BackgroundRecommendations for diphtheria immunization are to apply an effective primary immunization in infancy and to maintain immunity throughout life. Immunity against diphtheria depends primarily on antibody to the diphtheria toxin. This study evaluated the seroprevalence of IgG diphtheria antitoxin in sera of healthy children, adolescents and adults in Poland.MethodsA total of 1387 serum samples collected between 2010 and 2012 from individuals with ages ranging from 1 month to 85 years were investigated. Antibody concentrations were measured with an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (Anti-Diphtheria Toxoid ELISA IgG, Euroimmun, Germany).ResultsThe results showed that among 1387 individuals examined, 547 (39.4%) had anti-diphtheria toxoid IgG antibody levels below 0.1 IU/ml (36.9% ≤18 years and 40.5% >18 years old, respectively). The 212 (50.8%) children and 542 (55.9%) adults showed only basic protection (0.1-1.0 IU/ml) and need immediate booster. High levels of anti-diphtheria toxoid IgG antibodies (>1.0 IU/ml) were found more often in children and adolescent (12.2%) than in adults (3.6%) and this was statistically significant (P < 0.05). The proportion of seronegatives (< 0.1 IU/ml) in children below 2 years old, adolescents and young adults to 25 years old decreased from 53.5% to 17.4%. However, in older individuals the seronegative proportion tended to increase with age, from 22.7% in adults (26–30 years old) to 67.1% in subjects > 60 years old. Characteristically, in individuals > 40 years old high levels of anti-diphtheria toxoid IgG antibodies (>1.0 IU/ml) were not seen. There were no statistically significant differences in results in relation to gender.ConclusionsThe present study showed inadequate immunity levels to diphtheria amongst the Polish population, especially in adults > 40 years old and children ≤ 2 years old. To prevent reemergence of diphtheria an information campaign reminding people about recommendations concerning diphtheria booster vaccination in adults should be conducted. Moreover, the immunogenicity of the DTP vaccine used in Poland should be verified.
Determination of immune status of patients to diphtheria toxin is based mainly on the results of commercially available ELISA kits. The aim of the present study was to compare the results obtained by ELISAs from seven different manufacturers: Mikrogen, Immunolab, Sekisui Virotech, NovaTec, Virion\Serion, IBL International and Euroimmun. All assays were performed according to the manufacturers' instructions. The concentrations of the anti-diphtheria toxin antibodies in 72 serum samples were calculated on the basis of curves constructed from standards supplied by manufacturers and the new reference material-International Standard for Diphtheria Antitoxin (10/262). The repeatability and reproducibility of all the ELISA kits tested were good. Number of sera with concentrations of the anti-diphtheria toxin antibodies below the WHO-recommended level of protection (0.1 IU/ml) were dependent on the ELISA used: Mikrogen, 20/72 samples (27.7%); Immunolab, 11/72 samples (15.3%); Sekisui Virotech, 0/72 samples (0%); NovaTec 18/72 samples (25.0%); Serion 12/72 samples (16.7%); IBL International, 7/72 samples (9.7 %); and Euroimmun, 17/72 samples (23.6%). However, the results obtained in particular ELISAs, with the exception of Sekisui Virotech, were much more consistent when the concentrations of the anti-diphtheria toxin antibodies in 72 sera measured by using curves constructed from the International Standard 10/262. The data obtained clearly demonstrated that manufacturer-dependent differences between anti-diphtheria IgG ELISA kits exist. The differences in recommendations accepted by the individual manufacturers together with differences shown in our studies in sensitivity greatly affect the clinical interpretation of results.
Campylobacter jejuni and Campylobacter coli are Gram-negative, microaerophilic bacteria which are worldwide in distribution, causing a zoonotic disease in humans called campylobacteriosis. These infections are mainly caused by eating contaminated food products, most often improperly prepared poultry meat. Campylobacteriosis usually takes the form of gastroenteritis, or inflammation of the intestines, and the characteristic symptoms are watery-mucous diarrhea often with the presence of blood in stool, nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain and fever. The epidemiological data suggest that in Europe, as well as in North America, bacteria of the genus Campylobacter, especially C. jejuni and C. coli, are the most commonly isolated pathogens in infections of the gastrointestinal tract in humans. Epidemiological data indicate that these organisms are a much more common cause of acute diarrhea, mostly in young children, than Salmonella and Yersinia. The lack of specific symptoms makes the diagnosis of campylobacteriosis necessary to carry out specialized microbiological diagnostics. Because so far these studies are performed in our country only in a few laboratories, the overwhelming number of cases of campylobacteriosis are not recorded in Polish epidemiological statistics. The purpose of this paper is to discuss issues related to the microbiological diagnosis of infections caused by C. jejuni and C. coli. It also describes the basic epidemiological and clinical data, as well as current treatment of campylobacteriosis.
Both serological and bacteriological investigations revealed a cyclic, seasonal pattern of Yersinia enterocolitica 1B/O8 infections in Poland during the years 2008–2011. A large increase in incidence was observed in the second quarter and a decrease in the third quarter of each year. Such seasonal changes were not seen in the case of infections caused by the other enteropathogenic Yersinia bioserotypes.
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