14 research outputs found

    Heterophile Antikörper, fehlende Kommunikation und das diagnostische Dilemma

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    This study compares the modulation of oxidative stress by an indigenous herbal tea, rooibos, Chinese green tea and commercial rooibos and green tea supplements in rat testicular tissue. Male Wistar rats (n = 60) were fed with either fermented rooibos, “green” rooibos, Chinese green tea, commercial rooibos or green tea supplements for ten weeks. Oxidative stress (OS) was induced in all animals by an intraperitoneal t-butyl hydroperoxide injection in the last two weeks of the study. The superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity increased significantly (P < 0.05) in the testicular tissue of rats that consumed fermented rooibos, green tea and rooibos supplement as compared to the control. The glutathione levels of rats that consumed the green tea supplement was also significantly (P < 0.05) increased when compared with the control. Reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels were significantly (P < 0.05) decreased in rats that consumed the rooibos supplement, while lipid peroxidation measured as thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) was significantly (P < 0.05) decreased in rats that consumed fermented rooibos and green tea. In conclusion, both extracts of fermented rooibos and green tea could be effective in the protection of testicular tissue against oxidative damage by possibly increasing the antioxidant defense mechanisms in rats, while reducing lipid peroxidation.Cape Peninsula University of Technology and the National Research Foundation of South Afric

    Diagnostic performance of a seven-marker serum protein biosignature for the diagnosis of active TB disease in African primary healthcare clinic attendees with signs and symptoms suggestive of TB.

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    : User-friendly, rapid, inexpensive yet accurate TB diagnostic tools are urgently needed at points of care in resource-limited settings. We investigated host biomarkers detected in serum samples obtained from adults with signs and symptoms suggestive of TB at primary healthcare clinics in five African countries (Malawi, Namibia, South Africa, The Gambia and Uganda), for the diagnosis of TB disease. : We prospectively enrolled individuals presenting with symptoms warranting investigation for pulmonary TB, prior to assessment for TB disease. We evaluated 22 host protein biomarkers in stored serum samples using a multiplex cytokine platform. Using a pre-established diagnostic algorithm comprising of laboratory, clinical and radiological findings, participants were classified as either definite TB, probable TB, questionable TB status or non-pulmonary TB. : Of the 716 participants enrolled, 185 were definite and 29 were probable TB cases, 6 had questionable TB disease status, whereas 487 had no evidence of TB. A seven-marker biosignature of C reactive protein, transthyretin, IFN-Îł, complement factor H, apolipoprotein-A1, inducible protein 10 and serum amyloid A identified on a training sample set (n=491), diagnosed TB disease in the test set (n=210) with sensitivity of 93.8% (95% CI 84.0% to 98.0%), specificity of 73.3% (95% CI 65.2% to 80.1%), and positive and negative predictive values of 60.6% (95% CI 50.3% to 70.1%) and 96.4% (95% CI 90.5% to 98.8%), respectively, regardless of HIV infection status or study site. : We have identified a seven-marker host serum protein biosignature for the diagnosis of TB disease irrespective of HIV infection status or ethnicity in Africa. These results hold promise for the development of a field-friendly point-of-care screening test for pulmonary TB.<br/

    Evaluation of cytokine responses against novel Mtb antigens as diagnostic markers for TB disease.

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    : We investigated the accuracy of host markers detected in Mtb antigen-stimulated whole blood culture supernatant in the diagnosis of TB. : Prospectively, blood from 322 individuals with presumed TB disease from six African sites was stimulated with four different Mtb antigens (Rv0081, Rv1284, ESAT-6/CFP-10, and Rv2034) in a 24 h whole blood stimulation assay (WBA). The concentrations of 42 host markers in the supernatants were measured using the Luminex multiplex platform. Diagnostic biosignatures were investigated through the use of multivariate analysis techniques. : 17% of the participants were HIV infected, 106 had active TB disease and in 216 TB was excluded. Unstimulated concentrations of CRP, SAA, ferritin and IP-10 had better discriminating ability than markers from stimulated samples. Accuracy of marker combinations by general discriminant analysis (GDA) identified a six analyte model with 77% accuracy for TB cases and 84% for non TB cases, with a better performance in HIV uninfected patients. : A biosignature of 6 cytokines obtained after stimulation with four Mtb antigens has moderate potential as a diagnostic tool for pulmonary TB disease individuals and stimulated marker expression had no added value to unstimulated marker performance.<br/
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