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Biomedical subjects

T O Harry

Publications and source records attributed to T O Harry.

15 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1992

Prevalence of human immunodeficiency virus-infection among pregnant women attending ante-natal clinic in Maiduguri, north-eastern Nigeria.

A seroepidemiological survey conducted among 1,059 pregnant women in Maiduguri, North-eastern Nigeria from September, 1988 to April, 1990 showed that 5 women or 0.47% were positive for HIV antibodies. Three of the women (0.28%) were positive for HIV-1 while 2 others (0.19%) were positive for HIV-2; this is consistent with the known fact that both viruses are active in West Africa, a sub-region of which Nigeria is part. Detailed information available on 4 of the 5 seropositive women and their husbands did not reveal any known risk factor favouring HIV-infection. In addition to the 5 confirmed seropositive women, 10 others (0.94%) gave Western blot patterns that were neither HIV-1 nor HIV-2. The significance of this observation, if any, needs to be clarified.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1989

Trial of economical regimens of suckling mouse brain rabies vaccine for postexposure prophylaxis in Lagos, Nigeria.

The suckling mouse brain rabies vaccine, recommended for production and routine use in Nigeria from our previous study, was investigated in the present study in an effort to reduce the cost of antirabies treatment in the country. This is needed for economic reasons. Instead of seven daily doses followed by three boosters, we tried five daily doses followed by three boosters, with or without equine hyperimmune serum given on day 0 (40 IU per kg body weight). Fifty dog-bite, victims, aged 3-81 years, were placed on this regimen, 25 with serum and 25 without serum, according to the history of the case. The serum had no effect on the kinetics of antibody development and both serum and vaccine were well tolerated. The geometric mean titres (GMTs) of antirabies antibodies in the sera of recipients of vaccine alone on days 10, 28 and 90 were 3.05 equivalent units ml-1 (EU ml-1), 4.35 EU ml-1 and 2.54 EU ml-1 respectively. Among those who had received antiserum and vaccine the titres were respectively 3.19 EU ml-1, 4.35 EU ml-1 and 3.02 EU ml-1. Of the 50 subjects, 49 showed detectable antibodies by day 28, and all the 50 survived. This regimen is therefore recommended for further trial in countries where rabies is endemic but potent antirabies vaccines are scarce and expensive. Another 23 subjects, considered not to be at risk of rabies, were given a one-tenth dose, two-site intradermal inoculation of the same vaccine on days 0, 3, 7, 14, 28 and 90.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Adolescent↗
PubMed1987

AIDS: a faltering step.

Explore the source record for details and available documents.

Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome↗
PubMed1984

Anti-rabies treatment of dog-bite victims in Lagos, Nigeria: trial of suckling mouse brain and fetal bovine kidney cell rabies vaccines.

Human rabies is common in Nigeria, a country known for rabies endemicity. Yet the supply of anti-rabies vaccines for human use (adult sheep brain origin, produced locally, and duck embryo and human diploid cell vaccines, imported) is grossly inadequate. This study involved controlled treatment of dog-bite victims with suckling mouse brain (SMBV) or fetal bovine kidney (FBKV) rabies vaccines in an effort to determine which type to recommend for production and use in Nigeria. Dog-bite victims treated were aged three to 74 years, with about equal numbers of males and females. Of the 136 patients, 116 (85.3%) completed at least the primo-series of vaccinations, and all have survived without any evidence of clinical rabies. Recipients of the SMBV showed local and generalized reactions in 11.1% and 2.5% of the cases, respectively. Recipients of the FBKV administered subcutaneously showed local and generalized reactions, in 12.5% and 9.4% of cases, respectively. There were no side effects attributable to the vaccine among patients who received the FBKV intramuscularly. By day 7, 26.7% of SMBV recipients and 28.6% of FBKV recipients showed antibody response, with titres of at least one Equivalent Unit ml-1. These percentages increased to 95.1 and 81.1, respectively, by day 14, and by day 20 (for SMBV recipients) or day 30 (FBKV recipients) the response was 100%. Titres dropped by day 90, but in no case to below 1 EU ml-1. We have concluded that both vaccines are equally efficacious and well tolerated. In view of the simple technology required, and the resultant lower cost, the SMBV is being recommended for production and use in Nigeria.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1981

Stability of viability and immunizing potency of lyophilized, modified equine arteritis live-virus vaccine.

The Bucyrus strain of equine arteritis virus, previously modified to avirulence and vaccinal virus by 131 serial passages in primary cell cultures of horse kidney followed by 111 passages in primary cell cultures of rabbit kidney, was further passaged in cultures of the E. Derm (NBL-6) cell line, a continuous diploid cell line. Pools of the 16th and 25th passages of the virus in this last equine dermal cell line were lyophilized and stored in lots at 37 C, 23 to 28 C, 4C, and -20 C. The viability of the vaccinal virus deteriorated rapidly during storage at 37 C and at 23 to 28 C, but was relatively stable at 4 C and at -20 C for at least 1 year. The vaccine stored at 4 C for 9 months protected 2 horses, subsequently inoculated with avirulent virus, from arteritis, whereas the 2 nonvaccinated control horses inoculated simultaneously developed severe signs of the disease and died of acute arteritis.

Animals↗
PubMed1981

Anti-measles IgM in healthy adult Nigerians.

Measles is a common and serious disease of children in Nigeria. In the present study sera from healthy adult Nigerians were titrated for anti-measles haemagglutination inhibiting antibody, and for levels of anti-measles HI IgM antibody. Of those tested, 43.6% showed anti-measles antibody activity without specific IgM, while 30.8% showed both total antibody and specific IgM activity. The presence of anti-measles IgM implies recent contact with the virus. The implication of such recent subclinical infections of adults in the transmission of the virus to susceptible children is discussed.

Adult↗
PubMed1981

Optimal age for vaccinating Nigerian children against measles. I. Neonatal antibody profile and subsequent susceptibility to measles.

The decline of maternally acquired haemagglutination inhibiting antibodies against measles virus in Nigerian children born in Lagos was studied. At birth all the 303 children whose cord blood serum was tested had measurable antibodies. The antibody titre remained detectable in all the children up to four months of age, and in over 90% at five months of age. At six months 65% of the children were without detectable antibodies. At seven and eight months the proportion of children without measurable antibodies was reduced to 50% and 42% respectively, indicating a slight but progressive improvement in the immune status of the children. These findings provide a serological basis for starting anti-measles immunization of Nigerian children at six months.

Age Factors↗
PubMed1981

Optimal age for vaccinating Nigerian children against measles. II. Seroconversion to measles vaccine in different age groups.

Ninety-eight children between five and nine months were given measles vaccine. Bloodsamples were taken before and again six to eight weeks after immunization and tested for haemagglutination inhibition antibodies to measles virus. It was found that the sero-conversion rate was significantly lower (p less than 0.05) in infants under seven months than over this age. The results suggest that although some immunized at six months of age show seroconversion, the proportion is too small to justify extensive immunization at this age. It is proposed that children in Lagos should be immunized from the age of eight to nine months.

Age Factors↗
PubMed1978

Expression of vaccinia virion surface tubule protein as a virus specific cell surface antigen.

The sequential expression of a vaccinia virus specific antigen on the surface of infected cells has been followed by 125I-labelled anti-vaccinia IgG. After an initial drop (during the first 30 minutes of infection) the amount of viral antigen at the cell surface increased steadily for the 12 hours tested. The expression of the antigen was found to depend on protein and RNA synthesis from the start, but dependent on DNA synthesis only after 4 hours. The senitivity of the phenomenon to ultraviolet light irradiation of the virus suggests that the genetic information needed for the expression of the antigen resides in the viral genome. The antigen has been identified as the virion surface tubule, a tubule-like structure on the surface of the intact virion. It is known that vaccinia virus infection of cells starts with the fusion of the virion envelope with the host plasma membrane. It is here proposed that initially tubule from input virus is detected as viral antigen on the cell surface. Subsequently, virus tubule protein synthesised de novo migrates and is detectable as the virus specific cell surface antigen.

Antigens, Surface↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Urban yellow fever epidemic in western Nigeria, 1987.

A large epidemic of urban yellow fever occurred in April and May 1987 in Oyo State, western Nigeria. The principal vector was Aedes aegypti, breeding in domestic water containers. The 1987 outbreak followed an epidemic of sylvatic yellow fever in eastern Nigeria the previous year, and probably resulted from introduction of the virus by viraemic travellers. The outbreak in Oyo State ended in early July, by which time 805 cases and 416 deaths had been officially notified. However, surveys of 3 villages in the epicentre, a region with over 4 million inhabitants, indicated an infection rate of approximately 20%, a clinical attack rate of 2.9% and a mortality rate of 0.6%, suggesting that the true incidence of cases and deaths far exceeded the official reports. Yellow fever virus was isolated from persons with fully developed yellow fever as well as mild febrile illness. One virus isolate was made from blood of an individual with mild illness, who had received 17D vaccine 5 d earlier; monoclonal antibody analysis showed that the isolate was a wild-type virus. Larval indices of Ae. aegypti were very high; however, low vector competence of the Ae aegypti population may have provided a constraint on spread of the epidemic. In late 1987 a third epidemic appeared in Niger State, northern Nigeria, with 644 reported cases and 149 deaths. The vector(s) involved is (are) unknown.

Adolescent↗