University of Texas Medical Branch

About: University of Texas Medical Branch is a education organization based out in Galveston, Texas, United States. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Population & Virus. The organization has 22033 authors who have published 38268 publications receiving 1517502 citations. The organization is also known as: The University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston & UTMB.

Antibody-forming cells in human colostrum after oral immunisation.

Abstract: IT has been suggested that feeding infants with human milk reduces the incidence of gastrointestinal infections1. Although macrophages, lymphocytes and antibodies in the milk are probably important in this protection2,3, the mechanism for the development of specific immunity to enteric pathogens is not known. Human colostral cells synthesise IgA (ref. 4), and we have used the haemolysis-in-gel technique to demonstrate that human colostrum contains numerous cells which produce IgA antibodies against the O antigens of commonly encountered Escherichia coli bacteria5. This suggested that the sensitised lymphocytes had either undergone antigen-induced clonal proliferation within the mammary gland or had homed to that organ from another site after becoming sensitised. Because of reports that gastrointestinal immunisation of germ-free mice led to local6 and systemic7 production of IgA antibodies, and that cells from Peyer's patches effectively repopulate the ileum of lethally-irradiated rabbits with IgA-producing cells8, we have examined the effect of gastrointestinal immunisation on the development of antibody-producing cells in colostrum of humans. We found that oral administration of a non-pathogenic strain of E. coli led to the rapid appearance of colostral cells producing antibodies against the O antigen of the organism.

Effect of condoms on reducing the transmission of herpes simplex virus type 2 from men to women.

Abstract: ContextHerpes simplex virus type 2 (HSV-2) is one of the most common sexually transmitted infections in the United States. No prospective study has shown the ability of condoms to reduce transmission of HSV-2.ObjectiveTo evaluate risk factors for HSV-2 acquisition and efficacy of condoms in prevention of HSV-2 transmission.DesignAnalysis of data from a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial conducted December 13, 1993, to June 28, 1996, of an ineffective candidate HSV-2 vaccine with 18 months of follow-up.SettingEighteen clinical trial centers in the United States.ParticipantsA total of 528 monogamous couples discordant for HSV-2 infection, including an HSV-2–susceptible population of 261 men and 267 women.Main Outcome MeasureAcquisition of HSV-2 infection by susceptible partners, compared with those remaining free of HSV-2 with regard to demographic characteristics, sexual activity, and condom use.ResultsTwenty-six women (9.7%) vs 5 men (1.9%) acquired HSV-2, for a rate per 10 000 sex acts (episodes of sexual intercourse) of 8.9 vs 1.5, respectively (P<.001). In multivariable analysis, younger age (adjusted hazard ratio [HR] per 5 years, 1.57; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.22-2.04), seropositivity for HSV-1 and HSV-2 vs HSV-2 alone in the source partner (adjusted HR, 2.34; 95% CI, 1.14-4.82), and more frequent sexual activity (adjusted HR per additional sex act per week, 1.10; 95% CI, 1.01-1.19) were associated with higher risk of HSV-2 acquisition. Condom use during more than 25% of sex acts was associated with protection against HSV-2 acquisition for women (adjusted HR, 0.085; 95% CI, 0.01-0.67) but not for men (adjusted HR, 2.02; 95% CI, 0.32-12.50). Risk of HSV-2 transmission declined from 8.5 per 100 person-years in the initial 150-day interval to 0.9 per 100 person-years in the final 150-day interval (P = .002 for trend), concurrent with a decrease in sexual activity and proportion of sex acts occurring when the source partner had genital lesions.ConclusionsCondom use offers significant protection against HSV-2 infection in susceptible women. Changes in sexual behavior, correlated with counseling about avoiding sex when a partner has lesions, were associated with reduction in HSV-2 acquisition over time. These data suggest that identification of discordant couples can reduce transmission of HSV-2, especially for heterosexual couples in which the male partner has HSV-2 infection.