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Biomedical subjects

G Rasch

Publications and source records attributed to G Rasch.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2001

[Worldwide eradication of poliomyelitis].

Poliomyelitis, an infectious disease with acute and persistent flaccid paralysis is caused by poliovirus (types 1, 2 or 3), an enterovirus. The infection is asymptomatic in 95% of infected subjects. Most of the paralytic cases occur in adolescents or adults in the course of polio type 1 infection. In the prevaccination era, in countries with poor hygienic conditions, infection in early childhood was common, mostly asymptomatic, and immunity in the population prevailed. In developed countries polio often struck adolescents and adults taking its toll in paralytic disease. The introduction of vaccination with the Salk vaccine (IPV Inactivated Polio Vaccine) in the USA and in Europe in 1956 and with the Oral Polio Vaccine (OPV) developed by Sabin worldwide in the early sixties made it possible to control the epidemic in large geographic areas, but it could not eliminate the disease worldwide. Poliomyelitis is still endemic in Central Africa and in the Indian sub-continent. Acts of war led to the reduction in the vaccination rate in different geographic areas, and smaller epidemics with wild virus but also with reverted vaccine strains occurred. In some parts of the world the rate of vaccination also declined due to elimination of poliomyelitis, and it came to small epidemics of paralytic polio mainly caused by reverted vaccine strains circulating in the population. Reverted vaccine strains also remain a central problem in the eradication of poliomyelitis projected for 2005 by the World Health Organisation. A high vaccination rate, preferably with 3 doses of OPV in infancy or early childhood, and exact worldwide monitoring of cases is indispensable for the eradication. For the complete eradication of poliovirus the live vaccine OPV would have to be changed to an inactivated vaccine IPV worldwide. However, this is presently unachieveable, because of logistic problems and high costs.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2001

[Surveillance of measles in Germany].

In Germany, as in the entire WHO Region Europe, the goal has been set to eliminate measles by the year 2007. In order to achieve this, high vaccination rates of >/= 95 % are necessary as well as an intensive surveillance consisting of a continuous record of the age and region-specific incidence, vaccination rates and the seroprevalence. Data on the vaccination status, recorded in the districts at the time of school entry, are collected centrally and evaluated at the RKI since 1998. The vaccination rate for the 1(st) dose against measles is on the average 84.6 % and for the 2(nd) dose 14.3 %. A nationwide sentinel established in 1999 with over 1200 medical practitioners permits an estimate of the country-wide measles incidence on the basis of the registered measles cases. Results from the year 2000 showed a very big difference between the old Federal States (mean incidence of 46.8 illness per 100 000) and the new Federal States (0.9 per 100 000). Most of those falling sick were unvaccinated (85.4 %), where 35 % refused the vaccination. Thirty-nine percent of the cases were examined in the laboratory and from these 58 % were clinically confirmed; 10 % of the cases occurred in those receiving one dose of vaccine and none in those receiving 2 doses. The age peak of the sick children was between 1 to 4 years of age. Measles notification is obligatory in Germany since January 2001. From these data, the incidence of the 1(st) quarter has been calculated. It varies widely depending on the State (e. g. Bavaria 5.7 / 100.000 vs < 0.5 % in new Federal States). The seroprevalance studies conducted in 1993 and in 1995/96 show large gaps in immunity of small children and suggests that the MMR vaccination may have been carried out too late. The elimination of measles in Germany can only be achieved if the vaccination rates are increased and the 1(st) MMR vaccination is performed as early as possible. In particular, the vaccination rates for the 2(nd) dose are inadequate to be able to reach those with vaccine failures in a greater proportion and to close the gaps of vaccination.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1999

[Vaccination status and illnesses in foreign travelers].

Millions of German citizens travel outside Europe every year. How they prepare themselves for these travels from a medical viewpoint, or whether they fall ill during these travels is inadequately researched. The German National Health Interview and Examination Survey showed that 11% of the people questioned travelled to Africa, Asia, South or Central America within the last three years. The highest proportion of these travellers was in the 20-59 year age group. Men travelled more frequently than women. The travellers also had better vaccination coverage against tetanus and polio compared to those who had not travelled. 30% of the travellers to endemic areas for malaria had received malaria prophylaxis and 30% who travelled to endemic areas for yellow fever were protected by vaccination. 28% of those questioned said they experienced general health problems related to their travel, mostly due to mild diarrhea.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1998

Imported malaria in Germany in 1996.

Malaria is not endemic in Germany, but it is one of the most commonly imported infectious diseases. The numbers of imported cases increased from 1994 to 1996; in 1997 according to preliminary data there were a total of 994 cases. In 1996, 1021 cases of ma

Journal Article↗
PubMed1998

[Malaria incidence and mortality in Germany 1993-1997].

Worldwide incidence of malaria has increased. This may result in an increasing risk for tourists in different areas of the world. Malaria is an important travellers' disease in Germany. Most cases imported to Germany originated from Africa (77%). Plasmodium falciparum caused 67% of all malaria cases. 63% of all cases were Germans, 76% of whom travelled for holidays or study trips. From 1993 to 1996 89 people died from malaria in Germany. Most cases of fatal malaria were reported among German citizens. The case fatality rate increases with age. About 50% of all patients had not undergone sufficient prophylaxis against malaria. Only 22% of the patients who started prophylactic treatment took chemoprophylactics regularly while travelling abroad. Adequate prophylaxis against malaria is the only way to reduce the incidence of imported cases of malaria.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1997

Measles in Germany.

Experts met in Copenhagen on 19 and 20 November 1996 to discuss the elimination of measles in Europe. European countries were assigned to four different categories on the basis of a recent survey conducted by the World Health Organization's Regional Offic

Journal Article↗
PubMed1989

[The development of acute gastroenteritis in the German Democratic Republic].

Next to acute respiratory diseases accounting for about 80% of all cases of notifiable infectious diseases acute gastrointestinal diseases with 12% are the group second in importance. Since many years the number of reported cases with diarrhoea is increasing. The aetiology of merely a small part of these cases (less than 5%) is being determined. Next to the Salmonellae at present Campylobacter species are detected most frequently. The percentage of viral gastroenteritis is under-estimated considerably on account of insufficient diagnostics. Most important for improving the situation is the improvement of hygienic conditions in kindergartens, crèches and nursing homes; in food processing plants and kitchens as well as the reduction of human pathogens-particularly Salmonellae and Campylobacter-spreading in livestock.

Animals↗
PubMed1989

Epidemiological analysis of acute respiratory diseases (ARD) of viral etiology in the Czech Socialist Republic (CSR)) and German Democratic Republic (GDR) over the period 1979 to 1984.

An analysis is made of the ARD reported in CSR and the GDR over the period July 1st, 1979 to June 30th, 1984. During that time, there were 27,810,000 cases reported in CSR in the framework of ARD epidemiological surveillance, representing 2.67 cases per one inhabitant, whereas in the GDR, the total number of reported ARD was 28,900,000 yielding 1.73 cases per person. However, the GDR reported higher morbidity per one child of preschool age. The authors believe that the differences in the reported incidence of ARD between the two countries are due to differences in the reporting systems and medical officers' activity during an epidemic and in the interim period. Approximately one third of ARD reported annually in the two countries falls to the period of influenza epidemics. The authors also analyze the etiology of the influenza epidemics which affected the two countries in 1980, 1981, 1982, 1983 and 1984. In most seasons, the causative agents and morbidity excesses were different in the two countries. The drift variant B/USSR/100/83, which caused a major epidemy in CSR in 1984, has not to date been implicated in the DGR in the etiology of ARD. The cyclic epidemic due to Mycoplasma pneumoniae occurred in the GDR already in 1979-80, while CSR experienced it a year later. There was a temporal and territorial correlation between the course of A(H1N1) influenza epidemic in the two countries in 1984.

Acute Disease↗
PubMed1978

Serological investigations on rabies tissue culture vaccine (USSR) and development of short methods in post-exposure treatment.

Comparisons have been carried out in the GDR between the Hempt-vaccine, which has been used until now, and a vaccine prepared in the USSR from the Vnukovo-32 strain on tissue culture. A trial of 1,800 treatments undertaken in 18 vaccination centres has clearly shown that the tissue culture vaccine is superior to the Hempt-vaccine and allows the number of injections to be reduced. The authors recommend three types of treatment--with or without the combination of antirabies immunoglobulin--according to the risk of exposure or the injuries sustained.

Antibody Formation↗
PubMed1977

The rabies information system--a model for a common information system in human and veterinary medicine.

An information system is described in the field of rabies, which realizes the integration of information streams from human medicine as well as from veterinary medicine by help of computers. This rabies information system is based on a homogeneous and coordinated system of surveillance in connection with prophylaxis and control of rabies. It includes a modification of the case record, suggested by the WHO-Expert-Committee on Rabies. The aims of this rabies information system are: to make obvious the epizootiological situation with formation and change of foci, to show the epidemiological importance of special animals and to recognize the epidemiological situation. All this has to be fulfilled in an integrated system. Furthermore optimal treatment is guaranteed by express diagnostics and earliest possible special treatment of high-risk groups by the co-operation of human and veterinary medicine. The rabies information system was generally introduced in the GDR in 1970. It has proved to be practicable and effective especially by standardization of diagnostics, recording exposure of the patient, his treatment and partly automated evaluations of situation records and documentation of efficiency.

Animals↗