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Biomedical subjects

V M Dato

Publications and source records attributed to V M Dato.

7 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1992

Benefits and costs of using an orally absorbed vaccine to control rabies in raccoons.

In November 1989, the epizootic of rabies affecting raccoons in the mid-Atlantic states reached New Jersey. An economic evaluation was conducted in 2 counties first affected by the epizootic to estimate the costs of the epizootic and to assess the costs and benefits of orally administering a newly developed recombinant rabies vaccine to prevent further spread of the disease. Data on expenditures associated with prevention of rabies in human beings and domestic animals and laboratory testing of suspect animals were collected and analyzed for 1988 (before the epizootic) and 1990 (first full year of the epizootic). Benefit-cost ratios were calculated and used to evaluate the economic advisability of the vaccine at various vaccination program alternatives. Two indices of capital investment analysis, payback period and net present value, were used to evaluate the economic benefits of the rabies vaccine. Expenditures were estimated to be $1,952,014 in 1990 (primarily for pet animal vaccinations), compared with $768,488 in 1988. Benefit-cost ratios ranged from 2.21 for the most expensive vaccination program alternative to 6.80 for the least expensive alternative. The payback period varied from 0.69 to 2.11 years, and the net present value ranged from $2,105,453 to $4,877,452. The high costs of this epizootic necessitated the reallocation of scarce public health resources to various rabies prevention activities, particularly the vaccination of dogs. This study also demonstrated the usefulness of benefit-cost analysis in developing public health strategies. Although the mass application of this recombinant vaccine was found to be economically beneficial, other qualitative considerations must be used to supplement these findings.

Administration, Oral↗
PubMed1992

Lymphocytic choriomeningitis outbreak associated with nude mice in a research institute.

OBJECTIVE: After an employee at a cancer research institute was diagnosed with lymphocytic choriomeningitis, an investigation was performed to determine the extent of lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus (LCMV) infections among the institute's employees and to identify risk factors for infection. DESIGN: Retrospective cohort study. SETTING: A US cancer research institute. PARTICIPANTS: Eighty-two of 90 institute employees. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Serum LCMV antibodies. RESULTS: Seven workers (9%) with definite LCMV infection (LCMV IgG antibody titer greater than or equal to 16) and one worker (1%) with probable infection (IgG titer = 8) were identified (10% overall seroprevalence). All infected employees handled animals or animal tissues and were more likely than other animal handlers to have worked with nude mice (Mus musculus) (P less than .02). Among the 31 employees who worked with nude mice at the institute, infected workers were more likely to clean the cages of nude mice (P much less than .001), change their bedding (P less than .01), and change their water (P less than .001). The institute had been injecting nude mice with LCMV-infected tumor cell lines and had recently increased the nude mouse population and the duration of experiments. These changes would have increased the LCMV burden at the facility and were temporally associated with the cluster of LCMV infections in employees. CONCLUSIONS: This LCMV outbreak, the first reported since 1974, is the first associated with nude mice. It illustrates the ongoing hazard LCMV poses in research laboratories. Since the symptoms of LCMV infection can be nonspecific, clinicians should consider this diagnosis in ill patients who report laboratory rodent exposure.

Adult↗
PubMed1990

Lyme disease presenting as urinary retention.

We report a case of Lyme disease that presented with urinary retention. The individual then experienced lower extremity paralysis. Paralysis and urinary retention resolved with intravenous ceftriaxone antibiotic. To our knowledge this is the first report of a urological manifestation as the initial clinical presentation of Lyme disease. Recognition of clinical symptoms and urological complications of Lyme disease also are discussed.

Adult↗
PubMed1990

Candidemia in children with central venous catheters: role of catheter removal and amphotericin B therapy.

We reviewed retrospectively 31 cases of candidemia in children with central venous catheters. Infection rate was significantly higher in 1- to 4-year-old children with central venous catheters. Infection rate was significantly higher in 1- to 4-year-old children than in other age groups (8.4% vs. 2.2%; P less than 0.05). Serious sequelae occurred in 11 (35%) cases and included fatal outcome (5 instances), Candida endocarditis (2), renal abscesses, meningitis, arthritis and osteomyelitis (1 each). Complications were significantly more common in infants than in older children (P less than 0.05) and appeared 3 to 52 days after the first positive blood culture (mean, 16 days). In fatal cases catheters were left in place a significantly greater number of days than in nonfatal cases (P less than 0.05). A literature review identified 43 additional cases of catheter-related candidemia described in 11 series. The rate of Candida infection in the group as a whole was 2.7%. Patients treated with catheter removal plus amphotericin B had a significantly higher cure rate then patients treated with catheter retention plus amphotericin B (P = 0.009). Prompt catheter removal remains crucial in the treatment of catheter-related candidemia.

Adolescent↗