Immunoassay of circulating trypanosomal antigens in sleeping sickness patients undergoing treatment.

Sera from 99 patients infected with Trypanosoma brucei rhodesiense and undergoing treatment, were analyzed for circulating trypanosomal antigens using a sandwich antigen-trapping enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Trypanosomal antigens were detected in 83 (84%) of the patients. Post-treatment antigen profile in 67 patients showed five distinct patterns: in 48% of the patients antigen levels remained elevated throughout the time of hospitalisation and follow-up; in 31%, antigens dropped to the negative value by the second month; in 7.5%, antigens dropped to the negative level and became elevated afterwards; in 7.5%, antigen levels were negative initially, but later, became elevated and remained so throughout the observation period; in 6%, antigen levels remained below the negative value throughout. All patients who relapsed on follow-up had earlier shown evidence of elevated antigen profile. There were no cases of relapses among 21 patients whose antigen levels dropped subsequent to treatment. This ELISA trypanosome antigen detection test could be useful in evaluating treatment success, when used together with parasitological diagnostic techniques.

The outcome of a pilot study on the epidemiology of rotavirus in three District Hospitals in Kenya-March 1990

This pilot study was done in preparation to assist in chosing the appropriat site for a 5-year main study. The study aim was to find the differences in epidemiology of rotavirus (RV) and other viral agents causing gastroenteritits in children in Kenya between an urban hospital; in this case Kenyatta National Hospital; and a rural hospital to be chosen from Narok; Nanyuki or Kitui district hospitals. Stool specimens were collected for two weeks during the same period from children aged 0 to 14 years attending outpatient clinics and those admitted with diarrhoea at the hospitals. Stool specimens were subsequently analysed by the ELISA method. The presence of RV was confirmed by the sodium dodecyl sulphate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis method which demonstrates the electrophoretic pattern of the RNA genome. The RV positive rates were 35 (21 in 60) in Nanyuki; 13.8 (4 in 29) in Narok and 1.8 (1 in 56) in Kitui. From these 26 RV strains; 8 (7 long and one short) electropherotype patterns were demonstrated. Subgrupingand serotyping was also done by ELISA method on the 26 isolates yielding 2 subgroup I and 24 subgroup II. The major serotypes were 1(30.8) and 4(26.9) while serotypes were undeterminable in 10 positive specimens. Tissue culture using MA104 cells yielded 5 strains from these positive specimens

Circurating trypanosomal antigen levels in sleeping sickness patients under going treatment at Alupe

Sera from 99 sleeping sickness patients admitted to Alupe Hospital were analyzed for circulating trypanosomal antigens using a sandwich antigen-trapping enzyme immunosorbent assay. Trypanosomal antigens were detected in 83 (84) of the patients. Post-treatment antigen profile in 67 patients showed five distinct patterns: in 48 of the patients antigen levels remained elevated thoughout; in 31 of the patients antigens dropped to the; negative value; and became elevated afterward; in 6.0 of the patients antigen levels were negative initially; but became elevated later; in 7.5 of the patients antigen levels remained below the negative value thoughout. The significance of these observations in the clinical management of sleeping sickness is discussed