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Background In October 2007, the working group CEN/TC 216 of the European Committee for standardisation suggested that the Sabin oral poliovirus vaccine type 1 strain (LSc-2ab) presently used for virucidal tests should be replaced by another attenuated vaccine poliovirus type 1 strain, CHAT. Both strains were historically used as oral vaccines, but the Sabin type 1 strain was acknowledged to be more attenuated. In Germany, vaccination against poliomyelitis was introduced in 1962 using the oral polio vaccine (OPV) containing Sabin strain LSc-2ab. The vaccination schedule was changed from OPV to an inactivated polio vaccine (IPV) containing wild polio virus type 1 strain Mahoney in 1998. In the present study, we assessed potential differences in neutralising antibody titres to Sabin and CHAT in persons with a history of either OPV, IPV, or OPV with IPV booster. Methods Neutralisation poliovirus antibodies against CHAT and Sabin 1 were measured in sera of 41 adults vaccinated with OPV. Additionally, sera from 28 children less than 10 years of age and immunised with IPV only were analysed. The neutralisation assay against poliovirus was performed according to WHO guidelines. Results The neutralisation activity against CHAT in adults with a complete OPV vaccination series was significantly lower than against Sabin poliovirus type 1 strains (Wilcoxon signed-rank test P < 0.025). In eight sera, the antibody titres measured against CHAT were less than 8, although the titre against Sabin 1 varied between 8 and 64. Following IPV booster, anti-CHAT antibodies increased rapidly in sera of CHAT-negative adults with OPV history. Sera from children with IPV history neutralised CHAT and Sabin 1 strains equally. Conclusion The lack of neutralising antibodies against the CHAT strain in persons vaccinated with OPV might be associated with an increased risk of reinfection with the CHAT polio virus type 1, and this implies a putative risk of transmission of the virus to polio-free communities. We strongly suggest that laboratory workers who were immunised with OPV receive a booster vaccination with IPV before handling CHAT in the laboratory.
Background: Europe was certified to be polio-free in 2002 by the WHO. However, wild polioviruses remain endemic in India, Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Nigeria, occasionally causing polio outbreaks, as in Tajikistan in 2010. Therefore, effective surveillance measures and vaccination campaigns remain important. To determine the poliovirus immune status of a German study population, we retrospectively evaluated the seroprevalence of neutralizing antibodies (NA) to the poliovirus types 1, 2 and 3 (PV1, 2, 3) in serum samples collected from 1,632 patients admitted the University Hospital of Frankfurt am Main, Germany, in 2001, 2005 and 2010.
Methods: Testing was done by using a standardized microneutralization assay.
Results: Level of immunity to PV1 ranged between 84.2% (95%CI: 80.3-87.5), 90.4% (88.3-92.3) and 87.5% (85.4-88.8) in 2001, 2005 and 2010. For PV2, we found 90.8% (87.5-90.6), 91.3% (89.3-93.1) and 89.8% (88.7-90.9), in the same period. Seroprevalence to PV3 was 76.6% (72.2-80.6), 69.8% (66.6-72.8) and 72.9% (67.8-77.5) in 2001 and 2005 and 2010, respectively. In 2005 and 2010 significant lower levels of immunity to PV3 in comparison to PV1 and 2 were observed. Since 2001, immunity to PV3 is gradually, but not significantly decreasing.
Conclusion: Immunity to PV3 is insufficient in our cohort. Due to increasing globalization and worldwide tourism, the danger of polio-outbreaks is not averted - even not in developed countries, such as Germany. Therefore, vaccination remains necessary.
Herpes genitalis is caused mainly by herpes simplex virus type 2 (HSV-2) and to a lesser extent but with increasing frequency, by herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1). Today, the diagnosis of genital herpes is based "on laboratory methods. Serology is useful to distinguish primary infection from latent infection and for seroepidemiological investigations. Newer type-specific antibody tests based on single recombinant or purified viral antigens have a higher sensitivity and specificity for detecting anti HSV-2 antibodies. The tests also allow the discrimination between HSV-1 or -2 specific antibodies. Since serology is not able to recognize reactivation, isolation in cell culture remains the standard. If cell culture is not available or optimal transport is not possible and rapid results are needed, direct antigen detection, or in selected cases, the highly sensitive and specific PCR should be used.
Medical students are exposed to infectious diseases during the course of their clinical training. Unfortunately, vaccination rates among medical students remain insufficient. However, immunizations against vaccine-preventable diseases should be carried out before the students enter clinical courses. This is vital in order to prevent nosocomial infections. We screened 366 medical students in their first clinical year for hospital-related viral diseases. Serum samples were collected between April and May 2007. Antibody testing was carried out using commercial ELISA systems against measles, mumps, rubella, varicella, hepatitis B (HBV), hepatitis C (HCV), and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). Overall, 63.9% (n=234) of the students were sufficiently vaccinated against HBV. In contrast, 31.7% (n=116) had not received any HBV vaccine dosage, and 4.4% (n=16) had not completed the full vaccine cycle (<3 dosage). Remarkably, two students showed serological markers of resolved HBV infection. In addition, one student was HCV-positive and one was HIV-positive, respectively. The following seronegative rates were found: measles (7.9%), mumps (17.5%), rubella (6.5%), and varicella (2.2%). Further work is needed to identify optimal strategies for improving vaccination rates among medical students. It is imperative to identify and limit possible disparities in immunity of vaccine-preventable diseases before initial patient contact. With regard to the primary diagnosis of serious virus diseases including HBV, HCV and HIV, medical students should be screened for these blood borne pathogens.
Herpes simplex virus type 2 (HSV-2) is the main cause of herpes genitalis, a recurrent sexually transmitted disease. By the use of routine Serologie methods (complement fixation test, enzyme immunoassay), virus carriers are difficult to identify because of strong antibody cross reactions with antigens of HSV-1 which is ubiquitously spread throughout the population. We introduce a microtechnique Western blot system loaded with HSV-1 and HSV-2 type-specific and common antigens on separated nitrocellulose strips. By the simultaneous evaluation of Immunologie reactions with both strips, the occurrence of HSV-2 specific antibodies can be sensitively detected in serum specimens containing antibodies to HSV-1. A total of 158 serum specimens were analyzed and the results obtained by Western blot were compared to those of a screening ELISA and virus isolation performed with smears of herpes lesions.
An agreement of 97.9 % was assessed between Western blot and virus isolation to detect an HSV-1 and HSV-2 infection. Less specific serologic results were produced by the screening ELISA on HSV-2 antibodies which correlated in 85.4 % (41/48) with virus isolation and typing. Concerning HSV-2 antibody testing, Western blot and ELISA showed an overall agreement in 89.8 % of the sera investigated.
As shown by our data, the HSV type specific Western blot proved to be a specific, reproducible and standardized technique. It can be utilized for both sero-epidemiological surveys and determination of the HSV immune status.