Deoxyribonucleic acid synthesis, cell cycle progression, and division of Chlamydia-infected HeLa 229 cells.

The fate of lymphogranuloma venereum strain Chlamydia-infected HeLa 229 cells was examined by determining the rate of deoxyribonucleic acid synthesis and the kinetics of entry into and progression through S phase and by time-lapse cinemicrography. At an input multiplicity of 5 or less, Chlamydia-infected cells showed no inhibition of host deoxyribonucleic acid synthesis or cell cycle progression. Cinemicrography showed division of inclusion-containing cells, with one or both daughters receiving chlamydial inclusions. Analysis of the family trees indicated that the generation times of infected HeLa 229 were not altered relative to those of the uninfected cells.

Comparison of immunogenicity of a whole virion and a subunit influenza vaccine in adults.

The immunogenicity and reactogenicity of a whole virus (Merck Sharp & Dohme) and a subunit (Wyeth) influenza A/New Jersey/76 vaccine were compared in a group of 214 normal adult subjects. Both the seroconversion rate and the magnitutde of hemagglutination inhibition antibody response were significantly (P less than 0.01) lower in the recipients of the subunit vaccine, whereas there were no significant differences in local or systemic reactions between the two preparations. On the basis of these data, we question the previous Public Health Service recommendation that one dose of either preparation of the influenza A/New Jersey/76 vaccine is equally efficacious in individuals over 24 years of age.

Proteus rettgeri infections: a review.

Proteus rettgeri is an aerobic gram-negative bacillus that displays marked resistance against most of the antibiotics presently available. This organism causes infections usually confined to the urinary tract of certain types of compromised patients. Occasionally, it is recovered from soft tissue abscesses, and rarely from the blood and respiratory tract. Proteus rettgeri is notorious for causing nosocomial outbreaks of urinary tract infections in urological and physical medicine wards. Our experience with a patient who had bacteremia with a multi-drug resistant strain of Proteus rettgeri prompted a review of the literature concerning infections with this organism. The salient features of these reports are discussed and summarized. Data on the antibiotic sensitivity of 15 other strains of Proteus rettgeri are included.

Influenza immunization in patients with chronic renal disease.

Patients receiving long-term hemodialysis (23) and patients with moderate to severe renal impairment and without hemodialysis (14) were immunized with inactivated influenza A/New Jersey/76 whole virus vaccine. Fourfold or greater increases in hemagglutinating-inhibiting antibody (HAI) titers occurred in 94% of controls, 93% of nondialyzed patients with chronic renal disease, and 87% of patients with continual hemodialysis. Postimmunization geometric mean titers in both groups of patients were equivalent to those of controls. The proportion of patients responding to vaccine was independent of levels of creatinine clearance, and the presence of preimmunization HAI titers also had no effect on frequency of seroconversion. Though some element of immunologic suppression is associated with chronic renal disease, it is not reflected in the humoral antibody response to influenza A/New Jersey/76 vaccine.

Influenza immunization of adult patients with malignant diseases.

To characterize the immunogenicity of influenza vaccine in patients with malignant disease, 21 patients with lymphoreticular neoplasms and 21 patients with solid tumors were immunized with inactivated influenza A/New Jersey/76 whole virus vaccine. The patients were randomized with respect to time of vaccine administration in relation to administration of chemotherapy. Fourfold or greater antibody titer increases occurred in 94% of controls and 71% of cancer patients (P less than 0.05), and the magnitude of antibody response was also significantly lower in cancer patients (P less than 0.01). There was no correlation of antibody responsiveness with sex, age, tumor type, absolute lymphocyte count, disease status, or type of chemotherapeutic agent used. Fifty percent of patients immunized at the time of chemotherapy administration showed seroconversion, which is significantly less than the 93% response rate observed in patients immunized between chemotherapy courses. It is thus recommended that individuals with malignant disease should receive influenza immunization between chemotherapy courses.