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To ascertain informative value of immunological diagnosis of B19 parvovirus in combination with polymerase chain reaction (PCR); to analyse frequency of development of secondary autoimmune hemolytic anemia (AIHA) in immunodeficient patients as a result of virus persistence--persistent infection eliminated only by treatment causing suppression of erythropoiesis.B19 parvovirus detection was performed in blood serum of 207 subjects: 144 patients with anemia (Hb100 g/1) and 500 blood donors. DNA of parvovirus B19 was detected in the sera by PCR, antibodies to this virus--by enzyme immunoassay (EIA). IgG, IgM, IgA and components of compliment Clq, C3 on the surface of erythrocytes were detected by EIA in anemic patients.Parvovirus infection was registered in 30% patients, in 70% the infection was persistent. The latter were diagnosed to have secondary AIHA.Combined application of PCR and EIA extends potentialities of diagnosis of infection caused by B19 parvovirus. Persistence of the parvovirus provokes onset of symptomatic hemolytic anemia in immunodeficient patients.

Determination of the importance of serum cytokines (sCD30, sIL-2R, IL-10, IL-6) for diagnosis, response to chemotherapy and remission in patients with lymphogranulomatosis and lymphosarcoma.Cytokine concentrations were measured in 87 samples of serum (plasma) from 54 patients by ELISA. Diagnosis of Hodgkin's disease (HD) and non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL) was made histologically in 24 and 30 patients, respectively.The threshold concentrations of sCD30 (and less specific sIL-2R) for HD and NHL patients allowed to estimate sensitivity to chemotherapy after the second course. The threshold concentration of IL-10 can distinguish HD from NHL. Changes in IL-6 concentrations were nonspecific.On the basis of the threshold concentrations of sCD30 and IL-10 we offer the scheme of lymphoma diagnosis and prediction of the disease sensitivity to chemotherapy which reduce the duration of lymphoma restaging.

The authors identified 15 strains of mycoplasmae isolated from Papio hamadryas suffering from leukemia and from healthy Macacus rhesus, a green monkey and saimiri. A study was made of their biochemical properties, antigenic properties in the reaction of growth depression with immune sera to a number of standard strains, and also the protein composition by electrophoresis in polyacrylamide gel (EPAG). A number of mycoplasmae were identified as A. laidlawii, M. arthritidis--Campo and M. cynomolgus KI, affilated to M. orale II. Four strains were apparently a mixture of three mycoplasmae (M. cynomolgus KI, M. arthritidis--Campo, and M. hyorhinis). Six strains of mycoplasmae (three enzymatically active, belonging according to EPAG data to a single serological type, and three--enzymatically inert, differing by EPAG) could not be identified.

Mycoplasma sp. previously isolated from sheep embryo kidney cells producing bovine leukemia virus (FLK-BLV) was serologically identified in the growth inhibition test as M. arginini. SDS-PAGE of cellular proteins demonstrated their identity in M. sp. and M. arginini. Upon artificial inoculation of FLK cells, M. arginini persisted in the cells for a long time and was detectable in high titres by all the methods used. Other species of mycoplasma were isolated from the cells by microbiological method but were detectable by other methods in first passages only. The phenomenon of "disappearance" of mycoplasma was not associated with the toxic effect on them of the ingredients used in cell propagation and of cell metabolism products. It is assumed that sheep embryo cells, M. arginini, and bovine leukemia virus is a fortunate biological model of natural infection.

Specimens of synovial fluid taken from patients with rheumatoid arthritis were tested for the presence of mycoplasmas and mycoplasmic antigens. In 30% of cases the direct inoculation into cell-free media permitted the detection of mycoplasma-like agents which could not be subcultured on solid media for identification. Mycoplasmic antigens were detected in the tested material with the same frequency by means of the immunofluorescence test. The use of cell cultures made it possible to isolate and identify mycoplasmas. M. arthritidis and M. fermentans, as well as their association, were identified in the immunofluorescence test and in cell cultures.