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Biomedical subjects

S Dittmann

Publications and source records attributed to S Dittmann.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2001

Vaccine safety: risk communication--a global perspective.

The complexity of risks connected with both vaccine-preventable diseases as well as with immunization will be discussed and used as the basis for conclusions: -what should be done to avoid damage to current and future immunization programs and -how to improve risk communication. The need for more complete data on true, perceived and unknown immunization risks necessitates strengthening our research capabilities as well as surveillance and vaccine safety programs, and to critically examine the factors influencing public sentiments, taking into account that public perceptions of risk vary depending on the characteristics of risk. A concerted effort is needed to improve benefit and risk communication at all levels. The medical community should play a key role for improved communication.

Communication↗
PubMed2000

Preface

Explore the source record for details and available documents.

Journal Article↗
PubMed2000

Successful control of epidemic diphtheria in the states of the Former Union of Soviet Socialist Republics: lessons learned.

Epidemic diphtheria reemerged in the Russian Federation in 1990 and spread to all Newly Independent States (NIS) and Baltic States by the end of 1994. Factors contributing to the epidemic included increased susceptibility of both children and adults, socioeconomic instability, population movement, deteriorating health infrastructure, initial shortages of vaccine, and delays in implementing control measures. In 1995, aggressive control strategies were implemented, and since then, all affected countries have reported decreases of diphtheria; however, continued efforts by national health authorities and international assistance are still needed. The legacy of this epidemic includes a reexamination of the global diphtheria control strategy, new laboratory techniques for diphtheria diagnosis and analysis, and a model for future public health emergencies in the successful collaboration of multiple international partners. The reemergence of diphtheria warns of an immediate threat of other epidemics in the NIS and Baltic States and a longer-term potential for the reemergence of vaccine-preventable diseases elsewhere. Continued investment in improved vaccines, control strategies, training, and laboratory techniques is needed.

Adult↗
PubMed1999

Tuberculosis control in the Caucasus: successes and constraints in DOTS implementation.

SETTING: The pilot projects for tuberculosis (TB) control, supported by the World Health Organization (WHO) and based on the WHO recommended control strategy, directly-observed treatment, short-course (DOTS) in the Caucasian countries (Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia). OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the results 2 years after the implementation of the pilot projects. METHODS: Analysis of data on case detection, sputum conversion and treatment outcome reported quarterly to the WHO from the Ministries of Health in each country. RESULTS: Since the establishment of the project, 1330, 764 and 4866 new cases and relapses, respectively, of TB have been detected in the pilot areas of Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia. In Armenia and Azerbaijan, respectively 46% and 57% of all cases were smear positive, whilst in Georgia, the corresponding figure was only 12%. After 3 months' treatment, 93% of new smear-positive patients had become smear-negative. The sputum conversion rate for relapses and other retreatment cases (failure, treatment interrupted) was 85%. In Armenia, 78.1% of new smear-positive patients were treated successfully (cured or completed treatment). The corresponding percentages for Azerbaijan and Georgia were 87.9% and 59.6%. Treatment success rates among retreatment cases was generally low, at respectively 46%, 64%, and 35%, in Armenia, Azerbaijan, and Georgia. CONCLUSION: The results of the implementation of the WHO TB control pilot projects in Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia suggest that the DOTS strategy is feasible in emergency situations in general, and in the Caucasus in particular.

Disease Notification↗
PubMed1996

Current situation and control strategies for resurgence of diphtheria in newly independent states of the former Soviet Union.

Since 1990, an epidemic of diphtheria has spread throughout the newly independent states of the former Soviet Union, and by 1995 a total of 47 808 cases were reported. During the early stages of the epidemic, adequate control measures were not taken and vaccine was in short supply; possible contributing factors to the spread of the epidemic are the presence of highly susceptible child and adult populations, socioeconomic instability, population movement, and a deteriorating health infrastructure. Although WHO views the epidemic as an International public-health emergency and, together with UNICEF and the International Red Cross, has formulated a strategy to combat the epidemic, the necessary funds have not been made fully available. Current vaccination recommendations also need to be reviewed to ensure that population immunity will be adequate to prevent any resurgence of diphtheria in Europe and North America.

Age Distribution↗
PubMed1996

Strategy for pertussis prevention in the World Health Organization's European Region.

An overview of pertussis and pertussis prevention strategies is presented, with emphasis on the European Region of the World Health Organization (WHO) and regional operational targets. By the year 2000, if children receive three primary doses of pertussis vaccine as infants and reinforcing doses at the end of the second year of life, coverage should be > or = 90%. No district in any country should have < 90% coverage by the year 1997. The need for additional boosters should be assessed by individual national programs. By the year 2000, the annual incidence of pertussis cases in each country in the WHO European Region should be < 1/100,000 population. Since acellular pertussis vaccines are not yet widely available or not affordable, the use of diphtheria-tetanus toxoid-pertussis vaccines containing the whole-cell pertussis component should be continued. Where acellular vaccines are available and affordable, their use should be encouraged.

Diphtheria-Tetanus-Pertussis Vaccine↗
PubMed1993

Contributions to the phylogeny of Platyhelminthes based on partial sequencing of 18S ribosomal DNA.

Partial sequencing of the 18S ribosomal DNA gene of one nemertean and 13 free-living and parasitic Platyhelminthes (556 nucleotides), and of one nemertean and 20 Platyhelminthes (556 nucleotides) was used to test several hypotheses concerning the phylogenetic relationships of Platyhelminthes. The following conclusions were reached: the Neodermata is monophyletic; Trematoda (Aspidogastrea and Digenea) is monophyletic, although a sister group relationship of the Aspidogastrea and all other Neodermata cannot be definitely ruled out; the Cestoda comprising the Eucestoda, Amphilinidea and Gyrocotylidea is monophyletic; it is unresolved whether the Monogenea is paraphyletic; neither Gyrocotylidea and Monopisthocotylea nor Gyrocotylidea and Monogenea as a whole are sister groups; Anoplodiscus is a monopisthocotylean monogenean; none of Proseriata, Pterastericolidae/Umagillidae, Kalyptorhynchia, Rhabdocoela as a whole, Dalyelliida or the Temnocephalidae is the sister group of the Neodermata; there is some evidence that a larger taxon consisting of Proseriata, Tricladida and Rhabdocoela may be the sister group of the Neodermata but definitive evidence for a sister group relationship between the Neodermata and any turbellarian taxon is lacking; Rhabdocoela and Lecithoepitheliata are not closely related; it is unresolved whether the Rhabdocoela is monophyletic; Umagillidae, Pterastericolidae and Temnocephalidae belong to one monophylum; the Temnocephalidae are very close to the dalyelliids; Tricladida and Rhabdocoela are sister groups, the exact position of the Catenulida and Nemertini in relation to the Platyhelminthes has not been resolved, although Catenulida and Lecithoepitheliata may belong to one clade.

Animals↗
PubMed1992

Detection and characterization of hepatitis C virus sequence in the serum of a patient with chronic HCV infection.

A cDNA fragment corresponding to the nonstructural gene region of Hepatitis C virus was cloned and sequenced. cDNA was obtained by reverse transcription of viral RNA extracted from serum of a German patient with chronic post transfusion hepatitis. "Nested" PCR resulted in a cDNA fragment of 345 nt. The sequence showed a homology of 96% to the American prototype HCV.

Base Sequence↗
PubMed1991

Long-term persistence of hepatitis C virus antibodies in a single source outbreak.

The occurrence of antibodies to hepatitis C virus (HCV) was investigated in 81 patients who developed hepatitis non-A, non-B (HNANB) after parenteral administration of contaminated immunoglobulin to prevent Rh sensitization. Sera from 74 of the 81 patients (89.9%) were anti-HCV positive at either 6-12 months or 9-10 years after administration of immunoglobulin. Sera were not available from any patients at either of the times: however, 52 of 56 sera (92.9%) were anti-HCV positive 6-12 months after use of immunoglobulin, and anti-HCV was present in 45 of 65 sera (69.2%) 9-10 years after immunoglobulin treatment. Of the latter, only two of 13 (15.4%) sera from patients who recovered from hepatitis were anti-HCV positive, whereas 43 of 52 patients (82.7%) with chronic disease were anti-HCV positive. The ELISA using a recombinant antigen was found a good detector as marker for a HCV infection because 90% of patients infected by a common source became anti-HCV positive. However, 10 years after infection most patients who did not develop chronic disease no longer had detectable antibodies.

Analysis of Variance↗
PubMed1990

[Comparative study of parenteral and oral immunization against influenza in a large clinical trial. 2. Results of immunologic studies].

In a multicentric trial 350 persons (19-24 years) were immunized with influenza vaccines containing the following virus antigens: A/Singapore/6/86, (H1N1); A/Mississippi/1/85, (H3N2); B/Ann Arbor/1/86. 174 received an i.m. injection of 0.5 ml "Influmun" vaccine from SSW Dresden/GDR. 176 persons were immunized twice within 60 days with enteric-wated capsules each containing approximately 60 micrograms hemagglutinin of all three virus strains. The volunteers were clinically observed in an interval of 6 months. The majority of orally immunized persons with low pre-immunization titers responded with fourfold or higher IgA antibody titer rises in nasal secretions, but no significant IgG antibody titer increase in sera could be observed. Secretory antibody titers remained elevated for 2 to 4 months. Parenterally immunized persons showed antibody titer rises in sera but not in nasal secretions. In both groups the highest antibody titer increases were observed after application of the A/Singapore/6/86 virus antigen. Volunteers with high pre-immunization titer did not show an antibody increase neither after parenteral nor oral immunization.

Administration, Oral↗
PubMed1990

Immunogenicity of oral poliomyelitis vaccine (OPV) against variants of wild poliovirus type 3.

Serological investigations of three groups of children from the German Democratic Republic (GDR) and from Czechoslovakia who had different immunization histories against poliomyelitis indicated that the immunity induced by oral poliovaccine (OPV) is effective against both the wild poliovirus Saukett strain and a new wild variant of poliovirus type 3 that was isolated during an outbreak of poliomyelitis in Finland in 1984. There is therefore no obvious risk that individuals in the GDR or Czechoslovakia, most of whom have been immunized with OPV, are threatened by new wild poliovirus variants. These findings are of importance, especially in connection with WHO's initiative for the global eradication of poliomyelitis by the year 2000.

Antibodies, Viral↗