[Usefulness of the immunofuorescence test employing monoclonal antibodies for the diagnosis of Pneumocystis pneumonia].

In spite of a considerable progress which was made in the laboratory diagnosis of pneumocytosis, a method delivering unequivocal diagnostic information is still missing. The purpose of the study was to compare diagnostic effectiveness of the fluorescent antibody method using monoclonal antibody in the examination of bronchoalveolar lavage fluid with routine serologic examination of immunocompromised patients affected by interstitial pneumonia. It was demonstrated that the method with monoclonal antibody was more useful for examining bronchoalveolar lavage samples confirming the suspicion of Pneumocystis pneumonia in 1 person among every 5 examines.

[The occurrence of Cryptosporidium in a group of children and adults with diarrhoea of undetermined earlier aetiology].

In Poland since 2002 it is required to report the cases of human cryptosporidiosis, but so far none has been recorded. The aim of this study was to present some preliminary results of a study on the incidence of Cryptosporidium as a pathogen in children and adults with diarrhoea of undetermined aetiology. In 36 out of 246 stool samples collected from hospitalized patients with diarrhoea of undetermined aetiology, invasive parasite oocysts were detected.

[Evaluation of epidemiological situation of cestode infections in Poland in the years 1997-2006 on the basis of data from san-epid stations].

Between 1997-2006, 3,523 intestinal cestode infections were registered in Poland. Among them 2,748 were caused by Taenia saginata, 41 by T. solium, 533 by Taenia species, 20 by Hymenolepis nana, 5 by Hymenolepis diminuta, 11 by Diphyllobothrium latum, 3 by Dipylidium caninum.

[Serological evaluation of the prevalence of Pneumocystis jirovecii infection in children with respiratory tract infections in Poland].

In the years 1998-2008 there were examined for pneumocystosis serum samples collected from 5223 children with respiratory tract infections, aged up to 10 years. The examinations were carried out for the presence of specific IgG and IgM antibodies with an indirect immunofluorescent antibody test. Specific anti-Pneumocystis antibodies were detected in 68,7% of the examined children, including 68,49% with IgG and 2.

In vitro cultivation of Pneumocystis isolated from infected rat lungs.

The studies were undertaken to check the possibility of a long-term in vitro cultivation of Pneumocystis obtained from immunosuppressed rats using slightly modified method of Merali et al. The growth of Pneumocystis in the established axenic cultures was examined by counting the number of cysts in Giemsa and Diff-Quik stained preparations or by estimating the number of DNA copies with a real-time PCR method. Growing organisms were subpassaged at 7-day intervals for at least 6 weeks, however, the highest growth of Pneumocystis was usually noted in the primary and the first 3 subcultures, reaching an average of 175-fold increase in the number of cysts and 286-fold increase in the number of DNA copies in primary cultures.

[Epidemiological situation of malaria in Poland--past, present and future].

In Poland malaria was endemic up to the middle of 60th years of the 20th century. After eradication a total of 11 to 38 imported cases are reported each year, however, no secondary cases or airport malaria have ever been observed in Poland. Is the present favourable epidemiological situation likely to change as a result of global warming and predicted risk of uncontrollable resurgence of malaria in Europe? An epidemiological analysis of past and present malaria situation in Poland allows to conclude, that global warming alone will not be enough to reintroduce malaria into this country.

[An evaluation of the occurrence of pneumocystis infection through examination of pharyngeal and oral swabs using the nested PCR method].

A method of collecting pharyngeal and oral swabs from humans and laboratory rats, to be examined later for Pneumocystis infection with simple and nested PCR, was developed. The swabs were obtained from 15 HIV-infected patients, including 5 suffering from PCP, and from 10 immunocompetent children aged 2 to 6 years. Furthermore, the swabs were taken from 30 healthy laboratory rats and 23 animals subjected to immunosuppressive treatment.

[Production of interferon-gamma and interleukin-10 by splenic cells of mice infected with Toxoplasma gondii or immunized with antigens of killed parasites].

Splenic lymphocytes from T. gondii infected mice produced high levels of IFN-gamma in vitro. The production of IFN-gamma was increasing until 10-th day of infection, reaching a level 1600-fold higher to that found in control cultures, then it began to decrease.

[Nested PCR in the diagnosis of Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia (PCP) in AIDS patients].

The studies were undertaken to evaluate the usefulness of a nested PCR assay in the diagnosis of Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia (PCP) in AIDS patients. To achieve the end, 51 excretions samples from the respiratory tract were collected from HIV-infected patients with respiratory symptoms, and examined for the presence of specific DNA. A portion of the mitochondrial large-subunit rRNA gene of Pneumocystis carinii was amplified with outer primers pair pAZ 102E, pAZ 102H and internal primers pAZ 102X, pAZ 102Y.

[Detection of congenital toxoplasmosis in utero with a polymerase chain reaction on amniotic fluid].

To establish a prenatal diagnosis of congenital toxoplasmosis the PCR test was done on amniotic fluids from 47 women suspected of primary Toxoplasma infection during pregnancy. Fragments of Toxoplasma B1 gene were found in 5 examined samples. Positive tests were confirmed by mouse inoculation or by serologic testing of newborns.

[Suggestions concerning serological diagnosis of echinococcosis in Poland].

It has been suggested to change the present way of serological diagnosis of echinococcosis in Poland which utilizes immunoelectrophoresis for confirmation of positive results in a screening test. Diagnostic procedure should be indicated with a sensitive test, such as indirect haemagglutination or immunoenzymatic assay, and every positive result should be verifies later using a Western-blot method in order to detect the most specific reaction with 8 kDa fraction of Echinococcus antigen. Further diferentiation of the infecting species may be accomplished with the aid of Em2 plus ELISA test which detects antibodies specific for E.

[Experimental toxocariasis in rabbits: immunological markers of ocular infections].

Rabbits were infected with an oral dose of 50 000 eggs of Toxocara canis or with an intracarotid injection of the second stage larvae of the parasite in order to develop ocular toxocariasis. Serum and ocular fluid samples were collected from the rabbits after 1, 3 and 6 months after infection and examined for specific toxocaral antibodies and circulating parasite antigen. Furthermore, an ophthalmoscopic examination was performed at the time of sampling.

Too late prenatal diagnosis of fetal toxoplasmosis: a case report.

Objective: We describe a case of severe fetal hydrocephalus due to toxoplasmosis which could not be diagnosed until late gestational age due to the lack of a serologic surveillance program during pregnancy; moreover, this case points to the usefulness of molecular biology tools in the diagnostic process. Abnormal ultrasound in the 2nd trimester was noticed and Toxoplasma gondii was demonstrated in amniotic fluid at the 28th week of gestation both by PCR and by mice inoculation. Fansidar and folinic acid were administered.

[Occurrence of intestinal parasites among first grade students in Poland in years 2002/2003].

Unlabelled: In the school year 2002/2003 there were examined in Poland some of the population of 7-year-old children for the presence of intestinal parasites, continuing countrywide operation launched in 1988.

Methods: The studies were based on the examination of a single faecal specimen and a cellophane swab using the following methods: wet mount preparations in 0.9% NaCl and diluted Lugol's ioine, zinc sulphate centrifugal flotation and decantation.

[Interesting aspects of immunity and immunization against toxoplasmosis].

The immunity developing in the course of infection with Toxoplasma gondii was discussed, pointing out its advantages and shortcomings, then the attempts at immunization against toxoplasmosis were presented.

[Determination of specific immunoglobin G avidity in serodiagnosis of toxoplasmosis].

A total of 37 serum samples from pregnant women were examined for the avidity of toxoplasma IgG antibodies using commercially available enzyme immunoassay (Vidas Toxo IgG Avidity, bio Merieux). Low values of the avidity index were found for 4 samples and borderline ones were found in further 3 cases. Out of 19 serum samples showing the presence of IgG and IgM toxoplasma antibodies, 13 had high avidity index, including 9 samples from women in the first trimester of pregnancy.

[The occurrence of intestinal parasites among children attending first classes of the elementary schools in Poland in the school year 1997/1998].

Objective: The studies were undertaken to: (i) evaluate the epidemiological situation of infections with intestinal parasites among seven-year-old children attending first classes of the elementary schools in 25 provinces of Poland (ii) answer the question concerning an influence of the summer flood 1997 on the epidemiological situation of intestinal parasitoses in the affected regions.

Methods: The studies included 30,110 children, i.e.

[Use of western blot methods for serodiagnosis of hydatidosis in Poland].

46 sera and 1 cerebrospinal fluid samples from 47 patients suspected of hydatidosis were examined by Western blot method, and the results were compared with those of the indirect haemagglutination, immunoelectrophoresis and an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The examinations confirmed high sensitivity and specificity of the reactions with 8 kDa antigenic fraction in the Western blot. The above data supported the concept, that serological diagnosis of hydatidosis should be carried out using a high sensitivity screening test, such as ELISA, then the Western blot method to verify positive results.

[Detection of specific toxoplasma class A antibodies: a comparison of diagnostic usefulness of commercially available diagnostic kits].

Diagnostic significance of the presence of specific anti-Toxoplasma gondii IgA antibodies was discussed with particular reference to the cases of congenital toxoplasmosis and infections in pregnant women. Furthermore, the possibilities of testing for anti-Toxoplasma IgA antibodies with commercially available diagnostic kits were presented. From amongst the examined 5 diagnostic kits, Platelia Toxo IgA and ISAGA Plus IgA/IgM showed the highest sensitivity and specificity.

[Detection of Giardia antigens in feces by immunoenzymatic method; advantages and disadvantages of commercially available diagnostic kits].

The results of routine microscopical examination of faeces for infection with Giardia were compared with those obtained by immunoenzymatic investigation for stool antigens of the parasite, using tests currently available on the Polish market. It was found that the results of microscopical examination were very consistent with the results of immunoenzymatic tests of the following manufactures: Alexon, LMD Labs and Dialab. The above tests may be used as a sole diagnostic method for epidemiological or follow-up studies, however, they cannot replace microscopical examination.

[Analysis of the occurrence of intestinal parasites among children in first grade in elementary school in Poland in the school year 1992/3].

In 1992/93 there were reexamined in Poland 10% of the population of children aged 7 years for the presence of intestinal parasites, continuing country-wide operation launched in 1988. The examination included 60,288 children, 38,003 inhabiting towns and 22,285 from the country. Among the examined in each voivodeship the numbers of children from towns and country were proportional to the actual number of children living in the two localities.