Tonsillar transcriptional profiles in atopic and non-atopic subjects.

Background: Emerging research suggests that local lymphatic tissue such as tonsils have important role in regulating the immune responses. However, allergen sensitization-induced alterations in transcriptome of tonsils are not known.

Objectives: To examine the key differences in tonsillar gene expression between atopic and non-atopic subjects and further by type of sensitization.

Herpesvirus infections in adenoids in patients with chronic adenotonsillar disease.

Adenoids and tonsils have gained interest as a new in vivo model to study local immune functions and virus reservoirs. Especially herpesviruses are interesting because their prevalence and persistence in local lymphoid tissue are incompletely known. Our aim was to study herpesvirus and common respiratory virus infections in nonacutely ill adenotonsillar surgery patients.

Persistent human bocavirus 1 infection and tonsillar immune responses.

Background: Persistent human bocavirus 1 (HBoV1) infection is a common finding in patients suffering from chronic tonsillar disease. However, the associations between HBoV1 infection and specific immune reactions are not completely known. We aimed to compare in vivo expression of T-cell cytokines, transcription factors, and type I/III interferons in human tonsils between HBoV1-positive and -negative tonsillectomy patients.

Translation, cross-cultural adaptation, and validation of the sino-nasal outcome test (snot)-22 for Finnish patients.

Purpose: The Sino-Nasal Outcome Test-22 (SNOT-22) is the most commonly used disease-specific quality of life questionnaire in rhinology. The purpose of this prospective study was to translate and validate SNOT-22 into Finnish.

Methods: The validation process followed the guidelines proposed for cross-cultural adaptation of health-related measures of quality of life.

Intratonsillar detection of 27 distinct viruses: A cross-sectional study.

Palatine tonsils have been observed to harbor several distinct respiratory and herpesviruses in separate studies. In this study, the presence of these viruses in palatine tonsils was comprehensively studied in both children and adults. A cross-sectional analysis of 181 patients (median age 22 years; range, 2.

Rhinovirus species and tonsillar immune responses.

Background: Rhinovirus A and C infections are important contributors to asthma induction and exacerbations. No data exist on the interaction of local immune responses in rhinovirus infection. Therefore, we aimed to determine the tonsillar immune responses according to rhinovirus A, B and C infections.

No Correlation Between Nasopharyngeal Human Bocavirus 1 Genome Load and mRNA Detection or Serology in Adeno-/Tonsillectomy Patients.

Human bocavirus 1 (HBoV1) can persist in nasopharynx and tonsils. Using HBoV1 serology, reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for detecting messenger RNA (mRNA) and quantitative PCR for HBoV1 genome load count, we studied to what extent the HBoV1 DNA loads in nasopharynx correlate with acute infection markers. Tonsillar tissue, nasopharyngeal aspirate, and serum were obtained from 188 elective adeno-/tonsillectomy patients.

Tonsillar cytokine expression between patients with tonsillar hypertrophy and recurrent tonsillitis.

Background: Tonsils provide an innovative in vivo model for investigating immune response to infections and allergens. However, data are scarce on the differences in tonsillar virus infections and immune responses between patients with tonsillar hypertrophy or recurrent tonsillitis. We investigated the differences in virus detection and T cell and interferon gene expression in patients undergoing tonsillectomy due to tonsillar hypertrophy or recurrent tonsillitis.

Determination of avidity of IgG against protein antigens from Streptococcus pneumoniae: assay development and preliminary application in clinical settings.

The measurement of antibody levels is a common test for the diagnosis of Streptococcus pneumoniae infection in research. However, the quality of antibody response, reflected by avidity, has not been adequately evaluated. We aimed to evaluate the role of avidity of IgG against eight pneumococcal proteins in etiologic diagnosis.

The relationship of serum vitamins A, D, E and LL-37 levels with allergic status, tonsillar virus detection and immune response.

Background: Tonsils have an active role in immune defence and inducing and maintaining tolerance to allergens. Vitamins A, D, and E, and antimicrobial peptide LL-37 may have immunomodulatory effects. We studied how their serum levels were associated with allergy status, intratonsillar/nasopharyngeal virus detection and intratonsillar expression of T cell- and innate immune response-specific cytokines, transcription factors and type I/II/III interferons in patients undergoing tonsillectomy.

Comparison of spectral gradient acoustic reflectometry and tympanometry for detection of middle-ear effusion in children.

Background: Spectral gradient acoustic reflectometry (SGAR) and tympanometry are handy methods to aid in the diagnostics of middle-ear diseases, but no prior studies have directly assessed the correlation between SGAR and tympanometry readings in children.

Methods: We compared SGAR and tympanometry in 2152 otoscopic examinations among 600 children aged 0.6-14 years, who were examined for signs and symptoms of respiratory infection in a primary care setting; 677 (31.

Distinct regulation of tonsillar immune response in virus infection.

Background: The relationships between tonsillar immune responses, and viral infection and allergy are incompletely known.

Objective: To study intratonsillar/nasopharyngeal virus detections and in vivo expressions of T-cell- and innate immune response-specific cytokines, transcription factors, and type I/II/III interferons in human tonsils.

Methods: Palatine tonsil samples were obtained from 143 elective tonsillectomy patients.

Triggering of specific Toll-like receptors and proinflammatory cytokines breaks allergen-specific T-cell tolerance in human tonsils and peripheral blood.

Background: The generation and maintenance of allergen-specific T-cell tolerance is a key step in healthy immune responses to allergens and successful allergen-specific immunotherapy. Breaking of peripheral T-cell tolerance to allergens can lead to the development of allergies, but the mechanisms are not completely understood.

Objective: We sought to identify molecular mechanisms that break allergen-specific T-cell tolerance in human subjects.

Induction and maintenance of allergen-specific FOXP3+ Treg cells in human tonsils as potential first-line organs of oral tolerance.

Background: Tonsils are strategically located in the gateway of both alimentary and respiratory tracts representing the first contact point of food and aeroallergens with the immune system. Tonsillectomy removes only the palatine tonsils and sometimes adenoids. Lingual tonsil is anatomically big and remains lifelong intact.

Early oseltamivir treatment of influenza in children 1-3 years of age: a randomized controlled trial.

Background: Oseltamivir provides modest clinical benefits to children with influenza when started within 48 hours of symptom onset. The effectiveness of oseltamivir could be substantially greater if the treatment were started earlier during the course of the illness.

Methods: We carried out a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial of the efficacy of oseltamivir started within 24 hours of symptom onset in children 1-3 years of age with laboratory-confirmed influenza during the seasons of 2007-2008 and 2008-2009.

Burden of influenza in children in the community.

Background: Influenza vaccination of healthy children is encouraged because children are frequently hospitalized for influenza-attributable illnesses. However, most children with influenza are treated as outpatients, and scarce data are available on the burden of influenza in these children.

Methods: We performed a prospective study of respiratory infections in preenrolled cohorts of children < or = 13 years old during 2 consecutive respiratory seasons (2231 child-seasons of follow-up).

Incidence of influenza in Finnish children.

Background: Influenza is an important cause of respiratory illness in children, but data on virologically confirmed influenza infections in children treated as outpatients are limited.

Methods: We carried out a prospective cohort study of normal children younger than 13 years (n = 1338) in the winter of 2000 to 2001. During the study period of 32 weeks, the children were examined at the study clinic whenever they had fever or signs of respiratory infection.

Antibiotic treatment of acute otorrhea through tympanostomy tube: randomized double-blind placebo-controlled study with daily follow-up.

Objective: The role of routine antimicrobial treatment of acute middle-ear infections is under debate, because the efficacy of antimicrobials in the resolution of middle-ear fluid has not been unambiguously proven. Acute tube otorrhea is regarded as evidence of acute otitis media, and for methodologic reasons it was chosen to provide objectivity for diagnostics and outcome assessment. The objective of this study was to assess whether amoxicillin-clavulanate accelerates the resolution of acute tube otorrhea.

Detection of rhinovirus RNA in middle turbinate of patients with common colds by in situ hybridization.

Human rhinovirus 14 RNA was determined by in situ hybridization from middle turbinate biopsies in 32 patients with diagnosed common colds and in five control individuals. Twenty-two (69%) biopsies from common colds patients but none of the five control biopsies showed reactivity for human rhinovirus 14 antisense probe. The signal was detected both in the respiratory epithelium and in mucosal inflammatory cells.

Zanamivir: a significant reduction in viral load during treatment in military conscripts with influenza.

A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, parallel-group trial performed at 5 residential units of the Finnish Defence Forces was conducted to assess the antiviral activity, efficacy and safety of inhaled zanamivir for the treatment of naturally acquired influenza. Conscripts were recruited within 2 d of onset of typical influenza symptoms and received inhaled zanamivir 10 mg via a Diskhaler twice daily for 5 d or matching placebo. Time to alleviation of clinically significant symptoms of influenza was the primary endpoint.

Virological and serological analysis of rhinovirus infections during the first two years of life in a cohort of children.

The occurrence of rhinovirus infections in a cohort of 329 children during the first 2 years of life was determined by virus detection and serological methods. Rhinovirus detection on nasopharyngeal aspirates and middle ear fluids comprised a combination of virus isolation in HeLa Ohio cells and a reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR)-hybridization assay on the inoculated cell cultures. Nasopharyngeal aspirates were collected when the child was referred to the study clinic because of respiratory symptoms.

Pulmonary imaging and function in the common cold.

The common cold is generally considered to be an upper respiratory tract infection. We studied the lower respiratory tract in 76 otherwise healthy young adults with the common cold. Viral infection was diagnosed in 56 (74%) of the 76 subjects.