Immunological status of Egyptian infants, children and adolescents againts mumps

In order to evaluate the immunological status against MUMPS, and hence the necessity for vaccination in Egypt, we measured the specific IgG antitibodies to mumps by ELISA in 200 subjects chosen non-randomly on purpose. Their ages ranged between 0-18 years, equally distributed between both sexes. Immunity was considered when the difference in absorbance value was > 0.2. The overall percentage of anti-mumps seroimmunity was found to be 71.5% in our subjects who were not vaccinated against mumps. No significant differeince was elicited between both sexes. All neonates [100%] in this study were immune. The age group 4 weeks -1 year had seroimimunity of 90% while the age group 1- 2 years showed the lowest seroimimunity being 23%. Then, seroimmunity increased vith the advance of age being 55% in the age group 2- G 6 years, 77.5% in the age. group 6 - 12 years and 90% in the 12 - 18 year old. The change of immunity with age was proved statistically to be highly significant. The mean IgG absorbance value [antibody concentration] in immune subjects was higher in the neonates [1.2 +/- 0.1] and adolescents [0.98 +/- 0.3] than in infants aging 1- 2 years [0.431 +/- 0.132] meaning that the latter age group had lower seroimmunity levels. The force of infection [power of virus transmission] was high below the age of 6 years being 0.280 between 1and 2 years of age and 0.240 in the age group 2 - 6 years. It was low in those aged 6 - 12 [0.176] and 12 - 18 years [0.118]. The mean age of maximum infection was 4.83 years. Mumps vaccination in Egypt is not mandatory in the presence of high seroimmnnity levels in adolescents. Nevertheless two dose schedule of mumps vaccine at 15 months and 12 years is expected to protect most persons from infection

Cord plasma arginine vasopessin as an indicator of perinatal hypoxia

To assess the value of cord plasma arginine vasopressin [AVP] as an index of perinatal hypoxia, we studied 28 acutely asphxiated neonates with 5 minute Apgar score < 6 and/or umbilical arterial pH < 7.05 as well as 12 neonates whose mothers suffered from severe pre-eclampsia during pregnancy representing the chronic hypoxia group. AVP values in both groups were compared with cord blood control values obtained from 12 healthy neonates. AVP was correlated to cord arterial blood gases and pH as well as 5 minute Apgar score in the same group. In the acute asphyxia group, cord plasma AVP was significantly increased than the control group [P < 0.001]. Umbilical arterial PaO2 and pH were significantly decreased and PaCO2 was significantly increased [P < 0.001] in comparison to control group. Cord plasma AVP correlated significantly with umbilical arterial PaO2 [r = -0.38, P < 0.001], pH [r = -0.37, P < 0.001] and PaCO2 [r = 0.34, P < 0.05]. In the chronic hypoxia group AVP was insignificantly changed from the control value [P > 0.05]. Arterial PaO2, PaCO2 and pH were also insignificantly changed from control values [P > 0.05]. AVP did not correlate with core arterial blood gases or pH, AVP with Apgar score neither in the acute asphyxia nor chronic hypoxia group. Also pH did not correlate with Apgar score in either group. We concluded that cord plasma AVP is an index for acute asphyxia but not for chronic hypoxia. and recommend its evaluation as a predictor of neurologic outcome in severe acute as phyxia