Enzyme immunoassay in the diagnosis of Lyme borreliosis.

Comparison of serological EIA tests available in Poland, used in diagnostics of Lyme borreliosis: VIDAS Lyme Screen II (LYT II)-bioMérieux (France), Lyme Borreliosis-Dako (Denmark), Borrelia Recombinant-Biomedica (Austria) was carried out in sera of 112 persons: 39 inhabitants of Białowieza area-Lyme borreliosis endemic region, 43 persons with Lyme borreliosis (first of all erythema migrans and neuroborreliosis), 27 healthy persons (control group), 3 persons with serologically confirmed rheumatoid arthritis. Compatibility of results in all tests was 73%, and it was the highest in control group (78%) and in neuroborreliosis patients (76%). Sensitivity of all tests was similar and varied from 77% (Dako) up to 81% (Biomedica).

Vaccination against tick-borne encephalitis--distant evaluation.

In 94 our of 2570 individuals vaccinated against tick-borne encephalitis (TBE) with FSME-Immun the level of IgG antibodies to TBE virus were tested. The examination was performed before and 2.5 years after the first dose of full cycle vaccination, which according to the manufacturer, consists of three doses.

Tick-borne encephalitis and concomitant infection with Borrelia burgdorferi.

Concomitant tick-borne encephalitis and Borrelia infection in 43 year old farmer living in a village on the border of the Knyszyn Forest was described. Diagnosis was based on anamnesis and objective examination, and was confirmed by serological tests.

Prevalence of antibodies against tick-borne encephalitis among residents of north-eastern Poland.

In 37 out of 613 (6%) residents of north eastern Poland, IgG antibodies to tick-borne encephalitis virus (TBEV) were detected at levels exceeding the diagnostic value of 60 VIEU/ml. The prevalence of the antibodies was not related to sex or place or residence. However, significantly higher antibody levels were found in the group of forest workers than in individuals not professionally connected with forestry.

[Immunity against tick-borne encephalitis in healthy residents of endemic areas].

Specific IgG antibodies against Tick-Borne Encephalitis Virus (anti-TBEV) at levels exceeding 60 VIEU/ml were detected in almost 14% of forestry workers and in 1.5% of other healthy persons, residents of the endemic area. Mean levels of anti-TBEV were similar in comparable subgroups of men and women, or subgroups of urban and rural residents, however, increased levels of these antibodies were found in elderly persons.

[Endemic threat of Lyme borreliosis in Bialowicza forestry area].

Lyme Borreliosis is a serious diagnostical and therapeutical problem in regions with high exposure of residents to ticks, which are Borrelia burgdorferi vectors. The aim of this study was to estimate occurrence of specyfic antibodies and symptoms of Lyme Borreliosis in Białowieza area, as a region of potential endemic presence of this disease. Antibodies against B.

[Active immunization against tick-borne encephalitis virus infection in residents of North-Eastern Poland].

Group consisted of 78 persons was selected among 1587 persons vaccinated against tick-borne encephalitis. Efficiency of vaccination, controlled by measurement of specific IgM and IgG antibodies presence, was evaluated as 70.2% (47.

[Distribution of antibodies against Encephalitis ixodica viruses among north-east healthy populations of Poland].

We have undertaken the investigations for the detection of the presence of antibodies against Encephalitis ixodica viruses among North-East population of Poland. We have found these antibodies in 6.5% among 676 of tested healthy persons.

[Diagnostic and prognostic value of the assessment of selected indicators of humoral immunity in alcoholism-related pathology of the liver].

The purpose of the study was evaluation of the usefulness of selected indices of humoral immune responsiveness in the differential diagnosis of post-alcoholic hepatocellular damage. The study was carried out in 105 patients: 10 patients with a history of alcohol abuse without clinical and biochemical evidence of hepatocellular damage, 2) patients with alcoholic cirrhosis, 3) patients with post-inflammatory cirrhosis. The prognostic usefulness of the determinations of serum IgM, C3 and C4 complement components and circulating immune complexes in early diagnostic of alcoholic liver disease was demonstrated.

[Plasmapheresis and amino acid mixtures of "Aminosteril-Hepa" type preparations in treating hepatic encephalopathy].

An effect of Aminosteril-Hepa intravenous infusions or plasmapheresis on selected amino acids, ammonia, alpha-aminonitrogen serum levels and serum GGTP activity was analysed in 28 patients with liver cirrhosis with and without hepatic encephalopathy. The patients were given protein controlled dietary treatment. It was found, that plasmapheresis exerted more potent effect on previously elevated ammonia and serum alpha-aminonitrogen levels as well as serum GGTP activity than intravenous infusions of Aminosteril-Hepa.

[Risk of development of hepatitis B virus infection among alcoholics].

The frequency of incidence of positive serological markers of hepatitis B virus infection among a population of alcoholics in the region of Białystok has been analysed. It was demonstrated that the highest frequency of detection of hepatitis B virus infection appears in a group of patients with post-alcoholic liver cirrhosis (60 percent). Acute virus hepatitis of the B type in alcoholics is characterised by a tendency towards retarded seroconversion of HBe antigen to HBe antibody with a subsequent development of chronic infection and liver cirrhosis.

[Immune modulating effect of isoprinosine in patients with post-alcoholic liver cirrhosis].

Immunomodulating effect of isoprinosine was estimated in group of 10 patients with postalcoholic liver cirrhosis and compared with another group of 10 patients with postinflammatory liver cirrhosis with infection of hepatitis B virus. Disturbances of immunologic reactivity in the patients with postalcoholic liver cirrhosis mainly concerned increased immunoglobulin G, A concentrations in the blood serum, decreased percentage values of lymphocytes T and their subpopulations (lymphocytes T4 and T8) and increased percentage of lymphocytes B. Disturbances of the examined indices of the immunologic reactivity in the group of patient with postinflammatory liver cirrhosis concerned increased concentrations of circulating immunologic complexes, immunoglobulins A and M in the blood serum and decreased percentage of lymphocytes T and their subpopulation.

[Effect of differentiated diet therapy on the clinical results and biochemical indicators in chronic hepatic encephalopathy].

Effects of differentiated diet with reduced proteins or diet without proteins with simultaneous use of lactulose or the preparation enriched with aliphatic amino acids with aminosteril-hepa chain on the clinical results and the ammonia, phenols, alpha-amino nitrogen, tyrosine, phenylalanine and tryptophan++ concentrations in the serum have been studied. It has been demonstrated that limitations of proteins in the diet or diet without proteins with the use of lactulose or amino acids mixtures above does not influence significantly the clinical amelioration or biochemical indices of encephalopathy or coma during the liver cirrhosis course. Homogenates of the liver and brain of patients who died due to encephalopathy and liver cirrhosis showed high contents of ammonia, tyrosine, phenylalanine and tryptophan++.

[Some indices of organism reactivity in chronic trichinellosis].

Sixty four patients who had passed the acute phase of trichinellosis 3, 4, 5 and 8 months and 1, 2 and 4 years earlier, have been examined with respect to their clinical condition, persistence of possible subjective complaints which could be associated with the acute phase passed, leucocytosis, absolute number of acidophilic granulocytes in blood, indices of immunological response, both humoral (IgG, IgA and IgM) and cellular (percentage of T and B lymphocytes in blood), serotonin level in blood, monoamino-oxidase activity in blood serum and passive hemagglutination reaction with trichinellosis antigen. It has been found that the frequency of occurrence and intensity of subjective complaints decreases with time. Changes in humoral and cellular reactivity, and long-lasting persistence of antibodies against the trichinellosis antigen, determined with passive hemagglutination method, have been also observed in particular patients.

[Serotonin and the immunologic reactivity of the body in taeniasis].

Blood serotonin level, 5-HIAA in 24 h urine, serum immunoglobulins-IgG, IgM, IgA, percentage of lymphocytes T and B in rosette test were ascertained in 3 groups of patients with taeniosis, treated with Radeverm (32 patients), Praziquantel (22 patients) and Yomesan (10 patients). Primary hyperserotoninemia and higher level of 5-HIAA in post-treatment values were not uniformly differentiated. The same tendency was observed in post-treatment values of immunoglobulins and lymphocytes T and B as compared with values before treatment.

[Histopathologic and biochemical evaluation of the effect of cortisone on the liver in experimental post-alcoholic liver damage in the rabbit].

Possible protective effects of cortisone in experimental post-alcohol liver damage were evaluated in relation to dose and duration of treatment. Model examinations were undertaken in 100 rabbits divided into groups of 10. No protective effect of cortisone could be demonstrated.

[Effect of alcohol on the development of biochemical and morphologic findings of liver damage in the rabbit].

Ethanol 48% was applied to the experimental model in 3 examined groups of rabbits in different periods of administration and differentiated daily doses on order to investigate the influence of ethanol upon the formation of morphological and biochemical indices of the liver lesion. Biochemical investigations were carried out on 3 and 7 day of the experiment and repeated at week by intervalls. All the animals were dissected and morphological examinations of the liver were carried out.