Cystic fibrosis in three northeast Thai infants is CF really a rare disease in the Thai population?

The authors report on three infants with cystic fibrosis (CF), with different genotypes, presenting with different clinical manifestations, but having similar abnormal serum electrolytes (i.e. hyponatremia, severe hypochloremia and metabolic alkalosis). Despite the diagnostic investigations, the child who presents with severe electrolyte imbalance especially persistent hypochloremia and a family history of early infant death with respiratory or gastrointestinal problems should point to a diagnosis of CF Early identification and treatment remain critical to effective management. The diagnostic tool used, especially the sweat test, is needed for diagnostic investigations in Thailand.

Flexibility in the administration schedule of varicella vaccination in healthy adolescents and young adults.

A clinical trial to assess the immunogenicity and reactogenicity of two doses of varicella vaccine (live attenuated Oka-strain, GlaxoSmithKline Biologicals), when either given 8 or 4 weeks apart in healthy seronegative adolescents and young adults, was conducted in Khon Kaen and Bangkok, Thailand. Contrary to seroconversion rates generally reported for this age group, in our study all subjects were already seropositive after the first vaccine dose. After the first vaccine dose, geometric mean titers (GMTs) for anti-varicella antibodies were 78.4 (median 64) for the adolescent group and 136.5 (median 128) for the young adult group. Six weeks after administration of the second dose, anti-varicella GMTs reached 331.7 (median 256) and 636.9 (median 512) for the adolescent and young adult groups, respectively, with a 4.2-4.7-fold increase from pre-vaccination titers. The difference in GMTs between post-dose I and dose II was statistically significant for each group. The reactogenicity after the first and second doses of vaccination was low: no varicella rash was seen, in either the shorter or longer schedule. GlaxoSmithKline Biologicals varicella vaccine (Varilix) offered a high flexibility, administration possible at either 4 or 8 weeks interval, whilst eliciting good immunogenicity and good tolerability.