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ABSTRACT: We report on an HIV-negative but immunocompromised patient with disseminated acanthamoebiasis, granulomatous, amoebic encephalitis and underlying miliary tuberculosis and tuberculous meningitis. The patient responded favorably to treatment with miltefosine, an alkylphosphocholine. The patient remained well with no signs of infection 2 years after treatment cessation.
Emerging Infectious Diseases 12/2008; 14(11):1743-6. · 6.79 Impact Factor
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ABSTRACT: Acanthamoeba amoebae of genotype T2 were identified as the causative agent of Acanthamoeba skin lesions and granulomatous amoebic encephalitis (GAE) in a human immunodeficiency virus-negative patient with underlying tuberculosis. To our knowledge this, is the first case of GAE involving genotype T2.
Journal of clinical microbiology 02/2008; 46(1):338-40. · 4.16 Impact Factor
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ABSTRACT: Hypersensitivity to allergens in tobacco leaf as a cause of occupational asthma in workers of the tobacco manufacturing industry has been reported previously. We describe the case of a female employee working in a tobacco plant with asthmatic symptoms occurring at the working place. The symptoms described by the patient and the strong correlation to periods at work is highly suggestive for an occupational disease. The diagnosis of occupational bronchial asthma is supported by a positive skin test and bronchial provocation test with tobacco dust.
Wiener klinische Wochenschrift 02/2004; 116 Suppl 1:38-9. · 0.81 Impact Factor
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Gabriela Stiegler,
Christine Armbruster,
Brigitta Vcelar,
Heribert Stoiber,
Renate Kunert,
Nelson L Michael,
Linda L Jagodzinski,
Christoph Ammann,
Walter Jäger,
Jeffrey Jacobson, Norbert Vetter,
Hermann Katinger
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ABSTRACT: The human monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) 2F5 and 2G12 were identified to be two of the most potent neutralizing antibodies against HIV-1. In a first human study they have been shown to be safe after repeated intravenous infusions to asymptomatic HIV-1-infected individuals. However, the antiviral effects of antibody treatment have not been fully analyzed in this first clinical trial.
The aim of the present study was to gain a preliminary insight into the antiviral effects of 2F5 and 2G12 in humans. For this purpose, plasma samples obtained from the previous phase I study were studied for RNA copy numbers by reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction. As a measure for activation of complement levels of the major complement factor C3 were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Flow cytometry was used to study T-lymphocyte counts and the amount of infected peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) was determined by co-culture with uninfected donor PBMC. Virus escape from antibody neutralization was determined in vitro in a PBMC neutralization assay.
Transient reduction in viral loads was observed in five of seven patients. Vigorous complement activation was observed directly after HIV-specific antibody infusions. The number of infective peripheral blood mononuclear cells was reduced in some patients whereas CD4+ T-lymphocyte counts and CD4+/CD8+ ratios were transiently increased in all patients. Virus escape occurred only against 2G12.
Analysis of disease progression markers indicate that antibody therapy may have antiviral effects. These findings suggest that neutralizing antibodies should be further evaluated as an alternative therapeutic approach in HIV-1 disease.
AIDS 11/2002; 16(15):2019-25. · 6.24 Impact Factor
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ABSTRACT: We report the case of a young man who injected himself intravenously with 2 mL of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected blood and failed to develop HIV infection.
Clinical Infectious Diseases 08/2002; 35(2):e26-8. · 9.15 Impact Factor
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ABSTRACT: To study the safety, immunogenicity and pharmacokinetics of two intravenously administered human monoclonal antibodies (hMAb 2F5, 2G12) against HIV-1 in humans.
Open label clinical phase I trial.
Primary institutional care.
Seven HIV-1-infected healthy volunteers with > or = 500 x 10(6)CD4 cells/l and < or = 10,000 HIV-1 RNA copies/ml, not treated with highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART), entered and finished the study.
and main outcome measures: Eight separate infusions of the hMAb were administered over a 4-week period (total dose 14 g). The safety was assessed by physical examination, blood chemistry, complete blood cell count and recording adverse events. 2F5 and 2G12 plasma levels were determined prior to and at the end of each infusion and during the follow-up period of 22 weeks.
No clinical or laboratory abnormalities were observed throughout the study. The median distribution half-life (t(1/2 alpha)) of 2F5 and 2G12 was 1.02 (range, 0.77-1.47) days and 2.49 (range, 0.92-4.59) days, respectively. The elimination half-life (t(1/2 beta)) was calculated to be 7.94 (range, 3.46-8.31) days for 2F5 and 16.48 (range, 12.84-24.85) days for 2G12. The median plasma concentration immediately after the first infusion was 216 microg/ml (range, 158-409 microg/ml) for 2F5 and 238 microg/ml (range, 197-402 microg/ml) for 2G12. Multiple infusions resulted in maximum plasma concentrations of 374 microg/ml (range, 304-700 microg/ml) and 605 microg/ml (range, 479-897 microg/ml) for 2F5 and 2G12, respectively.
This study showed that the hMAb 2F5 and 2G12 are safe and well tolerated by HIV-1-infected subjects.
AIDS 02/2002; 16(2):227-33. · 6.24 Impact Factor
