The efficacy and effectiveness of influenza vaccination among Thai elderly persons living in the community.

Objective: To determine the efficacy and cost-effectiveness of influenza vaccination in the Thai elderly living in an urban community.

Material And Method: The study design was a stratified, randomized, double blind, placebo-controlled trial. A total of 635 participants aged 60 years and older living in an urban community was randomized to receive an influenza vaccine or tetanus toxoid as a placebo injection.

Mutation of the "a" determinant of HBsAg with discordant HBsAg diagnostic kits.

Sera from 1003 in- and out-patients were investigated for hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) mutation at Siriraj Hospital, Bangkok, Thailand. Individual samples were screened using two commercial HBsAg kits on automatic machine-based assays set up in parallel. The first kit was a sandwich ELISA kit that used monoclonal capture/monoclonal conjugate and color detection whereas the second was a sandwich MEIA, using monoclonal capture/polyclonal indicator and fluorochrome determination.