Search PubMed⌕ Search

Biomedical subjects

R B Couch

Publications and source records attributed to R B Couch.

At least 127 records · Page 7Linked to original sources
PubMed1974

Attenuation of rhinovirus type 15: relation of illness to plaque size.

Rhinovirus type 15 passaged three times in WI-38 cells produced illness in only one of 35 volunteers, but infection resulted in formation of significant quantities of antibodies in the serums of 100%, and in nasal secretions of 89%, of infected volunteers. The inoculum contained large- (60%) and small- (40%) plaque variants. "Purified" large- and small-plaque inocula were prepared, and each was administered to 20 volunteers. There was a significant association of illness with the small-plaque inocula (P < 0.01) but the incidence of infection, quantitative virus shedding patterns, and mean serum and nasal secretory antibodies were not significantly different between the two groups. These findings suggest that plaque size may be an in vitro marker of attenuation of illness production by rhinoviruses.

Antibody Formation↗
PubMed1973

Antibody to Mycoplasma pneumoniae in nasal secretions and sputa of experimentally infected human volunteers.

After experimental infection with Mycoplasma pneumoniae, 42% of 67 volunteers developed a threefold or greater rise in antibody in nasal secretions as measured by radioimmunoprecipitation. Development of an antibody increase in sputum was detected more often, i.e., in 73% of the volunteers. Each of the antibody increases involved immunoglobulin (Ig) A. Twelve rises in IgG antibody were detected in the specimens which exhibited a rise in IgA antibody. In almost every instance the rise in IgA antibody exceeded that seen with IgG antibody. Analysis of the response to experimental challenge with M. pneumoniae of volunteers with different levels of preexisting respiratory tract IgA antibody suggested that this secretory antibody was related to host resistance to M. pneumoniae disease. Further, respiratory tract IgA antibody appeared to be more directly related to host resistance than was antibody in serum.

Adult↗
PubMed1971

Aerosol inoculator for exposure of human volunteers.

The performance of an aerosol inoculator for human volunteers is described in tests that used the PR8 strain of type A influenza virus and sodium fluorescein as a physical tracer. Virus recovery from the aerosols was approximately 1% and was unaffected by such variables as prolonged aerosolization, total airflow, relative humidity, or method of sampling. The recovery of sodium fluorescein from the aerosol was approximately 12% and was influenced by total airflow rates and relative humidity. With this apparatus, it should be possible to deliver reasonably predictable and measurable doses of respiratory viruses to human subjects. The design makes it possible to dismantle the inoculator into its component parts to facilitate portability.

Aerosols↗
PubMed1971

Serological responses and results of natural infectious challenge of recipients of zonal ultracentrifuged influenza A2-Aichi-2-68 vaccine.

In an epidemic of Hong Kong influenza in a penal institution, acute respiratory illness occurred in 5.6% of 196 inmates given single subcutaneous doses of 332, 535, or 1 265 CCA of zonal centrifuged, inactivated vaccine and in 11.7% of 755 nonvaccinated inmates (P<0.03). The frequency of illness among inmates who received single doses of 54 or 137 CCA of vaccine was not significantly different from that among the nonimmunized inmates (chi(2)=0.93, not significant). The vaccine was prepared with the A2/Aichi/2/68 strain of influenza and administered 7 weeks before the outbreak. Virus shedding was significantly lower in vaccinated inmates with respiratory disease (11.1%) than in nonvaccinated inmates (73.7%, P<0.04).Serological studies showed an increasing mean titre and increasing frequency of 4-fold or greater haemagglutination inhibition and neutralizing antibody responses with increasing dosage of vaccine.

Antibody Formation↗
PubMed1970

Amantadine therapy of epidemic influenza a(2) (Hong Kong).

In a double-blind comparison of the therapeutic effect of amantadine in a natural outbreak of Hong Kong influenza in January 1969 near Houston, Texas, the decrease in titers of virus in throat swabs from 12 treated patients during the first 10 hr of treatment was appreciably greater than similar titers of virus from 16 untreated patients (P = 0.06). The titer of shed virus decreased significantly more rapidly (P < 0.05) among amantadine-treated patients ill more than 48 hr before treatment than among five control patients who had been ill more than 48 hr. Cough, sore throat, and nasal obstruction cleared more rapidly in treated patients (P < 0.05), and decline of fever in 6 treated patients sick for less than 48 hr before treatment was more rapid than among 13 untreated patients who had been ill for less than 48 hr. These findings are considered to be consistent with a limited therapeutic effect of the drug.

Journal Article↗