To improve the immunodiagnosis of human toxocaral disease, a sensitive and specific assay using the Western blotting procedure (WB) with excretory-secretory antigens from Toxocara canis larvae (TES) was developed and compared with the standard enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay method (TES-ELISA) using the same antigens. We tested groups of sera from laboratory animals or patients presenting with toxocariasis or other helminthic diseases and a group of sera from people dwelling in an area endemic for toxocariasis who exhibited hypereosinophilia. Statistically, the WB assay correlated well with TES-ELISA, but the former was more specific for banding patterns corresponding to low-molecular-weight fractions, thus avoiding problems of cross-reactivity with sera infected with other helminthic diseases.

These results support earlier findings that peritraumatic dissociative experiences and acute stress are robust predictors of PTSD. Such symptoms may be of use for identifying at an early stage individuals at highest risk of remaining symptomatic. Future studies should investigate the predictive power of specific peritraumatic and acute stress disorder symptom clusters.

Several recent studies have reported a gradual decline in sperm production in men. Endocrine disrupters as well as lifestyle have been suggested as risk factors. One lifestyle factor that may affect human fertility is driving a vehicle for a prolonged period. Several authors have suggested that driving position may increase the scrotal temperature. In order to validate this hypothesis we conducted continuous monitoring of scrotal temperature in real conditions, i.e. in men driving a car for a prolonged period. Nine volunteer men were asked to walk outside for 40 min and then to drive a car for 160 min. Scrotal temperatures were measured from thermocouples and values recorded every 2 min on a portable data recorder. Scrotal temperature increased significantly (P < 0.0001) in driving posture after 2 h of driving, reaching a value 1.7-2.2 degrees C higher than that recorded while walking. This link between driving position and increased scrotal temperature indicates a potential exposure of male reproductive function to lifestyle factors.

In La Réunion island (Indian Ocean) a seroepidemiological survey for toxocariasis was carried out among 387 subjects over 15 years old by Western blotting using Toxocara canis excretory-secretory larval antigens; 92.8% of the sera were positive. Statistical study, including logistic regression analysis, showed a significant correlation of Western blot results with sex, age, and absence of water supply. The final logistic model demonstrated that only the last 2 factors were significant multiplicative risk factors for toxocariasis. Sex was an independent risk factor. With this level of infection, we suggest that further surveys of ocular toxocariasis in children and teenagers of La Réunion would be advisable.

Epidemiologic parameters, virologic characteristics and frequency of HLA class II DR and DQ antigens were compared between 63 subjects with spontaneous hepatitis C virus clearance (group 1) and 282 patients with chronic active hepatitis C virus infection (group 2). DRB1*1101 and moreover DQB1*0301 alleles were more frequent in group 1 than in group 2 (33.8% vs. 14.7% and 64.4% vs. 28.6%; P=0.012 and P=0.003, respectively). The frequency of DQB1*02 was lower in group 1 than in group 2 (25.4% vs. 49%; P=0.04). No difference was observed in viral genotype distribution between group 1 and group 2. Univariate analysis showed that female sex and contamination by intravenous drug use were associated with self limited infection. However, by multivariate analysis, the only independent factor associated with hepatitis C virus RNA clearance was female sex (P=0.004). In conclusion, spontaneous hepatitis C virus RNA clearance is determined by class II antigens (mainly DQB1*0301) and female sex, while viral genotype plays no role.