Human immunoglobulin G levels of viruses and associated glioma risk.

Few consistent etiological factors have been identified for primary brain tumors. Inverse associations to asthma and low levels of varicella-zoster virus, immunoglobulin (Ig) levels in prevalent cases have indicted a role for the immune system in the development of glioma. Because samples from prevalent cases of glioma could be influenced by treatments such as steroids and chemotherapy, we investigated pre-diagnostic samples from three large Scandinavian cohorts.

Antigliadin immunoglobulin A best in finding celiac disease in children younger than 18 months of age.

Objectives: The aim was to investigate age-dependent serum levels and occurrence of elevated celiac disease (CD)-related antibodies in young children, to define the optimal serological procedure when selecting for small intestinal biopsy.

Patients And Methods: Included were 428 children with biopsy verified CD (median age 16 months; range 7.5 months-14 years) and 216 controls (median age 2.

Outbreak of Puumala virus infection, Sweden.

An unexpected and large outbreak of Puumala virus infection in Sweden resulted in 313 nephropathia epidemica patients/100,000 persons in Västerbotten County during 2007. An increase in the rodent population, milder weather, and less snow cover probably contributed to the outbreak.

Puumala hantavirus genetic variability in an endemic region (Northern Sweden).

Puumala hantavirus (PUUV), naturally harboured and shed by bank voles (Myodes [Clethrionomys] glareolus), is the etiological agent to nephropathia epidemica (NE), a mild haemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome. Both host and virus are found throughout much of the European continent and in northern Sweden NE is the second most prevalent serious febrile viral infection after influenza. The reliability of diagnostics by PCR depends on genetic variability for the detection of viral nucleic acids in unknown samples.