Journal of clinical microbiology
-
J. Clin. Microbiol. · Jul 2000
Comparative StudyDiagnosis and clinical virology of Lassa fever as evaluated by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, indirect fluorescent-antibody test, and virus isolation.
The Lassa virus (an arenavirus) is found in West Africa, where it sometimes causes a severe hemorrhagic illness called Lassa fever. Laboratory diagnosis has traditionally been by the indirect fluorescent-antibody (IFA) test. However, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISAs) for Lassa virus antigen and immunoglobulin M (IgM) and G (IgG) antibodies have been developed that are thought to be more sensitive and specific. ⋯ The presence of IFA during both acute and convalescent stages of infection, as well as significant interobserver variation in reading the slides, made interpretation difficult. However, the assay provided useful prognostic information, the presence of IFA early in the course of illness correlating with death. The high sensitivity and specificity, capability for early diagnosis, and prognostic value of the ELISAs make them the diagnostic tests of choice for the detection of Lassa fever.
-
J. Clin. Microbiol. · Jul 2000
Case ReportsRecurrent infections and chronic colonization by an Escherichia coli clone in the respiratory tract of a patient with severe cystic bronchiectasis.
A 39-year-old woman with cystic bronchiectasis had repeated pulmonary infections from 1996 to 1999, and 6 of a total of 28 isolates of Escherichia coli from sputum specimens were studied. Their identical antibiotype and randomly amplified polymorphic DNA patterns indicated a single clone of E. coli, which persistently colonized the respiratory tract, causing recurrent infections.