An unknown environmental agent has been suspected to induce systemic lupus erythematosus (lupus) in man. Prompted by our recent immunochemical findings, we sought evidence for an association between Epstein-Barr virus infection and lupus. Because the vast majority of adults have been infected with Epstein-Barr virus, we chose to study children and young adults. Virtually all (116 of 117, or 99%...

Acute hepatitis due to hepatitis A virus is usually a benign selflimiting disease during childhood. Although many viral infections such as hepatitis B virus, Parvovirus, and Epstein-Barr virus are associated with extrahepatic autoimmune phenomena, such manifestations are rare in patients with acute hepatitis A infection. Immune thrombocytopenia is a benign, self-limiting disease in children, re...

Hepatotropic viral infections are frequent in allograft recipients and may be caused by a number of different viruses. Of these, the most important infectious agents are hepatitis B virus (HBV) and hepatitis C virus (HCV), which can cause both acute and chronic hepatitis. In addition, Hepatitis E virus (HEV), thought previously to only cause acute hepatitis in the developing world, is emerging ...

This article summarizes the most recent advances in techniques and applications for the detection of taeniid cestode-infected persons or animals. In addition, the use of molecular approaches for strain identification and control of parasite transmission is discussed.

Encephalomyocarditis virus (EMCV) infections can cause losses in pig farms all over the world. Rapid, sensitive and unequivocal detection of this virus is therefore essential for the diagnosis and control of the disease. An RT-PCR assay was developed, optimized and evaluated for encephalomyocarditis virus detection in organ based on a pair of primers that amplifies a 165 bp DNA fragment from a ...

A case of primary lung malignancy presenting as pericardial effusion with associated localised Epstein-Barr virus infection or persistence. Editor, Acute pericarditis and pericardial effusion has many causes including infections, malignancy, collagen vascular disease, autoimmune diseases, uraemia, myocardial infarction, trauma, surgery, medications and hypothyroidism.We report a rare case in wh...

We describe a surveillance method that identifies excessive rates of positive cultures based on patient location, culture site, and organism identification. During a 6-month period, this surveillance method, coupled with epidemiological investigations, identified 19 small clusters of cross-infections and three small outbreaks of intravenous catheter-related bacteremias. These infections were as...

A total of 121 infants entered a cohort serological study of primary infections with herpes-viruses. All of them had seven samples of blood available: the first sample was taken soon after birth, the other six were taken at 1, 2, 3, 6, 12, and 14 months of age. One sample of maternal blood was collected immediately after delivery. All blood samples were tested for antibodies against cytomegalov...

Over several years sera were collected from 14 heterophil-positive students or patients who did not fulfill minimal hematologic criteria for infectious mononucleosis (I.M.) The specificity of these heterophil reactions for I.M. was investigated by determining antibodies to Epstein-Barr virus-determined antigens, i.e., to viral capsid antigens (VCA), early antigens (EA), and EBV-associated nucle...

Solid-organ transplantation is a therapeutic option for many human diseases. Infections are a major complication of solid-organ transplantation. All candidates should undergo a thorough infectious-disease screening prior to transplantation. There are three time frames, influenced by surgical factors, the level of immunosuppression, and environmental exposures, during which infections of specifi...