Application of transdermal patches with new skin test reagents for detection of latent tuberculosis.

Current intradermal tuberculin skin tests for latent tuberculosis infection (LTBI) based on purified protein derivative (PPD) have poor specificity. Developing a better skin test antigen as well as a simple skin patch test may improve and facilitate diagnostic performance. Defined recombinant antigens that were unique to (MTB), including two potential latency-associated antigens (ESAT-6 and Rv2653c) and five DosR-encoded latency proteins (Rv1996, Rv2031c, Rv2032, DevR and Rv3716c), were used as diagnostic skin test reagents in comparison with a standard PPD.

Comparative Proteomic Profiling of and the Thai Vaccine Strain Bacille Calmette-Guerin Tokyo172: Diverse Biomarker Candidates for Species Differentiation.

Background: Bacille Calmette-Guerin (BCG)-related complications can occur in vaccinated children. Comparison of the composition of cellular proteins of virulent (MTB) H37Rv with of attenuated BCG Tokyo172 vaccine strain used in Thailand and identify protein candidates of value for differentiation between the two mycobacterial species may facilitate the diagnosis of etiologic agent of mycobacterial disease in vaccinated children, as most cases have been believed to have originated from BCG vaccine.

Materials And Methods: The two-dimensional electrophoresis (2DE) proteomic profiles of cellular proteins from the Thai vaccine strain BCG Tokyo172 and MTB were compared and the matched spots in 2DE gels were submitted to mass spectrometry analysis.

Improved Serodiagnostic Sensitivity of Strip Test for Latent Tuberculosis.

Introduction: Diagnosis of Latent Tuberculosis Infection (LTBI) is difficult due to no clinical manifestations. Cases of LTBI are mostly sputum negative. The World Health Organization recommends the Tuberculin Skin Test (TST) as the current diagnostic standard for LTBI.

Performance of a rapid strip test for the serologic diagnosis of latent tuberculosis in children.

Background: The serodiagnostic tests for tuberculosis (TB) present a high variability in terms of sensitivity and specificity. Data on patients with latent TB infection (LTBI) and children in high prevalence settings are still limited. The present study aimed to evaluate an in-house strip test for detection of anti-M.

Alterations in brain cerebral cortex proteome of rabies-infected cat.

Comparative proteome analysis using brain cerebral cortex tissues from cats and dogs infected with/without rabies virus were conducted using both two-dimensional gel-electrophoresis (2-DE) and 2-D fluorescence difference gel- electrophoresis (2D-DIGE) methods. The 2-DE gel images of all samples revealed >1,000 protein spots in each gel. Quantitative intensity analysis revealed the same overall protein pattern in certain regions of the gel, but the rabies-infected brains exhibited more protein spots than the non-infected controls.

Evaluation of a rapid immunochromatographic test strip for detection of Rabies virus in dog saliva samples.

An immunochromatographic test strip for Rabies virus was evaluated with dog saliva samples. The test was initially validated against 237 dogs of known infection status, and then evaluated in the field with 1,290 live dogs. By validation of paired saliva-brain specimens obtained from dogs at necropsy, the saliva strip test was 94.

Use of latex agglutination test to determine rabies antibodies in production of rabies antisera in horses.

A therapeutic anti-rabies immunoglobulin for human use has been produced mainly in horses. The presently available seroneutralization test, the rapid fluorescent focus inhibition test (RFFIT), is laborious and rather difficult to carry out in horse farms. This study was undertaken to develop a simple latex agglutination test (LAT) for determining rabies antibodies in horse sera.

Stray dogs in Bangkok, Thailand: rabies virus infection and rabies antibody prevalence.

In Thailand, the animal most reported rabid is the stray dog. Dog bite related rabies cases in humans account for 70-95% of rabies related deaths. The reported incidence of dog bites is highest in the central part of the country, especially in Bangkok.

Moving towards the elimination of rabies in Thailand.

Human rabies is regarded as a fatal disease; however, its occurrence is preventable. Prevention consists of post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) for humans and controlling the main cause through dog vaccination. In Thailand, health care budgets are increasingly allocated to human PEP rather than eradication of rabies in dogs.

Real-time PCR analysis of dog cerebrospinal fluid and saliva samples for ante-mortem diagnosis of rabies.

The use of a 10-day observation to determine whether a dog is rabid is standard practice. This study was conducted in order to look for evidence of rabies vius in saliva and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) of suspected live rabid dogs at the time of quarantine by using a SYBR Green real-time RT-PCR based assay for the detection of rabies virus RNA. Saliva and CSF of dogs were collected once on the day of admission for the 10-day quarantine.

Prevalence of rabies virus infection and rabies antibody in stray dogs: a survey in Bangkok, Thailand.

To investigate the rabies antigen and antibody prevalences among stray dogs in Bangkok, Thailand, we took both a saliva and serum sample from each of 3314 stray dogs captured once each between December 2003 and June 2004. One 2-year-old female was antigen positive in the latex-agglutination test and confirmed by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction. The overall antibody seroprevalence from the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay that we used was 62% (95% CI: 54, 70%).

Reduced-dose intradermal vaccination against hepatitis A with an aluminum-free vaccine is immunogenic and can lower costs.

A reduced dose (0.1 mL) of intradermal hepatitis A virus (HAV) vaccine could facilitate the control of hepatitis A in countries of endemicity. All study subjects receiving an aluminum-free HAV vaccine intradermally were seroprotected 28 days after vaccination (anti-HAV titer, > or =10 mIU/mL).

Genetic typing of feline rabies virus isolated in greater Bangkok, Thailand.

To study the molecular epidemiology of rabies virus that is prevalent among cats in greater Bangkok, Thailand, a total of 17 rabies virus isolates from cats were characterized and compared with 120 rabies virus isolates from dogs. Analyses were performed on the genetic polymorphism in the rabies virus nucleoprotein (N) gene. Rabies virus N gene of isolates was amplified by reverse transcriptionpolymerase chain reaction.

Oral bacterial flora of dogs with and without rabies: a preliminary study in Thailand.

The authors studied the bacterial flora of the dog oral cavity and of bite wounds, Aerobic bacteria were isolated from mouth swabs of 16 normal and 5 rabid dogs as well as from infected dog-bite wounds from 18 patients. A total of 20 different microbial species were recovered from mouth swab cultures. The most frequently isolated organisms were Klebsiella pneumoniae ssp pneumoniae, Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, Citrobacter freundii, Enterobacter cloacae, Acinetobacter calcoaceticus, and Pasteurella species.

Seroprevalence of hepatitis A virus antibody among children and young adults in Bangkok.

Objective: To determine the prevalence of hepatitis A virus (HAV) antibodies in various age groups of healthy children and young adults who have not received the hepatitis A vaccine.

Method: Blood samples were collected from 825 volunteers aged 1-30 years from a well baby clinic and five academic institutions in the Don Mueang area from 1998 to 1999. Serum samples were assayed for specific HAV IgG antibodies using a commercial enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) kit.

Immunosuppression in rabies virus infection mediated by lymphocyte apoptosis.

Previously, we demonstrated a depression of cell-mediated immunity in mice by street rabies virus infection. In the present study, we investigated several events during the course of infection and looked for alterations in the host lymphoid cells for evidence of apoptosis. Total cellular RNA was extracted from muscle tissues at the inoculation site of peripherally infected mice at different intervals after infection.

Detection of rabies virus antigen in dog saliva using a latex agglutination test.

Dog bites are responsible for more than 90% of human rabies deaths in Asia. We developed a simple and inexpensive test based on latex agglutination (LA) for rabies virus antigen detection in dog saliva. Rabies virus antigen could be detected by agglutination on a glass slide using latex particles coated with gamma globulin.

Cell-mediated immunosuppression in mice by street rabies virus not restored by calcium ionophore or PMA.

It is known that rabies virus can suppress the host immune system. In this study we demonstrate a depression of cell-mediated immunity in mice, peripherally infected with Thai street rabies virus. The cell-mediated cytolysis of spleen cells from mice increased transiently on day 5 after infection and declined rapidly thereafter until death.

Comparison of separated-lymphocyte and whole-blood lymphocyte proliferation assays for evaluating rabies-induced cellular immunity.

A whole-blood lymphocyte proliferation assay was compared to a standard method requiring the isolation of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC). Both methods were used to measure the cell-mediated immune responses to rabies in rabies-vaccine recipients. Whole-blood cells gave moderately higher lymphoproliferative responses in terms of stimulation indices than did separated-PBMC.

Maternal antibodies against rabies in Thai puppies. A preliminary study.

Serum antibodies to rabies virus were measured in 32 Thai puppies before primary vaccination. Only five showed evidence of rabies antibody by ELISA testing and they had no rabies virus neutralizing activity detectable by RFFIT. Immunologic ignorance of these young dogs leaves a large part of the canine population susceptible to rabies.

Radioactive and non-radioactive lymphocyte proliferation assays for measuring rabies-specific cellular immunity.

We compared the radioactive lymphocyte proliferation assay for measuring rabies specific cell-mediated immunity in a group of 42 rabies vaccine recipients with a new technique using rabies-stimulated lymphocytes in a colorimetric test kit (CellTiter 96, Promega Corporation, USA). Results of both tests were good agreement (Kappa = 0.68), however, they did not show good correlation in degree (magnitude) of positivity.

Human immune response to rabies nucleocapsid and glycoprotein antigens.

Antibodies to two components of rabies virus, nucleocapsid (N) and glycoprotein (G), were compared in 11 rabies patients with those in nine recipients of Vero cell rabies vaccine. All rabies vaccinees had antibodies to N and G components by day 10 after the first vaccine injection. A similar but not identical response was observed in three out of 11 rabies patients.

Molecular epidemiology of rotaviruses associated with pediatric diarrhea in Bangkok, Thailand.

Rotavirus diarrhea in 453 pediatric patients (29.8% of 1,518) was studied in greater Bangkok during 1985 to 1987. The disease persisted all year, increasing in incidence from August to January (30 to 50%).

Proximal motor neuropathy, IgA paraproteinaemia and anti-myelin-associated glycoprotein reactivity.

We report a case with proximal motor neuropathy associated with benign IgA lambda paraproteinaemia. Immunoblot demonstrated reactivity to myelin-associated glycoprotein and not to P2 protein of peripheral nerve. Dramatic improvement of the polyneuropathy was observed with steroid treatment alone within 4 weeks.