Intrathecal activation as a typical immune response within the central nervous system in angiostrongyliasis.

Angiostrongylus cantonensis is a zoonotic pathogen that occasionally causes human angiostrongyliasis; its main clinical manifestation is eosinophilic meningitis. This report defines the concept of intrathecal activation of complement as evidence of intrathecal synthesis of major immunoglobulins during this disease. Details are presented of the activation of complement system components in cerebrospinal fluid, and their application to our understanding of this tropical disease, which is emerging in the Western hemisphere.

Mannose-binding lectin deficiency with eosinophilic meningoencephalitis due to Angiostrongylus cantonensis in children: a case series.

Introduction: Eosinophilic meningitis, a potentially fatal disease caused by Angiostrongylus cantonensis, is considered an emerging infectious disease.

Case Presentation: Three Caucasian boys (aged five-years-old, 10-years-old and six-years-old) with a diagnosis of eosinophilic meningoencephalitis caused by Angiostrongylus cantonensis were studied. Serum immunoglobulin A (IgA), IgM, IgG, and complements C3c and C4 levels were quantified by using an immunodiffusion technique.

Neuroimmunological findings of Angiostrongylus cantonensis meningitis in Ecuadorian patients.

Unlabelled: Meningitis caused by Angiostrongylus cantonensis has recently been reported in patients resulting from the first outbreaks in subtropical regions of Ecuador.

Method: Eight young adult patients from the two outbreaks were studied. IgA, IgM, IgG and albumin in cerebrospinal fluid and serum were quantified and plotted in cerebrospinal fluid/serum quotient diagrams (Reibergrams).

Comparison of major immunoglobulins intrathecal synthesis patterns in Ecuadorian and Cuban patients with angiostrongyliasis.

Angiostrongylus cantonensis meningitis was first reported in Cuba in 1981, and it was recently reported in South America. The aim of this paper is to evaluate the intrathecal immunoglobulin synthesis patterns from Cuba's and Ecuador's patients with angiostrongyliasis; 8 Ecuadorian patients from two different outbreaks and 28 Cuban patients were studied. Simultaneous blood and cerebrospinal fluid samples were taken.

Reibergram of intrathecal synthesis of C4 in patients with eosinophilic meningitis caused by Angiostrongylus cantonensis.

Angiostrongylus cantonensis produces eosinophilic meningitis in humans and is endemic in Thailand, Taiwan, China, and the Caribbean region. During infection with this parasite, it is important to know if the complement system may be activated by the classical or lectin pathway. Cerebrospinal fluid and serum samples from 20 patients with meningitic angiostrongyliasis were used to quantify C4 levels and albumin.

Clinical behavior of Streptococcus pneumoniae meningoencephalitis.

Objective: There was an increased number of cases of meningoencephalitis caused by Streptococcus pneumoniae, after the successful vaccination campaigns against Neisseria meningitidis and Haemophilus influenzae. This paper aims at describing the clinical characteristics, the laboratory findings, the complications, and the therapeutic management of these patients, who have been suffering from this disease since 1993 to 2006.

Method: Twelve children with Streptococcus pneumoniae meningoencephalitis admitted to the pediatric hospital of San Miguel del Padron, City of Havana in this period were assessed.

Seasonal distribution and evolving forms of multiple sclerosis patients diagnosed from April 2004 to November 2007.

Background: Multiple sclerosis (MS) was first reported in Cuba in 1965. The most frequent appearance is observed in the first six months of the year.

Objective: To determine the seasonal distribution and evolving forms of MS patients diagnosed with the disease between April 2004 and November 2007.

CSF/serum quotient graphs for the evaluation of intrathecal C4 synthesis.

Background: Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF)/serum quotient graphs have been used previously to determine local synthesis in brain of immunoglobulins and C3 complement component. The aim of this study was to use the same technique to construct quotient graphs, or Reibergrams, for the beta globulin C4 and to evaluate the method for assessing intrathecal synthesis in neurological disease.

Methods: The constants in the previously-defined Reibergram for immunoglobulin IgA were used to calculate the CSF/serum quotient for C4.

Intrathecal synthesis of IgE in children with eosinophilic meningoencephalitis caused by Angiostrongylus cantonensis.

Background: Eosinophilic meningoencephalitis caused by the helminth Angiostrongylus cantonensis, is an emerging infectious disease in America. The objective of this paper was to determine if the intrathecal synthesis of immunoglobulin E is produced during the acute phase of the disease.

Methods: Thirteen patients, mean age 4.

sICAM-1 intrathecal synthesis and release during the acute phase in children suffering from Coxsackie A9 and S. pneumoniae meningoencephalitis.

The intercellular adhesion molecule is a transmembrane glycoprotein belonging to the immunoglobulin superfamily. Serum and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) soluble intercellular adhesion molecule 1 (sICAM-1) from normal control children as well as from children with Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS), with Coxsackie A9 virus meningoencephalitis and with Streptococcus pneumoniae meningoencephalitis were studied. sICAM-1 was quantified using an immunoenzimatic assay and albumin using the immunodiffusion technique in both biological fluids.

C3c intrathecal synthesis evaluation in patients with multiple sclerosis.

Introduction: Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic, inflammatory and progressive disease of the central nervous system in which local inflammatory injuries of the brain white matter appears, being the most outstanding feature the myeline loss (demyelination).

Objective: To determine if the complement system might be involved in the MS immunopathogeny favouring the mechanism intervening in the myelin destruction.

Method: Samples of sera and CSF from twelve patients with a diagnosis of MS obtained at the moment of the admission to the hospital at the beginning of the break out, were collected.

[Reibergram for C3c intrathecal synthesis evaluation].

Introduction: Reiber's quotient diagram or reibergram has a growing apply for characterize the intratecal synthesis of proteins. Firstly reibergrama was used for the major classes of immunoglobulins but later it was used to evaluate other proteins based on the theory about molecular flux/cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) flow rate.

Method: C3c is a degradation product of complement factor C3 with 145 KDa and approaches to IgG molecular characteristics according with Fick's diffusion laws.