The rubber elongation factor of rubber trees (Hevea brasiliensis) is the major allergen in latex.

BACKGROUND: Allergy to latex-containing articles is becoming more and more important because it can result in unexpected life-threatening anaphylactic reactions in sensitized individuals. METHODS: A protein of 58 kd with an isoelectric point of 8.45 was purified from raw latex and from latex gloves and identified as the major allergen, completely blocking specific IgE antibodies in the serum of latex-sensitized subjects. The allergen is a noncovalent homotetramer molecule, in which the 14.6 kd monomer was identified, by amino acid composition and sequence homologies of tryptic peptides, to be the rubber elongation factor found in natural latex of the Malaysian rubber tree. RESULTS: Competitive immunoinhibition tests showed that the starch powder covering the finished gloves is the airborne carrier of the allergen, resulting in bronchial asthma on inhalation. The purified allergen can induce allergic reactions in the nanogram range. CONCLUSION: The identification of the allergen (Hev b I) may help to eliminate it during the production of latex-based articles in the future.

Consequence of excess iodine supply in a Thoroughbred stud in southern Brazil.

Excessive iodine supply of at least 700 mg inorganic iodine in foals and of more than 350 mg iodine in pregnant and lactating mares cause a high incidence of goitres in the newborn and disorders in the long leg bones of foals. Elevated phosphorus and alkaline phosphatase content in the blood may indicate a severe disturbance in the bone metabolism. Of 39 pregnant mares 17 aborted and some of the mares also showed goitres. After withdrawal of the iodine supply normalization took place. Foals born more than 6 weeks later showed normal conditions. The goitres in the mares and the high blood levels of iodine decreased.

On the cultivation of Trypanosoma cruzi in tissue cultures of the spinal and sympathetic ganglion from the chick embryo.

Trypanosoma cruzi was cultured in spinal and sympathetic ganglion cells of chick embryos. The "Y" and the "CL" strains were used for comparison, showing no differences in their tropism for the different cell types of the ganglion cultures. Nerve cells as well as satellite and Schwann cells served as host for the parasite's intracellular cycle. No toxic effect on the nerve cells was observed in heavily infected cultures. The destruction of the nerve cells is due to the multiplication of the parasites in the cell's cytoplasm. Its structure in the non parasitized nerve cells, even in direct contact with parasites, looks normal under the optical microscope and also shows no alteration in its ultrastructure.

On the cultivation of Trypanosoma cruzi in tissue cultures of the spinal and sympathetic ganglion from the chick embryo.

Foi feita a inoculacao de Trypanosoma cruzi em culturas de celulas de ganglios espinais e simpaticos de embriao de galinha.Para comparacao, foram usadas as cepas "Y" e "CL", as quais nao mostraram diferencas em seu tropismo para os diversos tipos celulares das culturas. Tanto as celulas nervosas como os satelites e as de Schwann serviram de hospedeiro para o ciclo intracelular do parasito. Nao foi observado efeito toxico sobre as celulas nervosas, mesmo em culturas fortemente parasitadas.A destruicao das celulas nervosas se deve a multiplicacao dos parasitos no citoplasma das mesmas, finalizando com o rompimento total. A estrutura do citoplasma nas celulas nervosas nao parasitarias, mesmo havendo parasitos em vizinhanca proxima, se apresenta normal sob o microscopio optico, nao se notando, tambem, alteracao na sua ultra-estrutura

The great tumaco, Colombia earthquake of 12 december 1979.

Southwestern Colombia and northern Ecuador were shaken by a shal-low-focus earthquake on 12 December 1979. The magnitude 8 shock, located near Tumaco, Colombia, was the largest in northwestern South America since 1942 and had been forecast to fill a seismic gap. Thrust faulting occurred on a 280- by 130-kilometer rectangular patch of a subduction zone that dips east beneath the Pacific coast of Colombia. A 200-kilometer stretch of the coast tectonically subsided as much as 1.6 meters; uplift occurred offshore on the continental slope. A tsunami swept inland immediately after the earthquake. Ground shaking (intensity VI to IX) caused many buildings to collapse and generated liquefaction in sand fills and in Holocene beach, lagoonal, and fluvial deposits.

[Risk of disease in 10,500 travelers to tropical countries and 1,300 tourists to North America]. / Erkrankungsrisiken bei 10 500 Tropen- und 1300 Nordamerika-Touristen.

A survey on rate of illness among 10 500 tourists returning from the tropics and a control group of 1300 from the United States and Canada was performed by a questionnaire completed during the flight back to Switzerland. Only 25% from southern destinations, but 53% from North America, were never incapacitated during their travels. The vast majority of the illnesses were of no consequence, as was reflected by a low rate for bed confinement of 4% and 1% respectively. The most frequent symptoms in the tropics were diarrhea in 34% (mostly of short duration and mild degree), constipation in 14%, upper respiratory illness in 12% and insomnia in 11%. There were significant differences according to sex, age and tropical experience. The influence on pre-existing diseases was assessed. 7% of the tourists returning from the tropics were sick in the course of the year following the journey.

Vacunas mixtas antisarampionosas-antivariolicas y otras / Combined measles-smallpox and other vaccines

OPS. Publicacion Cientifica 147, 336-42, 1967