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Fifty children with malignant diseases were vaccinated against hepatitis B. Twenty-nine children suffered from leukaemia or non-Hodgkin's lymphoma; 14 of these were on intensive chemotherapy (group I) and 15 were without intensive therapy (group II). The other 21 children had various forms of solid tumours, 14 of them were on intensive therapy (group III) and 7 were without intensive therapy (group IV). To evaluate the immune response, we determined antibody titres over a period of more than 14 weeks after the first vaccination. As 22 out of 50 patients had received passive immunisation together with either the first or the first and second vaccination, antibody titres at the 14th and 18th week (i.e. more than 10 weeks after passive immunisation) were used to evaluate the vaccination results. An antibody titre of greater than or equal to 10 mIU/ml was considered to be a positive response. All patients of group IV, but only 4 out of 14 in group III, 4 out of 15 in group II, and 0 out of 14 in group I produced antibody titres higher than 50 mIU/ml. In contrast to the full response in group IV, two-thirds of all other patients had no immune response (less than 10 mIU/ml). Based on our experience we recommend vaccinating patients suffering from solid tumours and receiving no intensive therapy (group IV) against hepatitis B and protecting all the other children with malignant diseases by passive immunisation, if necessary.

The objective of the present study was to establish the occurrence of Chlamydia pneumoniae by direct detection in gargled-water specimens obtained from 193 children suffering from acute or chronic respiratory infections. Specimens were analyzed by an indirect immunofluorescence test (IIF), a genus-specific antigen enzyme immunosorbent assay (EIA) and the polymerase chain reaction (PCR). The pathogen was detected in three children by PCR only. As underlying disease, chronic obstructive bronchitis resistant to therapy was reported. In two of the children, the presence of pneumonia could be verified by X-ray. With a detection threshold of target DNA obtained from two inclusion forming units (IFU), the PCR proved clearly more sensitive than EIA becoming positive at levels of 100 IFU and above. No interpretable results could be obtained for the IIF.

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