The determinants of cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection and disease can now be understood from studies of newborns, recipients of organ or bone marrow transplants, subjects infected with human immunodeficiency virus, and recipients of blood transfusions. CMV is transmitted to the neonate transplacentally, by passage through a contaminated birth canal, or by ingestion of infected breast milk; to the adult by heterosexual and homosexual sex with an infected partner; and to the transplant recipient by infected organs. A major unsolved problem in the study of CMV is the nature of viral latency. Knowledge regarding the requirements for activation of latent infection at the molecular, cellular, or host level is incomplete. Both viral and host factors may contribute to the successful transmission of CMV by latently infected cells in transplanted organs and transfused blood.

Epidemiology of cytomegalovirus infections.

https://www.cell.com/cell/pdf/0092-8674(84)90083-7.pdf

Purified lupus antigen La recognizes an oligouridylate stretch common to the 3' termini of RNA polymerase III transcripts

▪Objective:To review the literature on the appropriateness of red blood cell transfusion and current physician practice, with emphasis on the physiologic and symptomatic implications of el...

Prudent strategies for elective red blood cell transfusion.

The structure of mammalian small nuclear ribonucleoproteins. Identification of multiple protein components reactive with anti-(U1)ribonucleoprotein and anti-Sm autoantibodies.

Characterization of the DNA-binding protein antigen Ku recognized by autoantibodies from patients with rheumatic disorders.

The specificity of antinuclear antibodies in sera from 54 patients with various rheumatic diseases was analyzed by immunoprecipitation of 32P- or 35S-methionine-labeled HeLa cell extracts. Of 35 sera giving a speckled and/or homogeneous immunofluorescence pattern in rat liver nuclei, 20 contained antibodies to nuclear ribonucleoproteins, which are defined by their ribonucleic acid and protein components. Four sera reacted with a nuclear antigen (Ga) which has not been described so far. Of 19 sera with antinucleolar antibodies, 18 did not react with nuclear or nucleolar ribonucleoproteins. Correlation of these molecularly defined antinuclear antibody specificities with immunofluorescence patterns and rheumatic diseases is discussed.

https://www.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1002/art.1780251102

Molecular characterization of ribonucleoprotein antigens bound by antinuclear antibodies. A diagnostic evaluation.

The Risk of Transmitting Cytomegalovirus to Patients Receiving Blood Transfusions

Antibodies specific for capsular polysaccharides of Streptococcus pneumoniae enhance complement fixation via the classical pathway and thereby initiate the single most efficient mechanism for opson...

Selective Antibody Deficiency and Recurrent Pneumococcal Bacteremia in a Patient with Sjögren's Syndrome, Hyperimmunoglobulinemia G, and Deficiencies of IgG2 and IgG4

LIA: A procedure employing multiantigen nitrocellulose strips for the simultaneous detection of IgG or IgM antibodies in serum

We have performed age-stratified sero- prevalence studies for MMR to evaluate these vaccinations. Serum samples submitted for diagnostic testing were randomly selected for unlinked anony- mous panels. IgG antibodies were tested by ELISA and indirect immunofluorescence. In the vaccination cohort (age 1.5 to 6.5 years), seroprevalence attained 80%. For measles and mumps it continued to increase to 95%, while for rubella it declined transiently to 60% between 7 and 12 years of age. We observed no differences according to gender in any age group in 1991-1992. (Semi)quantitative values of the IgG antibodies against all three viruses increased during adolescence, suggesting wild virus circulation. In 1992, MMR vaccination has reached < 80% of the children during their second year of age. Due to previous monovalent measles and mumps vaccina- tions in pre-school children and due to endemic and epidemic activity, particularly of mumps virus, a trough of the seroprevalence in adolescents was evident only for rubella. MMR vaccination cam- paigns performed at school since 1987 have increased seroprevalence in this population segment and have probably over-compensated for the expected shift to the right of the seroprevalence curves. A more compulsive implementation of the recommended childhood vaccination schedule and continued efforts at catchup vaccinations during school age especially for rubella are necessary to avoid the accumulation of susceptible young adults during the forthcoming decades. In the late 1980s vaccination programmes against measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) have been instituted throughout Europe with the aim of elimi- nating measles and the congenital rubella syndrome according to the Expanded Programme on Immuniza- tion of the World Health Organization (WHO) (1). The level of immunisation at the age of two years required for the elimination of these infections is thought to be greater than 90% in Europe (1, 2). The recent revision of these aims in 1994 by the Regional European Office of WHO is less stringent, requiring a reduction to < 10-' indigenous cases of measles or mumps, no deaths due to measles, no cases of congenital rubella, and no rubella in pregnant women (3). It is essential to monitor the effects of mass vaccinations, as insufficient vaccination rates may have adverse effects (4, 5). The recent experience in Finland has shown that these goals can be attained in Europe (6).

K. Schopfer

Papers

Molecular characterization of ribonucleoprotein antigens bound by antinuclear antibodies. A diagnostic evaluation.

The Risk of Transmitting Cytomegalovirus to Patients Receiving Blood Transfusions

Selective Antibody Deficiency and Recurrent Pneumococcal Bacteremia in a Patient with Sjögren's Syndrome, Hyperimmunoglobulinemia G, and Deficiencies of IgG2 and IgG4

LIA: A procedure employing multiantigen nitrocellulose strips for the simultaneous detection of IgG or IgM antibodies in serum

Age-stratified seroprevalence of measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) virus infections in Switzerland after the introduction of MMR