Pediatric environmental medicine in Eastern Central Europe.

Pediatric environmental medicine in Central Eastern Europe needs support and development on national, institutional and individual basis. This situation is quantitatively, but not fundamentally different from what is to be found in Central Europe.

Isoantibodies to human serum proteins in children after blood and plasma transfusions.

The influence of blood and blood-product therapy was studied in two groups of children: 1) 90 children who had exchange transfusion after birth because of serologic incompatibility (aged 5 months to 5 years). In 7 children of this group isoprecipitins were detected. In 4 cases they reacted probably with lipoprotein group factors. One child had anti-Gm 2 antibodies. 2) 32 patients with various blood diseases, aged 18 months to 17 years, who had multiple transfusions of blood or plasma. In 12 children of this group (38%), precipitins were demonstrated. Two had antibodies to lipoprotein group factors. No anti-Gm antibodies were discovered in this group of children. The results of the study indicate an influence of transfusions of blood and blood products on the formation of antibodies to human proteins.

Humoral and cellular immunity in infants infected with Salmonella typhimurium.

In infants carriers of Salmonella typhimurium IgA, IgG, IgM and IgD-level in serum was increased as compared with acute period of illness. In the acute state of salmonellosis an increase of lymphocytosis especially of B lymphocytes was observed. The absolute value of T lymphocytes was increased but their percentage was decreased. The levamisole therapy was not effective. On the 2nd day after administration of concentrated IgA preparation (Behringwerke), 20 mg/kg b.w., a rise of IgA level in the stool and saliva was observed.

Some factors of immunopathogenesis of infectious mononucleosis in children.

Sixty-eight children with the symptoms of infectious mononucleosis were examined. In 25 of them anti-EBV antibodies were found and in 10 heterophilic antibodies. In serum of 16 children sero-positive to EBV A, M, G, D immunoglobulins were determined as well as T and B lymphocytes. A statistically significant increase in the number of B-IgA, B-IgG and B-IgM lymphocytes, augmentation of T lymphocyte number and polyclonal hypergammaglobulinemia were detected.

Association of HLA antigens with chronic active hepatitis (CAH) in children.

HLA-A and -B antigen frequencies were investigated in a group of 46 children with chronic active hepatitis (CAH) and in a control group of 100 healthy children. The diseased group comprised 43 HBsAg positive and 3 HBsAg negative children. From the antigen frequencies relative risks (RR) were calculated according to the method of Woolf. The A1 and B8 antigens, known to be associated with autoimmune diseases, were only moderately more frequent in the CAH group than in the control. The relative risk for B8 antigen was 2.23 which is near to a significance level of p = 0.05. When the calculations were performed for 43 HBsAg positive CAH children the RR decreased to 1.70. Additionally, observations were performed on associations of HLA antigens with the occurrence of antinuclear antibodies (ANA) and anti-smooth muscle antibodies (SMA). Positive associations were found for ANA with B13 antigen (RR = 14.13) and for SMA with B5 antigen (RR = 13.66) with X2 4.85, and 5.51 respectively, at 1 degree of freedom. The p values, situated between 0.05 and 0.01 were insignificant after the correction for the number of antigens studied.

[Intravenous catheters (venflons) in children as a possible cause of hospital infections]. / Cewniki dozylne (wenflony) u dzieci jako mozliwa przyczyna zakazenia szpitalnego.

The authors made 106 cultures from the endings of intravenous catheters used in children hospitalized in the teaching hospital in the years 1987-88. In 30 cases (28%) the cultures were positive. The most common cultures were those of Staphylococcus and Micrococcus. No correlation was found between the time of keeping a catheter in the vein and the number of positive cultures from the catheter. The children not receiving antibiotics had 2.6 as many positive cultures as those receiving antibiotics.

[Familial incidence of hepatitis b]. / Rodzinne zachorowania na wirusowe zapalenie watroby typu B.

Among 693 patients treated in our Hospital with HBV, we separated 88 persons from 34 familial focuses. In those separated cases the most likely way of transmission were the familial contacts, without data indicating the other sources of infection (surgery, blood transfusions). The most common source of infection were children. We postulate vaccination of the HBsAg(-) person, staying in the familial contact with HBV patients.

[Current status of immunization against Haemophilus influenzae type b in children in Poland]. / Aktualnosc szczepien przeciw Haemophilus influenzae b w Polsce.

The estimated incidence of Hib infections in Poland is about 29/100,000 children below 5 years of age (like in UK), the number of invasive infections particularly of purulent Hib meningitis is about 425-850 cases yearly. It indicates on necessity of immunisation against Haemophilus influenzae type B. The first own experience in vaccination with TetractHib or ActHib in 368 infants confirmed its safety in agreement with large studies of many foreign authors.