Serological Evidence Of Previous Infection Research Articles

Screening for sexually transmitted disease in London-based male prostitutes.

To provide a screening service for sexually transmissible infections to male prostitutes working in the London area. An open access service recruiting by a diverse range of methods to avoid over-representation of the more visible elements of this group. Department of genitourinary medicine in a London teaching hospital and a community-based clinic at a safe address. During the 10 months following the establishment of the service in June 1990, 57 male prostitutes (38 street based and 19 "escorts") were seen. Of these, 27 men (47%) were found to have evidence of such an infection. Twenty five per cent of the street-based men had serological evidence of previous infection with hepatitis B virus (HBV), 6% had positive syphilis serology, 9% had non-gonococcal urethritis (NGU), 18% had urethral and 13% rectal gonorrhoea. None had gonorrhoea at more than one site. Twenty-seven per cent of these men were HIV 1-antibody positive. Thirty-seven per cent of the escorts had serological evidence of previous infection with HBV, none had positive syphilis serology, 11% had NGU, 5% had urethral and 8% rectal gonorrhoea. None had gonorrhoea at more than one site. Twenty-five per cent of these men were HIV 1-antibody positive. Specific targeting of resources at this group of individuals is necessary to promote better health education and use of health care provisions.

Occupational Risk Factors for Infection with Parvovirus B19 among Pregnant Women

To identify exposures associated with parvovirus B19 infection during pregnancy, two groups of pregnant women were studied during an outbreak of erythema infectiosum (EI). Of 796 pregnant women from Connecticut who were tested serologically because of perceived exposure to B19, 53% (419/796) had serologic evidence of previous B19 infection, and 6% (23/376) of the rest had evidence of recent infection. Of 121 pregnant women who had not requested testing but who lived in a community where a large outbreak of EI had occurred among schoolchildren, 36% (43/121) had serologic evidence of previous infection, and only 3% (2/78) of the rest had had a recent infection. In the exposed group, 479 women returned a supplemental exposure questionnaire. The highest infection rates among susceptible women were for schoolteachers (16%, 10/64), followed by day care workers (9%, 2/22) and homemakers (9%, 4/46). Women working outside the home but not in school or day care settings had the lowest risk (4%, 3/80). This study suggests that there is risk for B19 infection in selected occupational settings and in households.

Tropical pyomyositis in the Solomon Islands: clinical and aetiological features

A prospective study of tropical pyomyositis (TP) in the Solomon Islands' Western Province followed 48 cases (mean age 10·6 years) from a population of 20 000 Melanesians over a two-year period. 32 patients were under 10 years and the male:female ratio was 1·7. Affected muscle was painful, swollen and often fluctuant but hard and indurated in presuppurative lesions. Abscesses, single in 40 and multiple in 8 subjects, were sited in the large muscles of the buttock, thigh, shoulder, arm and back on 52 occasions (90%). They contained 5–200 ml of pus which invariably grew penicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus sensitive to cloxacillin and erythromycin. All phage typable strains were identified as group 2 in contrast to the wider range of types found at carrier sites in otherwise healthy controls. TP was preceded by trauma in 30 cases (63%) and 26 (55%) of the patients had pre-existing pyoderma. Histological examination of clinically unaffected muscle biopsies from 10 subjects with solitary (7) or multiple (3) abscesses showed no abnormality. Serological evidence of previous infection with adenoviruses or myxoviruses was present in the same proportion (41–42%) of controls as of 22 patients tested. The results provide no evidence for antecedent diffuse myositis, viral or parasitic infections or nutritional deficiencies but support the role of trauma in localizing haematogenous skin staphylococci into damaged muscle.

Lymphocyte subsets and urinary excretion of cytomegalovirus among homosexual men attending a clinic for sexually transmitted diseases.

A significantly higher frequency of urinary excretion of human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) was noted in homosexual men (29 [18%] of 161) than in heterosexual men (3 [4%] of 77) attending a clinic for sexually transmitted diseases. However, differences were not significant when only persons with antibody to HCMV were compared (29 of 157 vs. 3 of 33). The homosexual men who excreted HCMV had a significantly lower mean ratio of T-helper (OKT4+) to T-suppressor (OKT8+) cells (1.13 +/- 0.09) than did the homosexuals who did not excrete HCMV (1.67 +/- 0.1) or than did the heterosexual men (2.28 +/- 0.2). The abnormal ratio resulted from both a decrease in the percentage of OKT4+ and an increase in percentage of OKT8+ lymphocytes. The urinary excretion of HCMV by asymptomatic individuals who exhibit serological evidence of previous infection by this virus may be an indicator of impaired immune competence.

Carcinoma Nasofaringeo en la Infancia

A 1 3 yeat old girl was seen because of persistent upper respiratory symptoms and bilateral cervical lymph nodeenlargement Needle aspiration of a right pharyngeal tumor, biosy, computed axial tomography, thorax and bone X rayfilms were compatible with a stage IV nasopharrygeal carcinoma, Serological evidence of previous infection by EpsteinBair virus was also found. Some lymph node enlargement persisted after appropriate radiation therapy, but goodsubsequent response to chemotheraphy was observed. This malignancy has low incidence in pediatric patients.Diagnosis is based on computed axia! tomography of the nasopharyngeal region and biopsy of tumoral mass or involvedlymph nodes. There is a frequent association with previous Epslein Barr virus infection. Prognosis depends on clinicalstage of the disease and current treatment consist in irradiation and chemotherapy.(Key words: Nasopharingeal neoplasm, carcinoma, Ebstein Barr virus.]

Hepatitis B and the coroner's office.

Hepatitis B virus infection is a potential hazard for workers with frequent contact with blood and body fluids. We tested the San Diego County Coroner's Office personnel for the presence of HBsAg, anti-HBs, and anti-HBc serologic indicators of current or previous HBV infection. Surprisingly, only 10 of the 46 workers had serologic evidence of previous infection and none were currently infected. The study renewed awareness of the biologic hazards our personnel are constantly exposed to at the coroner's office.

A survey of leptospirosis in febrile patients mainly from hospitals and clinics in Trinidad

Acute and convalescent sera were obtained from 202 febrile patients, most of whom were admitted to or attended hospitals or clinics in northern Trinidad during the 12 months from mid-February 1977 to mid-February 1978. Laboratory tests confirmed that 10 of the patients were suffering from current leptospirosis while another 54 had serological evidence of previous leptospiral infections. Antibodies to strains of the Icterohaemorrhagiae serogroup were most commonly found, followed by those to the Hebdomadis and Autumnalis serogroups. Isolates were obtained from the blood of two and the urine of three of the 10 current cases. Four of these strains were identified as belonging to copenhageni serovar of the Icterohaemorrhagiae serogroup and one to serovar brasiliensis of the Bataviae serogroup. Seven of the patients suffering from leptospirosis were males, all rural dwellers, and all except one under 20 years of age. Two of the three female patients were over 60 years old and were urban dwellers. It was not possible to identify the sources of infection with certainty, although dogs may have been responsible for three of the Icterohaemorrhagiae and one of the Canicola infections. Of the 192 patients who were not currently infected, serological evidence of previous infection was obtained in 31 (40%) males and 23 (21%) females and was most common among farmers and rural workers.

Respiratory infection of cattle associated with Myxovirus parainfluenza 3.

Abstract Extract Myxovirus Parainfluenza 3 (PI3) infection of cattle appears to be common as serological surveys in several countries have shown a high incidence of specific antibody in the serum of otherwise normal cattle. These findings have been interpreted as indicating that, in many cases, infection was subclinical. In New Zealand, Fastier and Hansen (1966) also found serological evidence of previous infection in many cattle in the absence of clinical illness. Presence of passively transferred antibody in calves up to the fifth or seventh week of age suggested that seropositives in many herds of older cattle might reflect active infections acquired originally under the cover of a waning passive immunity.