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Biomedical subjects

H A Kelly

Publications and source records attributed to H A Kelly.

30 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

Dramatic increase in incidence of insulin dependent diabetes mellitus in Western Australia.

OBJECTIVES: To document and suggest possible reasons for a dramatic increase in the incidence of insulin dependent diabetes mellitus (IDDM) in Western Australia in 1992. PATIENTS: Children aged 0-14 years with IDDM diagnosed in Western Australia from 1985 to 1992 inclusive. DESIGN: A population-based register in Western Australia, using name-identified data from two separate ascertainment sources, provided numerator data. Denominator data were estimated from census figures collected in 1986 and 1991 by the Australian Bureau of Statistics. The completeness of case ascertainment was estimated by the capture-recapture method. RESULTS: Case ascertainment for 1985-1992 was estimated as 99.6% complete. Between 1985 and 1991 the incidence of IDDM in the 0-14 year age group varied between 11.8 and 15.5 per 100,000 person-years without a significant increase. In 1992, however, based on the previous seven years, 52 cases would have been expected but 84 cases were observed, an incidence of 22.2 per 100,000 person-years. The increase in incidence occurred across all age groups and in both sexes. Place of residence at diagnosis, the prevalence of islet cell antibody positivity at diagnosis and the proportion of new cases with a first degree relative with IDDM were no different in 1992 than in preceding years. CONCLUSION: This is the first report of a significant increase in the incidence of IDDM in Australia. It appears to be a period, rather than a cohort, effect and provides further evidence for environmental antigens as disease triggers.

Adolescent↗

Incidence of IDDM in Western Australia in children aged 0-14 yr from 1985 to 1989.

OBJECTIVE: To document the incidence of insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (IDDM) in Western Australia in children aged 0-14 yr between 1985 and 1989 and to test for differences in incidence by year of diagnosis, age of diagnosis, and sex. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: A population-based register that used a primary source of case ascertainment (diabetes clinics at teaching hospitals and direct approach to general practitioners and general physicians) and a secondary source (Western Australian Hospital Morbidity Data System) established numerator data. Denominator data were obtained from the Australian Bureau of Statistics. RESULTS: From 1985 to 1989 inclusive, 235 children in the 0- to 14-yr age-group were diagnosed with IDDM in Western Australia. Case ascertainment was estimated at 99% complete. The mean age-adjusted (developed-world population) annual incidence of IDDM was 13.2 per 100,000 person-yr and there was no evidence of an increasing incidence over the 5 yr. However, girls were more likely than boys to be diagnosed with IDDM in this period (P = 0.006). CONCLUSIONS: The incidence of IDDM in Western Australia is in the middle range of IDDM incidence in countries throughout the world. The unexpected finding of an increased incidence of IDDM in girls compared with boys needs to be confirmed in a future study.

Adolescent↗

Ear disease in three aboriginal communities in Western Australia.

Surveys of ear disease amongst Aboriginal people in two isolated bush communities (Wiluna and La Grange) and one urban community (Kwinana) in Western Australia were undertaken in 1988 or 1989. The age-adjusted prevalence odds ratio (relative risk) of perforations of the tympanic membrane for Wiluna compared with Kwinana was 5.0 (95% confidence interval [CI] 2.7-12.2) and 6.8 (95% CI 3.5-13.9) for La Grange compared with Kwinana. The relative risk of mild hearing loss, in comparison with Kwinana, was 2.5 (95% CI 1.5-4.3) for Wiluna and 3.2 (95% CI 2.0-5.0) for La Grange. There was no significant difference in the relative risk of moderate or severe hearing loss or impedance pattern B, usually interpreted as "glue ear", in any of the three communities. Overall, the urban Aboriginal community had less ear disease and hearing loss than either of the isolated bush communities, but even this community did not approach the much lower levels of prevalence in Australia as a whole.

Acoustic Impedance Tests↗

Measuring the HIV epidemic: the Western Australian experience.

Previous discussion about sources of error in measuring the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) epidemic has tended to emphasise errors which underestimated the number of HIV infected persons. Data are provided from Western Australia illustrating potential errors which may result in overestimating the size of the epidemic. Duplication of persons notified in more than one State and multiple notifications by doctors and laboratories of single cases may give rise to substantial errors in over-estimation.

Contact Tracing↗

Properties and partial genetic characterization of Nepean phage and other lytic phages of Brucella species.

Nepean (Np), a new brucellaphage, was associated with atypical Brucella abortus strains from Ontario cattle. Carriage of Np was associated with loss of smooth lipopolysaccharide, changes in some protein bands in acrylamide gel electrophoresis profiles, increased susceptibility to colistin, and increased resistance to ultraviolet killing. Nepean (Np) was compared with brucellaphages Tb, Fi, Wb, Iz and R/C. All were morphologically identical, with icosahedral capsids (50-65 nm diameter) and short tails (15-25 nm long), but Np had a more restricted host range, replicating only in smooth strains of B. abortus. All six brucellaphages were generally similar in resistance to chemical and physical agents. Brucellaphage DNA was double stranded and unmethylated; its molecular size was 38 kilobase pairs. The DNAs of Tb, Fi, Wb, Iz and R/C could not be differentiated by restriction endonuclease digest profiles produced by BgII, EcoRI, HindIII or PvuII. Nepean (Np) DNA was very similar to that of the other brucellaphages, but with every enzyme used its profile differed in the number and/or position of at least one fragment. However, there was complete cross-hybridization of Tb and Np DNAs. Hybridization techniques failed to detect Brucella DNA in Dp or Tb phages, or phage DNA in Brucella cells. Extrachromosomal plasmid DNA was not detected.

Animals↗

Evaluation of determination of theophylline concentrations by Seralyzer.

Determination of theophylline concentrations by Seralyzer in 28 paired serum and plasma samples disclosed almost identical results. Comparison of determinations by Seralyzer and enzyme-multiplied immunoassay in 31 paired serum samples disclosed significant underestimation by Seralyzer when recalibrated whenever results of analysis of a 15-micrograms/mL control exceeded limits of +/- 3 micrograms/mL. Determinations by Seralyzer did not differ significantly from enzyme-multiplied immunoassay with narrower limits of 15 +/- 2 micrograms/mL for Seralyzer calibration for 18 paired samples. Seralyzer results are sufficiently reliable for clinical use if the instrument is recalibrated whenever analysis of the 15-micrograms/mL control falls outside limits of +/- 2 micrograms/mL.

Child↗