Pertussis seroprevalence among adults of reproductive age (20-39 years) in fourteen European countries.

The reported incidence of pertussis in European countries varies considerably. We aimed to study specific Bordetella pertussis seroprevalence in Europe by measuring serum IgG antibody levels to pertussis toxin (anti-PT IgG). Fourteen national laboratories participated in this study including Belgium, Denmark, Finland, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Lithuania, Malta, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Spain, and Sweden.

Circulation of pertussis and poor protection against diphtheria among middle-aged adults in 18 European countries.

Reported incidence of pertussis in the European Union (EU) and the European Economic Area (EEA) varies and may not reflect the real situation, while vaccine-induced protection against diphtheria and tetanus seems sufficient. We aimed to determine the seroprevalence of DTP antibodies in EU/EEA countries within the age groups of 40-49 and 50-59 years. Eighteen countries collected around 500 samples between 2015 and 2018 (N = 10,302) which were analysed for IgG-DTP specific antibodies.

Pertactin-deficient isolates: evidence of increased circulation in Europe, 1998 to 2015.

IntroductionPertussis outbreaks have occurred in several industrialised countries using acellular pertussis vaccines (ACVs) since the 1990s. High prevalence of pertactin (PRN)-deficient isolates has been found in these countries.AimsTo evaluate in Europe: (i) whether proportions of PRN-deficient strains increased in consecutive collections of clinical isolates; (ii) if the frequency of PRN-deficient strains in countries correlated with the time since ACV introduction; (iii) the presence of pertussis toxin (PT)-, filamentous haemagglutinin (FHA)- or fimbriae (Fim)-deficient isolates.

Surveillance of Circulating Bordetella pertussis Strains in Europe during 1998 to 2015.

One reason for increased pertussis incidence is the adaptation of to vaccine-induced immunity by modulating its genomic structure. This study, EUpert IV, includes 265 isolates collected from nine European countries during 2012 to 2015 ( = 265) and compares the results to previous EUpert I to III studies (1998 to 2009). The analyses included genotyping, serotyping, pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE), and multilocus variable-number tandem-repeat analysis (MLVA).

B-cell responses after intranasal vaccination with the novel attenuated Bordetella pertussis vaccine strain BPZE1 in a randomized phase I clinical trial.

Despite high vaccination coverage, pertussis is still a global concern in infant morbidity and mortality, and improved pertussis vaccines are needed. A live attenuated Bordetella pertussis strain, named BPZE1, was designed as an intranasal vaccine candidate and has recently been tested in man in a phase I clinical trial. Here, we report the evaluation of the B-cell responses after vaccination with BPZE1.

A phase I clinical study of a live attenuated Bordetella pertussis vaccine--BPZE1; a single centre, double-blind, placebo-controlled, dose-escalating study of BPZE1 given intranasally to healthy adult male volunteers.

Background: Acellular pertussis vaccines do not control pertussis. A new approach to offer protection to infants is necessary. BPZE1, a genetically modified Bordetella pertussis strain, was developed as a live attenuated nasal pertussis vaccine by genetically eliminating or detoxifying 3 toxins.

rBCG induces strong antigen-specific T cell responses in rhesus macaques in a prime-boost setting with an adenovirus 35 tuberculosis vaccine vector.

Background: BCG vaccination, combined with adenoviral-delivered boosts, represents a reasonable strategy to augment, broaden and prolong immune protection against tuberculosis (TB). We tested BCG (SSI1331) (in 6 animals, delivered intradermally) and a recombinant (rBCG) AFRO-1 expressing perfringolysin (in 6 animals) followed by two boosts (delivered intramuscullary) with non-replicating adenovirus 35 (rAd35) expressing a fusion protein composed of Ag85A, Ag85B and TB10.4, for the capacity to induce antigen-specific cellular immune responses in rhesus macaques (Macaca mulatta).

Coagulation parameters in apheresis and leukodepleted whole-blood plasma during storage.

Background: Thawing fresh-frozen plasma (FFP) may cause delay in delivery, and one approach to circumvent this is to store plasma at +4 degrees C. Thawed plasma is commonly discarded after a few days of storage, owing to the assumption that coagulation factor activity decreases to clinically unacceptable levels.

Study Design And Methods: Eighteen apheresis plasma (AP) units were collected from blood donors.

Reduced intracellular oxygen radical production in whole blood leukocytes from COPD patients and asymptomatic smokers.

Rationale And Objectives: COPD is characterized by irreversible airflow obstruction. It has, however, become clear that COPD also is a systemic disease. In the present study, we sought to investigate its impact on different peripheral leukocyte subpopulations that are recognized as important effector cells in the lung tissue.

Peripheral blood monocyte activation during coronary artery bypass grafting with or without cardiopulmonary bypass.

Objective: The aim of this prospective, randomized study was to investigate the impact of coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) on peripheral monocytes and to evaluate the additional effect of cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB).

Design: Twenty patients admitted for elective CABG were randomized to either on-pump (ONCAB, n = 9) or off-pump (OFFCAB, n = 11) surgery and blood samples were drawn before, during and 24 h after the operation. The total number of monocytes and the proportion of the more mature CD16+/CD14+ monocytes were measured.

Passive IgE-sensitization by blood transfusion.

Background: To study the mechanisms of passive sensitization of patients receiving plasma containing IgE antibodies to a defined allergen.

Methods: When required for medical reasons, regular donor plasma with IgE antibodies to timothy grass allergen (8-205 kU(A)/l), was given. Kinetics of IgE antibodies in the recipients' serum and his/her basophil allergen threshold sensitivity, CD-sens, was monitored up to 2-3 weeks after transfusion.

Activation of complement and leukocyte receptors during on- and off pump coronary artery bypass surgery.

Objective: The aim of this prospective, randomised study was to investigate the influence of extracorporeal circulation on the inflammatory response, our hypothesis being that off pump coronary artery bypass grafting (OFFCAB) procedures would generate less activation than on pump procedures (ONCAB).

Methods: Patients admitted for elective CABG were randomised to either ONCAB or OFFCAB surgery and blood samples were taken during and up to 24 h after the operation. We measured complement factors C5a and the terminal complement complex (TCC, C59-b), and the interleukins IL-6 and IL-8.

beta2-Integrin and lipid modifications indicate a non-antioxidant mechanism for the anti-atherogenic effect of dietary coenzyme Q10.

Dietary supplementation with coenzyme Q (CoQ) has been proposed to have anti-atherogenic effects by virtue of its antioxidant capacity. To investigate this question, the leukocyte status of 5 males and 5 females (52-68 years) was evaluated before and after supplementation with 200mg CoQ/day for 5 and 10 weeks. CoQ was selectively taken up by mononuclear cells and alpha-tocopherol increased in polynuclear and mononuclear cells.

Complement activation during blood sampling procedures alters the expression of CD11b/CD18 on human neutrophils.

Background And Objectives: Differences in blood sampling and separation techniques can affect the quantitative levels of activation markers on different leukocyte subsets. We examined the effect of two sampling procedures of EDTA blood on the quantitative levels of two markers, the CD11b/CD18 antigen and the EG2 epitope on intracellular eosinophilic cationic protein (ECP), in neutrophils and eosinophils, respectively.

Materials And Methods: Sample I was collected directly after completion of blood donation by an open technique and constant flow from the transfer tube directly into EDTA tubes.

Experience of surgical treatment for chronic pancreatitis during a 10-year period.

Surgical treatment for chronic pancreatitis is performed usually because of severe pain and in case of complications like pseudocysts or obstruction of common bile duct or duodenum. Operative treatment is either ductal drainage or resection. The preoperative evaluation must include determination of operative strategy and ERCP seems to give the best information.

Primary gastric lymphoma versus gastric cancer. An endoscopic and radiographic study of differential diagnostic possibilities.

Eighteen patients with primary gastric malignant lymphoma were compared retrospectively with an age- and sex-matched group of patients with gastric cancer. It was found that a correct preoperative diagnosis was established in 8 out of 18 lymphoma patients (44%). Of the remaining patients eight were preoperatively diagnosed as cancers and two as benign ulcers.

Quantitation of some pancreatic juice exocrine proteins in the presence of radiocontrast medium used in endoscopic retrograde pancreatography (ERP).

The endoscopic collection of human pancreatic juice for chemical analysis is facilitated by the use of radiocontrast media. However, the effects of this material on pancreatic juice and the techniques used to analyze its proteins are unknown. This study has demonstrated no detrimental effects of a commonly used contrast medium on the pancreatic juice itself or on the analytic technique of radioimmunoassay and radial immunodiffusion.

Correlation between serum concentrations of three specific exocrine pancreatic proteins and pancreatic duct morphology at ERCP examinations.

The concentrations of pancreatic amylase, immunoreactive trypsin, and immunoreactive pancreatic specific trypsin inhibitor have been studied in serum drawn from 258 patients before an endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) examination, in which both ducts were successfully filled. The results are correlated to the morphology of the ducts and the diagnosis given at the ERCP examination. One third of the patients with normal morphology of both ducts showed an abnormal concentration of at least one of the measured specific pancreatic proteins.

Variants of pancreatic duct system of importance in endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography. Observations on autopsy specimens.

A postmortem radiographic investigation of 330 pancreas specimens showed a total frequency of 10 per cent for the 3 variants of the pancreatic duct system, in which the main pancreatic duct drained to the minor duodenal papilla (type III). In no instance did the main duct drain into the duodenum distal to the major papilla, onto which the common bile duct drained as usual. In the most common variant, type III-B, a separate accessory duct drained part of the pancreatic head onto the major papilla.

Screening for urinary tract abnormalities with single-film urography after phlebography and angiography.

Single-film urography was performed after phlebography or angiography in 2,335 patients. Abnormal results were reported in 52 of these patients. Subsequent complete urography verified two significant abnormalities (one renal calculus and one renal cell carcinoma).

Unrecognized renal cell carcinoma. Clinical and pathological aspects.

In an autopsy series comprising 235 clinically unrecognized renal cell carcinoma metastatic spread was revealed in 24%. The number of metastasizing tumours increased significantly with the size of the primary tumour. Local aggressiveness of the primary tumour was more common for large tumours but was much more closely correlated to metastatic spread than to size.