[Epidemiology of HIV infections in Switzerland and the German Federal Republic--contribution of official surveillance systems, of anonymous testing and of blood donor screening]. / Epidemiologie der HIV-Infektion in der Schweiz und in der Bundesrepublik Deutschland--der Beitrag der amtlichen Erfassungssysteme, der anonymen Teststellen und des Blutspenderscreenings.

Official records on HIV infections are useful instruments to register and demonstrate the spread of the virus in the population observed. The data resulting from the registries allow the estimation of the means and the variabilities of age, sex and the probable path of infection in the observed population. In Switzerland as well as in the Federal Republic of Germany, the mean age of persons whose positive HIV status is detected increases in the course of time. In Switzerland, relatively more women are infected, and injecting drug users play a more important role. In the Federal Republic of Germany the homo-/bisexual men seem still to be the most important group. Nevertheless, data without any reference baseline do not enable an inference to be drawn in respect of trends and prevalence in the general population. Data on blood donations, collected in Switzerland as well as in Germany, and data on anonymous testing collected in Switzerland, are helpful in estimating trends and prevalence in the general population. Data suggest that the overall prevalence is higher in Switzerland than in the Federal Republic of Germany. Of course, comparisons between different countries must take in account the different structure of reporting systems and attitudes toward these systems.

Varicella and herpes zoster in immunosuppressed children: preliminary results of treatment with intravenous immunoglobulin.

Seven immunosuppressed children with varicella and two with herpes zoster were treated with large intravenous doses of polyvalent, intact immunoglobulin (IgG i.v.). In all patients the treatment was effective for controlling fever and skin lesions and for preventing progression and complications, even if this therapy was started late and/or if the patient was severely lymphopenic . More IgG was needed to control disseminated than less advanced varicella. No untoward effects of IgG therapy were observed. The preliminary results suggest that in future trials i.v. IgG should be used for comparison with antiviral agents.