Age‐specific prevalence of complement‐fixing antibodies to sixteen viral antigens: A computer analysis of 58,500 patients covering a period of eight years

Abstract

The age-specific prevalence of CF antibodies against 16 viral antigens was determined by using the computerized data registry of the routine diagnostic laboratory of the authors' department. The material consisted of data based on serum specimens from about 58,500 patients. All ages from newborn infants to 90-year-olds were represented. The sera had been collected and tested with a CF screening test over a period of 8 years (1971-1978). Several different antibody prevalence patterns were distinguished in regard to the rapidity and timing of the initial increase of the prevalence, as well as to the mode of later changes in prevalence. For most respiratory viruses a rapid increase of the prevalence was seen through the childhood continuing, for some of them, up to the 30s (influenza A and coronavirus), while rather variable patterns were found in the older age groups. Herpes simplex and cytomegaloviruses showed, interestingly, another type of pattern: a slow increase of prevalence continuing through the whole age range. The frequency of herpes simplex antibodies reached 90% by the age of 80 years. Antibody levels against any antigen in infants less than one-month-old were equal to those in 20- to 40-year-old adults, and the expected rapid decrease of antibodies took place within the first 6 months of life. Possible influences of epidemics and repeated exposures to different viruses (external boosting), and of latent or chronic infections (internal boosting), as well as of technical variations, on the observed prevalence patterns are discussed.

The seroepidemiology ofChlamydiaein Finland over the period 1971 to 1987

“…The study population can be considered to represent fairly well the general Finnish population for the following reasons. Our laboratory serves all types of hospitals and out-patient clinics covering about two-thirds of the whole population, and because of the nature of our public health care system, the patients included were not selected for socioeconomic reasons (Ukkonen et al 1984 (Matthiesen & Volkert, 1956;Jansson, 1960), but they may sometimes remain elevated for years for unknown reasons (Dekking, 1962 (Fig. 3, 1984) (Jansson, 1960), which is in agreement with our report.…”

“…1). The percentage of serologically determined recent infections caused by any identified agent was very low in this material (less than 3 %), and thus > 97 % of the patients could be considered as 'normal' population with respect to a particular agent (Ukkonen et al 1984 5 1970 1972 1974 1976 1978 1980 1982 1984 1986 1988 1971-82 and 1984-7. and 22%, except in 1984 when over 31 % of the sera contained chlamydial CF antibodies.…”

“…The complement fixation (CF) test was performed in microtitre plates (Ukkonen et al 1984). An ether-acetone extracted genus-specific antigen from C. trachomatis, serotype D (kindly provided by Dr (Fig.…”

Seroepidemiology of Herpes Simplex Virus in Yogyakarta, Indonesia

“…In Japan and other industrial countries, an increase in the seronegative rate in young adults has been elucidated (4,6,8,9). We reported previously that the rate of seropositive young adults had decreased in Fukuoka, though the positive rate was 82% in the 11-to 20-year-old group in Manila (3).…”

“…The serum antibody titers of prostitutes also tended to be higher than those of the others. For the measurement of antibody to HSV, various methods, such as the neutralization test (NT), complement-fixation test, or enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, have been used (3,4,7,9,10). In this study, we measured antibody to HSV by using a newly developed PHA test.…”