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A small familial epidemic of cutaneous sporotrichosis occurring in North Texas is reported. The disease occurred in four out of six children in two separate families of paternal cousins. The presumed source of infection was old prairie hay used for mulching. Trauma at the time of exposure seemed minimal or absent. Response to oral potassium iodide therapy was prompt and satisfactory.
Texas medical journals prior to 1900 have been incompletely (sometimes incorrectly) recorded in periodical checklists. This paper attempts to provide a short account of the purposes and achievements of the more significant journals and to list all names and related name changes, in so far as it has been possible to do so.
This paper describes the nineteenth-century movement to establish medical libraries in Texas. It is concerned mostly with pre-origin efforts rather than with actual achievements. It is hoped that this study will provide the background for histories of the libraries which finally evolved as a result of the earlier effort and interest.
Sentinel calves were placed in pastures for 1 month in two environmentally dissimilar areas of the Texas Gulf Coast to determine the seasonal transmission of various gastrointestinal nematodes. Transmission was determined for Cooperia spp, Haemonchus placei, Ostertagia ostertagi, and Trichostrongylus axei. Large numbers of Cooperia spp were acquired from May through November, with the peak of transmission occurring in July and August. Haemonchus placei was encountered on both field sites but was transmitted in large numbers only at one site, during August. Ostertagia ostertagi was acquired primarily from November through May, with the peak of transmission occurring in January and February. January through March was the period when the greatest numbers of Ostertagia larvae undergoing arrested development were acquired. Trichostrongylus axei was abundance in December and January at one field site. In general, trends of transmission were the same in both areas, indicating that weather conditions were most important than vegetation type in larval transmission.
The prevalence of serum antibodies against canine parvovirus-2 (CPV-2), as measured by a standard hemagglutination-inhibition test, was determined in serum samples collected from 1,184 coyotes (Canis latrans) in Texas, Utah, and Idaho from 1972 to 1983. No evidence of parvoviral infection was found before 1979, after which seroprevalence rapidly increased to greater than 70% at all sites by 1982. There were minor differences in prevalence between age groups and among sites, but no consistent differences between sexes. The onset of CPV-2 seroprevalence in free-ranging coyotes coincided remarkably with the recognition of the clinical disease and seroprevalence in domestic dogs in the United States.
Influenza epidemics in Houston, Texas, USA, during the winters of 1975-76, 1976-77, and 1977-78 were attributed to A/Victoria/3/75 (H3N2), B/Hong Kong/5/72, and A/Texas/1/77 (H3N2)-like viruses, respectively. Both A/Victoria and A/Texas viruses were detected towards the end of the 1976-77 epidemic and throughout the 1977-78 epidemic. To determine if there had been a gradual transition in the predominant strain, 267 viral isolates from the 1975-76 epidemic were tested for A/Texas virus. Eight specimens (3%) that appeared to contain A/Texas antigens were cloned and retested with specific antisera prepared in guinea-pigs and ferrets. One virus was identical to A/Texas/1/77 virus, two reacted like A/Victoria/3/75 and five reacted equally well with antisera prepared against A/Victoria/3/75 and A/Texas/1/77 viruses (bridging strains). The six viral isolates containing A/Texas antigens were obtained at different times during the epidemic, from all parts of the city, from males and females aged between 1 and 20 years.Characterization of type A influenza virus isolates obtained during the 1976-77 and 1977-78 epidemics revealed a progressive increase in the frequency of viruses containing A/Texas antigens, from 2.2% in 1975-76 to 32% in 1976-77 to 70% in 1977-78. Thus, both type A (H3N2) variants were present in the Houston community in 3 successive years.An antigenic analysis of the bridging viruses was performed by competition radio-immunoprecipitation assays and by reactivity with a set of monoclonal antibodies prepared against A/Texas/1/77 virus. These assays confirmed the identity of the A/Texas isolate with the prototype virus and indicated that the bridging strains shared antigenic determinants with both A/Vic/75 and A/Tex/77 viruses, but were more closely related to A/Victoria/3/75 virus.It seems clear that new variants of a subtype of type A influenza may not immediately displace the existing variant and that seeding in a community and transition from predominance of one variant to another may be a gradual process.
Recent studies have established that the "naturally-occurring leprosy-like disease of wild armadillos" is, indeed, caused by Mycobacterium leprae indistinguishable from M. leprae from human lepromatous leprosy. The present study reports the ultrastructure of the mycobacteria and host response in deep viscera, liver and spleen, in Texas armadillos with sylvatic leprosy. Evidence for acid-fast bacillary proliferation in these organs and penetration of hepatocytes is given. Acid-fast bacilli concentrated in activated macrophages in Billroth cords and sheaths of Schweigger-Seidel of the spleen and in Kupffer cells of the liver. Both mycobacteria and host response seen in lepromata of sylvatic leprosy, lepromatous lesions produced by injection of inocula from human lepromata and human lepromata, are compared.
About 1100 birds of 12 species died from organophosphate poisoning in Matagorda County on the Texas Gulf Coast in March and May 1982. Birds died from feeding on rice seed that was illegally treated with dicrotophos or monocrotophos and placed near rice fields as bait to attract and kill birds. Brain acetylcholinesterase inhibition of affected birds averaged 87% (range 82-89%), and contents of gastrointestinal tracts contained residues of dicrotophos (5.6-14 ppm) or monocrotophos (2.1-13 ppm). Rice seed collected at mortality sites contained 210 ppm dicrotophos or 950 ppm monocrotophos. Mortality from dicrotophos poisoning continued for almost 3 weeks. The practice of illegally treating rice seed with either of these 2 organophosphates appears to be infrequent but widespread at present.
The effects of selected intrinsic variables operating on host subpopulations and of extrinsic variables across the collective host population on the distributions of 10 common helminth species from coyotes in south Texas were compared. The intrinsic variables of host sex and presence and severity of sarcoptic mange had little effect on the distributions of most helminth species. The combined influences of (1) seasonal changes across the collective host population and (2) host subpopulations delineated by age were responsible for the overdispersed distributions of Oncicola canis, Physaloptera rara, and Protospirura numidica. Overdispersion in Ancylostoma caninum, Alaria marcianae, and Spirocerca lupi populations resulted almost exclusively from the heterogeneity of factors contributing to their rates of establishment, survival, and reproduction as generated across host age subpopulations. Aggregated abundances of A. caninum and A. marcianae occurred in young hosts, but were cumulative in older animals infected with S. lupi. The hypothesis that heterogeneity within the host population, rather than across the collective host population, is the main factor generating overdispersion in natural populations was confirmed for only 3 of 10 helminth species (A. caninum, A. marcianae, and S. lupi). The effects of extrinsic factors operating across the collective host population appeared to be equal to, or in some instances of greater importance than, these forces operating over host subpopulations in determining the dispersion patterns of some helminth species (O. canis, P. rara, and P. numidica). The distributions of Taenia pisiformis, Mesocestoides lineatus, Oslerus osleri, and Toxascaris leonina were not affected, or only minimally influenced, by these intrinsic or extrinsic variables. The effects of these habitat variables on dispersion patterns are highly correlated with the life cycle and mode of transmission of the respective helminth species.
A study was conducted by mail questionnaire to assess concepts of nutrition as related to athletes that coaches in Texas accept and are likely to disseminate. Background information included training in nutrition, sources of nutrition information, and frequency of distribution of dietary advice. Eighty-five percent of the coaches scored below 70% on knowledge of nutrition. Seventy-three percent, however, believed they were adequately informed about nutrition, and 86% dispense nutrition information regularly. Results of the study indicate a need for better nutrition education for high school athletic coaches.
Recent studies of the "naturally occurring leprosy-like disease of wild armadillos" establish that the causative bacillus is genetically identical to M. leprae from human sources, and thus the disease is a zoonosis, sylvatic leprosy. A recent survey of 451 wild armadillos from the Texas Gulf Coast demonstrated sylvatic leprosy in 4.66%. This companion study reports the anatomic pathologic changes seen in the 17 leprous and 17 nonleprous armadillos necropsied in that survey. Findings support previous studies on the histopathology and pathogenesis of sylvatic leprosy, but a broader spectrum of histologic changes are noted.
The objective of this study was to document the educational practices being used among hospital-based patient educators in Texas. Results indicated patient educators' need for additional training in teaching strategies applicable to hospital settings, use of readability indices, and program evaluation techniques.
Organochlorine and heavy metal residues were determined in 103 shorebirds of seven species collected at Corpus Christi, Texas, during the winter of 1976-77 to evaluate their potential effects on population survival, DDE and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) were detected in most samples. Chlordane isomers, dieldrin, toxaphene, and heptachlor epoxide also occurred, but less frequently. In general, organochlorine residues were low in skinned carcasses. Geometric means on a wet weight basis ranged from 0.25 ppm to 4.76 ppm for DDE and from 0.67 ppm to 6.64 ppm for PCBs; residues of the other compounds averaged less than 1 ppm in all instances. Mercury, lead, arsenic and vanadium occurred in all shorebird livers, and selenium and cadmium were detected in all kidneys. Residues of these metals, except selenium, were low in most tissue samples. Selenium averages varied from 1.77 ppm to 5.62 ppm (wet weight) in kidneys; residues in this range may be sufficient to inhibit reproduction or to induce other forms of toxicity, especially at the higher levels.
A plant-based case-control study was undertaken to investigate a possible excess of brain tumor mortality identified at a Texas Chemical plant from a sample-based cohort study. Work histories and presumptive exposures of 28 former employees who had died of primary intracranial neoplasms were contrasted with those of two matched comparison groups in an effort to identify a possible etiologic agent. Because the sample-based cohort study suggested they might be at increased risk, those employees hired prior to 1945, those employed from one to four years and those employed for 20 or more years were studied separately. No statistically significant associations were found, although an elevated risk was suggested for employment in the machine shop prior to 1945 based on three exposed cases.
A modified ovitrap from which larvae could not escape was employed for one year for the control of Aedes aegypti at Blossom Heights, Houston, Texas. At the end of this period, the Breteau index in the ovitrap area had declined by 36%, in contrast to a sharp increase of nearly 500% in the non-ovitrap area. The premises index in the ovitrap area remained unchanged, while the index in the non-ovitrap area increased by 440%. The problems associated with this control campaign and the use of these "autocidal" ovitraps are discussed.Annual fluctuations in the egg populations of A. aegypti and A. triseriatus were studied by weekly collections of eggs from the ovitrap paddles. The weekly fluctuations of egg numbers, the percentage of ovitraps with eggs of Aedes mosquitos, as well as the ovitrap premises index (i.e., percentage of premises with at least one ovitrap positive) all exhibited a similar fluctuation pattern, with a distinct peak extending from June to October.
Air quality correlates of chronic disease mortality in 180 census tracts of Harris County, Texas, were studied using 3 years mortality for 1969--1971. This study was designed to test with a different data base the universality of several study results which have reported significant correlations between heart disease and air pollutants. Air quality data (suspended particulates, benzene solubles, sulfur dioxide, and metals associated with particulates: copper, mercury, manganese, lead, nickel, zinc, chromium, and cadmium) were related to both sex and age adjusted crude death rates, and cause-specific death rates for age cohorts for 7 categories of heart disease, and pneumonia, asthma, cancer, tuberculosis, and accident deaths. The results of the study were in agreement with the findings of the other researchers who used national data. Suspended particulates and cadmium concentrations were found to be correlated (r=.38, .36; P less than .001) with ischemic heart disease (IHD). Many other significant correlations are reported but are not cause-specific. Socio-economic indicators were also correlated with IHD, thus confounding the issue. Further work is planned using more sophisticated statistical techniques to disentangle the relative contribution of each of these highly intercorrelated factors. No causality can be assigned at this stage, although this study, with the other cited, points to possible risk factors for IHD which need further evaluation.
Potential gains in life expectancies among Texas population by partial elimination of 3 major causes of death are examined on the basis of the available statistics from the population census and mortality statistics for 1970. Contrary to the popular anticipation of longer potential gains, the results are not particularly encouraging. The number of years of life that would be gained during the working ages by 50% elimination of major cardiovascular diseases is less than 1/2 of 1 year, about 1/4 of 1 year by 50% elimination of malignant neoplasms, and less than 1/4 of 1 year by 50% elimination of motor vehicle accidents. Even with a scientific breakthrough in combating those causes of death it appears that future gains in life expectancies for working ages will not be spectacular. The implications of the results in relation to the current debate on the national health policy are discussed.
A regional mental health-mental retardation center has reduced admissions to state institutions for the citizens of the Gulf Coast in Texas by 74 per cent over the past ten years. The center serves first those most in need, based on risk of institutionalization. Because it focuses on the clients' level of functioning rather than on diagnosis, retardation services are not separated from mental health services. There are outpatient programs, day treatment programs, and residential services. Treatment stress clients' acquisition of practical living skills. The center's innovative measures include the use of law enforcement officers who are trained to recognize and deal with mentally and emotionally disturbed clients and thus divert them from the criminal to the mental health system, a liaison team that assesses programs and support systems needed to bring institutionalized clients back to the community, and a local inpatient unit for clients in crisis that precludes commitment to state hospitals.