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Antibodies to EB virus capsid, EB virus complement-fixing antibodies and IgM, IgA and IgG immunoglobulins were estimated in sera from seventy-four patients with infectious mononucleosis, eighty-nine control patients (mostly with infectious diseases) and 232 healthy medical students and nurses. Complement fixing (but not virus capsid) antibodies were much lower in patients tested during active infectious mononucleosis than in patients tested during late convalescence or in controls, a disparity which could form the basis of a diagnostic test. Immunoglobulin levels were higher in patients with active infectious mononucleosis than in controls and, when tested 6 months to 2 yr later, were still higher than those in healthy individuals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Antibacterial antibody was measured in the sera and intestinal secretions of patients with diarrhea due either to cholera or to some other condition and during convalescence. The immunoglobulin class of this antibody was determined. The antibody in serum was measured by various methods; it was predominantly IgG, as has been shown in other studies. Antibody in secretions could not be detected by bacterial-agglutination tests; however, some convalescents had detectable vibriocidal antibody in their secretions. Increased amounts of antibody in intestinal secretions were regularly found by radioactive assay methods in the patients with cholera. The immunoglobulin class of the antibody was predominantly IgA. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

The effects of physical activity during an attack of infectious hepatitis are discussed. There is no evidence that activity during convalescence produces any ill-effects. On the other hand, strenuous physical activity in the acute stage may be dangerous, possibly because hepatic blood-flow is reduced. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Autoantibodies were looked for by immunofiuorescence (IFL) in seventy-seven cases of infectious mononucleosis (IM) at the onset of symptoms and on recovery, to determine the time of appearance, duration and range of these responses, and to correlate them with serum immunoglobulin and EB virus antibody titres. Antibodies to lymphocyte membrane demonstrated by IFL, now identified with lymphocytotoxins, were present in 46% of patients in the acute stage, persisting for less than 7 weeks. Antibodies to smooth muscle (SMA) or to contractile fibres in other tissue cells including human thyroid and rat hepatocytes, were present in over 70% of cases, some being entirely of IgM class. The highest titres occurred soon after onset and these antibodies also disappeared during convalescence. By contrast ANA, mitochondrial, microsomal and reticulin antibodies, also thyroid and gastric organ-specific reactivity were seen only occasionally owing to the young age group of the patients. In individual cases there was no correlation between the appearance of lymphocyte antibodies and SMA, or between these and the EB virus antibody titres. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Serum immunoglobulin levels were measured by radial immunodiffusion in thirty patients with pneumonia and in thirty healthy controls. In pneumonia the mean IgG level increased during the course of the illness. During convalescence the mean IgM and lgG levels were higher in patients than in controls. The results of immunoglobulin estimations were correlated with the results of aetiological investigations. Patients with M. pneumoniae infections showed a significant rise in IgM concentration which may be specific for respiratory infections associated with this organism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bactericidal antibodies were detected in sera of all 24 persons with bacteriologically confirmed pertussis, 15 of whom had not been immunized. In 10 of the 15 un-immunized persons, increases in concentration of bactericidins were associated with the infection. The development of bactericidal antibody during pertussis may indicate a role in immunity although a mechanism has not been demonstrated. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Acute infections with Mycoplasma pneumoniae were observed in four patients with immunodeficiency syndromes. The illnesses were unusual in that symptoms were more severe, cough persisted longer, and there were minimal or no changes on chest roentgenograph. Treatment with tetracycline and erythromycin resulted in rapid improvement. Two patients suffered repeated episodes of mild pruritic rashes associated with joint pain during convalescence. The lack of radiologic chest findings suggests that pulmonary infiltrates in immunologically normal persons with M. pneumoniae infection may be a result of an immunologic reaction. That our patients did recover and stop excreting the organisms indicates that part of resistance to M. pneumoniae infection may be due to cell-mediated immunity. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Sera taken before illness and during convalescence from patients with infectious mononucleosis (IM) were examined for their ability to neutralize the capacity of Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) to stimulate formation of lymphoblastoid cell lines from human leukocytes in vitro. Neutralizing activity was not detected in 13 of 15 sera taken before illness and was present at a dilution of 1:4 or higher in all of 24 sera taken after illness. EBV-neutralizing activity was found in sera collected during the first week of illness and was also demonstrated in a serum obtained many years after illness. The titer of neutralizing activity in sera of two patients studied sequentially did not change significantly during the first year after 1M. The results demonstrate appearance of EBV-neutralizing antibody in 1M and support previous seroepidemiologic studies which indicate that EBV is the etiologic agent of IM. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

A patient with renal failure after carbon tetrachloride poisoning is presented. Haemodialysis was required and renal function recovered completely. Convalescence was complicated by the development of an infectious-mononucleosis-like syndrome. The aetiology of this condition is discussed. The present case is the first to be reported after haemodialysis and transfusion of blood stored for at least 2 days. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

In 22 Vietnamese patients with fever and bubo, Yersinia pestis infection was diagnosed by positive culture or serologic response. All strains of Y. pestis except one isolated from these patients were susceptible to most antimicrobial drugs tested, including trimethoprim. Common clinical features were tachycardia, hypotension, and leukocytosis. One patient died; the others survived while receiving streptomycin, chloramphenicol, trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole, or combinations of these drugs. Intravascular coagulopathy was demonstrated in 19 patients who had elevated titers of fibrinogen-fibrin degradation products in serum; these titers decreased during convalescence. At the time of discharge, peripheral blood smears of most patients showed eosinophilia. The pathogenesis and treatment of plague are considered. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Changes in the compliance of a superficial hand vein have been studied in patients suffering from myocardial infarction. Venoconstriction was a constant finding during the first day after infarction, and the response appeared to be mediated by the sympathetic nervous system. A number of possible initiating factors have been investigated but did not appear to be important in determining the response; the main cause remains to be identified. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Eleven patients with influenzalike illnesses were skin tested with tuberculin, histoplasmin, coccidioidin, trichophytin, and candida antigens during the acute phase of their illness and again one month later. Seven patients had serologically proven influenza and four had noninfluenzal febrile respiratory diseases. Only the group with influenza manifested significant hyporeactivity to the skin-test antigens during illness. Despite the decrease in skin reactivity during influenza, phytohemagglutinin stimulated the lymphocytes of the four patients who were studied during both the acute and convalescent phases. No decrease in skin-test reactivity was observed after immunization against influenza in four patients. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]