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S Polakoff

Publications and source records attributed to S Polakoff.

32 records · Page 2Linked to original sources
PubMed1981

Hepatitis in dialysis units in the United Kingdom: a Public Health Laboratory Service Survey.

A prospective study of hepatitis that began in 1968 and continues to include more than half the dialysis units in the United Kingdom shows that type B infection has been completely controlled in such units since the last outbreak ended in 1973. Though occasionally a single patient has developed hepatitis B surface antigenaemia in the course of dialysis or after transplantation, the infection has not spread to other patients or staff in the survey units. A detailed analysis of the results in 1974-75 shows clustering of patients with raised aminotransferase levels in about one-fifth of the units but, unlike past outbreaks of hepatitis B, these clusters are not accompanied by clinical hepatitis among staff. The possibility that some of the clusters are caused by hepatitis viruses other than type A or B is discussed. It is concluded that, when reliable tests for type non-A non-B infections become available, the continued existence of the survey will allow prompt assessment of any viral hepatitis problems that may still exist in UK units.

Carrier State↗
PubMed1979

Reactions and antibody responses to reinforcing doses of adsorbed and plain tetanus vaccines.

In children aged 15--16 years receiving routine reinforcement tetanus immunisation, adsorbed vaccine caused more severe and more frequent local reactions than did plain formol toxoid, and a higher incidence of pyrexia. The incidence of swelling and erythema at the inoculation site increased with serum antitoxin titre at the time of inoculation, whereas pain and tenderness were related to the presence of the aluminium hydroxide adjuvant. Both vaccines gave satisfactory antibody responses over a 5-month observation period; plain formol toxoid induced higher mean titres than did the adsorbed vaccine. It is recommended that plain and not adsorbed vaccine be used when reinforcement of immunity to tetanus alone is desired.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1975

Anti-HBAg immunoglobulin after inoculation injuries.

A Medical Research Council study was begun in England and Wales in September 1973 to determine the incidence of hepatitis B infection among persons who reported certain specified accidents with material containing hepatitis B antigen and who were given anti-hepatitis B immunoglobulin within 14 days. It was not considered justifiable to include a control group. Anti-HBAg immunoglobulin was separated by cold ethanol fractionation from plasma in which hepatitis B antibody was detected by counterimmunoelectrophoresis. The plasma pools were examined for the presence of HBAg bu immune electron-microscopy and radioimmunoassay. The aimmunoglobulin was prepared as a 5 g per 100 ml solution and the titre of anti-HBAg measured by CIEP, RPH, and RIA. The usual dose was 500 mg-intramuscularly. The study includes a year's follow-up of each participant. Serum samples usually taken at four weekly intervals for six months, then at nine months and one year are tested, by routine methods, for abnormalities of liver function and for HBAg and anti-HGAg. Specimens are stored for further tests at the end of the study. In the first year of study 110 persons were enrolled: of these, 100 participants continued to be followed up, about half of them for more than six months.

Antibodies↗
PubMed1972

Hepatitis in dialysis units in the United Kingdom.

A prospective study of hepatitis in 20 dialysis units in the United Kingdom showed that the number of units with outbreaks increased from one in 1968 to three in 1969 and the overall attack rate rose from 1.7 to 5.3% in patients and from 0.5 to 1.3% in staff.In July 1969 a pilot study of patients' sera showed that all of the outbreaks were associated with Australia (Au) antigen. Au antigen was not detected in the unaffected units or in one unit in which there were several patients with abnormal liver function.In January 1970 systematic prospective testing for Au antigen was begun. Au antigen was detected in single patients in five more of the 20 units. The transfer of the affected patients to isolation for dialysis seemed to prevent the spread of infection in the units. The incidence of hepatitis in 1970 was 5.6% in patients and 0.4% in staff.

Carrier State↗
PubMed1970

Nasal acquisition of Staphylococcus aureus in a subdivided and mechanically ventilated ward: endemic prevalence of a single staphylococcal strain.

An investigation was made of nasal acquisition of Staphylococcus aureus and of staphylococcal wound sepsis in a hospital ward divided into two sections and provided with mechanical ventilation, so that there was no transfer of air from one of the sections to the other. Although the strains of S. aureus found in the air, and those colonizing the noses of patients, in the protected section could seldom be related to patients nursed elsewhere in the ward, the mechanical ventilation did not lead to any significant reduction in the degree of contamination of the air or in the rate of nasal acquisition of S. aureus.Even in the protected section, nearly 20% of the strains of S. aureus recovered from the air could not be related to known nasal carriers. Since this proportion was nearly as great as that found in the absence of directed air-flow, it seems probable that these strains were derived either from undetected sources within the section or were dispersed from the clothes of persons who entered it.Nearly one-third of the nasal acquisitions in the ward could not be related to known nasal carriers, but about one-half of these (16%) were probably ;spurious' and half of the remainder (8%) could be related to strains recovered from patients' lesions or drawsheets, leaving no more than 8% unaccounted for. A short investigation in which both drawsheet and perineal samples were examined showed that drawsheet samples did not give a reliable indication of perineal carriage unassociated with nasal carriage.During the period of the investigation, a single strain of S. aureus that was resistant to a wide range of antibiotics established itself in the ward. The most notable character of this strain was the profuse dispersion of it by carriers. As a consequence, staphylococcal wound sepsis increased, with nearly three-quarters of the infections attributable to this strain, and nasal carrier rates increased with length of stay in the ward, over 20% of patients who stayed 5-6 weeks acquiring the strain.

Air Microbiology↗