[The use of hemagglutination inhibition tests and complement fixation tests for evaluation of immunity states and diagnosis of recent rubella infections]. / Folosirea reactiilor HAI si FC pentru aprecierea starii de imunitate si diagnosticul de infectie rubeolica recenta

Comparative HAI and CF study of German measles antibodies in 575 sera collected from subjects of different age gave positive HAI reactions in 87% of the cases and positive CF reactions in 55% of the cases. The greater sensitivity of HAI and the longer presence of these antibodies justifies the use of this test for investigating the state of immunity in German measles. The combined use of the two tests for the diagnosis of the disease is very useful especially when the first serum sample is collected some time after the onset when the increase in serum antibody titers can only be demonstrated by CF, as HAI antibodies reach a high titer soon after the onset.

[Improvement of rapid laboratory methods for the diagnosis of streptococcal infections]. / Imbunatatirea metodelor rapide de laborator în diagnosticul infectiilor streptococice

In 1975, clinical and epidemiological investigations were carried out on streptococcal infections, affecting 261 persons in a children's community. Rapid laboratory tests were used, employing commercial sodium amyl polyethylen microtablets. Of the total persons investigated 24.5% (64) presented primary streptococcal infections and 0.3% (1) complications. Environmental complications was 5% greater in the communities with scarlet fever foci than in the intact communities. The absence of late manifestations in the 1--4 year-old children attests to the effectiveness of the preventive measures taken.

[Some respiratory viruses in the etiology of acute upper respiratory infections]. / Unele virusuri respiratorii în etiologia afectiunilor respiratorii acute superioare

The viral etiology of acute respiratory diseases, determined in 107 children admitted to hospital during the 1966-1969 period, was confirmed in 36% of the cases by isolation of the viral agent and in 59% by serologic reactions. Parainfluenza viruses, especially of type 1 and 3, were encountered more often in the etiology of acute or obstructive laryngitis, and the syncytial respiratory virus in tracheobronchitis.

Epidemiologic particularities of influenza in 1986 in a large urban centre of Romania.

The study presents the evolutive peculiarities of the epidemiologic influenza process in 1986 in a large urban centre in Romania, inferrable from the active control by a complex methodology based on clinical, epidemiologic and laboratory investigations. The prevalent part of A (H1N1 and H3N2) and B influenza viruses in causing seasonal morbidity risings is being stressed. A (H3N2) and B influenza viruses determined an epidemic rising during the first trimester and A (H1N1) and A (H3N2) during the fourth trimester in 1986. The epidemiologic influenza impact in 1986 is discussed from the point of view of the complex relationships between the antigenic structure of circulating influenza viruses and the antiinfluenza immune structure of the population.

Epidemiological aspects of the evolution of influenza infections in a large urban centre (B.) in Romania in 1988.

The study describes the peculiarities of the influenza infection evolution, in 1988, in a large urban centre, B., in Romania, as they result from the active surveillance of the epidemiological process of influenza and other viral respiratory tract infections, by means of a complex methodology based on clinical-epidemiological and laboratory techniques. The low endemic morbidity, the evolution of these seasonally ascendant specific incidence, the endemic aspect of influenza infection being maintained as a consequence of its predominance in infants and children, the clinically mild form of the outbreaks, all these are specific elements of the epidemiologic impact in the surveyed territory. They are discussed in accordance with the results of laboratory tests (seroepidemiologic and diagnostic) that confirmed the permanent circulation of influenza virus types A(H1N1), A(H3N2) and B in all age groups.

Epidemiologic features of influenza in a large urban centre (B.) in Romania, in 1987.

The study presents the peculiarities of influenza evolution in 1987 in a large town in Romania. These features were defined by a complex methodology, based on clinical, epidemiologic and laboratory investigations, used in the active control of the epidemiologic process kinetics. The influenza viruses type A (H1N1 and H3N2) had a major role in the infecting and immunizing contacts in all age groups whereas the influenza virus type B had a reduced circulation. The epidemiologic influenza impact in 1987 is discussed from the point of view of the complex relationships between the antigenic structure of circulating influenza viruses and the anti-influenza immune profile of the population under the influence of extremely complex economic, social and natural factors.

Epidemiological particularities of influenza in a town of Romania during 1982.

The particularities of influenza evolution in a large town of Romania during 1982 are outlined on the ground of the data obtained by a complex methodology of active influenza surveillance. The epidemiological features of influenza are discussed within the complex framework of the relationships between the antigenic structure of circulating influenza viruses and the profile of antiinfluenza immunity among the population.

Investigations on the involvement of swine influenza A virus (Hsw1N1) in the influenza outbreak recorded in a town of Romania during the 1976--1977 winter season.

Seroepidemiological investigations performed with 1,620 serum samples and serodiagnostic tests with 166 paired sera demonstrated that swine influenza virus type A/New Jersey 8/76 (Hsw1N1) played no role in the epidemiology of human influenza in a large town of Romania during 1977.

Epidemioligical particularities of influenza outbreaks in a town of Romania during 1975.

Results are presented of the complex epidemiological influenza surveillance in a large town of Romania during 1975. The comprehensive and unitary methodology including systematic laboratory, clinical and epidemiological investigations supplied data on the influenza type A outbreak recorded during the first term of 1975. The factors of importance for epidemiological prognosis -- seroepidemiological indicators of the immunological profile of the population according to age groups, serodiagnostic and virological investigation clinically diagnosed influenza cases, complex epidemiological surveys in representative foci, study of the antigenic structure of the influenza strains isolated -- are outlined. The importance of a continuous, complex influenza surveillance for the differential orientation of prophylaxis and control steps is emphasized.

[Clinical syndrome of convulsive cough of adenoviral etiology in a children's collective]. / Sindrom clinic de tuse convulsiva cu etiologie adenovirala într-o colectivitate de copii

Bacteriological, viral and serological investigators were carried out in a community with 100 prescholar children (Kindergarden), 34 of whom presented a clinical syndrome of whooping cough, in order to establish the bacteriologic or viral etiology of the syndrome. The etiologic role of organisms of the Bordetella, B. pertussis and B. parapertussis was invalidated by the bacteriologic and serological tests. Viral and serological tests, performed to demonstrate the participation of viral agents in the causation of this clinical syndrome, established an adenoviral diagnosis in 13 (43.3%) of the 30 children. Adenovirus type 6 was isolated and there was a significant increase in the titers of antibodies to adenoviruses.

Epidemiological features of influenza in a large town of Romania during 1983.

Data supplied by the active influenza surveillance - including clinical, epidemiological and laboratory investigations - allowed the characterization of the particularities of an influenza outbreak caused by A(H3N2) virus in a large town of Romania in March 1983. The epidemiological impact of influenza in 1983 is discussed in the light of the complex relationships between the antigenic structure of circulating influenza strains and the profile of antiinfluenza immunity of the population.

[Evolutive peculiarities of streptococcal infections in the year 1980, in the city of Bucharest]. / Particularitatile evolutive ale infectiilor streptococice, în cursul anului 1980, în municipiul Bucuresti.

In further investigations on the evolutive trends of the epidemiologic streptococcal process, an extensive epidemiological survey was carried out in prescholar and school communities in the town of Bucharest with a view to applying efficient antiepidemic measures able to limit primary streptococcal infections and prevent late, redoubtable complications. In 1980, in Bucharest, morbidity from scarlet fever was at its lowest level (92.7 per 100,000) during the last 31 years; it was in general benign, affecting especially in the month of March the 5-9 years age group (623.9 per 100,000) and the 1-4 years age group (529.4 per 100,000). The trailing evolution of a scarlet fever focus in a prescholar community suggested the hypothesis of the potentiation of the induction of streptococcal toxigenesis under the influence of intercurrent vital infections, especially measles. There were no deaths from scarlet fever. Laboratory investigations for the active detection and treatment of anginas, of carriers at risk, totalled 52101 tests; of these 4478 (8.59%) were positive for group "A" streptococci. In the prescholar communities surveyed no poststreptococcal complications were reported (acute articular rheumatism and glomerulonephritis). In 1980, there were 63 cases of acute articular rheumatism (code 250) in the 0-18 year-old group. The results suggest the need of continued epidemiological survey of streptococcal infections in children with a view to improving the health status of the population.

The role of some viruses in acute pneumonias in adults.

Virological and bacteriological investigations were performed in 85 patients with acute pneumonias and virus isolation or serological evidence of virus infection were obtained in 37.6% of the cases. Influenza A2 and B viruses were incriminated in 14.1% of the patients; parainfluenza viruses in 7% and adenoviruses in 17.2% of the cases. Coxsackie virus was isolated from one patient's blood, and poliovirus 3 was recovered in 3 cases. In 5 cases associated virus infections were detected.

Importance of associated viral and bacterial infections in the production of acute pneumonias.

Bacteriologic and virologic investigations carried out in a group of 85 patients with acute pneumonia have allowed the determination of the etiologic agent in 52.9% of the cases. Of these, 40% showed combined viral and bacterial infections. Mixovirus infections were frequently associated with staphylococcic ones (7 out of 8 cases) and adenovirus infections with the pneumococcic ones (6 out of 7 cases). The most severe and longdrawn clinical pictures with frequent pleuropulmonary complications (in 22.24% of the cases) had a biphasic evolution in only 6 of the 18 pneumonias of mixed etiology. For their high frequency and their clinical peculiarities, mixed etiology pneumonias might be considered as distinct clinical entities.

Importance of associated viral and bacterial infections in the production of acute pneumonias.

Bacteriologic and virologic investigations carried out in a group of 85 patients with acute pneumonia have allowed the determination of the etiologic agent in 52.9% of the cases. Of these, 40% showed combined viral and bacterial infections. Mixovirus infections were frequently associated with staphylococcic ones (7 out of 8 cases) and adenovirus infections with the pneumococcic ones (6 out of 7 cases). The most severe and longdrawn clinical pictures with frequent pleuropulmonary complications (in 22.24% of the cases) had a biphasic evolution in only 6 of the 18 pneumonias of mixed etiology. For their high frequency and their clinical peculiarities, mixed etiology pneumonias might be considered as distinct clinical entities.