ABSTRACT
DNA sequences encoding the GroES and GroEL proteins of Orientia tsutsugamushi were amplified by the PCR and sequenced. Pairwise alignment of full-length groES and groEL gene sequences indicated high sequence similarity (90.4-100% and 90.3-100%) in O. tsutsugamushi, suggesting that these genes are good candidates for the molecular diagnosis and phylogenetic analysis of scrub typhus. Comparisons of the 56-kD type-specific antigen (TSA) protein gene and the groES and groEL genes showed that genotypes based on the 56-kD TSA gene were not related to a cluster containing the groES and groEL genes in a dendrogram, suggesting that a gene rearrangement may be associated with homologous recombination in mites.
Subject(s)
Chaperonin 10/genetics , Chaperonin 60/genetics , Orientia tsutsugamushi/genetics , Scrub Typhus/microbiology , Animals , Bacterial Proteins/genetics , Base Sequence , DNA, Bacterial/chemistry , DNA, Bacterial/genetics , Genotype , Orientia tsutsugamushi/classification , Orientia tsutsugamushi/isolation & purification , Phylogeny , Polymerase Chain Reaction , Scrub Typhus/diagnosis , Sequence Alignment , Sequence Analysis, DNAABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: To assess the prevalence including asymptomatic infection, infection risk of exposure to patients, and effectiveness of personal protective equipment (PPE) among health care workers (HCWs) during the first pandemic (H1N1) 2009 (pH1N1) outbreak in Kobe, Japan in May 2009. METHODS: A cross-sectional seroepidemiological study was conducted on 268 HCWs in the two hospitals in Kobe to which all pH1N1 inpatients were directed. Participating HCWs completed a self-administrated questionnaire and provided a single serum sample which was analyzed using a hemagglutination-inhibition (HI) antibody test. RESULTS: Of 268 subjects, 14 (5.2%) were found to have positive antibodies to the pH1N1 by HI assay; only 1 reported a febrile episode. Among the 14 seropositive cases, 8 received chemoprophylaxis. 162 HCWs (60.4%) had been exposed to patients. The seropositive rate (SPR) for pH1N1 of the exposed group was higher than that of the unexposed group, however not statistically significant (6.8% vs. 3.1%, p = 0.197). There were no statistically significant differences in SPR for any PPE. CONCLUSION: The SPR for pH1N1 in the exposed group was higher than that of the unexposed group in HCWs; however, most of these individuals were asymptomatic. There was no statistically significant association between PPE implementation and pH1N1 seropositivity.
Subject(s)
Antibodies, Viral/blood , Health Personnel , Influenza A Virus, H1N1 Subtype/immunology , Influenza, Human/epidemiology , Pandemics , Adult , Aged , Asymptomatic Diseases/epidemiology , Cross-Sectional Studies , Female , Hemagglutination Inhibition Tests , Hospitals, General , Humans , Infection Control/methods , Influenza, Human/immunology , Influenza, Human/prevention & control , Influenza, Human/virology , Japan/epidemiology , Male , Middle Aged , Protective Clothing/statistics & numerical data , Seroepidemiologic Studies , Surveys and QuestionnairesABSTRACT
We evaluated the antiviral activity of a chlorine dioxide gas solution (CD) and sodium hypochlorite (SH) against feline calicivirus, human influenza virus, measles virus, canine distemper virus, human herpesvirus, human adenovirus, canine adenovirus and canine parvovirus. CD at concentrations ranging from 1 to 100 ppm produced potent antiviral activity, inactivating >or= 99.9% of the viruses with a 15 sec treatment for sensitization. The antiviral activity of CD was approximately 10 times higher than that of SH.
Subject(s)
Antiviral Agents/pharmacology , Chlorine Compounds/pharmacology , Oxides/pharmacology , Sodium Hypochlorite/pharmacology , Adenoviruses, Canine/drug effects , Adenoviruses, Human/drug effects , Calicivirus, Feline/drug effects , Distemper Virus, Canine/drug effects , Herpesvirus 1, Human/drug effects , Measles virus/drug effects , Orthomyxoviridae/drug effects , Parvovirus, Canine/drug effectsABSTRACT
We conducted an anti-varicella-zoster virus antibody seroepidemiologic survey comparing the pre- and postvaccine eras of 1977-1981 and 2001-2005. For each period, 828 samples were measured by enzyme immunoassay test and compared. The differences from 1-year-old to high-school aged children were statistically significant. The introductions of optional varicella immunization and lifestyle changes for children were considered influencing factors.
Subject(s)
Antibodies, Viral/blood , Chickenpox/epidemiology , Herpesvirus 3, Human/immunology , Adolescent , Adult , Age Factors , Aged , Aged, 80 and over , Chickenpox Vaccine/immunology , Child , Child, Preschool , Female , Humans , Immunoenzyme Techniques , Infant , Infant, Newborn , Japan/epidemiology , Male , Middle Aged , Seroepidemiologic Studies , Young AdultABSTRACT
Using the adverse events monitoring system of Japan, we observed diarrhea cases in approximately 10% of patients who received oral poliovirus vaccine (OPV). This study was conducted to investigate whether diarrhea among children aged 0 to 1 is caused by OPV or by other factors such contact at the doctor's office and/or with others outside the home. We conducted a survey of the health of children after regular health check-ups and after the administration of the OPV. The data from the health check-ups were used as a control for the OPV case group. We compared the first-OPV dose vaccination group as well as the second-OPV dose vaccination group to the health check-up group. For cases of diarrhea, the odds ratio of the OPV group to the health check-up group was 1.776. Our findings strongly suggest that post-OPV cases of mild diarrhea are closely related to the administration of the OPV.
