The highest relative risk of developing tumours of the renal pelvis and ureters (TPU) in a general population is confined to areas where Balkan nephropathy (BN) is endemic. Whether there is a higher frequency of cancer of any site in families with TPU cases from this BN endemic part of the world was tested by a case-referent study. A group of 65 rural patients with histologically proven TPU was individually matched with the same number of their nearest neighbours, who served as controls. Comparison of age-standardized ratios revealed that over a period of 30 years family members of the cases experienced a significantly higher risk of (non-urinary) cancer deaths than family members of their pairmates.

SUMMARYThe reliability of colicine typing of Shigella sonnei: as an epidemiological marker has been investigated. Strains from 13 of 110 exeretors showed variation in type as determined by typing serial isolates and in 14 of 106 epidemics there was a lack of uniformity in typing results.The simultaneous presence of two types was found in 11-4 %/ of patients. In vitro variation was seen after 10 days in 6-8 % of isolates from 44 stools; variation had risen to 9 % when isolates were re-examined after one month.These results suggest that restrictions should be placed on the use of colicine typing as an epidemiologic tool.

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