Pseudocontamination of blood components with Burkholderia cepacia during quality controls.

We report on a pseudooutbreak of Burkholderia cepacia because of the use of a contaminated disinfectant during quality controls in a university blood bank. No septic reactions associated with transfusions had been reported in patients over the last 6 months. Analysis of the individual quality control procedures showed that a disinfectant based on a quaternary ammonium compound (QAC) had been used in order to disinfect the rubber stopper of the blood culture bottle.

Alternative pathway activation of the complement system in preterm infants with early onset infection.

The increased incidence of infection in preterm neonates has been related in part to their relative deficiency of most complement components, because complement is known to participate in the defense against bacterial and viral infections. In a prospective study, complement activation products were determined in 52 preterm infants. Twenty preterm infants suffered from proven early onset infection, 11 infants were presumed to suffer from infection, which could not be confirmed.

CMV-induced anti-Sia-b1 cold agglutinin in an immunocompromised patient.

In postinfection cold agglutination, certain cold agglutinin (CA) specificities are associated with distinct infectious agents. The combined occurrence of anti-I and anti-Sia-b1 CAs following Mycoplasma pneumoniae infection has been reported recently. After renal transplantation and hyperacute graft rejection, transiently occurring CAs were observed in an 18-year-old boy.

[Rheologic changes in stored erythrocyte concentrates].

We studied the effect of two different preservation solutions on mean corpuscular volume (MCV), red cell deformability and flow in narrow tubes in red blood cell concentrates. Blood from 10 healthy blood donors was processed in parallel in SAG-M (S-RBC) as well as in PAGGS-M (P-RBC) in identical aliquots. Samples were studied at days 0, 7, 14, 28 and 42 of storage.

Inflammatory mediators in relation to the development of multiple organ failure in patients after severe blunt trauma.

Objective: To evaluate the posttraumatic course of several inflammatory mediators or markers (complement components C3, C3a, terminal complement complex, thromboxane B2, C-reactive protein, elastase, and neopterin) in relation to the development of multiple organ failure and mortality.

Design: Prospective study of a selected patient group.

Setting: Surgical intensive care units in three European trauma hospitals.

Red cell destruction in cold agglutinin disease.

Objective: The severity of autoimmune hemolytic anemia (AIHA) caused by cold agglutinins (CAs) is known to differ markedly in chronic CA disease as well as in postinfection cold agglutination. The various cold agglutinin specificities and mechanisms of red cell destruction are described.

Data Sources: Original papers and reviews of the German and English literature (Medline research); own results.

Plasmapheresis in severe septic shock with disseminated intravascular coagulation.

An 18-year-old female with CNS relapse of acute lymphoblastic leukemia after previous complete remission of the disease underwent chemotherapy. Due to the therapy she suffered from profound suppression of bone marrow with consecutive thrombocytopenia and leukopenia. Despite prophylactic treatment, severe septicemia occurred with septic shock, hemolysis and disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC).

Complement activation in newborn infants with early onset infection.

The complement system is an important element in host defense. Quantitative deficiencies of total hemolytic complement activity and decreased C3 levels were reported in sera from normal neonates. However, little is known about complement activation products in the newborn.

Interleukin-4 augments production of the third complement component by the alveolar epithelial cell line A549.

The elements of allergic inflammation and the involvement of helper T lymphocytes are increasingly being recognized in the immunopathogenesis of asthma. Allergen exposure leading to the activation of allergen-specific T cells present in the lung can result in the release of cytokines which in turn can locally stimulate the cellular constituents of the lung. The airway epithelial cells may be the key participants in such an interaction.

Generation of anaphylatoxin C3a in plasma and bronchoalveolar lavage fluid in trauma patients at risk for the adult respiratory distress syndrome.

Objective: To determine the generation of anaphylatoxin C3a in plasma and bronchoalveolar lavage fluid in trauma patients at risk for the adult respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS).

Design: Prospective study.

Setting: ICU in a university hospital.

[The critical hemoglobin value in newborn infants, infants and children].

The optimum and critical hemoglobin concentrations are determined by the oxygen demand of the tissues and several oxygen transport parameters (i.e., blood flow, arterial oxygen saturation, oxygen affinity of hemoglobin, and the critical venous oxygen pressure).

Complement activation and the prognostic value of C3a in patients at risk of adult respiratory distress syndrome.

In vivo and in vitro studies have shown that complement activation plays an important role in the pathogenesis of the adult respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). In a prospective study of polytrauma patients at risk of ARDS (n = 38) complement parameters were determined over a period of 14 days in serial plasma samples (obtained every 6 h during the first 48 h). Polytrauma induced a rapid and remarkable complement activation.

Quantitation of the anaphylatoxin C3a in the presence of C3 by a novel sandwich ELISA using monoclonal antibody to a C3a neoepitope.

C3a levels in plasma are usually measured by a competitive inhibition radioimmunoassay (RIA) using 125I-labelled C3a-desArg and antibodies to C3a capable of detecting C3a determinants which are also present on the native C3. Therefore, prior to the assay native, non-cleaved C3 has to be removed completely from the C3a-containing sample by precipitation. We developed a new rapid two-site sandwich ELISA system for the quantitation of C3a-desArg in plasma.

The C terminus of the anaphylatoxin C3a generated upon complement activation represents a neoantigenic determinant with diagnostic potential.

Activation of the C component C3 results in generation of the anaphylatoxin C3a. The C3a polypeptide chain consists of 77 amino acids. The active site of this potent mediator, which also has immunoregulatory function resides in its C terminus.

Functional analysis and quantification of the complement C3 derived anaphylatoxin C3a with a monoclonal antibody.

The C3 fragment C3a belongs to the anaphylatoxins. It has immune regulatory activity and contributes to the pathogenesis of the adult respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). The low molecular weight (9 kD) of C3a complicates the production of antibodies to C3a.