Improvement in early diagnosis of Japanese spotted fever by using a novel Rick PCR system.

Rickettsia diseases, including Japanese spotted fever (JSF), are serious infections. Delayed diagnosis occasionally results in life-threatening liver disorders and disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC). Because of the shortness of the latent period, serological diagnosis is not preferable for early diagnosis of JSF.

Immunological parameters in prophylactic sublingual immunotherapy in asymptomatic subjects sensitized to Japanese cedar pollen.

Background: This study aims to examine the immunological parameters, focusing IL-10 productivity, in prophylactic sublingual immunotherapy (SLIT) in asymptomatic subjects sensitized to Japanese cedar pollen (JCP).

Methods: This study was conducted as part of a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, multiple center trial, and was performed for two consecutive pollen seasons in 2012 and 2013. The present results were based only on our institution.

Biologic therapy improves psoriasis by decreasing the activity of monocytes and neutrophils.

Therapy with monoclonal antibodies to tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α and the interleukin (IL)-12/23 p40 subunit has significantly improved the clinical outcome of patients with psoriasis. These antibodies inhibit the effects of the target cytokines and thus the major concern during their use is the induction of excessive immunosuppression. Recent studies evaluating the long-term efficacy and safety of biologic therapy in psoriasis have shown no significant appearance of serious adverse effects including infections and malignancies.

Continuous high-dose antigen exposure preferentially induces IL-10, but intermittent antigen exposure induces IL-4.

IL-10 plays a critical role in the induction of specific T-cell tolerance. To date, whether IL-10 induction by antigen application is dose- or time-dependent remains unclear. In this study, IL-10 induction by allergen exposure was investigated in the several schedules.