Nancy Tzan

Evaluation of enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) for mumps virus antibodies.

Summary Pre- and postvaccination sera from individuals who had been vaccinated with live Jeryl-Lynn vaccine were assayed for mumps antibodies by using serum neutralization (NT), enzymed-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), hemolysis-in gel (HIG), hemagglutination inhibition (HI) and complement fixation (CF) techniques. ELISA was found to be equally specific and somewhat more sensitive than NT. HIG was less sensitive than either of these two and, with some specimens, less specific. However, it was more sensitive than HI. CF gave several low positive readings which were interpreted as false positive since they were found in prevaccination sera and other tests failed to detect antibodies in these samples. The ELISA mumps test can be used in place of the more expensive and time consuming neutralization test for screening epidemiology, documenting immunity and establishing the serological diagnosis.

Antibody to human and simian retrovirus, HTLV-I, HTLV-II, HIV, STLV-III, and SRV-I not increased in patients with multiple sclerosis.

We have tested sera from patients with multiple sclerosis, matched controls, and those with other neurological diseases, as well as sera from patients with the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome and controls and patients with tropical spastic paraparesis (TSP) and controls for antibody to human T‐lymphotropic virus type I (HTLV‐I), HTLV‐II, human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), simian T‐lymphotropic virus type III, or simian retrovirus type I by immunofluorescent activity test, and for HTLV‐I and HIV by the ELISA method. Sera from patients with multiple sclerosis and matched controls, and from patients with optic neuritis and Parkinsons or other neuromuscular diseases did not have antibody to any of the retroviruses tested. Specimens from TSP patients and some controls contained HTLV‐I antibody. We conclude from our study that only TSP patients had serological evidence of infection with one of the retroviruses studied.

Serologic studies of MS patients, controls, and patients with other neurologic diseases Antibodies to HTLV‐I, II, III

We have studied the frequency of human retrovirus antibody (HTLV-I, II, III) in the serum and CSF of patients with MS, matched controls, and patients with optic neuritis, idiopathic and postencephalitic Parkinsons disease, neuropathies, polymyositis, ALS, and postpoliomyelitis. Except for the postpoliomyelitis samples, all samples were collected prior to 1980. Contrary to a previous published report, no significant levels of antibody to HTLV-I, II, or III were found in the MS patients or controls. No retrovirus antibody was detected in patients with the other neurologic diseases.

Serological Studies of Patients with Multiple Sclerosis, controls, and Patients with Other Neurological Diseases: Antibodies to HTLV-I, HTLV-II, HIV, and STLV-III

Retroviruses have been associated with neurological disease in man. Recently, Kaprowski et al. [1] reported that outbreaks of mutliple sclerosis (MS) in Key West, Florida, and in Sweden seem to be associated with increased antibody for human retroviruses. In addition, homology studies under nonstringent conditions using CSF cells derived from MS patients reacted with human T-cell leukemia virus (HTLV)-I antigen. During the past 10 years more than ten different possible agents have been suggested as causes of MS [2]. These agents include a number of recognized viruses such as measles, canine distemper, scrapie agent, coronaviruses, and agents of unclear classification such as the MSAA (multiple sclerosis associated agent), bone marrow agent, and chimpanzee agent. We report here our studies of retrovirus antibody in a large number of sera and CSF collected from MS patients, matched controls, and patients with other neurological diseases (OND) prior to AIDS becoming a serious disease.

494 TOXOPLASMOSIS: MATERNAL AND PEDIATRIC FINDINGS IN 23,000 PREGNANCIES

We have studied approximately 23,000 pregnant women and their children from 14 institution located throughout the United States who participated in the Collaborative Perinatal Project. The children were followed for a period of 7 years. Serial serum specimens were available from the pregnant women and these were tested for antibody to toxoplasmosis using a micromodification of the indirect hemagglutination inhi-bition test (IHA). The patients with highest titers (≥1024) or fourfold rises to ≥ 256 by the IHA method were also tested for IgM antibody using indirect fluorescent test (IFA). Among the women tested, 38.6% had detectable antibody and a total of 2.2% of the women showed significant increases in antibody or were in the highest titer ranges. Based on this latter group and the IgM IFA tests, a “High Risk” group of 42 patients was identified. Two of the children had “probable” congenital toxoplasmosis and there were 3 stillbirths. Three other children had abnormalities including prematurity, hypotonia, or short leg which may or may not be related to toxoplasmosis. We also studied the entire population for evidence of abnormal findings which could be corelated with maternal antibody findings using a computer analysis. A total of approximately 240 first year and 300 seven year specific physical and developmental categories were considered. The only outcome indicated to be possibly important was an observed increase in micro-cephaly which was two-fold (.55% versus .24%) among the patients in the higher titer ranges.