Insertion of an intact CR1 retrotransposon in a cadherin gene linked with Bt resistance in the pink bollworm, Pectinophora gossypiella.

Three mutations in the Pectinophora gossypiella cadherin gene PgCad1 are linked with resistance to Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) toxin Cry1Ac. Here we show that the r3 mutation entails recent insertion into PgCad1 of an active chicken repeat (CR1) retrotransposon, designated CR1-1_Pg. Unlike most other CR1 elements, CR1-1_Pg is intact, transcribed by a flanking promoter, contains target site duplications and has a relatively low number of copies. Examination of transcripts from the PgCad1 locus revealed that CR1-1_Pg disrupts both the cadherin protein and a long noncoding RNA of unknown function. Together with previously reported data, these findings show that transposable elements disrupt eight of 12 cadherin alleles linked with resistance to Cry1Ac in three lepidopteran species, indicating that the cadherin locus is a common target for disruption by transposable elements.

A prospective study in a southern Indian hospital on the prescription of medication during the lying in period following childbirth.

The awareness of the inherent risks attached to medication use during pregnancy is increasing. There is, however, a paucity of available following childbirth. We have conducted a prospective study in women who gave birth in hospital with the objective of analysing the use of medication in this lying in period. The results show that, in addition to the vitamins and minerals routinely prescribed for every young mother and the antipyretics administered as required, the following medicaments were most often used: analgesics (by approx. 9%), anti-inflammatory agents (49%) and antibiotics (38%). The antibiotics were either used prophylactically or, in cases of proven infection, administered therapeutically. The use of antibiotics appears more intensive compared to western countries, presumably due to the greater risk of infection in this group in India. On the other hand, the use of sleep inducing medication and tranquillizers during the lying in period appears, in comparison to other studies, almost negligible. The majority of the women were unaware of the potential side-effects of medication during breastfeeding.

PIP: A prospective analysis was conducted on 539 women, 18-40 years old, admitted to the postpartum unit at the Christian Medical College Hospital in Vellore, India, during June-September 1989 to learn prescribing patterns during the puerperium and the side effects of the drugs in the mother and the breast fed infant and to examine the attitudes of the mothers to drug use during breast feeding and their knowledge of possible side effects. 95.7% breast fed their newborns. 68.5% received at least three drugs. All the mothers received a combination of iron and folic acid and calcium lactate. The next most commonly prescribed drug category was antipyretics (53.1%) followed by anti-inflammatory drugs (49.2%), antibiotics (37.8%), and analgesics (13.9%). 0.2% of all the mothers received sedatives. 96.4% of women who underwent assisted delivery (forceps and vacuum extraction) and 80% who underwent cesarean section (CS) received antipyretics. Most CS patients also received antibiotics (96%) and analgesics (70%). Among the women receiving antibiotics, 73.5% received it for prophylactic reasons and 26.5% for therapeutic reasons. 20.8% of women who had a normal delivery received antibiotics. 37.8% of mothers who chose to breast feed received antibiotics, even metronidazole, which is contraindicated in the newborn. Only four of all the physicians knew that drug use during lactation should be avoided. 16.3% of mothers knew that drug use during lactation would affect their newborn. Almost all these mothers knew that drugs are secreted in breast milk. 29.7% of the mothers who had delivered before the index delivery could name drugs prescribed during previous deliveries. None had noted any side effects either in themselves or in their infants.

Immunogenicity and safety of a DTaP-IPV//PRP~T vaccine (Pentaxim) booster dose during the second year of life in Indian children primed with the same vaccine.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the immunogenicity and safety of a pentavalent (diphtheria, tetanus, acellular pertussis, inactivated poliovirus, Hib polysaccharide-conjugate) combination vaccine booster dose. DESIGN: Multicenter, open, Phase III clinical study. SETTING: Two tertiary-care hospitals in Delhi and Vellore, India. PARTICIPANTS/PATIENTS: 207 healthy Indian children. INTERVENTION: The DTaP-IPV//PR~NT vaccine (Pentaxim) was given at 18-19 months of age to children who had been primed with the same vaccine at 6,10,14 weeks of age. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Immunogenicity was assessed before and 1 month after the booster. Safety was evaluated from parental reports, and investigator assessments. RESULTS: At 18-19 months of age, before boosting, the SP rates against diphtheria, tetanus, poliovirus and PRP were 82.3-100%; 90.0% of participants had anti-PRP >0.15 ug/mL. Anti-poliovirus titers were >1:8 dilution in 97.9-98.4% of participants. Anti-PT and FHA titers (5 EU/mL) were detectable in 82.5% and 90.8% of participants, respectively. One month after the booster dose, SP rates were 99.5% for PRP (>1.0 ug/mL), 100% for diphtheria, tetanus (>0.1 IU/mL) and polioviruses (>8:1/dilution). Sero-conversion (4 fold post-booster increase in anti-PT and -FHA concentration) occurred in 96.8% and 91.7%, respectively. Geometric mean concentrations (GMC) increased from 11.7 to 353.1 EU/mL and from 18.2 to 363.4 EU/mL for anti-PT and anti-FHA, respectively. Anti-PRP GMC increased from 1.75 to 70.5 ug/mL. Vaccine reactogenicity was low; severe solicited reactions were reported by <1.4% of participants. CONCLUSION: The DTaP-IPV//PRP-T vaccine booster at 18-19 months of age was well tolerated and induced strong antibody responses.

Immunogenicity and safety of a pentavalent diphtheria, tetanus, acellular pertussis, inactivated poliovirus, Haemophilus influenzae type B conjugate combination vaccine (Pentaxim) with hepatitis B vaccine.

OBJECTIVE: To obtain immunogenicity and safety data for a pentavalent combination vaccine (diphtheria, tetanus, acellular pertussis, inactivated poliovirus, Hib polysaccharide-conjugate). DESIGN: Multicenter, open, Phase III clinical study. A DTaP-IPV//PRP approximately T vaccine (Pentaxim) was given at 6,10,14 weeks of age; and Hepatitis B vaccine at 0,6,14 or at 6,10,14 weeks of age. Immunogenicity assessed 1 month post-3rd dose; safety assessed for 30 minutes by the investigator, then by parents and investigators to 8 days and 30 days post-vaccination. SETTING: Tertiary-care hospitals. PARTICIPANTS/PATIENTS: 226 healthy Indian infants (6 weeks of age). MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Immunogenicity and safety. RESULTS: Immunogenicity was high for each vaccine antigen, and similar to a historical control study (France) following a 2,3,4 month of age administration schedule. Post-3rd dose, 98.6% of subjects had anti-PRP >0.15 mg/mL and 90.0% had titers >1.0 mg/mL; the anti-PRP GMT was 4.1 micrograms/mL. Seroprotection rates for diphtheria and tetanus (>0.01 IU/mL) were 99.1% and 100%; and 100%, 99.1% and 100%, for polio types 1,2 and 3 (>8 [1/dil]) respectively. Anti-polio GMTs were 440.5,458.9, and 1510.7 (1/dil) for types 1,2 and 3 respectively. The vaccine response rates to pertussis antigens (4-fold increase in antibody concentration) were 93.7% for PT and 85.7% for FHA; the 2-fold increase was 97.1% and 92.4%. Vaccine reactogenicity was low with adverse reaction incidence not increasing with subsequent doses. CONCLUSION: The DTaP-IPV//PRP approximately T vaccine, given concomitantly with monovalent hepatitis B vaccine, was highly immunogenic at 6, 10 and 14 weeks of age in infants in India. The vaccine was well tolerated.