Comparison of influenza antibody titers among women who were vaccinated in the 2nd and the 3rd trimesters of pregnancy

BackgroundWe compared cord blood antibody titers in unvaccinated pregnant women to those vaccinated with seasonal influenza vaccine during the 2^nd and the 3^rd trimesters.MethodsPregnant women had cord blood collected at delivery for hemagglutination inhibition assay against vaccine reference viruses: A/California/07/2009 (H1N1)pdm09, A/Switzerland/9715293/2013 (H3N2), and B/Phuket/3073/2013 (Yamagata lineage). Geometric mean titer (GMT) ratios were calculated comparing vaccinated versus unvaccinated pregnant women, and women vaccinated in the 2^nd and the 3^rd trimesters. Proportions of women achieving defined titers were compared using the χ² test.ResultsOf 307 women, 190 (62%) were unvaccinated. Fifty and 67 were vaccinated during the 2^nd and the 3^rd trimesters, respectively. Median enrollment age was 29 years (interquartile range 24–34). Sixteen (5%) women had pre-existing conditions, but none were immunocompromised. GMT ratios comparing vaccinated and unvaccinated women were 5.90 (95% confidence interval [CI] 5.06–6.96) for influenza A/California, 5.39 (95% CI 4.18–6.08) for influenza A/Switzerland, and 5.05 (95% CI 4.43–5.85) for influenza B/Phuket. Similarly, the GMT ratios comparing the 3^rd and the 2^nd trimester vaccinated women were 2.90 (95% CI 2.54–3.39), 2.82 (95% CI 2.56–3.13), and 2.83 (95% CI 2.56–3.14), respectively. The proportions of women with defined titers for the three vaccine reference viruses did not differ between 2^nd and 3^rd trimester vaccinated women (titers ≥40: 68–92% versus 70–93%; ≥110: 32% versus 33–63%; and ≥330: 4–10% versus 3–21%).ConclusionsPregnant women vaccinated against influenza had more placental transfer of influenza antibodies to their infants than unvaccinated women. Placental transfer of antibodies was higher among those vaccinated in the 3^rd trimester than in the 2^nd trimester. There was no difference in the proportions of women achieving antibody titers corresponding to protection against influenza in children. Findings support the current World Health Organization’s recommendation that pregnant women may be vaccinated in either 2^nd or 3^rd trimester of pregnancy.     

Increased hand washing reduces influenza virus surface contamination in Bangkok households, 2009–2010

Within a hand‐washing clinical trial, we evaluated factors associated with fomite contamination in households with an influenza‐infected child. Influenza virus RNA contamination was higher in households with low absolute humidity and in control households, suggesting that hand washing reduces surface contamination.     

Reply to the article "The significance of skeletal-related events for the health-related quality of life of patients with metastatic prostate cancer" by K. P. Weinfurt et al. (Ann Oncol 2005; 16: 579-584).

Weinfurt and colleagues reported a decline in the quality oflife (QoL) of patients with hormone-refractory prostate cancerafter the occurrence of their first skeletal-related events(SRE) [1]. The authors suggested that zoledronic acid, despitedecreasing the incidence of SREs among     

Recurrent steroid-responsive pancreatitis associated with myelodysplastic syndrome and transformations

Several paraneoplastic inflammatory conditions, particularly autoimmune diseases, have been described in association with myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS). However, to date, recurrent acute pancreatitis has never been described in association with MDS. A 44-year-old man presented with prolonged fever and fatigue. Aortitis and pericarditis were diagnosed simultaneously with MDS, refractory anemia with excess blast type 2. His erythrocyte sedimentation rate and c-reactive protein were markedly elevated. The vasculitic syndrome responded rapidly to corticosteroids, but soon after tapering of corticosteroids, acute pancreatitis developed. Pain and pancreatic enzymes, however, improved rapidly with escalation of corticosteroid dosage. Multiple attempts at discontinuing the drug resulted in symptomatic flare-ups. Finally, his MDS transformed into acute myeloid leukemia (AML); severe acute pancreatitis closely accompanied. Induction chemotherapy and high-dose corticosteroids, however, controlled both conditions. A subsequent pancreatitis attack with pseudocyst formation occurred, but again was controlled with corticosteroids, although this was followed closely by another relapse of AML. All etiologies for recurrent acute pancreatitis were ruled out. The dramatic response of his pancreatitis attacks to immunosuppression suggested its autoimmune origin, while the close relationship in both the timing and severity of acute pancreatitis and MDS/AML suggested that the autoimmune pancreatitis was a paraneoplastic phenomenon related to MDS.     

Transmission of Enterocytozoon bieneusi genotype a in a Thai orphanage

A cross-sectional study of Enterocytozoon bieneusi infection in children who lived in an orphanage in Bangkok, Thailand was conducted in April 2003. Two hundred ninety stool specimens were collected and examined under light microscopy after staining with gram-chromotrope. Confirmation of E. bieneusi was done using transmission electron microscopy. Of 290 samples, 12 (4.1%) were positive for E. bieneusi. Genotypic characterization of 10 E. bieneusi showed that all were genotype A, which might indicate the same source of infection. Multivariate analysis showed that orphans who were 12-23 months old, girls, and living in one particular house were independently associated with E. bieneusi infection. Our study suggests that E. bieneusi infection in this orphanage might be transmitted person to person.