What characterizes house dust mite sensitive individuals in a house dust mite free community in reykjavik, iceland?

To access publisher full text version of this article. Please click on the hyperlink in Additional Links fieldBackground: Previous studies show that 6-9% of young adults in Reykjavik are sensitised to the house dust mite (HDM) Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus (D. pteronyssinus). However, only negligible amounts of HDM and HDM allergens were detected in their homes. The study investigates what characterizes these individuals. Methods: We investigated all participants in the European Community Respiratory Health Surveys I and II (ECRHS I and II) with D. pteronyssinus specific IgE, in the years 1991-92. A grass positive but D. pteronyssinus negative control group was recruited from the same cohort. A detailed questionnaire was administered and the specific IgE (Pharmacia CAP system) against six D. pteronyssinus cross-reactive allergens was measured. Results: Of 601 ECRHS I participants with available IgE results, 88% returned for ECRHS II, 8.4 years later. Of 49 individuals with D. pteronyssinus specific IgE in ECRHS I, 24 had become negative in ECRHS II. Compared with controls, HDM sensitive subjects were more often men who had lived on farms or kept aquaria fish in childhood. Of those with specific IgE against D. pteronyssinus in ECRHS I and II, 75% had detectable IgE antibodies (>/=0.35kU/l) to cross-reactive allergens compared with none in the control group (p < 0.0001): Lepidoglyphus destructor (L. destructor) (67%), shrimp (58%), cockroach (33%), mosquito (17%), tropomyosin (17%) and blood worm (4%). Conclusions: Icelanders with specific IgE to D. pteronyssinus are more often men who spent time on farms in childhood and today have high prevalence of IgE antibodies cross-reactive to D. pteronyssinus

Meningococcal serogroup C polysaccharide specific memory B cells, directly enumerated by labeled polysaccharide, are not affected by age at vaccination

To access publisher full text version of this article. Please click on the hyperlink in Additional Links fieldThe influence of age on the generation and persistence of specific memory B cells after vaccination with Neisseria meningitidis type C polysaccharide (MenC-PS) conjugate is unknown. MenC-PS-specific B cells could be directly enumerated by fluorochrome-labeled MenC-PS and flow cytometry in blood up to at least 4 years after vaccination, ranging from 0.01% to 0.78% of total B cells and did not correlate with age at vaccination. The percentage of MenC-specific memory B cells out of total memory B cells correlated with total MenC-specific B-cells and with frequencies of IgA(+) plus IgG(+) MenC-specific AbSC, but not with MenC-specific Ab

David Lichine as The Immortal Kostchei (left at front), and artists of the company, in L'oiseau de feu, Original Ballet Russe, Australian tour, His Majesty's Theatre, Melbourne, April 1940 [picture] /

Part of the collection: Hugh P. Hall collection of photographs, 1938-1940.; From: L'oiseau de feu (The fire bird) : ballet in two scenes / by Michel Fokine, drawn from Russian folk tales, music by Igor Stravinsky.; Inscription: "4H/36".; Choreography by Michel Fokine ; scenery and costumes by Nathalie Gontcharova.; Also available in an electronic version via the Internet at: http://nla.gov.au/nla.pic-vn3995909. One of a collection of photographs taken by Hugh P. Hall of 28 ballet productions performed by the Covent Garden Russian Ballet (toured Australia 1938-1939) and the Original Ballet Russe (toured Australia 1939-1940). These are the second and third of the three Ballets Russes companies which toured Australasia between 1936 and 1940. The photographs were taken from the auditorium during a live performance in His Majesty's Theatre, Melbourne and mounted on cardboard for display purposes. For conservation and storage, the photographs have been demounted. The original arrangement of the photographs has been recorded, and details are available from the Pictures Branch of the National Library

Decreased immune response to pneumococcal conjugate vaccine after 23-valent pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccine in children.

To access publisher's full text version of this article click on the hyperlink at the bottom of the pagePneumococcal polysaccharide vaccine (PPV) is used in children at high risk of IPD. PPV is generally not considered to induce immunologic memory, whereas pneumococcal conjugate vaccines (PCVs) elicit protective antibody responses in infants and induce immunologic memory. Little is known about the characteristics of immune responses to PCV in children who previously received PCV and PPV in series.To characterize immune responses to 13-valent pneumococcal CRM197 conjugate vaccine (PCV13; serotypes 1, 3, 4, 5, 6A, 6B, 7F, 9V, 14, 18C, 19A, 19F, and 23F) in children vaccinated in infancy with 9-valent pneumococcal-meningococcal C-CRM197 conjugate combination vaccine (PCV9-MnCC), followed by a toddler dose of PCV9-MnCC or 23-valent pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccine (PPV23).Children (n=89) who received PCV9-MnCC in infancy and PPV23 or PCV9-MnCC at age 12 months in a previous (2002-2003) study were vaccinated at age 7.5 years with PCV13; groups PPV23/PCV13 (n=50) and PCV9/PCV13 (n=39). Immunoglobulin (Ig)G antibodies, avidity, and opsonophagocytic activity (OPA) were measured before and at 1 and 4 weeks postvaccination.One week postvaccination, IgG levels increased significantly for all serotypes in both groups, and >97% of vaccinees achieved IgG ≥0.35μg/ml 4 weeks after PCV13 vaccination. The PCV9/PCV13 group had higher IgG responses compared with the PPV23/PCV13 group. The upper limits of the 95% confidence intervals of the PPV23/PCV13:PCV9/PCV13 IgG geometric mean concentration ratios were <1.0 for serotypes 1, 4, 5, 9V, 18C, and 23F at 1 week. OPA and avidity results supported these findings.PPV23 vaccination of toddlers may compromise subsequent responses to pneumococcal conjugate vaccines. The clinical relevance of this finding is unclear.Pfizer Inc. Wyeth Pfize

Risk Factors for Hen's Egg Allergy in Europe: EuroPrevall Birth Cohort.

To access publisher's full text version of this article click on the hyperlink belowBackground: Hen's egg is one of the commonest causes of food allergy, but there are little data on its risk factors. Objective: To assess the risk factors, particularly eczema, for hen's egg allergy in the EuroPrevall birth cohort. Methods: In the pan-European EuroPrevall birth cohort, questionnaires were undertaken at 12 and 24 months or when parents reported symptoms. Children with suspected egg allergy were invited for skin prick testing, specific IgE assessment, and double-blind, placebo-controlled food challenge (DBPCFC) as indicated. Each egg allergy case (positive DBPCFC or egg-induced anaphylaxis) was allocated up to 2 age- and country-matched controls. Results: A total of 12,049 infants were recruited into the EuroPrevall birth cohort, and 9,336 (77.5%) were followed until 2 years. A total of 86 infants had egg allergy (84 by DBPCFC) and were matched with 140 controls. Independently associated with egg allergy were past/current eczema (adjusted odds ratio, 9.21; 95% CI, 2.65-32.04), Scoring Atopic Dermatitis (1.54 per 5 units; 1.28-1.86), antibiotics in the first week of life (6.17; 1.42-26.89), and current rhinitis (3.02; 1.04-8.78). Increasing eczema severity was associated with an increasing likelihood of egg allergy. Eczema was reported to have started 3.6 (SE, 0.5) months before egg allergy. Age of introduction of egg into the diet was not associated with egg allergy. Conclusions: Similar to peanut allergy, eczema was strongly associated with egg allergy development and the association increased with increasing eczema severity. The age of introduction of dietary egg was not a risk factor. The potential role of antibiotics in early life as a risk factor for egg allergy needs further examination.European Commission Joint Research Centre Landspitali University Hospital Science Fund GlaxoSmithKline UK Food Standards Agency MSD Nutricia Advanced Medical Nutrition Netherlands AstraZeneca TEVA Netherlands GlaxoSmithKline Allegria (the Italian Research Foundation for Childhood Allergy and Asthma