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Biomedical subjects

H Russell

Publications and source records attributed to H Russell.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1992

Bovine respiratory syncytial virus-specific immune responses in cattle following immunization with modified-live and inactivated vaccines. Analysis of the specificity and activity of serum antibodies.

Cattle were immunized with vaccines containing modified-live or inactivated bovine respiratory syncytial virus (BRSV) and serum antibody responses were analyzed. Compared with preinculation values, at Day 14 after two biweekly immunizations with modified-live or inactivated vaccines there were significant increases in BRSV-specific titers in the sera of cattle that received both types of vaccines, as determined by a whole cell ELISA. Using a blocking ELISA and radioimmune precipitation it was determined that there was recognition of the fusion (F) protein by antibodies from cattle that received both types of BRSV antigens: however, virus neutralization assays revealed that only cattle that received modified live virus, either in monovalent or polyvalent vaccines, developed neutralizing antibodies to BRSV after two immunizations. These results indicate that inactivation of BRSV can lead to a dissociation between serological recognition of the F protein and virus neutralization in vaccinated cattle.

Animals↗
PubMed1992

Distinguishing Chlamydia species by restriction analysis of the major outer membrane protein gene.

Clinical isolates of Chlamydia pneumoniae from diverse geographic locations and strains of other Chlamydia species were typed by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplification of the major outer membrane protein (MOMP) gene followed by restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis of the product. Use of synthetic primers corresponding to highly conserved regions of the MOMP gene resulted in amplification of a 1070 bp product in laboratory strains and clinical isolates of C. pneumoniae, C. trachomatis and C. psittaci. PCR products were digested with restriction enzymes Alu I and Mbo I and separated by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. Restriction fragment patterns varied in length from 8-12 bands of 30-400 bp in size in Alu I digests, and 6-7 bands of 50-400 bp in size in Mbo I digests. Strains representing different chlamydia species were easily distinguishable by this method, as were different serovars of C. trachomatis. Strains of C. pneumoniae tested include laboratory strain TW-183 and recent clinical isolates from Atlanta, Brooklyn, Wisconsin and Norway. One combination of primers reacted with C. psittaci strains and C. pneumoniae strain TW-183, but not with other strains of C. pneumoniae tested regardless of the concentration of DNA in the sample. With use of a pan-reactive primer combination, however, restriction patterns were similar in all strains of C. pneumoniae tested. This gene typing technique can be valuable for distinguishing the three chlamydial species and potentially strains of C. pneumoniae in clinical and epidemiologic studies.

Bacterial Outer Membrane Proteins↗
PubMed1992

Pneumonia--a clinical or radiographic diagnosis? Etiology and clinical features of lower respiratory tract infection in adults in general practice.

Etiology and clinical manifestations have been studied in 153 adult patients with lower respiratory tract infection, and the results are presented according to clinical and radiographic diagnosis. Laboratory investigations revealed that bacterial infection, mycoplasma and chlamydia included, occurred as often in 22 patients whose clinical diagnoses of pneumonia were not evident radiographically, as in 20 patients with radiographic pneumonia. In the latter group significantly higher values of erythrocyte sedimentation rate and C-reactive protein were demonstrated. The most common pathogen was influenzavirus A, followed by respiratory syncytial virus, Streptococcus pneumoniae, and Mycoplasma pneumoniae. Chlamydia pneumoniae infection was found in 3 patients with radiographic pneumonia. The study supports the traditional view that patients with a positive chest radiograph as a rule present more serious manifestations of lower respiratory tract pathology than patients with a normal radiograph. However, as only 1/9 patients with pneumococcal infection and 2/7 with mycoplasmal infection had radiographic evidence of pneumonia, radiography alone did not seem to offer sufficient information for selecting patients for antibacterial therapy.

Adult↗
PubMed1991

The anti-diabetogenic effect of essential fatty acid deficiency in multiple low-dose streptozotocin-treated mice persists if essential fatty acid repletion occurs outside of a brief window of susceptibility.

We have previously shown that essential fatty acid deficiency prevents diabetes mellitus and ameliorates insulitis in multiple low-dose streptozotocin-treated male CD-1 mice and that repletion with 99% pure methyl linoleate 3 days after the last injection causes diabetes. In the present study, we examined whether repletion of low-dose streptozotocin-treated deficient mice will cause diabetes whenever repletion occurs. Essential fatty acid deficiency was induced by dietary manipulation and was confirmed biochemically. Groups of deficient mice were repleted 6 h, 1 week, 2 weeks, 4 weeks and 8 weeks after the last low-dose streptozotocin treatment; the incidence of diabetes (i.e., non-fasting plasma glucose levels greater than 11.2 mmol/l) and group mean plasma glucose levels were 93% (19.4 mmol/l), 37% (14.8 mmol/l), 40% (13.7 mmol/l), 20% (9.0 mmol/l), and 8% (7.8 mmol/l) respectively. The incidence and mean glucose levels for low-dose streptozotocin-induced control chow-fed and non-repleted essential fatty acid deficient CD-1 mice were 100% (30.2 mmol/l) and 0% (4.2 mmol/l). The incidence and severity of insulitis also decreased with increasing repletion intervals. These results demonstrate a brief window of susceptibility of less than 8 weeks duration during which repletion will initiate an autoimmune response directed at low-dose streptozotocin-induced Beta-cell neoantigens in low-dose streptozotocin-treated essential fatty acid deficient mice.

Animals↗
PubMed1990

Epidemiology of Lyme disease in Virginia.

Prior to January 1986, only one case of Lyme disease was reported from Virginia. In 1986-87, however, the Virginia Department of Health observed an increase in reports of suspected Lyme disease by physicians, despite the fact that Ixodes dammini is not highly prevalent in the Virginia tick population. Twenty-eight cases of Lyme disease were identified in Virginia, of which eight cases occurred in 1986 and 20 in 1987. Lyme disease appears to be increasing in frequency in Virginia and moving southward along the Eastern Atlantic Seaboard.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1990

Monoclonal antibody recognizing a species-specific protein from Streptococcus pneumoniae.

Monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) against a nonencapsulated strain (R36A) of Streptococcus pneumoniae were produced to aid in a search for antigens common to this species. By Western immunoblot analysis, a species-specific 37-kilodalton (kDa) protein was found in lysates of 24 different encapsulated strains of S. pneumoniae. Monoclonal antibodies against the 37-kDa antigen did not react with 55 heterologous strains representing 19 genera and 36 species of bacteria that can also cause acute lower respiratory tract disease. Immunogold staining suggests that the antigen is synthesized inside the pneumococcal cell. However, MAbs to the 37-kDa antigen bound whole cells in the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and the indirect immunofluorescence assay. Antibody-binding epitopes of the antigen are probably exposed on the outer surface of the pneumococcus cell wall. The effectiveness of the 37-kDa antigen as a useful diagnostic marker is under study.

Antibodies, Bacterial↗
PubMed1989

Tetanus immunity in emergency department patients.

Demographic data and blood samples were collected from 278 patients seen at two District of Columbia emergency departments, and tetanus antitoxin assays by hemagglutination were performed at the Centers for Disease Control. Twenty-seven patients (10%) had antibody levels below the 0.01 U/mL considered protective. Four demographic characteristics were different in the patients with inadequate immunity (in decreasing order of significance): advanced age, fewer years of education, female sex, and non-US origin. Fourteen of the inadequately immunized patients were over 70 years of age. Of the 84 patients who reported their immunization histories, five reported no complete series of tetanus shots but had adequate antibody levels, while three reported a complete series but had inadequate levels. Twenty-two patients with inadequate immunity were not offered immunization in the emergency department because they did not have wounds. Patient recall of immunization history is not a reliable guide to tetanus immunization in the emergency department, but patients in certain demographic groups, such as older women, are more likely to have inadequate immunity.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1988

Time-response studies of the cellular immune response to cell membrane antigens.

It was the objective of these experiments to study the time-related changes in the responsiveness of the cellular elements of the immune system following contact with single non-H-2 or multiple H-2 histocompatibility antigens. The reactivity of spleen cells from mice that received injections of spleen cells bearing H-1c, H-3c, H-13a, or H-2b cell membrane alloantigens was characterized at intervals following antigen contact. Spleen cells taken from mice not receiving injections showed no in vitro proliferative or cytolytic responsiveness to cells bearing individual non-H-2 antigens; after in vivo antigen contact with single non-H-2 antigens there was an interval of specific cellular unresponsiveness followed by alternating periods of responsiveness and unresponsiveness. The duration of the unresponsiveness immediately following injection correlated with the strength of the injected antigen--specifically, the stronger the antigen, the shorter the period of unresponsiveness. The data indicate fluctuation in the level of helper T lymphocyte activity, as well as cytotoxic T lymphocyte activity. In contrast, in vitro responsiveness elicited by H-2b antigens with and without prior in vivo antigen contact was of a similar magnitude, and both persisted at a relatively constant level. Suppressor mechanisms were not studied. Of particular interest was the observation that in vivo contact with non-H-2 antigens resulted in suppression of spleen cell production of IL-2 in response to lectin stimulation and fluctuation in the magnitude of the primary response of cytotoxic T lymphocytes to H-2 antigens.

Animals↗
PubMed1988

The geographic distribution of Lyme disease in the United States.

In 1982, national surveillance for Lyme disease was established by the Centers for Disease Control to monitor trends and determine endemic geographic areas. Initially, the endemic areas corresponded to the known distribution of Ixodes dammini, a five-state area of the northeastern seaboard (New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Rhode Island, and Massachusetts) and Wisconsin and Minnesota. Increasing numbers of cases have been reported outside these areas, however, 86% of the provisional 5731 cases reported to CDC were acquired in these seven states. The number of reported cases increased from 491 in 1982 to approximately 1500 per year in 1984-1986, making Lyme disease the most commonly reported tick-borne illness in the United States. The apparently widening distribution of Lyme disease indicates that physicians in all regions of the country should be familiar with its signs and symptoms. Investigations of the vector in areas endemic for Lyme disease where Ixodes ticks are not found are warranted.

Demography↗
PubMed1988

DTP immunization status and tetanus antitoxin titers of Mexican American children ages six months through eleven years.

Data from the Mexican American portion of the Hispanic Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (HHANES), conducted in 1982-83, were analyzed for the number of diphtheria, tetanus, and pertussis (DTP) immunizations reported for Mexican American children 6 months-11 years of age and for levels of tetanus antitoxin titers in Mexican American children 4-11 years of age. In Mexican American children 6 months-11 years, 98.2 per cent had one or more DTP immunizations reported (95 per cent CI: 97.5, 98.9%); 85.1 per cent had three or more DTP immunizations reported (95 per cent CI: 83.2, 87.0%). The reported immunization coverage in Mexican American children was corroborated by the tetanus antitoxin titers which were above the minimum protective level (greater than or equal to 0.01 IU/ml) in 99.6 per cent of the 4-11 year olds. Using the American Academy of Pediatrics' (AAP) recommendations for the number of DTP immunizations, 61.1 per cent of the children 6 months-11 years of age had the age-appropriate number of immunizations (95 per cent CI: 58.5, 63.7%). AAP immunization completion rates were higher for children who: had a source of care reported (62.1 vs 44.3%; 95% CI of the difference: 7.1, 28.5); had insurance coverage (63.5 vs 56.1%; 95% CI of the difference: 2, 12.8); lived in a standard metropolitan statistical area (SMSA)-not central city as compared to SMSA-central city or not SMSA (66.6 vs 57.1%; 95% CI of the difference: 4.3, 14.7); and had 12 or more completed years of education for the head of the household (65.4 vs 58.3%; 95% CI of the difference: 1.8, 12.4).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Child↗
PubMed1985

Wolfe's mammographic classification and breast cancer risk: the effect of misclassification on apparent risk ratios.

The effect of misclassification of Wolfe's mammographic classifications was investigated using data from two radiologists. If there are only two risk groups (high and low), the apparent relative risk expected from typical surveys would be around 2 or 3, even if the true relative risk is very high. If each of Wolfe's four classes has its own risk, the difference between N1 and P1, on the one hand, and P2 and DY on the other, would be almost lost due to misclassification. Published surveys in which the observed relative risks for the high-risk group (P2 and DY) are low are not inconsistent with Wolfe's original finding of a high relative risk: misclassification can greatly distort estimates of relative risks. If misclassification can be managed by restricting uncertain mammograms to one class (or by removing them from the study altogether), the bias can be greatly reduced.

Breast Neoplasms↗
PubMed1984

Predisposition to invasive pneumococcal illness following parainfluenza type 3 virus infection in chimpanzees.

An outbreak of invasive disease, including pneumococcal bacteremia, meningitis, and pneumonia, involved 17 of 83 (20.5%) chimpanzees at a primate rehabilitation unit. Invasive disease was more common in splenectomized than in nonsplenectomized animals (42.9% vs 18.4%), but the difference was not statistically significant. The outbreak followed closely an outbreak of upper respiratory tract infection (URTI) that occurred with equal frequency in splenectomized and nonsplenectomized chimpanzees. Those with URTI were 5.7 times as likely to develop invasive disease than those without URTI (P less than 0.005). Fourteen of 20 (70%) chimpanzees with recent URTI and serologically examined had a 4-fold or greater rise in titer to parainfluenza type 3 virus. The outbreak of invasive disease occurred despite the fact that most of the chimpanzees had been vaccinated with pneumococcal vaccine. Efficacy of pneumococcal vaccine could not be demonstrated among any segment of the chimpanzee population, and testing of sera from 23 vaccinated chimpanzees against 4 pneumococcal serotypes (3, 6, 8, and 14) failed to show a meaningful immune response. The findings demonstrated that viral URTI can predispose primates to invasive infections and suggested that pneumococcal vaccine is not protective in chimpanzees.

Adult↗
PubMed1984

Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and indirect immunofluorescence assay for Lyme disease.

The sensitivity and specificity of an indirect immunofluorescence assay (IFA) and ELISA for Lyme disease were estimated. Sera from patients with Lyme disease, patients with other infections, and healthy individuals were examined. Significant cross-reactivity occurred only with sera from patients with syphilis, yaws, and pinta . All tested sera from patients with Lyme disease, however, gave negative results in the rapid reagin screening test and the microhemagglutination assay for antibodies to Treponema pallidum confirmatory for syphilis. When sera from patients with treponemal diseases were excluded from the analysis, the IFA and ELISA were highly specific, having 97% and 100% reliability, respectively. Sensitivity of both tests varied with the stage of disease but was 100% for both tests during complicated Lyme disease. The results indicate that both tests are highly specific and sensitive for complicated Lyme disease but relatively insensitive for patients with erythema chronicum migrans alone.

Antibodies, Bacterial↗
PubMed1984

Enzyme immunoassay for detection of pneumococcal antigen in cerebrospinal fluid.

A solid-phase immunoassay utilizing horse antiserum against the C polysaccharide of Streptococcus pneumoniae and biotinylated rabbit antibodies to type-specific pneumococcal polysaccharides was developed to detect pneumococcal antigens in human body fluids and in broth cultures. Pneumococcal antigen could be detected in broth cultures of serotypes of S. pneumoniae containing as little as 10(2) to 10(3) organisms per ml. The assay system detected pneumococcal antigen in all 25 cerebrospinal fluid specimens obtained from patients with documented pneumococcal meningitis. There were no positive reactions noted in specimens from patients infected with Neisseria meningitidis group A or from patients without evidence of bacterial infection. The solid-phase enzyme immunoassay utilizing these reagents is a sensitive and specific assay for the immunodetection of a wide range of pneumococcal antigens.

Adult↗