Biotypes of Haemophilus parainfluenzae from the respiratory secretions in chronic bronchitis.

A total of 2401 isolates of Haemophilus parainfluenzae was isolated from respiratory secretions of 36 healthy adults and 128 patients with chronic bronchitis over a period of 1 year. The isolates were allocated to eight biotypes, by their production of indole, urease and ornithine decarboxylase. Biotypes I and II constituted most of the isolates of H.

Actinic reticuloid: action spectra and UVA protection factor sunscreens.

This study compares the action spectra on two new patients with actinic reticuloid (AR), with one previously reported patient. All three patients had exquisite photosensitivity in the UVB range being up to 27 times more sensitive than controls. Sensitivity also increased into the UVA Range, all up to 335 nm and, one into the visible.

A novel particulate influenza vaccine induces long-term and broad-based immunity in mice after oral immunization.

The immunogenicity of a novel particulate oral influenza vaccine was examined in terms of antibody response and protection in mice. Oral immunization with chicken erythrocytes (CRBC) adsorbed with gamma-irradiated influenza A virus induced high levels of immunoglobulin G antibodies and protection in the lung compared with gamma-irradiated virus administered alone or CRBC. Immunoglobulin A antibodies were the predominant antibodies in nasal washings, and their presence did not correlate with protection as well as immunoglobulin G antibodies.

Measurement of lysozyme by an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.

In this study an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay has been developed for the determination of lysozyme in saliva, serum and urine. The assay relies on the detection of specific protein rather than lytic activity, a property which has been shown to be most suitable for the quantitation of lysozyme in mucin containing substances. Our results indicate that no pretreatment is necessary for the immunochemical method.

A role for intestinal T lymphocytes in bronchus mucosal immunity.

Rats immunized by intra-Peyer's patch (IPP) injection with non-typable Haemophilus influenzae (NTHI) have been shown to clear this organism from the respiratory tract faster than non-immunized rats. We therefore performed a series of experiments in order to determine the mechanism of action of the enhanced pulmonary clearance. The experiments show that homing of intestinal T cells to the respiratory tract is an important component in the observed immunity, while specific antibody adsorbed to bacteria does not influence pulmonary bacterial clearance rate.

Reduction in the incidence of acute bronchitis by an oral Haemophilus influenzae vaccine in patients with chronic bronchitis in the highlands of Papua New Guinea.

Following the administration of a standardized questionnaire, 62 adult patients with chronic bronchitis were enrolled into a double-blind controlled trial of an oral killed Haemophilus influenzae vaccine in the highlands of Papua New Guinea. A 3-day course of vaccine or placebo was given monthly for 3 consecutive months. Participants were monitored weekly over 12 months for acute exacerbations; early morning sputum specimens were collected monthly and during acute exacerbations.

The variability of immunoglobulins and albumin in salivary secretions of children.

The variation of concentrations of immunoglobulins and albumin in consecutive daily collections of saliva was studied in 33 infants, aged 6 months to 5 years, for periods ranging from 16 to 26 days. The concentration and the within-child variability of IgA and albumin and the detection of IgG and IgM in saliva increased with age. Between-child variances were greater than the within-child variances by a factor of 2.

Wheat dust-associated respiratory disease in a farming community.

Sixty-six volunteers who considered themselves to have wheat dust-related respiratory disease, were reviewed from a farming community. A spectrum of disease was described ranging from a mild allergic rhinitis limited to periods of wheat dust exposure through to perennial asthma in which wheat dust was but one of several precipitating factors. Approximately half of those with asthma had symptoms limited to times of wheat dust exposure.

C-reactive protein: a critical review.

We have reviewed the literature to determine the value of C-reactive protein (CRP) measurements in the diagnosis and management of a wide range of conditions. CRP levels are of value in 6 clinical situations: (a) monitoring the response to antibiotic treatment in patients with known bacterial infections, (b) in obstetric patients with premature rupture of membranes, a rise in CRP can give early warning of intrauterine infections, (c) differentiation between active disease and infections in patients with systemic lupus and ulcerative colitis where the level of response to active disease has been previously established, (d) as a measure of disease activity and response to disease-modifying drugs in rheumatoid arthritis, (e) early detection of complications in postoperative patients, (f) in differentiating between infection and graft-versus-host-disease in bone marrow transplant patients. CRP levels have been used in an attempt to differentiate between bacterial and viral infections in various clinical situations, however the published literature does not support this role.

Inhibition of adhesion of Haemophilus influenzae to buccal cells by respiratory secretions.

The ability of salivary secretions and sputum sol from patients with chronic bronchitis to inhibit the adhesion of non-serotypable Haemophilus influenzae to human buccal epithelial cells has been examined. Specific H. influenzae antibodies were measured by an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA).

Evaluation of a selective medium for the isolation and differentiation of Haemophilus influenzae and Haemophilus parainfluenzae from the respiratory tract of chronic bronchitics.

Respiratory tract specimens from chronic bronchitic patients were cultured for Haemophilus species on conventional chocolate agar and a modified sucrose medium in order to determine the accuracy of the new medium in differentiating Haemophilus influenzae from Haemophilus parainfluenzae strains. Haemophilus influenzae biotypes II and III and Haemophilus parainfluenzae biotypes I and II were found to be the predominant strains isolated from the respiratory tract. The modified sucrose medium was found to be a rapid and reliable means of differentiating Haemophilus influenzae from Haemophilus parainfluenzae by sucrose fermentation, on initial isolation.

Protection against recurrent acute bronchitis after oral immunization with killed Haemophilus influenzae.

Subjects prone to recurrent acute bronchitis were admitted to a six-month double-blind clinical study, in which the value of oral immunization with a preparation of killed Haemophilus influenzae was tested. Most subjects had early smoking-related chronic lung disease, unrecognized by either the patient or his/her doctor. Subjects taking the active agent had a 41% reduction in the total number of episodes of acute bronchitis (P = 0.

Bacterial colonisation of the respiratory tract in chronic bronchitis.

One hundred and nine subjects with chronic bronchitis were studied prior to winter and without clinical infection, to determine baseline patterns of bacterial colonisation. Qualitative analysis of cultures of oropharyngeal swabs showed little difference from age matched normal controls (17) except for growth of small numbers of Gram negative coliforms in the chronic bronchitic group. Quantitation of bacteria colonising the oropharynx showed small numbers (mean of 10(5) cfu/ml), with no particular bacteria dominating.

The awareness of the risk of elevated cholesterol levels and knowledge about cholesterol-lowering action in Australia.

We report on a survey of the frequency of the assessment of cholesterol levels and blood pressure in the Australian population. Attitudes to risk-factor modification for cardiovascular disease also were evaluated and emphasis was placed on the assessment of knowledge about dietary modification in relation to cardiovascular disease. Respondents in this survey more frequently reported that they had undergone a blood pressure assessment than that they had had their blood cholesterol levels measured (96% and 46% of respondents, respectively).

An animal model demonstration of enhanced clearance of nontypable Haemophilus influenzae from the respiratory tract after antigen stimulation of gut-associated lymphoid tissue.

An animal model of the clearance of nontypable Haemophilus influenzae has been developed to determine both optimal immunization strategies for controlling colonization of the respiratory tract in patients with damaged airways and mechanisms of action of immune clearance. It was demonstrated that stimulation of gut-associated lymphoid tissue (GALT) (either by direct injection or by ingestion of antigen) followed by local administration of antigen into the bronchus was required to enhance clearance in this model. The primary effect of GALT immunization persisted for at least 6 wk; it was specific and could not be replaced by systemic immunization.

Appearance of IgG and IgA antibodies in human bile after tetanus toxoid immunization.

Humans immunized intramuscularly with one dose of tetanus toxoid exhibited IgG, and in some cases IgA antibody, in their bile as well as serum. Both isotypes appeared in bile transiently with titres declining after about day 10 for both classes. These kinetics resembled those of the serum IgA response but were markedly different to those for IgG antibody in serum.

Molecular characteristics of IgA in infant saliva.

Saliva was collected from 57 infants aged 6 weeks to 2.5 years and the molecular form of IgA was studied by centrifugation on sucrose density gradients. Two distinct populations were identified.

Health promotion in general practice.

Health promotion is accepted as a desirable and increasingly necessary component of contemporary general practice. Discussion of health promotion in the family medicine setting has neglected to seek the views of General Practitioners. Their contact with patients places them in a unique position to observe the health promotion needs of their patients, and assign priorities to these.

Biotyping respiratory Haemophilus species with the microbact system.

The biochemical characteristics of 114 respiratory Haemophilus isolates were examined by the Minitek and Microbact systems. The Microbact system was easy to use and read, although some of the less important reactions (glucose and xylose) were difficult to interpret on occasions. On the basis of the 3 crucial reactions--indole production, ornithine decarboxylase and urease activity--discrepancies between the two systems were minor.

Serum and salivary antibody responses to non-capsular Haemophilus influenzae antigens in children with meningitis and epiglottitis.

Serum IgG, IgA and IgM antibody and salivary IgA antibody concentrations to non-capsular Haemophilus influenzae antigens were measured in 13 children with H. influenzae type b meningitis and in 15 children with epiglottitis. Most had detectable serum IgG and IgM antibody at presentation but significantly fewer patients with meningitis had serum IgA antibody at presentation (P less than 0.

Seasonal variation in non-specific bronchial reactivity: a study of wheat workers with a history of wheat associated asthma.

To investigate seasonal variation in non-specific bronchial reactivity in wheat workers, we carried out histamine inhalation tests in 29 workers (28 of them men) from a small farming community with symptoms of wheat associated asthma before, during and after the 1983-4 Australian wheat harvest season. Four were cigarette smokers, and the age range was 12-54 (mean (SD) 30 (10)) years. Twenty eight subjects were atopic (one positive skinprick test result in tests with 10 common antigens), 60% reacting to house dust mite and all to at least one of eight wheat antigens.

Standardization of rye-grass pollen (Lolium perenne) extract. An immunochemical and physicochemical assessment of six candidate international reference preparations.

Six candidate extracts of Lolium perenne (rye-grass) pollen have been studied in 6 laboratories using a variety of immunochemical and physicochemical techniques. Radioallergosorbent test inhibition, crossed immunoelectrophoresis, crossed radio-immunoelectrophoresis, sodium dodecyl sulphate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis combined with immunoblot, thin-layer isoelectric focusing and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay inhibition were used to evaluate each of the coded extracts. The source materials were also studied for identity and possible contamination by light microscopy.