Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound
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Query: EC:2.6.1.2 (alanine aminotransferase)
26,722 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

The aim of the study was to evaluate the seroprevalence of HEV antibodies in blood donors and in healthy persons in Calabria (Italy). An age-stratified sample of blood from donors was drawn at a regional transfusion service. Sixty persons were enrolled for each of the following age-groups: 18-20, 21-30, 41-50, 51-60, > 60 years, whereas 61 persons were enrolled in the 31-40 age-group. In the oldest age-group 38 subjects were enrolled among healthy subjects attending an outpatient clinic. Participants were invited to fill in a questionnaire, including questions on demographics, such as sex, date and place of birth, place of residence, number of people in household, and occupation; exposure to specific risk factors, such as travel in hepatitis E endemic areas; history of jaundice and/or hepatitis; drug addiction and transfusion. Results of routine serological tests for blood donation (HBsAg, HCV, HIV, ALT) were also recorded. Serum samples of subjects were stored at -80 degrees C until tested. The seroprevalence of hepatitis E antibodies was studied using in parallel two commercial ELISA tests consisting of recombinant antigens and synthetic HEV polypeptides. Three hundred sixty-one persons were recruited and six of them were positive to HEV antibodies (1.7%) by the recombinant test, whereas four were positive by the synthetic peptides test (1.1%). Overall, three subjects were positive to both tests, with a prevalence of 0.8%. Of these two (0.7%) were men and one (1.3%) a woman. As to age, two (3.3%) were in the 51-60, and one (1.7%) in the > 60 age-group. None of the positive participants had travelled to highly endemic areas, and none were positive for HBsAg or HCV. The study confirms a low circulation of the HEV virus also in southern Italy, with a prevalence of infection more similar to that of northern European countries than to that of countries of the Mediterranean basin.
Infection
PMID:Prevalence of hepatitis E antibodies in healthy persons in southern Italy. 950 77

Cefozopran (SCE-2787, CZOP), which is already on the market with a variety of approved indications in infectious diseases for adult patients, was administered to premature and newborn patients to evaluate the pharmacokinetics and the clinical efficacy. 1. Pharmacokinetics CZOP was intravenously administered at doses of 10.0 mg/kg, 21.4 mg/kg and 40.0 mg/kg to premature and newborn patients, and the blood concentrations and urinary excretion rate were examined. The blood CZOP concentrations were 31.7 and 65.5 micrograms/ml at 30 minutes after administration of 10.0 mg/kg and 40.0 mg/kg, respectively. The elimination half life was 1.78 hours and 2.31 hours, and the urinary recovery was 110.7% and 53.7% within 6 hours after administration, respectively. In the patient given 21.4 mg/kg, the blood CZOP concentration was 36.4 mg/kg at 1 an hour after administration and the elimination half life was 3.97 hours. The urinary recovery was 29.6% within 5 hours after administration. 2. Clinical results The clinical efficacy was evaluated in 19 patients and judged "good" or better in 13 of them with the efficacy rate or 68.4%. The bacteriological response was evaluated in 10 patients from whom Gram-positive cocci of S. aureus (6 strains), S. pneumoniae (1 strain) and E. faecalis (1 strain) and Gram-negative bacilli of H. influenzae (2 strains) and E. coli (2 strains) were isolated as possible causative organisms. With exception of 1 strain each of S aureus and H influenzae, which were not tested after the treatment with CZOP, all of these strains were found to be eradicated. 3. Adverse drug reactions (ADRs) of signs and symptoms and abnormal alterations of laboratory test values. Safety evaluation was made in 24 patients. ADRs of signs and symptoms were recognized in none of them. As abnormal alterations of laboratory test values, increased eosinophils in 3 patients, elevated GOT in one and elevated GPT in one were recognized. These results indicate that CZOP is a drug useful for treatment of infections in premature and newborn patients.
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PMID:[Pharmacokinetic and clinical evaluation of cefozopran in premature and newborn patients]. 954 72

This study evaluated the epidemiology and impact of hepatitis G virus (HGV) infection in patients with chronic hepatitis B and C. Serum samples were obtained from 128 consecutive untreated patients with chronic hepatitis B (72 cases) or C (56 cases). The presence of HGV RNA was determined by PCR amplification of the 5'untranslated region; the sensitivity of the assays was ten template copy equivalents. The prevalence of HGV RNA in hepatitis B and C was found to be 25% and 34%, respectively. HGV-positive and HGV-negative patients did not differ with respect to risk factors for infection, age, sex, or alanine aminotransferase activity. Similarly, there was no difference in the severity of liver disease, as assessed with HAI score. In conclusion, we found a very high prevalence of HGV infection in chronic hepatitis B and C patients in Poland. Nevertheless, no evidence was found that HGV coinfection has any impact on the severity of the underlying disease.
Infection
PMID:Hepatitis G virus coinfection in chronic hepatitis B and C patients in Poland. 956 82

The development of policies to prevent nosocomial transmission of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection in hemodialysis units is critically dependent on the understanding of the relationship between tests for anti-HCV, HCV RNA, and HCV genotype and the patients' clinical characteristics. We tested sera from all patients on the renal transplant waiting list at the New England Organ Bank between November 1986 and June 1990 for anti-HCV by a third-generation enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA3) and a third-generation recombinant immunoblot assay (RIBA3). All ELISA3-positive sera were tested for HCV RNA by reverse transcriptase "nested" polymerase chain reaction, and the genotype was characterized by restriction fragment length polymorphism. Sera were available in 1,544 of 3,243 (48%) patients on the waiting list, of whom 287 (19%) tested positive for anti-HCV by ELISA3. Two hundred eighty-six randomly selected, anti-HCV-negative patients served as controls. Compared with anti-HCV-negative controls, anti-HCV-positive patients had a longer duration since initiation of renal replacement therapy, higher number of previous kidney transplants and blood transfusions, higher proportion of patients with anti-HBc, history of liver disease, history of non-A, non-B hepatitis, and elevated serum alanine aminotransferase, and lower serum albumin concentrations. Of the 287 anti-HCV-positive sera, 261 (91%) were reactive by RIBA3, 21 (7%) were indeterminate, and five (2%) were nonreactive. HCV RNA was detected in 224 of 275 (81%) ELISA3-positive patients, in whom additional sera were available. There were no significant differences in clinical or laboratory characteristics between ELISA3-positive patients with and without HCV RNA. Genotypes 1a, 1b, 2a, 2b, 3a, and 4 were present in 53%, 23%, 8%, 10%, 4%, and 2% of patients, respectively. Infection with one, two, or three different HCV genotypes was present in 92%, 7%, and 1%, respectively. There was no significant association between the type or number of HCV genotypes and RIBA3 reactivity. There were no major differences in clinical or laboratory characteristics between genotypes or between single and mixed infection. In summary, this study provides detailed information regarding the relationship between tests for anti-HCV, HCV RNA, and HCV genotypes and the clinical and laboratory characteristics of a large, well-characterized cohort of patients referred for renal transplant.
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PMID:Serologic and virologic profiles of hepatitis C infection in renal transplant candidates. New England Organ Bank Hepatitis C Study Group. 963 34

Following its introduction into the market, PAPM/BP (panipenem/betamipron) was clinically studied in 188 evaluable cases out of 207 cases primarily of respiratory infectious diseases treated at the pediatric departments of 15 hospitals. In the clinical evaluation, the drug proved effective in three of three cases of sepsis; three of three cases of suppurative meningitis; nine of ten cases of laryngopharyngitis, six of seven cases of tonsillitis, 56 of 63 cases of acute bronchitis, 90 of 98 cases of pneumonia, and one of one case of phyothorax, all of which are respiratory infectious diseases; one of one case of secondary infection of a chronic respiratory disease; and two of two cases of lymphadenitis, which is a disease of the soft dermal structure. The overall efficacy rate was 91.0% (171/188 cases). In the bacteriological study, Gram-positive bacteria were eliminated in five of five strains of S. aureus, 30 of 31 strains of S. pneumoniae (96.8%), and three of three strains of S. pyogenes. Gramnegative bacteria were eliminated in 15 of 17 strains of H. influenzae (88.2%), three of four strains of M. catarrhalis, and two of two strains of K. pneumoniae. The overall elimination rate was 92.1% (70/76 strains). In the 23 strains of S. pneumoniae that were examined, penicillin-resistant strains accounted for 56.5%, showing an elimination rate of 100%. No serious adverse effects were observed, and the incidence of adverse effects was 1.45%. As for abnormalities in laboratory tests, levels of GOT and GPT increased in eight cases (3.88%), LDH increased in one case (0.48%), and neutropenia occurred in one case (0.51%). These results suggest that PAMP/BP could be considered the first choice in the treatment of infectious diseases in pediatrics, due to its effectiveness and high level of safety.
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PMID:[Clinical and bacteriological studies on panipenem/betamipron in pediatrics. Kanagawa Research Group for Infectious Diseases of Children]. 964 2

Interleukin (IL)-12 plays an essential role in host defense against infectious diseases. Serum IL-12 concentration and blood mononuclear cell production with or without specific interferon (IFN)-gamma priming were investigated in 65 chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) patients and 25 healthy donors. HCV patients had higher serum IL-12 levels (P = .004) and produced higher amounts after IFN-gamma priming (P < .001) than donors. A subset of patients did not produce IL-12: They had lower serum levels (P = .032) and showed signs of liver piecemeal necrosis less frequently (P = .011). Patients with greater liver necroinflammatory activity produced more IL-12 than patients with minimal or mild activity and donors (P < .01). During IFN-alpha therapy for 16 HCV patients, individuals with end-of-treatment alanine aminotransferase normalization and clearance of viremia had higher serum levels and produced more IL-12 than those who did not (P < .05). These results suggest a role for IL-12 in the immunopathogenesis and outcome of HCV infection.
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PMID:Induction of interleukin-12 production in chronic hepatitis C virus infection correlates with the hepatocellular damage. 965 48

A drug susceptibility test of the combination drug TAZ/PIPC, which consists of a newly developed beta-lactamase inhibitor, tazobactam (TAZ), and one of penicillin antibiotics, piperacillin (PIPC), with combination ratio of 1:4 in potency, was conducted with stock strains and clinical isolates. The clinical efficacy and safety of its injection was also evaluated in children with a variety of infectious diseases. The results were as follows: 1. In susceptibility test, 114 strains from 4 species of stock strains were treated with 8 drugs, that is, TAZ/PIPC, PIPC, penicillin G (PCG), ampicillin (ABPC), cefotiam (CTM), cefotaxime (CTX), ceftazidime (CAZ), and sulbactam/cefoperazone (SBT/CPZ). Of three clinically isolated species from patients, Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) was treated with TAZ/PIPC, PIPC, methicillin (DMPPC), CTM, CTX, and SBT/CPZ, and the others were treated with the same drugs except for DMPPC. The MICs were measured for these bacterial strains inoculated at the concentration of 10(6) CFU/ml. The MIC90 values of TAZ/PIPC against 45 strains of Streptococcus pyogenes (S. pyogenes), one of the stock cultures of Gram-positive cocci, were 0.05 microgram/ml and similar to those of PIPC, CTM, CAZ, and SBT/CPZ. The MICs of TAZ/PIPC for 28 strains of Streptococcus agalactiae (S. agalactiae) were 0.39 microgram/ml and similar to those of PIPC, CTM, CAZ, and SBT/CPZ. As for Gram-negative bacilli, the MIC90 of TAZ/PIPC against 10 strains of Bordetella pertussis (B. pertussis) were 0.10 microgram/ml and similar to those of PIPC. The MIC90 of TAZ/PIPC against 31 strains of Haemophilus influenzae (H. influenzae) were 0.05 microgram/ml and similar to those of PIPC, CTX, and SBT/CPZ. Regarding Gram-positive cocci isolated from patients received this combination drug, the MIC90 of TAZ/PIPC against 2 strains of S. aureus, a non beta-lactamase producing strain and a low-beta-lactamase producing strain, were 0.78 microgram/ml and 3.1 micrograms/ml, respectively; the former value was similar to those of PIPC, DMPPC, CTM, and CTX, and the latter was similar to those of PIPC, DMPPC, CTX, and SBT/CPZ. Of 4 strains of Streptococcus pneumoniae, 2 strains were inhibited at 0.05 microgram/ml, and the others at 1.56 micrograms/ml; both values were similar to those of PIPC, SBT/CPZ. As for Gram-negative bacilli, 6 of 7 strains of H. influenzae did not produce beta-lactamase and 1 strain was a high producer. The MICs of TAZ/PIPC against beta-lactamase nonproducing strains were < or = 0.025 microgram/ml in 5 strains and 0.39 microgram/ml in 1 strain, and the values were similar to those of PIPC and SBT/CPZ. While the MIC of TAZ/PIPC against the high beta-lactamase producing strain was 0.78 microgram/ml; similar to that of SBT/CPZ and smaller than that of PIPC. 2. The results of clinical effects on 7 diseases in 33 cases were as follows: TAZ/PIPC was clinically judged "excellent" in 17 (51.5%); good in 14 (42.4%); fair in 2 (6.1%). No case with no response was seen in this study, and the total efficacy rate of "excellent" and "good" was 93.9%. 3. Bacteriological effects were evaluated in 17 strains of 4 species, and all of them were eradicated. 4. Adverse reactions were judged in 35, which consisted of 33 in which the clinical effects were evaluated and 2 dropped from this study. Of these cases, diarrhea was observed in 4 (11.4%). 5. Laboratory tests revealed an increase in platelets in 1 of 32 cases (3.1%), and eosinophilia in 2 of 29 cases (6.9%). Biochemical profile showed an increase in GPT alone and abnormal increases in both GOT and GPT in 1 each out of 21 cases.
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PMID:[Basic and clinical studies on tazobactam/piperacillin in pediatric field]. 975 31

The partial sequence of a hepatitis E virus (HEV-US1) isolated from a patient in the United States (US), suffering from acute viral hepatitis with no known risk factors for acquiring HEV, has been reported. These sequences were significantly different from previously characterized HEV isolates, alluding to the existence of a distinct human variant. In this paper, we report the near full-length sequences of HEV-US1 and a second US isolate (HEV-US2). HEV-US2 was identified in a US patient suffering from acute viral hepatitis. These sequences verify the presence of a new HEV strain in North America and provide information as to the degree of variability between variants. The HEV-US nucleotide sequences are 92% identical to each other and only 74% identical to the Burmese and Mexican strains. Amino acid and phylogenetic analyses also demonstrate that the US isolates are genetically distinct, suggesting the presence of three genotypes of HEV. Serum from the second US patient induced hepatitis following inoculation into a cynomolgus macaque. Within 2-4 weeks, HEV-US2 RNA was detectable in both the serum and faecal material coinciding with elevated serum alanine transaminase levels. Infection resolved as antibody titres increased 8 weeks post-inoculation.
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PMID:A hepatitis E virus variant from the United States: molecular characterization and transmission in cynomolgus macaques. 1009 8

A novel virus, TT virus (TTV), recently discovered by Okamoto et al. in the serum of a patient with posttransfusion hepatitis, is thought to be one of the causative agents of blood-borne acute hepatitis. The association of this virus with acute sporadic hepatitis was evaluated. TTV DNA was detected in 4 (4.9%) of 81 cases of acute hepatitis A, in 5 (16.7%) of 30 cases of acute hepatitis B, in 1 (25.0%) of 4 cases of acute hepatitis C, in 1 (9.1%) of 9 cases of cytomegalovirus and Eppstein-Barr infection, and in 8 (13.6%) of 59 cases of acute hepatitis of unknown etiology. These positive rates of TTV in various etiologies did not differ significantly amongst each other, and were similar to those of healthy volunteers, i.e. 12.0% (12/100). The comparison of levels of alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase, total bilirubin, hepaplastin test and prothrombin time between TT virus-positive and -negative patients did not show any differences. This indicates that TTV is neither a main causative agent of acute sporadic hepatitis of unknown etiology, nor does it affect the clinical features of acute hepatitis with already known etiology.
Infection
PMID:TT virus (TTV) is not associated with acute sporadic hepatitis. 1021 44

The objectives of the cross-sectional study (EpiCoS) were to describe, at different stages, volunteers offering their blood, and to characterize various ways of collecting blood. From 15 September 1996 to 31 December 1996, individuals presenting at fixed or mobile sessions in one of 11 randomly selected blood banks were included after they had a medical examination. Variables studied were relative to type of collection, individuals, medical examination, patterns of blood letting, use of collected donations and if unused, reasons for discarding. Sixty four thousand and ninety two volunteers, aged 17-66 years old were included. The proportion of exclusion during medical examination was 10.8% (95% confidence interval (CI): 10.6-11.0%). Exclusions were more frequent among new volunteers and were mostly related to the safety of recipients. Most of the 57,003 donations were whole blood (94.0%) and collected in mobile sessions (89.9%). Five percent of collected donations were discarded; 3.5% (95% CI: 3.4-3.7%) of donations discarded for biological abnormalities, including 1.5% only for initial screen reactions to infectious disease markers (HBs antigen, anti-HBc antibodies, anti-HCV antibodies, anti-HIV antibodies, anti-HTLV antibodies, malaria antibodies and anti-syphilitic antibodies). The most frequent biological abnormality was a high alanine aminotransferase level. A follow-up of these indicators, within the French haemovigilance system, should allow further identification of risk factors and high-risk contexts, and planning means of optimizing blood collection in France.
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PMID:Epidemiology of blood collection in France. 1039 60


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