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Seroepidemiologic studies on the possible relationships of human and bovine leukemia: Brief communication.

A seroepidemiologic study was conducted in an attempt to identify antibodies against the bovine leukemia virus (BLV) in people exposed to cattle with lymphosarcoma. Farm families, farm employees, and veterinarians in contact with cow herds having documented cases of lymphosarcoma were tested for precipitating antibodies to the BLV with the agar gel immunodiffusion test. The cattle also were tested serologically. Information was collected form the farm families regarding consumption of unpasteurized milk from their dairy herd. Twenty-one dairy herds with documented cases of lymphosarcoma were identified. A total of 846 cows from these herds wre bled, of which 33% were serologically positive. No positive sera were found in the 45 dairy farmers, family members, and farm employees associated with the herds with lymphosarcoma. Consumption of raw milk was reported by 77% of the farm group. In addition, 83 veterinarians, 30 leukemia patients, and 200 control human sera were tested and found negative for antibodies to the BLV.

Adolescent

The use of transportable single-radial-diffusion immunoplates in seroepidemiological studies of influenza in the Gambia. The occurrence and persistence of antibody to influenza A/Hong Kong/68 (H3N2) virus in selected inhabitants of two rural villages.

Seroepidemiological studies of influenza in the Gambia were made using transportable single-radial-diffusion immunoplates containing A/Hong Kong/68 (H3N2) virus as antigen. The frequency and durability of antibody so detected in selected residents of two Gambian villages (Manduar and Kafuta) are described. Transportable immunoplates were found to be an effective method for the serological surveillance of influenza and to be applicable in studies in remote areas where laboratory facilities may not be available. Results indicated that infection with influenza was widespread in Manduar residents on several occasions between 1968 and 1974 and that reinfection with A/Hong Kong/68 virus or its antigenic variants occurred frequently. Serum levels of antibodies to the haemagglutinin and neuraminidase antigens of the A/Hong Kong/68 virus often persisted for only a short time (mean half-life about 28 days), particularly after first infections. Antibody persistence increased following repeated reinfection. No precise explanation can be offered at present for the relatively short persistence of antibodies in Gambians. Possible reasons include genetic and environmental factors, depressed immunological reactivity associated with concurrent infection (notably parasitic diseases), and unusually high rates of synthesis and catabolism of immunoglobulins. The value of transportable immunoplates for serological surveys and for accurate assessment of antibody persistence is discussed.

Adolescent

Evaluation of indirect hemagglutination and its inhibition in the differentiation between antibodies to herpes simplex virus types 1 and 2 for seroepidemiologic studies: use of a II/I index threshold of 85 and an assay of type-specific antibodies.

Two parameters, a II/I index threshold value of 85 and an assay of type-specific antibodies to herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) and type 2 (HSV-2), were assessed, for seroepidemiologic purposes, for their efficacy in the establishment of past infections with HSV-1 and HSV-2 as indicated by the results of tests for indirect hemagglutination and its inhibition. Neither criterion alone established past infection with either HSV-1 or HSV-2. However, by combination of the two parameters, antibodies to HSV-1 and HSV-2 could be differentiated for seroepidemiologic studies.

Adolescent

Seroepidemiologic study of human coronavirus OC43 infections in Italy.

Human Coronavirus OC43 from suckling mouse brain (SMB) suspension has been adapted to grow in human embryonic lung fibroblast cell cultures. Complement-fixing and hemagglutinating antigens were prepared from infected cell cultures and used in parallel with the same antigens from SMB for a study of the prevalence of OC43 antibody in Northern Italy as well as for the serodiagnosis of recent OC43 infections and reinfections. Results show (i) a higher sensitivity of the hemagglutination-inhibition as compared to the complement fixation test both for antibody detection in seroepidemiological studies and serodiagnosis of acute infections, (ii) a high prevalence of OC43 antibody in Northern Italy, so that only exceptionally are people older than 12 years seronegative, (iii) a high rate of OC43 reinfections during the winter-spring season 1976/77 in a population sample with preexisting antibody (iv) a good quality of reagents prepared from cell cultures, and hence free of contaminating mouse viruses, such as mouse hepatitis virus.

Adolescent

Preliminary seroepidemiological studies on the human syncytial virus.

The seroepidemiology of the human syncytial virus was investigated by means of an indirect immunofluorescence test on 241 sera from Kenya, Tunisia, Singapore and Britain. These included sera from patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma, other tumours of the oro-nasopharynx, tumours of other parts of the body, and from normal donors. In this study, the virus was found to infect only Kenyan Africans and all but one of these seropositive subjects had tumours, particularly of the oro-nasopharyngeal spaces. The significance of these findings is discussed.

Adult

Seroepidemiological study of HBV infections in Athens, Greece.

A seroepidemiological survey of a sample-roughly representative by age and sex - of 2744 persons of the Greater Athens area revealed that hepatitis B virus (HBV) infections are highly endemic in Greece. Hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) was detected in 72(2-6%) of them. The subtype was identified in 70 of the 72 carriers, and 69 were ay; the other was ad. Determinant w was present in all 61 that were capable of being typed further, and a23y(w) was twice as common as a11y(w). Antibody to HBsAg (anti-HBs) was found in 514 (18-7%) persons. The prevalence of the HBsAg rose rapidly with age, reaching peak values (5-3%) at 20-29 years, while anti-HBs reached its highest value (42-1%) in older age groups (50-59 years). The frequency of HBsAg was significantly higher in males (3-4%) than in females (1-5%). The percentage of infected persons who become chronic HBsAg carriers (12-3%) was found higher than in other developed populations. It was also found higher in children (25%) than in adults (5-5%) and in males (14-6%) than in females (8-1%). These data indicate that HBV infection in early life is a major risk factor in the development of HBsAg carriers and support the hypothesis that males are more likely to become HBsAg carriers than females.

Adolescent

Comments on seroepidemiologic studies.

If the tools for the control of transmission are not available, the application of seroepidemiologic methods, as an exercise in the tropics, just in order to assess the magnitude of the problem of malaria transmission, should be restricted. Application of seroepidemiologic methods in connection with control operations seems valuable. They can provide new and basic information. It is very unlikely that in control schemes, the assessment of incidence of fresh parasitemias is better, easier, or more accurate than in a serological survey. There seems to be no great interest in refining our methodology for seroepidemiologic techniques. Renewed interest will be prompted by reliable and effective control operations. This may be in the form of a vaccine, a new drug or another insecticide, but it must be within the economic limits of the malarious country.

Adolescent

[Seroepidemiologic studies on reovirus infections of man, domestic and wild animals in Tanzania (author's transl)].

2238 sera of bovines, 95 of goats, 251 of antelopes (various species), 143 of zebras and 11 of warthogs collected in Tanzania as well as 811 sera of men and females of the city and the region of Dar es Salaam were tested for haemagglutination inhibiting antibodies (Ab) to reovirus serotypes (St) 1, 2 and 3. Ab to St 1 resp. 2 could be detected in 24--39% of bovines, goats, antelopes and zebras, and in warthogs to 64%. In human beings the positive percentage was 60%. Ab to St 3 were most prevalent: Sera of domestic animals were positive in 70--84%, of wild animals in 77--100% and of the human population in 91%. These figures include the occurrence of Ab to one St alone as well as to more than one St. A further analysis showed, that Ab to St 3 are definitely dominant especially in sera of animals, whereas the simultaneous occurrence of Ab to all 3 St was more frequently observed in sera of human beings. Other Ab-type combinations were apparently of far less importance. It seems to be significant that the highest infection rate was found in humans (except zebras and warthogs) and that their contact to animals did not result in a higher Ab conversion rate as without such a possibility. The results were discussed under seroepidemiologic aspects and it is concluded that reovirus infections are facultative viral zoonoses.

Adolescent

Herpesvirus infection and cervical anaplasia: a seroepidemiological study.

In a cohort of 23,146 pregnant females followed for 37-56 months subsequent to collection of prenatal sera, 57 cases of carcinoma of the cervix were encountered. Three controls were selected for each case from the residual cohort matched to cases for age, residence, number of prior cytology smears taken, and the data of entry to the study. The antibody activity to herpesvirus type 1 and type 2 was examined by the indirect hemagglutination test. The proportion of cases positive for HSV-2 infection was greater than that of the controls; however, the difference was not significant at the 5% level. The relative risk value for the association between HSV-2 infection and carcinoma of the cervix was found to be 2.33. The geometric mean titers of IHAT revealed that the cases of cervical cancer had a higher titer than the controls with respect to HSV-1 as well as HSV-2 antibodies. A sufficiently longer follow-up, yielding a larger sample size, is desired to assess the specific role of HSV-2 infection in development of cervical anaplasia.

Adult

Seroepidemiological studies of human papilloma virus (HPV-1) infections.

At least two groups of human papilloma viruses can be distinguished serologically: on the one hand HPV 1-3, which are closely related but differ in the restriction enzyme pattern of their DNA, and on the other hand HPV-4. The age distributions of patients with warts induced by HPV 1-3 or by HPV-4, respectively, differ markedly. HPV 1-3 predominates between 5 and 15 years of age, whereas HPV-4 could be isolated more often between the ages of 20-25 years. The large number of HPV-1-3-induced warts in children is paralleled by a high percentage of HPV-1 antibody-positive sera in the same age group (about 50%). With increasing age the percentage of HPV-1 antibody-positive sera decline gradually. This pattern of seroreactivity was compared to that of patients with various papillomas and with several malignant tumors. There is no evidence to suggest a link between HPV 1-3 and condylomata acuminata, laryngeal papillomas or any of the malignant tumors tested.

Adolescent

BK virus: I. Seroepidemiologic studies and serologic response to viral infection.

Sera of 656 patients in seven age groups were tested by hemagglutination=inhibition (HI) and complement=fixation (CF) tests for antibodies to BK virus. Both tests revealed that BK virus antibodies are common in the population of southern Germany, and that primary infection is apparently acquired during childhood. The highest rate of positive sera, 71% in the HI test and 56% in the CF test, was found in the 15-30 year old group. The antibody titers correlated in both serologic tests, but HI tests were more sensitive and reliable than CF tests. An indirect immunofluorescence assay for the detection of BK virus-specific IgM antibodies was also developed. Studying umbilical cord blood sera from 846 healthy donors, BK virus IgM antibodies were detected in 77 sera (9.1%).

Adolescent

Seroepidemiologic study of Epstein-Barr virus infections in a rural community.

The prevalence and titers of antibodies to capsid antigens of Epstein-Barr virus ad to the diffuse and restricted components of the Epstein-Barr virus-induced early antigen complex were determined in 109 families of a semirural community in Louisiana. Titers of antibody to the capsid antigens larger than or equal to 10 were found in 84 percent of children aged two to five years, and the prevalence increased with age to nearly 100 percent. There was a positive but variable correlation of the prevalence of anti-capsid antigen reactivity with low socioeconomic status and crowding. An overrepresentation of high titers of antibody to capsid antigens was present in individuals with a past history of pneumonia and urinary tract infections. The geometric mean titers of antibody to capsid antigens were highest in early childhood, lowest in adolescence and young adulthood, and high in the elderly. Females in all age groups and tonsillectomized children showed a higher geometric mean titer than their male and nontonsillectomized counterparts, respectively. Antibodies to the early antigen complex were found rarely (8.2 percent) and only in sera with relatively high titers of antibody to capsid antigens.

Adolescent

Hepatitis A virus infection: new insights from seroepidemiologic studies.

The prevalence of exposure to hepatitis A virus (HAV) increases with increasing age; decreases with increasing socioeconomic class; increases with increasing serologic evidence of prior hepatitis B virus (HBV) exposure but is much more common than HBV exposure; is independent of sex and race; varies in different parts of the world as a function of hygienic, developmental, and unrecognized geographic factors; and is not affected by immune deficiency or immaturity. Transmission of type A hepatitis is enhanced by poor personal hygiene such as that seen in institutions for the mentally retarded. On the other hand, there is no increased exposure to HAV among homosexuals, who have frequent and intimate contact with multiple sexual partners; among hemodialysis patients and staff; or among multiply transfused individuals, all of whom are at significantly increased risk of exposure to HBV. No epidemiologic evidence has confirmed the existence of viremic or intestinal carriers of HAV, and the virus is rarely, if ever, spread by parenteral mechanisms. Finally, HAV appears to play no role in chronic liver disease and a very minor role in fulminant hepatitis; however, HAV is responsible for a sizable proportion (approximately 20%--40%) of sporadic hepatitis among urban adults.

Age Factors

A seroepidemiologic study of infection with HAV and HBV in five Pacific Islands.

A batch of 1025 serum samples, obtained from healthy subjects and hospital patients from five Pacific islands (Viti Levu, Funafuti, Niue, Rarotonga and Upolu) were tested for antibody to hepatitis A virus (anti-HAV), hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAG) and antibody to hepatitis B surface antigen (anti-HBs) by solid phase radioimmunoassay (SPRIA). High frequencies of anti-HAV were observed in each population (Funafuti, 79.9%; Upolu, 81.6%; Viti Levu, 84.3%; Rarotonga, 95.0%; and Niue, 95.2%), and the age-specific prevalence suggested that the majority of infections with this virus had occurred in the first decade of life. Hepatitis B was endemic in each population, although the total infection rates (as measured by the sum of HBsAG and anti-Hbs frequencies) were lower than for hepatitis A. While infections with each virus tended to run in parallel, peak prevalence of anti-HAV was usually reached in the second decade of life and peak prevalence of HBsAg and anti-HBs was not attained until a decade later. The pattern of infection with HBV was similar in each of the groups studied with the exception of Indians living in Viti Levu, among whom unusually low levels of antigen and antibody were demonstrated.

Adolescent