Immunological disorders of increased severity in children with AIDS associated with hepatitis B and C infections.

Two groups of children were set up: children infected with HIV and hepatitis viruses and children infected with HIV, but not with hepatitis viruses, too. The immunological aspects investigated referred to the Ig serum value, the absolute number of T CD4 lymphocytes and the T CD4/T CD8 ratio. The subjects of the first group (in whom hepatitis markers were present) displayed increased IgA and IgM values at a higher rate than those of the second group (54.87% against 32%, 83.3% against 53%), as well as a lowering below 300/ml of the number of T CD4 lymphocytes (50% against 29.4%). On the other hand, increased IgG levels and values below 0.8 of the T CD4/T CD8 ratio were found at similar rates in the two groups of children (77.4% against 80% and 70.5% against 70% respectively). By means of the data obtained, the authors try to point out one of the ways by which hepatitis viruses, considered as a potential cofactor in the AIDS development, contribute to the course of this disease, namely by intensifying the immunological disorders.

Presence of HBsAg and anti-HBs in patients with primary liver cancer or hepatic metastases.

The presence of HBsAg was detected in the serum of 1 out of 13 patients with chronic hepatitis, in 2 out of the 7 patients with liver metastases, but in none of the 10 patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) investigated. HBsAg could be visualized by orcein staining in the liver cells of 66.6% of the HCC patients, in 50% of the patients with liver metastases and in 40% of the patients with liver cirrhosis. The prevalence of anti-HBs was low both in HCC patients and in the control groups. The possible significance of these findings is discussed.

Effect of homologous tumor DNA on the evolution of SV40-induced hamster sarcoma.

DNA extracted from SV40-induced hamster sarcoma (SV40--HS DNA) increased the survival length of animals carrying the homologous tumor and--in some cases--inhibited the development of the tumor. The efficacy of the preparation was directly proportional to the number of administrations; it did not necessarily depend on the amount of SV40--HS DNA per dose. SV40 DNA had no favourable effect on the evolution of the SV40-induced tumor, which suggests that viral DNA does not represent the active component of the SV40--HS DNA preparations. Some possible mechanisms of the effect of homologous tumor preparations are discussed.

Investigations on the presence of papova virus in certain forms of human cancer. Note 2. Brain tumors.

Two serially transmissible tumors (metastatic lymphosarcomas) were induced in the hamster by inoculation of human brain tumor material--tissue homogenate from a malignized fibroma or DNA extracted from a meningioma. SV40 V antigen was made evident by indirect immunofluorescence in 4 out of 18 human tumors, while SV40 T antigen could only be demonstrated in the tumors experimentally induced in hamsters. Antibodies to SV40 T antigen were detected in 12 out of 60 patients with different tumors, in 1 out of 40 blood donors and in 7 out of 18 hamsters carrying experimentally induced tumors.

Serum antibodies to papova viruses (BK and SV 40) in subjects from the area with Balkan endemic nephropathy.

The presence of antibodies to BK virus and SV40 was investigated in 63 patients with Balkan endemic nephropathy (BEN) and in 83 apparently healthy subjects from the endemic area. Serum antibodies to BK virus were detected in 95.2% of the former and in 74.7% of the latter, high antibody levels being prevalent in the age groups 41-60 years. Antibodies to SV40 were absent in the BEN patients and their frequency in the healthy subjects (27.7%) was much lower than that previously recorded in healthy persons from other zones of Romania (40%). The results obtained plead for a prevalence of BK virus infection in the endemic area with BEN.

Presence of antibodies to human cytomegalovirus in patients with different forms of cancer and in other categories of subjects.

Complement fixing (CF) antibodies to the AD--129 strain of human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) were detected in patients with different forms of cancer, as well as in blood donors, in a proportion of 16.6% and 73.2%, respectively. The prevalence of CF antibodies to HCMV, strain AT--129, in the population of Romania is similar to that reported in other countries.