Contact allergy to denture materials in the burning mouth syndrome

Several factors may be responsible for stomatitis in general and the burning mouth syndrome in particular. The results of patch testing are reported in 4 patients with burning mouth symptoms thought to be due to sensitization to denture material. 2 patients reacted to substances in Luxene dentures, but the allergens were not identified. In a 3rd patient, sensitization was found to monomeric methyl methacrylate. The other patient gave positive patch tests to epoxy resin (and bisphenol A), probably present in glue used for repair of dental plates. To obtain a complete diagnosis in cases of suspected contact stomatitis due to allergens in dentures, a reliable standard test series is required.

Replication characteristics and core size of intranuclear herpes simplex virus (HSV-1) in genital skin lesions: electronmicroscopy studies of a biopsy from a female patient

Herpes simplex virus (HSV) type 1 genital infection, leading to ulcerating lesions in a female patient, was studied by electronmicroscopy. Infection had probably been recent, through oro-genital contact with a cold sore on the husband's lip. Cell-culture typing and serological tests indicated that the patient currently had an HSV-1 secondary infection. Aspects studied in a skin biopsy from an ulcerating labium majus were epidermal cell types infected, stages in virus genesis, virus core diameter in intranuclear capsids and extracellular appearance of virus. Different stages in virus genesis, in virus envelope formation and in nuclear and cytoplasmic degeneration were observed in the few remaining, rounded and swollen, epidermal (?) spinosum cells. Their nuclei, some with marginated chromatin, harboured besides dense-cored or empty capsids, electron-dense blobs possibly representing clones of immature virus and falling apart into aggregates of small granules. In other nuclei, large clusters of dense-cored capsids, some distinctly hexagonal in shape, had accumulated in wide gaps in the nuclear membrane whereas remaining nuclear membrane portions were quadruple and often engaged in viral envelope formation. Partially enveloped capsids and naked dense-cored capsids were seen extracellularly indicating their survival outside cells. An occasional virion was present in dermal blood vessel lumina. Measurements of the electron-dense core (nucleoid) of intranuclear capsids in electronmicrographs showed that the HSV-1 core diameter differs very significantly from the core of intranuclear HSV-2 capsids, thus allowing a clear distinction by electronmicroscopy between the two HSV subtypes in plastic-embedded biopsies.

Evaluation of an enzyme immunoassay for detection of herpes simplex virus antigen in genital lesions

To evaluate a non-marketed research prototype of a solid-phase enzyme immunoassay for detection of herpes simplex virus in genital lesions, 154 clinical specimens were collected from 127 men and 27 women with symptoms suggestive of herpes simplex virus infection (erythema, vesicles, ulcers and crustae). The samples were tested using the assay and cultures on four monolayers of human embryonic lung fibroblasts and Vero cells. When the culture was used as reference method, sensitivity was 76.9% and specificity 100% (prevalence 42.4%). Comparison of results by patient group showed that sensitivity was highest in material from patients with vesicles and ulcers. The highest sensitivity was obtained in specimens which developed a cytopathological effect within 48 h and in specimens with three or four positive cell cultures. These findings suggest that the assay is more successful in specimens with high virus titres. The enzyme immunoassay was found to be a rapid, moderately sensitive, highly specific test for detection of herpes simplex virus from genital lesions, but the usefulness of the assay is limited and culture methods should be preferred.

[Is juvenile seborrheic dermatitis a candidiasis? Studies of a possible link with microbial infections]

Infantile seborrheic dermatitis (ISD), a disease occurring in the first months of life, is an erythematosquamous skin disease of unknown origin. This article presents results of microbial studies in 20 patients with ISD. Isolation of candida in a high percentage may indicate a primary role of this micro-organism in the etiology of this disease. It is striking that this disease often starts after disturbing the microbial colonization of the intestinal tract. Often ISD develops during the transition of breastfeeding to humanized cow milk.

Comparative double-blind study of 200- and 400-mg enoxacin given orally in the treatment of acute uncomplicated urethral gonorrhea in males

In a double-blind randomized study, 155 male patients with uncomplicated urethral gonorrhea were given 200 mg (one capsule with 200 mg and one capsule with placebo; n = 77) or 400 mg (two capsules with 200 mg; n = 78) of enoxacin orally. The cure rates in the 200- and 400-mg treatment groups were 90 and 92%, respectively. The enoxacin MIC for the isolated Neisseria gonorrhoeae strains ranged from 0.015 to 0.12 microgram/ml. Postgonococcal urethritis was diagnosed in 29 (42%) patients in the 200-mg treatment group and 19 (26%) patients in the 400-mg treatment group. Side effects (nausea, headache, and vomiting) occurred in 2 (3%) of the 77 patients in the 200-mg treatment group and in 3 (4%) of the 78 patients in the 400-mg treatment group.

Sexually communicable micro-organisms in human semen samples to be used for artificial insemination by donor

Two hundred and thirty seven semen samples from 10 institutes for artificial insemination by donor (AID) in Belgium and the Netherlands were tested for the presence of Neisseria gonorrhoeae, Chlamydia trachomatis, Mycoplasma hominis, Ureaplasma urealyticum, herpes simplex virus, and cytomegalovirus. The incidence of these micro-organisms in the semen samples was 0%, 6.3%, 4.6%, 35.9%, 0%, and 0.4% respectively, and 47% of all samples were infected with one or more of the micro-organisms. As the ejaculates from which the samples had been taken had already been, or would be, used for AID, the exclusion of microbiological contamination with sexually communicable micro-organisms before insemination is indicated.

Quantification of patch test reactions by transcutaneous PO2 measurement

The usefulness of transcutaneous oxygen tension (tc-PO2) measurement for quantification of positive patch test reactions was studied. A significant correlation was found between the visual grading and the quantitative tc-PO2 values. Tc-PO2 discriminated between visual grade 0 to 1+, 1+ to 2+, and 2+ to 3+ reactions. The results obtained by this method were compared with those obtained by other quantitative methods. Tc-PO2 measurement can be regarded as complementary to the laser Doppler technique, since it lacks the sensitivity of the laser Doppler technique in the range in negative to 1+ patch reactions, but it does discriminate between 2+ and stronger reactions.