Epidemiological investigation for arboviruses in Jamaica, West Indies

Arbovirus investigation in Jamaica was undertaken between 1960 and 1975. Serological studies showed that antibodies to dengue type virus and St. Louis encephalitis virus (SLE) were prevalent throughout the island for several years. In urban communities, the incidence of dengue antibody was higher than for SLE; however, in children under 10 years of age antibody to both viruses was rarely present. In rural areas, SLE was prevalent in adults and children. This virus was isolated from Culex nigripalpus (mosquitoes) and from a nestling Mockingbird, Mimus polyglottos, in the same rural area. Dengue type 3 and type 4 were isolated from the sera of patients in an urban area, during two epidemic periods, 1963 and 1968. No other group B arbovirus was encountered on the island. Group A arbovirus was virtually absent prior to the eastern equine encephalomyelitis outbreak of 1962. That virus was isolated from brain tissue of human and equines. Two strains of Cache Valley virus from mosquitoes, Anopheles grabhami, one strain from Aedes taeniorhynchus, and a strain of Wad Medani virus from a tick, Amblyomma cajenense, were also isolated (AU).

Epidemiological investigation for arboviruses in Jamaica, West Indies

Arbovirus investigation in Jamaica was undertaken between 1960 and 1975. Serological studies showed that antibodies to dengue type virus and St. Louis encephalitis virus (SLE) were prevalent throughout the island for several years. In urban communities, the incidence of dengue antibody was higher than for SLE; however, in children under 10 years of age antibody to both viruses was rarely present. In rural areas, SLE was prevalent in adults and children. This virus was isolated from Culex nigripalpus (mosquitoes) and from a nestling Mockingbird, Mimus polyglottos, in the same rural area, during two epidemic periods, 1963 and 1968. No other group B arbovirus was encountered on the island. Group A arbovirus was virtually absent prior to the eastern equine encephalomyelitis outbreak of 1962. That virus was isolated from brain tissue of humans and equines. Two strains of Cache valley virus from mosquitoes, Anopheles grabhami, one strain from Aedes taeniorhynchus, and a strain of Wad Medani virus from a tick, Amblyomma cajenense, were also isolated (AU)

Trials with a live attenuated rubella virus vaccine, Cendehill strain

This report summarizes closed, family, and open studies conducted sequentially over a 10 month period with the Cendehill rubella virus vaccine in more than 16,000 children and adolescents. This strain of rubella was attenuated by serial propogation on primary rabbit kidney cell cultures. Inoculation of the Cendehill vaccine produced seroconversion in 97 percent of the 3589 susceptible (seronegative) vaccinated persons. There was no spread of the virus to susceptible controls living in close contact with those vaccinated. The vaccine was well tolerated. No arthritis or arthralgia occured in 860 female subjects 13-18 years of age who were included in the study. The Cendehill vaccine would appear to meet the requirements of an acceptable vaccine (Summary)

Clinical trials in Jamaica with the cendehill rubella vaccine - abstract

This paper presents our findings from a closed study involving 54 children, a family study involving 100 families and an open study involving more than 16,000 children, ages five years to 15 years, in an urban area in Jamaica. The vaccine produced good immunogenic response and did not spread the disease to susceptible controls in contact with the vaccinees. Our experience with the Cendehill rubella vaccine has shown that it has all the requirements of an acceptable vaccine. It produced sero-conversion in a large percentage of sero-negative vaccinees; it did not spread the disease to sero negative controls living in close contact; it produced only mild side effects in childern, and there was no evidence of arthralgia or arthritiis in vaccinees(AU)

An epidemic of dengue-like illness in Jamaica - 1963

In June 1963 an outbreak of a dengue-like illness occurred in Jamaica. The only recorded dengue epidemic in Jamaica before that of 1963 had been in 1824, as mentioned in church records of causes of death. Over 450 primary inoculations of serum from acutely ill patients and from mosquitoes associated with them were made in animals and in tissue-cell cultures. A possible isolation was made in one cell culture inoculated with material from Aedes aegypti mosquitoes, as evidenced by interference studies. Otherwise, no isolation was made, although inoculated suckling mice gave signs of disease of the central nervous system. The characterization of the epidemic as "dengue-like" was based upon the clinical course of patients and upon serological findings. (Summary)

Surveillance of eastern equine encephalomyelitis (EEE) in Jamaica

Since the outbreak of EEE in Jamaica in 1962, a continued surveillance for the virus has been maintained. It is known that birds act as reservoirs for the virus, and mosquitoes as vectors, consequently our attention directed towards ornithological and entomological investigations. Mosquitoes were caught regularly in the St. Thomas area during and after the outbreak. The surveillance among birds started some months later, and has continued to the present time. No mosquito was found infective with EEE virus, but Cache Valley virus, which is and arbovirus, was isolated from mosquitoes in the area. During the outbreak several birds (including domestic chickens) were bled and tested for circulating virus as well as for antibody to EEE virus. Fourteen of the 356 sera collected within six weeks after the outbreak showed a significant neutralizing titre to EEE virus. Among the wild birds caught subsequently, three of them (one resident and two migrants) showed sero-logical conversion to EEE virus in the St. Thomas area. About one year ago, the programme was extended to include the Black River area in St. Elizabeth. One bird in this area showed partial protection to EEE virus. These results seem to indicate that EEE virus is either endemic in the areas tested, or has been re-introduced by migrant birds. It is therefore necessary to maintain a continued surveillance to detect any activity of this virus(AU)

The treatment of intestinal amoebiasis with a single dose of humatin

Humatin was well tolerated, and eliminated E. histolytica infection as determined by stool examination in sixty percent of cases. The drug appeared to be more effective in older individuals than in those under eight years of age. It eliminated abdominal cramps, fever, nausea, vomiting and weakness in most cases in which these symptoms were present before treatment (AU)

The effectiveness of C1-433 versus entero-vioform in the control of diarrhoeal disease

The data indicate that CI-433 was as well accepted as entero-vioform. A comparison between CI-433 and entero-vioform on day 5 for control of diarrhoea indicated no significant difference in the average consistency of stools or in the average number of stools. However, on day 10, entero-vioform showed a better average consistency in stools and also a smaller average number ofstools per day. Stool examination on day 5 for the two medication groups showed CI-433 had eliminated E.histolytica in a higher proportion of patients than did entero-vioform; CI-433 eliminated G.lamblia in the same proportion of patients as, entero-vioform; and CI-433 eliminated less in Shigella patients than entero-vioform. On day 10 entero-vioform, when compared to CI-433 (day 5), was slightly more effective in the elimination of E.histolytica, G.lamblia and Shigella (AU)

A clinical trial to study the effectiveness of CI-578 in the treatment of ascaris and/or oxyuris infections

Both CI-578 suspension and CI-578 lozenges appear to be effective in eliminating ascaris and oxyuris infections although the lozenges were slightly better than the suspension for the elimination of oxyuris infections. Although a larger number of different types of symptoms were reported in the lozenge group, there was little difference between treatment groups in either frequency of occurrence of symptoms or severity of symptoms. Symptoms due to the drugs in both treatment groups had disappeared by day 7 (AU)

Tumour viruses: a review - abstract

A number of known tumor viruses are briefly reviewed. Of the known naturally occurring human viruses tested for carcinogenic effects, adeno viruses types 7, 12 and 18 have produced sarcomas in hamsters. Adenoviruses isolated from clinical cases in this laboratory are being inoculated in hamsters with a view to establishing the possibility of carcinogenic effects (AU)

The isolation of Cache Valley virus from mosquitoes in Jamaica

Cache valley virus has been isolated from mosquitoes on three occasions in Jamaica. Although antibodies to this virus have been encountered in man and animals, the virus has not yet been associated with clinical cases (AU)

Aetiology of respiratory virus infections in Jamaica

Several viral agents were involved. Influenza A and B were isolated during epidemic periods, and there have been recent isolations of Adenovirus, para-influenza and Respiratory Syncytial viruses from clinical cases (AU)

The microbiology of diseases in Jamaican children

The pattern of microbial diseases in Jamaican children is reviewed on the basis of specimens received at the Microbiology Department of the University of the West Indies. Data of infant morbidity and mortality in Jamaica in previous years leads one to speculate that suitable immunizations may have prevented much of this illness. Enteric organisms of the Salmonella, Shigella and Pathogenic Bacterium coli groups were frequently isolated from children with diarrhoea who were under two years of age. Typhoid fever was comparatively rare. Hemophilus infleunza type b still remains the commonest cause of bacterial meningitis. Corynebacterium diphtheria gravis has replaced the intermedius type as the species prevalent in nosapharyngeal diphtheria. Eleven viruses were isolated from one hundred and three specimens received from children. These were identical as poliomyelitis virus in seven cases, herpes simplex virus in two, coxsackie virus in one and chicken pox virus in another. In a study of gastroenteritis, twenty-two of forty-five pools of six rectal swabs each, showed cytopathological changes in human thyroid while thirteen control pools proved to be negative. The predominant parasites found in children were Ascaris, Trichuris, Hookworm and Giardia lambia. The incidence was significantly higher in rural areas (AU)

An outbreak of eastern equine encephalomyelitis in Jamaica. II. Laboratory diagnosis and pathology of eastern equine encephalomyelitis in Jamaica

Eastern equine encephalomyelitis virus was isolated from man and horses during a outbreak of the disease in Jamaica in November and December 1962. Viruses were isolated from 4 of 7 human brain tissue specimens and from 3 of 6 equine brain specimens. Histopathological evidence of encephalitis was evident in all the tissues examined (Summary)

An outbreak of eastern equine encephalomyelitis in Jamaica, West Indies. 1. Description of human cases

During the outbreak of eastern equine encephalomyelitis (EEE) in Jamaica in November and December 1962, there were 9 deaths among 11 patients clinically diagnosed as having EEE. Five of these cases were confirmed by laboratory tests. Of the two recovered patients, one showed a significant raise in EEE antibody titer and the other showed no demonstratable antibody. The presenting features of illness were mainly fever, headache, neck rigidity, paralysis and drowsiness or coma (Summary)

Laboratory investigation of the 1963 influenza epidemic in Jamaica, West Indies

An epidemic of influenza due to type A2 virus occurred in Jamaica during the early months of 1963. Cases were reported from all the parishes with highest incidence in Westmoreland, Clarendon, St. Ann and St. Mary. All age groups were involved, with highest attack rate in the 0-9 and 25-64 age groups and the lowest in the 10-24 year age group (AU)

The isolation of St. Louis Encephalitis virus from Culex nigripalpus mosquitoes in Jamaica

A strain of St. Louis encephalitis virus was isolated from Culex nigripalpus in Jamaica. It is the first isolation of St. Louis virus on that island. (Summary)

Further studies on the antihelminthic drug CI-416

A follow-up study of the antihelminthic drug CI-416, produced by Parke Davis and Company, was carried out against hookworm, ascaris and trichuris cases using single dose treatment. Fifty cases of hookworm were also treated with alcopar for comparison. Stools were analysed by egg counts. While statistical significance could not be declared between the CI-416 and alcopar groups, CI-416 did not appear to be very effective in reducing ova counts among these nematodal infections (AU)

Acute viral encephalitis in Jamaica

Experience with twenty-five cases of acute encephalitis believed to be of viral origin has been analyzed. There is serological evidence that three of these cases were due to St. Louis virus. An unknown virus was isolated from the serum of one patient. In most of the cases, onset of illness was sudden. Fever, headache and mental change were the main symptoms. There was a mortality rate of 16 percent. It is significant that in about 35 percent of the cases, there was some residual defect after illness. (Summary)