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Biomedical subjects

A Rotberg

Publications and source records attributed to A Rotberg.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1981

An inquiry into the adoption of the term Mycobacterium hansenii.

An inquiry was made among various organs of the Public Health Service of the State of S. Paulo, Brazil, members of the Scientific Council and Editorial Board of "Hansenologia Internationalis", and Professors of Dermatology, Bacteriology, Neurology, Pathology and Preventive Medicine of Brazil, having in view the possibility of using the term Mycobacterium hansenii in that periodical, as a substitute for Mycobacterium leprae. The results were considered favorable to the change and led to the adoption of the new term by the Institute of Health, which publishes the periodical. The First Congress of Hansenology of the Endemic Countries and the Third Brazilian Congress of Hansenology, held in Rio de Janeiro, November 1980, were informed of the change and resolved to introduce Myco. hansenii as a synonym for Myco.leprae, upon a recommendation of their Workshops on Bacteriology. Appeals are made to the International Committee of Systematic Bacteriology and Societies of Bacteriology of the whole world to study the grave moral, social, medical and preventive problems caused by the "bacteriological stigma" in endemic Christian countries.

Mycobacterium leprae↗
PubMedDate not supplied

The "Hansen-anergic fringe".

The Hansen-Anergic Fringe ("HAF") of the population is the minority genetically incapable of developing that variety of specific immunity to Myco. hansenii which leads to the positivity of the Mitsuda reaction. In spite of the fact that the HAF was identified as early as 1937, its real proportion in the human species is still not exactly known. Considering that Myco. tuberculosis has been proved to induce Mitsuda-positivity in the genetically capable majority, studies with the tuberculin reactions and cross-stimulation with BCG should be instrumental for the determination of the width of the HAF in various races and different endemic and non-endemic areas. In Brazil it stands around 20-25%, but more accurate studies are necessary. Between the HAF and the Mitsuda-positive or potentially positive majority there is a zone of "intermediate reactivity" which also needs quantification. The specific HAF reacts normergically to all other tests so far investigated and has not yet been associated with any other kind of immuno-deficiency. Also, it has not been associated with any of the known genetical markers, although HLA studies seem promising. If its postulated genetical nature is confirmed, the possibility of effective vaccination will be doubtful.

BCG Vaccine↗