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Query: UMLS:C0021311 (Infection)
 38,178 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

Infections of the gastrointestinal nematode, Nippostrongylus brasiliensis, in the laboratory rat result in a characteristic biphasic anorexia which is followed by hyperphagia once the worm burden has been cleared. Despite the importance of parasite-induced anorexia, relatively little is known of the underlying mechanisms. We have investigated the involvement of the central appetite drive in this anorexia by studying the gene expression of two neuropeptides with opposing actions on energy balance, NPY and CRF. Gene expression was assessed by in situ hybridization at 2, 8 and 16 days post-infection (p.i.) in infected rats, in uninfected controls, and in a group with food intake restricted to match that taken voluntarily by the parasitize animals. The sampling intervals corresponded to each of the two phases of maximum anorexia and the period of compensatory hyperphagia. Surprisingly, we found that increases in NPY gene expression in the hypothalamic arcuate nucleus (ARC) accompany anorexia in rats infected with N. brasiliensis; there was a significant relationship between degree of anorexia and induction of NPY mRNA after 8 days of infection. Furthermore, ARC NPY mRNA levels in parasitized animals were similar to those in pair-fed individuals with food intake restricted to match the infected rats. The number of larvae used to establish the infection affected both the degree of anorexia and the level of NPY mRNA at 8 days p.i. in a dose-dependent manner. NPY gene expression remained elevated in infected rats during at least the initial stages of compensatory hyperphagia. This suggests that animals detect a state of energy deficit during the early stages of the infection, yet do not feed, but become hyperphagic coincident with worm loss. The failure of anorectic parasitized animals to feed in response to activation of the NPYergic system makes this a novel system in which to study the regulation of hypothalamic NPY by physiological challenge. There were no significant differences in CRF gene expression between the groups at any of the sampling intervals.
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PMID:Anorexia induced by the parasitic nematode, Nippostrongylus brasiliensis: effects on NPY and CRF gene expression in the rat hypothalamus. 874 24

As long-term survival has become possible in patients with autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease (ADPKD) with progress in hemodialysis (HD), complications by various extrarenal diseases has presented new problems. Recent experience of two rare cases of ADPKD ending fatally due to complications by polycystic liver is presented. Case 1: A 60-year-old female with a family history of ADPKD without a past history of liver disease, was diagnosed as ADPKD at the age of 45 years. Hemodialysis was started at the age of 58 years. From 6 months prior to her death, abdominal circumference increased (body height: 149 cm, abdominal circumference: 100 cm). Dyspnea, abdominal pain and anorexia appeared and she died of hepatic failure leading to cachexia. Case 2: A 76-year-old female with a family history of ADPKD without a past history of liver disease, was started on HD at the age of 73 years. Abdominal circumference was 84 cm (body height: 138 cm). She was repeatedly admitted to and discharged from the hospital due to febrile episodes. Infection of polycystic liver was complicated by DIC and she died of gastrointestinal hemorrhage. Autopsy revealed abscess in some of the cysts in the liver. Hepatic cysts most frequently complicating ADPKD so far have presented with scarcely any clinical problems. Recently, however, cases of infection of hepatic cysts, portal hypertension and hepatic insufficiency have been reported. The relationship between these hepatic diseases and the prognosis of ADPKD has received attention. Increase in the number of cases of complications similar to the present cases is anticipated.
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PMID:[Two cases of autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease treated with hemodialysis associated with polycystic liver complications related to the cause of death]. 875 71

Tuberculosis was diagnosed in 26 patients (6 females and 20 males) undergoing maintenance hemodialysis, with an incidence of 23.6%. Infection was characterized clinically by a very insidious onset, the main symptoms being anorexia, loss of weight and low-grade fever, a very high sedimentation rate and lymphocytes predominant in the peripheral circulation, pleural and peritoneal fluids. Pulmonary tuberculosis was seen in 18 patients (70%), 10 of whom presented with pleural effusions. There were extrapulmonary presentations in 8 of the 26 patients (30%). Most of the patients developed the disease about 1 year from the start of their dialysis treatment. With early therapy all patients survived their tuberculosis disease and no recurrence was seen in up to 5 years of follow-up. Despite earlier reports of high mortality, we suggest that awareness of the increased incidence of tuberculosis in dialysis patients, together with its unusual presentation and consequent early diagnosis, results in a very good prognosis.
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PMID:Increased incidence of tuberculosis in patients undergoing hemodialysis. 883 1

A 22-year-old woman was admitted to the hospital with complaints of fever, loss of appetite, coughing, sputum production, and right-sided chest pain. The chest X-ray film and computed tomogram showed infiltrates in both lower lung fields. Meningococcal pneumonia was diagnosed when a sputum culture was found to be positive for Neisseria meningitidis. Infection with this organism is uncommon in Japan. The patient had never gone abroad, and the route of infection was unknown. N. meningitidis is a rare cause of respiratory infections. When this organism does cause respiratory disease, it is usually acute bronchitis rather than meningococcal pneumonia. The patient in this case was not immunodeficient. She was also not deficient in a terminal lytic component sequence (deficiency in that sequence promotes meningococcal infection). The patient was emaciated and malnourished, which was thought to have made her more susceptible to infection. Orally administered DU-6859a, one of a new generation of quinolones, was very effective and had no side effects.
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PMID:[Bilateral meningococcal pneumonia in a young Japanese woman]. 895 7

Trichuris suis is a nematode parasite of swine which can cause serious pathology in infected pigs, such as anorexia, diarrhea, anemia, and death in heavy infections, especially in young animals. Infection with Trichuris suis is difficult to diagnose because much of the pathology occurs when only larval stages are present, and because of sporadic egg production by adult female worms. We have isolated a 20 kDa excretory/secretory (E/S) glycoprotein from culture fluids of adult worms by column chromatography and preparative gel electrophoresis which is diagnostic for Trichuris suis infection in pigs. The antigen did not crossreact in Western blots or enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay with sera from pigs infected with Ascaris suum, Trichinella spiralis, Oesophagostomum dentatum, or Toxoplasma gondii. The antigen was also diagnostic for Trichuris vulpis infection in dogs, and did not crossreact with sera from dogs infected with Toxocara canis, Ancylostoma caninum, or Strongyloides stercoralis. The antigen may be useful in clinical serologic assays for diagnosis of Trichuris infection in pigs and dogs in cases of scouring diarrhea of unknown etiology, and in epidemiological surveys of Trichuris suis infection in swine feeder/finishing operations.
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PMID:A Trichuris specific diagnostic antigen from culture fluids of Trichuris suis adult worms. 906 55

Simian parvovirus is a recently discovered parvovirus that was first isolated from cynomolgus monkeys. It is similar to human B19 parvovirus in terms of virus genome, tropism for erythroid cells, and characteristic pathology in natural infections. Cynomolgus monkeys were infected with simian parvovirus to investigate their potential usefulness as an animal model of human B19 parvovirus. Six adult female cynomolgus monkeys were inoculated with purified simian parvovirus by the intravenous or intranasal route and monitored for evidence of clinical abnormalities; this included the preparation of complete hematological profiles. Viremia and simian parvovirus-specific antibody were determined in infected monkeys by dot blot and Western blot assays, respectively. Bone marrow was examined at necropsy 6, 10, or 15 days postinfection. All of the monkeys developed a smoldering, low-grade viremia that peaked approximately 10 to 12 days after inoculation. Peak viremia coincided with the appearance of specific antibody and was followed by sudden clearance of the virus and complete, but transient, absence of reticulocytes from the peripheral blood. Clinical signs were mild and involved mainly anorexia and slight weight loss. Infection was associated with a mild decrease in hemoglobin, hematocrit, and erythrocyte numbers. Bone marrow showed marked destruction of erythroid cells coincident with peak viremia. Our findings indicate that infection of healthy monkeys by simian parvovirus is self-limited and mild, with transient cessation of erythropoiesis. Our study has reproduced Koch's postulates and further shown that simian parvovirus infection of monkeys is almost identical to human B19 parvovirus infection of humans. Accordingly, this animal model may prove valuable in the study of the pathogenesis of B19 virus infection.
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PMID:Experimental infection of cynomolgus monkeys with simian parvovirus. 915 44

The effects of infection of mice with influenza virus on ingestive behavior were assessed by both 22-h intake of food pellets, and intake of sweetened milk in a 30-minute access period. Infection with a lethal dose of virus resulted in losses in body weight as well as a reduction in food pellet intake. By contrast, infection with a sublethal dose of virus decreased body weight and food pellet intake to a lesser extent, but did not alter milk intake. Acute intraperitoneal injection of endotoxin (LPS, 0.3-5 micrograms), interleukin-1 alpha (IL-1 alpha, 50-100 ng) or IL-1 beta (100 ng) reduced milk intake, suggesting that the reduction of ingestive behavior may be associated with immune activation in general, and IL-1 in particular Pretreatment of the mice with the cyclooxygenase inhibitor, indomethacin (10 mg/kg SC) substantially attenuated, but did not completely reverse, the reduction in milk intake by LPS and IL-1. However, chronic treatment with indomethacin failed to alter the body weight or the intake of sweetened milk in influenza-infected mice, although there was some attenuation of the reduction in food intake. These results suggest that although IL-1 may play a role in the anorexia caused by influenza virus infection, it is not the only factor involved.
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PMID:Influenza virus infection of mice induces anorexia: comparison with endotoxin and interleukin-1 and the effects of indomethacin. 916 99

Twenty-five gilts without measurable porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome (PRRS) virus (PRRSV) serum antibody titres were used for this experiment. All of them were randomly assigned to one of the treatment groups at the time of artificial insemination. Twelve gilts were exposed to PRRSV, of these, six were slaughtered on day 10 after exposure and constituted group A. The remaining six were slaughtered on day 20 after infection and constituted group C. Thirteen gilts were used as controls, six of these were slaughtered on day 10 after treatment and constituted group B. The remaining seven were slaughtered on day 20 after treatment and constituted group D. The infected gilts were inoculated with PRRSV intranasally and intravenously in the ear vein. They were observed for clinical signs of infection and the effects on conception and fertilization rates were studied, while the gilts and their embryos were tested for PRRSV and homologous antibodies. The infected animals developed signs of PRRS associated with anorexia and slight pyrexia. Infection was verified by reisolation of the virus from serum and other tissue samples and also by seroconversion. Ten out of 12 infected gilts and 10 out of 13 controls were pregnant at the time of slaughter and the ratio of embryos to corpora lutea was the same in both, infected and control groups (0.75). Therefore, infection with PRRSV at the onset of gestation did not appear to interfere with conception and fertilization rates and subsequent pregnancy. The PRRSV was not isolated from any of the embryos collected at day 10 postexposure, but was present in 20-day-old embryos of group C gilts. In this group, 60% of litters were infected prenatally, with 16% of embryos infected. The proportion of dead embryos was three times greater than in a control group D (35.4% and 9.8%, respectively). The results of this report indicate that exposure of susceptible gilts to PRRSV at the onset of gestation has no significant effect on conception and fertilization rates. However, although infection does not appear to have any effect on the embryos before implantation, it can result in transplacental infection and embryo death.
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PMID:Transplacental infection following exposure of gilts to porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus at the onset of gestation. 944 67

Human echinostomiasis, endemic to southeast Asia and the Far East, is a food-borne, intestinal, zoonotic parasitosis attributed to at least 16 species of digenean trematodes transmitted by snails. Two separate life cycles of echinostomes, human and sylvatic, efficiently operate in endemic areas. Clinical symptoms of echinostomiasis include abdominal pain, violent watery diarrhea, and anorexia. The disease occurs focally and transmission is linked to fresh or brackish water habitats. Infections are associated with common sociocultural practices of eating raw or insufficiently cooked mollusks, fish, crustaceans, and amphibians, promiscuous defecation, and the use of night soil (human excrement collected from latrines) for fertilization of fish ponds. The prevalence of infection ranges from 44% in the Philippines to 5% in mainland China, and from 50% in northern Thailand to 9% in Korea. Although the patterns of other food-borne trematodiases have changed in Asia following changes in habits, cultural practices, health education, industrialization, and environmental alteration, human echinostomiasis remains a health problem. The disease is most prevalent in remote rural places among low-wage earners and in women of child bearing age. Echinostomiasis is aggravated by socioeconomic factors such as poverty, malnutrition, an explosively growing free-food market, a lack of supervised food inspection, poor or insufficient sanitation, other helminthiases, and declining economic conditions. Furthermore, World Health Organization control programs implemented for other food-borne helminthiases and sustained in endemic areas are not fully successful for echinostomiasis because these parasites display extremely broad specificity for the second intermediate host and are capable of completing the life cycle without involvement of the human host.
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PMID:Echinostomiasis: a common but forgotten food-borne disease. 957 99

Sleeping sickness (SS; African trypanosomiasis) is an anthropozoonosis transmitted by the tsetse fly. Infection with Trypanosoma brucei in humans is associated with adynamia, lethargy, anorexia, and more specifically amenorrhea/infertility in women and loss of libido/impotence in men. Recent evidence suggests that experimental infection in animals with Trypanosoma brucei species causes polyglandular endocrine failure by local inflammation of the pituitary, thyroid, adrenal, and gonadal glands. In a cross-sectional study we investigated the prevalence and significance of neuroendocrine abnormalities in 137 Ugandan patients with SS. In the untreated stage of the disease, there was a high prevalence of adrenal insufficiency (27%), hypothyroidism (50%) and hypogonadism (85%). Pituitary function tests suggested an unusual combined central (hypothalamic/pituitary) and peripheral defect in hormone secretion. Specific therapy resulted in a rapid recovery of adrenal/thyroid function, whereas hypogonadism persisted for years in a substantial portion of patients. We did not detect pituitary, thyroid, adrenal, and gonadal autoantibodies in patients with endocrine dysfunction, ruling out an autoimmune origin of the endocrine abnormalities. However, the presence of hypopituitarism correlated with high cytokine concentrations (TNF-alpha, IL-6) which--together with direct parasitic infiltration of the endocrine glands--are involved in the pathogenesis of SS-associated endocrine dysfunction.
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PMID:Neuroendocrine dysfunction in African trypanosomiasis. The role of cytokines. 962 7


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