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Biomedical subjects

W E Beam

Publications and source records attributed to W E Beam.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1974

Relationship of pre-existing antibody to subsequent infection by Mycoplasma pneumoniae in adults.

An extensive study of the epidemiological and serological characteristics of Mycoplasma pneumoniae infection was carried out in a military population. There was an increase in the infection rate at Camp Lejeune during the summer months as indicated by a relative increase in isolations, seroconversions, and hospitalizations for M. pneumoniae pneumonia. Twenty-three percent of the trainees who later became infected had detectable, pre-existing antilipid antibody to M. pneumoniae. When the whole organism was used as antigen, a pre-existing complement fixation (CF) titer of 1:4 or greater correlated with resistance to M. pneumoniae disease as defined by the absence of a fourfold rise in CF antibody, shedding of organisms, and clinical illness. Pre-existing antilipid fraction CF antibody titers of 1:16 or greater correlated with protection against mild and severe M. pneumoniae disease. Antilipid CF antibody titers of 1:4 and 1:8 were related to protection against mild disease but were not associated with protection against pneumonia which required hospitalization. The severity of illness was directly related to the CF antibody response in trainees with acute respiratory disease and pneumonia due to M. pneumoniae. The findings provide a basis for the development of a M. pneumoniae vaccine.

Adult↗
PubMed1972

Influence of sodium chloride on growth of Neisseria meningitidis.

Nasopharyngeal isolates of Neisseria meningitidis were tested for growth on nutrient agar with and without the addition of 0.8% sodium chloride. Of the 822 strains tested, 1.3% grew on the salt-free medium, and 74.1% grew on the medium supplemented with sodium chloride.

Adult↗
PubMed1972

Nasal secretion protein responses in patients with wild-type adenovirus disease.

Proteins were studied in nasal secretions obtained from Marine Corps trainees infected with wild adenovirus type 7 both during the acute phase of illness and after recovery. Illness was associated with a marked increase in the concentration of serum proteins in the secretions, and during inflammation there was no apparent barrier to the passage of large molecules (molecular weight 775,000) from the serum into the respiratory passages. At the time of virus isolation, trainees requiring hospitalization had less immunoglobulin A (IgA) in their secretions even though they had greater quantities of immunoglobin G (P < 0.05) and albumin than trainees followed in the field, whose secretions were also tested at the time of virus isolation. Base-line IgA and protein concentrations were lower (P < 0.05) in hospitalized trainees than in trainees followed prospectively in the field. The results suggest a nonspecific protective function for secretion protein, although we have not excluded the possibility that field study trainees were protected by specific neutralizing antibody present in the nasal secretion.

Adenoviridae↗
PubMed1971

Carbohydrate fermentation patterns of Neisseria meningitidis determined by a microtiter method.

A carbohydrate fermentation technique has been developed and compared to the standard fermentation test with cystine-Trypticase-semisolid agar for the identification of Neisseria meningitidis. This new method utilizes Mueller-Hinton broth as a basal substrate and is performed with microtiter methods. By using Mueller-Hinton broth with and without the addition of antibiotics, the method can be adjusted to test the fermentation patterns of all of the Neisseria including N. gonorrhoeae.

Agar↗