BACKGROUND The annual risk of tuberculous infection (ARTI) is a key epidemiological indicator of the extent of transmission in a community. Several methods have been suggested to estimate the prevalence of tuberculous infection using tuberculin skin test data. This paper explores the implications of using different methods to estimate prevalence of infection and ARTI. The effect of BCG vaccinat...

To assess the usefulness of Mycobacterium leprae-infected armadillo tissue as a substitute for human lepromas for the manufacture of lepromin, we compared skin reactions to preparations from these two sources in 115 leprosy patients. The patient sample represented all the primary clinical forms of leprosy. Lepromin derived from the armadillo (lepromin-A) provoked the same pattern of responses a...

There is an urgent need to develop data integration and testing strategy frameworks allowing interpretation of results from animal alternative test batteries. To this end, we developed a Bayesian Network Integrated Testing Strategy (BN ITS) with the goal to estimate skin sensitization hazard as a test case of previously developed concepts (Jaworska et al., 2010). The BN ITS combines in silico, ...

Due to its excellent safety profile, ease of administration, and economic considerations, sublingual immunotherapy (SLIT) is becoming a preferred form of allergen specific immunotherapy. The efficacy of SLIT is still debated. The purpose of this act of practice trial is to evaluate quality of life outcomes in patients treated with SLIT. Fifty one patients with allergic rhinoconjunctivitis demon...

MANY ATTEMPTS have been made to establish the relationship between angiotensin, human hypertension, and experimental hypertension. Three groups have reported the successful demonstration of a pressor material in varying amounts in the blood of patients with benign and malignant hypertension.-3 Boucher, Biron, and Genest2 claim that the material they isolated gave pressor reactions, chemical rea...

Methods TB & HIV infection in children in retrospective study was in our mind. WHO endorsed in 2010 new diagnostic tool to confirm TB, like Gene XPRT, MDR/RIP, PCR based test even in children. Presently it is not widely available in Sub Saharan Africa because of high cost. South Africa lucky to have Gene XPRT test kit available even in district hospital. BCG vaccine and Tuberculin skin test and...

This study was performed in order to analyse whether the immune unresponsiveness to Mycobacterium leprae, largely seen in lepromatous patients, persisted after discharge from treatment. Lymphoproliferation and skin tests were performed using two mycobacterial antigens (M. leprae and BCG) in three groups of lepromatous patients grouped by treatment status. Forty-seven per cent of the lepromatous...

Twenty four volunteers who had been allergic to laboratory animals for some years were examined by means of a questionnaire paying particular attention to symptoms associated with rats and by serological and skin tests with extracts of rat urine (retrospective study). Nasal and eye symptoms were reported by 21 and 16 individuals respectively: 13 had asthma. Positive skin tests and high levels o...

At least 10 of 11 demonstrable antigens in unheated culture filtrates of 12 vaccine strains of BCG were shared as determined in a reference antigen-antibody immunoelectrophoresis system. Filtrates from each of the BCG strains gave equivalent skin test reactions in homologously and heterologously sensitized guinea pigs. By these immunological parameters, the 12 BCG strains were remarkably similar.

Tree nut (TN) allergy is common and often severe. It has become an important health concern as availability and consumption have increased. Prevalence varies by age and geographic region and appears to have increased in children. Accidental ingestion of TNs is common. Unfortunately, there is a lower likelihood of resolution of TN allergy, roughly 10%. TN-specific skin tests and serum immunoglob...