Cellular immune response in Echinococcus multilocularis infection in humans. I. Lymphocyte reactivity to Echinococcus antigens in patients with alveolar echinococcosis.

The involvement of cellular immunity in alveolar echinococcosis (AE) due to E. multilocularis is strongly suggested by the intense granulomatous infiltration observed around the hepatic parasitic lesions, and a progressive decrease of specific cellular immunity has been described in murine AE. However, specific cellular immunity against E.

Dermatological autoimmune diseases and the multiple autoimmune syndromes.

The association of autoimmune pathologies with cutaneous diseases has received little attention, except for their association by twos. The combination of at least three autoimmune diseases in a same patient has recently been defined as a Multiple Autoimmune Syndrome (MAS). The purpose of this article is to define the place of dermatological autoimmune conditions (vitiligo, alopecia areata, pemphigus, bullous pemphigoid, dermatitis herpetiformis) among the MAS and to stress the clinical aspects that may aid dermatologists in the care of their patients.

[Acute allergic colitis caused by ACTH].

The case of a woman suffering from urticaria of the colon is reported. The original endoscopic images were described and its allergic (corticotrophin) origin was documented through clinical arguments and in vivo and in vitro tests. The term acute allergic colitis seems to be more suitable taking into account the distribution, the cause and the development of this disease.

IgE-dependent humoral immune response in Echinococcus multilocularis infection: circulating and basophil-bound specific IgE against Echinococcus antigens in patients with alveolar echinococcosis.

Clinical symptoms of immediate-type hypersensitivity (ITH) and specific IgE against Echinococcus granulosus antigens are frequently present in patients with hydatid cysts. In alveolar echinococcosis (AE) due to E. multilocularis, clinical manifestations related to ITH have never been reported.

[Cross-reactivity between parasitic antigens and T lymphocyte surface antigens: a possible host-escape mechanism for Echinococcus multilocularis].

We report an immunocytochemical analysis of E. m. protoscolices obtained in 2 strains of mice (AKR, Balb c) which were experimentally infected.

Pulmonary embolism from a parasitic cardiac clot secondary to hepatic alveolar echinococcosis.

An exceptional form of hepatic alveolar echinococcosis with metastasis of the right atrium is reported. This cardiac location of the parasitosis was revealed by attacks of pulmonary embolism which produced secondary pulmonary lesions. This case suggests that pulmonary metastases of alveolar echinococcosis of the liver might be due to the migration of parasitic clots from the hepatic veins.

Collagen immunotyping of the hepatic fibrosis in human alveolar echinococcosis.

An extremely dense fibrosis is responsible for the main complications of alveolar echinococcosis (AE), a severe parasitic disease due to the development in the liver of a larval form of the cestode Echinococcus multilocularis. Immunotyping of collagens present in fibrous, granulomatous, and normal areas of the liver was performed in nine patients with AE. Immunofluorescent labelling of collagen types showed that dense fibrosis was entirely composed of thick bundles of type I and type III collagens, surrounding old parasitic vesicles with an autofluorescent laminated layer.

Gall bladder: the predominant source of bile IgA in man?

The sedimentation profiles of IgA and Secretory Component (SC) and the concentrations of IgA, IgG, IgM, SC and albumin were evaluated after an overnight fast in gall bladder bile of six adult subjects without hepatobiliary disease. The sedimentation profiles differed from those previously obtained in hepatic bile in three ways: gall bladder bile contained a greater percentage of free-SC, a greater percentage of polymeric-IgA (p-IgA), and a major peak of 14 to 19 S p-IgA associated to SC. In contrast to hepatic bile in which IgG is the predominant Ig, IgA clearly was the predominant Ig in gall-bladder bile, its concentration averaging 92 micrograms/ml.

[IgA and its different molecular forms in the mesenteric, portal and peripheral venous blood in man].

The aim of this study was to assess the role of mesenteric blood in polymeric IgA (p-IgA) and IgA2-transport from the intestinal mucosa into plasma and the role of the liver in the clearance of these molecular forms of IgA. The concentrations of IgA, p-IgA and IgA2 were measured in mesenteric, splenic, portal, and hepatic veins of 7 control subjects without liver disease and in portal and peripheral veins of 4 patients with alcoholic cirrhosis. In control subjects, the concentration of the different molecular forms of IgA were not significantly different in mesenteric and in splenic vein.

Hepatic alveolar echinococcosis: correlative US and CT study.

A total of 24 cases of hepatic alveolar echinococcosis (HAE) due to Echinococcus multilocularis was assessed by US and CT. The diagnosis was confirmed in all cases by immunologic and histologic study. Both US and CT patterns of HAE showed changes of liver morphology in both contour and size.

[Epidemiologic characteristics of 21 peranesthetic anaphylactoid accidents observed in a population of 12,855 surgically treated patients].

A study of anaphylactoid reactions (AR) observed between September 1982 and September 1983 was carried out in the surgical departments of a French regional hospital. The patients who had presented clinical symptoms suggesting an AR (bronchospasm, collapse, tachycardia, with or without skin rash) during a general anaesthesia were included in this study. A precise history of previous anaesthesias and allergy was taken; allergological testing was carried out six to eight weeks after the AR.

[Circulating and basophil-fixed specific IgE in human alveolar echinococcosis].

Biological parameters of immediate type hypersensitivity were assessed in 19 patients with alveolar echinococcosis. Serum total IgE concentrations were higher than normal values in 12 patients, and parasite-specific IgE were present in 9 patients. A significant relationship was observed between these two parameters.

[Phenotype of periparasitic hepatic infiltrating mononuclear cell in human alveolar echinococcosis].

Phenotypic analysis with monoclonal antibodies showed that OKT8+ T cells represent the main cell population of the periparasitic mononuclear cell infiltrate in the liver of 7 patients with alveolar echinococcosis. A significant decrease of the OKT8+ subpopulation had been previously demonstrated in the peripheral blood mononuclear cells of these patients. The results obtained in this study suggest an intrahepatic homing for these particular T cells.

Experimental alveolar echinococcosis. Suitability of a murine model of intrahepatic infection by Echinococcus multilocularis for immunological studies.

An experimental model of human alveolar echinococcosis was developed, using intrahepatic injection of E. multilocularis larvae in mice differing by their sensitivity to this parasite; it seems to be suitable for studying the relationship between cell-mediated immunity and a) growth of the parasite, b) development of fibrosis.

[Hepatotoxicity of isaxonine phosphate: 4 cases of severe subacute hepatitis].

Isaxonine phosphate is known to induce acute hepatitis which in most cases is reversible after withdrawal of the drug. The authors describe 4 new cases of hepatitis which differ from those previously reported by their evolutive and pathological features. In 3 cases, the outcome was fatal within a delay of 15-40 days despite discontinuation of the drug, and was associated with hepatic encephalopathy and ascites.

Deficient natural killer cell activity in alcoholic cirrhosis.

Natural killer (NK) cell activity against two types of target cells was found to be low in patients with inactive alcoholic cirrhosis (AC). This defect was significantly more pronounced in AC patients with severe malnutrition than in those with mild or moderate malnutrition. This was not due to modifications of the kinetics of NK activity.

Humoral and cellular immunity in patients with hepatic alveolar echinococcosis. A 2 year follow-up with and without flubendazole treatment.

Parameters of humoral and cellular immunity were assessed in 12 patients with alveolar echinococcosis (AE) of the liver before, during and after discontinuation of treatment with flubendazole (FZ). In infected patients, before any medical treatment values of serum IgG, IgA, total haemolytic complement and C4 were significantly higher than those observed in control subjects; IgA levels were higher in jaundiced patients. Specific antibodies assayed by indirect haemagglutination and immunoelectrophoresis were present only in infected patients and were shown to decrease by the sixth month of treatment; however, similar fluctuations were observed without treatment.