Q fever endocarditis.

Between 1972 and 1988 we have serologically confirmed 103 Coxiella burnetii infections: 46 were acute, 5 were chronic, 52 represented past infections. Details of 61 cases are presented. Of acute cases 80% had respiratory involvement; at least 63% had pneumonias. The incidence (22%) of neurological complications was of particular interest; 40% of these patients had prolonged sequelae. One acutely ill patient died of fulminating hepatitis. Patients with pre-existing pathology or immunosuppression were especially susceptible to C. burnetii. In the absence of acute sera, the complement fixation test alone provided inadequate differentiation between recent and past Q fever: phase II titres persisted at greater than or equal to 80 for more than 1 year after the acute infection in 15 cases; maximum duration of persistence was 14 years. Three patients acquired high phase I titres. Only 5% of cases had chronic Q fever, but in view of the diverse sequelae observed in this series, we suggest that long-term serological and clinical follow-up of all cases of Q fever is fully justified.

/pdf/q-fever-in-plymouth-1972-88-a-review-with-particular-192zjonlub.pdf

Q fever in Plymouth, 1972-88. A review with particular reference to neurological manifestations.

The impact of variation in grain number and individual grain weight on winter wheat yield in the high yield potential environment of Ireland

The prophylactic effectiveness of oral administration of ribavirin (1-P-D-ribofuranosyl-l,2,4-triazole-3-carboxamide, virazole) against artificially induced influenza B infection was evaluated in a double-blind clinical trial. Fifteen seronegative men received ribavirin capsules (600 mg/day in three divided doses), and 15 other men received placebo capsules two days before the inoculation of 6.4 X 104 50% tissue culture infective doses of influenza virus B/Georgia/26/74 and for eight days after challenge. Ten men (69%) in each of the two groups developed mild to severe influenzal illness. Of these, five placebo-treated men developed severe febrile illness, while only one drug-treated man had illness of comparable severity. Illness of moderate severity was observed in three placebo-treated controls and two drug recipients. There was no difference between the frequencies of isolation of virus or the antibody responses in the two groups. Ribavirin suppressed signs and symptoms induced by influenza B challenge, but its effectiveness was marginal.

Double-Blind Clinical Assessment of Ribavirin (Virazole) in the Prevention of Induced Infection with Type B Influenza Virus

THE PARA influenza viruses Types 1 (hemadsorption Type 2), 2 (CA), and 3 (hemadsorption Type 1) are newly recognized members of the myxovirus family which have been recovered from persons with various types of respiratory illness.' 2 These agents possess certain biologic and antigenic properties which separate them from the influenza viruses.3'4 The para influenza viruses appear to play an important role in childhood respiratory illness. On a yearround basis, para influenza 1 and 3 viruses have been isolated from 6 per cent of children with all types of respiratory illness, and during certain months the recovery rate from children with upper respiratory illness has been as high as 20 per cent.5'6 Para influenza 1 virus has been the most important single agent associated with acute laryngotracheobronchitis (croup) of infancy and early childhood; this agent has been recovered from 20 per cent of patients with this syndrome.5'7 Recently para influenza 1 virus has been recovered from adults with febrile upper respiratory illness.8'9 During the course of a study of the microbiologic experience of infants and children under three years of age in a welfare nursery, we had the opportunity to observe outbreaks of infection with para influenza 1 virus and with para influenza 3 virus. This report will describe an evaluation of the available serodiagnostic procedures employing specimens derived from the nursery outbreaks. Throat swab specimens were obtained from the nursery children at weekly intervals and at the onset of a febrile illness (temperatures of greater than 100.6 F rectally). These specimens were tested for the presence of virus in monkey kidney tissue culture employing the hemadsorption technic. Neutralization tests were performed with fourfold dilutions of serum which were incubated for one hr at room temperature with 10 TCD50 of para influenza 1 virus or 100 TCD5o of para influenza 3 virus.

https://ajph.aphapublications.org/doi/pdfplus/10.2105/AJPH.50.12.1858

Serologic Response of Individuals Infected with Para Influenza Viruses

Prophylaxis of influenza B with UK 2054.

Field study of u.k.2054 against natural infection with a2/hong kong/68 influenza virus

Effect of an influenza epidemic on a city population.

vaccinated regions was initiated in November, 1958, and repeated random collections of stool specimens were made throughout 1959 and 1960. In 1958-9 a total of 2,322 specimens was collected in the four vaccinated regions, and 2,964 specimens in 10 non-vaccinated provinces; in 1960 a total of 7,486 stool specimens was collected from healthy children throughout the whole country. At least three important observations can be made from the results gained hitherto. (1) The initial spread of viruses which foUows their mass introduction into the child population is self-limited, and the attenuated strains (Sabin) do not appear to persist in a community longer than a few months. (2) There is no evidence that the attenuated viruses spread beyond the regions into which they had been introduced. (3) An extraordinarily reduced spread of polioviruses could be demonstrated at the peak of the season, after the nationwide use of oral vaccine in the spring of 1960.

https://www.bmj.com/content/bmj/1/5285/1098.full.pdf

Antibody response in infants to the poliomyelitis component of a quadruple vaccine.

Sera from 1,587 patients received at the Department of Medical Microbiology, University College, Dublin during the years 1971 to 1974 for investigation of clinical syndromes including pyrexia of unknown origin, acute respiratory illness, brucellosis and infective cardiac conditions, were tested for antibody toCoxiella burnetii. Eighty-six were found to contain antibody to the Phase 2 antigen. Antibody to Phase 1C. burnetii antigen was found in five patients with valvular heart disease and in three other long standing illnesses. The relevance of such antibodies to the final clinical diagnosis in these patients is discussed. The occupation, age, sex and geographical location of the patients are recorded in an attempt to add to existing information on the epidemiology of the disease in the Republic of Ireland.

P. N. Meenan

Papers

Prophylaxis of influenza B with UK 2054.

Field study of u.k.2054 against natural infection with a2/hong kong/68 influenza virus

Effect of an influenza epidemic on a city population.

Antibody response in infants to the poliomyelitis component of a quadruple vaccine.

Q fever in the Republic of Ireland.