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Biomedical subjects

E Kinnunen

Publications and source records attributed to E Kinnunen.

At least 55 records · Page 3Linked to original sources
PubMed1987

Localized outbreak of enteroviral meningitis in adults.

During a thorough surveillance of viral infections of the central nervous system an outbreak of aseptic meningitis was discovered in the western part of Finland in late 1985. The 21 diseased young adults were carefully studied by different virological methods. A presumed viral etiology, in all cases of enteroviral origin, was found in 16 of 20 (80%) with adequate specimens. Four different enteroviruses were associated with this episode; in 9 cases the presumed etiological agent was echovirus 5, while coxsackie B5, echo 25 and echo 17 viruses appeared to be responsible for 4, 2 and 1 case, respectively. Sensitivity of different diagnostic methods as regards detection of the echovirus 5 infections was in order: increase of type-specific neutralizing serum antibodies, isolation of virus from faeces, isolation from throat and group diagnosis by demonstrating an increase in complement-fixing antibodies to coxsackie B5 virus antigen.

Adult↗
PubMed1987

Multiple sclerosis in a nationwide series of twins.

A nation wide Finnish Twin Cohort was linked with sickness insurance and hospital discharge registers on the basis of the unique identification number assigned to each Finnish citizen. The study series consisted of 4,063 monozygotic (MZ) and 9,001 dizygotic (DZ) same-sexed twin pairs born before 1958 and alive in 1981. Altogether, 22 subjects representing 11 MZ pairs and 10 DZ pairs showed clinically definite multiple sclerosis (MS). In one MZ pair both members had the disease. The frequency of MS among DZ twins corresponded to the figure in the Finnish population, but the prevalence was higher in MZ twins than in DZ twins.

Adult↗
PubMed1987

Guillain-Barré syndrome: quantitative measurement of plasma exchange therapy.

A prospective, controlled study with quantitative measurement of hand muscle-force for plasma exchange treatment in acute Guillain-Barré polyradiculitis was done. Of the 29 patients with severe symptoms, every second patient was selected to the plasma exchange group and all others to the control group. The muscle forces increased and CSF protein decreased significantly more in the plasma exchange group than in the control group, but there were no differences in hospitalization or recovery periods.

Adult↗
PubMed1987

Unintended plasma exchange therapy in poliomyelitis: difficulties in the differential diagnosis of paralytic poliomyelitis and polyradiculitis.

During the recent polio epidemic in Finland, 3 patients were initially misdiagnosed as Guillain-Barré polyradiculitis, and 1 of them was treated with plasma exchange. The follow-up until 2 years showed no difference in the recovery between this patient and the 2 other poliomyelitis patients treated without plasma exchange. The importance of the differential diagnosis between acute poliomyelitis and acute Guillain-Barré polyradiculitis is emphasized. An evaluation scheme includes sequential physical and cerebrospinal fluid examinations, together with viral antibody determinations.

Adult↗
PubMed1986

Relationships between the prevalence of multiple sclerosis and some physical and chemical properties of soil.

The prevalence of multiple sclerosis (MS) and some physical and chemical properties of soil in two counties of Finland have been compared. In the county where the MS prevalence rate was significantly higher, the pH of the soil was lower, the organic carbon content higher, the concentration of soluble iron, zinc, chromium and aluminium higher and those of soluble potassium, calcium, magnesium, strontium and total selenium lower than in the county with the lower MS-prevalence rate. According to the literature, areas of a high MS prevalence correspond rather closely to the global distribution of mires, particularly to raised bogs in the northern hemisphere.

Finland↗
PubMed1986

Outbreak of paralytic poliomyelitis in Finland: widespread circulation of antigenically altered poliovirus type 3 in a vaccinated population.

An outbreak of 9 cases of paralytic poliomyelitis and 1 non-paralytic case occurred in Finland between August, 1984, and January, 1985, after two decades of freedom from the disease attributable to a successful immunisation programme. During the outbreak poliovirus type 3 was isolated from the patients, from about 15% of healthy persons tested, and from sewage water. At least 100 000 persons were estimated to have been infected. With 1.5 million extra doses of inactivated poliovirus vaccine to children under 18 years of age and an oral poliovirus vaccine campaign covering about 95% of the entire population in February-March, 1985, the outbreak was halted in February, 1985. Impaired herd immunity to the epidemic strain of poliovirus type 3, which differed from the type 3 vaccine strains in both immunological and molecular properties, was important in the emergence of this outbreak. The inactivated poliovaccine that had been used in the vaccination programme was relatively weakly immunogenic, especially as regards the type 3 component. Whether continuous antigenic variation of poliovirus type 3 has wider epidemiological implications is not known.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1986

The significance of cerebrospinal fluid routine screening for neurosyphilis.

From 1980 to 1985 the cerebrospinal fluid microhaemagglutination assay for Treponema pallidum antibodies (MHA:TP-CSF) was routinely examined from 10 386 consecutive CSF samples of more than 10,000 patients admitted to a large neurological unit in Helsinki. Twenty one patients were considered to have neurosyphilis on the basis of clinical, serological and CSF findings. The MHA:TP-CSF test was positive in 14 patients, in 4 patients the result was undefined, and in 3 patients negative. No false-positive results were obtained. Ten of the patients had no previous history of syphilis demonstrating the value of this type of routine screening, and in only 2 of these patients the diagnosis was suspected by clinicians before the CSF examination. The serum MHA:TP was positive in all examined 18 neurosyphilis patients indicating its value for the routine screening method instead of the CSF examination.

Adult↗
PubMed1986

Outbreak of poliomyelitis in Finland: no distinct HLA association.

In 1984 to 1985 an outbreak of poliomyelitis was found after a 20-year free period in Finland. The 10 patients with central nervous system disease were studied for HLA antigens. Additionally, two families with two and four affected siblings from the previous outbreak were analysed. The affection of the central nervous system seems not to depend on HLA-associated genetic factors.

Disease Outbreaks↗
PubMed1986

Outbreak of poliomyelitis in Finland in 1984. Description of nine cases with persisting paralysis.

Finland has been free of poliomyelitis since 1964 following a high coverage regular immunization programme using the Salk-type trivalent inactivated poliovirus vaccine. In late 1984 an outbreak of poliomyelitis with widespread circulation of poliovirus type 3 throughout the country was found. A thorough surveillance revealed 9 sporadic cases with acute persisting paralysis, all shown to be caused by poliovirus type 3. The preceding 20-year period free from poliomyelitis contributed to some diagnostic problems.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1984

Histocompatibility antigens in familial multiple sclerosis in a high-risk area of the disease.

Fourteen Finnish families, each with two or more cases of multiple sclerosis (MS), were analysed for HLA antigens. Seventy family members were studied. They were all born in a high-risk area of MS and came from families with an unusually high frequency of MS. The frequencies of B7, B12 and DR2 were increased both in patients and their healthy relatives, whereas A1, B8 and DR1 were decreased in patients. MS patients shared the HLA haplotypes more often than expected.

Disease Susceptibility↗
PubMed1984

Multiple sclerosis in Finland: evidence of increasing frequency and uneven geographic distribution.

For the present incidence study of multiple sclerosis (MS) in Finland, reliable data since 1964 were available. The mean annual incidence rate of MS was significantly higher in the western part (3.3 per 100,000) than in the southern part of the country (2.2 per 100,000). The mean annual incidence for all MS patients was highest during the second of the three 5-year periods from 1964 to 1978. However, the incidence for women in the western part increased also thereafter. At the same time, the female-to-male incidence ratio changed from 1.0 to 2.2. The results confirmed an uneven distribution with a stable cluster of MS in the western part of the country.

Adolescent↗