Immunohaematological reference values for HIV-negative healthy adults in Botswana.

Background: Clinical laboratories in Botswana have relied entirely on the reference intervals for normal immunohaematological values provided by manufacturers' kits and textbooks.

Objectives: The aim of this study was to determine the means, medians, 2.5th and 97.

Immunohaematological reference values for HIV-negative healthy adults in Botswana.

Background: Clinical laboratories in Botswana have relied entirely on the reference intervals for normal immunohaematological values provided by manufacturers' kits and textbooks.

Objectives: The aim of this study was to determine the means, medians, 2.5th and 97.

Cryptococcus and lymphocytic meningitis in Botswana.

We retrospectively reviewed microbiological data from a tertiary care hospital in Botswana, and found that Cryptococcus neoformans was cultured from 15% (193/1307) of all cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) specimens submitted for analysis, making it the most common diagnosed cause of meningitis in this population. Moreover, almost 70% of CSF samples with significant lymphocytosis did not yield a pathogen, suggesting that many causes of lymphocytic meningitis go undiagnosed.

Mannan-binding lectin in the sub-Saharan HIV and tuberculosis epidemics.

Inherited deficiency of mannan-binding lectin (MBL) has been shown to predispose to infections. Conversely, it has also been suggested that MBL might facilitate the uptake of certain intracellular microbes. The aim of this study was to investigate whether MBL plays a role in the HIV and tuberculosis epidemics in Africa.

PCR detection of mycobacteraemia in tanzanian patients with extrapulmonary tuberculosis.

In 191 Tanzanian patients admitted to hospital with suspected extrapulmonary tuberculosis (TB), TB was diagnosed in 158 patients; the remaining 33 patients had neither microbiological nor clinical evidence of TB. Mycobacterium tuberculosis was detected in the blood of 25 patients, in 92% by a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) technique and in 52% by culture of buffy coat cells. The presence of mycobacterial DNA or Mycobacterium tuberculosis bacteria in peripheral blood (positive culture) was significantly associated with HIV infection; it was detected in 22 (21.

Pulmonary complications of HIV infection in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. Role of bronchoscopy and bronchoalveolar lavage.

To determine the pulmonary complications in HIV-1-infected patients in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, and to evaluate the diagnostic utility of bronchoscopy and bronchoalveolar lavage, we carried out a prospective study of 237 patients with acute respiratory disease who were hospitalized at Muhimbili Medical Center (MMC). Diagnoses were made using well-defined criteria. Of the total, 127 (54%) were HIV-1-seropositive and 110 (46%) were seronegative.

Mapping of the delayed-type hypersensitivity-inducing epitope of secreted protein MPT64 from Mycobacterium tuberculosis.

The gene encoding the immunogenic protein MPT64 found in culture filtrates of Mycobacterium tuberculosis H37Rv was expressed in Escherichia coli K-12 and purified as a recombinant protein. The purified recombinant MPT64 elicited delayed-type hypersensitivity (DTH) in outbred guinea pigs sensitized with Mycobacterium bovis BCG Tokyo. The skin reactions were comparable to those obtained with native MPT64.

Clinical features of HIV seropositive and HIV seronegative patients with tuberculous lymphadenitis in Dar es Salaam.

Setting: The medical wards of a referral hospital in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.

Objective: To investigate the impact of HIV infection on clinical features in tuberculous lymphadenitis.

Design: A prospective clinical study of HIV seropositive and HIV seronegative patients with lymphadenopathy.

DNA fingerprinting and phenotyping of Mycobacterium tuberculosis isolates from human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-seropositive and HIV-seronegative patients in Tanzania.

With the purpose of determining whether the risk of infection with a particular clone of Mycobacterium tuberculosis is influenced by the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) status of the host, we analyzed and compared 68 mycobacterial isolates obtained from HIV-seropositive patients with tuberculosis (TB) in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, with 66 mycobacterial isolates obtained from HIV-seronegative patients with TB in the same geographical region by using both DNA fingerprinting and classical phenotyping methods. One hundred one different IS6110 fingerprinting patterns were observed in the 134 isolates. The level of diversity of the DNA fingerprints observed in the HIV-seropositive group was comparable to the level of the diversity observed in the HIV-seronegative group.

Humoral response to Mycobacterium tuberculosis-specific antigens in African tuberculosis patients with high prevalence of human immunodeficiency virus infection.

Setting: The applicability of serodiagnosis of tuberculosis using Mycobacterium tuberculosis-complex-specific antigens in a Tanzanian population with high prevalence of HIV.

Objective: This study was performed to evaluate the usefulness, sensitivity and specificity of serology using M. tuberculosis-specific antigens in the diagnosis of tuberculosis in patients with and without HIV co-infection.

Clinical features of HIV-seropositive and HIV-seronegative patients with tuberculous pleural effusion in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.

In a prospective study, we investigated whether human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection alters the clinical presentation in patients with tuberculous pleuritis. One hundred twelve of 118 patients who presented with pleural effusion suffered from tuberculosis (TB); 65 patients (58%) were HIV seropositive. Evidence of disseminated TB was found more often in HIV-positive than in HIV-negative patients (30.

Influence of HIV status on pathological changes in tuberculous pleuritis.

Setting: The AIDS epidemic has been associated with an increase in the incidence of tuberculosis, pulmonary or extrapulmonary.

Objective: To compare morphological changes in tuberculous pleurisy, and response to therapy in HIV-positive and-negative patients.

Design: 57 consecutive patients admitted between January and August 1991 with tuberculous pleurisy who were biopsy proven were studied.

Diagnosis of tuberculosis in patients with pleural effusion in an area of HIV infection and limited diagnostic facilities.

In a prospective study of 118 patients with pleural effusion, tuberculosis (TB) was diagnosed in 112. In 84 patients the diagnosis of TB was made by detection of acid-fast bacilli by stain (auramine, Ziehl-Neelsen) or by culture of mycobacteria (Löwenstein-Jensen medium) in pleural fluid or pleural tissue (obtained by closed biopsy) or by the presence of caseating granulomas in histological sections. In 28 patients the diagnosis of TB was considered probable, based on good response to anti-tuberculous therapy.

Diagnosis of tuberculous lymphadenitis in an area of HIV infection and limited diagnostic facilities.

In order to evaluate procedures leading to the diagnosis of tuberculous lymphadenitis, a prospective clinical study was carried out of patients with lymphadenopathy admitted to the medical wards of a referral hospital in Tanzania. The yield of diagnostic procedures (direct auramine/Ziehl-Neelsen (ZN) stained smears, Löwenstein-Jensen (LJ) cultures, cytology and histological examinations of fine needle aspirations (FNA) and biopsy material of lymph nodes, respectively, was compared. We also tried to identify clinical diagnostic markers.