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Immunologic Status (immunologic + status)

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Medical Sciences100%

Selected Abstracts

Recent role of splenectomy in chronic hepatic disorders

HEPATOLOGY RESEARCH, Issue 12 2008
Toru Ikegami
For years splenectomy in hepatic disorders has been indicated only for the treatment of gastro-esophageal varices. However, with recent advances in medical and surgical treatments for chronic hepatic disorders, the use of splenectomy has been greatly expanded, such that splenectomy is used for reversing hypersplenism, for applying interferon treatment for hepatitis C, for treating hyperdynamic portal circulation associated with intractable ascites, and for controlling portal pressure during small grafts in living donor liver transplantation. Such experiences have shown the importance of portal hemodynamics, even in cirrhotic livers. Recent advances in surgical techniques have enabled surgeons to perform splenectomy more safely and less invasively, but the procedure still has considerable clinical outcomes. Splenectomy in hepatic disorders may become a more common procedure with expanded indications. However, it should also be noted that the long-term effects of splenectomy, in terms of improved hematological or hepatic function, is still not guaranteed. Moreover, the impact of splenectomy on immunologic status remains unclear and needs to be elucidated in both experimental and clinical settings. [source]

Cutaneous acanthamebiasis infection in immunocompetent and immunocompromised patients

INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF DERMATOLOGY, Issue 12 2009
Carlos Galarza MD
Background, Cutaneous acanthamebiasis is a rare infection and few patients have been reported worldwide. Methods, Observational and descriptive study carried out from March 1996 to February 2006 in patients with diagnosis of cutaneous free-living amebic infection caused by Acanthamoeba spp. The patients were diagnosed at the Dos de Mayo National Hospital (Lima-Peru) where skin biopsies, histopathologic studies and cultures were performed. The clinical and epidemiologic characteristics, diagnosis, treatment and evolution were recorded in a survey. Results, Five patients with cutaneous free-living amebic infection caused by Acanthamoeba spp. were identified. Skin lesions were ulceronecrotic (four patients), an infiltrative bluish plaque (one patient), and a periorbital tumor (one patient). Three patients were positive for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), had only cutaneous involvement, and died of opportunistic infections. The two immunocompetent patients developed Acanthamoeba granulomatous encephalitis and meningoencephalitis that progressed to intracranial hypertension and death. Conclusion, The clinical manifestations of cutaneous free-living amebic infection caused by Acanthamoeba spp. appear to vary according to the underlying immunologic status. [source]

Exclusive Breast-feeding: Does It Have the Potential to Reduce Breast-feeding Transmission of HIV-1?

NUTRITION REVIEWS, Issue 11 2000
Melanie M. Smith M.N.S.
Exclusive breast-feeding is unambiguously the optimal infant feeding practice and is universally promoted in the absence of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV-1). It is associated with reduced morbidity and mortality from diarrheal and respiratory diseases. Recent findings suggest that exclusive breast-feeding may pose less risk of HIV-1 transmission than the more common practice of mixed feeding (i.e., breast-feeding concurreptwith the feeding of water, other fluids, and foods), which has important infant feeding policy implications for low-resource settings. This paper reviews the biologic mechanisms associated with exclusive breast-feeding that provide protection against gastrointestinal, respiratory, and atopic diseases, and evaluates the relevance of these mechanisms for HIV-1 transmission. Potential mechanisms include reduction in dietary antigens and enteric pathogens that may maintain integrity of the intestinal mucosal barrier and limit inflammatory responses of the gut mucosa; promotion of beneficial intestinal microflora that may increase resistance to infection and modulate the infant's immune response; alteration in specific antiviral or anti-inflammatory factors in human milk that may modulate maternal hormonal or immunologic status; and maintenance of mammary epithelial integrity that may reduce viral load in breast milk. [source]

CD30, a marker to detect the high-risk kidney transplant recipients

CLINICAL TRANSPLANTATION, Issue 6 2008
Camelia Spiridon
Abstract:,Background:, Sensitization of potential renal transplant recipients may impact the selection of donors and the outcome of transplant. Another element of the potential kidney transplant recipient immune system that provides useful information regarding the transplant outcome is the immunologic CD30 molecule. Methods and results:, This study shows a significant correlation between the pre-transplant high level of soluble CD30 and increased incidence of post-transplant infection. Only 7/34 (20.6%) of the patients who had a low level of sCD30 (<90 U/mL) developed infection as compared with the 25/58 (43.1%) of the patients who had a high level (>90 U/mL) of sCD30 (p < 0.04). Higher level of sCD30 pre-transplant was also correlated with the increased level of serum creatinine (p < 0.05) and pre-transplant malignancy (p < 0.04). A significant higher level of sCD30 was also noted among females (74%), as compared with males (50%) with p < 0.03. In addition, significant effect of 3,6 human leukocyte antigen (HLA) mismatches on rejection was seen. Conclusions:, These results show that higher pre-transplant immunologic reactivity measured by sCD30 level was associated with post-transplant outcome. The high level of sCD30 among females may indicate an active immunologic status, perhaps because of previous pregnancies. [source]