The aim of this study was to estimate the seroprevalence of immunoglobulin M (IgM) and G (IgG) antibodies against SARS-CoV-2 in asymptomatic people in Wuhan. This was a cross-sectional study, which enrolled 18,712 asymptomatic participants from 154 work units in Wuhan. Pearson Chi-square test,
Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Antibodies, Viral/blood* ; COVID-19/immunology* ; Carrier State/immunology* ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; China/epidemiology* ; Coronavirus Nucleocapsid Proteins/immunology* ; Cross-Sectional Studies ; Female ; Humans ; Immunoglobulin G/blood* ; Immunoglobulin M/blood* ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Occupations/classification* ; Phosphoproteins/immunology* ; SARS-CoV-2/immunology* ; Seroepidemiologic Studies ; Spike Glycoprotein, Coronavirus/immunology* ; Young Adult

The aim of this cross sectional case control study was to examine the serofrequency and serointensity of Toxoplasma gondii (Tg) IgG, IgM, and DNA among patients with schizophrenia. A total of 101 patients with schizophrenia and 55 healthy controls from Sungai Buloh Hospital, Selangor, Malaysia and University Malaya Medical Center (UMMC) were included in this study. The diagnosis of schizophrenia was made based on the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition (DSM-IV). The presence of Tg infection was examined using both indirect (ELISA) and direct (quantitative real-time PCR) detection methods by measuring Tg IgG and IgM and DNA, respectively. The serofrequency of Tg IgG antibodies (51.5%, 52/101) and DNA (32.67%, 33/101) among patients with schizophrenia was significantly higher than IgG (18.2%, 10/55) and DNA (3.64%, 2/55) of the controls (IgG, P=0.000, OD=4.8, CI=2.2-10.5; DNA, P=0.000, OD=12.9, CI=2.17-10.51). However, the Tg IgM antibody between patients with schizophrenia and controls was not significant (P>0.005). There was no significant difference (P>0.005) in both serointensity of Tg IgG and DNA between patients with schizophrenia and controls. These findings have further demonstrated the strong association between the active Tg infection and schizophrenia.
Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Antibodies, Protozoan/*blood ; Case-Control Studies ; Cross-Sectional Studies ; DNA, Protozoan/*blood ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ; Female ; Humans ; Immunoglobulin G/blood ; Immunoglobulin M/blood ; Malaysia ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Schizophrenia/*complications ; Seroepidemiologic Studies ; Toxoplasma/classification/genetics/immunology/*isolation & purification ; Toxoplasmosis/*epidemiology/immunology/*parasitology ; Young Adult

The aim of this cross sectional case control study was to examine the serofrequency and serointensity of Toxoplasma gondii (Tg) IgG, IgM, and DNA among patients with schizophrenia. A total of 101 patients with schizophrenia and 55 healthy controls from Sungai Buloh Hospital, Selangor, Malaysia and University Malaya Medical Center (UMMC) were included in this study. The diagnosis of schizophrenia was made based on the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition (DSM-IV). The presence of Tg infection was examined using both indirect (ELISA) and direct (quantitative real-time PCR) detection methods by measuring Tg IgG and IgM and DNA, respectively. The serofrequency of Tg IgG antibodies (51.5%, 52/101) and DNA (32.67%, 33/101) among patients with schizophrenia was significantly higher than IgG (18.2%, 10/55) and DNA (3.64%, 2/55) of the controls (IgG, P=0.000, OD=4.8, CI=2.2-10.5; DNA, P=0.000, OD=12.9, CI=2.17-10.51). However, the Tg IgM antibody between patients with schizophrenia and controls was not significant (P>0.005). There was no significant difference (P>0.005) in both serointensity of Tg IgG and DNA between patients with schizophrenia and controls. These findings have further demonstrated the strong association between the active Tg infection and schizophrenia.
Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Antibodies, Protozoan/*blood ; Case-Control Studies ; Cross-Sectional Studies ; DNA, Protozoan/*blood ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ; Female ; Humans ; Immunoglobulin G/blood ; Immunoglobulin M/blood ; Malaysia ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Schizophrenia/*complications ; Seroepidemiologic Studies ; Toxoplasma/classification/genetics/immunology/*isolation & purification ; Toxoplasmosis/*epidemiology/immunology/*parasitology ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVETo explore the relationship between the major allergens of 6 common allergic foods and IgA nephropathy.

METHODSA sensitive sandwich enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was used to detect the serum levels of food-specific IgA1, IgG and IgE in 31 patients with IgA nephropathy and 80 healthy volunteers. All the patients were examined for a history of food allergy using a questionnaire.

RESULTSSerum levels of IgA1 and IgG against the major allergens of the 6 common allergic foods were significantly higher in patients with IgA nephropathy than in healthy volunteers (P<0.05). There was no detectable food-specific IgE antibodies in the two groups. No patients had a clear history of food allergy. All the patients with increased IgG levels specific to 4 or more foods simultaneously had proteinuria.

CONCLUSIONSSome foods especially the highly allergic ones may participate in the pathogenesis and progression of IgA nephropathy.

Adult ; Antibody Specificity ; Case-Control Studies ; Female ; Food Hypersensitivity ; classification ; immunology ; Glomerulonephritis, IGA ; blood ; immunology ; Humans ; Immunoglobulin A ; blood ; Immunoglobulin E ; blood ; Immunoglobulin G ; blood ; Male ; Young Adult

A 52-year-old woman presented with lower back pain, progressive symmetrical paraparesis with sensory impairment, and sphincter disturbance. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the whole spine revealed multiple intradural extramedullary serpiginous-mass lesions in the subarachnoid space continuously from the prepontine to the anterior part of the medulla oblongata levels, C7, T2-T8, and T12 vertebral levels distally until the end of the theca sac and filling-in the right S1 neural foramen. Sparganosis was diagnosed by demonstration of the sparganum in histopathological sections of surgically resected tissues and also by the presence of serum IgG antibodies by ELISA. DNA was extracted from unstained tissue sections, and a partial fragment of mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit 1 (cox1) gene was amplified using a primer set specific for Spirometra spp. cox1. After sequencing of the PCR-amplicon and alignment of the nucleotide sequence data, the causative agent was identified as the larva of Spirometra erinaceieuropaei.
Animals ; Antibodies, Helminth/blood ; Electron Transport Complex IV/genetics ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ; Female ; Helminth Proteins/genetics ; Histocytochemistry ; Humans ; Immunoglobulin G/blood ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Middle Aged ; Molecular Sequence Data ; Polyradiculopathy/*pathology ; Sequence Analysis, DNA ; Sparganosis/*diagnosis/*pathology ; Spine/radiography ; Spirometra/classification/genetics/*isolation & purification

OBJECTIVE: To explore the role of IL-21 in the pathogenesis of myasthenia gravis (MG) and its influence on the the class switch of anti-AChR antibodies. METHODS: Blood was taken from 26 patients and 18 healthy controls, and the expression of IL-21R mRNA in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) was detected by RT-PCR. The expression of IL-21R on B lymphocytes was measured by flow cytometry, while the concentrations of serum IL-21 and the levels of anti-AChR-IgG and its isotype IgG(1), IgG(2), and IgG(3) were tested by ELISA. RESULTS: The serum concentration of IL-21 in the MG group was higher than that in the control group (31.686±8.499 pg/mL, 15.147±6.366 pg/mL) and the difference was significant (P<0.01). IL-21R mRNA expressed on PBMCs in the MG group was higher than that in the control group (0.139±0.052, 0.101±0.022), and the difference was significant (P<0.05). There was no difference between ocular MG and generalized MG subgroup (P>0.05). Compared with the control group, the expression of IL-21R on B lymphocytes also increased in the MG group (P<0.05). In the anti-AChR-Ab positive MG group, the serum concentration of IL-21 showed positive correlation with anti-AChR-IgG(P<0.05),but no correlation with its isotype IgG(1), IgG(2), and IgG(3), respectively(P>0.05). Expression of IL-21R mRNA in the PBMCs showed no correlation with the level of serum anti-AChR-IgG and its isotype IgG(1), IgG(2), and IgG(3), respectively(P>0.05); however the expression of IL-21R in B lymphocytes showed positive correlation with anti-AChR-IgG and it's isotype IgG(1) and IgG(3) (P<0.05,P<0.01,P<0.05), but no correlation with IgG(2) (P>0.05). CONCLUSION IL-21 might induce the class switch of anti-AChR antibodies to IgG(1) and IgG(3) isotype through IL-21R on B lymphocytes which promotes the pathogenesis of the MG.
Adolescent ; Adult ; Autoantibodies ; classification ; immunology ; Female ; Humans ; Immunoglobulin Class Switching ; immunology ; Immunoglobulin G ; classification ; Interleukins ; blood ; genetics ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Myasthenia Gravis ; blood ; immunology ; RNA, Messenger ; blood ; genetics ; Receptors, Cholinergic ; immunology ; Receptors, Interleukin-21 ; blood ; genetics ; Young Adult

PURPOSE: A possible involvement of autoimmune mechanism in the pathogenesis of bronchial asthma has been proposed. Recently, alpha-enolase protein was identified as a major autoantigen recognized by circulating IgG autoantibodies in patients with severe asthma. To evaluate a possible pathogenetic significance of these autoantibodies in severe asthma, isotype (IgG, IgA, IgM, and IgE) and IgG subclass (IgG1, IgG2, IgG3, and IgG4) distributions of autoantibodies to recombinant human alpha-enolase protein were analyzed. PATIENTS AND METHODS: We examined serum samples from 10 patients with severe asthma and 7 patients with mild-to-moderate asthma, and 5 healthy controls by immunoblot analysis. Severe asthma was defined as patients having at least 1 severe asthmatic exacerbation requiring an emergency department visit or admission in the last year despite continuous typical therapies. RESULTS: IgG1 was the predominant IgG subclass antibody response to alpha-enolase protein in patients with severe asthma. IgG1 autoantibody to alpha-enolase protein was detected in 7 of 10 patients with severe asthma (70%), 1 of 7 patients with mild-to-moderate asthma (14.3%), and none of 5 healthy controls (0%) (chi-square test; p < 0.05). IgA, IgM, and IgE autoantibodies to alpha-enolase protein could not be detected in patients with severe asthma. CONCLUSION: IgG1 subclass was the predominant type of autoantibody response to alpha-enolase protein in patients with severe asthma, suggests a possibility of IgG1 autoantibody- mediated complement activation in the pathogenesis of severe asthma.
Adult ; Aged ; Asthma/*enzymology/*immunology ; Autoantibodies/*blood/classification ; Autoantigens ; Case-Control Studies ; Complement Activation ; Female ; Humans ; Immunoglobulin G/blood/classification ; Immunoglobulin Isotypes/blood ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Phosphopyruvate Hydratase/*immunology ; Recombinant Proteins/immunology ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVEThe development of recurrent respiratory tract infection (RRTI) is related to vitamin A deficiency and immune function abnormality in children. This study examined serum levels of IgG subclasses and vitamin A in children with recurrent respiratory tract infection.

METHODSSerum IgG subclasses levels (IgG1, IgG2, IgG3, IgG4) were detected using ELISA and serum vitamin A levels were detected using high performance liquid chromatography-Miller method in 80 children with RRTI (ranged from 2-10 years old). The values were compared with those from 80 aged-matched healthy children.

RESULTSSerum levels of IgG2 (1.52 +/- 0.18 g/L) and IgG4 (0.22 +/- 0.12 g/L) in children with RRTI were significantly lower than controls (IgG2: 2.23 +/- 0.08 g/L; IgG4: 0.28 +/- 0.01 g/L) (P < 0.05). Serum vitamin A levels in children with RRTI were also significantly lower than controls (1.16 +/- 0.22 micromol/L vs 1.56 +/- 0.12 micromol/L; P < 0.05). IgG2 and IgG4 deficiency (27%) was the most common in 22 RRTI children with vitamin A deficiency.

CONCLUSIONSSerum levels of IgG subclasses, IgG2 and IgG4, and vitamin A decrease in children with RRTI. There might be some relationship between the decreased IgG2 and IgG4 levels and vitamin A deficiency.

Child ; Child, Preschool ; Female ; Humans ; Immunoglobulin G ; blood ; classification ; Male ; Respiratory Tract Infections ; blood ; Vitamin A ; blood

OBJECTIVETo investigate the incidence of HEV infection in population of non-remunerate blood donors in Shaoxing.

METHODSBlood specimens from 3701 non-remunerate blood donors were collected, ELISA were used to study anti-HEV IgG and IgM antibodies, RT-PCR were further used to study HEV RNA in samples from donors whose anti-HEV IgM was positive.

RESULTSAnti-HEV IgG positive rate was 29.19% (1107/3701), anti-HEV IgM positive rate was 1.35% (50/3701) among non-remunerate blood donors in Shaoxin. Six cases were positive for HEV RNA. The positive rate was 0.16% (6/3701), and all the 6 cases belonged to HEV genotype 1. Different seasons showed no interference on the positive rate of IgG and IgM.

CONCLUSIONThe detecting and studying of HEV infection among donors was important to ensure the safety of blood products and blood transfusion.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Age Factors ; Blood Donors ; China ; epidemiology ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ; Female ; Hepatitis E ; blood ; epidemiology ; virology ; Hepatitis E virus ; classification ; genetics ; immunology ; Humans ; Immunoglobulin G ; blood ; Immunoglobulin M ; blood ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Phylogeny ; RNA, Viral ; blood ; genetics ; Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVEIn order to find out the factors related to hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS) infection, and to evaluate the probability of ecdemic hantaviruses (HV) infection in rodents in Beijing areas.

METHODSRodents were collected in a large-scale railway station and a produce market with 'trap nights' method from April to May, 2004. The IgG reacting sera to HV antigen were detected using ELISA. The partial M and S segment of HV from captured rodent lung samples were amplified with RT-PCR. The PCR products were purified and sequenced. BLAST program was then used to perform on nucleotide pairwise alignment with all available sequence in GenBank. The alignment of the multiply nucleotide and the deduced amino acid sequences, together with phylogenetic analysis were completed with DNASTAR software.

RESULTSThe average population density was 3.49% (24/690). The overall seroprevalence of HV infection was 8.3% (2/24). RT-PCR positive rates were 8.3% (2/24). The nucleotide sequences of 356 bp region (1958 - 2313) of M segment obtained from 2 samples were all identified to Seoul virus (SEOV), with 7.6% heterogeneity. The dc501 strain from railway station was closely related to SD227 and Hebei4 from Shandong and Hebei provinces respectively. BjFT01 strain from the farm product market had more special nucleotide transitional mutations than other known SEOV from Beijing in GenBank. This strain, together with known HN71 from Hainan province, K24-E7 from Zhejiang province, L99 from Jiangxi province and R22 from Henan province, represented a monophylogentic linkage.

CONCLUSIONThe higher HV prevalence of rodents in transportation center was the potential and important risk for HFRS epidemic in Beijing. The increasing prevalence of M. musculus should call for attention. It was possible that SEOV in Beijing was imported by infected rodents through vehicles from other provinces.

Animals ; Antigens, Viral ; immunology ; China ; epidemiology ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ; Hantavirus ; classification ; genetics ; isolation & purification ; Hantavirus Infections ; epidemiology ; immunology ; Hemorrhagic Fever with Renal Syndrome ; epidemiology ; Immunoglobulin G ; blood ; Lung ; virology ; Phylogeny ; Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Rodent Diseases ; epidemiology ; virology ; Rodentia ; Seroepidemiologic Studies