Sheep erythrocytes stabilized by aldehydes were coated with soluble antigens prepared from Legionne-lla pneumophila 1st serogroup Philadelphia 1 strainkindly provided by Center for Disease Control, Atlanta, GA. USA. We found the antibody liter raised more than fourfold during the convalescence of the guinea pigs inoculated with the above antigen. During October to December 1982, sera from 601 blood donors and patients without respiatory infection were tested for Legionnella antibodies by PHA test. 54 of 601 persons or 9% were found to have an antibody titer≥1 : 128.

In thirty seven patients with autoimmune thyroid disease (AITD) intrathyroidal macrophages (M ) and activated T cells were identified by alkaline phosphatase anti-alkaline phosphatase (APAAP) immunocytochemical technique using monoclonal antibodies Ki-M8, TLiSA 1 and anti-Tac. Different degrees of infiltration of M (Ki-M8-) and activation of T cells (TLiSA1- or Tac-) were seen in the thyroid tissue of Hashimoto thyroiditis (HT), Graves disease (GD) and Graves disease with thyroiditis(GDAT). However, there were no significant difference in proportions of the positive staining reactions among the different diseases. Staining of serial sections revealed a significant correlation between the proportions of Me and activated T cells in thyroid gland mononuclear cells (TG-MNC). It suggests that infiltration of M may have an influence on intrathyroidal T cell activation in AITD.

Objectives: To investigate the status of chlamydia pneumonia infection in blood donors from Nanjing Command of PLA. Methods: Use the technique of nested polymerase chain reaction to detect the DNA of chlamydia pneumonia in peripheral blood mononuclear cells. Results: 32 of 100 blood donors were positive (32%). Conclusions: Our study reveals that the infection rate of chlamydia pneumonia in blood donors from Nanjing Command of PLA is considerable high and the clinical values need further research.

OBJECTIVETo study Chlamydia pneumoniae (C. pneumoniae) infection in 110 patients with respiratory tract infection admitted to our hospital from January to December 1995 in Nanjing.

METHODSSputum and throat swab specimens were taken and C. pneumoniae DNA was detected by using polymerase chain reaction (PCR) with the HM-1-HR-1 primer pair. At the same time, serum samples were taken and immunoglobulin G and M (IgG and IgM) fractions of antibodies to C. pneumoniae were studied by microimmunofluorescence test.

RESULTSPrevalence of specific IgG was 70% in patients with respiratory tract infection. Seventeen patients (15.5%) were serologically diagnosed as having recent C. pneumoniae infections and 12 patients (10.9%) had positive PCR in sputum and/or swab specimens. The total positive rate was 22.7% (25/110) detected by PCR combined with serological tests. Acute infection of C. pneumoniae was common in patients with asthma (57.1%), pneumonia (35.0%), COPD (25.9%) and bronchitis (25.0%). Clinical features between C. pneumoniae infection and non-C. pneumonia infection showed no significant differences.

CONCLUSIONSChlamydia pneumoniae is an important pathogen that causes infection of the human respiratory tract and attention should be drawn to this special illness.

Acute Disease ; Adolescent ; Adult ; Age Factors ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Antibodies, Bacterial ; blood ; Chlamydophila pneumoniae ; genetics ; immunology ; DNA, Bacterial ; analysis ; Female ; Humans ; Immunoglobulin G ; blood ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Pneumonia, Bacterial ; blood ; microbiology ; Polymerase Chain Reaction

OBJECTIVETo evaluate mice as experimental animals for Chlamydia pneumoniae (C. pneumoniae) infection and investigate the pathogenesis of C. pneumoniae derived pneumonitis.

METHODSIcr mice were inoculated with the C. pneumoniae strain, CWL-029, either intranasally or intravenously. After a single dose inoculation, mice were killed on the 1st, 3rd, 7th, 14th, 21st, 28th and 60th days. The pathological changes in lung tissue were analyzed.

RESULTSThe Icr mice were shown to be susceptible to C. pneumoniae. Inoculation into mice with C. pneumoniae induced a prolonged course of lung infection, as demonstrated by persistence of lung pathology (up to 60 days). Via intranasal inoculation of mice, lung pathology was characterized by patchy interstitial pneumonitis with predominantly neutrophil leukocyte infiltration early (within the first 7 days) and lymphocyte infiltration in the later stages (14 days later) of infection. After intravenous inoculation, a similarly developed interstitial pneumonitis was observed, but it was milder and patchier, especially in early stages. C. pneumoniae DNA was detected by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) intermittently in the lung tissue. Inoculated mice developed serum IgG antibody responses.

CONCLUSIONThe Icr mice were susceptible to C. pneumoniae, resulting in a pulmonary infection characterized by interstitial pneumonitis, occurring most strongly via intranasal inoculation.

Animals ; Chlamydia Infections ; etiology ; pathology ; Chlamydophila pneumoniae ; DNA, Bacterial ; analysis ; Lung ; pathology ; Male ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred ICR ; Pneumonia, Bacterial ; etiology ; pathology ; Polymerase Chain Reaction