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Chronic Infectious Diseases (chronic + infectious_diseases)
Selected AbstractsThe fate of heterologous CD4+ T,cells during Leishmania donovani infectionEUROPEAN JOURNAL OF IMMUNOLOGY, Issue 2 2005Rosalind Polley Abstract Little is currently understood about the consequences of chronic parasitic infection for the fate of memory CD4+ T,cells that recognize heterologous antigens, e.g. resulting from prior infections or vaccination. Here, we address how Leishmania donovani infection affected the fate of non-cross-reactive (OVA)-specific memory CD4+ T,cells. DO11 cells were adoptively transferred into naive recipient mice, which were then immunized to generate memory DO11 cells. After 6,weeks, mice were infected with L. donovani and the fate of DO11 cells was determined. L. donovani infection stimulated an approximately threefold expansion in the total number of CD4+ T,cells and DO11 cells, compared to that observed in uninfected mice. DO11 T,cells were more actively dividing in infected mice, as judged by 5-bromo-2, deoxyuridine labeling, whereas their rate of apoptosis in control and infected mice was identical. Both CD45RBhiCD44lo naive T,cells and to a greater extent CD45RBloCD44hi memory DO11 cells increased in number in the spleens of infected mice, whereas no changes occurred to DO11 cell number or phenotype in the draining lymph nodes. These data indicate that heterologous CD4+ T,cells may actively divide during chronic infectious diseases, with important implications for how chronic infection may impact on heterologous immunity. [source] A service evaluation to determine the effectiveness of current dietary advice in treating human immunodeficiency virus-associated weight loss and to highlight potential service improvementsJOURNAL OF HUMAN NUTRITION & DIETETICS, Issue 4 2008C.A. Hunt Background:, Weight loss and muscle wasting are experienced by many patients with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) (Grinspoon et al., 2003). Malnutrition is an important predicator of morbidity and mortality; people who are malnourished who received antiretroviral treatment are six times more likely to die than those who are adequately nourished (Paton et al., 2006). The physical manifestations of muscle wasting can have significant psychosocial implications for HIV patients (Power et al., 2003; Sattler, 2003). The aim of this study to evaluate provision of dietetic care to patients referred for acute weight loss advice and identify areas for potential service improvement. Methods:, The data were gathered from the departmental dietetic activity statistics in 2007, diagnosis code ,HIV , acute weight loss'. Fifty-nine cards were located and baseline weight, height and body mass index (BMI) were recorded (two female, 57 male). Qualitative data on dietetic intervention were extracted from record cards , little and often eating approach, food fortification (FF), high energy high protein oral nutritional supplement (ONS) prescribed. Data were collected on body image, exercise and weight at follow-up visits during 2007. Results:, Forty-three percent of the patients referred for ,HIV-acute weight loss' were lost to follow-up. Forty-seven percent of the remaining patients had a BMI <20 kg m,2. Following their initial dietetic intervention, 81% of these patients had gained weight at the first follow-up. All had received nutritional counselling on little and often eating approach and FF; 75% had ONS prescribed. Average weight gain with nutritional counselling alone was 1.3 kg (2.1 kg) and for nutritional counselling plus supplementation was 2.1 kg (1.8 kg). This represented 2.5% (4.1%) and 3.9% (3.4%) weight gain, respectively. Discussion:, This evaluation has highlighted that patient follow-up frequency is an area for service improvement. Fifty-three per cent of patients (excluding those lost to follow up) had a BMI ,20 kg m,2 and were inaccurately recorded in the statistics as being referred for ,HIV-acute weight loss'. Fifty-two percent of these patients reported lipodystrophy and body image concerns, similar to findings of other studies. Fifty-six percent reported weight improvements following dietetic consultation. Body image is a frequent referral trigger, therefore improvements should be made to identify and treat patients with body shape issues. Conclusions:, Dietitians are effective at achieving weight gain in HIV positive patients with a BMI <20 kg m,2 using nutritional counselling methods with or without oral nutritional supplementation; these patients experienced a 3.3% weight gain. Strategies need to be implemented to reduce the number of patients lost to follow-up, as weight loss is a key morbidity and mortality indicator in HIV. References, Grinspoon, S. & Mulligan, K. (2003) Weight loss and wasting in patients infected with HIV. Clin. Infect. Dis.36 (Suppl. 2): 69,78. Nerad, J., Romeyn, M., Silverman, E., Allen-Reid, J., Dieterich, D., Merchant, J., Pelletier, V., Tinnerello, D. & Fenton, M. (2003) General nutritional management in patients infected with HIV. Clin. Infect. Dis.36 (Suppl. 2): 52,62. Ockenga, J., Grimble, R., Jonkers-Schuitema, C., Macallan, D., Melchior, J.C., Sauerwein, H.P., Schwenk, A. & Suttmann, U. (2006) ESPEN guidelines on enteral nutrition: wasting in HIV and other chronic infectious diseases. Clin. Nutr.25, 319,329. Paton, N.I., Sangeetha, S., Earnest, A. & Bellamy, R. (2006) The impact of malnutrition on survival and the CD4 count response in HIV-infected patients starting antiretroviral therapy. HIV Med.7, 232,330. Power, R., Tate, H.L., McGill, S.M. & Taylor, C. (2003) A qualitative study of the psychosocial implications of lipodystrophy syndrome on HIV positive individuals. Sex. Transm. Infect.79, 137,141. Sattler, F. (2003) Body habitus changes related to lipodystrophy. Clin. Infect. Dis36 (Suppl. 2): 84,90. [source] Chronic immune stimulation accelerates SIV-induced disease progressionJOURNAL OF MEDICAL PRIMATOLOGY, Issue 5 2001François Villinger The contribution of chronic immune stimulation on the progression of lentivirus-induced disease was evaluated in the SIVmac251 macaque model of AIDS. Following SIV inoculation, seroconversion and control of the acute viral replication phase, repeated immune stimulations with tetanus toxoid (TT), keyhole limpet hemocyanin (KLH) and allogeneic peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) were initiated in four monkeys. These animals showed a significant shortening of survival when compared with eight non-immune-stimulated control animals inoculated with the same route, dose and stock of SIVmac251 (median survival 9.5 months versus 17 months, P=0.010). In addition, when the comparison was extended to another 22 control animals of different origin but inoculated by the same route with similar doses and stocks of SIVmac251, the difference in survival was still significant (9.5 versus 18 months, P=0.003). This accelerated progression of symptomatic disease was not accompanied with significant increases in plasma viral loads, but suboptimal antibody responses to the immunizing antigens were noted, correlating with the length of survival. These findings may have implications for HIV-infected humans suffering from chronic infectious diseases. [source] Automutanolysin disrupts clinical isolates of cariogenic streptococci in biofilms and planktonic cellsMOLECULAR ORAL MICROBIOLOGY, Issue 6 2009P. Thanyasrisung Introduction:, Dental caries remains one of the most common chronic infectious diseases throughout the world. The formation of dental plaque is one of the caries risk factors. As a consequence, the removal of plaque may reduce the incidence of caries development. We identified an autolysin produced by Streptococcus mutans named auto-mutanolysin (Aml). Aml selectively lyses S. mutans and Streptococcus sobrinus. The specificity towards these cariogenic bacteria suggests that Aml may be used to prevent dental caries. Here, with the aim towards therapeutic application, we investigated the lytic activity of Aml against clinical isolates of S. mutans and S. sobrinus using planktonic cells and biofilms. Methods:, Planktonic cell suspensions and biofilms of clinically isolated streptococci were treated with Aml in the absence or the presence of Triton X-100. The lytic activity of Aml was monitored as the change in turbidity. The disruption of biofilms was evaluated by detecting the released DNA by polymerase chain reaction and observing the alteration of optical density of treated biofilms. Results:, Triton X-100 enhances the lytic ability of Aml. Using planktonic cells, Aml had various lysis levels against clinical strains. Repeated Aml treatment showed disruption of the biofilm using the representative clinical strains. Conclusion:, Our study demonstrates that Aml has an ability to lyse planktonic and biofilm cells of clinically isolated mutans streptococci in the presence of Triton X-100. These results suggest the possibility of using Aml as an alternative or additional approach for caries prevention. [source] | ||||||||||