Rubella immunity in Nigerian children

A serological survey was carried out to determine the rubella haemagglutination-inhibiting (HI) antibodies among Nigerian children. The subjects consisted of 100 neonates and 550 children aged one month to 15 years. The study shows that rubella immunity rose with increasing age of the children.     

深圳市外来劳务工风疹病毒抗体水平调查

目的 了解广东省深圳市外来劳务工中风疹病毒抗体水平,为制定风疹防控策略提供依据。方法 采用分层随机抽样调查方法,对深圳市外来务工人员1 003人进行问卷调查并采集血液样本,采用酶联免疫吸附法(ELISA)检测血清中风疹IgG抗体。结果 深圳市外来劳务工风疹病毒抗体(IgG)阳性率为75.37%;其中20~40岁女性阳性率为76.1%,低于其他年龄组女性的87.3%,差异有统计学意义(χ²=4.470,P=0.034);来自不同省份的劳务工抗体阳性率差异有统计学意义(χ²=16.7067,P=0.006)。结论 深圳市外来劳务工年轻群体和育龄妇女群体的风疹病毒抗体(IgG)阳性率较高,应加强外来劳务工中育龄妇女的风疹监测和疫苗接种。     

Family characteristics affect rates of weight loss in obese children

Results of weight reduction programs for obese children have rarely been reported. No existing data describe the family characteristics associated with weight reduction. We treated 71 obese children, aged 7–13 years as outpatients during a one year period. Children and their parents were seen in separate groups. Treatment included nutrition education, hypocaloric diets, and behavior modification. Less than one-third of the patients completed the program. Mean weight loss during the program was 1.4 kg. One-third of our patients lost more than 2.5 kg; 11% lost more than 5.0 kg.Rates of weight loss were asoociated with parental obesity, and, independently, with parental marital status. The effect of parental obesity was independent of the sex of the parent or child. Birth order, family size and the severity of obesity had no significant effect on either rates of or absolute weight losses. These results indicate that family variables are associated with both the onset and course of childhood obesity. Because comparative studies of therapy have usually involved small numbers of patients, their results may have been confounded by the effects of parental obesity and marital status on weight loss.     

Weight and BMI over 6 years in Korean children: relationships to body image and weight loss efforts

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the relationships among longitudinal weight status, body dissatisfaction, and attitude to weight loss among Korean children from the age of 7-8 to 13-14 years old. RESEARCH METHODS AND PROCEDURES: 351 Korean school children's heights and weights were measured at the ages of 7-8 and 13-14 years old; at the age of 13-14, they completed a questionnaire about body dissatisfaction and weight loss efforts. RESULTS: At the age of 7-8, 15.7% of children were overweight by International Obesity Task Force standards, as compared with 26.2% at the age of 13-14. Of the 55 7- to 8-year-old overweight children, 85.5% were still overweight at the age of 13-14 years old. Greater concerns about body image and stronger desires to be thinner were observed among stable overweight children and among those in whom there had been a rapid increase in BMI over the 6-year study period. Girls favored thinner shapes than did boys, regardless of their weight status or BMI changes. In girls, the level of body dissatisfaction was related only to weight loss desire, regardless of weight status or changes in BMI. In boys, however, weight loss desire was related only to weight loss attempts and was independent of weight status, BMI changes, and level of body dissatisfaction. DISCUSSION: Regardless of weight status, changes in BMI should be considered when dealing with body dissatisfaction and attitudes to weight loss in children.     

Rubella in 1998

In 1998 in Poland the incidence rate of rubella has been reduced three times in comparison with 1997 outbreak. 43,239 rubella cases (111.8/100,000) were registered, including 4 CRS cases (1.0/100,000 live births). 148 persons (0.34% of all cases) were hospitalised. 94.1% of cases were children under age of 14. The highest incidence rate was noted in the group of age 5-9 (790.1/100,000). The following rate of vaccinated schoolgirls was reported in 1998: 97.3% in-group of 13-year old, 97.3%--14 y.o. and 98.9%--15 y.o.     

Rubella specific cell-mediated and humoral immunity following vaccination in college students with low antibody titers

ObjectiveThis study measured cell-mediated immunity (CMI) and antibodies to clarify the basis of rubella reinfection after vaccination.MethodsIn a pool of 65 college students, 39 who exhibited hemagglutination–inhibition (HI) antibody titers against rubella of ≤1:16 were vaccinated with a rubella vaccine. The CMI was assessed with interferon-gamma release assay.ResultsThere was low correlation (r = 0.24) between the antibody titers and interferon-gamma levels at pre-vaccination status. Preexisting interferon-gamma levels were low in some subjects with low HI antibody titers of 1:8 and 1:16. Fifty-seven percent (4/7) of the subjects who were antibody-negative with past history of rubella vaccination at entry onto the study exhibited CMI. And 57% (4/7) of the subjects remained antibody-negative following a second vaccination, despite exhibiting CMI. HI antibody titers increased significantly after vaccination, whereas post-vaccination interferon-gamma levels did not exhibit significant increases. When subjects were divided (based on their past history of vaccination and antibody values) into natural infection and vaccination groups, HI antibody titers (mean ± SD) increased to 1:2^4.4 ± 1.4 from 1: 2^3.2 ± 0.4 (p = 0.065) in the natural infection group and to 1:2^4.4 ± 1.0 from 1:2^3.0 ± 0.8 (p < 0.00001) in the vaccination group following vaccination. The same classification revealed that interferon-gamma values did not increase significantly in either group following vaccination, but the interferon-gamma values at pre- and post-vaccination in the natural infection group were significantly higher than those at pre- and post-vaccination in the vaccination group (p < 0.05 and p < 0.05, respectively).ConclusionPre-vaccination interferon-gamma levels in each HI antibody titer group were similar. And there were some subjects with antibody-positive exhibited CMI-negative. These data may explain why rubella reinfection can occur in vaccinated seropositive individuals.     

Rubella virus neutralizing antibody response after a third dose of measles-mumps-rubella vaccine in young adults

BackgroundThird doses of measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccine have been administered during mumps outbreaks and in various non-outbreak settings. The immunogenicity of the rubella component has not been evaluated following receipt of a third dose of MMR vaccine.MethodsYoung adults aged 18–31 years with documented two doses of MMR vaccine received a third dose of MMR vaccine between July 2009 and October 2010. Rubella neutralizing antibody titers were assessed before, 1 month, and 1 year after receipt of a third dose of MMR vaccine.ResultsAmong 679 participants, 1.8% had rubella antibody titers less than 10 U/ml, immediately before vaccination, approximately 15 years after receipt of a second dose of MMR vaccine. One month after receipt of a third dose of MMR vaccine, average titers were 4.5 times higher and >50% of participants had a 4-fold boost. Response was highest among those with titers less than 10 U/ml prior to vaccination (geometric mean titer ratio = 18.8; 92% seroconversion) and decreased with increasing pre-vaccination titers. Average titers declined 1 year postvaccination but remained significantly higher than pre-vaccination levels. The proportion classified as low-positive antibody levels increased from 3% 1 month postvaccination to 24% 1 year postvaccination.ConclusionsVaccination with a third dose of MMR vaccine resulted in a robust boosting of rubella neutralizing antibody response that remained elevated 1 year later. Young adults with low rubella titers are more likely to benefit from a third dose of MMR vaccine.     

Developmental changes in intuitive thinking of Korean children

The study presents developmental changes in intuitive thinking of Korean children. The subjects were 144 kindergarten, second grade, fourth grade, and sixth grade children. A perceptual inference task was used and two response measures, the mean point of correct response and the mean reaction time were applied. The results in terms of the mean point of correct response showed that there was rapid development at the early ages and then gradual improvement. Reaction time results, however, showed U-shaped developmental changes: the second graders took the longest reaction time among the age groups. Several possible reasons for the U-shaped changes and the relations between the two measures are discussed.     

DDE in birds: Lethal residues and loss rates

Lethal brain residues of DDE² were determined experimentally in four species of wild birds given dietary dosage of 1,500 ppm DDE until one-half had died, then sacrificing the survivors, chemically analyzing the tissues, and comparing results in dead birds and survivors. In all species, residues of 300 to 400 ppm of DDE in the brain were considered to show increasing likelihood of death from DDE, confirming results of an earlier study with a single species. Body residues (ppm wet weight) were not diagnostic, overlapping grossly in dead birds and survivors, but averaging higher in survivors. Body residues (ppm lipid base), however, were higher in dead birds and did not overlap those in survivors.Loss rate was followed in grackles fed 1,500 ppm DDE for 7 days, then given untreated feed and sacrificed at intervals of 7, 28, 56, and 112 days. DDE was lost slowly from the bodies, at a rate of 0.30% per day (estimated half-life 229 days). DDE was lost more rapidly from brains, half of the initial concentration being reached in 25 days; concentrations in brains increased thereafter in close correlation with percentage of fat in the body.     

风疹IgG抗体检测在风疹流行病学调查中的应用

目的应用胶体金固相免疫层析法检测风疹IgG抗体,并探讨其在流行病学分析中的应用价值。方法采用风疹抗原、羊抗人IgG抗体为原料,建立胶体金固相免疫层析法,对患者及健康人群进行检测,对结果与临床诊断意义进行分析。结果风疹IgG抗体检测中,不同年龄组风疹感染儿童IgG抗体阳性率有显著差异,不同月份感染儿童IgG抗体阳性率无显著差异;280例临床样本中,可见随着年龄的增长风疹IgG抗体阳性率也随之升高。结论胶体金固相免疫层析法检测风疹IgG抗体具有操作简便、反应快速、灵敏度高、特异性强、稳定性高,无放射性及毒性危害且临床符合率高等特点,可作为风疹病毒感染诊断和疗效观察的良好指标。     

Rubella vaccination: The effect of health education andadministrative systems on vaccination rates in two health authorities

In 1983, the contribution of a standardised health education package on the schoolrubella vaccination programme was assessed in two adjoining health authorities. A controlled trial in schools showed that there was no statistically significant association between the use of the health education package and a high vaccination rate. Before 1983, inaccurate denominators based on consent forms sent out were used in calculating uptake rates. In addition, the numerator used in determining the numbers of children protected by the end of any one year did not take account of children previously immunised or those wishing to attend their family doctor. The study introduced an accurate denominator based on named class lists and an accurate numerator based on school vaccinations and general practitioner vaccinations as well as the number of children previously immunised, all of which had a marked enhancing effect on the percentage of children protected by the end of an academic year.     

Rubella infection in pregnancy

It is over 50 years since a syndrome of congenital abnormalities following maternal rubella infection was first recognised. Despite the potentially devastating effects of the congenital rubella syndrome, immunisation rates are not optimal and infections in pregnancy still occur. Four cases of rubella infection occurring in pregnancy are presented. Laboratory diagnosis of primary infection and reinfection is discussed, and the need for full immunisation in childhood, and of women of child-bearing age is reiterated.