Michael F. Miller

A retrospective study of the prevalence and incidence of recurrent aphthous ulcers in a professional population, 1958–1971

A 12-year retrospective investigation of 1,788 professional school students from the University of Pennsylvania was conducted. Because of changes in profession, location, marital status, and names, only 651 proband subjected were available for the follow-up investigation. Techniques of subjective evaluation of disease status (mailed schedules describing disease and color photographs) were used in making an assessment of RAU, including both current disease and histories of prior disease. The data presented suggested a trend toward decreased RAU prevalence and severity among physicians, dentists, veterinarians, and nurses as compared with 12 years previously when they were professional school students. The prevalence rate, however, was still very high, indicating that 48.3 per cent of the men and 57.2 per cent of the women had RAU at the time. It has been suggested that the student years may represent the highest levels of RAU and that special features of the life patterns of the student favor disease expression; the data from study support this hypothesis, since reduction in severity was observed in all groups.

Inheritance patterns in recurrent aphthous ulcers: Twin and pedigree data

Nineteen sets of twins and 318 individuals from six families were examined and interviewed in order to ascertain whether a genetic component could be established for recurrent aphthous ulcers (RAU). While no specific mode of inheritance could be established, the data strongly support the hypothesis of a genetic factor involved in susceptibility to the disease.

The inheritance of recurrent aphthous stomatitis: Observations on susceptibility

In an effort to determine the prevalence of recurrent aphthous stomatitis (RAS), 1,303 children from 530 families were interviewed. While over-all disease prevalence in the children was 39.2 percent, there was a sharp difference in those children younger than 5 years (19.7 percent) and those 5 years of age and older (48.3 percent). Moreover, the prevalence of the disease in the children was significantly affected by whether RAS was present in none, one, or both of the parents. These observations suggest that disease susceptibility may be a complex interaction between host and environment.

Recurrent Herpes Labialis, Recurrent Aphthous Ulcers, and the Menstrual Cycle

A prospective study of 104 student nurses determined the frequency of recurrent herpes labialis and recurrent aphthous ulcers within the menstrual cycle. Each nurse kept daily calendars recording inter alia menses and episodes of lesions. Episodes of aphthae were not associated with any specific intervals in the menstrual cycle. There was a greater than expected incidence of episodes of herpetic lesions in the eight days preceding the onset of menses.

A retrospective study of recurrent herpes labialis (RHL) in a professional population, 1958–1971

A retrospective 12-year investigation of 1,788 professional school students from the schools of medicine, veterinary medicine, dental medicine, nursing, and dental hygiene was conducted by the mailed distribution of questionnaires requesting information on current and prior disease history of recurrent herpes labialis (RHL). Because of changes in address, death, loss of married names, and unwillingness to participate in the investigation, only 683 proband subjects were available for the follow-up study. The data suggested a trend toward a decrease in the prevalence and severity of RHL during the interval of study: only slightly more than one firth (23.9 per cent) of the proband population of the present study experienced RHL as compared with almost two fifths (39.6 per cent) at the time when they were students.

Effects of non-viable measles virus on proliferating human lymphocytes. 2. Characteristics of the suppressive reaction.

We have previously found that in vitro addition of autoclaved measles virus (AMV) suppressed lymphocyte proliferation. The characteristics of this response were further explored. Pr