[Epidemiology of the animal prion diseases]. / Epidemiología de las enfermedades priónicas animales.

The authors review the epidemiology of spongiform encephalitis, discussing the possible mechanism of appearance of the epidemic bovine spongiform encephalitis epidemic, leaving aside to another publication the epidemiology of the human spongiform encephalitis and its pathogeny.

[Spongiform encephalitis]. / Encefalitis espongiformes.

The authors present a personal interpretation of the pathogeny of prionic processes, showing the role played by heredity. They also present the very surprising fact that a protein codified by a mutant gene can act as transmissible agent in a serious illness opening new chapters to the pathology of a series of important diseases. This is a completely new perspective in the biology.

[Carbuncle (anthrax) as biological weapon]. / El carbunco (ántrax) como agresivo biológico.

The authors explain the anthrax pathogeny as necessary base to treat the systemic anthrax, that it can be secondary to a terrorist aggression, that until now it causes death to damaged people. For fear that a contamination with anthracis spores by a terrorist aggression, it is imposed to administrate chymeprotection to damaged people, because once it is appeared the symptoms of the systemic illness, the antibiotics don't stop the process evolution. For that reason, we think it is important to know the process pathogeny, where it can be found the keys for effective treatment of carbuncle sepsis.

[The health of the members of the Academy]. / La salud de los académicos.

The present paper, analyses the health of the numerary members of the Academy since 1791 until 1998 as evaluated through mortality and supervivence registers from birth or until their entrance as members. A positive trend of 3.67 years in life expectancy appears as compared to male spaniards of their time. Finally, biasses of this work are discussed as well as possible factors that could have played a role in this life expectancy mirease.

[Coffee and health]. / Café y salud.

The authors analyse the use of coffee in the modern society. They inform about its consumption in the different environments and more precisely in the university community.

Intraocular pressure in 528 university students: effect of refractive error.

BACKGROUND: Very few studies measuring the intraocular pressure (IOP) in students are available. Recognizing the higher prevalence of myopia among students, IOP was analyzed in 528 university students according to age, gender, and refractive error. METHODS: The IOP was measured in 1,056 eyes with the Keeler Pulsair noncontact tonometer. The refractive error was determined with an autorefractometer (Shin-Nippon brand, model QR-007). RESULTS: The analysis of variance (ANOVA) showed no significant influence of age and gender on students' IOP (mean IOP, 15.77 +/- 2.67 mmHg). Refractive error did not significantly influence the mean of IOP (ANOVA) in the different categories: (a) severe myopia, (b) medium myopia, (c) emmetropia and mild ametropia, and (d) hypermetropia. The chi 2 test revealed significant differences, as a result of age, between the eyes with IOP < 21 mmHg or > or = 21 mmHg (6.3%). Nevertheless, there was no significant IOP difference as a result of gender or refractive error among eyes with normal IOPs and eyes with IOP above 20 mmHg. CONCLUSIONS: Among university students, intraocular pressure is not influenced by age, gender, or refractive status. Likewise, except for age, there is no significant correlation between any of the other variables and the normal range of IOP. After the age of 25 years, there is a slight increase in the number of eyes with an IOP above 20 mmHg.

Characterization of secretory IgA responses in mice infected with Cryptosporidium parvum.

Mice inoculated at 5, 21 and 28 days of age with 10(6) or 10(7) Cryptosporidium parvum oocysts became infected but did not exhibit any clinical signs of disease. Specific IgA antibodies were detected in faecal extracts from all infected mice by an indirect immunofluorescent assay. These antibodies first appeared between 11 and 37 days post-infection (dpi) and persisted until the end of the experiment at 55 dpl. They appeared earlier in older mice than in newborn mice. Reduction and resolution of oocyst shedding was not directly related, however, to IgA antibody levels in infected mice. Reactive C. parvum antigens were identified by immunoblotting techniques using faecal and serum samples from infected mice. IgA copro-antibodies reacted specifically with two antigens of 26 and 33 kDa, which were also identified by IgG antibodies in mouse serum. The role of these antibodies in the resolution of infections and the subsequent protection against challenge is unknown.

[An epidemiological study of congenital dyschromatopsias in schoolchildren]. / Estudio epidemiológico de las discromatopsias congénitas en escolares.

BACKGROUND: Taking into consideration that present-day communication is based on colours and shapes, the prevalence of anomalies in the chromatic sight in the red-green axis has been studied in the school boys of the city of Albacete. METHODS: The test of Ishihara has been used in an aleatory representative sample; and dyschromatopsic pupils, so classified in this test, have been further explored with the anomaloscopy Pickford-Nicolson, in order to know their anomaly kind and degree. RESULTS: The prevalence obtained is similar to those reported by other studies carried out in the European white race. CONCLUSIONS: Taking into account the transcendence of this phenomenon, we consider that this exploration must be included in the systematic examinations at school labour and general level.

[Development of a health education program prior to a hepatitis B vaccination campaign among hospital personnel]. / Desarrollo de un programa de educación sanitaria previo a una campaña de vacunación contra la hepatitis B en personal hospitalario.

The hepatitis B (HB) is the most frequent occupational infection in health care workers, and HB vaccination the best way to prevent it. Although sanitary staff participation in vaccination programs in rather small, it is enlarged after the previous information. In order to increase staff participation in a second vaccination program, we have developed an information campaign in our hospital. In an inquiry to a sample of not vaccination personnel (87/304; 28.6 per 100), we got the following answers: 92.9 per 100 declared HB as dangerous, 95.4 per 100 believed there was a greater risk for the hospital staff, 87.4 per 100 asked for more information (spoken preferably), and 85.1 per 100 accepted vaccination. However, at the beginning of the campaign, the attachment was reduced to 57.9 per 100. In spite of this decrease, we believe that the acceptance rate of unwilling personnel is the result of the information provided.