Incidence of hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) in some areas of Romania.

The incidence of HBsAg in several areas of Romania was studied by 253,460 routine determinations performed from 1973 to 1975. HBsAg incidence was of 1.5% in blood donors and reached the highest value in acute viral hepatitis patients undifferentiated according to the clinical form. The values obtained were in agreement with the results of other studies covering more limited zones of the country. Considerable differences in HBsAg incidence depending on geographic area were observed.

Virological study of some influenza outbreaks in the period January--March 1975.

The virological study of some influenza outbreaks recorded in Romania in the period Jnauary--March 1975 resulted in the isolation of 29 influenza A2 virus strains antigenically close to the strains A2/Port Chalmers 1/73 and A2/England 42/72. The non-homogeneous antigenic structure of the isolates suggests the possible formation of natural hybrids.

[Studies of the influenza epidemic of January-March, 1974]. / Cercetari asupra epidemiei de gripa din perioada ianuarie-martie 1974

In an epidemiologic, clinical and viral study of several influenza foci in some urban districts of Romania during January-March 1974, 23 influenza virus B Hong-Kong 8/73 strains were isolated. The dynamics of HAI serum antibodies confirmed the viral diagnosis. The epidemic ran a slow course, affecting especially the 14-25 years age group and had an evident benign clinical aspect.

Administration of amantadine for the prevention of Hong Kong influenza.

The prophylactic effectiveness of amantadine against A2/Hong Kong influenza was investigated in the course of a double-blind trial in Brasov, Romania, during an epidemic due to the Hong Kong virus that started there in March 1969.Altogether 215 subjects were included in the trial; 112 received 100 mg of amantadine twice daily for 20 days and the remaining 103 received inert placebo tablets. Of the amantadine-treated group, 2 had clinical symptoms diagnosed as influenza (1 of these was a doubtful diagnosis), whereas 20 (1 doubtful) of the placebo group had such symptoms. No case with both clinical symptoms and serologically confirmed influenza (>/=4-fold increase in haemagglutination-inhibition titre) occurred among 77 amantadine-treated subjects for whom paired sera were available but there were 13 such cases among the 74 placebo subjects with paired sera. These differences are statistically highly significant. No serious side-effects were recorded.The authors conclude that amantadine was highly effective in preventing overt disease and discuss indications that suggest that it did not interfere with the development of immunity in persons treated during the incubation period.