In 1984-1985, an outbreak of respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) infection occurred in two geriatric wards. Among 68 patients (mean age +/- SD = 82.5 +/- 12.5 with respiratory signs, 52 had signs caused by RSV infection. Among all patients, the clinical and serological attack rates were 61.2% and 75.0%, respectively. The most frequent clinical presentation was intensive coughing (96.1%) and fever (96.1%) associated with expectorate (63.5%). The duration of the respiratory symptoms was 5 to 7 days. The disease gradually resolved, although in eight (15.4%) patients complications occurred. For periods of up to 1 year after infection, 172 sera were obtained and tested by complement fixation test (CFT), fluorescent assays for titrating specific IgG, IgA, and IgM, and Western blotting. Specific IgM appeared in six (11.5%) of the infected patients and peaked 2 to 6 months after infection, and there was no significant correlation with severity of clinical symptoms. However, higher peak G and A antibody responses were observed in persons with rales (CFT: P = 0.008; IgG: P = 0.042; IgA: P = 0.020), cough (IgG: P = 0.034), sputum (IgG: P = 0.030), dyspnea (CFT: P = 0.024), conjunctivitis (CFT: P = 0.025), and bronchitis (CFT: P = 0.018). The temporal patterns of IgA and CFT results were found to be similar, whereas IgG peaked later, i.e., between 2 and 6 months. The patients with the most severe symptoms had the highest antibody titers obtained by conventional tests and by Western blots. Thus, RSV can be an epidemic pathogen among elderly persons, although this illness is usually mild.

The prevalence of anti-HCV was determined in 1,309 leprosy patients and a control group of 1,469 subjects from 6 sub-Saharan African countries and the Yemen. Sera found positive by an initial second generation ELISA were subjected to 3 additional confirmatory tests. The anti-HCV prevalence in leprosy patients (7.1%) was significantly higher than in the control group (2.6%). HCV seroprevalence increased with age in both the control and leprosy groups. No statistically significant difference could be found between anti-HCV prevalence and the several clinical forms of leprosy among patients. The results of this study indicate a high degree of exposure or chronic carriage of hepatitis C among leprosy patients.

The prevalence of HHV-6 IgG was studied in 11 different countries across several continents: Morocco, Burkina-Faso, Congo, Ivory Coast, Mali, Niger, Senegal, Togo, Ecuador, Martinique, and France. The study group consisted of 550 pregnant women, representative of the general adult population in each country. Antibodies were detected by immunofluorescence assay on HSB-2 cells infected with HHV-6. Each serum was tested at nine dilutions (1:20 to 1:5,120), sera greater than or equal to 20 being considered positive. For the negative antigen control, we used mock-infected HSB-2 cells. Great differences were seen between separate areas: Morocco showed both low prevalence (20%) and a low geometric mean titer (12), whereas sub-Saharan Africa displayed high prevalences (60% to 90%) and variable geometric mean titers (34 to 229). This study revealed a prevalence of 92% for Ecuador, significantly higher than the prevalence for Martinique (50%), yet both countries had very low antibody titers compared with those found in Africa. The prevalence in France (76%) was similar to previous results from other European countries.

In this study of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection prevalence in France, the prevalence of antibodies to HCV (as tested by second generation ELISA, with RIBA-2 confirmation in ELISA 2 positive samples) was found to be low (0/3%) in the healthy general population. HCV infection prevalence increased in the general population in association with African or Asian origin and risk factors such as bisexuality, previous history of transfusion, and intravenous drug abuse. The prevalence of anti-HCV infection was also higher in specific patient groups infected with HIV or a history of transfusion or haemodialysis. (Guit 1993; supplement: S50-S51)

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