Search PubMed⌕ Search

Biomedical subjects

C Kunz

Publications and source records attributed to C Kunz.

311 records · Page 18Linked to original sources
PubMedDate not supplied

Seroepidemiologic study of hepatitis C virus in sexually transmitted disease risk groups.

To identify the importance of heterosexual activity as a possible route for the transmission of the hepatitis C virus (HCV), a screening of antibodies against HCV (anti-HCV) was performed in 200 sexually transmitted disease patients with different risks for incurring genital infections as well as in 100 registered prostitutes. Out of all 300 persons tested, 14 cases of HCV infection were detected. Anti-HCV was present in 3 of the prostitutes and in 11 of the STD patients. Evaluating known risk factors, such as intravenous drug use or blood transfusion, 6 out of the 11 STD patients and all of the prostitutes in whom anti-HCV was present were intravenous drug users and exhibited highly promiscuous behavior. Intravenous drug use was the probable means of acquisition in 9 of the 14 subjects in whom anti-HCV was present, and homosexual promiscuous behavior was assumed to be the means of acquisition in another 2 subjects. In heterosexual patients engaging in high-risk behavior (high number of sexual partners and genital infections), the exclusion of intravenous drug use decreased the prevalence of anti-HCV from 12.1% to 4.1%, demonstrating no significant increase from the prevalence among low-risk persons. Most of the patients were screened for STDs, such as syphilis, Neisseria gonorrhoeae, Chlamydia trachomatis, human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), hepatitis B virus (HBV), trichomoniasis, and yeast infections. The highest rate of coinfection with anti-HCV was found in patients with serologic evidence of an HIV infection (50%).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Adolescent↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Decreased growth rate of low-birth-weight infants with prolonged maximum renal acid stimulation.

In a prospective randomized study, the urine pH of 170 premature and small-for-gestational-age (SGA) newborns was routinely screened to detect patients with spontaneously developing maximum renal acid stimulation, an obligatory early stage in the development of late metabolic acidosis. Nitrogen assimilation was evaluated from the ratio of urinary nitrogen excretion and intake. Forty-two premature infants and 10 SGA prematures and newborns after intensive care therapy with body weights greater than 1.5 kg and 25 prematures (including 7 SGA infants) with body weights less than 1.5 kg, spontaneously showed urine pH values below 5.4 on two consecutive days, suggesting maximum renal acid stimulation. These patients were randomly given either oral alkali therapy with sodium bicarbonate 2 mmol/kg/day or no therapy for a period of seven days. In both groups, urine pH was controlled daily. Patients in the control group without alkali therapy and with urine pH values less than 5.4 for seven days showed a significant decrease in weight gain and a tendency to decreased nitrogen assimilation. We assume that a regular check of urine pH in low-birth-weight infants is a useful non-invasive method of detecting patients in the early stages of development of late metabolic acidosis, i.e. in the stage of "incipient late metabolic acidosis". This would provide the possibility of starting early effective therapy and thereby reduce the mean duration of admission to neonatal wards.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Acidosis↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Clinical trials with a new influenza subunit vaccine in adults and children.

The reactogenicity and immunogenicity of a new influenza subunit vaccine containing essentially only hemagglutinin and neuraminidase has been studied in man. Studies in primed individuals demonstrated that the subunit vaccine induced antibody levels as high as those induced by a comparable whole virus vaccine, or a commercially available whole virus vaccine or by a split vaccine. The commercial whole virus vaccine caused systemic reactions, including fever and headache in 15% of volunteers. In contrast local and systemic reactions were significantly fewer after application of subunit vaccine. When unprimed individuals were vaccinated serological responses were, however, superior with whole virus vaccines. The subunit vaccine demonstrated good immunogenicity and a very low reactogenicity in children. Three months after vaccination, a number of the children were challenged intranasally with live attenuated influenza virus. All proved, as judged by virus isolation and antibody response to be resistant.

Adolescent↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Field study with a live influenza vaccine (RIT 4050) in children.

In autumn of 1976 a study was performed with Gripovax (RIT 4050) in 126 schoolchildren in Vienna. Sixty-one of the children were 10 to 14 years old and 65 were 7 to 10 years old. The study was initiated in the older group (10-14 years old) by transnasal administration of a single dose of vaccine; 23 children received a second dose 7 days later. Symptoms were recorded daily up to the 7th postvaccinal day. 53 out of 61 vaccines did not report any symptoms during the 7 day postvaccinal period. 8 complained of mild and transient nasal stuffiness and only 1 child had a rise in temperature (37.8 degrees C). In a second group (7 to 10 years of age), 65 children received 2 doses of the vaccine at a 7 day interval. No symptoms were recorded in 57 subjects and only 8 reported mild and transient nasal stuffiness. Hemagglutination inhibition (HI) antibody titers were determined before and after vaccination. In the older age group (10-14 years), after one dose of vaccine (vaccinees with prevaccinal titers less than 1:20), seroconversion occurred in 20 out of 28 (71.4%) and after two doses, in 18 out of 21 (85.7%). Children aged 7 to 10 years received both doses of the vaccine. In subjects with prevaccinal titers less than 1:20, seroconversion occurred in 40 out of 43 (93%). Geometric mean of titers (GMT) before and after one dose was 24.3 and 97.4, respectively. The GMT of those children who received two doses (both age groups) was 30 preceding and 185 after vaccination.

Administration, Intranasal↗