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Skin Test Responses (skin + test_response)

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Medical Sciences	100%

Selected Abstracts

Bacillus Calmette,Guérin-induced interleukin-12 did not additionally improve clinical and immunologic parameters in asthmatic children treated with sublingual immunotherapy

CLINICAL & EXPERIMENTAL ALLERGY, Issue 3 2004
C. Arikan
Summary Objective To evaluate the effect of bacillus Calmette,Guérin (BCG) as an adjuvant to specific sublingual immunotherapy (SLIT) on the cytokine profile of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) and clinical outcome. Methods Thirty-two children with asthma and rhinitis allergic to house dust mite (HDM) with negative purified protein derivative (PPD) skin test response were enrolled. After a run-in period of 8 weeks, patients were randomized to receive either SLIT only (n=16) or one dose of BCG immunization before initiation of SLIT (n=16) with a standardized Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus (D. pteronyssinus)+D. farinea 50/50 extract. PPD-negative asthmatics (n=5) allergic to HDM receiving inhaled therapy only were included for comparison of cytokine levels in PBMC cultures. Efficacy was assessed both at the end of run-in and 6 months of treatment periods with criteria including symptom, medication and quality-of-life (QoL) scores, IgE levels, lung function, provocation concentration (PC20), eosinophil count and skin prick tests. IL-4, IL-5, IL-10, IL-12, IL-13 and IFN-, levels were determined in antigen specifically and polyclonally stimulated PBMC cultures. Results Both treatment groups showed significant improvement at the end of 6 months for asthma and rhinitis scores and QoL, number of asthma attacks, amount of ,2 -agonists, inhaled and intranasal steroids, blood eosinophil counts and PC20. Interestingly, phytohaemagglutinin (PHA)-stimulated IL-12 and D. pteronyssinus- stimulated IFN-, in PBMC were significantly higher in the treatment groups than controls. In addition, IL-12 levels in response to D. pteronyssinus and PHA stimulation were significantly higher in the SLIT+BCG group than the SLIT alone group and controls. Conclusion The present study demonstrates that successful SLIT is parallel to increased IFN-, production by PBMC. Although simultaneous BCG vaccination enhanced IL-12 production, it did not additionally improve the clinical outcome. [source]

Endemically exposed asymptomatic individuals show no increase in the specific Leishmania (Viannia) panamensis -Th1 immune response in comparison to patients with localized cutaneous leishmaniasis

PARASITE IMMUNOLOGY, Issue 9-10 2002
C. M. Trujillo
SUMMARY In Colombia, most cases of human cutaneous leishmaniasis are caused by Leishmania (Viannia) panamensis. Interestingly, up to 30% of the exposed population do not suffer from clinical leishmaniasis although it is likely that they are continuously infected with Leishmania parasites. Since it is believed that the induction of efficient Th1 immune responses protects against Leishmania infections both in humans and in animal models, we determined if endemically exposed asymptomatics showed stronger Leishmania -specific Th1 immune responses than patients with active localized cutaneous leishmaniasis (LCL). We found that Montenegro skin test responses were slightly higher among asymptomatic individuals compared to patients suffering from LCL. However, PBMC from patients with LCL showed similar Leishmania -specific proliferative responses compared to PBMC from asymptomatic individuals. Furthermore, PBMC from both groups also secreted similar amounts of IFN-,, IL-12p40 and IL-10 after in vitro exposure to L. panamensis. No IL-4 was detected in the supernatants. Taken together our results suggest that lack of LCL development in endemically exposed asymptomatics cannot be explained by stronger systemic anti- Leishmania Th1 immune responses or decreased Th2 responses in these individuals in comparison to individuals who develop LCL. It may be possible that other mechanisms are responsible for resistance to cutaneous leishmaniasis in Colombia in endemically exposed asymptomatics. [source]

Allergy to plant-derived fresh foods in a birch- and ragweed-free area

CLINICAL & EXPERIMENTAL ALLERGY, Issue 10 2000
J. Cuesta-Herranz
Background Allergy to plant-derived fresh foods has often been reported in geographical areas where birch or ragweed pollens are frequent and has been attributed to cross-reactivity to pollens. Objective The aim of this study has been to evaluate allergy to plant-derived fresh foods among pollen-allergic patients from a birch and ragweed-free area. Methods Ninety-five pollen-allergic patients took part in the study. The study consisted of a questionnaire, skin prick tests and challenge tests. Pollen skin tests to five grasses, eight trees and seven weeds were performed in duplicate. Prick tests (prick by prick) and challenge tests were carried out with the fresh foods. Results Most patients allergic to pollens were sensitized to grass (Lolium and Phleum; 97.9%), followed by tree (Olea; 82.1%) and weed pollens (Plantago; 64.2%). 35 of the 95 pollen-allergic patients had positive skin test responses to some plant-derived fresh foods, the highest percentage corresponding to several fruits in the Rosaceae family (peach and pear, 26.3%), followed by Cucurbitacea fruits (melon, 13.7%). The 21.05% of the pollen-allergic patients were allergic to some type of plant-derived fresh food. Peach was the plant-derived fresh food which most frequently elicited allergy symptoms (12.6%), followed by melon (7.36%). The cluster of positive responses to Rosaceae fruits was higher for skin testing than for challenge testing. Conclusion Peach was the most important allergy provoking fruit in a birch and ragweed free-area where apples were consumed at a rate of two times more than peaches and the patients allergic to pollen were principally sensitized to grass pollens. [source]

Interferon-, and skin test responses of schoolchildren in southeast England to purified protein derivatives from Mycobacterium tuberculosis and other species of mycobacteria

CLINICAL & EXPERIMENTAL IMMUNOLOGY, Issue 2 2003
R. E. WEIR
SUMMARY The immune responses of schoolchildren in southeast England to Mycobacterium tuberculosis and other species of mycobacteria were studied prior to vaccination with bacille Calmette-Guérin (BCG). Data are presented for tuberculin (Heaf) skin test and interferon- , (IFN- ,) responses to M. tuberculosis purified protein derivative (PPD), and IFN- , responses to PPDs from eight other environmental mycobacteria, measured in 424 schoolchildren (13,15 years of age). Responses to M. tuberculosis PPD were detected in 27% of schoolchildren by in vitro IFN- , response and in 20% by the Heaf test. IFN- , responses were more prevalent to PPDs from species of mycobacteria other than M. tuberculosis, predominantly those of the MAIS complex and M. marinum (45,60% responders). Heaf test and IFN- , responses were associated (P < 0·001) for M. tuberculosis, MAIS and M. marinum. These findings have implications for appropriate implementation of vaccination against tuberculosis. [source]