OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study is to assess the role of Granulocyte Macrophage-Colony Stimulating Factor (GMCSF) in asthmatic airway hyper-responsiveness associated with RSV infections.
MATERIALS AND METHODS: Forty five asthmatic cases and 45 healthy individuals were studied in a cross-sectional design. All asthmatics underwent symptom score assessment.GMCSF concentrations in sputum and RSV-IgM/IgG in serum samples were measured for all participants by Enzyme Linked Immuno-Sorbent Assay (ELISA).
RESULTS: The GM-CSF concentration level was significantly higher in asthmatics (270.27± 194.87pg/mL) especially among moderate and severe disease with mean concentration of 197.33±98.47 and 521.08± 310.04 respectively, compared to healthy controls (22.20±21.27 pg/ mL) (p =0.0001). The sputum level of GM-CSF in asthmatics is highly significant associated with positive anti-RSV IgG sera which represents 35/45(77.8%) with mean GM-CSF concentration of (276.99± 86.42) compared with controls at about 31/45 (68.9%) with GM-CSF mean concentration of (22.84±23.47). On the other hand, positive anti-RSV IgM in asthma cases was 8 out of 45(17.8 %) with GM-CSF mean concentration of (307.25± 306.65). Furthermore, GM-CSF sputum level was significantly correlated with eosinophil count especially in moderate and severe asthma.
CONCLUSIONS: This study revealed that GM-CSF level is associated with eosinophilia and indicates asthma severity that might be evident during RSV infection .The distinctive GM-CSF features observed in the sputum from asthmatics with RSV may be useful as a diagnostic methods to help match patients with antibody therapy.
METHODS: A total of 50 serum samples were collected from patients clinically suspected for acute leptospirosis on admission in the Hospital Serdang, from June 2016 to June 2017. All the samples were subjected to MAT, lipL32 PCR and the two rapid tests (Leptocheck-WB and ImmuneMed Leptospira IgM Duo Rapid test).
RESULTS: Out of the 50 clinically suspected patients sampled, 19 were confirmed positive for leptospirosis. Six (12%) were confirmed by MAT and 13 (26%) by PCR. Similarly, of the 50 clinically suspected cases, 17 (34%) showed positivity for Leptocheck-WB and 7 (14%) for ImmuneMed Leptospira IgM Duo Rapid test. The overall sensitivity and specificity was 47.37% and 80.65% for Leptocheck-WB, and 21.05% and 90.32% for ImmuneMed Leptospira IgM Duo Rapid test. In another set of previously confirmed MAT positive samples (1:400-1:3600) obtained from a reference laboratory, Leptocheck-WB showed higher sensitivity (90.72%) than ImmuneMed Leptospira IgM Duo Rapid test (40.21%), and comparable specificity for ImmuneMed Leptospira IgM Duo Rapid test (88.89%) and Leptocheck-WB (82.86%).
CONCLUSION: The sensitivity was higher for Leptocheck-WB and had a comparable specificity with ImmuneMed Leptospira IgM Duo Rapid test. Therefore, based on the present study, Leptocheck-WB is found to be a more sensitive rapid immunodiagnostic test for acute leptospirosis screening in hospital settings.
METHODS: This study compared assays currently used for detecting DENV infection at the Florida Department of Health including anti-DENV IgM and IgG ELISAs as well as qRT-PCR, against a commercially available DENV NS1 ELISA. These comparisons were made among a group of 21 human sera.
RESULTS: Nine of 14 (64.3%) DENV qRT-PCR+ samples were also DENV NS1+. Interestingly, the 5 NS1- samples that were qRT-PCR+ were additionally IgM- and IgG+ suggesting a nonprimary infection. Compared to qRT-PCR, the NS1 assay had a sensitivity of 64.3%, specificity 100%, PPV of 100%, and NPV of 58.3%.
CONCLUSIONS: The NS1 ELISA performed as expected in known DENV qRT-PCR+ samples; however negative NS1 results for qRT-PCR+ and IgG+ sera seemingly reduced the usefulness of the NS1 ELISA for nonprimary cases. We therefore conclude that diagnosis obtained via DENV NS1 ELISA deserves further investigation.
METHODS: We measured PS immunoglobulin G (IgG) and immunoglobulin M (IgM) antibodies in Malaysian patients with vivax, falciparum, knowlesi, and malariae malaria, and in healthy controls, and correlated antibody titres with hemoglobin. PS antibodies were also measured in volunteers experimentally infected with Plasmodium vivax and Plasmodium falciparum.
RESULTS: PS IgM and IgG antibodies were elevated in patients with vivax, falciparum, knowlesi, and malariae malaria (P < .0001 for all comparisons with controls) and were highest in vivax malaria. In vivax and falciparum malaria, PS IgM and IgG on admission correlated inversely with admission and nadir hemoglobin, controlling for parasitemia and fever duration. PS IgM and IgG were also increased in volunteers infected with blood-stage P. vivax and P. falciparum, and were higher in P. vivax infection.
CONCLUSIONS: PS antibodies are higher in vivax than falciparum malaria, correlate inversely with hemoglobin, and may contribute to the early loss of uninfected red blood cells found in malarial anemia from both species.