ABSTRACT
Previous studies of the hemagglutinin (HA) genes of various influenza B virus isolates demonstrated the existence of two antigenically distinct virus lineages represented by B/Victoria/2/87 and B/Yamagata/16/88, respectively. Here, we investigated the antigenic and genetic characteristics of influenza B viruses isolated from children living in Lusaka, Zambia between January and May 1999. Antigenic analysis with chicken antiviral sera showed that all the Zambian isolates had the HA protein belonging to B/Yamagata/16/88-related lineage. Furthermore, phylogenetic analyses of the eight RNA segments performed by using the total or partial nucleotide sequences of the two representative Zambian strains (B/Lusaka/270/99 and B/Lusaka/432/99) as well as the previously reported sequences suggested that the Zambian viruses are closely related to the recently circulating reassortants represented by B/Shiga/T30/98 and B/Yamanashi/166/98 which acquired the genes coding for three polymerase proteins (PB2, PB1, and PA), HA, nucleoprotein, and matrix protein from a B/Yamagata/16/88-like parent and the gene encoding nonstructural proteins (NS1 and NS2) from a B/Guandong/8/93-like parent.
Subject(s)
Antigenic Variation , Antigens, Viral , Influenza B virus/genetics , Influenza B virus/immunology , Influenza, Human/virology , Animals , Antigens, Viral/genetics , Antigens, Viral/immunology , Cell Line , Child , Child, Preschool , Hemagglutination Inhibition Tests , Hemagglutinin Glycoproteins, Influenza Virus/genetics , Hemagglutinin Glycoproteins, Influenza Virus/immunology , Humans , Molecular Sequence Data , Phylogeny , RNA, Viral/genetics , RNA, Viral/isolation & purification , Viral Proteins/genetics , Viral Proteins/immunology , ZambiaABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: To determine feasibility and outcome of laparoscopic cholecystectomy for Black patients in Ga-Rankuwa Hospital and to analyse the type of stones harvested. DESIGN: Cross sectional description study. SETTING: Ga-Rankuwa Hospital/Medunsa, South Africa. SUBJECTS: 79 patients who presented with cholelithiasis over a six year period. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Successful performance of laparoscopic cholecystectomy on the subjects. RESULTS: 39 laparoscopic cholecystectomies were performed with seven conversions (18% conversion rate). Forty open cholecystectomies were also performed. Post operative stay after laparoscopic cholecystectomy averaged 3.5 days and that of the open converted group 6.9 days (p < 0.001). Two patients returned with persistence of symptoms following laparoscopic cholecystectomy. Twenty gall stones were analysed; 17 were of the cholesterol type and three of the black pigment type. CONCLUSIONS: Laparoscopic cholecystectomy is feasible in the Black populace of Ga-Rankuwa Hospital. The majority of gallstones are of the cholesterol type.
