BACKGROUND In respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) bronchiolitis, neutrophils account for >80% of cells recovered from the airways in bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) fluid. This study investigated neutrophil activation and Toll-like receptor (TLR) expression in the blood and lungs of infants with severe RSV bronchiolitis. METHODS BAL fluid and (blood) samples were collected from 24 (16) preterm and...

In Finland, unlike other countries, anthophyllite asbestos has been widely used due to its domestic production in 1918-1975. In this particular context, the aim of the present study was to analyse the relationship between asbestos bodies (ABs) in bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) fluid and the concentration of ABs and the different amphibole asbestos fibres in lung tissue. Sixty five BAL lung tissue...

comments on ''detection of galactomannan in the bronchoalveolar lavage of high-risk patients with invasive aspergillosis admitted at the intensive care unit'' by khodavaisy et al.  awt-sep    awt-sep    awt-sep    awt-sep    awt-sep    awt-sep  galactomannan in bronchoalveolar lavage for diagnosis of invasive aspergillosis  we read with interest the prospective study by khod...

BACKGROUND Recent studies have confirmed the presence of viable Chlamydia in the bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) fluid of pediatric patients with airway hyperresponsiveness. While specific IgG and IgM responses to C. pneumoniae are well described, the response and potential contribution of Ag-specific IgE are not known. The current study sought to determine if infection with Chlamydia triggers the...

This report examines the effect of recombinant murine (rm) IL-10 on antigen-induced cellular recruitment into the airways of sensitized Balb/c mice. The intranasal instillation of 10 micrograms ovalbumin induced an early (6-24 h) increase in the number of neutrophils, and a late rise (24-96 h) in that of eosinophils in the bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) fluid and bronchial tissue. A single intran...

Considerable evidence supports the concept that CD4(+) T cells are important in sarcoidosis pathogenesis, but the antigens responsible for the observed Th1 immunophenotype remain elusive. The epidemiologic association with bioaerosols and the presence of granulomatous inflammation support consideration of mycobacterial antigens. To explore the role of mycobacterial antigens in sarcoidosis immun...

Nasal vaccine delivery is superior to oral delivery in inducing specific immunoglobulin A (IgA) and IgG antibody responses in the upper respiratory tract. Although an antibody response in the nasal passages is important in protecting against primary colonization with lung pathogens, antibodies in the lungs are usually required as well. We immunized 15 male volunteers twice nasally or orally wit...

AB S T R A C T Bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) fluid was obtained from 24 sequentially studied patients with adult respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) for assessment of potential activating and mediating factors. Proteolytic activity of the fluids was observed by measuring cleavage of radiolabeled proteins of the contact (Hageman factor) and complement systems. Proteolytic activity was observed i...

BACKGROUND Pneumococcal pneumonia can be diagnosed by the detection of capsular antigen in sputum, serum, pleural fluid, or urine using countercurrent immunoelectrophoresis and latex agglutination. In addition, quantitative cultures of bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) fluid are also reliable for establishing the aetiology of pneumonia. This study investigated the value of rapid detection of pneumoc...

BACKGROUND In patients with cystic fibrosis (CF) neutrophils are recruited in excess to the airways yet pathogens are not cleared and the patients suffer from chronic infections. Recent studies have shown a deficiency in airway fluids from patients with CF and other inflammatory pulmonary conditions of surfactant protein A (SP-A), a pattern recognition molecule that facilitates uptake of microb...