RESUMEN
A total of 471 Israel Defense Forces (IDF) blood donors identified as hepatitis B virus (HBV) carriers were examined a few months after blood donation. When compared to the general population of IDF blood donors the HBV carriers were older, belonged to certain ethnic groups and were predominantly males. Physical examination revealed minimal findings: 1 (0.3%) had splenomegaly and 5 (1.6%) had hepatomegaly. Fifty-two individuals (11.1%) had elevated liver enzymes. E antigen was present in 3.2% of HBV carriers, 94% had anti-e antibodies and 1.9% had anti-delta antibodies. Of 258 carriers tested for HBV DNA, 29 (11.2%) were positive. Abnormal liver enzymes were significantly associated with the presence of e antigen as well as with the presence of HBV DNA.
Asunto(s)
Portador Sano , Hepatitis B/epidemiología , Adulto , Donantes de Sangre , ADN Viral/sangre , Femenino , Hepatitis B/dietoterapia , Hepatitis B/inmunología , Antígenos de Superficie de la Hepatitis B/sangre , Antígenos e de la Hepatitis B/sangre , Virus de la Hepatitis B/inmunología , Humanos , Israel/epidemiología , Hígado/enzimología , Masculino , Persona de Mediana EdadRESUMEN
Previous studies have shown that the administration of immune serum globulin (ISG) before exposure to hepatitis A virus prevents infection. The precise dose needed and the duration of the protection conferred are unclear, however. In this study, ISG doses of 2 mL and 5 mL were used for preexposure prophylaxis, and their efficacies in reducing the attack rate of hepatitis A among Israel Defence Forces troops serving in field units were compared. The attack rate during the first 4 months of follow-up was low and was similar regardless of the dose administered (0.11/10,000 and 0.15/10,000 for 2 mL and 5 mL, respectively; P = 1.0). In the second and third 4-month intervals after immunization, attack rates were higher (but not significantly so) among soldiers given 2 mL than among those given 5 mL. Twelve months after immunization, the cumulative attack rate for hepatitis A was significantly different for the two groups (2.78/10,000 vs. 1.30/10,000; P < .05). Our data suggest that preexposure immunization with 2 mL of ISG is as effective as that with 5 mL in preventing hepatitis A for 4 months. The advantage of the 5-mL dose is evident 5-12 months after administration.
Asunto(s)
Hepatitis A/prevención & control , Inmunización Pasiva , Inmunoglobulinas/administración & dosificación , Personal Militar , Relación Dosis-Respuesta Inmunológica , Estudios de Seguimiento , Humanos , Israel , Estudios Prospectivos , Factores de TiempoAsunto(s)
Anticuerpos Antibacterianos/inmunología , Vectores Arácnidos , Borrelia/clasificación , Borrelia/inmunología , Brotes de Enfermedades , Inmunoglobulina G/inmunología , Inmunoglobulina M/inmunología , Enfermedad de Lyme/inmunología , Personal Militar , Fiebre Recurrente/inmunología , Garrapatas , Adulto , Animales , Vectores Arácnidos/clasificación , Western Blotting , Reacciones Cruzadas , Ensayo de Inmunoadsorción Enzimática , Femenino , Técnica del Anticuerpo Fluorescente , Humanos , Israel/epidemiología , Enfermedad de Lyme/sangre , Enfermedad de Lyme/epidemiología , Enfermedad de Lyme/transmisión , Masculino , Juego de Reactivos para Diagnóstico , Fiebre Recurrente/sangre , Fiebre Recurrente/epidemiología , Fiebre Recurrente/transmisión , Garrapatas/clasificaciónRESUMEN
Infectious hepatitis is endemic to Israel. Large outbreaks of infectious hepatitis were common in the Israel Defence Forces (IDF) before 1970, at which time post-exposure prophylaxis with immune serum globulin was introduced. It caused a decrease in the incidence of infectious hepatitis from 10-14/1,000 to 3/1,000. A further reduction in incidence was achieved after 1978 when a policy of pre-exposure prophylaxis was established. The number of yearly outbreaks and cases per outbreak also declined as a result of this policy. Worldwide studies have shown that a policy of pre-exposure prophylaxis and/or post-exposure prophylaxis with immune serum globulin is effective in reducing the incidence of infectious hepatitis. The experience of the IDF is that a combination of both pre-exposure and post-exposure prophylaxis is more efficacious. This policy should be worthwhile in other areas where infectious hepatitis is endemic.
Asunto(s)
Hepatitis Viral Humana/prevención & control , Inmunización Pasiva , Personal Militar , Adulto , Hepatitis Viral Humana/epidemiología , Humanos , Incidencia , Israel/epidemiologíaRESUMEN
The incidence and causes of ocular trauma among Israeli troops serving in the West Bank and Gaza between 1987 and 1989 was investigated. Of the 985 soldiers who were reported injured, 11.3% (111) were reported to have suffered from injuries to the eye. Although most of the soldiers were supplied with some kind of protective gear, only 27% reported that they received eye protection; none used this protection at the time of injury. Fifty-seven percent of the injuries were caused by stones and 38% by flying glass; 14.6% of soldiers suffered bilateral eye injuries. Only 12.1% of those injured wore corrective lenses. Although only 5% were originally reported to have suffered moderate to severe injuries, 38% complained of residual vision impairment. Better eye protection and enforcement of orders to use such gear would reduce the number and severity of ocular injuries.
Asunto(s)
Desórdenes Civiles , Lesiones Oculares/epidemiología , Personal Militar , Conducta Peligrosa , Lesiones Oculares/clasificación , Lesiones Oculares/patología , Hospitalización , Israel , Encuestas y CuestionariosRESUMEN
Information on 1,267 Israeli soldiers injured in the administered territories (West Bank and Gaza) between December 1987 and November 1989 as a result of the Palestinian unrest was retrieved by us. The cases were divided according to cause, body location and severity of the injury. Most of the injuries were caused by stones (62%), the head being the primary site of injury (50.3%). Although the majority of injuries were light (92.3%), there was a 1.1% fatality rate. Enforcement of orders requiring troops to use protective gear that is issued to them would reduce the number and severity of the injuries.
Asunto(s)
Personal Militar , Guerra , Heridas y Lesiones/epidemiología , Humanos , Puntaje de Gravedad del Traumatismo , Israel , Irlanda del Norte , Heridas y Lesiones/etiología , Heridas y Lesiones/mortalidadRESUMEN
A rapid method for mapping health information during epidemics is described. We divided maps of cities into coded squares and assigned a code to each street which corresponded to its location on the map. Thus, health data information could be easily transferred from the field by indicating the number of cases in each square and readily transferring this information onto a map. By applying density data of the civilian population in each neighborhood it was possible to calculate incidence and prevalence rates at any given time.
Asunto(s)
Control de Enfermedades Transmisibles/métodos , Enfermedades Transmisibles/epidemiología , Brotes de Enfermedades , Densidad de Población , Características de la Residencia , Enfermedades Transmisibles/mortalidad , Humanos , Incidencia , Israel/epidemiología , Morbilidad , Prevalencia , Factores de Riesgo , GuerraRESUMEN
The incidence of squamous cell cervical cancer was studied in Jewish Israeli women between 1961 and 1981. The 1052 cases and the 27,832,272 women-years of observation were divided according to continent-of-origin, year-of-birth, and immigration-wave cohorts. Age-adjusted odds ratios were calculated for each cohort and compared. The incidence of cervical cancer was shown to have changed according to cohort year of birth, most significantly in women born in Europe and America. The highest risk in this group was seen in women born in 1891-1895 and 1941-1945 and the lowest in women born between 1926 and 1935. A high risk was also observed in all cohorts of North African women. There was a sharp rise in risk for women of all origins born after 1940. Immigration to Israel at a younger age was correlated with reduced risk for cervical cancer. It has been shown that epidemics of sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) are followed in time by epidemics of cervical cancer. Since there was an epidemic of STDs in Israel between 1967 and 1970, our results also suggest that there is a rise in the risk for cervical cancer in women who were sexually active during the epidemic of STDs. Because of the low rates for cervical cancer traditionally observed in Israeli women, routine screening was not done in Israel in the past. Should the relative risk for cervical cancer in women exposed during the 1967-1970 epidemic continue to be high, screening may prove worthwhile.