Urinary neopterin concentrations in patients with Balkan endemic nephropathy (BEN).

Background: Balkan endemic nephropathy (BEN) is of great clinical importance in restricted areas of Bulgaria, Serbia, Croatia, Bosnia, Herzegovina, and Romania, since the etiology of BEN is still unknown.

Methods: In urine samples from 48 patients (41 females and 7 males, aged 65.6 +/- 6.

Cross-reactive monoclonal antibodies raised against the lipopolysaccharide antigen of Salmonella minnesota Re chemotype: diagnostic relevance.

Three cross-reactive monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) of IgM and IgG2b isotype were generated in two separate fusions after immunization of BALB/c mice with heat killed Salmonella minnesota R595 of Re chemotype and acid-treated bacteria, coated with Re lipopolysaccharide (LPS) antigen. The specificity of the MAbs was demonstrated as the Re LPS antigen. The activity and cross-reactivity against purified elementary bodies of Chlamydia trachomatis and various S- and R-LPS antigens of other Gram-negative bacteria were characterized in enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, passive hemolysis assay, immunoblot and immunofluorescence with the available chlamydial strains.