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Query: UMLS:C0021311 (Infection)
 38,178 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

The isotype-specific antibody response to influenza vaccination in 36 patients undergoing chronic intermittent hemodialysis was analyzed by an influenza subtype-specific immunofluorescence test. The immune response was recorded at regular intervals over five months. On the basis of fourfold IgG titer rises as the classical parameter protection from infection was assumed to occur in more than 85% of healthy adults to each of the influenza antigens. In contrast, about 70% of the patients on hemodialysis had responded to influenza A H1N1 and H3N2 vaccines while only 50% of the patients on hemodialysis had responded to influenza B antigen. However, patients showed decreased rates and lower peak responses in IgA, IgM and IgG antibodies to influenza A and B antigens. Probably as a result of the underlying renal disease the different kinetics of antibody responses and the lower influenza specific immunoglobulin levels resulted in lower seroconversion rates in hemodialysis patients compared to those in healthy volunteers.
Infection 1988
PMID:Influenza subtype-specific IgA, IgM and IgG responses in patients on hemodialysis after influenza vaccination. 306 42

The interaction between nitrogen dioxide (NO2) exposure and human susceptibility to respiratory virus infection was investigated in a placebo-controlled, randomized, blinded trial that was conducted in an environmentally controlled research chamber over a three-year period. Healthy, non-smoking volunteers, 18 to 35 years old, who were seronegative to influenza A/Korea/82 (H3N2) virus, were randomly assigned either to breathe filtered clean air (clean air group) or nitrogen dioxide (exposure group) for two hours a day for three consecutive days. The nitrogen dioxide concentrations were 2 ppm (Year 1), 3 ppm (Year 2), and 1 or 2 ppm (Year 3). Live, attenuated cold-adapted (ca) influenza A/Korea/82 reassortant virus was administered intranasally to all subjects after the second day of exposure. Only one of the 152 volunteers had any symptoms, and that subject had only a low-grade fever. No adverse changes in pulmonary function or nonspecific airway reactivity to methacholine were observed after 2 or 3 ppm nitrogen dioxide exposure, virus infection, or both. Infection was defined by virus recovery, a four-fold or greater increase in serum or nasal wash influenza-specific antibody titers, or both. The infection rates of the groups exposed to nitrogen dioxide and those breathing clean air were: 12/21 (2 ppm nitrogen dioxide) versus 15/23 (clean air) in Year 1; 17/22 (3 ppm nitrogen dioxide) versus 15/21 (clean air) in Year 2; and 20/22 (2 ppm nitrogen dioxide) and 20/22 (1 ppm nitrogen dioxide) versus 15/21 (clean air) in Year 3. Although the differences were not statistically significant, the groups exposed to 1 or 2 ppm nitrogen dioxide in the last year became infected more often (91 percent) than those breathing clean air (71 percent). The frequencies of infection in two of the four groups exposed to nitrogen dioxide were higher than the 56 to 73 percent infection rate observed in previous studies in healthy human volunteers with the same dose of ca-influenza A (H3N2) virus. Our findings suggest, but do not prove, that nitrogen dioxide alone may play a role in increasing the susceptibility of adults to respiratory virus infections.
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PMID:Susceptibility to virus infection with exposure to nitrogen dioxide. 307 22

In the fall of 1983, 53 households were enrolled in a double-blind trial of alpha 2-interferon as an intranasal spray to prevent common colds. During the winter/spring of 1984, 26 households were infected with influenza type B, as shown by isolation of the virus (19 households) and/or significant antibody titer rises (seven households). Interferon did not prevent influenza B infection or modify resulting illness. Of 37 persons shedding virus, 12 were asymptomatic. All were older than age 12 years, and 10 did not respond with antibody by any of the five test methods employed (complement fixation, hemagglutination inhibition, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), neutralization, and Western blot). In contrast, of 13 symptomatic persons shedding virus from whom sera were available, 11 had significant antibody titer rises. Infection rates were highest among teenagers, but also surprisingly high among the 11 persons observed who were aged 50 years or older, four of whom were infected. The case-to-case interval in household transmission varied between one and nine days. Longer intervals of one, two, and four months between infections among family members were also observed, suggesting repeated introductions. Neither virus isolation alone nor serologic tests was sufficient to estimate infection rates.
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PMID:Influenza B in households: virus shedding without symptoms or antibody response. 330 18

Pneumonia remains a major source of morbidity and economic cost to our society, despite the availability of new antibiotics for therapy. To truly reduce the impact of this illness, serious efforts at preventing infection must be undertaken. In the area of community-acquired infections, safe and effective vaccines are available against S. pneumoniae, the most common pneumonic pathogen, and influenza. High-risk individuals (Table 2), who should be considered for vaccination, include: the elderly; residents of chronic-care facilities; and patients with chronic cardiac, respiratory, renal, and hematologic illnesses. Influenza vaccine is effective in preventing infections in such high-risk populations, including the elderly. There is some controversy about the efficacy of pneumococcal vaccine in an at-risk population with severe co-morbid illness, but there is little doubt that the vaccine is effective in a more healthy elderly population. Both patients and physicians fail to appreciate the safety and utility of these vaccines as evidenced by their low rates of use. Remarkably, only about 10 per cent of appropriate persons have ever received the pneumococcal vaccine, even though it needs to be given only once in a lifetime. In the area of nosocomial pneumonia, several strategies for prevention have proven to be useful. Most promising is the use of topical antibiotics in the upper and lower airway. Although the efficacy of this approach is well established, its safety has been questioned in prior studies. For many reasons, this position should be reevaluated, and this therapy should be considered for use in carefully selected patients at risk, using modern techniques of aerosol therapy. Active investigation into vaccines against gram-negative bacterial look to yield promising results in the future. In addition, passive "serum" therapy with preformed antibodies is a strategy for preventing gram-negative lung infection that has shown use in animal studies and may circumvent certain logistical problems of vaccine therapy. Infection control methods and sensible handling of respiratory therapy equipment are simple, yet effective, means for preventing contamination of the airway in mechanically ventilated patients. Finally, for patients both in and out of the hospital, an understanding of the nature of host defense impairments leading to pneumonia will allow for strategies to boost host defenses.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)
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PMID:Strategies for the prevention of pneumonia. 331 91

Four hundred and seventy cases of meningitis caused by Haemophilus influenza in children and 30 cases in adults were identified in Sweden between 1981 and 1983. The age specific incidence in the most susceptible age group (0-4 years) was 31/100,000/year (440 cases), which is higher than previously reported from Europe. A further 30 cases were seen in children aged 5-14. The risk of developing H influenzae meningitis before the age of 15 was 1 in 669. There were 11 deaths (2%) and five cases of serious neurological sequelae among the children. Only 18 children (4%) had predisposing diseases. All but one of the 294 strains of H influenzae from children that had been serotyped were type b. Infections in adults differed from infections in children. Five of the adults died (17%), 12 had important predisposing diseases, and at least six of the infections were caused by non-typable strains. It is concluded that research into the prevention of invasive H influenzae infections in children should have high priority.
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PMID:Haemophilus influenzae meningitis in Sweden 1981-1983. 350 4

Mechanisms which disturb mucociliary transport may act on the mucus, the ciliary action or both. Inflammation of the airways almost invariably induces reversible functional disturbances but can, in chronic diseases, also lead to irreversible morphological lesions. Infectious inflammation acts mainly through ciliostatic or cytotoxic effects on ciliated cells. Infections with rhinovirus, influenza virus A and M. pneumoniae may induce profound disturbances of the mucociliary system, with effects lasting up to 1 year. In non-infectious inflammation, the mucociliary system might be influenced by serum factors leaking through the bronchial wall, by inflammatory cells such as granulocytes and eosinophils, and by mediators released from mast cells. In a very early phase of the acute allergic reaction in bronchial asthma, these mediators are responsible for an acceleration of mucus transport, which is followed by a long-standing depression mainly due to the production of highly viscous mucus. Any positive therapeutic effects resulting from drug administration can only be achieved in early phases of the disease, before irreversible morphological lesions have occurred.
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PMID:Mucus transport and inflammation. 353 95

Infections and clinical diseases caused by equine 2 influenza A viruses are observed worldwide. The frequency of these outbreaks supports the hypothesis that antigenic variation of the surface proteins may play an important role. For the demonstration of these variations, monoclonal antibodies (Mabs) were prepared. They are directed against the hemagglutinin or the neuraminidase of the prototype strain a/eq/Miami/1/63. In hemagglutination-inhibition assays with Mabs two reaction patterns were observed: four Mabs inhibited 14 out of 17 strains tested. Another Mab recognized the hemagglutinin of only 4 strains. One strain was not inhibited by any of the Mabs. This reaction pattern was not changed by purification of the Mabs using different techniques. Following tween 80/ether treatment of some strains, the Mab reacting more strain-specific had higher titers against the four closely related strains. Tween 80/ether treatment did not affect the titers of the Mabs reacting more subtype-specific. Analysis of the neuraminidase of 17 strains revealed a marked variation in two strains. Different purification procedures had some influence on the titers of the Mabs but did not alter the pattern of the reaction. The antigenic variation of surface proteins detected by Mabs are not seen so clearly when conventional antisera are used. Therefore, antigenic variations are probably not responsible for outbreaks of equine influenza in vaccinated animals.
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PMID:[Differentiation of equine influenza viruses subtype 2 with monoclonal antibodies]. 359 Jan 59

Cigarette smoking exerts deleterious effects not only on the respiratory tract, but also on the lung's parenchyma. The FEV is reduced in heavy chronic smokers. Persistent smoking has an unfavourable influence on mucociliary activity. According to the results of recent research almost 8 million people in the U.S. were suffering from chronic bronchitis in 1981. There is a direct correlation between the number of cigarettes smoked, over what period of time, and the incidence of chronic bronchitis. In studies with patients suffering from exacerbations of chronic bronchitis the most common bacterial pathogens found were Haemophilus influenzae, Streptococcus pneumoniae and Branhamella catarrhalis. Mycoplasma pneumoniae and certain viruses are counted amongst the non-bacterial pathogens. Antibiotics should be effective against such possible pathogens. The resistance of H. influenzae to ampicillin/amoxicillin is currently observed in at least 12% of cases, whilst H. influenzae is regularly observed to be resistant to erythromycin. Cefaclor, trimethoprim/sulphamethoxazole and amoxicillin/clavulanic acid offer satisfactory forms of treatment. Pneumonia caused by S. pneumoniae, H. influenzae, B. catarrhalis and Legionella pneumophila is often seen in smokers and patients with COLD. Haemocultures should be prepared for all hospitalized patients. Penicillin G and/or V is the agent of choice. Cefaclor or trimethoprim/sulphamethoxazole can be given to counter beta-lactamase producing H. influenzae whilst cefaclor, erythromycin, tetracycline or trimethoprim/sulphamethoxazole are used for the treatment of B. catarrhalis infections. In Legionella infections erythromycin is the preferred treatment. A combination of erythromycin and cefamandole or ceftriaxone is indicated for empirical management. Patients with COLD should be immunised with pneumococcus and influenza vaccines.
Infection 1987
PMID:[Smoking and lower respiratory tract infection]. 361 Mar 32

Three outbreaks of influenza caused by influenza A H1N1 occurred in a boys' boarding school in 1978, 1979 and 1983. The serological response to infection with variants of the H1N1 virus was studied by radial haemolysis and haemagglutination inhibition after primary infection and reinfection. The persistence of this antibody was also studied. Infection in 1978 resulted in the production of persistent antibody to both the haemagglutinin and neuraminidase of the homotypic strain. Antibody which cross-reacted with later variants of the virus was less frequently produced, the peak response was delayed and such antibody persisted less well. Infection in 1979 resulted in a similar response to that observed in 1978 after primary infection. Reinfection resulted in a broad response in all cases. In 1983 all infected boys produced antibody which reacted with the homotypic strain but only approximately one-third of primary infections produced antibody which reacted with the A/USSR/92/77 strain. The neuraminidase of the A/USSR strain failed to detect one third of the primary infections. Reinfection again resulted in a broad response.
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PMID:Infection with influenza A H1N1. 1. Production and persistence of antibody. 370 Oct 45

Nineteen IgA monoclonal antibodies against influenza A virus X-31 were obtained following intranasal infection of mice with influenza A virus X-31. It was demonstrated that specificities of IgA monoclonal antibodies are similar to those of IgG monoclonal antibodies. These IgA antibodies might be useful for the study of mucosal immunity against influenza A viruses. Infection may be an easier and better way of producing monoclonal antibodies against some viral agents.
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PMID:Production of IgA monoclonal antibodies against influenza A virus. 372 7


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