Group C rotavirus associated with fatal enteritis in a family outbreak

A family outbreak of gastroenteritis involving three adults and three children is described in which diarrhoea and vomiting were the main clinical features. One infant died in whom no pathogens could be detected in either small or large intestinal postmortem samples. Stool samples from two symptomatic siblings contained rotaviruses as demonstrated by electron microscopy. Both of these faecal samples were negative when assayed in a group A specific rotavirus enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and subsequent genomic analysis of these rotaviruses was suggestive of group C rotavirus. Serological evidence showed that these atypical rotaviruses were members of serogroup C. Other atypical rotaviruses in faecal samples from sporadic cases in symptomatic children were detected over a similar time period and location. These had electrophoretic RNA profiles similar to those in the family outbreak. Furthermore, seroepidemiological studies detected group C rotavirus antibody in blood donors resident in the location of the family outbreak.     

Antibodies to HTLV-I in populations of the southwestern Pacific

Sera collected from 1,102 individuals in 14 populations of the southwestern Pacific between 1956 and 1979 were tested by ELISA for antibodies to human T-cell leukemia virus type I (HTLV-I). Selected sera were also tested by particle agglutination and immunoblotting. Six of the populations had prevalences of antibodies greater than 4%, two populations had prevalences greater than 15%. Six populations had antibody prevalences of 2% or less. Three populations from the coast and northern islands of New Guinea had high prevalences of antibodies, while three New Guinea highland groups had virtually none. One population from the Solomon Islands had a high prevalence, while two others had very low prevalences. Two populations from small remote islands in Vanuatu both had high prevalences. Pacific sera did not neutralize a standard strain of virus readily neutralized by Japanese, European, and American sera. We conclude that infections with HTLV-I, some acquired more than 20 years ago, are widespread throughout the southwestern Pacific, even in several very isolated populations, although others have been spared. Some strains of HTLV-I in populations of the Pacific may have substantially different envelope proteins from prototype strains of America, Europe, and Japan.     

Serological survey of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) in Ethiopia

The presence of anti-human immunodeficiency virus 1 antibodies was tested in 5,565 serum samples from Ethiopia of which 5,265 were collected from military recruits in the framework of a hepatitis B (HBV) seroepidemiological study performed on a national scale in 1985-1986; the remaining were 300 sera from a population of outpatients belonging to the Arsi region. Of the 5,565 sera, 121 (2.1%) were found to be repeatedly reactive by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) test for HIV-1 antibodies, but these reactivities were confirmed by Western Blot (WB) assay in only four cases (0.07%) and by ENVACOR (confirmatory competitive ELISA) in three samples. Twenty-three sera were positive by WB to one or two bands related to core proteins but were all negative by ENVACOR. However, according to accepted criteria for positivity, these sera must be regarded as indeterminant reactors. A sample of 409 sera, both reactive and nonreactive by HIV-1 ELISA, were further tested for antibodies to HIV-2 by ELISA. Reactive sera were analysed by WB and by radioimmunoprecipitation assay (RIPA) using 35S-cysteine metabolically labelled SIVmac (HTLV-IV) infected cell lysates. Only 11 sera were found to be slightly reactive in ELISA, but this was not confirmed by WB or RIPA. Data indicate that HIV infection was not widespread in the general population of Ethiopia up to 1986.     

Effects of Drinking-Water Filtration on Cryptosporidium Seroepidemiology,Scotland

Continuous exposure to low levels of Cryptosporidium oocysts is associated with production of protective antibodies. We investigated prevalence of antibodies against the 27-kDa Cryptosporidium oocyst antigen among blood donors in 2 areas of Scotland supplied by drinking water from different sources with different filtration standards: Glasgow (not filtered) and Dundee (filtered). During 2006–2009, seroprevalence and risk factor data were collected; this period includes 2007, when enhanced filtration was introduced to the Glasgow supply. A serologic response to the 27-kDa antigen was found for ≈75% of donors in the 2 cohorts combined. Mixed regression modeling indicated a 32% step-change reduction in seroprevalence of antibodies against Cryptosporidium among persons in the Glasgow area, which was associated with introduction of enhanced filtration treatment. Removal of Cryptosporidium oocysts from water reduces the risk for waterborne exposure, sporadic infections, and outbreaks. Paradoxically, however, oocyst removal might lower immunity and increase the risk for infection from other sources.     

Common Exposure to STL Polyomavirus During Childhood

STL polyomavirus (STLPyV) was recently identified in human specimens. To determine seropositivity for STLPyV, we developed an ELISA and screened patient samples from 2 US cities (Denver, Colorado [500]; St. Louis, Missouri [419]). Overall seropositivity was 68%–70%. The age-stratified data suggest that STLPyV infection is widespread and commonly acquired during childhood.     

赤峰市黄鼠鼠疫血清流行病学研究

目的了解黄鼠鼠疫现状，分析疫情动态，为防治鼠疫工作提供科学依据。方法选用鼠疫间接血凝试验（IHA）方法，对采集的黄鼠血清进行检测，依据GB16883—1997鼠疫自然疫源地及动物鼠疫现疫流行区判定标准判定疫区，对疫情进行流行病学分析。结果1995～2005年共设调查点99个，检验黄鼠血清21028份，阳性29份，FI抗体滴度在1：40～1：2560之间，阳性血清分布在6个年度8个地区，皆被判定为鼠疫现疫流行区。结论赤峰市黄鼠鼠疫已进入活跃期，建议各地积极采取综合性防治措施。血清流行病学方法调查鼠疫疫情，可缩短有限鼠疫疫源面积的监测周期。     

某高校不同地域学员诺如病毒抗体阳性水平的调查研究

目的拟初步了解NVs感染在我国是否普遍存在，以丰富NVs感染的流行病学信息。方法利用酶联免疫吸附试验检测不同省份学员血清中的诺如病毒rNV、rMX和r387特异性IgG抗体水平。结果来自于22个省、直辖市、自治区的学员血清中均检出rNV、rMX和r387IgG抗体。不同地域学员rNV、rMX和r387IgG抗体阳性率，仅rMX抗体阳性率在不同地域间有显著性差异。结论我国在广泛的空间存在NVs的感染．NVs抗体阳性率与不同地区的社会经济及生活卫生条件有关，不同的基因型的NVs可能在我国的分布有所不同。     

Population‐based study on the seroprevalence of parvovirus B19 in Amsterdam

A study was undertaken to estimate the seroprevalence of parvovirus B19 infection in the general adult population of Amsterdam, The Netherlands. To our knowledge this is the first study testing parvovirus B19 in a random sample of the Dutch adult population. The study was a cross‐sectional survey, and the study sample was stratified by age and ethnicity, with deliberate oversampling of minority ethnic groups. Serum samples obtained from 1,323 residents in 2004 were tested for antibodies to parvovirus B19. Basic demographic data (gender, age, country of birth, and number of children) were also available. Sixty‐two percent of the participants were seropositive; corrected for the oversampling the estimated prevalence in the Amsterdam adult population was 61%. No specific predictors or risk groups for seropositivity were identified. In our urban adult study population no positive correlation with increasing neither age, nor significant differences between age groups were found. These results imply that almost 40% of the adult Amsterdam population is susceptible to infection. J. Med. Virol. 81:1305–1309, 2009. © 2009 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.     

An epidemiological study of HIV-infections in Frankfurt/Main and other major cities in Germany

Epidemiological studies can help to understand the effects of medical treatment of HIV infections. Accordingly, this study was designed to discuss the most important parameters in Frankfurt/Main and other big German cities from 1984 to 2000. The number of HIV tests performed by Frankfurt's Virology has been decreasing continually since 1991. A decrease of new infections in men could be registered, whereas the number of HIV infected women rose. From 1985 to 2000 an annual mean value of 478 HIV infected men and 121 HIV infected women was registered in Frankfurt. The gender proportion was followed up for Frankfurt and Hamburg since 1985, for Berlin, Munich, and Cologne since 1993. All but one city showed a significant decline of infected males, only Berlin did not show any obvious changes in this proportion. Over the last twelve years the average age of men and women tested positive for the first time increased. An obvious shift could be discerned during the last two years concerning the distribution of risk groups. The percentage of HIV infected homosexuals and female i. v. drug addicts sank significantly over the last two years, the number of women infected by heterosexual contacts is still increasing when compared to data compiled from 1988 to 1992, and varies between 44 % and 33 %. During the same time-span a significant shift in first onset of AIDS-defining illnesses was observed. PCP (pneumocystis carinii pneumonia) - formerly represented with 35.5 % - decreased and is now surpassed by tuberculosis with 25.5 %. The general gender proportion (3 : 1) could not be reflected by AIDS-defining diseases of which NHL (non-Hodgkin-lymphoma) seems to have the shortest time-span (6.5 months) between the occurrence of illness and death.