Genome type analysis of adenoviruses: isolates from one year from the Hannover area.

Adenoviruses (AV), isolated from 138 children during the year 1981 in the Hannover area, were studied by DNA restriction analysis with the enzymes BamHI, BglII, BstEII, EcoRI, HindIII, KpnI, and SmaI and compared with the respective prototypes. Varying fragment patterns were depicted and genome types analyzed. Prototype-like strains of AV1 and 5 were not found. Types 2, 5, 1, 3, and 7 showed decreasing genetic variation in that order. Altered restriction sites were physically mapped on the genome; they appeared to be randomly distributed. The high genetic variability of AV2 and 5 is remarkable for this study population, limited in time and space. Clinical and epidemiological data were also presented in relation to serotypes.

Laboratory procedures in adenoviruses. XII. Comparison of five ELISA methods for demonstration of hexon antigen.

To demonstrate adenovirus hexon, four different arrangements of a four-layer ELISA, to be performed with commercially available reagents, were compared with a three-layer ELISA. After evaluation of specific and control reagents and their dilutions, the guinea pig/rabbit or the rabbit/chicken method were equally practicable and sensitive as the three-layer method with rabbit serum and superior to two other methods. By testing about 100 stool samples and 74 throat swabs containing adenoviruses, it turned out that the sensitivity (1 ng/ml hexon) appears satisfactory for stool specimens in adenovirus enteritis of infants, but is much less sensitive than isolation in cell culture for adenoviruses in throat swabs. As confirmatory test, specimen were incubated with an adenovirus rabbit antiserum or normal serum and then tested.

Adenovirus pneumonia in guineapigs: an experimental reproduction of the disease.

The recently described virus-induced pneumonia in guineapigs (Naumann et al., 1981) was experimentally reproducible in newborn animals, though not in preadult animals. Baby hamsters and newborn rats were also not susceptible to infection. 10 of 11 infected newborn guineapigs developed pathological changes identical with those found in spontaneous cases. The incubation period was from 5 to 10 days. The agent could not be cultivated in vitro, and therefore no applicable serological tests could be established. The morphology of the virus, its intranuclear location, the course of the disease and the histopathological and ultrastructural changes strongly suggest that the virus is an adenovirus specific for guineapigs. The virus did not cross-react with human or fowl adenoviruses. It was ether resistant and non-oncogenic in baby rats and hamsters. During a 5-year period we registered a total of 51 spontaneous death cases diagnosed as adenovirus pneumonia in our experimental guineapigs, 4 from own breeding colony.

[Epidemiology and prognosis of non-A, non-B hepatitis (author's transl)]. / Epidemiologie und Prognose der Hepatitis Non A, Non B.

The frequency of non-A, non-B hepatitis (n = 325) was determined among all cases (n = 1368) of acute viral hepatitis observed in the Hannover are abetwen 1975 and 1978. Hepatitis A was excluded by demonstration of anti-HAV-IgM, hepatitis B by demonstration of HBs antigen or an isolated occurrence of anti-HBc at the beginning of the disease. Non-A, non-B hepatitis occurred predominantly in adults and showed no seasonal variability. As a consequence of results of followup investigations in 174 hepatitis patients 2 years after the onset of the disease it can be assumed that non-A, non-B hepatitis tends to lead to chronic courses more frequently than hepatitis B.

The seroepidemiological pattern of acute viral hepatitis. An epidemiological study on viral hepatitis in the Hannover region.

The natural incidence of the etiologically distinct types of viral hepatitis was determined by investigating acute phase sera of symptomatic hepatitis cases occuring in the Hannover area in 1975 for the presence of hepatitis B surface antigen, antibodies to hepatitis A, hepatitis B core and surface antigens, and by measuring the IgM serum levels. Fourteen different seroepidemiologic patterns were recognized. Although there was a high prevalence of hepatitis A antibody in the population, the frequency of hepatitis A was low (n = 56) suggesting that the hepatitis A virus does not play a major role in symptomatic hepatitis in the Hannover area at present. Spread of the hepatitis A virus was mostly associated with person-to-person contact or tourist travel in southern Europe. Hepatitis B was the predominant type of hepatitis (n = 211). Hepatitis non-A, non-B was observed infrequently (n = 62). A high percentage of patients with hepatitis B and hepatitis non-A, non-B reported parenteral exposure to potentially contaminated materials. No other findings, however, suggested an infectious etiology of hepatitis non-A, non-B.

[Poliomyelitis in the German Federal Republic 1974-1975 (author's transl)]. / Poliomyelitis in der Bundesrepublik Deutschland

The virological surveillance of poliomyelitis in 1974-1975 led to the detection of specific characteristics of wild viruses in 57 out of 221 cases of poliovirus isolation. The disease symptoms were typical for poliomyelitis in 36 of these cases, less characteristic in 13. Polio wildvirus was isolated 8 times from the surroundings of the patients. In 36 foreign patients and one German the causative agent was imported from an endemic area. In these cases and in a further 7 German patients the disease was sporadic. In contrast 5 cases in German children in late autumn 1975 constitute a local epidemic of poliomyelitis.