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Biomedical subjects

W Stackiw

Publications and source records attributed to W Stackiw.

32 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

The elusive source of psittacosis in the Arctic.

Eskimos and Arctic Indians have a high incidence of psittacosis antibodies. The following Arctic birds were therefore examined in an endeavour to find the reservoir of infection: snow geese in their Arctic nesting grounds; migrating geese in the spring and in the fall; ptarmigan, raven, and snow bunting on the Arctic Circle in the late winter. Psittacosis virus was not recovered from any of the birds examined, but a percentage of migrating geese had psittacosis antibodies. The source of human and avian antibodies in the Arctic remains elusive.

Animals

Surveys of respiratory virus antibodies in an Arctic Indian population.

A study was undertaken to determine the etiological agents responsible for epidemics in a small and relatively isolated Arctic community.Three serological surveys were carried out over a four-year period employing complement fixation tests. Clinical information from the resident nurse was also available.The results indicated that of the two clinical epidemics of "influenza" which occurred during the period of study one was due to influenza virus type A; the other was unidentified. However, influenza virus type B affected approximately 30% of the population at some time during a two-year period without being clinically recognized. An epidemic affecting mainly children, which was clinically considered to be whooping cough, was probably caused by an adenovirus. A mumps epidemic with a high attack rate for all age groups which had occurred a few months prior to the first survey was confirmed. Sendai virus and psittacosis virus are probably endemic in this community.

Adenoviridae Infections