HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS		QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s): Year:  Vol:  Page:

This Article Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Similar articles in this journal Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Schwartz, B. S. Articles by Decoursey, E. Search for Related Content PubMed Articles by Schwartz, B. S. Articles by Decoursey, E.

An Influenza Index on Periodic Determination of Average Antibody Titers of Population Samples

From the 18th Medical General Laboratory, U. S. Army

Abstract

1. A serological index for the study of influenza, the use of a spectrophotometer for facilitating the estimation of hemagglutinin and antibody-titers, and a simplified method of calculating hemagglutinin and antibody-titers are proposed.

2. The arithmetic mean of the antibody level of the population was periodically determined by photoelectric Hirst titrations on serum-pools.

3. The antibody-levels of the civilian and military population of Oahu, T.H. were studied over a period of five months, following an epidemic of influenza B and during a period of mass vaccination carried on by the Army.

4. The index demonstrated the generally elevated level of influenzal antibody-titer just after an epidemic, and the subsequent decline of that titer.

5. The general antibody-response to mass-vaccination and the comparative antigenic effectiveness of the PR 8 and Lee components of the vaccine were demonstrated.

6. The study also indicated an antigenic difference between the Lee strain of influenza B and a local strain of influenza B isolated here during a recent epidemic.

Footnotes

¹ First Lieutenant, Sanitary Corps.

² Major, Medical Corps.

³ Lieutenant Colonel, Medical Corps.

⁴ Colonel, Medical Corps.

⁵ With the technical assistance of Technician Third Grade, Richard S. Gordon, Medical Department.