Introduction of high-alcohol beer in Ontario: preliminary observations on its use by underage drinkers.

Preliminary data are reported on the use of high-alcohol beer by underage drinkers in Ontario. Students in grades 11 and 12 with a valid driver's licence completed a questionnaire between January and May, 1994 (i.e., between three and seven months after the introduction of high-alcohol beer). About one-half of students who had drunk alcohol within the previous four weeks reported consuming high-alcohol beer within that period. In this group, males were much more likely to report high-alcohol beer consumption in the previous month. Both male and female high-alcohol beer consumers drank alcohol more frequently, got drunk more frequently, and drank five or more drinks on the same occasion more frequently than non-consumers. One reason for trying high-alcohol beer, "wanted a higher alcohol content", was endorsed by more than one-third of high-alcohol beer consumers. Our data suggest that the users of high-alcohol beer among this underage drinking sample tend to be heavier drinkers and more likely to experience alcohol-related problems.

Role of prolonged surveillance in the eradication of nosocomial scabies in an extended care Veterans Affairs medical center.

Although general guidelines for control of institutional outbreaks of scabies have been published, little information is available on the long-term efficacy of these measures in extended care facilities. An epidemic of scabies occurred in a comprehensive care Veterans Affairs facility as a result of an unrecognized case of crusted scabies, with a total of 112 persons affected during a 12-month period. The initial outbreak occurred in the acute care units, with highest attack rates among roommates of the index patient (11/14, 78%) and nursing staff (27/55, 49%). Despite sustained infection control measures, secondary outbreaks continued to occur in the extended care units. Factors contributing to the persistence of the epidemic were transfer of patients with unrecognized infestation within the facility, prolonged latency period and atypical manifestations in elderly patients, and failure of scabicide treatment. In addition, a role may be played by carriage of scabies mites by infested staff members before they have symptoms. Control of the epidemic was only achieved with the following: increased awareness and better scabies recognition, restriction of staff rotation in the facility, and improved communication among primary providers and infection control personnel. Prolonged surveillance may be required for eradication of nosocomial scabies in extended care settings.

Myocardial infarct imaging of antibodies to canine cardiac myosin with indium-111-diethylenetriamine pentaacetic acid.

Antibodies, by virtue of marked selectivity and affinity, may lend themselves to identification of structures of unique antigenic specificity in vivo. In experimental myocardial infarction in dogs, F(ab')2 fragments of antibodies to cardiac myosin that had been labeled with iodine-131 were shown to localize within the lesion. Because the energy characteristics of iodine isotopes are not ideal for imaging with a gamma camera, a new method for labeling antibody fragments with divalent or polyvalent radionuclides was developed. A bifunctional chelating agent, diethylenetriamine pentaacetic acid was covalently coupled, by an amide bond, to Fab fragments of antibodies to canine cardiac myosin. A stable chelate was then formed with indium-111, a nuclide that has appropriate half-life and energy characteristics for gamma imaging. Antibodies treated in this way retain their antigen-binding activity and are useful in locating myocardial infarcts in vivo.