Persistence of vaccine-derived poliovirus following a mass vaccination campaign in Cuba: implications for stopping polio vaccination after global eradication.

BACKGROUND: With substantial progress made toward polio eradication, developing the appropriate strategy for discontinuing global oral poliovirus vaccine (OPV) after global eradication becomes increasingly important. At issue is the theoretical risk of independent circulation of potentially virulent OPV-derived strains. Because Cuba uses OPV only in mass campaigns, it represents an ideal site to assess vaccine-derived poliovirus persistence. METHODS: Infants born after the 1997 biannual mass campaigns were evaluated for past (neutralizing antibody) or current (virus excretion) evidence of vaccine-derived poliovirus exposure. We obtained sera and/or stool specimens from 861 infants; a second serum from 218 infants. RESULTS: All stool specimens were poliovirus negative. Of 762 infants, 113 (14.8%) had initially detectable poliovirus type 1 antibody, 193 (25.3%) type 2, and 94 (12.3%) type 3. A precipitous antibody decline occurred in initially positive sera. CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggest that in a country with high population immunity, vaccine-derived virus is unlikely to establish ongoing circulation.

[Outbreak of Coxsackievirus B5 meningoencephalitis in Cuba, 1995]. / Brote de meningoencefalitis por coxsackievirus B5 en Cuba, 1995.

An increase in the reported cases of viral meningoencephalitis (VME) was detected in October and November, 1995, compared with the same period of 1994. 43 stock specimens from children with this diagnosis were received at the Laboratory of Enterovirus from the "Pedro Kourí" Institute of Tropical Medicine. 23 isolations (53.4%) were obtained and identified as Coxsackievirus B5. Besides, in 43 matched sera investigated by the neutralization test against some Enteroviruses, 21 proved to be positive (48.8%) to the isolated agent. This allowed us to affirm, supported by the clinical picture and by epidemiology, that we are in the presence of an VME outbreak produced by Coxsackievirus B5.

[Cuban epidemic neuropathy. III. Neutralizing antibodies to the strains isolated and to other enteroviruses in patients and healthy subjects]. / Neuropatía epidémica cubana. Parte III. Anticuerpos neutralizantes a cepas aisladas y otros Enterovirus en pacientes y personas sanas.

Determinations of neutralizing antibodies to the strain 47/93 IPK (CA9) and to the strain 590 were performed in serum samples from patients presenting with epidemic neuropathy and from a group of seemingly healthy subjects. Determinations were also done in the reference strains CA9 and CB1-6 by the microneutralization technique. Patients and their contacts showed significantly higher percentages of neutralizing antibodies to the strain 47/93 than the control group and residents of municipalities with a low rate of the disease. This difference was also confirmed regarding the geometric mean titres with the use of the reference strains CA9 and CB2-4. An increased circulation of the strain 47/93 within the infantile population from 1981 to 1993 was evidenced. Patients exhibited significantly lower percentages and geometric mean titres of neutralizing antibodies to the strain 590 than the control group, despite the fact that in 25/28 certain agents having a mild cytopathogenic effect had been isolated. The possibility of two mechanism of neutralization is stated and an hypothesis on the mechanism by which these viruses may be involved in the pathophysiology of the disease is formulated.

[Contribution to knowledge about the permanence and circulation of poliovirus vaccine in the environment]. / Aportes al conocimiento acerca de la permanencia y circulación del poliovirus vacunal en el ambiente.

The erradication of poliomyelitis in the world is a goal that requires the adoption of effective and safe strategies for its attainment. Knowing how long the strains of poliovirus derived from the oral attenuated virus vaccine may circulate and remain in the environment was essential to define the measures to be taken and was also the objective of our paper. Specimens of stools and sewage water, which were weekly obtained at the end of the National Polio Vaccination Campaign, in 1998, were analyzed. Viruses were isolated and identified by culture and neutralization tests for the identification of poliovirus. In the particular case of the sewage water, it was also used the polymerase chain reaction. The curves of elimination in both media were drawn and it was concluded that the permanence of viruses in the environment did not exceed the 12 weeks after the immunization with the oral attenuated virus vaccine.

[Development and evaluation of an ELISA for the detection of IgM antibodies against the hepatitis A virus]. / Desarrollo y evaluación de un ELISA para la detección de anticuerpos IgM contra el virus de la hepatitis A.

We present the results of the normalization of an IgM capture ELISA method for the diagnosis of type A viral hepatitis with reagents produced in the laboratory and its comparison with the "Diag-A-Hep" commercial ELISA. The results attained were: sensibility by 91%; specificity by 100%; and coincidence of the two systems by 97%. Results are discussed and their relationship with clinical symptoms and epidemiological characteristics is established. The results attained in 13 serum samples taken from patients seen during 2 acute viral hepatitis outbreaks agreed with clinical findings.

[Enterovirus meningoencephalitis in the last 5 years]. / Meningoencefalitis por Enterovirus en los últimos 5 años.

The results of the study of Enterovirus as viral meningoencephalitis producing agents, carried out from 1990 to 1994, are described, 546 feces samples, 95 cerebrospinal fluids and 1,058 matched sera were studied and obtained from 1,388 patients clinically diagnosed with this disease. Samples for viral isolation were inoculated into two different cellular systems. The highest number of isolation was found in diploid cells from human fibroblast. Antibody determinations were carried out by a neutralization test (micromethod) with 11 Enterovirus antigens (Echo 4, 6, 9, 11 and 30; and Coxsackie B1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6) and in epidemic periods with the isolated virus. During the years under study, 2 epidemic outbreaks took place: on caused by Coxsackie A9 (1990-1991) and the other one by Echo 30 (1994). A greater positivity to Echo 6 and 11 was found among the matched sera.

First epidemic of echovirus 16 meningitis in Cuba.

From April to September 2000, an epidemic of aseptic meningitis spread throughout Cuba, with 16,943 reported cases. Virologic studies identified echovirus 16 as the cause of this epidemic. This is the first reported isolate of echovirus 16 from patients with viral meningitis in Cuba.

Frequency of Positive affect as a possible mediator between perceived emotional intelligence andlife Satisfaction

Este trabajo analiza la validez incremental de la Inteligencia Emocional Percibida (IEP), medida por edio del cuestionario Trait Meta-Mood Scale (Salovey Mayer, Goldman, Turvey& Palfai,1995) en la predicción de la satisfacción vital, después de controlar la influencia de variables clásicas relacionadas con ésta última, como la personalidad y el afecto. Para ello, una muestra española de 173 estudiants universiarios completaron res sub-escalas de IEP (Atención, Claridad y Reparación), un inventario de personalidad de los Cinco Grandes y una escala donde inormaban sobre la frecuencia de afecto postivo (AP) y negativo (AN) durante las dos semanas previas a su participación en el estudio. Encontramos correlaciones significantes entre satisfacción vital y dos factores de IEP: Claridad y Reparación emocional. Por medio del análisis de regresión jerárquca observamos que el factor Claridad explica mayor porcentaje de varianza en satisfacción vital que personaliad o afecto negativo, pero no es significante cuando tenemosen cuenta el afecto positivo. Los resultados señalan la necesidad de controlar el zel afecto positivo y negativo de forma independiente así como diferenciar ente intesidad y freucncia de afecto en los estudios de validez incremental de la IEP en su predicción sobre la satisfacción vital(AU)

This study examined the incremnental validity of Perceived Emotional Intelligence (PEI) as measured by the Trait Meta-Mood Scale (Salovey, Mayer, Goldman, Turvey Palfai, 1995) on the prediction of life satisfaction after controlling for personality and affect, which are known to be related to well-being. A sample of 173 udergraduate Spanish students completed there subscales of PEI (Attention, Clarity and Repair) a Big Five personality inventory, and reported on the frecuency of positive (PA) and negative affect (NA) during the two weeks before participating in the study. There were significant associations between life satisfaction and both Clarity and Repair. Hierarchical regression analysis showed that Clariy accounted for more variance in life satisfaction than personality or NA, but not when frecuency of PA was taken ino account. These results show the necessity of controlling for PA and NA independently and differntiating between inensity and frequency of affect when evaluating the incretnal validity of PEI in the prediction of life satisfaction(AU)

Meningoencefalitis virales por Enterovirus en Cuba en el período 1990-1995 / Viral meningoencephalities due to enteroviruses in Cuba during 1990-1995

Se describen los resultados del estudio de enterovirus como agentes causanes de meningoencefalitis viral (MEV) en Cuba, desde 1990 hasta 1995. En este período fueron estudiados 586 muestras de heces, 108 líquidos cefalorraquídeos y 1095 sueros pareados para un total de 1789 muestras, procedentes de 1458 pacientes diagnosticados clínicamente con esta patología. Las muestras para el aislamiento viral se inocularon en dos sistemas celulares diferentes, encontrándose 225 muestras positivas a enterovirus que representan el 32,42 o/o del total; el mayor número de aislamientos (217) fue a partir de heces, en células diploides de fibroblastos de pulmón humano (PHuE-1). Las determinaciones de anticuerpos se realizaron por prueba de neutralizacion en micrométodo, enfrentándolos con 10 antígenos de enterovirus (Echovirus 4, 6, 9, 11 y Coxsackievirus B1-6) y, en períodos epidémicos, además con el virus aislado. En los años estudiados se produjeron tres brotes epidémicos por Coxsackievirus A9 (1990-91), Echovirus 30 (1994) y Coxsackievirus B5 (1995). Es de señalar que desde 1970 los Coxsackievirus A9 y Echovirus 30 se vincularon en nuestro país, por primera vez, con epidemias de MEV. En los sueros pareados se obtuvo 66,84 o/o de positivos, siendo la mayor positividad a los Echovirus 6 y 11. Al considerar en conjunto la positividad por aislamiento y serología, más del 80 o/o de los casos estudiados pudieran tener ua explicación por algún enterovirus, lo uqe demuestra la importancia de estos agentes como causantes de MEV en Cuba

Meningoencefalitis virales por Enterovirus en Cuba en el período 1990-1995 / Viral meningoencephalities due to enteroviruses in Cuba during 1990-1995

Se describen los resultados del estudio de enterovirus como agentes causanes de meningoencefalitis viral (MEV) en Cuba, desde 1990 hasta 1995. En este período fueron estudiados 586 muestras de heces, 108 líquidos cefalorraquídeos y 1095 sueros pareados para un total de 1789 muestras, procedentes de 1458 pacientes diagnosticados clínicamente con esta patología. Las muestras para el aislamiento viral se inocularon en dos sistemas celulares diferentes, encontrándose 225 muestras positivas a enterovirus que representan el 32,42 o/o del total; el mayor número de aislamientos (217) fue a partir de heces, en células diploides de fibroblastos de pulmón humano (PHuE-1). Las determinaciones de anticuerpos se realizaron por prueba de neutralizacion en micrométodo, enfrentándolos con 10 antígenos de enterovirus (Echovirus 4, 6, 9, 11 y Coxsackievirus B1-6) y, en períodos epidémicos, además con el virus aislado. En los años estudiados se produjeron tres brotes epidémicos por Coxsackievirus A9 (1990-91), Echovirus 30 (1994) y Coxsackievirus B5 (1995). Es de señalar que desde 1970 los Coxsackievirus A9 y Echovirus 30 se vincularon en nuestro país, por primera vez, con epidemias de MEV. En los sueros pareados se obtuvo 66,84 o/o de positivos, siendo la mayor positividad a los Echovirus 6 y 11. Al considerar en conjunto la positividad por aislamiento y serología, más del 80 o/o de los casos estudiados pudieran tener ua explicación por algún enterovirus, lo uqe demuestra la importancia de estos agentes como causantes de MEV en Cuba (AU)