Prenatal diagnosis of intrauterine rubella.

The results of prenatal diagnosis of fetal rubella infection by specific IgM antibody detection in fetal infection by specific IgM antibody detection in fetal blood obtained in the 21st to 23rd weeks of pregnancy of women with different types of rubella problems during pregnancy (categorised in four groups) showed that in 28 of 31 cases the diagnosis apparently assisted in the correct management of the pregnancy. However, in two cases with negative IgM findings in the fetal blood, children with rubella embryopathy were born, and in one case with positive IgM antibody findings, the child was infected but healthy. From this experience we recommend that in all cases of symptomatic rubella infection in the first 12 weeks, termination of pregnancy should be considered without prenatal diagnosis.

Biological effects of shock waves: lung hemorrhage by shock waves in dogs--pressure dependence.

The most serious side effect observed during the destruction of gallstones by shock waves in dogs was lung bleeding. To determine the conditions leading to lung damage, pressure probes were implanted into dogs between the lung and the diaphragm. The distance between the lung and the focal point of the pressure field was determined at which 1000 shock waves caused no more lung hemorrhage.

5'-terminal sequences influence the segregation of ground squirrel hepatitis virus RNAs into polyribosomes and viral core particles.

To determine which of the major ground squirrel hepatitis virus RNAs serve as mRNAs and which serve as templates for reverse transcription of the genome, we analyzed the subcellular distribution of these RNAs in livers of infected ground squirrels. Both major classes of viral RNA, the 2.3- and 3.

Sertoli cell binding to isolated testicular basement membrane.

We have examined the adhesion of primary Sertoli cells to a seminiferous tubule basement membrane (STBM) preparation in vitro. The STBM isolation procedure (Watanabe, T.K.

Detection of IgM antibodies against rubella virus: comparison of two indirect ELISAs and an anti-IgM capture immunoassay.

A commercial antibody capture enzyme immunoassay (Rubenz M) was compared to two commercial indirect enzyme immunoassays (Enzygnost IgM, Rubazyme-M) for the detection of rubella-specific IgM. Five hundred and fifty-two sera collected between the day of onset and 272 days after the onset of the exanthem of primary rubella were tested. Rubenz M was more sensitive early and late after the onset of the exanthem than the two indirect ELISAs.

[Diagnosis of subacute, chronic and slow-virus induced CNS diseases].

The definition and the various causes of viral central nervous system diseases, the diagnostic possibilities and the course of the laboratory diagnosis for some of the subacute, chronic and slow-viral central nervous system diseases are presented.

Induction of oral tolerance in rats without Peyer's patches.

The induction of oral tolerance after ingestion of antigen has been reported in several animal models. The precise mechanisms responsible for this unresponsiveness are not well understood. As some investigations have suggested a key role of Peyer's patches suppressor T cells, an animal model was developed in which the PP were surgically removed.

Synthesis of measles virus-specific IgM antibodies and IgM-class rheumatoid factor in relation to clinical onset of subacute sclerosing panencephalitis.

Thirty-seven serum and 37 cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) specimens from 27 patients with subacute sclerosing panencephalitis (SSPE) were tested for measles virus (MV) IgM antibodies and IgM-class rheumatoid factor (RF) to determine if a temporal relationship exists between SSPE onset and these immunoglobulins. Sensitive solid-phase radioimmunoassays were used for immunoglobulin detection. Five of six MV IgM-positive CSF, both MV IgM-positive sera and six out of eight sera with elevated RF levels were collected within 1 yr of SSPE onset.

[Connatal varicella embryo-fetopathy].

Connatal varicella embryo-fetopathy is rare. A newborn is described with severe cutaneous lesions, contractures, and hypoplasia of limbs following maternal varicella at the 13th week of pregnancy. Persisting low CF- and ELISA IgG-antibodies up to the age of 18 months give evidence for a prenatal varicella infection.

Detection of anionic sites on the cytoplasmic surface of the guinea pig acrosomal membrane.

The sperm acrosome reaction is an example of exocytosis, accomplished through the fusion of the acrosomal and plasma membranes. As in other examples of exocytosis, the acrosome reaction is initiated by an influx of Ca++, which may promote fusion by binding to anionic sites on adjacent bilayers. In this study we used ruthenium red (RR) and cationic ferritin (CF) to detect anionic sites on the surfaces of acrosomal and plasma membranes of guinea pig spermatozoa.

Mapping the major transcripts of ground squirrel hepatitis virus: the presumptive template for reverse transcriptase is terminally redundant.

The ground squirrel hepatitis virus (GSHV) belongs to a recently defined class of viruses with open circular DNA genomes that encode proteins in extensively overlapping reading frames and appear to replicate via RNA intermediates. We have determined the primary structure of the major GSHV transcripts in the livers of infected ground squirrels. Both major classes of transcripts, 2.

Comparison of various serological methods and diagnostic kits for the detection of acute, recent, and previous rubella infection, vaccination, and congenital infections.

The antibody development after natural rubella infection and rubella vaccination has been followed in 802 sera from 493 patients and 71 sera from 22 vaccinees. Also examined were 67 sera from 28 infants with rubella embryopathy and sera from 50 children with presumed prenatal infection. In addition, 777 sera from 641 patients tested for routine rubella diagnosis were studied.

Isolation and characterization of multivesicular bodies from rat hepatocytes: an organelle distinct from secretory vesicles of the Golgi apparatus.

Hepatocytes of estradiol-treated rats, which express many low density lipoprotein receptors, rapidly accumulate intravenously injected low density lipoprotein in multivesicular bodies (MVBs). We have isolated MVBs and Golgi apparatus fractions from livers of estradiol-treated rats. MVB fractions were composed mainly of large vesicles, approximately 0.

Comparison of the performance and reproducibility of various serological methods and diagnostic kits for the detection of rubella antibodies.

For rubella antibody detection performance and reproducibility of standard laboratory methods and newer assay systems have been evaluated. IgM antibody detection in sucrose density gradient ultracentrifugation (SDG) was compared with two commercial ELISAs and the non-commercial anti-my-hemadsorption immunosorbent technique. The two ELISAs proved to be more sensitive than the SDG even if done with a long incubation hemagglutination inhibition test (HAI) to increase sensitivity.

Rubella antibody titers in vaccinated and nonvaccinated women and results of vaccination during pregnancy.

In the Federal Republic of Germany (FRG), the selective rubella vaccination strategy used in the United Kingdom was followed until 1980, when vaccination of children was introduced. According to surveys in the Stuttgart area, so far no significant reduction in the rate of seronegativity (10%) among postpubertal women has occurred. However, among women with a history of vaccination, the rate of seronegativity has decreased to 2.

Serologic test combinations for safe detection of rubella infections.

Today a great number of serologic tests, including commercial kits, are available for rubella antibody testing. The performance and quality of various commercial tests (ELISA Enzygnost [Behring], Rubazyme [Abbott], Rubenz M [Northumbria/Biosigma], single radial hemolysis [e.g.

Management of varicella-zoster contact and infection in pregnancy using a standardized varicella-zoster ELISA test.

An ongoing 5-year prospective study of the outcome of contact with varicella-zoster virus (VZV) and infection in pregnant women has made use of a standardized VZV enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay for the determination of immune status and as a guide for therapeutic management. Out of of a total of 778 such cases investigated to date in the Federal Republic of Germany, 93.1% have been shown to be VZV immune, whereas 6.

[Accidental rubella vaccination in pregnancy].

In the Federal Republic of Germany, between 1971 and 1983, 365 women were by chance vaccinated against rubella (Cendehill or RA-27/3-HDC rubella live vaccine) between 3 months before and up to 3 months after conception. The data on these women are compared with similar ones from the USA (1096 women vaccinated with Cendehill, HPV77 or RA-27/3 vaccine within the same time-span in relation to pregnancy). The results indicate that the risk for the child from rubella vaccination of the mother before pregnancy and in the first trimester is minimal.

Rubella embryopathy after previous maternal rubella vaccination.

This report concerns a boy with congenital rubella infection and features of the classical and expanded rubella syndrome who was born to a mother who had been successfully vaccinated with Cendehill vaccine seven years previously. The diagnosis of rubella embryopathy was confirmed by demonstrating rubella-specific serum IgM antibodies using four different methods, by the persistence of rubella HAI and IgG antibodies in serum taken between three and eight months of age and by the isolation of rubella virus from throat secretion, urine and blood mononuclear cells. The child died at eight-and-a-half months of age.