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The results of antibody assays for viruses of the herpes group (HSV, EBV, VZV and CMV) and for hepatitis B virus (HBV) were retrospectively evaluated in 439 HIV-seropositive patients classified into different stages of HIV infection. The prevalence of specific IgG, IgM and IgA antibodies in these groups was compared with that of a control group of HIV-negative unselected hospital patients. Antibodies to herpes viruses and HBV were more prevalent amongst HIV-seropositives, especially LAS and AIDS patients than in controls. However, marked differences were found only with CMV-IgG and anti-HBc-IgG, both with a comparatively low prevalence in HIV-negative persons (64.5% and 23.2%). Significantly more seropositives were found among asymptomatic HIV carriers (83.3% and 50%) and still more in patients with full-blown AIDS (95.4% and 82.5%). The increased frequency of CMV and HBV antibodies, already seen in asymptomatic HIV patients reflects their higher risk for sexually transmitted infections. Moreover, IgA antibodies to CMV were detected in 25.4% of LAS and 37.3% of AIDS patients, respectively, but only in 7.6% of the controls. Elevated CMV-IgA titres were found exclusively in HIV-infected persons. The differences in the antibody patterns found in this cross-sectional study may reflect the progression of the HIV disease. However, prospective follow-up studies are required to assess the value of these markers as indicators of prognosis in HIV-infected subjects.

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In the first half of 1982 there was an increase in septicaemia cases, especially among patients with biliary-tract drainage. The septicaemia incidence rose from 1.25% to 4.4%. The proportion of Pseudomonas septicaemias was especially high: of 20 patients (21 episodes of septicaemia) nine had infections with Pseudomonas aeruginosa alone, three a mixed septicaemia. In ten of these twelve patients there was impaired drainage by a malignant tumour. Three patients with a tumour stenosis died, mainly of the septicaemia. The cause of this increased incidence of Pseudomonas septicaemias lay in contamination of the instruments; it was in part sustained by the Endo-Washer. The connection between the septicaemia after endoscopic-retrograde cholangiography and recontamination of the endoscope was discovered after sero- and pyocin-typing of the Pseudomonas strains. By changing the methods of disinfection the Pseudomonas incidence among endoscopies fell. However, in individual samplings Pseudomonas can still be demonstrated on instruments as well as on the Endo-Washer.