Cent Eur J Public Health 1994, 2(1)
Characteristics of virulence signs of enteroinvasive Escherichia coli (EIEC) isolated in CSFR and Bulgaria in 1988-1990
Lhotová H., Sobotková J., Mladenova L., Daneva M., Stankova J., Bratoeva M.
Cent Eur J Public Health 1994, 2(1):6-8 
During 1988-1990 a total of 345 virulent and avirulent strains of enteroinvasive E. coli (EIEC) were isolated from human faeces in microbiological laboratories in Prague and Sofia. This group of strains belonged to a total of 11 serotypes. The most frequently encountered serotypes in both laboratories were: 0124, 0164 and 028ac. From patients 205 strains were obtained and from healthy subjects 140 strains of EIEC. In all strains the following signs of virulence were investigated: biochemical properties, serotypes, Serény's test, test on HeLa cells, sensitivity to colicine JS and the plasmid profile. The presence of high molecular plasmid 140 MDa correlated...
Socio-economic factors and growth of preschool children attending nurseries in Prague, Czech Republic
Bobák M., Dánová J., Kríz B.
Cent Eur J Public Health 1994, 2(1):9-12
Association between socio-economic circumstances and children's growth was investigated in a cross-sectional study in preschool children attending nurseries in one district in Prague. Data on socio-economic variables and growth were available for 352 children. In presented analysis, height-for-age percentiles are used as the outcome. Education of mothers was most strongly related to growth in unadjusted analysis. Independent contribution of individual factors was then assessed by logistic regression. After adjustment for birth length, parental height, frequency of illness, housing and car ownership, children of mothers with secondary or lower education...
Genetic DNA probes for Mycobacterium avium complex identification
Slosárek M., Martín-Casabona N., Kubín M.
Cent Eur J Public Health 1994, 2(1):13-15
The acridinium ester labelled DNA probe specific for M. avium complex (MAC) was used for testing 30 strains of MAC previously identified by conventional procedures. The hybridization was positive in 26 strains, negative in 3 strains and one strain seemed to be contaminated when subcultured. The specific DNA probes allow to identify even the slow growing mycobacterial strains, in positive samples, within two hours while conventional methods usually take several weeks to show the result. A rapid confirmation of a mycobacterial species is invaluable for selecting an effective treatment as early as possible, which is extremely important e.g. in immunosuppressed...
The influence of experimental liver injury on the activity of antigen-induced suppressor cells in murine spleen
Alexeyeva I.N., Bryzgina T.M., Pavlovich S.I., Martynova T.M.
Cent Eur J Public Health 1994, 2(1):16-18
The authors investigated in CBA mice the suppressor cell formation in spleen, induced by injection of a supraoptimal dose of sheep red blood cells and assessed their activity in a passive transfer experiment in animals with liver injury, caused by carbon tetrachloride treatment. The influence of liver explants from mice, treated with carbon tetrachloride, on antigen-induced cells, cultivated together in diffusion chambers, was also studied. It was shown that carbon tetrachloride administration inhibited the antigen-induced suppressor cells formation in murine spleen. Splenocytes, containing antigen-induced suppressor cells from mice treated with carbon...
Serodiagnosis of cercarial dermatitis with antigens of Trichobilharzia szidati and Schistosoma mansoni
Kolárová L., Sýkora J., Bah B.A.
Cent Eur J Public Health 1994, 2(1):19-22
In patients with parasitologically revealed dermatitis caused by cercariae of avian schistosomes (Trichobilhariza szidati) diagnostic indirect immunofluorescence technique (IFAT) was employed for the detection of antibodies. The efficacy of antigens prepared from cercariae of T. szidati and Schistosoma mansoni was tested in serodiagnosis. The results have shown that antigen of T. szidati is more reactive with the sera of patients than that of S. mansoni: the antibodies were detected already 3 days after penetration of cercariae, contrary to 10 days after penetration of avian schistosomes when antigen of S. mansoni was used. The results were confirmed...
Eradication of poliomyelitis in Bulgaria - problem encountered
Milanov K., Georgiev P., Todorova M.
Cent Eur J Public Health 1994, 2(1):23-26
The authors analyze the effectiveness of the National Vaccination Programme with regard to poliomyelitis eradication in Bulgaria and the difficulties encountered in the 1980s and at the beginning of the 1990s. An account is presented on the eradication achieved, interrupted by an outbreak of 46 cases in 1991. The critical analysis points out the negative influence of several factors, disrupted by the failure in 1991. Based on these fact conclusions are drawn on a prolongation of the period needed to achieve the Eradication Programme goal. The main reasons for the delay are as follows: the intensive migration process, the existence of small non-immunized...
Human health and the environment in eastern and central Europe. Report of the conference Prague, Czech Republic, 12-15 April 1993
Bloom A.
Cent Eur J Public Health 1994, 2(1):27-31
A group of 46 leading environmental health scientists from 15 nations unanimously agreed to join forces in a new scientific effort to protect human health around the world from the potentially harmful effects of environmental chemicals and radioactive materials. The scientists agreed to establish a non-political European-based, not-for-profit organization whose objectives will be to promote, coordinate and fund environmental health research in order to provide a scientific basis for environmental remediation. The organization will be affiliated with the Conte Institute. The research priorities decided upon for Eastern and Central Europe were as follows:...
New serovars of Plesiomonas shigelloides 1992
Aldová E., Danesová D., Postupa J., Shimada T.
Cent Eur J Public Health 1994, 2(1):32-36
Fourteen new O (O77-O9O) and 4 new H (H42-H45) antigens were described. Seven O and 2 new H antigens were revealed among strains not agglutinating with antisera against 76 O and 41 H officially recognized serovars. The most frequent was serovar O80:H38 which was isolated in 5 countries (Sweden, Czechoslovakia, Bulgaria, Yugoslavia and Canada) from human material and from sewage and surface water.
Epidemiology and spectrum of vibrio diarrheas in the lower cross river basin of Nigeria
Eko F.O., Udo S.M., Antia-Obong O.E.
Cent Eur J Public Health 1994, 2(1):37-41
In 1991 a cholera epidemic occurred in Nigeria. The features of this cholera outbreak in a single hospital in Cross River, Nigeria, were examined. Microbiologic techniques included the use of thiosulphate citrate bile-salts sucrose (TCBS) medium for culture of all stool specimens. Vibrio isolates from diarrheic patients included V. cholerae-O1 (75), V. cholerae non-O1 (10) and V. parahaemolyticus (21). The illnesses were diverse, ranging from mild to severe, and in most instances requiring hospitalization, rehydration as well as antibiotic treatment. Eighty patients were hospitalized and six died mainly from hypovolemic shock and acute renal failure...
Lead in bone from south Moravian autopsies
Kotulán J., Totusek J., Sefflová A., Polách J.
Cent Eur J Public Health 1994, 2(1):42-46
In bone samples of 181 humans decreased at the age of 0-99 years from Brno and surroundings, lead content was determined by the method of atomic absorption spectrometry. The geometrical mean of the lead content of the whole set is 2.29 micrograms.g-1 of dry tissue (min 0.26 max. 29.28 micrograms.g-1). With the age the lead content in bone gradually increases from the value of the geometric mean of 1.35 micrograms.g-1 in the first year of life to almost a double in the age decade of 21-30 years. Up to 80 years it roughly remains on a constant level, after the age of 80 it rises again up to the mean value of 4.26 micrograms.g-1. Differences between the...
Pneumoconioses in Bulgaria - prevalence, development, prognosis and prevention
Petrova E., Tsacheva N., Marinova B.
Cent Eur J Public Health 1994, 2(1):47-48
Prevalence of the basis types of pneumoconioses (silicosis, silicotuberculosis, asbestosis) in Bulgaria was studied during a 7-year period (1985-1991). Information was taken from reports of the Department for silicosis and other pneumoconioses control in the country. As a basis of the investigation serves the total number of workers endangered by dust exposure in different risk branches. The more rarely encountered pneumoconioses are referred to in absolute numbers. Trends in the development and prognosis of the most frequently encountered pneumoconiosis in Bulgaria could be followed. Recommendations are given for future preventive activity.
Is the [15N]methacetin liver function test suited to estimate environmental effects on the maturity of neonates?
Krumbiegel P., Stolz L., Herbarth O., Braun W., Boehm G., Kausch S., Wirsing A.
Cent Eur J Public Health 1994, 2(1):49-51
Clinical and paraclinical data of 91 neonates of the Saxon regions of Leipzig and of Torgau/Elbe were reviewed and correlated to the environmental conditions of the places of residence of their mothers during pregnancy. One of the parameters investigated was the hepatic detoxification capacity of the neonates measured by 15N elimination rates in the [15N]methacetin urine test. Because of heavy air pollution in the places of residence of some of the pregnant women, a distinct reflection of environmental influence in the parameters was expected. While some of the parameters considered, such as birth weight and bilirubin levels, did not correlate with...
Prevalence of antibodies to Coxiella burnetii in blood donors in the Czech Republic
Literák I.
Cent Eur J Public Health 1994, 2(1):52-54
In 1988-1993, a total of 3,732 sera of blood donors from two districts (Strakonice and Nový Jicń) of the Czech Republic were tested for antibodies to Coxiella burnetii. Using the complement-fixation test at titers of 8 (10) and higher, the antibodies were detected in 41 (1.1%). No statistically significant difference in seroprevalence between the Strakonice and Nový Jicín districts was found (chi 2 = 2.536, P = 0.112, d.f. = 1). Antibodies were ascertained in 36 donors, 24 of which worked in agriculture. In one donor, antibodies persisted for at least 21 months. The highest ascertained titer was 160.
Albumin in the saliva - a significant indicator of the effect of "outdoor schools"
Richter J., Pelech L.
Cent Eur J Public Health 1994, 2(1):55-57
In 234 children residing permanently in a region with a high level of atmospheric pollution indicators of salivary immunity were studied as criteria for assessing the efficacy of applied compensatory measures. In the saliva SlgA, IgM, IgG, lysozyme, and albumin were determined. A marked reduction of elevated albumin levels which are characteristics of irritation or even inflammation in the oral cavity or respiratory tract was found in children who in the winter season spent some time in an unpolluted rural area. Statistically significant changes in IgM levels were demonstrated in these children.
DNA fingerprint analysis of drug resistant Mycobacterium tuberculosis strains isolated in the Czech Republic
Rigouts L., Kubín M., Havelková M., Portaels F.
Cent Eur J Public Health 1994, 2(1):58-59
DNA fingerprints were established in 12 drug resistant and 12 susceptible M. tuberculosis strains collected from patients residing in Prague, Czech Republic. The Restriction Fragment Length Polymorphism (RFLP) technique was based on the detection of the insertion sequence IS6110 in PvuII digested chromosomal DNA. All investigated strains possessed at least 5 copies of IS6110 ranging from 5 to 15 copies in the drug resistant isolates and 5 to 11 copies in susceptible isolates. Three multidrug resistant strains displayed identical fingerprints (5 bands), and two strains resistant to pyrazinamid had the same banding pattern (12 bands). The remaining isolates...
Detection of serum antibodies in tuberculosis patients
Jarosíková T., Sow O.Y., Traore S., Krest'anpol M., Kubín M., Brůcková M.
Cent Eur J Public Health 1994, 2(1):60-61
Sera of 14 bacteriological confirmed pulmonary tuberculosis and 16 non-tuberculotic or healthy controls were sampled in Ignace Deen University Hospital in Conakry, Quinea. Samples were examined for IgG and IgM antibodies by means of enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) using sonicated M. bovis BCG and M. avium antigens and were tested for antibodies to HIV-1/HIV-2 as well. Median of IgG antibody titres to M. bovis BCG antigen was 1:445 and differed significantly from that of the control group (1:149). The median of IgM antibody titres was 1:79.1 and did not differ statistically from that of control group (1:69.3) as well as the antibody titres...
Antitumor activity of bacterial endotoxins and their subunits in in vitro test
Sourek J., Oravec C.
Cent Eur J Public Health 1994, 2(1):62-65
The tumoricidal effect of endotoxins and their subunits of Shigella dysenteriae serovar 1 of both growth forms and certain other representatives of the Enterobacteriaceae family was tested against Németh-Kellner mouse lymphoma cells using an in vitro assay based on the use of sodium chromate solution yielding labelled hexavalent 51Cr ions. The most effective in vitro activity was evidenced in both growth forms by S. dysenteriae 1 lipopolysaccharide-protein complex (LPSP) (76-92%), lipid A and lipoid B isolated from LPS (77-82%) and lipid A and lipoid B from LPSP (53-70%). A direct dependence of the level of the Limulus test and pyrogenicity on the...
Editorial
History and development of public health care in Bohemia
Tichácek B.
Cent Eur J Public Health 1994, 2(1):3-5
Following the introductory informative consideration of the conception of public health in different countries, the author quotes the first reports on public health service in the history of the "Kingdom of Bohemia". In the following text he considers the development of this service, emphasizes the role of the National Institute of Public Health and gives a survey of its brief history until its reestablishment on January 1, 1992.