ABSTRACT
This paper focuses on invasive therapeutic procedures, defined as procedures requiring the introduction of hands, instruments, or devices into the body via incisions or punctures of the skin or mucous membranes performed with the intent of changing the natural history of a human disease or condition for the better. Ethical and methodological concerns have been expressed about studies designed to evaluate the effects of invasive therapeutic procedures. Can such studies meet the same standards demanded of those, for example, evaluating pharmaceutical agents? This paper describes a research project aimed at examining the interplay and sometimes apparent conflict between ethical standards for human research and standards for methodological rigor in trials of invasive procedures. The paper discusses how the authors plan to develop a set of consensus standards that, if met, would result in substantial and much-needed improvements in the methodological and ethical quality of such trials.
Subject(s)
Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic/ethics , Research Design/standards , Surgical Procedures, Operative/ethics , Humans , Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic/methods , Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic/standards , Stroke/prevention & control , Surgical Procedures, Operative/methods , Surgical Procedures, Operative/standardsABSTRACT
The method of radial haemolysis in gel (RHG) was used for detection of antibodies to Lednice virus. Repeated and comparative experiments proved that the method gave reliable and sufficiently specific standard results. No cross-reactions were detected with sera to other arboviruses. Comparison of antibody titres achieved in RHG with those of haemagglutination inhibition (HIT) and indirect immunofluorescence (IF) tests showed a satisfactory sensitivity, as the antibody titres in RHG and HIT were practically of the same range.
Subject(s)
Antibodies, Viral/analysis , Bunyaviridae/immunology , Hemolytic Plaque Technique , Animals , MiceABSTRACT
A virus, identified as Tettnang virus, was isolated from the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) of an 18 months old child with pharyngitis accompanied by an encephalitic reaction. The isolation of virus was followed by seroconversion. The aetiological role of the virus in the given disease is discussed.
Subject(s)
Cerebrospinal Fluid/microbiology , Coronaviridae Infections/microbiology , Coronaviridae/isolation & purification , Nasopharyngitis/microbiology , Pharyngitis/microbiology , Antibodies, Viral/analysis , Coronaviridae/immunology , Coronaviridae Infections/cerebrospinal fluid , Female , Humans , Infant , Nasopharyngitis/cerebrospinal fluidSubject(s)
Meningitis/diagnosis , Polyneuropathies/diagnosis , Aged , Arbovirus Infections/diagnosis , Female , Humans , Male , Meningitis/etiology , Middle Aged , Polyneuropathies/etiologyABSTRACT
A statistically representative group of human population from the South Moravian region (CSSR) was examined on the presence of antibodies against the following arboviruses: Lednice, Sindbis, tick-borne encephalitis, West Nile, Tahyna and Calovo. The ascertained absence of antibodies to the Lednice virus is an evidence that at present this virus is of no epidemiological importance in the region studied. No antibodies to Sindbis, West Nile and Calovo viruses were demonstrated. 17.8 to 42.0% of antibodies to Tahyna virus were detected in all age groups examined. The total infection rate was 26.0%. Antibodies to the tick-borne encephalitis virus occurred primarily in persons over 40 years. The total infection rate was 5.5%.
Subject(s)
Antibodies, Viral/analysis , Arboviruses/immunology , Adolescent , Adult , Bunyamwera virus/immunology , Child , Czechoslovakia , Encephalitis Virus, California/immunology , Encephalitis Viruses, Tick-Borne/immunology , Female , Humans , Male , Middle Aged , Sindbis Virus/immunology , West Nile virus/immunologyABSTRACT
The indirect IF technique, using suspensions of TBE virus infected and uninfected PS cells as antigen-containing substrate, furnishes a rapid and practical test making possible the detection of specific IgM class serum antibodies in the initial stage of clinically manifest TBE. It enables early confirmation of diagnosis already in the acute phase of the disease and thus it can be instrumental in differential diagnosis and rational therapy, e.g., the administration of specific hyperimmune gamma-globulin.
Subject(s)
Antibody Specificity , Encephalitis Viruses, Tick-Borne/immunology , Fluorescent Antibody Technique , Immunoglobulin M/immunology , Antibodies, Viral/immunology , Encephalitis, Tick-Borne/immunology , Humans , Time FactorsABSTRACT
280 specimens of 29 species of wild living birds from 11 families captured in the endemic area of the virus Lednice in Southern Moravia (CSSR) were investigated by haemagglutination-inhibition test (HIT) on presence of antibodies against 12 arbovirus antigens of the groups Alfa-virus (Western and Eastern Equine Encephalomyelitis, Semliki, Sindbis, Chikungunya), Flavovirus (Tick-Borne Encephalitis, Dengue, West Nile), the Uukuniemi group (Poteplí), the Turlock group (Lednice) and the Bunyamwera supergroup (Tahyna, Calovo). Antibodies were found only against the virus Lednice, merely in water birds--i.e. in Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos)--31.9%, in Grey Lag-Goose (Anser anser)--17.2%, and in one of three Mute Swans (Cygnus olor). In relation to these findings the question of ornithophilia of mosquitoes of Culex modestus species, which are the only probable vectors of Lednice virus as yet, is discussed.
Subject(s)
Antibodies, Viral/analysis , Arboviruses/immunology , Birds/immunology , Bunyamwera virus/immunology , Animals , Czechoslovakia , Ducks/immunology , Geese/immunologyABSTRACT
196 geese, 141 ducks, and 100 hens from 9 localities of the South Moravian region (District of Breclav) were examined by means of the haemagglutination-inhibition test (HIT) for the presence of antibodies against 12 arbovirus antigens of the groups Alfavirus (Western Equine Encephalitis (WEE), Eastern Equine Encephalitis (EEE), Semliki, Sindbis, Chikungunya, O'nyong-nyong), Flavovirus (Tick-borne Encephalitis (TBE), Dengue and West Nile Virus (WN), Bunyamwera Supergroup (Tahna and Beta Calovo), and the Yaba 1-Lednice 110 Virus. In tested fowls antibodies were mostly found against Yaba 1-Lednice 110 Virus, namely 3.6% in geese and 17.7% in ducks. Antibodies against Calovo Virus were found in only 1 of the tested ducks. All sera of hens were negative. Antibodies against arboviruses of the Alfa-and Flavovirus groups were not detected.