Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound
Pivot Concepts:   Target Concepts:
Query: UMLS:C0024530 (malaria)
 44,886 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

A highly specific and sensitive competitive serodiagnostic assay for visceral leishmaniasis (VL) was developed using species specific Leishmania donovani monoclonal antibodies. This assay, either RIA or ELISA, is based on the specific inhibition of monoclonal antibody binding to a crude parasite homogenate by serum from patients with VL. 15 monoclonal antibodies were examined. The binding of 13 antibodies was significantly inhibited by VL serum and unaffected by normal serum. 3 species-specific monoclonal antibodies, D-2, D-13 and D-14, which recognize different parasite antigens, were chosen for use in the competitive serodiagnostic assay. In 90% of the positive cases, regardless of geographic origin, VL sera inhibited monoclonal antibody binding to the parasite antigen by more than 30%. No false positive was obtained with sera from Chagas disease, lepromatous leprosy, schistosomiasis, malaria, systemic lupus erythematosus, cutaneous or mucocutaneous leishmaniasis, even at serum dilutions (1:100) which cross-react strongly with Leishmania antigen in direct binding assays. Inhibition by negative control sera from areas endemic for VL and from non-endemic areas was negligible. The assay takes less than 24 h, requires minimum amounts of sera or antigen, and is easily standardized allowing interlaboratory comparison of test data. The competitive serodiagnostic assay will be especially useful in areas where Chagas disease is coendemic and the rapid diagnosis of VL by direct binding serodiagnostic assays presents a problem.
 ...
PMID:Serodiagnostic assay for visceral leishmaniasis employing monoclonal antibodies. 344 39

Many parasites--including the causative agents of malaria, Chagas' disease and schistosomiasis--are more susceptible to reactive oxygen species (ROS) than their hosts are. This is manifested by one or more of the following criteria: 1. Susceptibility of the parasite to ROS in vitro; 2. macrophage-based defense mechanisms against the parasite in vivo; 3. successful therapy using agents which lead to oxidative stress; 4. selection advantage (with respect to parasite infections) of human populations whose antioxidant capacity is impaired by a gene defect or by strong oxidants in their staple food. Our laboratory is involved in developing inhibitors against antioxidant enzymes thus mimicking natural experiments. Since glutathione reductase is a protein of known atomic structure the methods of drug design by receptor fit (DDRF) can be applied for this enzyme. Another promising target enzyme is trypanothione reductase which was found so far only in trypanosomatids, and specifically, not in their hosts. Consequently the trypanothione pathway may be a general target in the design of drugs against diseases caused by trypanosomes and leishmanias.
 ...
PMID:Oxidative stress as a defense mechanism against parasitic infections. 350 42

A cloned library of DNA complementary to the mRNA of adult Schistosoma japonicum has been prepared and expressed as fusion proteins with Escherichia coli beta-galactosidase. Colonies expressing the S. japonicum cDNA clones were screened both with antibodies from individuals with a history of schistosomiasis and with antibodies obtained from a rabbit immunized with whole adult worms. In both cases colonies were detected which bound antibody, although the frequency of antigen-positive clones was much higher with the rabbit antiserum than with human sera. In both cases the proportion of colonies reacting with antibodies was markedly lower than that published for equivalent screens of Plasmodium falciparum cDNA with sera from individuals with a history of falciparum malaria. Several major S. japonicum antigens were identified by the affinity purification of antibodies using immobilised fusion proteins produced during lytic growth of the recombinant bacteriophage.
 ...
PMID:Expression of Schistosoma japonicum antigens in Escherichia coli. 351 79

The authors give a comprehensive review of the epidemiology, clinical presentations, diagnosis and current therapy of parasitic infections with CNS manifestations in both the normal and immunocompromised host. These include toxoplasmosis, malaria, amebiasis, neurocystcersosis, hydatid disease, and trichinosis. Additional sections cover disseminated strongyloidiasis, eosinophilic meningitis, visceral and ocular larva migrans, schistosomiasis, and cerebral paragonimiasis. Emphasis is on the neurologic complications of these diseases and their presentations in populations at increased risk for acquiring or reactivating these infections.
 ...
PMID:Parasitic infections of the central nervous system. 352 1

The number of Brazilian periodicals listed in the Index Medicus dropped from 70 in 1964 to 15 in 1983, or 78%, while the total number of listed periodicals from other countries fell only 11%. The total number of articles published in Brazil on Chagas' disease, schistosomiasis, leishmaniasis, leprosy, malaria, and filariasis, and listed in the Index Medicus did not change significantly between 1965 and 1982, because, with the exception of the journal O Hospital, the Brazilian periodicals that published 74% of all articles on those diseases remained listed throughout the period considered. The predominant subjects in articles on endemic diseases were Chagas' disease and schistosomiasis, and in the later years there was a tendency to index more articles on basic than on applied research. The number of articles on Chagas' disease published by Brazilian authors directly in foreign journals increased considerably during the latter decade. Analysis of all the data together suggests that the developed countries select a specific portion of the Brazilian output of biomedical literature--which is kept listed in secondary and international publications or published directly in foreign journals--while another portion of the same output gradually loses visibility on the international scene.
 ...
PMID:[Brazilian biomedical publications in the international scientific literature. Endemic communicable diseases]. 352 64

A dot enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (dot ELISA) was evaluated and compared with a standard microplate ELISA (immunoglobulin G [IgG] ELISA) for the serological diagnosis of mucocutaneous leishmaniasis. The two assays were used to test 113 serum specimens from the following groups: normal individuals and patients with deep mycoses, toxoplasmosis, mucocutaneous leishmaniasis, visceral leishmaniasis, Chagas' disease, malaria, and schistosomiasis. Both tests exhibited cross-reactivity when testing specimens from cases of visceral leishmaniasis and Chagas' disease. The dot ELISA proved to be economical with respect to use of reagents and was easy to perform. Interpretation could easily be made by visual inspection of reaction endpoints in the nitrocellulose disks, obviating the need for spectrophotometric readings. There were no significant differences in sensitivity between the dot ELISA and the IgG ELISA at a cutoff level either of 20 or 40. However, its most remarkable feature was the high specificity compared with that of the IgG ELISA. Because of its ease of performance and high sensitivity and specificity, the dot ELISA should be an excellent test to be executed in the field during seroepidemiological surveys.
 ...
PMID:Evaluation of dot enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay for mucocutaneous leishmaniasis and comparison with microplate enzyme immunoassay. 353 Dec 27

The development of parasite immunology during the last decade has been highly beneficial to our understanding of immune processes against parasites, and recent research has been devoted to the target antigens of effector mechanisms, especially those localized on the surfaces of the pathogens. In this context, define antigenic structures have been identified, which induced significant degree of protection. In malaria, circumsporozoite and merozoite proteins, with large repetitive sequences, have been isolated from various species of Plasmodium and cloned. Monoclonal antibodies produced against these antigens inhibited the invasion of host cells by living parasites. Some results have also been obtained in protective immunity against Leishmania and Toxoplasma. In schistosomiasis, the main characteristic of defence processes is the narrow association between cellular and humoral immunity in antibody-dependent cell-mediated cytotoxic mechanisms. Eosinophils, macrophages, and platelets efficiently killed schistosome larvae when activated by specific antibody of anaphylactic classes, especially IgE. Some of the target antigens have been characterized and cloned. The transfer to normal animals of monoclonal antibodies, and, in one case, of an anti-idiotype antibody, has induced a significant protection against challenge infestations. Optimistic perspectives can therefore be opened concerning an efficacious immunoprophylaxis of an increasing number of parasitic diseases. An adequate conjunction between potentially protective antigens and selective immunomodulators and adjuvants should lead to vaccination. Such an aim nowadays appears as more than a hope.
 ...
PMID:Protection tests against parasitic diseases. 353 95

A radioimmunoassay for the quantitative determination of antileishmanial antibody in sera from patients suffering from cutaneous leishmaniasis was developed. The assay, using as antigen either the soluble fraction from freeze-thawed sonicated Leishmania major (LRC-L137) promastigotes or a carbohydrate-lipid containing fraction obtained by extraction with hexane-isopropanol, was shown to be sensitive and reproducible. The sera of 95 patients were examined. These were from patients with cutaneous leishmaniasis (26 from the Jordan Valley and 13 from Sinai), kala-azar (9), malaria (24), schistosomiasis (10), toxoplasmosis (5), and leprosy (8); controls were 37 normal human sera. No significant antigen dependent differences were observed using sera from cutaneous leishmaniasis patients, although differences in the immunological response were observed between the two populations of these patients. Antileishmanial activity was not detected in sera from patients with malaria, schistosomiasis, or toxoplasmosis. Although sera from leprosy patients crossreacted with the carbohydrate-lipid containing fraction, it was nevertheless more strain specific than freeze thawed sonicated L. major.
 ...
PMID:Leishmania major: solid phase radioimmunoassay for antibody detection in human cutaneous leishmaniasis. 372 Sep 2

Tuberculin tests were carried out on 400 adults with established tuberculosis and 200 apparently healthy adults. There was no significant difference in the tuberculin reactivity amongst those tuberculous patients who were clinically in a poor state and the control group. On the other hand the former reacted less than those tuberculous patients whose general physical state was normal and the difference was significant. Overall 23.75% of the tuberculous patients had negative reactions. Women were less reactive than men. The tuberculin allergy decreased with both age and the extent of tuberculous disease. There was no significant variation in the diameter of the skin test as a function of the number of Koch's bacilli. In tuberculous lymphadenopathy we noted a stronger allergy than in tuberculous disease of other parts of the body. There is a positive correlation between the tuberculin reaction and the Serum Albumin level. Associated morbidity (eg infestations, anaemia, malaria, intestinal schistosomiasis and malnutrition) reduce the tuberculin reaction. These observations reduce the diagnostic value of the intra-dermal tuberculin reaction in our environment.
 ...
PMID:[Diagnostic value of the intradermal tuberculin reaction in the adult, in Zaire]. 372 66

An analysis is presented of data on all 30 129 inpatient admissions to a mission hospital in the West Nile District of Uganda in the 27 year period from July 1951 to August 1978. For most of this period the hospital was staffed by the same two doctors. For each patient admitted, a record was made of their age (adult or child), sex, place of residence, duration of stay in hospital, diagnosis and vital status at discharge. The annual number of admissions increased steadily from around 300 in 1952 to over 1600 in 1966 and subsequently declined to about 900 in 1977. Sixty-five per cent of admissions were medical, 12% surgical, 11% obstetric and 9% gynaecological. Thirty per cent of admissions were children (aged 0-9 years). Forty-five per cent of admissions were from those resident in the same county as the hospital and another 20% were from an immediately adjacent county. Infective and parasitic conditions (including respiratory diseases) accounted for over 60% of admissions among children and over 38% of admissions among adults (excluding obstetric patients). The six most common causes of admission were: uncomplicated delivery (2308 admissions), pneumonia (2020), hookworm (1999), malaria (1806), schistosomiasis (1742) and diarrhoea (1041). In total 1960 deaths were recorded (6.5% of all admissions). High case fatality rates were observed for tetanus (61%), immaturity (54%), meningitis (38%), kwashiorkor (21%), other malnutrition (19%) and anaemia (19%). A striking increase in the number of admissions for measles was observed in the period 1976 to 1978. Admission rates for schistosomiasis (S. mansoni) appeared to be highest from counties adjacent to the Nile and 104 deaths were recorded among the 1742 patients with this as the primary diagnosis. Admissions for diabetes, as a percentage of all admissions increased from 0.2% in 1951-54 to 1.5% at the end of the study period. Marked seasonal variations in admission patterns were found for diarrhoea, measles, meningitis and respiratory infections, the last two, but not diarrhoea, being most common in the wettest months. Admissions for malaria showed no strong seasonal associations. Despite the limitations of hospital-based data, it is argued that the data analysed provide a reasonable indication of the important causes of severe morbidity and mortality in the district. Furthermore, some of the changes in admission patterns over time are likely to represent true changes in disease rates rather than artefacts of diagnosis or referral. The analyses presented indicate the value of simple record systems, carefully maintained.
 ...
PMID:Admissions to a rural hospital in the West Nile District of Uganda over a 27 year period. 378 13


<< Previous 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Next >>