25 Hydroxyvitamin D and Cytokines in Multiple Sclerosis.

Introduction: Clinical trials of patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) have produced inconsistent results for the profile of cytokine secretion in serum and cerebrospinal fluid in patients with multiple sclerosis during periods of relapse and remission. Epidemiological and clinical observations data reveal an association of the changes in vitamin D serum concentration with the risk of developing MS.

Aim: To evaluate changes in serum concentrations of 25(OH)D, IL17, IFN-gamma, TGFβ1, IL4, IL10 in relapse and remission and their correlation with the severity of disability.

T-Lymphocyte Subset Absolute Counts in the Peripheral Blood of Mediterranean Spotted Fever Patients: Relations to Disease Severity.

Introduction: Mediterranean spotted fever (MSF) in Bulgaria is caused by Rickettsia conorii conorii.

Aim: This study aims at investigating the absolute counts of T-lymphocyte subsets in the peripheral blood of patients with MSF in order to establish relationships with disease severity.

Materials And Methods: The absolute counts of T-lymphocyte subsets were tested in the blood of 62 patients in the acute stage of MSF.

Immunophenotyping characteristic of the major lymphocyte populations and subpopulations in patients during salmonella infection.

Aim: To study the quantitative changes in the major lymphocyte populations and subpopulations in the peripheral blood of patients during salmonellosis and find correlations of these changes with disease severity and bacterial clearance.

Material And Methods: The study included 24 adult patients with culture-proven gastrointestinal salmonellosis. Flow-cytometry was used to identify CD19+ (B lymphocytes), CD2+ (total T lymphocytes), CD3(+)CD4+ (helper T cells), CD3(+)CD8+ (suppressor/cytotoxic T lymphocytes), CD4(+)CD29+ and CD4(+)CD45(-)RA+ (helper/ inducer subpopulation and naive Tlymphocytes) in the acute and the convalescent phases of disease.