Monoclonal antibodies to the serum parovirus-like virus (SPLV) were prepared by the hybridoma technique. They provided an antibody reagent which was used to develop solid phase antibody-capture assays for anti-SPLV IgM and IgG and for SPLV antigen. These assays were more sensitive than those based on human convalescent antibody as a reagent, and were more economical in the use of SPLV antigen. Their use enabled the serological responses to SPLV to be studied more fully and their sensitivity revealed the extent of SPLV infection.

SPLV antigen was detected in four patients by both counter-immuno electrophoresis (CIE) and radioimmunoassay (RIA) and in two others by RIA alone. Parvovirus particles were seen in all six by electron microscopy. The anti-SPLV IgM response was measured in patients infected by SPLV. It was strong 5–18 days after the onset of illness, then declined and was only detectable in trace amounts after 6 months. Anti-SPLV IgG was also formed early, and persisted for at least 6 months. In a survey of 310 blood donors anti-SPLV was detected in 134 (43%) by CIE, but in 190 (61 %) by IgG antibody capture RIA.

The sporicidal activity of two solutions which have been used in the production of ‘sterile’ pre-injection swabs has been investigated. Propylene oxide (3·4 % w/w) and chlorhexidine diacetate (0·6% w/w), both made up in approximately 65% w/w propan-2-ol, were artificially contaminated with spores of Bacillus subtilis var. niger and swabs were impregnated with these; surviving spores were enumerated at various temperatures and times of storage. Chlorhexidine diacetate had no sporicidal activity, whereas the activity of propylene oxide was dependent on temperature. The former should not be considered a sterilant and the latter can only be considered such if a controlled incubation period at an elevated temperature is employed.

Eight hundred and seventy-seven sera from 360 adults aged 18–50 who were under permanent observation from October 1980 to March 1981 have been studied by haemagglutination-inhibition (HI) and erythrocyte elution-inhibition (EI) tests – a simplified method of antineuraminidase antibody titration. It was demonstrated in some subjects infected with influenza A H1N1 and H3N2 viruses that the antibody rise was to one of the surface antigens only – haemagglutinin or neuraminidase. These subjects made up 5·2–25·8% of all examinees. The protective effect of antibodies to neuraminidase was similar to that of antihaemagglutinins. Interaction of both types of antibodies was observed in protection against the disease. Data have been obtained on the influence of antineuraminidase antibodies in decreasing the severity of natural infection with influenza A.

A study of heterologous immunologic responses to haemagglutinin and neuraminidase among persons immunized with live influenza A H1N1 and H3N2 vaccines and among children naturally infected with influenza A H3N2 demonstrated the presence of immunologic memory for antineuraminidase antibody synthesis. Thus, the suggestion of a common antigenic structure for neuraminidase Nl and N2 is made.

On the current conception of the epidemiology of epidemic influenza, as caused by a mechanism of direct spread of the virus from the sick, epidemics must have travelled much more slowly in former times than at present. In contrast, a new hypothesis involving virus latency with seasonal reactivation predicts that in previous centuries influenza epidemics would have spread across the country at much the same speed as in the twentieth century. The study of burial registers in Gloucestershire parishes reported in this paper shows that lethal influenza epidemics at least as early as the sixteenth century can be recognized and dated as at present by the characteristic brief but large excess mortality that they cause. Examples are given showing that the character of the excess mortality caused by lethal influenza has not changed significantly over the centuries, a finding that supports the prediction of the new hypothesis but would not be expected on the current conception of influenzal epidemiology.

In each century, influenzal excess mortalities in Gloucestershire parishes coincided with the date of the relevant influenza epidemic as recorded from widely different parts of Britain, thus further supporting the prediction of the new hypothesis as against current conceptions.

Operating theatres are ventilated for a number of reasons, one of them being to keep numbers of airborne bacteria low at the operation wound. No matter how air is brought into the room, bacteria are removed by dilution rather than by air currents, because of turbulence caused by heat liberated by people and equipment and by movement in the room (Lidwell & Williams, 1960). With ventilation rates up to 20 air changes/hour, the dilution may differ at different sites in the room depending on the design of its ventilation system.

A high incidence of gastroenteritis in both islanders and tourists has been recorded in recent years on Norfolk Island – a popular tourist resort for Australians and New Zealanders. No bacterial cause has been found. However, electron microscopic examination of 28 faecal specimens revealed viruses associated with gastroenteritis in 21 (75%). No viruses were isolated in cell cultures. Bore water is used for drinking purposes on the island and 32 samples from 15 bores were examined for viruses by electron microscopy and culture as well as for bacterial contamination. Seven polioviruses (all type 1 vaccine strain) and adenoviruses 1 and 5 were isolated in cell cultures. In addition one rotavirus, one adenovirus and two small round viruses were detected by electron microscopy. Six of 21 samples tested showed unacceptably high levels of bacteria for drinking water. The deep ground water has apparently become contaminated with sewage effluent and is almost certainly the main cause of the high level of gastroenteritis on the island.

The epidemiology of bovine herpesvirus 1 (BHV 1) infections was studied in 20 dairy herds. Periodic serological surveillance of these herds during three consecutive years (1980–82) was combined with clinical studies. In 19 herds seropositive cows were found indicating previous exposure to BHV 1.

One herd had its first experience with BHV 1 during the study. No indication of virus circulation for at least three years was found in eight herds. In five herds an interval of 2 years without an indication of virus circulation was followed by infections in yearlings, first- and second-calf cows during the third year. One or two cycles of virus circulation in calves and/or yearlings during the 3 year survey were detected in six herds. Most BHV 1 infections passed unnoticed. Signs of respiratory disease inassociation with BHV 1 infection were observed in three herds: young animals were most seriously affected. Clinical manifestations of BHV 1 infections were less pronounced than a few years ago when infections in cows caused frank signs and diagnosis was frequently possible on the basis of a typical clinical picture. BHV 1 was the cause of abortions in the herd that experienced its first infections during thissurvey. A survey of the age-specific BHV 1 neutralizing antibody pattern may be helpful for tracing animals and herds at risk of an outbreak of infectious bovine rhinotracheitis.

A method of quantifying the remanent antibacterial effect of a 2% triclosan preparation in detergent following three consecutive applications on the forearm of 20 volunteers over 2 h, is described with reference to its efficacy against a gentamicin-and multiply-resistant scrotype of Klebsiella aerogenes. The relevance of the residual activity of triclosan and other skin antiseptics in surgical and hygienic hand disinfection are discussed.

A radial haemolysis test designed to detect antibody specifically directed against the neuraminidase is described and compared with currently available techniques for the routine diagnosis of infection with influenza viruses.

Paired sera were available from two outbreaks of influenza A, one with the N1N1 subtype and the other with the H3N2 subtype. This technique confirmed diagnosis in 92% of cases diagnosed by other laboratory methods.

Slight modifications of a small, plastic covered greenhouse provided a chamber for the exposure of cattle of all ages to aerosols of foot-and-mouth disease virus. Particle size distributions of aerosols were 76% < 3 μm, 17% 3–6 μm, and 7% > 6 μm immediately after the deVilbis no. 40 nebulizer used was turned off and 90% < 3 μm, 8% 3–6 μm, and 2% > 6 μm 20–30 min later. Pharyngeal virus growth curves and viremia patterns correlated well with the dose of virus to which test cattle were exposed and were similar to those of cattle inoculated intranasally.

Appropriate skin care of newborns is performed partly to prevent infection but also for aesthetic and cleansing purposes. Skin care should involve cleansing with a non-toxic, non-abrasive neutral material. This study compared the relative risks and benefits of washing versus bathing with regard to bacterial colonization rate, clinical infection rate, body temperature and crying. The results confirm our clinical impression that bathing and washing routines do not differ with regard to signs of infection or other clinical complications. However, the washing routine does increase the babies heat loss and make them less comfortable.

Nasal fluid and serum collected from pigs after exposure to live foot and mouth disease (FMD) virus or injection of single oil emulsion (w/o) or double oil emulsion (w/o/w) vaccines were examined for FMD neutralizing activity. After virus exposure the response profiles of serum and nasal mucus were similar to one another. In both, neutralizing activity rose to a peak at one to two weeks after exposure and then subsided slowly. After vaccination with either the w/o or w/o/w preparations a neutralizing response was demonstrable in the serum three to seven days after the first injection, and this was boosted by revaccinations 56 and 117 days later. The neutralizing activity was also detectable in nasal fluid seven days after the first vaccination, but subsequent revaccinations 56 and 117 days later provoked neutralizing titres which were no greater than those observed after the initial vaccination.

The sensitivities of haemagglutination-inhibition (HI) and single radial haemolysis (SRH) techiques in detecting antibodies against influenza A/Bangkok/1/79, A/Brazil/11/78, B/Singapore/222/79, B/Hong Kong/5/72 strains, in human sera were compared. For antibodies to influenza B viruses the HI tests employing ether-treated antigens were also evaluated. The SRH technique appears to be more sensitive for detecting protective titres of antibodies against influenza B strains and influenza A/Brazil/11/78.

In autumn 1978 an epidemic of respiratory disease resembling allergic alveolitis occurred in a small Finnish community. The disease was caused by repeated exposures to tap water aerosol. The raw water of the community and the sand filters of the purification system were heavily contaminated with mesophilic actinomycetes. Fourteen different strains of actinomycetes were isolated. Exposed persons with and without symptoms as well as unexposed control persons were tested for antibodies against five of these actinomycetes and against Enterobacter agglomerans. Both the exposed and the control persons had antibodies to actinomycetes but the exposed persons had antibodies against more actinomycete strains than the control persons. Precipitating antibodies against E. agglomerans were also found in control persons as well as in patients. There was a significant difference between the patients and the exposed healthy persons in bacterial agglutination tests with flagellar antigen of one E. agglomerans strain. However, the role of mesophilic actinomycetes and E. agglomerans in the aetiology of the disease could not be firmly established.

An outbreak of hepatitis A occurred among the members of the Japan Overseas Corporation Volunteers (JOCV) stationed in the Philippines. Seven out of 10 youths who ate, but none of five youths who did not eat raw oysters developed hepatitis. All these seven cases were positive for hepatitis A antibody (anti-HAV) and six of them were also positive for anti-HAV IgM (immunoglobulin M) 111 days after the infection.

Serological evaluations of foot-and-mouth disease type SAT 2 viruses isolated in Kenya between 1979 and 1982 were performed using the two-dimensional microneutralization test. Nine field isolates of epizootiological significance were compared with four vaccine viruses. The results obtained identified Tan 5/68 as the most appropriate reference vaccine virus strain since it had the broadest serological spectrum. Potent Tan 5/68 vaccines would be expected to provide adequate protection against the contemporary SAT 2 field viruses. In the case of K 83/74, which also was shown to have a broad spectrum with viruses isolated in Kenya, the results show that the 1982 isolate from central Kenya was significantly divergent (r < 1·00 at P = 0·01) and warranted tactical revaccination for its control. The study highlighted the fact that strain R1215 which had been isolated from the oesophageal-pharyngeal swabs of asymptomatic carrier cattle had a narrow serological spectrum suggesting that such viruses could be unsuitable as vaccine for the national campaign.

Two connected outbreaks of gastroenteritis in separate hospitals associated with a small round structured virus morphologically indistinguishable from the Norwalk virus are described. The virus was most probably introduced on chicken sandwiches prepared by a member of the kitchen staff who was incubating the disease.