[Validation of an ELISA for the measurement of human IgG against serogroup B Neisseria meningitidis protein]. / Validación de un ELISA para la cuantificación de IgG humana antiproteína de Neisseria meningitidis serogrupo B.

An indirect ELISA test was optimised in which B meningoccocus outer membrane proteins included in the Cuban Vaccine known as VA-MENGOC-BC were used as capture antigents. Specific antibodies in serum samples from vaccinated individuals were detected using a human anti-IgG conjugate, i.e. alklayne phosphatase, thus the reaction developed with a specific substrate called p-nitrophenilphophate. Standard serum was obtained from a reference standard, the gage curve range was 625 to 20,000/mL. The control serum was selected from the most interesting areas for the samples, hence, assay characteristics were determined. Intra-assay, inter-assay and total inaccuracies were lower than 10% in the most linear area of the curve. Detectability was 700/mL. Recovery, paralelism and linearity studies showed an under 10% inaccuracy.

[Humoral immune response to the proteins of an antimeningococcal BC vaccine in a trial carried out in Antioquia, Colombia]. / Respuesta inmune humoral a las proteínas de una vacuna antimeningocócica BC en un ensayo realizado en Antioquia, Colombia.

This study evaluated the humoral response to protein components of the Cuban-produced vaccine against serogroups B and C meningococcus, VA-MENGOC-BC, in adults and children 1 to 5 years old. The trial was conducted in an area of the Department of Antioquia, Colombia, in which an elevated incidence of meningococcal disease had been recorded. The serum anti-vaccine-protein response was studied before (T0) and after (T1) vaccination by means of enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), and lytic capacity was evaluated through the bactericidal antibodies test (BAT). The ELISA was performed before and after vaccination on the sera of 407 adults and 213 children. Lytic capacity against Cuban meningococcal strain B:4:P1.15 was studied with BAT in paired sera from 90 adults and 114 children. The two techniques showed a statistically significant response (P < 0.01) to the vaccine, in both adults and children. Of the total number of subjects tested with ELISA, 81% showed an immune response to the vaccine (T1/T0 > or = 2) (95% confidence interval, CI95%: 78% to 84%); among children, immune response was 91% (CI95%: 87% to 94%). All the children 1 year of age (n = 7) responded. Seroconversion (T1/T0 > or = 4), as shown by ELISA, was 80% among adults (CI95%: 73% to 86%) and 90% among children (CI95%: 83% to 100%). BAT demonstrated seroconversion in 85% (CI95%: 78% to 92%) of subjects who had been seronegative before vaccination, 85% of the adults (CI95%: 76% to 95%) and 84% of the children (CI95%: 72% to 96%). Seroconversion among children 3 and 4 years of age was 80%. The group of sera from children 1, 2, and 5 years old available for study with BAT was too small for meaningful statistical analysis; all of them seroconverted. In 20 sera chosen randomly for study of their bactericidal activity against all the strains isolated from patients in Colombia (B:4:P1.15, B:8:P1.nt, and two strains of serogroup C), seroconversion was found in all 20 cases. These results give reason to think that vaccination in this group produced an effective immune response, as measured serologically, and this belief is corroborated in practice by the lack of any cases of meningococcal disease through September 1994 among the people vaccinated.

[Arteriosclerosis obliterans and ozone therapy. Its administration by different routes]. / Ateroesclerosis obliterante y ozonoterapia. Administración por diferentes vías.

We report 72 non-diabetic patients with obliterant atherosclerosis, stadium II, (intermittent claudication). The medium age of these patients was 62 +/- 4.5 years old. They were randomly included into four groups. Three were treated with Ozone: one of them by endovenous way, other intramuscular way, and the last one by rectal way; meanwhile, in the fourth group the patients were submitted to conventional medical treatment (control group). In the three ozone-groups there weren't differences when they were compared between then. But there was a significant improvement in comparison with the control group. The claudication distance in the treadmill increased to the 2.5 km/hour. Ankle/arm pressure rates hadn't significant differences, this corroborates the ozone action on the microcirculation. The least uncomfortable, the more harmless and the more economic way was the rectal way.