No abstract

Rapid tests for influenza antigen detection are frequently used, but it is not known how receipt of intranasal influenza vaccine affects results of these tests. We tested healthy adults who received either intranasal or intramuscular influenza vaccine. Of the 14 intranasal vaccine recipients, 7 (50%) had a direct fluorescent antibody test (DFA) result and 2 (14%) had an enzyme immunoassay (EIA) result that was positive for influenza antigen within 7 days after vaccination. No subjects had positive EIA results on day 12 or 13 after vaccination. For some intranasal vaccine recipients, rapid influenza-antigen detection tests yield positive results within 1 week after vaccination.

SUMMARYA total of 1786 blood donors were screened for the presence of anti-hepatitis A antibody (anti HAV). 64-5% of the donors were found to be positive. The prevalence of the antibody was found to be age-related, 55 % at 18 years and 75 % at 65 years. No relationship was noted between the presence of antibody, foreign travel or a specific destination. Assay of antibody levels in selected seropositive individuals gave a mean level of 5 0 IU/ml.The prevalence of infection in this selected population is important in the context of passive immunization with normal human immunoglobulin and for defining a policy of immunization with hepatitis A vaccines, which are currently undergoing clinical trials.