Serological testing is widely used to monitor swine herds for Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae (APP). Several serological tests are presently used, most often the complement fixation test, the long-chain lipopolysaccharide enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), and the ApxIV ELISA. Serological testing occasionally generates ambiguous results. In such situations, bacterial isolation and polym...

An epidemic of cases of toxoplasmic encephalitis is occurring in patients with acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS). Serological or histopathologic studies were performed on 70 cases with AIDS and toxoplasmic encephalitis. In many cases conventional stains of brain-tissue specimens failed to disclose Toxoplasma organisms; all were positive when stained by the peroxidase-antiperoxidase tec...

Between February 1990 and May 1993, 13 cases of early congenital syphilis (ECS) were managed in the Paediatrics Unit, University Hospital, Kuala Lumpur. Twelve mothers were unbooked with 10 inborn babies. Only one mother had antenatal booking at this hospital but she defaulted antenatal follow-up. Several risk factors associated with ECS were identified: inadequate or no prenatal care (5/13), f...

The sensitivity of human embryonic kidney (HEK) cell culture and the complement fixation test (cft) in the diagnosis of adenovirus ocular infection has been compared. The optimum time for collection of specimens to obtain the best results by each test has been examined. Sixty-one (53%) of 116 patients with moderate to severe follicular conjunctivitis, clinically indicative of adenovirus infecti...