Drug-induced hypersensitivity reactions encompass a variety of different clinical phenotypes ranging from harmless rashes to fatal reactions. They can be classified into allergic (i.e. drug allergy) and non-allergic hypersensitivity). Drug allergies in turn either antibody (e.g. IgE) or T cell-mediated. One the diagnostic tools for vitro detection allergy is lymphocyte transformation test (LTT)...

Lupoid leishmaniasis is an unusual complication of acute cutaneous leishmaniasis which can represent a diagnostic and therapeutic challenge. The disease is actually a reactivation of an earlier acute cutaneous infection. It usually starts close to or in the scar of previous lesion and can cause severe destruction. Its diagnosis is complicated by the sparsity of the microorganisms in the d...

The Empire Rheumatism Council's controlled trial (1960) showed that gold salts benefit patients with rheumatoid arthritis. However, side-effects still occur with this treatment despite regular blood counts and urine examinations and, although the incidence of severe reactions has probably been reduced by careful attention to the dose and number of injections given, serious haematological compli...

In seven patients with chronic beryllium disease (Be) the Be lymphocyte transformation test was positive in 100%, independent of steroid therapy, and was reproducible. The Be macrophage migration inhibition test was only positive in four of seven patients (57%) not on steroids, and was not reproducible. In 72 potentially exposed healthy beryllium workers the lymphocyte transformation test was n...

The role of specific cell-mediated immune responses in human cytomegalovirus (CMV) infections was studied by an in vitro lymphocyte transformation test, using a whole blood culture. CMV-induced in vitro lymphocyte proliferation was mainly dependent on the presence of sensitized T-cells. Three of five seronegative patients with B-cell deficiency showed positive lymphocyte responses to CMV antige...