Rubella HI Research Articles

Antibodies against different viral antigens in cerebrospinal fluid of patients with multiple sclerosis and other neurological diseases.

Antibodies against structural antigens of measles virus were measured in cerebrospinal fluids (CSF) of multiple sclerosis (MS) patients and controls. The patient group included 63 cases with “probable” and 24 cases with “possible” MS, while the control group consisted of 101 patients with other neurological diseases. Positive rates in MS patients were from 20 to 60 per cent, and in controls from 6 to 9 per cent. Positive rate figures in rubella HI tests were 20 and 2 per cent, respectively. No antibodies against herpes simplex, herpes zoster-varicella, mumps and RSSE virus were found in complement fixation tests in any of the CSF specimens tested. The presence of measles and rubella antibodies was in positive correlation with higher amounts of IgG and a higher ratio of IgG/albumin. These results suggest that anti-body production against structural components of measles virus and rubella virus occurs in the central nervous system of some MS patients.

Rubella outbreak on Tokunoshima Island in 2004: Serological and epidemiological analysis of pregnant women with rubella

This paper presents the serological and epidemiological background of the rubella-infected pregnant women following the rubella outbreak throughout Tokunoshima Island that occurred after the revision of the immunization law in Japan. Twelve of 149 pregnant women managed in Miyagami Hospital were enrolled as having a high risk for congenital rubella infection. They were interviewed about their immunization history with rubella vaccine, the presence of rash, onset of rash, and the presence and timing of contact with rubella-infected patients. The obstetric histories were investigated for past rubella HI antibody titer. Nine of 12 women continued their pregnancy and delivered a baby. A serological test for rubella IgM antibody and a reversed transcription-nested PCR assay using umbilical cord blood and the newborn urine for virus genome detection were performed for all babies. We also enrolled all 309 mothers who delivered during the last 2 years in Miyagami Hospital, and retrospectively collected their rubella HI titers. Congenital rubella syndrome (CRS) and congenitally infected babies were born from 12 high-risk mothers. In our study, six pregnant women to be immunized by a catch-up program showed a lack of immunity to rubella. The remaining six women had low rubella immunity. Nine acquired rubella from members of their family, including their husband. The incidence of negative HI titer was 25% in women less than 25 years old who delivered during the last 2 years in this hospital. More intensive immunization should be considered to eradicate CRS completely in Japan.

Radioimmunoprecipitation and immunoblot studies of antibodies to rubella virus in patients with chronic liver disease.

Patients with autoimmune chronic active hepatitis (AICAH) and some other chronic liver disorders often have very high titres of rubella HI antibodies. In the present study sera from 46 patients with chronic liver disease and controls were examined for rubella antibodies using radioimmunoprecipitation assay (RIPA) and Western blot. RIPA appeared to be more suitable than Western blot for the study of the individual antibody specificities provided that proteins (possibly actin) interfering with the resolution of the E2 glycoprotein band are identified. It was shown that patients with high rubella HI titres reacted strongly against the E1 glycoprotein and in general also against the core protein (C). Reactivity to the E2 glycoprotein was detected with all sera from patients with chronic liver disease but varied more in strength. Three patients with post-acute rubella showed very faint E2 reactivity, but strong E1 and C reactivities. Patients with primary biliary cirrhosis had normal HI titres and showed no increase in reactivity in RIPA. The present findings show that patients with chronic liver disease and high rubella HI antibody titres exhibit an enhanced specific antibody response to rubella virus structural proteins.

Virus-specific antibodies to Epstein-Barr virus, varicellazoster virus and rubella virus in renal transplant patients with cytomegalovirus infections

Renal transplant patients with primary and recurrent cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection had higher antibody titres to Epstein-Barr virus viral capsid antigen (EBV-VCA-IgG) before and after transplantation than healthy blood donors. The geometric mean titres (GMT) of EBV-VCA-IgG were higher in renal transplant patients without CMV infection than in renal transplant patients with CMV infection. Four-fold or greater rises in EBV-VCA-IgG antibody were detected in six patients and a similar rise in antibody to EBV early antigen (EBV-EA-IgG) was detected in one other patient. IgM antibody to EBV-VCA (EBV-VCA-IgM) was detected in only three of these patients. EBV-EA-IgG was present in 39% patients and in 30% control subjects. IgG titres to varicella zoster virus (VZV-IgG) and rubella virus (rubella HI) were higher in patients without CMV infection compared to the patients with CMV infection. Raised titres were detected to VZV in five patients and to rubella virus in three patients. Reductions in antibody titre of four-fold or more were also detected in EBV-EA-IgG (one patient) and to rubella virus (one patient). Raised antibody titres to EBV, VZV, and rubella virus in renal transplant patients may indicate reactivation of these viruses without any symptoms.

Parity and susceptibility to rubella in pregnant women in Japan.

AbstractThis study investigated how parity of women influence their susceptibility to rubella among 4,601 Japanese pregnant women. The greater part of these women had not received rubella vaccine. The prevalence rate of rubella HI antibody was generally the lowest in the nulliparous women and it also increased with increasing maternal parity.

Rubella infections of the school teachers in Sapporo Municipal schools after their employment

In Japan rubella occurs mostly in kindergarten and middle school students from 5 to 14 years of age. That is why it is presumed that school teachers of these age groups are at potential risk to be infected by this disease because of their close association with the children.Comparing prevalence rates of rubella HI antibody in females who were 21 years old or less and those aged 22 to 29 in 1983, about 87% of the first group (who had received the rubella vaccinations when they were 13 to 14 years old) were seropositive while the prevalence rate was low (about 70%) in the second group.School teachers in Sapporo Municipal schools were studied in October 1983 through questionnaires in order to investigate any special risk of their exposure to rubella. Among a total of 4, 165 school teachers aged under 40 years in 1983 in kindergarten, primary, middle and high schools in Sapporo, replies were obtained from 2, 412 of them (58%). A total of 2, 033 completed replies were analyzed, except those employed in 1983 when the rubella epidemic ceased. Among these 2, 033 school teachers, 932 had a history of rubella before employment, and 126 (6.2%) got rubella after employment. Among these 126 school teachers, 36 answered that they have suffered from rubella during the 1975-77 epidemic and 90 had it during the 1980-82 epidemic. The institute attack rates (%) were as follows: 11.3% (6 cases) in kindergarten, 6.5% (92 cases) in primary school, 5.4% (27 cases) in middle school and 1.5% (1 case) in high school; indicating higher attack rates among school teachers in the institutions for younger children, and a significant difference of the attack rates was obtained between kindergarten and high school. The increasing attack rate among staff in institutes for young school children showed a similar tendency in both epidemics, 1975-77 and 1980-82, compared with the attack rates of school-age children in the 1975-77 epidemic which was 26.4% in primary school, 15.3% in middle school and 2.9% in high shool.In view of these data, it was suggested that rubella infections of school teachers were associated with infected kindergarten and school children.

Serological Response to Rubella Revaccination

To document the serological response, 21 seronegative rubella vaccinees (hemagglutination inhibition [HI] titer less than 10) were revaccinated with RA 27/3 rubella vaccine. All demonstrated an anamnestic response. Although RA 27/3 vaccine was an effective booster, antibody boost was not maintained in some persons. Of 15 persons tested, 24 to 27 months after revaccination, six had a significant HI antibody drop (fourfold or greater); only one had lost all detectable HI antibody. Although all 21 study participants were initially HI seronegative by rubella HI testing, 16 (76.2%) possessed neutralization and/or enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay antibodies before revaccination. As more persons with vaccine-induced immunity join the adult population pool, more sensitive test methods may be needed to assess serological status accurately.

996 STAPHYLOCOCCAL PROTEIN A (SPA) IN THE EVALUATION OF POSSIBLE CONGENITAL INFECTION

We have used SPA adsorption to remove maternal IgG from cord or neonatal sera to facilitate the diagnosis of congenital infection. To evaluate the clinical usefulness of this procedure, sera sent for “TORCH” serology that were rubella HI (RHI) or toxoplasmosis FA (TFA) positive were retested after SPA adsorption. RHI or TFA was repeated after 4 months of age.RHI titers were ≥1:8 in 47/53 (90%) sera sent for TORCH serology Jan-Nov 1980. At discharge from hospital, only 1 child was thought to have congenital rubella. After SPA adsorption 7/47 (15%) had detectable RHI antibody. All children RHI negative after SPA adsorption have been negative at ≥4 months of age. To date, 5 children with persistent RHI antibody after SPA adsorption have been retested at ≥4 months. The infant thought to have congenital rubella had a RHI of 1:64; another with multiple anomalies was 1:16; the rest were <1:8. From Jan 1979-Nov 1980, 10 of 110 sera sent for TORCH serology were TFA positive. After SPA adsorption only 1 specimen remained positive and this child had congenital toxoplasmosis. We conclude that infants RHI or TFA negative after SPA adsorption are unlikely to be infected with these agents. Children with residual antibody should be evaluated further. Using this simple technique, positive serology was shown to be unrelated to intrauterine infection for 85% of RHI positive sera and 90% of TFA positive sera.

Untersuchungen über die abhängigkeit von hämagglutinations-hemmtitern gegen rötelnvirus von der anzahl und qualität der antikörpermoleküle

The number (A) and quality (K) of rubella virus antibody molecules has been determined for human sera obtained at graded time intervals after rubella infection or vaccination. Tests were carried out by use of a previously described technique (9) and the results were compared with the rubella HI titers found. Sera obtained within 59 days after onset of rash or vaccination of previously seronegative persons were found to contain antibody molecules of lower quality than did sera obtained at later time intervals. Sera obtained after vaccination of seronegative humans contained much smaller numbers of antibody molecules than did sera obtained after rubella infection. With the exception of sera obtained within 59 days after onset of rash, no significant differences in the number of antibody molecules per HI unit were found. The HI titers depended with this exception primarily on the number and not on the quality of antibody. Mittels einer neu entwickelten Methode zur Bestimmung der Anzahl (= A) und Qualität (= K) von Rötelnvirusantikörpermolekülen wurden die entsprechenden Werte für eine Serie menschlicher Seren, die zu abgestuften Zeiten nach natürlicher Infektion oder Impfung gewonnen waren, bestimmt und zu den Rötelnvirus-HI-Titern in Beziehung gesetzt. Es wurde gefunden, daß in den innerhalb von 59 Tagen nach Exanthembeginn bzw. nach Impfung zuvor seronegativer Personen gewonnenen Seren Antikörper geringerer Qualität als in den später gewonnenen Seren vorlagen. Bei zum Zeitpunkt der Impfung seronegativer Geimpfter wurden weit weniger Antikörpermoleküle pro ml Serum gefunden als in den Seren der natürlich Infizierten. Mit Ausnahme der nach frischer Rötelninfektion (bis zu 59 Tage nach Exanthembeginn) gewonnenen Seren wurden Unterschiede in der einer HI-Einheit entsprechenden Anzahl an Antikörpermolekülen nicht gefunden, die HI-Titer erwiesen sich dabei als primär von der Anzahl der Antikörpermoleküle abhängig.

Relationship Between Life Stress Factors And Viral Antibody Levels In Patients With Juvenile Rheumatoid Arthritis

Serum specimens from 46 patients with JRA were tested for measles CF, HI, HLI, and RNP-GP antibodies, for rubella HI antibodies, and for adenovirus and herpes simplex virus CF antibodies. The mean antibody litres of the 16 JRA patients of the major conflict group (14) were generally higher than those of the 30 patients of the non-conflict group, although the differences do not reach the level of statistical significance. The interrelationships between life stress, emotions and immunological changes in JRA are discussed.

Rubella HI antibody titer prior to and after the epidemic in the same group and other viral infection in rubella epidemic (author's transl)

Rubella HI antibody titer prior to and after the epidemic in the same group and other viral infection in rubella epidemic (author's transl)

Relationship Between Life Stress Factors And Viral Antibody Levels In Patients With Juvenile Rheumatoid Arthritis

Serum specimens from 46 patients with JRA were tested for measles CF, HI, HLI, and RNP-GP antibodies, for rubella HI antibodies, and for adenovirus and herpes simplex virus CF antibodies. The mean antibody titres of the 16 JRA patients of the major conflict group (14) were generally higher than those of the 30 patients of the non-conflict group, although the differences do not reach the level of statistical significance. The interrelationships between life stress, emotions and immunological changes in JRA are discussed.

Clinical Experience with a Live Attenuated Rubella Virus Vaccine, Matsuba Strain GMK3SK60RK6, in Special Reference to 6-Year Follow-up of Rubella Antibodies and Prevention of Rubella Infection during an Epidemic

A live attenuated rubella virus vaccine, Matsuba strain GMK3SK60RK6 was the vaccine attenuated by 60 passages in swine kidney cell cultures and propagated in rabbit kidney cell cultures. This vaccine was inoculated to 46 children and 47 young adults in closed populations and to 340 young women in open populations. As contact control 32 cases were observed in closed populations. Rash occurred in one case and arthritis-arthralgia did in 5 cases among young women. There was not any evidence of communicability although vaccinees shedded the virus in pharynx. Seroconversion rate was 99 per cent and relatively stable rubella HI antibody titers were demonstrated in a follow-up study for 6 years. Thirty-two vaccinees experienced rubella epidemic in a high school in 1976 and were protected from natural rubella virus infection.

The use of high speed gel filtration for the detection of rubella-specific IgM

Three new gels, Ultrogels AcA 22, AcA 34 and AcA 44 have been compared with Sephadex G-200 for the detection of rubella-specific IgM. Ultrogel AcA 44 did not achieve an adequate separation of IgM and IgG. Ultrogels AcA 22 and AcA 34 gave clear separation of IgM and IgG but only the latter could be operated at flow rates significantly higher than Sephadex G-200. With rubella convalescent sera fractionation with Ultrogel AcA 34 leads to a 2−4-fold loss of sensitivity for the detection of the first peak of rubella HI activity which is associated with recent infection. This is largely due to the occurrence of specific IgA antibody in the first peak of rubella HI activity after Sephadex G-200 fractionation but not after Ultrogel AcA 34 fractionation.

A modified rubella HI test using prestandardized reagents.

A modified haemagglutination inhibition test for rubella antibodies using prestandardized freeze-dried reagents was compared to a "standard" method. Tests of 707 serum samples showed that the modified test was sensitive and reliable by both macrotitration and microtitration techniques. The minor disadvantages of some reduction in antibody level when rubella sera were tested within one week of the rash and of spontaneous sheep erythrocyte agglutination in 0-7% of sera were out-weighed by the increased speed of the new test and the fact that it was carried out at room temperature.

Congenital Rubella-Reply

In Reply .—A normal newborn infant is generally expected to have a rubella HI antibody titer comparable to that of its mother due to placental passage of maternal IgG antibodies. Dr Buchta's case demonstrates a well-recognized phenomenon observed in mature or postmature infants. These infants may be born with levels of IgG that are substantially higher than those of their mothers. 1.2 The precise causes of this concentration of antibody proteins in the infant circulation have not been established. Such placental concentration of antibody protein can result in the newborn rubella titer being twofold to fourfold higher than the corresponding maternal titer. Such elevations of rubella titers in these infants may occasionally raise the suspicion of congenital infection. The lack of persistence of the rubella HI antibody titer in Buchta's case, with the documented decrease in titer following the expected 30-day half-life of maternal IgG, however, supports his conclusion that

Role of rubella in congenital malformations in India.

In the present study rubella HI antibodies were determined in cases of congenital malformation and bad obstetric history to determine the role of rubella in such cases in India, as it has been reported to be rare in Japan in contrast to Western countries. The incidence of antibodies was statistically significant in cases of congenital eye, C.N.S., visceral and miscellaneous malformations and cases of spontaneous abortion and still-birth compared with controls of matching age groups. This is further supported by the demonstration of IgM antibodies in seven cases of congenital malformations and ten cases of spontaneous abortion. Our findings show that congenital rubella is not rare in India.

Early Results of an Extensive Rubella Epidemic

The extensive rubella epidemic which occurred in Israel in 1972, had a considerable impact on the population at risk: 1. The spread of rubella infection into the community strongly influenced the extent of legal abortions: (a) 1 x 5 as many abortions for all causes were recorded in the epidemic year, as compared to the average number recorded in the three-year pre-epidemic period; (b) about 20 per cent of all abortions were associated with a history of exposure to rubella in the first months of pregnancy. 2. The incidence of congenital rubella diagnosed up to six months from birth varies greatly: the attack rate was 11.8 per thousand live births in an area inhabited by a population whose religious belief generally prevented the practice of abortions, as opposed to a significantly lower rate of 1 x 7 per thousand in a population with a liberal approach to abortions. 3. Ten months after the epidemic subsided, the percentage of female subjects of childbearing age lacking rubella HI antibody was very similar to that found in the same age group, several years before the epidemic.

Follow-up studies of rubella vaccinees at adolescence.

This report provides the results of follow-up surveillance and postvaccination rubella HI antibody studies on adolescent girls in Cincinnati.

Frequency of rubella HI antibody among individuals in Iriomote island in 1970

Iriomote Island is located in southern end of the Ryukyu Islands and the population was 2500. Arubella epidemic occurred in 1965 and several babies with rubella syndrome were born there. We testedserum specimens obtained from 261 healthy individuals there in 1970 for rubella HI antibody.Rubella HI antibody was detected in 82%, 98%, 65%, 82%, and 90% in the age group 0-9, 10-19, 20-29, 30-39, and more than 40, respectively.The characteristics of the seroepidemiological condition there were that 10% of the individualsmore than 40 years of age were thought still intact to rubella and another 10% of this age group hadhigh titers (≥1: 1024) of rubella HI antibody, and these were thought to be the cases of recent primaryor reinfection.