A four-component solid-phase capture enzyme immunoassay was set up to test for serum IgM antibody to respiratory syncytial (RS) virus and was compared with immunofluorescence assay (IFA).

A total of 128 young children with acute respiratory infections were studied. Thirty-six were shown to be RS virus-positive by the detection of RS virus in nasopharyngeal secretions and 92 were RS virus-negative. A serum specimen was collected after admission to the hospital (days 0–4) and a further specimen was obtained during days 10–14. Out of 36 RS virus-positive patients, 28 (77·7%) were found to be positive for IgM by both capture-ELISA and IFA. Out of 92 RS virus-negative patients 5 (5·4%) were IgM-positive. Four false-positive results were obtained by IFA due to the presence of rheumatoid factor.

The capture-ELISA was shown to be a reliable technique in detecting specific IgM antibody to RS virus.

Urinary pathogens isolated from patients in general practice, an antenatal clinic and several hospitals in Liverpool during 1984–5 have been tested for antibiotic sensitivities. The proportion of sensitive organisms varied from antimicrobial to antimicrobial and from institution to institution. Isolates from all institutions showed high rates of sensitivity to cephradine, nalidixic acid and nitrofurantoin, and somewhat lower rates to trimethoprim. Significantly lower sensitivities were found to ampicillin and sulphamethoxazole indicating that neither ampicillin nor a sulphonamide is suitable for initial choice on a ‘best guess’ basis in the situation studied. In general, the organisms derived from the antenatal patients showed the highest rates of sensitivity and those isolated from patients in geriatric hospitals the lowest.

Fomites may play a role in the transmission of rotavirus infections, and in view of this, 27 disinfectants were evaluated for their ability to inactivate human rotavirus (HRV) on contaminated non-porous inanimate surfaces. Disks of stainless steel, glass and two types of plastics were contaminated with about 107 plaque-forming units of HRV suspended in faecal matter. The inoculum was allowed todry and an equal volume of the product under test was applied to the contaminated surface. After contact for 1 min, the action of the disinfectant was stopped by dilution. Surviving infectious virus on the disks was determined by plaque assay in MA-104 cells. A product was considered to be effective if itcould reduce the virus titre by at least 3 log10. Only 33·3% (9/27) of the formulations tested proved to be effective. Further testing of the effective products, which included antiseptics, instrument soaks and hard-surface disinfectants, showed that all of them could, in fact, reduce the virus titre on contaminated surfaces by at least 6 log10. These findings show the relative resistance of HRV to a widerange of chemical disinfectants in common use, and also emphasize the need for a more thorough evaluation of the virucidal potential of formulations regularly employed in attempts to prevent and control outbreaks of rotaviral diarrhoea.

In two trials the efficacy of inactivated vaccines against contagious bovine pleuropneumonia was tested by exposing vaccinated cattle to droplet infection provided by close contact with experimentally infected ‘donors’. Complete protection was given by an extreme form of vaccination in which a heavy suspension of killed Mycoplasma mycoides subsp. mycoides emulsified with Freund's complete adjuvant was given in two large doses. ‘Mouse-protective antibody’ (MPA) was also produced, i.e. serum transferred to mice 2–4 h before intraperitoneal challenge prevented the development of mycoplasmaemia. However, the study did not answer the question ‘Is MPA protective for cattle?’. No protection was given by a milder form of vaccination in which a lighter suspension of killed Hiycoplasmas emulsified with Freund's incomplete adjuvant was given in a comparatively small dose on a single occasion.

A bovine enterovirus and a bovine parvovirus seeded into liquid cattle manure were rapidly inactivated by anaerobic digestion under thermophilic conditions (55°C), but the same viruses survived for up to 13 and 8 days respectively under mesophilic conditions (35°C). The enterovirus was inactivated in digested liquid manure heated to 70°C for 30 min, but the parvovirus was not inactivated by this treatment. The enterovirus, seeded into single cell protein (the solids recovered by centrifugation of digested liquid manure), was inactivated by a gamma irradiation dose of 1·0 Mrad, but the parvovirus survived this dose. When single cell protein seeded with bovine enterovirus or bovine parvovirus was ensiled with cracked corn, the enterovirus was inactivated after a period of 30 days, while the parvovirus survived for 30 days in one of two experiments. Neither the enterovirus nor the parvovirus survived composting for 28 days in a thermophilic aerobic environment when seeded into the solid fraction of cattle manure. It was concluded that, of the procedures tested, only anaerobic digestion under thermophilic conditions appeared to be a reliable method of viral inactivation to ensure the safety of single cell protein for refeeding to livestock. Composting appeared to be a suitable method for the disinfection of manure for use as a soil conditioner.

Nine serological techniques were compared by monitoring the response to infection with Rift Valley fever (RVF) virus in three sheep. Antibodies were monitored daily for the first 14 days after infection, then weekly and later fortnightly up to week 24. The earliest antibody response was detected in one sheep on day 3 by a plaque reduction neutralization test, and by day 6 antibodies were demonstrable in all three sheep by haemagglutination-inhibition, reversed passive haemagglutination-inhibition, immunodiffusion, indirect immunofluorescence (IF), enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and neutralization of cytopathic effect in cell cultures. Antibodies were demonstrable by complement fixation on day 8 at the earliest. IF and the two neutralization techniques produced the highest titres, but all tests could be used satisfactorily for the serological diagnosis of RVF. Inactivated antigen could be used for all except the neutralization tests. A radioimmunoassay technique using 125I-labelIed staphylococcal protein A detected antibodies on day 8 at the earliest and produced lower mean titres than some of the other techniques. This was probably because sheep immunoglobulins bind protein A poorly.

A cargo of copper ore from Cuba was discharged at Swansea in mid-September 1865, during a spell of exceptionally hot weather. A small number of mosquitoes infected with the yellow fever virus, disembarking at the same time, established an epidemic of yellow fever in the town. In the next 25 days, at least 27 inhabitants were infected and 15 of them died. The quality of contemporary observation and recording has encouraged a re-examination of the events in the light of knowledge unavailable at the time. It cannot be assumed that the episode will not be repeated.

Homologous and heterologous haemagglutination-inhibition (HAI), complement- fixation (CF), immunodiffusion (ID) and mouse neutralization tests were performed with the Lunyo (LUN) and a Zimbabwean strainof Rift Valley fever (RVF) virus, the prototype and a South African strain of Arumowot (AMT) virus and prototype strains of Gordil (GOR), Saint-Floris (SAF) and Gabek Forest (GF) viruses, using immune mouseascitic fluids prepared against these viruses. Reactions of identity occurred in all tests between LUN and the Zimbabwean strains of RVF and between the two strains of AMT virus. Otherwise, cross-reactions occurred between all the phleboviruses in HAI tests, while reactions in CF, ID and neutralization testswere monospecific for virus serotypes, except that weak cross-reaction occurred between GOR and SAF viruses in CF and ID tests.

Four sheep infected subcutaneously with the Zimbabwean strain of RVF virus developed transient fever, viraemia, leucopaenia, relative thrombocytopaenia, haemoconcentration and raised serum enzyme levels, which indicated that the sheep had developed necrotic hepatitis. Disseminated focal necrotic hepatitis was confirmed in a sheep killed for examination on day 4 post-infection. The other three sheep recovered uneventfully after only mild depression and anorexia. Groups of three sheep infected with SAF, GOR, AMT and GF viruses had no demonstrable viraemia or other sign of infection or illness, except that the sheep infected with AMT developed mild fever lasting less than 24 h.

Antibody responses were monitored at intervals over a period of 24 weeks in all sheep by homologous and heterologous HAI, CF and cell culture neutralization (CPENT) tests. Homologous antibody responses were marked in the RVF-infected sheep and their sera cross-reacted strongly in HAI tests with antigens of the other viruses. The sera of the RVF-infectes sheep cross-reactes less marledly in CF and CPENT tests. Homologous antibody responses were poor in all the sheep infected with phlebovirused other than RVF, and the cross-reactivity of their sera RVF antigen or virus was negligible. All sheep were challenged with RVF virus 48 weeks after their initial infection. The sheep which had originally been infected with RVF virus were immune and developed neither fever nor viracmia. All other sheep developed fever, viraemia and antibodies to RVF virus.

It was concluded that the African phleboviruses, other than RVF, are unlikely to cause disease in livestock ot to induce antibodies which could cause confusion in the diagnosis of RVF.

Influenza surveillance in the UK between the years 1982 and 1985 has demonstrated the regular winter appearance of influenza A virus of both H1N1 and H3N2 subtypes and influenza B.

Their antigenic diversity is described and correlated with the national statistics for morbidity and mortality for influenza.

One unexpected finding has been that despite the wide circulation of influenza viruses there has been a continuation of winters without significant increases in influenza deaths or morbidity. A previous report of influenza surveillance (Pereira & Chakraverty, 1982) noted an already unusual series of three consecutive winters with this pattern. This report records a further 4 years bringing a total of seven successive winters without evidence of epidemics of severe disease associated with influenza viruses, as indicated by the national UK statistics.

To determine the pathogenic potential of the vesiculoviruses Isfahan Chandipura for domestic animals, two ponies, two steers, three and three pigs were inoculated with each virus intradermally in the tongue or, in the case of the pigs, in the snout, heel and coronary band The Ponies were also inoculated intradcrmally in the right commissure o the mouth Animals inoculated with each virus were housed in one room and allowed to mingle freely with an equal number of uninoculated contact animals of each species.

Clinical signs of infection, consisting of ulcers at the inoculation sites, were observed in the Chandipura study in two inoculated ponies, one inoculated steer and one inoculated goat. No elevated temperature was observed. Virus was isolated from the ulcerated tongue tissue but not from serial blood samples, oesophagcal-pharyngeal mucus samples, or from the tissues which were collected at necropsy. Precipitating antibody was not detected by the immunoelectro osmophoresis(IEOP) test in any of the pre- or post-serum samples except from two inoculated sheep at 29 days post-inoculation (D.P.I.). Low levels of neutralizing activity were dtedted in pre-inoculation serum from all steers, pigs, contact sheep, and one contact goa. By 15 D.P.I. all inoculated animals and contact ponies and steers exhibited increased neutralizing antibody titres.

In studies with the Isfahan virus, lesions developed only at the inoculation sites in the two ponies, and the virus was isolated. No virus was isolated from any blood, oesophageal-pharyngeal mucus samples or tisues collected at necropsy. All pre-inoculation sera were negative for neutralizing and precipitating antibodies. By 14 D.P.I. all inoculated animals exhibited neutralizing antibody, while all the contacts remained negative. The IEOP test remained negative for all animals throughout the experiment. A subpassage of a suspension of Isfahan-infected tongue tissue injected in to ponies and steers also yielded only firm swellings of lesser extent than the original reaction at the inoculation sites.

With both viruses, lethal infections were produced by intraacranial or intraperitoneal inoculation of day-old mice and hamsters, and by allantoic inoculation of embryonating chicken eggs. Adult mice, hamsters, guinea-pigs and rabbits produced serum antibodies but lacked clinical signs.

Thirty-six strains of haemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS) virus were isolated from patients and a number of host animals in various areas in China. They were analysed by an immunofluorescence test (IFAT) using 10 monoclonal antibodies (McAbs) specific for the HFRS virus; antigenic differences among the strains have been demonstrated. The HFRS virus strainsrevealed nine different reactions with the McAbs, showing that there are at least nine different antigenic determinants including group-, type- and strain-specific. Analysis of the results shows that antigenic differences among the HFRS virus strains are mainly related to differences in the host animals.

Forty-one strains of adenovirus type 19/37 (Ad19/37) mainly isolatedI from patients with keratoconjunetivitis or conjunctive between 1974 and 1984 were re-evaluated by serum neutralization (SN), haemagglutination inhibition (HI) and DNA restriction analysis. Of 19 isolates which were neutralized to high titre by antiserum prepared against prototype Ad19, 5 showed cross-reactivity with 32–64 units of Ad37 antiserum, while of 22 strains neutralizedto high titre by Ad37 antiserum, 3 showed eross-reaetivity with 32 units of Ad19 antiserum By DNA restriction analysis, all Ad19 isolates were identieal to each other and to Ad19A virus. Using endonuclease Bgl 1, three variants were observed among the Ad37 isolates.

This paper describes a microbiological study of 84 young adult men with clinical otitic infections. Gram-negative aerobic bacilli were frequently isolated from these patients diagnosed as having otitis externa or chronic suppurative otitis media, of which Pseudomonasspecies predominated.

Staphylococcus aureus, S. epidermidis and aerobic Corynebacterium species (diphtheroids) were also found. About 40% of ear infections were attributed to otomycoses, chiefly from Aspergillus species and Candida parapsilosis. Antimicrobial susceptibility testing of the bacterial isolates revealed that Pseudomonas species were generally resistant to antibiotics commonly employed in general practice: ampicillin, erythromycin, co-trimoxazole, tetracycline and cephaloridine. However, polymjwin B, gentamicin and neomycin were active against some Pseudomonas isolates. Other Gram-negative bacilli were also mainly sensitiveto gentamicin, neomycin as well as co-trimoxazole. Disc diffusion and minimum inhibitor concentration studies demonstrated good activity of ceftazidime, cefoperazone, tobramycin and carbenicillin against strains of Pseudomonas species and other Gram-negative rods. Cefotaxime and cefoxitin were active against Gram-negative bacilli other than Pseudomonas species. Beta-lactamase production did not appear to be the main mechanism of resistance in these communityacquired Gram-negative bacillary isolates. The antimicrobial therapy of otological infections is reviewed.