine development. No specific antibodies were identified in the dogs with atopic dermatitis not infected with S. pseudintermedius sera that could contribute to prevention of infection. The SERPA approach employed in this study revealed novel candidate therapeutic targets for the control of S. pseudintermedius infections.

[Therapeutic bacterial vaccine Immunovac in complex treatment of patients with chronic pyoderma].

AIM: Assessment of therapeutic effect and immunologic parameters during use of Immunovac vaccine for complex treatment of chronic forms of pyoderma. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Ninety-five patients with different clinical forms of chronic pyoderma (furunculosis, hydradenitis, chronic ulcerative and ulcerative-vegetans pyoderma, folliculitis, impetigo etc.) were studied. Fifty-nine patients received immunotherapy with Immunovac vaccine together with basic therapy and 36 patients comprised control group treated only with basic therapy. Studied immunologic parameters were as follows: assessment of functional activity of lymphocytes, determination of lymphocyte subpopulations by flow cytometry, total immunoglobulins classes A, G, M by radial immunoduffusion, affinity of antibodies by enzyme immunoassay, levels of IFNalpha and IFNgamma. RESULTS: Use of Immunovac vaccine in complex treatment of patients with chronic forms of pyoderma enhanced clinical effect of basic therapy, which expressed in decrease of severity and frequency of disease relapses irrespective to clinical form and severity of pyoderma. Therapeutic effect during use of Immunovac vaccine amounted 84.7%, whereas in control group it was 41.6% after 12 months of follow-up. Increase of functional activity of neutrophils, subpopulation of lymphocytes with markers CD4+, CD8+, CD72+, affinity of antibodies as well as induced production of IFNalpha and IFNgamma was revealed. Correction of immunologic parameters correlated with positive results of patients treatment. CONCLUSION: Inclusion of bacterial polycomponent vaccine Immunovac in complex treatment of patients with chronic pyoderma promotes enhancement of therapeutic effect of basic therapy and correction of immunologic parameters.

[Effect of imunofan on several indexes of immunity and pyoderma incidence among cadets of educational institutes].

It was discovered that during the first several months military service men have suppression of several indexes of immunity and a high level of morbidity by pyoderma. Was shown a high effectiveness of immunomodulatory agent Imunofan on correction of immunity status of servicemen and decrease of morbidity by pyoderma (more than on threefold): the effectiveness index is 3,25, the defense index is 69,2%. In addition, it was marked hepatitis- and stress-protect effect of the agent. It was made a conclusion about necessity of further examination of questions of correction of immunity status of military servicemen for the purpose of decrease of morbidity by infections, actual for studying units of the Armed Forces of RF.

Karyotypic analysis of bone marrow cells in pyodermic lesions associated with myelodysplastic syndrome.

BACKGROUND: Recalcitrant pyodermic lesions and neutrophilic dermatoses are often associated with subclinical myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS). In this case series, we assessed the diagnostic importance of karyotypic analysis of bone marrow cells in 4 patients with MDS-associated pyodermic eruptions treated at our university hospital. Karyotypic analysis was performed in bone marrow cells and peripheral blood lymphocytes obtained. Serum levels of granulocyte colony-stimulating factor were measured. OBSERVATIONS: Four patients with pyodermic eruptions or neutrophilic dermatosis had chromosomal abnormalities in bone marrow cells, including del(20)(q11;q13.3) in 2 patients, trisomy 8 in 1 patient, and t(11;22)(q23;q11) in 1 patient. Three patients without morphologic findings suggestive of MDS were diagnosed as having refractory anemia. One female patient had refractory anemia with ringed sideroblasts associated with del(20). Two patients with refractory anemia had a normal karyotype in peripheral blood lymphocytes. Two patients with elevated serum levels of granulocyte colony-stimulating factor had more active or widespread cutaneous diseases. CONCLUSIONS: Karyotypic analysis of bone marrow cells, but not of peripheral blood lymphocytes, is essential in proving a diagnosis of MDS-associated pyodermic lesions. The overexpression of granulocyte colony-stimulating factor, which may compensate for impaired hematopoiesis in patients with MDS, seems to be a key cytokine leading to neutrophilic infiltration.

Effects of cyclosporine A in hyperzincaemia and hypercalprotectinaemia.

INTRODUCTION: Hyperzincaemia and hypercalprotectinaemia with systemic inflammation, recurrent infections, hepatosplenomegaly, arthritis, anemia, cutaneous inflammation, and failure to thrive is an extremely rare disease and no therapy is reported. AIM: To evaluated the effects of cyclosporine A in hyperzincaemia and hypercalprotectinaemia in terms of serum cytokine level changes before and after treatment. METHODS: A 10-year-old girl was admitted suffering from pyoderma gangrenosum, hepatosplenomegaly, anemia that was unresponsive to iron supplementation, persistent inflammation, arthritis, and increased serum zinc. The level of serum calprotectin was extremely high; therefore, we diagnosed hyperzincaemia and hypercalprotectinaemia and started cyclosporine A treatment. Twelve cytokines in serum were measured before and one year after treatment. RESULTS: Cyclosporine A was very effective. Her skin lesion and joint pain were alleviated and quality of life was markedly improved. C-reactive protein had decreased and anemia had improved. While zinc levels had fallen, calprotectin remained at an extremely high level. Of the cytokines examined, interleukin -6 serum levels had fallen and interleukin -8 showed a marked reduction after treatment. CONCLUSION: Cyclosporine A is effective for hyperzincaemia and hypercalprotectinaemia. Serum interleukin -8 may be useful in assessing the therapeutic effects of cyclosporine A in hyperzincaemia and hypercalprotectinaemia.

[Interferon-gamma, idiotypic and anti-idiotypic autoantibodies in pyodermias of various etiology]. / Interferon-gamma, idiotipicheskie i antiidiotipicheskie autoantitela k nemu pri piodermiiakh razlichnoi étiologii.

Sera of 80 patients with pyodermias of varius etiology were analysed for interferon-gamma (IF-gamma), antiinterferon autoantibodies (IF-a-AB), corresponding antiidiotypic antibodies (IF-AIAB) and the ratio IF-a-AB/IF-AIAB using ELISA assay. There was no correlation between serum IF-gamma and IF-a-AB. Progression of this disease was characterized by an increase of serum IF-a-AB and a decrease of IF-AIAB. Prolonged duration of this disease also caused the decrease of serum anti IF-a-AB and IF-AIAB. The ratio of IF-a-AB/IF-AIAB increased with severity and duration of this disease.

[Lymphocytes as markers of etiologic and pathogenetic factors of infectious diseases]. / Limfotsity--markery étiologicheskikh i patogeneticheskikh faktorov infektsionnoi patologii.

In the examination of patients with the dermato-respiratory syndrome, peptic ulcer, pyoderma and surgical wounds for their immune status for the expression of receptors of immunocytokins (interferon, interleukin-2), autocoids (histamine, serotonin), neuromediators (acetylcholine, dopamine, epinephrine, norepinephrine) and for the presence of Staphylococcus aureus and Helicobacter pylori antigens have revealed that lymphocytes are the markers of the presence of infection in the body, pathogenetic systemic and intersystemic disturbances, adequately chosen therapy and its effectiveness.

Risk involvement with Staphylococcus aureus exotoxins among pyogenic skin infections with special reference to toxic shock syndrome.

The sera of three patients involved in a non-menstrual toxic shock syndrome outbreak showed TSST-1 at a concentration above 40 ng/ml and no antibodies of IgG class against the toxin. A Staphylococcus aureus strain producing TSST-1 was isolated from one of the patients. S. aureus strains showing similar phage type and biotype patterns were isolated from 473 out of 876 close contacts with the patients involved in this outbreak. This carriage and spread was traced to pyogenic skin infections (mainly "folliculitis") among this population. Serological studies indicated that during the early phase of the outbreak anti TSST-1 titres were low then rose gradually. In a further related study the frequency of enterotoxin production was found 48.5% among staphylococci isolated from pyogenic skin infections. Our data indicated that pyogenic skin infections are potential source for toxic shock syndrome.

Serum C-reactive protein measurement in pyoderma gangrenosum.

A case of pyoderma gangrenosum is reported in a patient with a past history of ulcerative colitis. Serial C-reactive protein (CRP) concentrations were measured and were found to be markedly elevated at presentation. Levels were also raised during two subsequent relapses. CRP levels proved to be a useful objective indicator of disease activity and response to therapy, and reflected changes in disease activity before the erythrocyte sedimentation rate.

Recurrent pyoderma in a family with a defect in leucocyte locomotion.

Granulocyte functions including leucocyte locomotion and chemoluminescence were studied in three generations of a family in which all male members had presented with recurrent pyoderma. While parameters of humoral immunity including serum concentrations of IgG, IgA, IgM, and IgE and of complement components C3 and C4 as well as the response of mononuclear leucocytes to mitogens proved to be within the normal range, leucocyte locomotion was found to be severely impaired in all affected subjects. Moreover, granulocyte dysfunction in male members was associated with the occurrence of a single haplotype (HLA-A2, B13, DR7). These findings suggest that the defect in leucocyte locomotion and the pyoderma might not only have been inherited in an X linked manner but might also have been linked to a gene within the inherited HLA haplotype.

Serum thyroxine and triiodothyronine concentrations in canine pyoderma.

In an effort to evaluate the effect of pyoderma on circulating iodothyronines, plasma triiodothyronine (T3) and thyroxine (T4) values were determined before and after thyroid stimulating hormone administration in 25 dogs with pyoderma and in 15 controls. Basal T4 values were increased in dogs with pyoderma, but neither stimulated T4 nor T3 values were altered by this condition. On the basis of low values for circulating iodothyronines, hypothyroidism was suspected in 3 dogs in the pyoderma group. The dog with the most involved lesions had extremely low T3 and T4 values as well as an autoimmune disease. It was concluded that most dogs with pyoderma do not have thyroid dysfunction.