PubMed Health⌕ Search

Biomedical subjects

M L Profeta

Publications and source records attributed to M L Profeta.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources
PubMed1978

[Role of the virologic laboratory in the diagnosis of subacute sclerosing panencephalitis. Report of 12 cases studied between May, 1977 and March, 1978].

Measles h.i.a. and c.f.a. were titrated in serum and cerebrospinal fluid of 12 SSPE patients. Specific IgM h.i.a. in the same specimens were also determined. Pretreatment of the sera by monkey red blood cell absorption, by kaolin or by heparin MnCl2, did not significantly affect h.i.a. titres, but h.i.a. were no more demonstrable in cerebrospinal fluids after kaolin and titres were somewhat lowered by heparin-MnCl2 treatment. By both h.i. and c.f. tests measles antibody were found at much higher titres in sera of SSPE patients than in controls of the same age. H.i.a. and, with one exception, c.f.a. were found in each of the 9 available cerebrospinal fluids from patients, but in none of the 6 specimens from non-SSPE cases. Ratio GM titers h.i.a. over GM titers c.f.a. in sera of SSPE patients was about 1, a value far from that found under different immunization conditions. In control sera, for instance, the ratio was 5.3. Specific IgM were never found in the cerebrospinal fluids and in only 2 out of the 10 sera examined.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1978

[Age of measles vaccination in Lombardy from the results of a seroepidemiological survey in Milan].

In view of the introduction of measles vaccination in Lombardy and since the age of vaccination is of paramount importance, measles h.i.a. were titrated in sera from 209 children between 0 and 6 years of age (of whom 171/0--2) and from 40 woman in the child-bearing age. As it could be expected from the high prevalence of adults with antibody (95%), 90% of umbelical cord sera have h.ia.,, Over 50% of children 15 days-3 months of age are still positive and afterwards the positivity decreases progressivley till a minimum of 8% in children 10--12 months old. Beginning with the second year of life the percentage of immune children grows slowly to reach 50% in the age group 3--6 years. The distribution of antibody titers between 6 and 12 months, time at which maternal antibody are largely waned, suggested that the infection with measles virus is a rare event in the first year of life, while a substantial number of children gets the infection between 18 and 24 months. From these results it appears that also in Lombardy measles vaccination should be given not before 13 months and not after 18 months of age.

Adult↗
PubMed1978

[Incidence of hemagglutination-inhibiting antibodies in the population of Milan and of Bari against strains of influenza viruses of epidemiological importance in the winter of 1977-78].

A sero-epidemiological survey was carried out on 555 serum samples from normal subjects of both sexes (age: from few months to over 60 years) collected in the late summer 1977 in Milan and Bari, two towns with rather different climatic conditions. In both localities a further large spread of A/Victoria/3/75 strain seems unlikely, since 54% of sera from Milan and 58% of those from Bari have h.i.a. at protective titers. On the contrary, the degree of immunity against B/Hong Kong/8/73 virus is still faiitical level for the survival of A/Hong Kong/68 pandemic strain appears almost reached in the population of Milan, where 76% of subjects have antibody at protective titers. In Bari such percentage is 60%. The statistical analysis (X2 test) of the data concerning the subjects with h.i.a. at titers greater than or equal to 1:40 shows only one significant difference between Milan and Bari, that is the A/Hong Kong/68 antibody prevalence. Probably this is due to the low number of males of Bari with protective antibody levels.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1977

[Optimal temperature of enzyme activity and heat resistance of neuraminidases as attenuation markers for influenza viruses].

Neuraminidase activity of virulent and vaccinal strains A/England/42/72, A/Scotland/840/74 and A/Victoria/3/75 assessed at different temperatures did not show significant differences in the temperature optima of enzyme activity. Vaccinal strains were attenuated by APR-8 recombination and selection of mutants resistant to serum inhibitors (Alice, RIT 4025, RIT 4050 strains). On the contrary, differences were found in the thermal inactivation of the neuraminidase between wild and vaccinal strains, the latter being more thermolabile. Increasing from 0.5 to 5.0 mM/1 the Ca++ concentration, an enhancement of the heat stability was observed, more marked for the attenuated strains. The amount of NANA released by 1 hemagglutinating unit varied widely between strains. To be pointed out, however, that within each antigenic variant the vaccinal strain showed a lower enzymatic activity than the corresponding wild strain.

Antigens, Viral↗
PubMed1976

[Prevalence of antibodies to A/New Jersey/76, A/Victoria/3/75 and B/Hong Kong/5/72 influenza viruses in the population of Milan examined in the late spring of 1976 and evaluation of the past experience of the same population with probable agent of the 1918-20 pandemics].

Hemagglutination inhibiting antibodies (h.i.a.) to influenza viruses A/New Jersey/76, A/Victoria/3/75 and B/Hong Kong/5/72 were titrated in 227 serum samples collected in Milan in the late spring 1976 from healthy subjects of 0 to 90 years of age. In 185 of these neuraminidase-inhibiting antibodies (n.i.a.) for the type A strains were also titrated. Subjects up to 40 years of age lack h.i.a. to A/New Jersey/76 strain; antibody levels equal to or greater than 1:40 are occasionally present in the 41-50 year group and the incidence rises to 75% and more after 60 years. N.i.a. are absent in the sera from persons of 0-30 years and titers equal to or greater than 1:100 were found only in the age group over 40. Of the sera examined 44% is lacking in h.i.a. to A/Victoria/3/75 strain and antibodies at protective levels were found in 14% of the subjects, usually among the youngest (0-15 years) and the elderly (over 60 years). N.i.a. for this strain are present in 40% of the samples and 10% have titers equal to or greater than 1.100. Half of the sera under test has h.i.a. to B/Hong Kong/5/72 strain, but only 19% with titers equal to or greater than 1:40. The age distribution of h.i. and n.i. antibodies to A/New Jersey/76 virus suggests that strains antigenically related to the swine virus were widespread in our population until about 1929. The presence of n.i.a., but not of h.i.a. in subjects born between 1935 and 1946 supports the hypothesis of cross-reaction between the neuraminidases of the swine and of the A-O strains.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1976

[Clinical control, study of viral shedding and evaluation of circulating and local antibody response after administration of live and attenuated "Alice" strain influenza vaccine].

Thirty-four young adults were inoculated intranasally by nose drops with two doses, two weeks apart, of inhibitor resistant "Alice" vaccine strain of A/England/42/72 (H3N2). By the rate of volunteers with clinical reactions, always mild and short-lasting, the vaccine showed a low degree of reactogenicity. Viral shedding was evidenced only the day after the first dose and was limited to two vaccinees. Two weeks after the first dose homologous serum h.i.a. appeared in all the 15 volunteers lacking prevaccination antibody and significant titer rises occurred in a substantial number of vaccine recipients with low titers. The incidence of subjects with h.i.a at titers considered to be protective (larger than or equal to 1:40), which was 26% before vaccination, rose to 93% in fully vaccinated volunteers. Very likely because of the presence of n.i.a. in the prevaccinal serum of all the volunteers, the n.i.a. response was less satisfactory. The vaccine induced h.i.a. to A/Port Chalmers/73 e A Scotland/74 (H3N2) variants, although in a lower titer than to the homologous strain. Serum h.i. and n.i. antibody response appeared not to be significantly increased by a second dose. H.i.a., never present in the first sample, were found in the nasal washings taken two weeks after the second dose from 9 out of 16 vaccinees examined. Antibody was detected more frequently in the specimens with relatively high levels of protein and IgA. Secretory n.i.a., already demonstrable in 7 volunteers before vaccination, were acquired by all but one at the end of the experience.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Anti-neuraminidase antibody response in hamsters experimentally infected with Sendai virus.

Investigations were performed to study the behaviour of neuraminidase-inhibiting (n.i.a.) and, by comparison, of neutralizing, hemagglutinin-inhibiting (h.i.a.) and anti-S and anti-V complement-fixing (c.f.a.) antibodies in hamsters inoculated intranasally with a Sendai virus strain of recent isolation. Moreover the distribution of the virus in the respiratory tract was followed. Preliminary experiences were done to assure a correct performance of the neuraminidase-inhibition test. First of all the optimal pH and then the influence of the normal hamster serum on the enzyme activity were evaluated. The n.i.a. as well as h.i.a. and anti-S and anti-V c.f.a. were demonstrable from day 6th after infection, neutralizing antibody from 8th day. The n.i.a. reached the peak of 24 days, that is later than the other types of antibodies, and started to decline after 1 month, together with the drop of the h.i.a and c.f.a. On the contrary the neutralizing antibody persisted at high titres till the end of the observation period (75 days). Detectable antibody response was coincidental with a marked drop in the titers of virus recovered from the respiratory tract. Because of the association of both hemagglutinating and neuraminidase activities with the same Sendai glycoprotein, it is stressed the possibility that hemagglutination-inhibition and neutraminidase-inibition tests titrate the same antibody.

Animals↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Survey of the use of vaccination against measles and pertussis in a city of the Milanese hinterland].

In april 1986 a questionnaire was submitted to the mothers of a randomized sample of children born in 1984 in a city of the hinterland of Milan. The aim of the investigation was to get information on the level of knowledge of the population on pertussis and measles diseases and on pertussis and measles vaccinations that are optional in our country. The mothers were also asked to specify the reasons of not having vaccinated their children. Aut of 146 questionnaires distributed, 137 (93%) were filled. According to the mother's recall, 22 (16%) children had been vaccinated against pertussis and 36 (26%) against measles. On the whole, the results indicate that the lack of pertussis and measles vaccinations was mainly due to ignorance about the diseases and about the vaccines. Indeed, the reasons for the lack of vaccination most frequently given by the mothers were: " belief that a child msut get these diseases" (23% of the answers for pertussis and 36% for measles), " ignorance of the availability of vaccines " (32% for anti-pertussis and 16% for anti-measles vaccination); "poor knowledge on the facilities in which to get child vaccinated" (23% for anti-pertussis and 16% for anti-measles vaccination). Moreover, on the total of the 137 interviewed mothers only 37% and 56%, respectively, knew that natural pertussis and natural measles may be accompanied or followed by complications. The frequency of the various answers was rather homogeneous regardless of the mother's schooling and of mother being a house-wife or working outside the home. It is therefore concluded that to obtain a satisfactory compliance to measles and pertussis vaccinations, it is necessary to educate parents and to improve their knowledge of the diseases and of the benefits of the vaccines.

Adult↗