The response to a booster dose, given by the same route 18 months after the completion of the primary vaccination scheme, was studied in hospital staff members who responded with anti-HBs levels in the range of 10-99 IU/l after three intradermal (i.d., n = 51) or intramuscular (i.m., n = 11) doses of recombinant hepatitis B virus (HBV) vaccine administered at 0, 1 and 6 months. At the time of boostering the anti-HBs levels had declined to < 10 IU/l in 44/51 (86%) of the i.d. and 10/11 of the i.m. vaccines. All i.m. and 90% of i.d. vaccinees responded to the booster dose with anti-HBs level > or = 10 IU/l, and with geonmetric mean titres 1,074 IU/l and 121 IU/l, respectively. It was concluded that all i.m. and 90% of i.d. vaccinees with an initial anti-HBs response of 10-99 IU/l after three doses of HBV vaccine (among whom the anti-HBs levels in the majority had declined < 10 IU/l) mounted an anti-HBs level > or = 10 IU/l after a booster dose. The anti-HBs concentrations were generally higher after i.m. than i.d. booster doses in accordance with the response to primary vaccination.

Adult↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Standardization of techniques and reagents for the study of rubella antibody.

The use of well-standardized assays or well-documented commercial kits for determination of rubella antibody titers is recommended. The expression of levels of antibody and the sensitivity of the assays in international antibody units should be encouraged; at present this is possible for IgG. The type of antibody assay and the antigen used must be defined. The standardization of IgM units is more problematic but is being developed. The degree of protection against viremia associated with low levels of antibody needs further elucidation.

Adult↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Thyroglobulin and thyroid hormones in patients on long-term treatment with phenytoin, carbamazepine, and valproic acid.

Serum concentrations of total triiodothyronine (T3) and thyroxine (T4) as well as serum thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) and thyroglobulin (Tg) were measured in 24 patients with epilepsy taking anticonvulsants (either phenytoin, carbamazepine, or valproic acid as single treatment) and in a control group of 28 patients with scoliosis but without thyroid disease. The T4 as well as the TSH concentrations were depressed in patients on phenytoin or carbamazepine treatment. The T3 concentration was increased in the patients on carbamazepine or valproic acid treatment, whereas the Tg levels were unaffected by all three drugs. Thus, a slight depression of the TSH concentration within the normal range does not influence the Tg release. The lack of change in the Tg concentration also speaks against a direct effect of the antiepileptic drugs on the thyroid gland.

Carbamazepine↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Prevalence of antibodies to herpes simplex virus in pregnant women in Stockholm in 1969, 1983 and 1989: implications for STD epidemiology.

Prevalence of antibody to herpes simplex virus types 1 and 2 was assessed in consecutive serum samples from a total of 3700 women pregnant in 1969, 1983, or 1989 from the same catchment area in Stockholm. There was little change in seroprevalence of antibody to herpes simplex type 1 in the 3 groups, but age-adjusted herpes simplex virus type 2 antibody prevalence was 19, 33, and 33% respectively. Increase in type 2 seropositivity with age was slight and similar in 1969 and 1989, but steep in 1983, indicating a shift in sexual behaviour. However, rising prevalence in women will be mirrored by rising prevalence in their male partners. The increase from 1969 to 1989 will thus partly be due to higher risk of infection per partner, and cannot be taken as direct evidence of increased rate of partner change during this 20-year period.

Adult↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Acute facial palsy. Some clinical and virological observations.

A prospective clinical and virological study on 44 patients with acute, peripheral facial paralysis was carried out in consecutive cases during one year. In 9 cases varicella-zoster infections were serologically established. In 5 additional patients an associated varicella-zoster, or herpes simplex, infection was possible. Of the 9 confirmed cases, 6 were clinically diagnosed as zoster oticus, whereas on clinical grounds, 3 were regarded as Bell's palsy. No evidence was obtained of associated enterovirus, mumps, measles, cytomegalovirus, tick-borne encephalitis virus, para-influenza virus, mononucleosis or Mycoplasma pneumoniae infection.

Acute Disease↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Non-specific polyclonal antibody response induced by Mycoplasma pneumoniae.

The ability of heat-killed Mycoplasma pneumoniae (MP) organisms to induce polyclonal antibody production in cultures of blood lymphocytes of healthy subjects was studied. MP induced both IgM and IgG production, with a predominance of IgM. Supernatants of MP-stimulated lymphocyte cultures were tested by an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay for antibodies to measles, rubella, and herpes simplex virus. MP as well as pokeweed mitogen induced production of viral antibodies of IgG class in lymphocytes of donors who had serum antibodies to the corresponding viral antigens. The MP-induced non-specific antibody response was T-cell-dependent. Lymphocytes from four patients with MP pneumonia, collected nine to 13 days after onset of illness, were tested for in vitro Ig production in the absence of MP. These lymphocytes spontaneously produced increased amounts of IgM and/or IgG. Lymphocytes from three of these four patients spontaneously produced viral IgG antibodies to measles and/or varicella antigens, indicating that MP had induced non-specific activation of memory B cells in vivo. Spontaneous viral antibody production was not found in lymphocyte cultures of healthy donors. The non-specific activation of blood B cells in vitro is probably induced by non-specific helper factors from MP-activated T cells. It is possible that in vivo MP also may have a direct activating effect on B cells.

Adult↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Influence of adjuvant radiation therapy in breast cancer on PWM induced Ig-secretion by blood lymphocytes in vitro.

The capacity of PWM (poke-weed mitogen) to stimulate Ig-secretion by blood lymphocytes was examined before and at various times after local radiation therapy (46.0 Gy) for breast cancer. It was observed that the secretion of IgM, IgA and IgG were significantly reduced at completion of radiation therapy. Secretion of IgM was reduced to the highest relative extent (approximately 10% of the pretreatment value). Thereafter there was a recovery of the Ig-secreting capacity which, however, remained below the pretreatment level, 12-18 months after completion of radiation therapy. The capacity of PWM-stimulated blood lymphocytes to secrete specific antibodies against morbilli and herpes simplex virus was also significantly impaired after radiation therapy. The reduction of Ig-synthesis in vitro was not correlated with the increase in the ratio between numbers of monocytes and lymphocytes in peripheral blood after radiation therapy. Possible explanations for these results are discussed.

Adult↗