We identified risk factors associated with increased yearly incidence rates of leprosy in five island populations. Age, sex, household size and Mycobacterium leprae-specific antibodies as well as contact factors were studied. Of 94 index patients (patients diagnosed in 2000), 43 (46%) were classified as multibacillary (MB), 17 (19%) were seropositive for PGL-1 [corrected] antibodies and 6 (7%) ...

To determine the prevalence of human herpesvirus 8 (HHV-8) infection, the rate of HHV-8 seroconversion, and the presence of serum HHV-8 DNA after bone marrow transplantation (BMT), we evaluated sera from 187 Italian BMT donor-recipient pairs. Antibodies to lytic and latent HHV-8 antigens were detected by immunofluorescence. Sera of donor-recipient pairs who seroconverted were examined by real-t...

OBJECTIVE To evaluate herd-level risk factors for seropositive status of cattle to 1 or more bluetongue viruses. ANIMALS 110 herds of cattle in Nebraska, North Dakota, and South Dakota. PROCEDURE Blood samples were collected before and after the vector season. Samples were tested for antibodies against bluetongue virus by use of a commercially available competitive ELISA. Factors evaluated ...

BACKGROUND Toxoplasma gondii is a widespread occurring parasite infecting warm-blooded animals, including pigs and humans. The aims of this study were to estimate the prevalence of anti-T. gondii antibodies and to evaluate risk factors for T. gondii seropositivity in breeding pigs raised in Estonia. Sera from 382 pigs were tested with a commercial direct agglutination test, using a cut-off tite...

INTRODUCTION We investigated the clinical, electrophysiological and neural autoantibody characteristics in cramp-fasciculation syndrome (CFS) patients. METHODS We reviewed Mayo Clinic records from 2000 to 2011 to identify clinically defined CFS patients who underwent neural autoantibody testing. Stored sera of patients who tested positive for antibodies to voltage-gated potassium channel comp...

OBJECTIVES To determine the relationship of HIV infection in pregnant women to sexual network size and other risk factors. DESIGN Case-control study of women attending the public maternity hospital in Lima, Peru. METHODS We interviewed 75 HIV-seropositive women, 41 of their most recent male partners, and two control groups totaling 137 uninfected pregnant women and 70 of their most recent m...

A cohort of 181 patients with hemophilia A (149) and hemophilia B (32) cared for at the Hemophilia Center of Western Pennsylvania was followed to determine human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) seroprevalence, seroconversion rate, and clinical and immunologic correlates of HIV infection. By December 1986, 82 (45%) were HIV seropositive, and of these, ten (12%) had developed AIDS, 28 (34%) had symp...

Background: Enteric opportunistic parasitic infections are the major source of diarrheal disease in developing countries mainly in Human Immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infected patients. Objective: The study was to detect enteric parasites causing diarrhea and their association with immune status in HIV-seropositive patients. Methods: The present study was conducted in tertiary care teaching Hosp...

background and objectives:  helicobacter pylori cause a chronic gastric infection, and may cause extra gastrointestinal disease. the association between h. pylori infection and serum lipid profiles is still controversial. the aim of this study was to investigate any possible relationship between h. pylori infection and lipid levels. materials and methods: the subjects were 400 volunteer referr...

STUDY OBJECTIVES To compare the demographic, clinical, laboratory, and microbiological data, and the hospital course and outcome of HIV-seropositive and HIV-seronegative adults with bacteremic pneumococcal pneumonia. DESIGN Retrospective observation study conducted over a 2-year period. SETTING Academic teaching hospital attached to the University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South A...