Rubella exposure in an obstetric clinic.

Despite a massive national rubella immunization program, rubella infection remains a public health problem. When a nurse employed in a hospital-based obstetric clinic became ill with rubella, a crisis was precipitated. The hospital staff implemented a plan to inform the exposed 151 patients and 44 employees of the potential danger to themselves and their fetuses.

Low level rubella immunity detected by ELISA and specific lymphocyte transformation.

The level of humoral and cell mediated immunity in persons with low or undetectable hemagglutination-inhibition (HAI) rubella titers was investigated by ELISA, IgG presence in sucrose gradient separated serum fractions and lymphocyte transformation. The study population consisted of persons with stated history of natural rubella infection and rubella vaccinees. Persons with natural rubella infection and HAI titers of 1:8 or +/- 1:8 (i.

Rickettsialpox. Case report and epidemiologic review.

In recent years, rickettsialpox was infrequently reported: one case per year was recorded by the Public Health Service during the past 15 years. We observed a case of rickettsialpox in New York City and reviewed the clinical, diagnostic, and epidemiologic features. Records of the New York City Health Department showed that serum samples from only six patients were submitted for serological testing for rickettsialpox during the past ten years, suggesting that although the disease is uncommon now, clinicians may be failing to recognize and diagnose rickettsialpox, as it may occur more frequently than is presently recognized.

The deveolopment of a radioimmunoassy for detection of cocaine metabolites.

This paper describes the production of antibenzoylecgonine (BE) serum in rabbits and sheep from an ecgonine-sheep gamma globulin conjugate. With the use of this antiserum a radioimmunoassay was developed capable of detecting 5 to 10 ng of benzoylecgonine, a major cocaine metabolite in human urine. The antibody recognized ecgonine approximately 1/2, benzoylnorecgonine 1/10, cocaine, 1/5, and norcocaine and ecgonine methyl ester less than 1/50 as much as benzoylecgonine.

Coxsackievirus and adenovirus infection. Association with acute febrile and juvenile rheumatoid arthritis.

The prearthritic manifestations of juvenile rheumatoid arthritis in a 16-year-old boy were associated with a rise in coxsackievirus B3 and A9 neutralizing antibody titers from 1:16 to larger than or equal to 1:512, and 1:64 to 1:512, respectively. Recurrent polyarthritis followed and has persisted for three years. Adenovirus 7 was isolated from the pericardial fluid of a 9-year-old girl in whom juvenile rheumatoid arthritis then developed.

Comparison of the microhemagglutination assay for antibodies to Treponema pallidum and the automated fluorescent treponemal antibody-absorption test.

The qualitative microhemagglutination assay for detection of antibodies to Treponema pallidum and the automated fluorescent treponemal antibody-absorption tests were directly compared as confirmatory tests for syphilis. They were compared on 2,790 specimens from patients of New York City Social Hygiene Clinics. Overall agreement between the two assay methods was 89.