Cord blood IgE and month of birth

If cord blood IgE is used to detect those predisposed to become allergic it is important to define appropriately the normal values for this measurement. A commonly cited cut off point is 1.0 IU/ml. We analysed 5353 cord blood samples for IgE by means of an enzyme linked immunosorbent assay. Descriptive statistics of the distribution curve of cord blood IgE concentrations showed that most normal values were well below the cut off value of 1.0 IU/ml and that most abnormal values were in the neighbourhood of 1.0 IU/ml. It seems advantageous, therefore, to lower the cut off value for cord blood IgE. When cord blood IgE was analysed according to the child's month of birth a significantly uneven distribution of abnormal cases of cord blood IgE concentrations over the year was found. The occurrence of an abnormal cord blood IgE concentration showed a significant cyclic trend, with a peak near the end of April and a trough in late October.

Specific monoclonal antibodies reacting with human breast cancer cells

Spleen cells from Balb/c mice immunized with human breast cancer cells (MCF-7) were fused with murine myeloma SP2/0 cells. Screening of the monoclonal antibodies produced was carried out on glutaraldehyde fixed cells coated on microtiterplates. An initial evaluation of the specificity was obtained by comparing the binding of the monoclonal antibodies to MCF-7 cells with the binding to human peripheral blood lymphocytes. Eight monoclonal antibodies reacting with different epitopes on the MCF-7 cells were obtained. On the basis of their clonal origin, isotype and reaction pattern towards the MCF-7 cells these monoclonal antibodies were subdivided into two classes. Both groups of antibodies reacted with fixed and unfixed MCF-7 cells. The cellular distribution of the antigens recognized by the monoclonal antibodies was determined. To check for specificity a panel of different cells (of human and animal origin) was evaluated by immunocytochemical techniques.

Screening for Ureaplasma urealyticum infections in the neonate and the association with prematurity

Ureaplasma urealyticum has been implicated in gynaecological, obstetrical and neonatal pathology. Increased levels of C-reactive protein and total IgM concentrations in cord blood have often been used as a screening method for infectious disease in the fetus and the newborn. Analysis of the isolation rate of U. urealyticum in function of the concentrations of these two parameters in cord blood showed that U. urealyticum was significantly (P less than 0.05) more frequently isolated when CRP was above normal in cord blood. No correlation between the IgM level in the newborn and the presence of U. urealyticum could be established. A significant relationship was found (P less than 0.01) between Ureaplasma isolation in the urine of mother and child on the one hand and gestational age on the other hand, which supports the hypothesis that U. urealyticum may play a role in preterm delivery.

Antibiotic susceptibility of Neisseria gonorrhoeae strains from Europe and Africa

The in vitro activities of 16 antimicrobial agents were tested by a plate dilution method against 268 unselected isolates of Neisseria gonorrhoeae from Belgium, Rwanda, Swaziland, and Zaire. Fifteen beta-lactamase-producing strains isolated in Europe from various origins were also tested. There were significant regional variations in antimicrobial agent susceptibility, even among the African isolates, with the Rwandan and Zairean strains being most resistant. Benzylpenicillin and ampicillin were equally active in all but the beta-lactamase-producing strains. Among the cephalosporins, cefotaxime was by far the most active, followed by cefuroxime, cefamandole, cefoxitin, and cefaclor, in that order. All strains were susceptible to spectinomycin, thiamphenicol, kanamycin, and rifampin, with the exception of one highly rifampin-resistant isolate and a moderately thiamphenicol-resistant strain. Twenty-six percent of the isolates were highly resistant to streptomycin. Six percent of the gonococci had a minimal inhibitory concentration for tetracycline greater than 2 mug/ml. Clavulanic acid inhibited the beta-lactamase activity of the gonococci tested and improved markedly the activities of ampicillin and amoxicillin against beta-lactamase-producing strains.