Human recombinant myclopcroxidasc was cvaluatcd in a cell-fret system for its inactivation properties on the replication of human immunodcficicncy virus, HTLV-III,,. In the presence of a hydrogen peroxide gcneruting system (glucose and glucose oxidase) and sodium thiocyanate, the recombinant enzyme inhibited virus-induced syncytium formation and viral replication without causing any cytoprthic effects on SupTl reporter cells. In addition, U937 monocytoid cells. chrcnicully infcctcd with HIVI, were exposed to recombinant myelopcroxidase (IO U/ml) and monitored during 42 h for the accumulation of intracellular ~24 viral untigcn. Under thcsc conditions, the recombinant enzyme significantly reduced intracellular viral replication without affecting cell viability.
A seroepidemiological study was performed on HTLV-III, T. pallidum, C. trachomatis and Hepatitis B virus (HBV), in Butare, Rwanda, among 33 female prostitutes, 25 male customers of prostitutes, and 60 male and female controls. As compared with female controls the prostitutes had a higher prevalence of antibodies to HTLV-III (29/33 versus 4/33, p less than 0.001), T. pallidum (TPHA: 27/33 versus 6/33, p less than 0.001; RPR: 19/33 versus 2/33, p less than 0.001; FTA-Abs: 27/33 versus 5/33, p less than 0.001) and C. trachomatis (IgG IF: 31/33 versus 13/33, p less than 0.001). HBV serological markers were more often detected in the prostitutes than in the female controls (31/33 versus 18/33, p less than 0.001) although HBs antigen carriage rate was similar in both groups. As compared with male controls, the male customers of prostitutes had more frequently detectable antibodies to HTLV-III (7/25 versus 2/27, p = 0.05), and a positive RPR (10/25 versus 1/27, p less than 0.01). Among the 118 individuals studied, odds ratios and trend analysis disclosed a significant association between HTLV-III seropositivity and a positive TPHA, RPR, FTA-Abs, Chlamydia IgG IF test and serological markers to HBV. No association was found between HTLV-III seropositivity and HBs Ag carriage. This study suggests that HTLV-III has to be considered as an infectious agent transmitted among promiscuous Central African heterosexuals by sexual contact and/or parenteral contact with unsterile needles used for STD treatments.
The sensitivity of blood culture isolates to the bactericidal activity of normal human serum (NHS) has been studied in 101 patients with gram-negative sepsis. These results were compared with clinical status and outcome, and to the presence of specific IgG or IgM antibodies to O antigens of bacteraemic strains in autologous serum. 23% of the strains were markedly resistant, 27% markedly sensitive and 50% intermediately sensitive to the bactericidal activity of NHS. Shock or death occurred more frequently in immunocompromised patients and those infected with serum-resistant strains. IgG antibody titres to O antigens were significantly lower in patients with serum-resistant organisms regardless of their immune status. Resistance to natural bactericidal antibodies and low immunogenicity of the infecting organism, plus immunodeficiency in the host, may account for apparent increased virulence of some gram-negative bacilli.
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