RESUMO
A high prevalence of antibodies against hepatitis C virus (HCV) has been reported in patients with alcoholic cirrhosis. There are, however, doubts regarding the specificity of the first generation anti-HCV antibody assays used. We prospectively investigated HCV status in 47 Sri Lankan patients with alcoholic cirrhosis. A first generation assay (Ortho HCV enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay [ELISA]) and two second generation tests (Abbott HCV enzyme immunoassay and United Biomedical Incorporated HCV enzyme immunoassay) were used. Positive results were confirmed by the second generation recombinant immunoblot assay (RIBA 2). Of the 47 patients (46 males, mean age 41.7 years), 17 (36.2%) had previously had one or more blood or plasma transfusions. Seven (14.9%) of the samples were positive for anti-HCV antibodies using the Ortho-HCV ELISA, but only one (2.1%) sample was positive when tested with the second generation assays. The positive result was confirmed by RIBA 2. The prevalence of HCV in the patients was low despite many of them being exposed to blood or blood products. Hepatitis C virus, therefore, may not be an important pathogenic factor in alcoholic cirrhosis in Sri Lanka.
Assuntos
Hepacivirus/imunologia , Anticorpos Anti-Hepatite/sangue , Hepatite C/epidemiologia , Cirrose Hepática Alcoólica/virologia , Adulto , Ensaio de Imunoadsorção Enzimática , Feminino , Anticorpos Anti-Hepatite C , Humanos , Técnicas Imunoenzimáticas , Cirrose Hepática Alcoólica/epidemiologia , Masculino , Prevalência , Fatores de Risco , Sensibilidade e Especificidade , Estudos Soroepidemiológicos , Sri Lanka/epidemiologiaRESUMO
Acute and convalescent phase blood samples from five dengue fever (DF) patients and four dengue haemorrhagic fever (DHF) patients were tested for the presence of tumour necrosis factor (TNF). While all blood samples showed elevated levels, the acute phase blood sample levels were much higher. The mean TNF level in the acute samples of the five DF cases was 862 while in the DHF cases the level was 1722 pg/ml. Though the sample size is small, the difference appears to be statistically significant. Unlike in DF the distinctive features in DHF are the occurrence of shock, thrombocytopaenic purpura and sometimes disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC). Increased TNF levels have not been reported in the literature in association with DHF, although it has been shown to contribute to these features which appear in some other diseases.
Assuntos
Dengue/sangue , Fator de Necrose Tumoral alfa/análise , Coleta de Amostras Sanguíneas/métodos , Dengue/epidemiologia , Dengue/fisiopatologia , Humanos , Sri Lanka/epidemiologiaRESUMO
The haemagglutination-inhibition test has been used to assess the frequency of arbovirus infections in the population of Ceylon, by age-group, and also in some animals. The antigens used were: chikungunya, JE, dengue 1, 2, 3, 4, and Tahyna.The percentage of positive reactors to the group-B viruses ranged from 16.3% to 84.6% and was lower in the mountainous part of the country. Infections with the chikungunya (group-A) virus were less frequent (from 0 to 37%) and were considered to be recent infections. The prevalence of antibodies was found to increase with age.From a comparison of the antibody titres of the indigenous Ceylonese population with those of a group of immigrant Yugoslav workers it was concluded that a titre of 1:640 would represent a significant titre for a recent infection.The animals examined included goats, cattle, bandicoots, pigs and sheep; virus infections were most frequent in the bandicoots, pigs and sheep.
