Showing papers by "World Health Organization published in 1969"

Epidemiology of rabies.

Abstract: In many parts of the world rabies is still a considerable public health risk. Although dogs are the most important sources and transmitters of infection, in some places wildlife is a greater problem.

Studies on the Epidemiology of Neuropsychiatric Disorders among the Rural Population of the Province of Khuzestan, Iran *

Abstract: The authors undertook a census study of five small rural villages from the Dez Pilot Irrigation Area of the Province of Khuzestan in south-western Iran which had been hardly touched yet by the on-going development program. From the total population of 614 souls all children below the age of six years were eliminated, these being 129 in number, leaving 485 persons. Three could not be examined because of absence or illness, leaving 482 or 99.4% of the intended survey population. All were given two short intelligence tests (mental arithmetic and block design), the 2 Test of H.Zulliger and a brief questionnaire by Persian lay assistants whom the authors themselves trained. The examiners were required to give a commonsense judgment of their subjects' mental health. The authors observed and supervised all testing, interrogated the subjects and informants where this seemed required and evaluated the tests concurrently. All subjects who seemed suspicious of neuropsychiatric pathology were then given an individual clinical examination. Seventy-two cases were found with apparently significant psychiatric disturbances. Among them there were one functional psychosis, no acute symptomatic psychosis, 15 subchronic and chronic symptomatic psychoses or disorders, 42 psychoreactive disorders and 14 constitutional disorders. Of the 72 psychiatrically disturbed subjects, 37 were mildly, 30 moderately and 5 severely affected. Eleven subjects presented significant neurological or mixed neuropsychiatric disorders. Comparison of the results with those of a similar survey performed in the Marvdasht District of the Province of Fars, Iran, indicates that more prolonged, intensive and individual exploration of subjects showing any suspicion of psychopathology leads to an increase in the number of milder cases identified without changing significantly the number of moderate and severe cases.

Investigating the Rabies Virus

Abstract: Modern virological techniques are providing valuable information about the rabies virus and its behaviour in infected nerve tissue.

Method for testing virus stocks for viral contaminants.

Abstract: A practical method for testing the purity of virus stocks has been developed and applied to reference stocks of enteroviruses. The method requires the use of a reference antiserum that is substantially free from heterotypic antibody. When selected dilutions of this antiserum are reacted with high concentrations of virus, virus intentionally allowed to escape neutralization is recovered and then identified. A contaminating virus present as a minor component of the population has a far greater probability of being revealed under the conditions of this “breakthrough” test than under the commonly used virus identity tests which customarily employ approximately 100 TCD50 of virus and, therefore, only identify the major component of the virus population. The breakthrough test described has been used for tests of 104 reference stocks of all the enteroviruses that propagate in monkey kidney cells and human amnion cells. Although all the materials had been previously tested and approved by the commonly employed virus identity test, the breakthrough test in two instances revealed contaminating heterotypic enteroviruses present at a very low titer in the stocks. Without resorting to the stringent, elaborate, and expensive tests for absolute purity, such as those that are required to assure safety of vaccines, the use of the breakthrough test described provides reasonable assurance of purity for stock viruses to be employed as diagnostic reagents or for general laboratory research purposes where a multiplicity of viral agents and antisera are required.

Structural and conformational specificity of the antigen for rheumatoid factor

Abstract: The classification of rheumatoid factor as an antibody is inextricably related to the identification of the antigen that elicits its formation. It seems paradoxical, therefore, that although the antibody nature of rheumatoid factor is widely accepted, its antigen is still the subject of much conjecture. The findings of Waalerl and Rose and co-workers? that rheumatoid arthritic sera specifically caused the agglutination of red cells coated with yG-globulins, early established the likelihood that the antigen was some form of yG-globulin. This concept found support with the finding3 that some yo-globulin preparations caused direct precipitation on addition to rheumatoid arthritic serum. Further investigationsu have emphasized the importance of the configuration of the yG-globulin in this system, since it has become apparent that only aggregated yG-globulins will effect precipitation. The present paper reports a detailed investigation into the configurational and antigenic requirements for combination with rheumatoid factor and its direct precipitation. Following establishment of the basic requirements for combination with rheumatoid factor, the immunogenicity of proteins possessing these antigenic and configurational requirements was studied under autologous, homologous, and heterologous situations. In this way, the feasibility that these molecules are possible antigens for rheumatoid factor production was assessed. It should be emphasized, however, that although the term rheumatoid factor is used in its singular form in this text, it is a collective term, representing a heterogeneous group of antibodies with a wide range of specificities. Similarly, it would be misleading to think of the “antigen” eliciting rheumatoid factor production as a number of well-defined determinants represented on a single antigen molecule. The antigens, like their corresponding antibodies, are undoubtedly a very heterogeneous group, and the approach used here, of necessity, limits this population to a number of antigenic determinants which are capable of explaining some, but not all, of the reported rheumatoid factor specificities. Human @-globulin preparations isolated by DEAEcellulose chromatography were subjected to controlled denaturation by incubation of the protein (at a concentration of 10 mg/ml) for 20 minutes at temperatures ranging between 20’ C and 6 5 O C. Following incubation, the samples were cooled rapidly to room temperature and subjected to analytical ultracentrifugation at both 29,500 rpm and 59,780 rpm in a Spinco model E centrifuge. The specific optical rotation (a) of each sample was measured at six wavelengths (A) between 350 mp and 600 mp, and the rotatory dispersion constant (A,) was calculated by the method of Yang and Doty7 by plotting ( a ) k A 2 against (a)A. Native yG-globulin preparations were found to have Ac values in the range of 198-202 mp; after heating at 63’ C for ten minutes, this value rose to approximately 220 mp, a value characteristic of fully denatured globular proteins* and indicative of gross conformational unfolding.

Ocular Lesions Induced by the Trachoma Agent in Rabbits

Abstract: Injection of the T9ang strain of trachoma agent into the anterior chamber of the rabbit eye caused corneal opacity, characteristic microscopic lesions of the corneal endothelium, varying degrees of neovascularization of the cornea, and uveitis. These ocular changes were agent-specific. The experimental data showed that the microorganism developed in the ocular tissues. The results of this study suggest the possibility of using the rabbit eye as an experimental model for the study of trachoma. Images

Growth of Trachoma Agent in Primary Cultures of Rabbit Corneal Endothelial Cells

Abstract: Primary cultures of rabbit corneal endothelial cells supported growth of trachoma agent, as evidenced by the production of inclusions and an increase of infectivity titers. Images

A trial of hippramine in the treatment of bacteriuria of pregnancy

Abstract: Seventy-seven patients with bacteriuria of pregnancy were treated with hippramine 1 G. q.i.d. or sulphamethizole I G. q.i.d. for seven days and, where possible, those who failed to respond to one treatment were crossedover to the other. Some of those who failed on both treatments were given ampicillin or nitrofurantoin as a third-line treatment.

Cohort disaggregation analysis of fertility data from a sample survey

Abstract: Social differentials in cumulative fertility revealed by field surveys in a number of countries typically have been interpreted with the implicit assumption that the timing of childbearing within the reproductive period remains constant. However, the reproductive histories that have been collected in such surveys provide a largely unexploited source of data for the analysis of trends in timing. An analysis by birth cohort of the fertility experience of 592 ever-married women surveyed in San Juan, Puerto Rico, in 1966 shows that significant changes in timing have occurred. Women in the more recent birth cohorts are distinguished by earlier childbearing and sustained higher fertility in consecutive age periods. The inter-cohort differences remain when adjustments are made for duration of time in legal and consensual unions.

Outline of WHO and PAG Participation in Research on Protein-Calorie Malnutrition

Abstract: WHO, in selecting the fields in research as well as in applied nutrition, has taken into account some criteria for establishing priorities. The criteria have been based on the following factors: 1. Extent and magnitude of the problem, judged by its: a) mortality, b) morbidity, and c) irreversible damage. 2. Effect on productivity. 3. Feasibility of prevention. 4. Interest of authorities.