An analogue of a toxic gliadin peptide as a possible basis for induction of tolerance in coeliac disease

OBJECTIVE: Tissue transglutaminase is the antigen for antiendomysial antibodies, whose power in screening for celiac disease is well known. Our aim was to assess the efficacy of an ELISA assay for tissue transglutaminase antiodies. METHODS: Tissue transglutaminase antibodies were analyzed in serum from 39 untreated celiac disease patients and 61 controls. Tissue transglutaminase was used as antigen, and test sera analyzed by ELISA. Results higher than 0.6 optical density were considered positive, lower than 0.4 negative, and between 0.4 and 0.6 borderline. RESULTS: Optical density of the serum from the patients with untreated celiac disease (median: 1.41; range: 0.33-1.47) were significantly higher than the controls (median: 0.32; range: 0.17-0.68; p < 0.0001; 95% confidence interval 0.87-1.08). Thirty-three patients with untreated celiac disease were positive, 4 borderline, and 2 negative. Fifty-five controls were negative, 4 borderline, and 2 positive. If we consider borderline results to be positive, sensitivity is 94.8% and specificity 90.1%. None of the controls gave results higher than 0.7 optical density. Apart from the 2 negative patients with untreated celiac disease, the two groups overlapped only between 0.4 and 0.7 optical density. CONCLUSIONS: Because of the hith sensitivity (approximately 95%) and technical simplicity, tissue transglutaminase antibodies may prove useful for the screening of celiac disease in population at low or medium risk of celiac disease. To avoid duodenal biopsies in patients without celiac disease, the specificity of the screening procedure may be increased by confirming with antiendomysial antibodies by immunofluorescence on human umbilical cord in individuals with results between 0.4 and 0.7 optical densitity

Nigeria Anopheles vector database: an overview of 100 years' research.

Anopheles mosquitoes are important vectors of malaria and lymphatic filariasis (LF), which are major public health diseases in Nigeria. Malaria is caused by infection with a protozoan parasite of the genus Plasmodium and LF by the parasitic worm Wuchereria bancrofti. Updating our knowledge of the Anopheles species is vital in planning and implementing evidence based vector control programs. To present a comprehensive report on the spatial distribution and composition of these vectors, all published data available were collated into a database. Details recorded for each source were the locality, latitude/longitude, time/period of study, species, abundance, sampling/collection methods, morphological and molecular species identification methods, insecticide resistance status, including evidence of the kdr allele, and P. falciparum sporozoite rate and W. bancrofti microfilaria prevalence. This collation resulted in a total of 110 publications, encompassing 484,747 Anopheles mosquitoes in 632 spatially unique descriptions at 142 georeferenced locations being identified across Nigeria from 1900 to 2010. Overall, the highest number of vector species reported included An. gambiae complex (65.2%), An. funestus complex (17.3%), An. gambiae s.s. (6.5%). An. arabiensis (5.0%) and An. funestus s.s. (2.5%), with the molecular forms An. gambiae M and S identified at 120 locations. A variety of sampling/collection and species identification methods were used with an increase in molecular techniques in recent decades. Insecticide resistance to pyrethroids and organochlorines was found in the main Anopheles species across 45 locations. Presence of P. falciparum and W. bancrofti varied between species with the highest sporozoite rates found in An. gambiae s.s, An. funestus s.s. and An. moucheti, and the highest microfilaria prevalence in An. gambiae s.l., An. arabiensis, and An. gambiae s.s. This comprehensive geo-referenced database provides an essential baseline on Anopheles vectors and will be an important resource for malaria and LF vector control programmes in Nigeria