BACKGROUNDTo investigate the relationship between immune status and rubella virus (RV) infection of central nervous system (CNS).

METHODSBALB/c mice were given dexamethaxone and cytoxan before RV JR23 strain infection. Immune functions and RV invasion to CNS were assayed at 21 days postinfection via abdominal cavity and their relationship was analyzed.

RESULTST cell functions of cytoxan group were obviously worse than those of other groups (P <0.05) by MTT method. Infection rates of dexamethaxone and cytoxan and the group without any intervention were 60%, 90% and 50% (P >0.05), respectively. Cellular immune functions of the mice with CNS infection were obviously worse than those of the mice without CNS infection (P <0.001). Specific antibodies (Ab) were assayed in all groups with ELISA and the results showed that there were no significant differences among groups (P >0.05), neither between the groups with and without CNS infections.

CONCLUSIONSRV infection of CNS may relate to cellular immune status before specific antibody was produced in the body.

Animals ; Antibody Specificity ; Central Nervous System Infections ; immunology ; virology ; Female ; Immunity, Cellular ; Male ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred BALB C ; Rubella ; immunology ; Rubella virus ; immunology ; T-Lymphocytes ; immunology

We measured the degree of immunity of 326 Korean children to rubella virus by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assy (ELISA). They were admitted to Pediatrics Unit of Yonsei Medical Center between April and July, 1980 with various illnesses excluding rubella disease. Among the 326 tested, 172 cases gave a positive titer of antibodies (mainly, IgG and IgM antibodies) and 127 had IgG antibody against rubella virus antigen. These represented 52.8% and 39.0%, respectively, of the total number of children tested. There was no significant difference in the rate of positivity between sex, but the positive rate increased as the age increased. The antobody titers of positive individuals to rubella virus were higher among the older children. Results and a brief outline of the ELISA method for serodiagnosis of rubella in clinical use will be discussed.
Adolescent ; Age Factors ; Antibodies, Viral/analysis* ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay* ; Female ; Human ; Immunoenzyme Techniques* ; Infant ; Infant, Newborn ; Korea ; Male ; Rubella/immunology ; Rubella virus/immunology*

BACKGROUNDTo search for the serological findings and early clinical manifestations as evidences for prevention and treatment TORCH infections in pregnant women and newborns as early as possible.

METHODSELASA was performed to screen specific anti-TORCH (Toxoplasma gondii, Cytomegalovirus, Rubella virus, Herpes simplex virus) Ig-M antibodies.

RESULTSTotally 1,554 in-patients who were treated in Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) of our hospital from January 2000 to January 2003 were retrospectively studied, 48 of them had TORCH infections. Cytomegalovirus (CMV), rubella and herpes simplex virus infections accounted for 52.1%, 33.3% and 14.6%, respectively. None of them had toxoplasma infection.

CONCLUSIONTORCH infections can cause multiorgan lesions, such as hearing impairment, hyperbilirubinemias and liver dysfunction, impairment of neurologic system, myocardial impairment, thrombocytopenia, and congenital heart disease.Rubella vaccine inoculation, serological screening during pregnancy and early period of newborn, intervention and treatment in the early period are most important.

Antibodies, Viral ; blood ; immunology ; Cytomegalovirus Infections ; immunology ; Female ; Herpes Simplex ; immunology ; Humans ; Infant, Newborn ; Infant, Newborn, Diseases ; immunology ; virology ; Male ; Neonatal Screening ; Retrospective Studies ; Rubella ; immunology ; Toxoplasmosis ; immunology

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the efficacy of the interferon alpha-2b nasal spray in prevention of rubella and measles virus infections.

METHODSThe properly selected volunteer groups have been divided into interferon alpha-2b experimental and control group. The experimental group received interferon alpha-2b treatment by nasal spray for 2 days before the immunization, then both groups were challenged with rubella and measles attenuated live vaccine respectively through nasal spray. The sera from pre-immunization and 21 and 28 days after immunization were collected to test the IgG antibody titers. The influence on the viral antibody titer reflects the viral preventive effect by interferon alpha-2b.

RESULTSThe antibody titer difference of measles virus between experimental and control group was 1.26 (21 day) and 2.96 (28 day), there were statistically difference between them; the difference of rubella virus was 0.95 (21 day) and 0.37 (28 day), but there were no statistically differences found.

CONCLUSIONThe preliminary results showed that the interferon alpha-2b can be used as prevention method for measles and rubella viral infections.

Administration, Intranasal ; Adult ; Antibodies, Viral ; blood ; Antiviral Agents ; administration & dosage ; therapeutic use ; Female ; Humans ; Interferon-alpha ; administration & dosage ; therapeutic use ; Male ; Measles ; immunology ; prevention & control ; virology ; Measles Vaccine ; immunology ; therapeutic use ; Measles virus ; drug effects ; immunology ; Recombinant Proteins ; Rubella ; immunology ; prevention & control ; virology ; Rubella Vaccine ; immunology ; therapeutic use ; Rubella virus ; drug effects ; immunology ; Treatment Outcome ; Vaccination ; methods ; Vaccines, Attenuated ; immunology ; therapeutic use ; Young Adult

Adult ; Antibodies, Viral ; blood ; China ; epidemiology ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ; Female ; Humans ; Immunoglobulin G ; blood ; Rubella ; epidemiology ; Rubella virus ; immunology ; isolation & purification ; Seroepidemiologic Studies

The aim of this study was to determe the age-specific rubella seroprevalence and the related factors in Korean children. Subjects of the study were 5,393 students from 8 elementary schools in Gyeonggi Province, Korea. Questionnaire surveys with blood sampling were conducted in 1993, 1996, and 1999. ELISA tests, used to detect rubella specific IgG antibody, were Imx & (Abbott, U.S.A.) in 1993 and 1999, and Enzygnost & (Behring, Germany) in 1996. The age-adjusted rubella susceptibility rate was 22.9% (95% CI: 22.8-23.0%) and it increased with age from 14% to 28%. The susceptibility rates of vaccinees, nonvaccinees, and the unknown group were 21%, 35%, and 27%, respectively (p=0.000). The rates by parental education levels for elementary and below, middle school, high school, and college and over were 37%, 26%, 24%, and 20%, respectively. The geometric mean titers (GMTs) of nonvaccinees, the unknown group, and vaccinees were 47 IU/mL, 42 IU/mL, and 37 IU/mL, respectively (p=0.000). The susceptibility level was too high to prevent the rubella epidemic in Korea, which necessitates a programme that will enhance the coverage for 1st and 2nd MMR vaccination among school children. In particular, more attention should be paid to the vaccination of the children whose parental education level is relatively low.
Age Distribution ; Antibodies, Viral/blood ; Child ; Data Collection ; Female ; Human ; Immunoglobulin G/blood ; Korea/epidemiology ; Male ; Rubella/*epidemiology/immunology/prevention & control ; Rubella Vaccine ; Seroepidemiologic Studies

Infectious diseases have historically resulted in suspended or cancelled military operations. Vaccination for disease prevention is a critical component of the military's force readiness doctrine. Until recently, Korea had not recognized the importance of vaccinating military personnel. However, a 2011 meningococcal disease outbreak at an army recruit training center led to dramatic changes in the paradigm of traditional medical practice in the Korean armed forces. A new vaccination policy was formed by a 2012 Military Healthcare Service Act. Since then, Neisseria meningitidis, hepatitis A, and measles-mumps-rubella vaccines have been routinely administered to all new recruits early in basic training to ensure protection against these diseases. All active-duty soldiers also receive seasonal influenza vaccination annually. Despite quantitative improvements in vaccination policies, several instances of major infectious diseases and adverse vaccine reactions have threatened soldier health. In the future, vaccination policies in the Korean armed forces should be based on epidemiologic data and military medical research for vaccine use and safety management.
Health Policy ; Hepatitis A Vaccines/immunology ; Humans ; Influenza Vaccines/immunology ; Measles-Mumps-Rubella Vaccine/immunology ; Meningococcal Vaccines/immunology ; *Military Personnel ; Republic of Korea ; *Vaccination

OBJECTIVETo explore the therapeutic effect and acting mechanism of Huanglan Granule (HLG) on rubella virus (RuV).

METHODSSixty patients with positive RuV-IgM were randomly assigned to two groups equally, the treatment group was medicated by HLG (one dosage per day, containing milkvetch root, isatis root and basket fern, each 30 g), while the control group by ribavirin (0.2 g, three times per day) for 20 days. The negative conversion rate of RuV-IgM and the serum levels of interleukin-2 (IL-2) and tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha) were observed before and after treatment. Moreover, the in vitro inhibitory activity of HLG against RuV Gos line on cultured Vero cells was determined by cytopathic inhibition method.

RESULTSThe difference of negative conversion rate between the two groups after one course treatment was significant (86.7% vs 63.3%, P <0.05). However, it turned to insignificant after two courses of treatment (100% vs 86.7%, P >0.05). The serum level of IL-2 was lower and TNF-alpha was higher significantly in patients with positive RuV-IgM as compared with the normal range, and the two indexes returned to the normal range rapidly after HLG treatment. In vitro study showed that the inhibitory effect of HLG on RuV caused cellular change was evident.

CONCLUSIONHLG has obvious inhibitory effect on RuV, both in vitro and in vivo, it can also raise the immunity of organism and thus it serves as a safe and effective Chinese medicine for treatment of active RuV infection.

Adult ; Antibodies, Viral ; blood ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; administration & dosage ; Female ; Humans ; Immunoglobulin M ; blood ; Interleukin-2 ; blood ; Rubella ; blood ; drug therapy ; immunology ; virology ; Rubella virus ; drug effects ; immunology ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha ; blood ; Young Adult

Severe complications such as meningoencephalitis are quite rare in the setting of mumps infection. We report here on a 24-year-old soldier with a past history of MMR vaccination who was admitted because of aseptic meningitis. His mental status rapidly deteriorated and swelling of both parotid glands was observed. The MR findings revealed discrete lesions in the brainstem and thalamus. He barely recovered within 2 months. Among the adults with failure to acquire immunity despite MMR vaccination, institutional crowding can lead to cases of potentially fatal CNS complication such as mumps meningoencephalitis.
Vaccination ; Mumps/*complications ; Meningoencephalitis/diagnosis/*etiology ; Measles-Mumps-Rubella Vaccine/*immunology ; Male ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Humans ; Adult

OBJECTIVETo study the safety and immunogenicity of the measles-mumps-rubella combined vaccine (MMR) produced by Beijing Biological Product Institute.

METHODSChildren aged 10-12 years, 2-2.5 years and 8-12 months were selected to be vaccinated with Beijing MMR vaccine (test vaccine). Other groups of children with similar nature were vaccinated with measles vaccine, mumps vaccine and rubella vaccine while using imported MMR vaccine (control vaccine) as controls.

RESULTSThe safety of the Beijing MMR vaccine was confirmed after vaccinating 32 children above 2 years old. Among 104 children of 8-12 months were vaccinated with Beijing MMR vaccine, only 6.7% of the children had transient fever and 1.9% had signs of rashes but with no other signs observed. The positive seroconversion rates of measles, rubella and mumps anti-HI were 100%, 100% and 85.7% respectively. GMT also showed high lever.

CONCLUSIONThe MMR vaccine (Beijing) had good safety and immunogenicity which might be used to be the bases enhance immunization of measles.

Antibodies, Viral ; blood ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Freeze Drying ; Hemagglutination Inhibition Tests ; Humans ; Measles-Mumps-Rubella Vaccine ; adverse effects ; immunology ; Vaccines, Attenuated ; adverse effects ; immunology