No abstract available.
Clinical Laboratory Techniques* ; Tuberculosis*

Using ELlSA, 83 sera from leprosy patients in National Sorokdo Hospital who are clessified bacteriologically positive and 40 sera from patient's children were tested for a.ntibedy to phenolic glycolipid I of M. leprae. The following results were obtained. I. Non. of 40 contact children was pasitive to PGL- I. 2. Patiente with high bacterial indices were more likely to have antibodies to PGL,- 1. Although the antibody level declined, in general, after multi-drug therapy (MDT), t.here were quite a few with high circulating antibodiees to PGL- I even among the patients bacteriologically below 2.
Antibodies ; Child* ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ; Humans ; Leprosy* ; Mycobacterium leprae* ; Mycobacterium* ; Phenol*

No abstract available.
Antibodies* ; Humans ; Leprosy*

The ability to introduce recombinant DNA molecules back into mycobacteria would greatly increase the potential of molecular genetic approaches for the study of mycobacteria as well as for the use in clinical purposes. We have initiated the construction of vectors that facilitates the introduction of recombinant DNA into mycobacteria. The vector was designed to contain replicons for multiplication in mycobacteria and Escherichia coli, a promoter for gene expression, a drug resistant gene for selecting transformants, and a few restriction enzyme sites for convenient cloning. Constructed Mycobacterium-E. coli shuttle vector named p YMC (hsp60) was shown to transform M. smegmatis at high efficiency and maintain plasmid at stable level. The ability of the vector to express cloned foreign gene was also monitored by measuring the expressed level of luciferase gene which was used as a reporter. High level of luciferase activity in M. smegmatis with pYMC (hsp60:luc) was detected confirming successful construction of Mycobacterium-E. coli shuttle vector.
Clone Cells ; Cloning, Organism ; DNA, Recombinant ; Escherichia coli* ; Escherichia* ; Gene Expression ; Genetic Vectors* ; Luciferases ; Molecular Biology ; Mycobacterium* ; Plasmids ; Replicon

Lyme disease is an infecious disease caused by Borrelia burgdorfieii and has been reported world-wide. The spirochete invades multiple organs and induces manifesations in the skin, joints, neri us and cardiovascular systems. 13espite a considerable amount of serological evidence and isolation of R burgdorferi in ticks, no human case has yet been reported in korea. In this report, we present the first clinical case of Lyme disease in Korea. A female patient, 26 years old, developed clinical signs of eryth m,i chronicum migpans about ten days after traveling to a rural area and responded well to treatment ith entibiotions. Laboratory tests showed elevated IgM and IgG responses to B. burgdorferi, and a spirociete was found in a skin biopsy by electron microscopy.
Adult ; Biopsy ; Borrelia ; Borrelia burgdorferi ; Cardiovascular System ; Female ; Humans ; Immunoglobulin G ; Immunoglobulin M ; Joints ; Korea ; Lyme Disease* ; Microscopy, Electron ; Skin ; Spirochaetales ; Ticks

No abstract available.
Antibodies* ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay* ; Orientia tsutsugamushi* ; Rickettsia*

No Abstract Available.
Brucella abortus* ; Brucella* ; Immunity, Humoral* ; Jeju-do* ; Recombinant Proteins*

No abstract available.
Twins, Conjoined*

BACKGROUND: Polymerase chain reaction(PCR) has brought an oppotunity for rapid detection of Mycobacterium leprae in clinical pecimens for the diagnosis of leprosy. Th DNA segment specific to M. leprae was detectable in a matteir of hours and DNA from one orgnisa appeared positive by PCR. However, the PCR tool has not been evaluated using elinical specimeriis from leprosy patients and controls. OBJECTIVE & METHODS: The primers amplifying 372bp segment of rebetitive sequence of M. leprae DNA were used in PCR. Skin biopsy specimens from 102 leprosy patient, and controls were examined for the presence of M. leprae by PCR and the results were aomared with microscopic and histopathologic findings. RESULTS: 1. As a result, of PCR after DNA preparation of M. leprae, six other mycobacteria, ten other bacteria, and skin from leprosy with five other skin biopsy tissues, 372bp DNA fragment was specifically amplified from M. leprae. 2. Dot blot, hybridization of PCR products showed that the 372bp DNA from skin biopsy specimens were derived from M. leprae. 3. As a result of PCR after DNA preparation of 10-fold diluted M. legrae from mouse footpad, PCR gave a positive result as low as one organism. 4. Of 87 specimens in which acid-fast bacilli were found under microcopic examinations 97% had positive PCR results. 5. Of 97 specimens which hadihistopathologic evidences of leprosy 95% had positive PCR results. 6. Of 15 specimens in which acid-fast bacilli were not found under n!icroscopic examinations 73% had positive PCR results. In three of five cases which had neither histopathologic nor microscopic evidences of leprosy had positive PCR results. CONCLUSION: PCR method amplifying 372bp fragment of repetitive seqi,ence was highly sensitive and specific in detecting M. leprae DNA in skin biopsy specimens, thus may be a useful tool as an additive diagnostic method, espcially for cases where microscopic antihystopathologic findings are not definite.
Animals ; Bacteria ; Biopsy* ; Diagnosis ; DNA ; Humans ; Leprosy* ; Mice ; Mycobacterium leprae* ; Mycobacterium* ; Polymerase Chain Reaction* ; Skin*

Rapid identification of Mycobacterium spp. isolated from patients is important with increased isolation of mycobacteria other than tubercle bacilli (MOTT). DNA-DNA hybridization with streptavidin-peroxidase and tetramethylbenzidine (TMB) color reaction method was recognized as a useful tool for identification of various species of mycobacteria. In this study, optimum condition of the test was determined. The optimal concentrations of tetramethylbenzidine dihydrochloride and hydrogen peroxide for streptavidin-horseradish peroxidase were 0.3-0.6 ug/ ml and 0.16 mM, respectively. The TMB stock solution was stable when prepared in methanol and the dilution of TBM stock solution in 10 mM sodium citrate-10 mM EDTA solution (pH 5.0) gave highest peroxidase-TMB activity. The suitable composition of hybridization solution consisted of 2 x SSC, 10% dextran sulfate, 50 ug/ml salmon DNA, 5 x Denhardt's solution, and 50% formamide. The 5-minute heating at 100C of test DNA prior to photobiotin labeling significantly increased the reaction. In conclusion, DNA-DNA hybridization method with streptavidin-peroxidase and TMB color reaction method may be useful for rapid identification of Mycobacterium spp. isolated from patients.
Dextran Sulfate ; DNA ; Edetic Acid ; Heating ; Hot Temperature ; Humans ; Hydrogen Peroxide ; Methanol ; Mycobacterium* ; Peroxidase ; Salmon ; Sodium