Involuntary smoking and incidence of respiratory illness during the first year of life.

A prospective study of 1,144 infants and their families was performed. Smoking and family histories were evaluated with respect to the incidence of lower respiratory disease during the first year of life. It was found that (1) tracheitis and bronchitis occurred significantly more frequently in infants exposed to cigarette smoke in the home, (2) maternal smoking imposed greater risks upon the infant than paternal smoking, (3) occurrence of neither tracheitis nor bronchitis showed a consistent relationship to the number of cigarettes smoked, (4) a family history that was positive for respiratory illness (chronic cough or bronchitis) significantly influenced the incidence of bronchitis, (5) too few cases of laryngitis and pneumonia were seen to warrant any opinions regarding the adverse influence of either smoking or a family history that was positive for respiratory illness, and (6) occurrence of bronchiolitis was not affected by the presence of a smoker nor influenced by a family history that was positive for respiratory illness. It is concluded that passive smoking is dangerous to the health of infants and that infants born to families with a history that is positive for respiratory illness (chronic cough or bronchitis) are at risk of developing bronchitis.

Attempts to demonstrate hemagglutination and hemadsorption by respiratory syncytial virus.

Extensive attempts to demonstrate a hemagglutinin of respiratory syncytial virus by both hemagglutination and hemadsorption tests failed. Hemagglutination tests were performed with red blood cells from 12 different animal species and at various temperatures and pH.

Effect of dosage and route of inoculation upon antigenicity of inactivated influenza virus vaccine (Hong Kong strain) in man.

Earlier studies on the antibody response to inactivated influenza vaccines injected by different routes have given contradictory results, some suggesting that 0.1 ml intradermally is superior to 1.0 ml subcutaneously, others suggesting the opposite. With the advent of the 1968-69 Hong Kong influenza epidemic it seemed worth while to re-evaluate whether a smaller intradermal dose would elicit antibody responses comparable to those following a larger subcutaneous dose.A study was performed evaluating 3 doses: 0.1 ml (65 CCA), 0.25 ml (160 CCA), and 0.5 ml (320 CCA) of zonal-purified vaccine. The 0.1-ml dose was administered by both routes, and the other doses subcutaneously only. The effect of "booster" inoculation by the same route 2 and 4 weeks later was also studied. Sera were examined for haemagglutination-inhibiting antibody, and antibody response was determined by the percentage showing 4-fold or greater titre rises and by increase in geometric mean titre.The antibody response to the first inoculation was highest in the 0.1-ml intradermal groups and the lowest in the 0.1-ml subcutaneous groups. All groups receiving a second inoculation 2 weeks after the first experienced an increase in antibody response; responses to the second inoculation given 4 weeks after the first were variable. Considering the over-all effect of all combinations of doses and routes, the intradermal groups appeared to achieve the best antibody response and the 0.1-ml subcutaneous groups the least.There appeared to be an inverse relationship between antibody response and pre-immunization antibody titre.The data show that, with vaccine of similar CCA content, 0.1 ml intradermally would be a reasonable alternative to, and perhaps better than, the usual 0.5-ml subcutaneous dose. The limitations of this approach are discussed.