title: Elevation of serum transcobalamin II in patients with scrub typhus.
abstract: Serum transcobalamin II levels were measured in scrub typhus patients. Eighteen out of fifty-two patients admitted to Maharat Nakhon Ratchasima Hospital were diagnosed with scrub typhus infection. The serum unsaturated vitamin B12 binding protein (UBBC) and total vitamin B12 binding protein (TBBC) levels in these patients were significantly higher than in normal subjects (p < 0.001). The mean serum transcobalamin II level in the typhus patients was also significantly higher than in the normal subjects (p=0.004). There was a significant correlation between serum TCII levels and typhus IgM or IgG titers (p < 0.05), but not to total IgM levels. These findings indicate that patients with scrub typhus had stimulation of the recticuloendothelial system as a result of a considerable increase in transcobalamin II levels.
authors.affiliation: Department of Tropical Radioisotopes, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand. tmccr@mahidol.ac.th
authors.forename: Cheeraratana
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Cheeramakara
authors.forename: Wanyarat
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Thanomsak
authors.forename: Kriyaporn
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Songmeang
authors.forename: Apichart
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Nontprasert
authors.forename: Charnnarong
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Sanghirun
authors.forename: Nopachai
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Suthisai
authors.forename: Suvit
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Areekul
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007124:Immunoenzyme Techniques; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012157:Mononuclear Phagocyte System / Q000276:immunology; D012612:Scrub Typhus / Q000097:blood* / Q000276:immunology; D014155:Transcobalamins / Q000032:analysis* / Q000096:biosynthesis
chemical_list: D014155:Transcobalamins