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Exposure to paraquat was followed 1 week later by mild respiratory distress in a previously healthy farmer who developed a mixed nephrotic/nephritic syndrome 3 months later. Percutaneous renal biopsy showed endo-extra-capillary proliferative glomerulonephritis associated with a linear pattern of IgG deposits along the glomerular capillary wall. This is the first case report of an association between exposure to a low dose of paraquat (as suggested by the mildness of the respiratory symptoms) and development of glomerulonephritis, possibly related to the occurrence of anti-glomerular basement membrane antibodies. The possibility is suggested that immune-mediated mechanisms of glomerular damage may be triggered by exposure to low-dose paraquat.

A recombinant antigen (p22-NS3), possessing putative HCV nucleocapsid protein (~22) and non-structural protein 3 (NS3) epitopes, was heavily expressed m E. co11 and purified. The p22-NS3 purified recombmant antigen strongly reacts with sera containing human antibodies directed against p22 and NS3 providing a starting point for the design of an HCV single all-encompassmg antigen for a blood screening assay.

No abstract