[The involvement of microbes in the etiology of respiratory diseases in infants 0 to 12 months old]. / Implications de quelques inframicrobes dans l'étiologie des maladies respiratoires de l'enfant de 0 à 12 mois.

A study was worked out on the etiopathogenic relations and a more exact evaluation of the incidence of some agents: viruses, chlamydiae, mycoplasmas and rickettsiae, in the respiratory diseases of 0- to 12-month-old children. Serological analysis and immunofluorescence examination of pharyngeal cells were done. Results showed that parainfluenzae and respiratory syncytial viruses, chlamydiae, rickettsiae and mycoplasmas had an important part in the outbreak and maintaining of severe respiratory diseases in the 0- to 12-month-old children population.

[Inframicrobiological research on cases of insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus]. / Investigations inframicrobiologiques sur quelques cas de diabète sucré insulinodépendant.

A group of 55 patients with insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus, aged from 8 to 40 years, was followed and compared to a group of controls, in view of detecting a possible relation between the presence of inframicrobial agents and diabetes pathogenesis. The investigations revealed, in patients, significantly higher positivity rate of antibodies against mumps (27% versus 16.3% in controls), parainfluenza type 1 (45.4% versus 29.1%) and Epstein-Barr (54.5% versus 10.9%) viruses, and Mycoplasma pneumoniae (43.6 versus 18.2%).

Investigations on the role of some viral, chlamydian, rickettsian and mycoplasmic agents in several gynecological diseases.

This work presents the results of a study on some viral, chlamydial, rickettsial and mycoplasmal agents incidence and their role on several gynecological ailments: vulvovaginitis, cervicitis, cervicovaginitis. The presence of some viral, chlamydial, rickettsial and mycoplasmal antigens in the vaginal secretion was investigated by immunofluorescence technique, isolation on selective media for Mycoplasma, and MGG staining in a group of 60 women with gynecopathies (group A) and in a control group (also 60 clinically healthy women) (group B). This study pointed out to higher incidence of chlamydial and mycoplasma antigens as well as of parainfluenza virus types I and III, adenovirus and herpes virus type II in group A. The serological screening revealed significant differences between the specific antibodies to antigens found in vaginal secretions to prove the presence of an immunological response on the same category of subjects.

[Virological research on appendicitis]. / Investigations virologiques sur certaines appendicites.

Investigations were conducted on groups of subjects hospitalized in surgery services with a clinical diagnosis of acute or chronic appendicitis, to detect the presence of inframicrobial antibodies and antigens, as well as that of the C reactive protein in these patients as compared with a control group. The results of serological tests and of the examination of pieces of appendix are also presented. The obtained data are used as arguments for the theory of an inframicrobial infection part in some acute and chronic forms of appendicitis.

Evaluation of the prematurity risk on the ground of severity scores reflecting the action of different factors, maternal virus infection included.

A mathematical methodology is suggested which allows the a priori calculation of the risk of premature delivery, by a formula relying on the scores attributed to different specific risk factors (maternal virus infections included). The scores are estimated either directly, or starting from the scores of nonspecific factors. The statistical significance of the different scores, correlations and formulas is analyzed.

Studies of human cytomegalovirus complement-fixing antigen.

Various techniques are described for the preparation of complement-fixing(CF) antigen from the cell-associated phase of two strains of human cytomegalovirus. Preliminary results regarding the preparation of CF antigen from extracellular virus are also presented. The qualities and shortcomings of each of the biological preparations obtained by the different procedures are outlined.

Virus--tumor host cell relationships. In vivo cocultivation of adenovirus type 5 and of SV40 in mouse Ehrlich ascites carcinoma.

Mouse Ehrlich ascites carcinoma (EAC) cells proved to be a semipermissive substrate for in vivo cultivation of adenovirus 5 (Ad5) and SV40. The multiplication of SV40 in EAC cells was facilitated by the coinfection with Ad5. As demonstrated by ID and EID reactions, the virus progens isolated at the first passage after the mixed infection of EAC cells with Ad5 and SV40 possess an antigenic mosaic with fractions characteristic of the parental viruses and of the cell substrate in which they had cultivated in vitro and in vivo. The progens gave positive seroneutralization and complement fixation reactions only with antiserum to SV40.

Statistical studies on the epidemiology of human congenital malformations. Implications of maternal virus infections.

Prospective and retrospective statistical studies were performed in 1,000 cases of congenital malformations. The incidences and severity of the different types of malformations were correlated with the risk and protection factors having acted on the pregnant woman. The correlation coefficients were higher in the case of specific risk factors, among which special attention was paid to maternal virus infections. The possibility is discussed of developing a programme for the individual protection of high-risk cases, implying the compensation of the exposure to risk factors by the application of adequate protection factors, according to the calculated scores.

Study of antibodies against viruses, chlamydiae, rickettsiae and Mycoplasma pneumoniae in children with respiratory diseases.

Seroconversion to different viral, chlamydial, rickettsial and mycoplasma antigens was followed up in 134 children aged 0-6 years, hospitalized with different respiratory diseases. Parainfluenza viruses type 1, 2 and 3 and adenoviruses appeared to be involved in the etiology of most of the cases; respiratory syncytial virus was often found to play a role in pneumonia/bronchopneumonia and in "influenza-like illness", while chlamydiae and M. pneumoniae could be incriminated in cases of "influenza-like illness", as well as in the other categories of respiratory disease. Mixed infections with the agents studied could be detected.

Stochastic model of the evolution of viral hepatitis morbidity.

Starting from the elementary epidemiological processes, the authors develop an evolution equation of the function generating the probability distribution of the number of viral hepatitis (VH) patients and susceptible subjects. Evolution equations for moments of order 1 and 2 - resulting from the equation of the generating function-are also discussed on the ground of certain simplifying hypotheses. The formulae are applied to the analysis of VH morbidity evolution in several children communities. The data on the evolution of the different moments and of the probability distributions are used from the specification of epidemiological transmissibility and susceptibility parameters.

Prevalence of antiviral antibodies in workers handling wastewater and sludge.

Serological investigations were performed between 1977-1978 with 972 serum samples from 243 subjects having either direct (group A) or sporadic (group B) occupational contact with wastewater or sludge. the control group (C) was represented by 100 persons having no contact with such material. The sera were tested against influenza, parainfluenza, adeno-, herpes, coronavirus, rickettsial and chlamydial antigens, as well as for the presence of HBsAg and anti-HBs. Statistically significant differences between group A and groups B and C were found as regards the prevalence of antibodies to adenovirus and parainfluenza virus type 1 antigens.