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Biomedical subjects

A P Waterson

Publications and source records attributed to A P Waterson.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

Vertical transmission of hepatitis B surface antigen in carrier mothers in two west London hospitals.

126 children of 102 hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) carrier mothers were delivered at Hammersmith Hospital and Queen Charlotte's Maternity Hospital, between 1971 and mid-1978. Blood tests on 110 of these children showed that 8 out of the 18 with Chinese mothers, but only 6 out of the 92 other children, have become HBsAg positive. The presence of maternal hepatitis B e antigen (HBeAg) is also significantly correlated with transmission of HBsAg to the children. The management of children whose mothers are carriers is discussed.

Carrier State

Antibodies to Coxsackie B viruses in congestive cardiomyopathy.

Fifty patients with congestive cardiomyopathy have been studied for evidence of previous Coxsackie B virus infection and compared with age- and sex-matched controls who had been admitted to hospital for investigation of other cardiac diseases. High neutralisation titres (greater than or equal to 1024) to Coxsackie B viruses were more common among the controls. On subdividing the patients according to their length of symptomatic history before study, high titres were more common only in those with a short history (less than or equal to 1 year). High titres were more common when there had been a febrile illness at the onset of symptoms. Endomyocardial biopsies of 18 patients disclosed no evidence of myocarditis, or, in 12 cases, of viral involvement. Although the evidence remains circumstantial, these results support the theory that Coxsackie B viruses may cause congestive cardiomyopathy and encourage further research into the mechanisms of myocardial cell damage by these visuses.

Adult

Hepatitis B antigen-positive obstetric patients.

In a period of six years (1971--77) 9400 sera taken at booking from antenatal patients were examined for hepatitis B antigen (HBsAg), and 40 patients were positive. These 40 patients had 45 pregnancies and were treated with special precautions so far as venepuncture and the management of delivery were concerned. No member of the hospital staff dealing with the patients developed hepatitis B. All infants born to these mothers were normal, two infants were HBsAg-positive at 7 months and 2 years, but are clinically well. No obstetric problems attributable to the HBsAg-positive state were encountered.

Adolescent

Hepatitis B as a hazard in anaesthetic practice.

Hepatitis B is a hazard in anaesthetic practice because the virus is carried in the blood, and operative, investigative or obstetric procedures involve the shedding of blood. A list is given of classes of potential carrier, who should be tested for hepatitis B antigen (HBAg), and a procedure is outlined for minimizing the risk to staff engaged on surgical operations on hepatitis carriers. The carrier state in a patient is not regarded as a contraindication to any necessary operation, nor, in a doctor, to the practice of medicine.

Anesthesiology