Reactogenicity and immunogenicity of measles-rubella combined vaccine in school-entry-aged subjects with naturally acquired measles immunity.

Background: The reintroduction of measles-rubella combined (MR) vaccination to Japan raised concerns about adverse events as well as immunogenicity related to booster immunization in subjects with naturally acquired immunity to measles or rubella.

Methods: The time course of reactogenicity and antibody responses in recipients with pre-existing immunity to measles through natural infection was observed. Eighteen children aged 80-104 months received MR booster vaccination; 16 of them had had previous rubella vaccination.

Characteristics of group B Streptococcus isolated from infants with invasive infections: a population-based study in Japan.

Group B Streptococcus (GBS) is one of the leading causes of neonatal bacterial infections. Population-based surveillance of GBS-related invasive diseases among newborns and infants from 10 prefectures in Japan was performed between 2007 and 2012. The characteristics of cases and isolated GBS are described in this study.

[A study on the HA amount of HA influenza vaccination on efficacy and safety in infants].

We examined the efficacy and safety of inactivated influenza vaccine when the amount of HA influenza vaccination in children was increased to the dose recommended by the WHO. The purpose of this study was to obtain basic evidence to review the vaccination dose in Japanese children. HA influenza vaccine produced by the Research Foundation for Microbial Diseases of Osaka University (Biken) licenced in Japan was administered through vaccination at the international dose, and split HA influenza vaccine produced by Sanofi Pasteur corp.

Rotavirus-associated acute gastroenteritis hospitalizations among Japanese children aged <5 years: active rotavirus surveillance in Mie Prefecture, Japan.

Two effective vaccines for rotavirus infection will be available near future in Japan and data on the burden of rotavirus disease and the circulating rotavirus strains are urgently needed. To obtain these data, we set up active rotavirus hospitalization surveillance in three cities, Tsu, Matsusaka, and Ise in Mie Prefecture, Japan. From November 1, 2007 through October 31, 2009, we enrolled children <5 years of age who were hospitalized with a diagnosis of acute gastroenteritis (AGE) and collected information on age, sex, month of admission, city of residence, and symptoms at the time of hospitalization.

[Varicella vaccine potency and stability during transport and delivery].

Oka varicella vaccine was developed to confer active immunity to varicella-zoster virus (VZV) in immunocompromized and immunocompetent children. It is now used to prevent varicella in about 20 million people worldwide. Although VZV infectivion is relatively unstable compared to other viruses, cell-free virus is stabilized and lyophilized vaccine has been developed.

[Herpes zoster and its prevention].

The mean herpes zoster incidence in Japan was 4.15/1,000 person-years and was 5.23-7.

Safe and effective booster immunization using DTaP in teenagers.

The incidence of reported cases with pertussis has increased in young adults in Japan and the lack of additional booster immunizations containing pertussis components is suspected to be one of the causal reasons. Instead of DT immunization at 11-12 years of age, safety and immunogenicity were investigated using 0.2 ml and 0.

Multiple cutaneous squamous cell carcinomas in a patient with interferon gamma receptor 2 (IFN gamma R2) deficiency.

Disseminated squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) of the skin is exceedingly rare in children. SCC occurs after immunodeficiency from immunosuppression in organ transplant recipients or patients with HIV infection or leukaemia, but has not been reported in primary immunodeficiencies other than epidermodysplasia verruciformis. Interferon gamma receptor 2 (IFN gamma R2) deficiency is an exceedingly rare primary immunodeficiency, conferring almost selective predisposition to mycobacterial diseases.

A retrospective evaluation of hospitalizations for acute gastroenteritis at 2 sentinel hospitals in central Japan to estimate the health burden of rotavirus.

Background: Two rotavirus vaccines have recently been licensed for use in >80 countries worldwide but not in Japan. To assess the value of introducing rotavirus vaccination in Japan, data on the burden of rotavirus disease are needed.

Methods: To describe the epidemiology of severe rotavirus disease among Japanese children aged <5 years, we examined retrospective demographic, clinical, and laboratory data from the period 2003-2007 for children hospitalized with acute gastroenteritis (AGE) at 2 sentinel hospitals in Japan.

Inactivated influenza vaccine effectiveness against influenza-like illness among young children in Japan--with special reference to minimizing outcome misclassification.

The aim of the present study was to investigate the influenza vaccine effectiveness among young children in Japan. Study subjects were recruited from 43 pediatric clinics. Influenza-like illness (ILI) was defined as an acute febrile illness with respiratory symptoms; ILI with a fever of > or =39 degrees C was considered to be severe ILI (SILI).

[Microbiological properties of M. porcinum isolated from a patient with impairments in IL-12/IFN-gamma pathway].

Purpose: Mycobacterium porcinum has been successfully isolated from the patient with abnormal signal transduction pathway of IL12/IFN-gamma. The properties of each bacterium were determined by conventional identification methods, DNA sequencing analysis and MIC assay.

Materials And Methods: M.

[Learning from the US immunization administration].

The US federal government has been providing support to state and local health departments for immunization program since 1920' s. Many government and nongovernment organizations, groups and personnel are involved in the process of the US immunization program. These organizations and groups are moving towards the same direction under the policy of "reducing the incidence of vaccine preventable diseases and to increase the safe usage of vaccines and related biological products".

Development of varicella vaccine.

The Oka strain of varicella-zoster virus (VZV) was first isolated from vesicles of an otherwise healthy 3-year-old boy with typical varicella. The virus was passaged 11 times in human embryonic lung fibroblasts at 34 degrees C and 12 times in guinea pig embryo fibroblasts (GPEFs) at 37 degrees C. GPEFs were the only nonprimate cells tested in which some degree of viral replication occurred.

[Cost-effectiveness analysis of routine mumps immunization in Japan].

Objective: Mumps immunization is not included in routine immunization in Japan. We measured the cost-effectiveness of routine immunization.

Methods: We surveyed outpatients prospectively from June 15, 2004, for 19 months in an area with a population of 100,000.

[Epidemiological survey of pneumococcus serotypes in pediatric patients with acute suppurative otitis media].

To determine the distribution of Streptococcus pneumoniae serotypes isolated from patients under 6 years of age with acute suppurative otitis media, to calculate the serotype coverage of 7-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine, and to clarify trends in PCG-resistant Streptococcus pneumoniae, we conducted a one-year prospective study from April 2005 to March 2006 at 10 medical institutions in Hokkaido, Miyagi, Chiba, Tokyo, Kanagawa, and Mie, Japan. Specimens collected by tympanotomy or myringotomy numbered 856, and 691 strains were isolated from 599 specimens. Of these, 219 isolates (31.

High CD4/CD45RO+ and CD8/CD45RO+ frequencies in children with vaccine-modified measles.

Background: Despite availability and wide vaccine coverage, measles infections still occur especially in developing countries. An outbreak of measles occurred among previously immunized older Ghanaian children who had milder clinical symptoms with measles-specific IgG antibodies that could have been attributed to secondary vaccine failure, suggesting that the infection was vaccine-modified measles (VMM).

Methods: Two-color immunophenotyping of the peripheral blood mononuclear cells was performed at acute, recovery and convalescence phases for 19 VMM patients (mean age 6.

Antipyretics and delirious behavior during febrile illness.

Background: The purpose of the present paper was to study the use of antipyretics in children with delirium associated with fever in order to clarify their possible adverse effects.

Methods: The use of antipyretics was investigated in 26 children with delirious behavior associated with fever. Temporal relation between delirious behavior and the use of antipyretics was recognized in six children.

Leukotriene D4 induces production of transforming growth factor-beta1 by eosinophils.

Eosinophils may play an important role in the pathogenesis of airway remodeling in asthma through the production of various fibrogenic cytokines such as transforming growth factor-beta1 (TGF-beta1). Cysteinyl leukotrienes are also suggested to be involved in remodeling with their potential to induce proliferation of airway smooth muscle cells. Since massive eosinophil infiltration and the release of cysteinyl leukotrienes in airway secretions are often seen in asthma, we hypothesized that cysteinyl leukotrienes may be involved in airway remodeling through induction of TGF-beta1 from eosinophils.

Delirious behavior in children with influenza: its clinical features and EEG findings.

The clinical characteristics and electroencephalogram (EEG) findings in delirious behavior in children with influenza were studied in order to differentiate it from influenza-associated encephalitis/encephalopathy. Fifteen consecutive children with delirious behavior associated with influenza were investigated. Their clinical courses were investigated using medical records.

Poor immune responses to influenza vaccination in infants.

Twenty-two and 37 infants and young children received two doses of influenza HA vaccine before the 2001-2002 influenza season and before the 2002-2003 season, respectively. Two or three serial specimens were obtained, before and 1 month after the first vaccination as well as 1 month after the second vaccination. Infants showed a significantly poor HI antibody rise and lymphocyte response compared with young children aged > or =12 months.

Impairment of IL-12-dependent STAT4 nuclear translocation in a patient with recurrent Mycobacterium avium infection.

We examined the immunological abnormality in a patient with recurrent Mycobacterium avium infection. T cells from the patient showed decreased ability both to produce IFN-gamma and to proliferate in response to IL-12. Despite decreased expression of IL-12R beta1 and beta2 chains in the patient's PHA-activated T cells, there was no difference in IL-12-induced tyrosine and serine phosphorylation of STAT4 in PHA-activated T cells between the patient and healthy subjects, suggesting that IL-12R signals are transmitted to STAT4 in the patient's PHA-activated T cells.