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Live attenuated influenza vaccine is used and compared to assess the effect of a school-based vaccination program on the households of children in intervention schools and control schools. It is found that the outcomes related to influenza-like illness are significantly lower in intervention-school households than in control-school households.

A vaccine that is effective against five types of pneumonia may provide protection for young children infected with HIV. Researchers gave three doses of a pneumococcal vaccine to 17 HIV-infected children aged two years and younger and analyzed blood before and after vaccination for signs of immunity. The three-dose vaccine series was effective, as proven by levels of pneumonia antibodies observed in post-vaccination blood samples. The pneumococcal vaccine was also effective in children not infected with HIV. Children with HIV are very susceptible to pneumococcal infections., Objective. To assess the safety and immunogenicity of three doses of a five-valent (types 6B, 23F, 14, 18C, and 19F) pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV) among children younger than 2 years who are and are not infected with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). Methods. A convenience sample of 18 HIV-infected children 2 years and younger (mean, 12.9 months) received three doses (each separated by 2 months) of PCV. An additional convenience sample of 33 non-HIV-infected children of virtually identical age, race, and sex as the HIV-infected group were randomized in a double-blind fashion to receive three doses of PCV or saline placebo. Safety data were collected for 72 hours after each vaccination. Sera were obtained before each and 1 month after the third vaccination to determine vaccine type-specific immunoglobulin G pneumococcal antibody titers by an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Results. Seventeen HIV- and 30 non-HIV-infected children completed the study. The PCV was well tolerated by both HIV- and non-HIV-infected children. No significant differences in local or systemic reactions were noted between HIV- and non-HIV-infected PCV or placebo recipients. Three doses of PCV were immunogenic, as evidenced by 16- to 659-fold increases in type-specific geometric mean antibody titers over prevaccination levels in HIV- and non-HIV-infected children. With respect to an arbitrary protective level, 78% of the antibody titers from HIV-infected children and 88% of the titers from non-HIV-infected children were 1.0 [micro]g/mL or greater 1 month after the third PCV dose. HIV-infected children with milder disease (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention classes N1-2, A1-2, and B1) were more likely to have protective antibody titers after the first and second PCV doses than HIV-infected children with more advanced disease (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention classes N3, A3, B2-3, and C1-3). However, after the third PCV dose, these differences disappeared. Conclusion. Three doses of PCV seem safe and immunogenic in both HIV- and non-HIV-infected children younger than 2 years. This type of vaccine should result in a marked reduction in systemic pneumococcal disease in both HIV- and non-HIV-infected children. Given the high incidence of invasive pneumococcal disease in HIV-infected children, this vaccine may markedly improve the quality of life for this unfortunate group of children. Pediatrics 1997;99:575-580; pneumococcus, vaccine, human immunodeficiency virus, Streptococcus pneumoniae., ABBREVIATIONS HIV, human immunodeficiency virus; CRM, cross-reacting materials; PCV, pneumococcal conjugate vaccine; ELISA, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay; CDC, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; GMT, geometric mean (antibody) titer; ANOVA, analysis [...]

Background Recent reports have described the contribution of adult respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) infections to the use of advanced healthcare resources and death. Methods Data regarding patients aged ≥18 years admitted to any of Maryland's 50 acute-care hospitals were evaluated over 12 consecutive years (2001–2013). We examined RSV and influenza (flu) surveillance data from the US National Respiratory and Enteric Virus Surveillance System and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and used this information to define RSV and flu outbreak periods in the Maryland area. Outbreak periods consisted of consecutive individual weeks during which at least 10% of RSV and/or flu diagnostic tests were positive. We examined relationships of RSV and flu outbreaks to occurrence of 4 advanced medical outcomes (hospitalization, intensive care unit admission, intubated mechanical ventilation, and death) due to medically attended acute respiratory illness (MAARI). Results Occurrences of all 4 MAARI-related hospital advanced medical outcomes were consistently greater for all adult ages during RSV, flu, and combined RSV–flu outbreak periods compared to nonoutbreak periods and tended to be greatest in adults aged ≥65 years during combined RSV–flu outbreak periods. Rate ratios for all 4 MAARI-related advanced medical outcomes ranged from 1.04 to 1.38 during the RSV, flu, or combined RSV–flu outbreaks compared to the nonoutbreak periods, with all 95% lower confidence limits >1. Conclusions Both RSV and flu outbreaks were associated with surges in MAARI-related advanced medical outcomes (hospitalization, intensive care unit admission, intubated mechanical ventilation, and death) for adults of all ages. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Metastable intermolecular composite (MIC) materials are comprised of a mixture of oxidizer and fuel with particle sizes in the nanometer range. Dynamic electrical conductivity measurements have been performed on a reacting MIC material. Simultaneous optical measurements of the wavefront position have shown that the reaction and conduction fronts are coincident within 160 μm. It has been observed that MICs, like high explosives, are insulators before reaction is initiated. Once reaction is induced, there is a conduction zone that corresponds with the reaction zone behind the reaction front. Unlike detonating high explosives (HEs) where the conductivity profile is represented by an initial peak followed by an exponential decay of conductivity, the MIC conductivity profile is a gradual, irregular ramp which increases from zero over many microseconds. This supports other studies that show the MIC reaction process to be significantly different from detonating HEs. Static measurements of conductivity of pressed MIC pellets suggest that the electrical conduction is associated with chemical reaction in the MIC and not compaction effects alone. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective.--To determine quantitative measles, mumps, and rubella serum antibody levels as a function of time since vaccination in a sample of vaccinated Baltimore children. Design.--Cross-sectional serologic survey. Setting.--Pediatric outpatient departments at the University of Maryland Medical Center, Baltimore. Participants.--One hundred seventy children, ranging in age from 1.5 through 16 years, who had measles, mumps, and rubella vaccination between ages 12 and 18 months. Results.--Serum antibody levels to measles and rubella declined with increasing time since vaccination. However, no such decline in antibody levels to mumps was observed. Children who were vaccinated between ages 12 and 14 months did not have lower antibody levels than children who were vaccinated at age 15 months or older. Conclusions.--In areas free from natural disease, antibody levels resultant from measles, mumps, and rubella vaccine are likely to decline with advancing age. Revaccination with measles, mumps, and rubella vaccine may boost falling antibody titers. (AJDC. 1993;147:558-560), Antibody levels tend to drop off with increasing age since vaccination in children not exposed to natural infection. Previous studies have found that antibody levels remain fairly stable over time following vaccination for measles, mumps and rubella in people living in areas where the diseases are prevalent. Between 1974 and 1990, Baltimore, MD reported an average 1.5 cases of measles per year and an average zero cases of rubella per year. However, an average of 22.5 cases of mumps were reported annually in the same period. Antibody levels for measles were measured in 170 vaccinated Baltimore children, and antibody levels for mumps and rubella were measured in 168 of them. Levels of antibody to measles and rubella declined as time since vaccination increased. The decline in antibody levels was most pronounced among younger children and tapered off among children aged 10 to 16. However, antibody levels to mumps did not decline with age. This suggests that exposure to naturally circulating mumps virus serves to maintain mumps antibody levels.