AIM To characterize the locus for O-antigen biosynthesis from Escherichia coli O172 type strain and to develop a rapid, specific and sensitive PCR-based method for identification and detection of E. coli O172. METHODS AND RESULTS DNA of O-antigen gene cluster of E. coli O172 was amplified by long-range PCR method using primers based on housekeeping genes galF and gnd Shot gun bank was constru...

conclusions fluctuations in serum alt levels may change the prognosis of a hbv inactive carrier state. objectives this study aimed to determine the incidence rate and patterns of alt fluctuations and prognostic values for the development of chronic hbv e antigen (hbeag)-negative hepatitis b (chb), hbv surface antigen (hbsag) seroclearance, and liver-related complications. patients and methods t...

This study was undertaken to assess the frequency of development and the stages of evolution of chronic liver disease in patients with renal failure who are chronic carriers of hepatitis B surface antigen. Cirrhosis or chronic active hepatitis developed in five of 21 patients and could not be predicted by the initial histological appearance or by HLA-A and B typing but was associated with the e...

In two renal dialysis units which had outbreaks of hepatitis B, patients were studied for the presence of e antigen and antibody. In one unit, in which the illness was mild and most of the patients (78%) became carriers of HBsAg, all but one patient had e antigen. Most of the HBsAg carriers had persisting e antigen and most of the transient patients had also transient e antigen. In the other un...

A 7 year-old male presented with recurrent fever, cough and respiratory distress for over last 2 years. Based on extremely high eosinophil count, high Immunoglobulin E, increase in eosinophilic precursors in bone marrow, and positive antigen test for Wuchereria bancrofti, a diagnosis of Tropical Pulmonary Eosinophilia with Eosinophilic Leukemoid Reaction was made. Complete recovery was achieved...

background and objectives: toxoplasma gondii is an obligatory intracellular parasite which causes severe diseases in the fetus of pregnant women and immunocopmromised patients. serological tests based on recombinant protein are one of the main diagnosis methods for the detection of specific antibodies in serum samples. dense granule antigenic proteins derived from t. gondii (tggras) are potenti...

OBJECTIVES To examine the efficacy of current hepatitis B immuno-prophylaxis and estimate the prevalence of S-mutant infections among local newborn babies. DESIGN Prospective study. SETTING Regional hospital, Hong Kong. PATIENTS A total of 137 newborn babies delivered between the period of November 2000 and 30 June 2001 inclusive, whose mothers were chronic hepatitis B surface antigen car...

Immunodiffusion experiments were conducted to associate a precipitin line with Escherichia coli heat-labile enterotoxin (LT). Wild strains of porcine and of human enteropathogenic E. coli as well as laboratory-derived enterotoxigenic variants of E. coli K-12 were used for LT antigen preparations. These were produced mainly by ultrafiltration and ammonium sulfate precipitation of broth culture s...