Asymptomatic parasitic infections in renal transplant recipients and in haemodialysis patients.

One hundred and sixty-seven clinically asymptomatic renal transplant recipients and 119 patients on chronic haemodialysis were studied for the presence of intestinal parasites and for the prevalence of anti-Toxoplasma gondii antibodies. Intestinal parasitic infections were more frequently found in transplant recipients than in haemodialysis patients and in controls. Among transplant recipients, the prevalence rate of T.

Milan as possible starting point of LAV/HTLV III epidemic among Italian drug addicts.

Sera collected between 1978 and 1985 from 716 parenteral drug-addicts admitted to our Clinic with viral hepatitis were tested for antibodies to HTLV III. None of the patients was showing symptoms suggestive of LAV/HTLV III infection at the time of sera collection. Positivity for HTLV III antibody was found and confirmed (by ELISA) in 212 subjects (29.

Experiences with immunomodulant agents in HIV infections.

Drug addicts with persistent generalized lymphadenopathy displayed the following immunological abnormalities: an inverted OKT4/OKT8 ratio, a depressed in vitro blastogenetic response to phytohemagglutinin and pokeweed mitogen (PWM), a reduced ability of PMNL to phagocytose and kill Candida albicans spores and to migrate in presence of a chemotactic factor. Thymopentin treatment (50 mg s.c.

HLA-associated susceptibility to acquired immunodeficiency syndrome in Italian patients with human-immunodeficiency-virus infection.

To investigate the contribution of genetic susceptibility to infection with human immunodeficiency virus, 50 subjects with lymphadenopathy syndrome (LAS) and 7 subjects with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) and Kaposi's sarcoma were typed for HLA A, B, C, and DR antigens. The frequency of B35 was significantly higher in LAS patients who progressed to AIDS than in those who did not or in healthy controls. The association between DR5 and AIDS/Kaposi's sarcoma was also confirmed in these patients.

Increase of OKT4+ cells during treatment with thymostimulin in parenteral drug addicts with persistent generalized lymphadenopathy.

Thymostimulin (TP-1), a parenterally administered calf thymus extract, has induced a significant increase of OKT4+ peripheral cells in 9 drug addicts with persistent generalized lymphadenopathy; OKT4+ lymphocytes decreased gradually after withdrawal of treatment. In a control group, a spontaneous decrease occurred in the same period of observation. A more prolonged treatment should be undertaken to assess the effectiveness of the drug on the evolution of the disease.

Clinical comparative study on the activity of cefamandole in the treatment of serious staphylococcal infections caused by methicillin-susceptible and methicillin-resistant strains.

Ninety-two microbiologically documented staphylococcal infections were treated with cefamandole in an open comparative study on the clinical efficacy of this cephalosporin in the therapy of infections caused by both methicillin-susceptible and methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus and coagulase-negative Staphylococcus spp. The majority of the episodes (86 of 92) were treated with cefamandole alone, and six were treated with cefamandole in association with other antibiotics. In the evaluable S.

Cryoglobulins and infectious diseases.

The relationship between infectious diseases due to various pathogenetic factors and cryoglobulin production mechanisms has been investigated. Cryoglobulins have been evidenced in infections caused by very heterogeneous pathogens, i.e.

Demonstration of antibodies to human T-lymphotropic retrovirus type III in lymphoadenopathy syndrome patients and in individuals at risk for acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) in Italy.

An epidemiologic survey of the distribution of lymphoadenopathy syndrome in six Italian cities and its correlation with human T-lymphotropic retrovirus III (HTLV-III) is reported. Serum samples of nine patients with acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) were tested, 180 from patients with lymphoadenopathy and 349 from individuals belonging to groups such as homosexuals, drug addicts, hemophiliacs, and polytransfused considered at increased risk for AIDS. Prevalence of HTLV-III antibodies was 78% in AIDS patients and 61% in 180 patients with lymphoadenopathy syndrome (variation among drug abusers by city from 51% in Cagliari to 87% in Rome).

Albendazole in the treatment of cystic hydatid disease.

Four cases of cystic hydatid disease treated with albendazole are described. The first patient had previously undergone surgical treatment with only partial removal of her hepatic cysts. The size of the remaining cyst resulted remarkably reduced after three courses of the drug.

Clinical and epidemiological aspects of the first 50 cases of AIDS in Milan.

Between April 1984 and December 1985, 50 patients diagnosed as AIDS were observed in our Clinic. Risk factors were homosexuality in 21 cases (42%), drug addiction in 20 (40%), homosexuality and drug addiction in 3 (6%), haemophilia in 1 (2%). In the remaining 5 cases the infection was acquired by vertical transmission in 2 (4%), by promiscuous heterosexual intercourse in 2 (4%) and by a single blood transfusion in 1 (2%).

Persistent generalized lymphadenopathy in drug addicts: immunological studies.

The persistent generalized lymphadenopathy (PGL) in drug addicts displays the same immunological abnormalities previously found in homosexual and haemophiliac men with PGL: impaired in vivo and in vitro T cell functions, inverted T4/T8 ratio in blood and B cell abnormalities. The peripheral blood B-lymphocytes, in fact, show a reduced in vitro immunoglobulin synthesis after pokeweed mitogen and Staphylococcus aureus activation, with an increased spontaneous IgG secretion. In the lymph node biopsies, the immuno-histological studies reveal an infiltration of OKT8 positive cells in the germinal centers, a depletion of OKT4 positive lymphocytes slighter than in the blood and an explosive follicular hyperplasia with a striking destruction of the dendritic reticulum cell framework.

Natural killer cells in intravenous drug abusers with lymphadenopathy syndrome.

We have investigated 25 intravenous drug abusers with the clinical and laboratory features of lymphadenopathy syndrome (LAS) and 10 AIDS patients for the expression of NK activity. LAS and AIDS patients had low NK cytotoxicity compared to normal donors. The defective NK cytotoxicity was analysed in the eight LAS subjects with most marked depression.

[Transitory increase of OKT4+ lymphocytes in the peripheral blood of patients with lymphadenopathy syndrome treated with beta-interferon].

A therapeutic trial with IFN-beta (Hu. Interferon beta lyophilized, Sclavo S.p.

Epidemic of LAV/HTLV III infection in drug addicts in Milan: serological survey and clinical follow-up.

A clinico-epidemiological study is reported concerning a group of 306 parenteral drug addicts (PDAs), 71 of whom were affected with the lymphadenopathy syndrome (LAS); all were followed-up between 1981 and 1984. Although full-blown acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) was observed only in one case, none of the other patients examined have undergone complete recovery so far. The results of our study point to a wide circulation of LAV/HTLV III among our group of PDAs, starting at least as early as 1981 and preceding by a few months the development of clinical signs and symptoms of LAS.

IgM and IgG antibodies to human T cell lymphotropic retrovirus (HTLV-III) in lymphadenopathy syndrome and subjects at risk for AIDS in Italy.

A study was performed to assess the prevalence of specific antibodies to human T cell lymphotropic retrovirus (HTLV-III) in patients with lymphadenopathy syndrome, patients with the acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS), and those at risk of AIDS. Serum samples were obtained from these groups and from healthy controls in selected cities in Italy, and antibodies to HTLV-III were measured by immunofluorescence assay and, in a few patients, by Western blotting. In addition, IgM antibody values were measured in 82 of those positive for HTLV-III.