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Biomedical subjects

K R Beutner

Publications and source records attributed to K R Beutner.

46 records · Page 3Linked to original sources
PubMed1977

Hepatitis B e antigen and antibody activity in hepatitis B virus infection.

Groups of institutionalized subjects, volunteer blood donors with serologic evidence of asymptomatic hepatitis B virus infection, and patients with acute type B viral hepatitis were studied for the presence of hepatitis B e antigen and antibody in a sequential manner over a period of two to three years. HBeAg was detected in 9.5% of institutionalized residents and volunteer blood donors and in 24% of patients with acute type B viral hepatitis. HBeAg positive subjects frequently had persistently elevated pyruvic glutamic transaminase levels in the serum. Anti HBe activity was observed in 26 to 32% of subjects positive for hepatitis B surface antigen. Long-term follow-up indicated that HBsAg positive subjects with anti HBe did not eventually become seronegative for HBsAg.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1977

Clinical and immunologic evaluation of neuraminidase-specific influenza A virus vaccine in humans.

Groups of schoolchildren were immunized with an inactivated recombinant influenza virus vaccine specific for the neuraminidase antigen of Port Chalmers influenza A virus (Heq1N2Ch), a conventional biphasic Port Chalmers strain of influenza virus vaccine (H3ChN2Ch), or a placebo. Immunization with either virus vaccine was found to be safe and had no major adverse effects. Immunization with the Heq1N2Ch vaccine resulted in no specific hemagglutination-inhibiting antibody response to H3Ch antigen, although a specific neuraminidase antibody response to N2Ch antigen was observed in greater than 90% of the vaccinees. A subsequent natural outbreak of influenza virus resulted in serologically proven infection with H3Ch virus in 26% of vaccinees receiving H3ChN2Ch virus vaccine, 47% of those receiving Heq1N2Ch virus vaccine, and 44% of those receiving a placebo. However, the protective efficacy against illness was 74.3% for the H3ChN2Ch vaccine and only 51.4% for the Heq1N2Ch vaccine. Regardless of the type of vaccine employed, vaccinees with serologic evidence of infection and clinical illness were found to have very low titers of hemagglutination-inhibiting and neuraminidase antibody. However, vaccinees with serologically proved infection but without clinical illness were found to have titers of antibody to neuraminidase before infection that were four- to eightfold higher than titers in vaccinees who were infected and who had clinical illness.

Antibody Formation↗
PubMed1976

Distribution and characteristics of hepatitis B surface antigen in body fluids of institutionalized children and adults.

Specimens of blood, feces, urine, and nasopharyngeal washings collected at regular intervals from subjects in an institutionalized population were tested for the presence of hepatitis B surface (HBS Ag) and antibody by passive hemagglutination, radioimmunoassay, and immune electron microscopy. HBS Ag, confirmed by radioimmunoassay and immune electron microscopy, was frequently detected in nasal washings, urine, and feces of chronic carriers of HBS Ag and occasionally in subjects with recent seroconversion for HBS Ag. In addition, some subjects who had recently become positive for antibody to HBS Ag in serum had HBS Ag transiently present in urine and occasionally in the feces, without demonstrable antigenemia.

Adult↗
PubMed1976

Hepatitis B infection in health care personnel of an institution for mentally handicapped children and adults.

The health care personnel (HCP) of an institution for the mentally handicapped were serially tested for the presence of hepatitis B surface antigen (HBSAg) and antibody over a period of 1.5 years. HBSAg was present in 1.8% and anti-HBS in 20.8% of HCP. The prevalence of seropositive HCP appeared to be related to the age and the prevalence of seropositive residents cared for by the HCP. The occurrence of seropositivity was higher in the HCP who cared for children under 15 years of age, who demonstrated a high prevalence of HBSAg or anti-HBS. Although the prevalence of HBSAg-positive subjects was 4- to 8-fold lower in HCP than in residents, the degree of seroconversion in susceptible seronegative HCP and residents was strikingly similar. These observations suggest that HCP working in a closed institutional setting are at considerable risk of contacting hepatitis B infection.

Adult↗
PubMed1976

Clinical evaluation of neuraminidase monospecific (HEqN2) recombinant influenza vaccine in children.

Phased clinical trials were undertaken to evaluate the efficacy of neuraminidase specific recombinant (HEqN2) inactivated influenza vaccine in a population of school children. Groups of subjects were immunized under code, with influenza A2 Port Chalmer (H3N2), Port Chalmer neuraminidase recombinant (HEqN2), and placebo vaccines (vaccine diluent) before the onset of A2 strain influenza epidemic in this population. Preliminary results have provided the following information. Immunization with commercial Port Chalmer (H3N2) or neuraminidase recombinant influenza A2 (HEqN2) vaccines, in a childhood population was safe and without any major adverse effects. Vaccination with H3N2 vaccine regularly induced seronconversion for specific hemagglutination-inhibiting (HAI) antibodies in over 60% of vaccinated subjects. The mean titers of antineuraminidase antibody (ANAB) in H3N2 recipients who were seropositive prior to immunization increased five-fold while the ANAB titers of individuals who were seronegative prior to immunization did not rise significantly after immunization. On the other hand, immunization with HEqN2 vaccine resulted in little or no HAI response against H3, while specific ANAB response was observed in over 70% of such vaccines. The ANAB titers increased approximately 10 fold in the vaccines who were seropositive prior to immunization, and the titers in subjects seronegative prior to immunization were 5-6 fold higher than the post immunization titers observed in seronegative individuals in the H3N2 vaccinated group. Preliminary data on protection against natural reinfection suggested that, although the incidence of serological reinfection was similar in all vaccine groups, the expression of clinical disease was somewhat milder in HEqN2 vaccinees and in individuals with high levels of ANAB. These studies provide tentative support to the potential use of neuraminidase specific vaccine for mass immunoprophylaxis against influenza A2 virus.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1976

Vaccination by non-parenteral routes: characteristics of immune response.

Antibody and cell-mediated immune response in systemic and external mucosal sites was studied after natural or vaccine induced infections with rubella and mumps viruses. Natural rubella infection or immunization with RA27/3 rubella vaccine by intranasal and frequently by the subcutaneous route resulted in regular appearance of antibody response in the serum and respiratory tract and cellular immunity in circulating lymphocytes and tonsillar lymphoid tissue. Subcutaneous immunization with HPV-77 and Cendehill rubella vaccine resulted in antibody response in the serum with little or no response in the respiratory tract. A minimal cell-mediated immune response in systemic or respiratory lymphoid tissue was observed after such immunization. Intranasal immunization with HPV-77 frequently elicited a transient antibody and cell-mediated activity in the respiratory tract with no response in the serum and peripheral lymphocytes. Studies carried out with natural mumps infection or subcutaneous immunization with live attenuated mumps vaccine suggested that either route of infection may result in the development of antibody and cell-mediated immune responses in systemic sites as well as in the respiratory tract. These observations suggest that the immunologic outcome of immunization by non-parenteral route may be determined by the types of viral antigen employed, the nature of locally available immuno-competent tissue, the ability of mucosal site to capture an antigen or accept replication of live virus vaccines, and the degree of prior sensitization with the same antigen.

Administration, Intranasal↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Antiviral therapy for herpes zoster: randomized, controlled clinical trial of valacyclovir and famciclovir therapy in immunocompetent patients 50 years and older.

OBJECTIVE: To compare the efficacy and safety of valacyclovir hydrochloride and famciclovir for the treatment of herpes zoster. DESIGN: A double-blind, randomized, controlled, multicenter clinical trial in which patients received 7 days of treatment and were followed up for 24 weeks. SETTINGS: Patients reported directly to specialist centers or were referred from primary care centers. PATIENTS: There were 597 otherwise healthy immunocompetent outpatients, aged 50 years and older, who presented within 72 hours of onset of zoster rash. INTERVENTIONS: Treatment with valacyclovir hydrochloride (1 g 3 times daily) or famciclovir (500 mg 3 times daily) for 7 days. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Resolution of zoster-associated pain and postherpetic neuralgia, rash healing, and treatment safety. RESULTS: Intent-to-treat analysis did not detect statistically significant differences for valacyclovir vs famciclovir on resolution of zoster-associated pain (hazard ratio, 1. 02; 95% confidence interval, 0.84-1.23; P =.84). Furthermore, no differences were evident between treatments on rash healing rates and on a range of analyses of postherpetic neuralgia. Safety profiles for valacyclovir and famciclovir were similar, with headache and nausea being the more common adverse events. CONCLUSIONS: Valacyclovir treatment is comparable to famciclovir treatment in speeding the resolution of zoster-associated pain and postherpetic neuralgia. Current wholesale prices indicate that valacyclovir is the more cost-effective treatment for herpes zoster ($83.90 vs $140.70 per course).

2-Aminopurine↗