Respiratory syncytial virus infection in young hospitalized children. Identification of risk patients and prevention of nosocomial spread by rapid diagnosis.

Detection of RSV by immunofluorescence was used for rapid confirmation of the diagnosis in 89 infants during an epidemic. This made it possible to plan the care of the patients and use the personnel in an optimal way in order to maintain nosocomial infection at a low level. Somatic and environmental risk factors connected with serious disease were also identified. The course of the disease was more severe in children with chronic illnesses or those who had had perinatal complications. Allergy was more frequently reported by these families. Breast feeding for at least two months was practised in most families.

Molecular epidemiology of adenoviruses: alternating appearance of two different genome types of adenovirus 7 during epidemic outbreaks in Europe from 1958 to 1980.

Four genome types of adenovirus serotype 7 (Ad7, Ad7a, Ad7b, and Ad7c) were identified by use of DNA restriction enzymes BamHI, EcoRI, and SmaI. We obtained information on the distribution of the four Ad7 genome types by typing 68 Ad7 isolates obtained in the Netherlands from 1958 to 1979 and 36 Ad7 isolates obtained in Sweden from 1964 to 1980. The Ad7 prototype was never detected, and only seven isolates were genome-typed Ad7a. Ad7b and Ad7c accounted for 94% of the genome-typed isolates obtained from patients. Ad7c was isolated in the Netherlands during 1958 to 1969, but only Ad7b has been detected there since 1970. In Sweden, Ad7c was recovered between 1964 to 1972, but only Ad7b has been isolated there since 1973. In conclusion, the newly recognized Ad7b and Ad7c genome types, which in the Netherlands and Sweden represent virtually all genome-typed isolates from patients, show a mutually exclusive appearance.

Correlation of herpes simplex virus types 1 and 2 with clinical features of infection.

Strains (338) of herpes simplex virus (HSV) were isolated in Stockholm during 1965-1974. By immunoelectroosmophoresis it was possible to identify all strains as either HSV type 1 (HSV-1) or 2 (HSV-2). No strains of intermediate antigenic type or with untypable characteristics were found. The antigenic type of HSV was correlated with body site and clinical features of infection. A case of severe, recurrent, abdominal pain in association with HSV-2 infection is described. In one patient with acute aseptic meningitis, both coxsackievirus A9 and HSV-2 were isolated from the same specimen of cerebrospinal fluid. Serology suggested a primary infection with coxsackievirus A9 and a recurrent HSV-2 infection. HSV-1 was isolated from specimens of cerebrospinal fluid. Serology suggested a primary infection with coxsackievirus A9 and a recurrent HSV-2 infection. HSV-1 was isolated from specimens of cerebrospinal fluid from two of four adults with HSV encephalitis.

Herpes simplex virus type 2 and acute aseptic meningitis. Clinical features of cases with isolation of herpes simplex virus from cerebrospinal fluids.

Herpes simplex virus (HSV) was recovered from the cerebrospinal fluids (CSF) of 10 patients with acute aseptic meningitis. HSV type 1 was isolated from the CSF of a 6-month-old boy. The other 9 HSV isolates from CSF were from adults in the age-group 15 to 29 years; 7 of these isolates were available for typing and were identified as HSV type 2. In a further 9 patients with acute aseptic meningitis and belonging to the same age-group a HSV infection was suggested by a significant titre rise in complement-fixing antibodies against HSV. The clinical features of the 10 patients with HSV isolation from CSF are presented. The 6-month-old boy with HSV type 1 had an acute benign aseptic meningitis. Seven of the 9 adults with HSV isolation from CSF (type 2 in all isolates available for typing) had an acute uncomplicated aseptic meningitis, one patient (with type 2 isolated) had an acute meningoencephalitis and one (isolate untyped) an acute meningomyelitis.