Viral hepatitis in the US Navy, 1975-1984

The epidemiology of viral hepatitis in US Navy enlisted personnel was reviewed for the years 1975-1984. Hospital discharge summaries of all active duty enlisted personnel admitted to a US Navy treatment facility were used for the study. From 1975 to 1984, total first hospitalizations for viral hepatitis declined from 128 per 100,000 personnel (95% confidence interval (Cl) 118-139) to 56 per 100,000 personnel (95% Cl 50-63). The highest incidence of acute viral hepatitis (115 per 100,000 personnel) was found in the youngest age groups aged 24 years and less. Risk factors for acute hepatitis included a previous hospitalization with either drug abuse (relative risk = 363) or a sexually transmitted disease (relative risk = 25) listed among the discharge diagnoses. Having a medical job classification was also associated with an increased risk of acute hepatitis. The steep decline in the incidence of viral hepatitis during this 10-year period may have been due to decreasing drug abuse in the US Navy. Immunization of high-risk groups in the US Navy with hepatitis B vaccine could be an effective policy for the prevention of acute viral hepatitis.     

Hearing loss and otitis media on Guam: impact of professional services

In less than two decades, there has been a dramatic reduction in the prevalence of otitis media and perforations among Guam's school-aged children. In addition, hearing loss due to chronic middle ear disease as a cause of disqualification from military service has dropped from a first rank order cause to next-to-last. However, there has been no reduction in the prevalence of otitis media in the preschool population. The reduction in chronic ear disease is the result of improved access to primary care, intensive hearing screening, wide availability of audiologic diagnostic and follow-up services, and comprehensive otologic care. It is essential that these services continue to be available to Guam's children to avoid a reversal of these dramatic gains. Attention must now focus on how to achieve similar gains for Micronesian children who remain restricted in their access to these resources.     

A case of chronic subdural hematoma with anxiety states and concomitant regression-like symptoms

The authors described an epileptic suffering from head trauma in whom anxiety states and concomitant regression-like symptoms masked the diagnosis of chronic subdural hematoma. Along with the occurrence of chronic subdural hematoma, psychic symptoms were manifested including the anxiety and regression of personality. However, after the chronic subdural hematoma was neurosurgically evacuated, these psychic symptoms gradually disappeared. In the study of organic and symptomatic psychosis, Mackenzie and Popkin (1983) have proposed the concept of an organic anxiety syndrome on the ground that DSM-III provides no organic equivalent for anxiety disorders. Therefore, we presented a case of chronic subdural hematoma in which the direct effect on CNS of this pathological condition was considered to bring about the above-mentioned anxiety disorders with regression-like symptoms.     

Clinical efficacy of clarithromycin in the field of pediatrics

A new macrolide antibiotic, clarithromycin (TE-031, A-56268), was studied for its clinical efficacy in the field of pediatrics. Patients treated were infants and children ranging from 2 months to 11 years old suffering from acute bronchitis in 5 cases, acute tonsillitis in 2 cases, Mycoplasma pneumonia in 2 cases, pertussis in 6 cases, scarlatina in 1 case and acute enteritis in 2 cases, a total of 18 cases. TE-031 was administered 19.7-43.5 mg/kg in daily doses and lengths of treatment ranged from 4 to 19 days. As regards to its clinical efficacy, good or excellent results were obtained in all cases: excellent in 11 cases and good in 7 cases. No clinical side effects nor abnormal laboratory test values obviously attributable to TE-031 were observed.     

Effects of N-(2,6-dimethylphenyl)-2-(2-oxo-1-pyrrolidinyl)acetamide (DM-9384) on learning and memory in rats

Effects of N-(2,6-dimethylphenyl)-2-(2-oxo-1-pyrrolidinyl) acetamide (DM-9384) on learning and memory were studied using four different experimental rat models. In electroconvulsive shock- or scopolamine-induced amnesia in the step-through passive avoidance task, DM-9384 improved both types of amnesia when administered before the training trial. Aniracetam also showed similar but somewhat weaker effects. Furthermore, in the scopolamine amnesia model, an improvement was confirmed with arecoline. The dose-response curves for these compounds were bell-shaped. In the shuttle box active avoidance task, DM-9384 administered daily 1 hr before each training session facilitated the acquisition process of the avoidance response. In addition, the experiment of light-dark discrimination task with positive reinforcement showed that this compound administered daily after each session slightly accelerated the acquisition process of the correct response. These results suggest an ability of DM-9384 to enhance cognitive functions.