Isolation of parainfluenza virus type 3 from cerebrospinal fluid associated with aseptic meningitis.

Parainfluenza virus type 3 has been isolated from the cerebral spinal fluid (CSF) from six individuals--four children and two adults--over a 10-year period. All had fever, and four had signs of meningitis. All recovered uneventfully, including one child undergoing chemotherapy for medulloblastoma. The clinical presentation of this child who developed parainfluenza virus type 3 meningitis is described, and the cases of five other individuals with parainfluenza virus type 3 isolated from the CSF are briefly reviewed. The paramyxovirus parainfluenza type 3, in addition to mumps virus, may be considered capable of infecting the central nervous system.

A comparison of four commercial test kits for detection of cytomegalovirus antibodies in blood donors.

Four commercial test kits for detecting cytomegalovirus (CMV) antibodies (indirect hemagglutination assay, indirect fluorescent antibody technique, enzyme immunoassay, and passive latex agglutination technique) were compared according to their technical demand, hands-on time, turnaround time, concordance with other techniques, reagent cost per test, and objectivity. The indirect hemagglutination assay, the enzyme immunoassay, and the passive latex agglutination technique produced identical results in 85 donors, detecting 63 positive and 22 negative samples. The indirect fluorescent antibody technique showed discrepant results in four samples. The passive latex agglutination technique rated best overall since it was technically the easiest and required the least hands-on and turnaround times; the short turnaround time (10 minutes) rendered the latex technique a more flexible test for blood bank use because both scheduled and emergency CMV screening of donors could be accommodated. The comparatively high reagent cost of the latex test kit could be offset by savings on technologist time.

Human antibody to influenza C virus: its age-related distribution and distinction from receptor analogs.

Sera from persons of four age groups (1 to 2 years, 2 to 5 years, 20 to 30 years, and 65 to 85 years) were analyzed for hemagglutination inhibition (HI) activity for influenza C virus. Significant HI activity was found in 66% of the 237 sera tested, and titers ranged from 8 to 512. In the yoiung adult group, 96% had antibody and the highest mean titer (74.7) of any age group. Positive sera were far less common in young children (36 to 47%), and relatively low titers (18.3) were common among adults over 65. The high percentage of sera with antibody to influenza C virus suggests that infections with this virus occur at a rate greater than previously recognized. The high percentage of young adults with elevated levels of HI antibody suggested either that an immune response to influenza C infections is common or that the observed HI activity might be attributable, in part at least, to nonspecific inhibitors in the sera. We showed both directly and indirectly that most if not all the inhibitory activity in the human sera we examined was due to specific antibody, mostly immunoglobulin G. This conclusion is based on the finding that the single serum protein fraction with HI activity was found to have a molecular weight equivalent to that of 7S antibody (150,000) and that the HI activity was removed by absorption to staphyloccal protein A. Moreover, immunoglobulin from only HI-positive sera bound specifically to cells infected with influenza C virus, as shown by inhibition of hemadsorption and immunofluorescence. These findings were supported by similar results obtained with chicken antisera to C virus.

Respiratory syncytial virus and heart disease. A report of two cases.

Two patients had cardiac disease and serological evidence for respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) infection. The first patient had myocarditis and complete atrioventricular heart block with repeated syncopal episodes two weeks following infection. The second patient had alcoholic cardiomyopathy and worsening congestive heart failure associated with RSV infection. The significance of RSV infection in these two patients may bear a significant relationship to sudden infant death syndrome, chronic cardiomyopathy, and alcohol-related heart disease. Cardiac disease secondary to RSV infection may be more prevalent than is presently recognized.

Acute posterior multifocal placoid pigment epitheliopathy associated with an adenovirus type 5 infection.

A 19-year-old black man with acute posterior multifocal placoid pigment epitheliopathy had concurrent positive viral cultures and rising antibodies to adenovirus type 5. This finding, considered together with earlier reports of viral-like syndromes accompanying the disease, supports the implication of a respiratory virus as a possible etiologic factor.

Tolerance development to the arousal effects of nicotine.

To determine if repeated daily doses of nicotine induces tolerance to both its EEG and behavioral activating effects, rats implanted with sets of bipolar cortical elecrodes and carotid cannulae received intracarotid injections of either (1) 6 daily doses of nicotine (as tartrate, 30 mug/kg) (Group 1) or (2) 3 daily doses of saline followed by 4 days of nicotine (Group 2). From an exercise-induced resting state, nicotine produced immediate EEG and behavioral arousal, both of which disappeared in Group 1 by Day 6. Saline administered to Group 2 rats produced little or no response but subsequent nicotine resulted in responses similar to those produced by Group 1 animals. It is concluded that tolerance development to nicotine activation is reflected not only in behavior, but also in the EEG.