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Biomedical subjects

Kirsti Vainio

Publications and source records attributed to Kirsti Vainio.

6 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2006

Molecular epidemiology of norovirus outbreaks in Norway during 2000 to 2005 and comparison of four norovirus real-time reverse transcriptase PCR assays.

During the period from January 2000 to August 2005 a total of 204 outbreaks of norovirus gastroenteritis were diagnosed at the Norwegian Institute of Public Health. A clear increase in the norovirus activity was seen in healthcare institutions during the winter seasons. Polymerase sequence analysis of norovirus strains from 122 outbreaks showed that 112 were caused by GII strains (91.8%). Two norovirus variants seen during the study period-GIIb and GII.4-were predominant between January 2000 and September 2002, whereas GII.4 was predominant from September 2002 onward. The highest norovirus activity was seen during the 2002-2003 and 2004-2005 seasons with the emergence of new GII.4 variants. This study describes the molecular epidemiology of norovirus strains circulating in Norway during the five previous seasons and compares four norovirus real-time reverse transcriptase PCR assays. A suitable assay for routine diagnostics is suggested.

Caliciviridae Infections↗
PubMed2005

Developing a medicine education program in Finland: lessons learned.

The aim of this article is to describe the process of developing a medicine education program for elementary and middle schools in Finland and the lessons learned during the process. Further described is how teachers evaluated the usefulness of the medicine education materials created during the process. By medicine education we mean education about the proper use of medicines, abuse of medicines being just a small part of it. The development process started in 2002 by conducting focus group discussions with children in order to discover how children of different ages understand medicine-related topics. Moreover, teachers completed questionnaires in 2002 to assess their opinions about the importance of medicine education as a part of school health education. Based on the results of these two studies, materials were created during 2002-2003 (, in Finnish with an English introduction). These materials gave the teachers information about the proper use of medicines and some ideas for assignments. As a last part of this research project in autumn 2003, the materials were piloted by a group of elementary and middle school teachers (n=14), and the usefulness of the materials were evaluated during focus group discussions after a teaching period. Based on the evaluation, we learned that the Website should contain a simple structure and ready-to-use materials in order to be used by teachers. Moreover, the fact that teachers need information in order to be able to teach this unfamiliar topic became clear. Teachers of younger children need concise information, but teachers of adolescents need more in-depth information. Furthermore, teachers may have negative attitudes towards medicines, and therefore, medicine education should be rationalized for them. We conclude our article with recommendations on what should be taken into consideration when medicine education programs are planned.

Finland↗
PubMed2002

[Calicivirus and acute gastroenteritis].

BACKGROUND: Outbreaks of calicivirus gastroenteritis are common during the winter season, especially among elderly residents in institutions. The outbreaks are often difficult to control in institutions and may occasionally result in closure of wards. Reliable diagnostic methods are therefore important. We have studied the prevalence of calicivirus in samples sent to our laboratory for calicivirus detection during the winter season 2001 to 2002. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The presence of calicivirus was studied by nested RT-PCR. A total of 117 faecal samples obtained from patients with suspected calicivirus gastroenteritis were examined. RESULTS: Sixteen outbreaks of acute gastroenteritis were observed during the study period. While calicivirus was confirmed in nine of the outbreaks, the virus was detected in only 25 of the 117 faecal samples analyzed (21%). An increased detection rate was observed when faecal samples were collected during the first two days after onset of symptoms. INTERPRETATION: Appropriate surveillance systems are required in order to control calicivirus gastroenteritis in institutions. Microbiological laboratories should be aware of the importance of collecting specimens during the acute phase (i.e., within 48-72 hours after onset) of illness.

Acute Disease↗
PubMed2002

Failure to detect Chlamydia pneumoniae in aortic valves and peripheral blood mononuclear cells from patients undergoing aortic valve replacement in Norway.

The association of Chlamydia pneumoniae with atherosclerosis is still controversial. Reports from different laboratories have varied widely and "gold standards" for the detection of C. pneumoniae are lacking. In the present study, aortic valves and peripheral blood mononuclear cells from 48 patients undergoing aortic valve replacement were examined for the presence of C. pneumoniae using a nested PCR. C. pneumoniae-specific DNA was not detected in any of the clinical samples. No PCR inhibition was observed by spiking the samples with target C. pneumoniae. A total of 31/46 patients (67%) were seropositive for C. pneumoniae IgG. These results do not support the association of C. pneumoniae with aortic valves and peripheral blood mononuclear cells in patients with atherosclerotic aortic heart valve disease.

Adult↗