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C Benes

Publications and source records attributed to C Benes.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources
PubMed1997

Possible role of rainfall in the epidemiology of tick-borne encephalitis.

The assumption that the amount of rainfall in the summer months influences the frequency of TBE is based on the fact that the determining factor for the existence, development and activity of Ixodes ricinus is relative air humidity (RH) and the finding that low RH negatively influences dynamics of infection and infection rate of I. ricinus with TBE virus. A higher incidence of TBE then develops due to the coincidence of increased activity of ticks and recreational activity of humans after an intense prolonged rainfall. This presumption was verified by comparing the dynamics of rainfall as an indicator of RH in the tick environment with concomitant seasonal fluctuations of TBE incidence in humans. The total monthly rainfall in two regions of the Czech Republic was compared with data on the incidence of TBE in each respective region and period. Furthermore, in the district of Ceské Budĕjovice, typical by high prevalence of this disease, a detailed follow-up was carried out by decades. The comparisons were made between April and October from 1993 to 1995. The values of both variables were related to their long-term averages estimated within each particular period and region. Monthly data were analyzed for the Central Bohemian Region and the South Bohemian Region, both with a high incidence of TBE. The July above-average incidence of TBE was preceded by an above-average rainfall in June. If there was a below-average rainfall, there was a below-average incidence of TBE afterwards. Whenever, there was an above-average rainfall in August then there was an above average incidence of TBE in September, in the opposite case, no September peak of TBE occurred. The follow-up at ten-day intervals shows that any above-average rainfall was followed by an increased incidence of TBE, in every other ten-day period or two. This time shift is due to the incubation period, and partly also to the scattered attacks by ticks during the period of increased RH. The relationship found could be useful for the short-term prognosis of TBE incidence as well as for individual prevention of this serious infection by taking special care when going outdoors after heavy rain.

Animals↗
PubMed1996

Potassium chloride pulse enhances mitogen-activated protein kinase activity in rat hippocampal slices.

Mitogen-activated protein (MAP) kinases have been implicated in multiple responses to extracellular stimuli. In this study we show that MAP kinase activity is enhanced after a KCl pulse. This activation correlates with an increased tyrosine phosphorylation of a 42-kDa protein as determined by antiphosphotyrosine immunoblot. The same band is found in an anti-MAP kinase immunoblot. Activity is enhanced within 1 min, reaches a maximum at 2 min, and returns to basal level after 10 min. A second peak of activity is observed between 12 and 30 min. The activation is completely blocked by 6-cyano-7-nitroquinoxaline-2,3-dione (CNQX), showing the involvement of the AMPA type of glutamate receptor. Partial inhibition of MAP kinase activation by 2-amino-5-phosphonovalerate (APV) also shows the involvement of the NMDA receptor. Because the KCl pulse used induces long-term potentiation (LTP) in rat hippocampal slice, we conclude that MAP kinase may be involved in neuronal transduction events leading to LTP.

2-Amino-5-phosphonovalerate↗
PubMed1996

Expression of a novel form of the p56lck protooncogene in rat cerebellar granular neurons.

The src family protein tyrosine kinases (PTKs) are nonreceptor kinases. Some PTKs of this family are ubiquitously expressed, whereas others have a more restricted expression, as in neurons. Lymphoid cell kinase (lck) p56lck is highly expressed in tissues of lymphoid origin and believed to be specific for hematopoietic cells. Reports suggesting that CD4 is expressed in neurons prompted us to analyze the possibility that p56lck is also expressed in these cells. By western blot and immunoprecipitations using anti-lck antibody, an lck-like protein was detected in lysates from primary cultures of rat cerebellar granular neurons. This 56-kDa phosphoprotein was autophosphorylated in vitro and also phosphorylated enolase, similarly to p56lck. It was shown to be located actually in the neurons by immunocytofluorescence. Partial proteolysis mapping showed that the 56-kDa phosphoprotein had a peptide pattern very similar to the p56lck protein. Retrotranscription-PCR allowed the detection of an lck RNA in the neurons. The lck kinase domain was completely identical to the lymphocyte lck kinase domain, but the 5' end was modified in the neurons. These results show that p56lck is not lymphoid specific as is widely believed; its expression in neurons might underlie the toxicity of the HIV glycoprotein gp120 to neurons.

3T3 Cells↗
PubMed1995

Evaluation of cycloserine in the treatment of Alzheimer's disease.

This multicenter study evaluated the efficacy and safety of cycloserine and measured its effects on explicit and implicit memory tests in patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD). Four hundred ten patients with AD, aged 50 years or older, were enrolled in this parallel-group, double-blind, placebo-controlled, randomized trial of 5, 15, or 50 mg cycloserine or placebo twice daily, and 403 entered the double-blind treatment phase. Two hundred sixty-five patients completed the entire 26-week treatment phase. There were no baseline differences among the four treatment groups. Cognitive Drug Research (CDR) efficacy assessments showed no differences between active treatments and placebo from baseline to study weeks 2, 6, 14, or 26. Patients receiving 15 mg of cycloserine improved significantly on one section of an implicit memory test. No differences among treatments were observed for any other assessment scales evaluated. The incidence and severity of adverse events were similar across treatment groups. Cycloserine was well tolerated but did not demonstrate consistent evidence of efficacy during the course of therapy. Higher doses may be necessary to achieve efficacy in the AD population and do not appear to be precluded by the adverse event profile seen in this study.

Aged↗
PubMed1995

History of poliomyelitis in the Czech Republic--Part III.

The "repression phase" of paralytic poliomyelitis in the Czech Republic (and in the Slovak Republic as well) between 1957 and 1960 was characterized by controlled, short term, mass vaccination campaigns. In spring 1957, at the very beginning of a polio epidemic, about 87% of all children aged 1 to 7 years and about 40% of those aged 8 to 15 years were intradermally vaccinated with IPV. The protective effect in population given two IPV doses was 66% (in Slovakia 74%). The starting epidemic of 1957 was stopped. Morbidity and mortality from poliomyelitis markedly decreased in 1958. Nevertheless, about 39%, 13% and 41% of children aged under 8 years (given three IPV doses) had not specific virus-neutralizing antibodies against polioviruses types 1, 2 and 3 respectively. A field trial with OPV started in winter 1958-59. Over 110,000 children aged 2 to 6 years were vaccinated with Sabin OPV, which proved to be safe, highly immunogenic and protective. In spring 1960 about 93% of children were vaccinated in the former Czechoslovakia with OPV in a mass, countrywide campaign. No case of paralytic poliomyelitis was reported during the second half of 1960. The same was true for all year 1961, the first year of the historical period of poliomyelitis elimination in our country.

Czech Republic↗
PubMed1994

A history of poliomyelitis in the Czech Republic--Part II.

The first large epidemic of poliomyelitis in (previous) Czechoslovakia was recorded in 1939. It affected only the western part of the state, Bohemia, with a relatively high morbidity and mortality, 25.42 and 2.05 per 100,000, respectively, the death rate being 8.1%. In Prague, children aged between 5 and 9 years represented 41.5% and those up to 14 years 84% of all cases of poliomyelitis. Other epidemics followed in 1943, 1948 and 1953 affected Moravia and Slovakia as well. The highest death rates were in the interepidemic periods, the lowest ones were recorded in the epidemics. During the "epidemic phase" between 1939 and 1956, 12,868 cases of poliomyelitis and 1,159 deaths from poliomyelitis were reported, the mean death rate value being 9.0%. General hygiene measures, passive immunization with specific convalescent human sera and intranasal "chemoprophylaxis" tried then on a large scale, did not show any demonstrable antiepidemic effect.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1994

[Salmonellosis in the Czech Republic 1989-1993].

The authors discuss the incidence of salmonelloses in the Czech Republic and analyze changes which developed during the period from 1989 to 1993. In 1989 a steep rise of cases of salmonellosis was recorded; 34,435 cases were notified which, as compared with the previous period, is a threefold rise of the incidence. This trend persists already for five years. So far the largest number of notified cases (43,558) was recorded in 1992. The death rate and case fatality rate from salmonellosis has been low for some years: the number of deaths is approximately 20-25 people per year. The salmonellosis epidemic in 1989-1993 spread to all regions of the Czech Republic. The most heavily affected regions are the South Moravian, North Moravian, East Bohemian and West Bohemian region. As to age distribution, it was revealed that the highest values of specific morbidity are in children in their first year of life and in 1-4-year-olds and that the greatest increment in 1989-1993 was notified in 1-4-year-old and in 5-9-year-old children. The dominating aetiological agent was Salmonella enteritidis, probably phagotype 8. Its ratio in the isolation of Salmonella strains is 87%. The largest number of epidemics in 1989-1991 was notified in communities with a communal catering type (workers canteens, catering for nursery schools and schools) and in communities where half the epidemics developed during family festivities (weddings, graduation, funerals, birthdays, pig-slaughtering feasts etc.). During the last two years the number of epidemics which develop in workshops producing foods and in private confectionaries is rising.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Adolescent↗
PubMed1993

[Salmonellosis in the Czech Republic].

The submitted paper analyzes the treble increase of the annual incidence of salmonelloses in the Czech Republic in 1989-1991. It deals with the seasonal distribution of notified morbidity (it is highest in August, September, October), the age distribution (it is highest in 0-4-year-old children) and the geographical distribution (the most affected areas are the eastern Bohemian, southern Moravian and northern Moravian regions). The authors emphasize the high ratio of S. enteritidis in this rise (the ratio of S. E. increased from 55% in 1988 to 84% in 1991). They analyze the notified mass incidence of salmonelloses, where one third is accounted for by catering establishments of the so-called closed type; in 1989-1991 the highest ratio of salmonelloses was in works canteens. The authors confirm that the epidemic rise of salmonelloses in 1989-1991 is associated with the consumption of contaminated eggs, similarly as in other parts of the world. The most frequent vehicle of infection revealed in the Czech Republic are eggs, their products, in 1991 in particular confectionery and fancy cakes.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1993

Trachoma, an imported disease.

The authors review the incidence of trachoma in the Czech Republic during the last 20 years. Trachoma has become almost exclusively an imported disease. In 1989-1990 the authors treated 34 foreign nationals with imported trachoma at the Infectious Diseases Clinic in Prague. Even after many years' stay in the Czech Republic foreigners may develop exacerbations of the trachomatous process.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1993

A history of poliomyelitis in the Czech Republic--Part I.

The incidence of poliomyelitis in the Czech Republic shows four epidemiologically different phases recorded during a lifetime of one human generation: endemicity (until 1938), epidemicity (1939 to 1956), repression (1957 to 1960) and elimination (1961 till now). The phase of the endemic incidence of poliomyelitis studied in this paper finished in 1938. Since 1919 when poliomyelitis notification was started, three waves of increasing though low mortality were observed: in 1926, 1932 and 1936 (0.27, 0.43 and 0.38 per 100,000, respectively). Between 1919 and 1938 the mortality increased in children over one year but it remained relatively highest in infants under one year of age. The poliomyelitis death rates were high between 1928 and 1938, 23.6% on the average. Such high rates might be attributable to the underrated morbidity cases in comparison with a rather reliably notified polio mortality. The period between 1919 and 1938 represented the end of the endemic incidence of poliomyelitis in the Czech countries, and it could be considered as preepidemic.

Czech Republic↗
PubMed1993

[Increased incidence of invasive meningococcal disease caused by C:2a:P1.2 meningococci in certain regions of the Czech Republic].

In the first half of 1993 an increased incidence of invasive meningococcal disease was recorded in the Czech Republic. In the CR a total of 59 cases were revealed, incl. 10 fatal ones. This high lethality (16.9%) is markedly higher than that from 036 recorded in this country during previous years. The highest incidence and death rate was recorded in the North Moravian region and in the age group from 15-19 years. Based on active surveillance of the invasive meningococcal disease by epidemiologists, microbiologists and infectiologists of the entire Czech Republic, it may be concluded that the sulphonamide sensitive strain Neisseria meningitidis C:2a:P1.2 caused in the North Moravian region a local epidemic of invasive meningococcal disease in the army and civilian population. In other regions of the CR the epidemiological situation in the first half of 1993 did not differ from the previous period: sporadic incidence of meningococcal disease, prevalence of the serological group B, highest incidence in the youngest age groups. The meningococcus C:2a:P1.2 was not detected in the CR before 1993. This uncommon epidemiological situation was resolved by immunization, aimed from the antigenic aspect and with regard to age and locality.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1992

[Serological verification of the role of enteroviruses in the etiology of polyradiculoneuritis and aseptic meningoencephalitis].

In a group of 38 patients with the Guillain-Barré syndrome (SGB) and a group of 38 patients selected at random who suffered from meningoencephalitis the authors compared the characteristics by age, sex, onset of the disease (month of the year) and intervals between the onset of the disease and collection of serum samples. Using the neutralization microtest, the sera were examined for antibodies against 23 serotypes of enteroviruses incl. polioviruses. The groups differed significantly in the following indicators: the SGP group had a non-seasonal annual distribution, it included different age groups, there were longer intervals of sample collection. There were fewer cases with an assessed enteroviral aetiology, no case with a polioviral aetiology. More detailed analysis of serological results revealed, that the group does not differ fundamentally as regards the immunological experience of individuals with enteroviruses before the disease. The authors discuss the need of more detailed examinations of the enteroviral aetiology in all cases of SGB.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1992

[The present epidemiologic status and prognosis in measles].

During 1990 and partly also 1991, after a practically 10-year zero incidence of measles on the territory of the Czech Republic a measles epidemic broke out. The most severely affected group were adolescents aged 15-19 years who were immunized only by a single dose of vaccine. Conversely the lowest morbidity was recorded in 2-9-year-old children who were immunized already with two doses. The cause of the epidemic was primary failure of the vaccine leading to a low level of collective immunity in some population age brackets. The authors discuss and explain the strategy of immunization against measles involving two doses of vaccine after a 6-10-month interval. In the conclusion possibilities to achieve permanent elimination of measles on our territory are discussed.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1991

[Botulism in the Czech Republic].

In a retrospective study the authors analyzed 76 cases of botulism reported in 1961-1989 in the Czech Republic. The analysis of descriptive data pertained to the annual incidence of botulism with a maximum of cases in 1966, 1973 and 1984 (11, 7 and 6 cases); geographical distribution with a maximum incidence in the South and Central Bohemian region (100,000 population); age distribution with a predominance in subjects above 15 years. The dominating vehicle of botulism was in 61% of the notified cases a home-prepared food; usually a galantine, aspic, liver paste, pork with vegetables, and smoked pork. In 1966 and 1973 a processed food predominated as vehicle: pickled herring and tomato, red peppers and sausage. The results of the retrospective study were compared in the discussion with the problem of botulism in other countries. The authors discuss the danger of undetected botulism and the necessity of an anti-botulin serum (Bossea).

Adolescent↗
PubMed1991

[Epidemic occurrence of alimentary bacterial infections in the Czech Republic 1979-1989].

The authors analyze the epidemic incidence of alimentary infections of bacterial origin in two periods: 1979-1983 and 1984-1988 and 1989 resp., where in each period the number of notified epidemics of different infections equals 100%. During the period 1984-1988 as compared with 1979-1983, there was a decline in the number of epidemics of salmonelloses in health institutions from 42% to 14%, whereby almost half these epidemics were caused by Salmonella agona spread via dried milk. Conversely there was an increase in the number of epidemics of salmonelloses in communities from 14% to 23% and in works canteens from 9% to 14%. In 68% of the latter Salmonella enteritidis dominated. In 1989 there was a potent increase epidemics of salmonelloses. In 86% of the notified epidemics Salmonella enteritidis was the aetiological agent. A quarter of these epidemics developed in works canteens and half the affected subjects were ill. The transmission occurred via poultry meat and egg products. The annual incidence of bacillary dysentery after 1985 has a declining trend, the epidemics persist in nursery schools, summer camps for children and are increasing in institutes for social care. The number of alimentary intoxications is rising in recent years, in particular in school and works canteens. The number of 008 epidemics in 1984-1988 declined in health institutions from 52% to 20%. 17% of the epidemics developed in schools and camps for children.

Czechoslovakia↗
PubMed1990

[What is surveillance?].

The authors give an account of the development of the definition and context of epidemiological surveillance during the past decades in Czechoslovakia and in the world. They analyze views of epidemiologists who contributed in a major way to the modern concept of surveillance. The concept of surveillance reflects social conditions in the widest sense of the word and its contents are and probably will also in future be the subject of lively discussions. The authors assume that in the near future a more important part will be played by an active approach to surveillance of infections, as no modern system of health care can do without its development. Contemporary social changes will play a decisive role.

Humans↗