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Biomedical subjects

D P Driggers

Publications and source records attributed to D P Driggers.

5 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1994

Evaluation of health, sanitation, and nutrition in Forces Command Child Development Centers.

In 1992, Forces Command had 42 Child Development Centers on 22 installations. We evaluated program compliance in the areas of health, sanitation, and nutrition using inspection findings from April 1991 through June 1992. Each program was rated on 20 items, using inspection checklists developed for this evaluation. We also surveyed Haemophilus influenza type b (Hib) vaccination records among enrolled children. Most programs and facilities were fully or partially compliant in most areas. By quantifying the inspection findings, we were able to identify compliance items that needed further attention. The most frequent problem area across all programs was documentation of child immunization and health records. For children between 13 and 60 months of age, 77.7% had records indicating appropriate vaccination against Hib. Comparisons with the prior year's findings indicated a trend toward improvement.

Child↗
PubMed1976

Imported fire ant hypersensitivity. Studies of human reactions to fire ant venom.

It is now apparent that venom and venom components of the Hymenoptera superfamilies of Apida (honeybee) and Vespida (wasps, yellow jackets, and hornets) are becoming increasingly important in the diagnosis and treatment of hypersensitivity reactions. Stings from fire ants (superfamily Formicidae, family Myrmicinae) have also been recognized as causes of systemic reactions in man. Fire ant venom is unique in its composition, consisting mainly of alkaloids in aqueous suspension with only trace amounts of protein. This study compares the skin reactivity of fire ant venom and synthesized alkaloid components with the whole body extract (WBE) of fire ants and other Hymenoptera. The venom as well as the WBE of fire ants was found useful for skin test diagnosis of sensitive individuals. There appear to be cross-reactive or shared antigens between fire ant venom, WBE, and WBE of other Hymenoptera. Successful passive transfer of skin reactivity to nonsensitive individuals was accomplished with sera from sensitive individuals. Loss of this passive transfer by heating sera at 56 degrees C for 4 hr is evidence in favor of IgE mediating the positive skin test to the venom.

Animals↗
PubMedDate not supplied

A cluster of tick-borne infections: association with military training and asymptomatic infections due to Rickettsia rickettsii.

During the spring of 1989, 86 members of a military unit from the state of Maryland, USA, participated in two-week-long training manoeuvres in the states of Arkansas (location FC) and Virginia (location FAPH). Acute febrile illnesses due to infections with two tick-borne pathogens, Rickettsia rickettsii and Ehrlichia sp., were confirmed serologically in 2 initial cases who were admitted to the hospital. A seroepidemiological investigation among unit members found an additional 17 of 109 individuals (16%) with elevated post-exposure indirect immunofluorescent antibody (IFA) titres to R. rickettsii (16 cases) and/or E. canis (2 cases). The seropositivity rate of personnel who trained at FC was 38% (15 of 40), compared to only 13% (4 of 31) and 8% (3 of 38) of personnel who trained at FAPH or who did not train in the field, respectively (P < 0.001). Seropositivity was associated with symptoms suggestive of a tick-borne illness. Only 4 (22%) and 6 (33%) of the 18 personnel seropositive for R. rickettsii reported an erythematous or petechial type of rash or a febrile illness, respectively, within 4 weeks of exposure; 5 of 18 (28%) personnel infected with R. rickettsii reported no symptoms and only 8 of 18 (44%) received medical treatment. Mild infections with R. rickettsii, or a closely related spotted fever group agent, may have accounted for the high infection rate experienced by this group.

Antibodies, Bacterial↗