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We have evaluated a new immunochromatographic kit, "KBM LineCheck Flu AB", which had been developed for enhanced detection of influenza B viruses. Five strains of influenza A and B viruses were tested for reactivity and detection limits of the kit. Compared with the detection limits of commercially available kit of QuickNavi-Flu, "KBM LineCheck Flu AB" showed a nearly equal reactivity to influenza A viruses, but quadruple reactivity to 2 influenza B viruses. Also, "KBM LineCheck Flu AB" exhibited high specificity when tested in 130 influenza-negative culture specimens derived from 24 adult volunteers. Furthermore, "KBM LineCheck Flu AB" was clinically evaluated by using 866 specimens, including 190 nasal swabs, 201 nasal aspirations, 262 self-blown nasal discharges, and 213 pharyngeal swabs. Compared with the results of QuickNavi-Flu for influenza A, the test efficiency for the nasal swabs, the nasal aspirations, self-blown nasal discharges, and pharyngeal swabs were calculated to be 95.8%, 92.0%, 95.0%, and 94.8%, respectively. Whereas, as to influenza B, the test efficiency for the nasal swabs, the nasal aspirations, self-blown nasal discharges, and pharyngeal swabs was calculated to be 96.3%, 98.5%, 96.2%, and 93.4%, respectively. Similarly, compared with the results of influenza A viral culture, the test efficiency for the nasal swabs, the nasal aspirations, self-blown nasal discharges, and pharyngeal swabs was calculated to be 95.3%, 91.0%, 93.9%, and 92.5%, respectively. Regarding influenza B culture, the test efficiency for the nasal swabs, the nasal aspirations, self-blown nasal discharges, and pharyngeal swabs were calculated to be 95.8%, 97.5%, 95.1%, 91.5%, respectively. Overall, we concluded that the "KBM LineCheck Flu AB" is useful and suitable for diagnosis of influenza A and especially influenza B.

Supplemental Digital Content is available in the text, In young children, infrequent antigen exposure, which is partly characterized by fewer vaccinations, may be a factor impairing the immunogenicity of inactivated influenza vaccine. We assessed the effects of prior vaccinations on age-specific immune responses in Japanese children aged 6 months to 3 years, using data from a cohort study with 266 children who had received 2 doses (0.25 mL/dose for < 3 years old, 0.5 mL/dose for 3 years old) in the 2006/2007 season. Serological measures, primarily seroprotection rates, between previously vaccinated and vaccine-naïve children were compared within 1-year age strata. The seroprotection rate was defined in 2 ways as the proportion of subjects who achieved an antibody titer of 1:40 or 1:160. Multivariate logistic regression was also performed to estimate the independent effect of prior vaccination on seroprotection rate. After the first dose, seroprotection rates with the threshold of 1:40 in vaccine-naïve 1-year-olds remained low (28% for AH1, 26% for AH3, 2% for B), similar to those of 0-year-olds. In contrast, seroprotection rates in previously vaccinated 1-year-olds (77% for AH1, 86% for AH3, 18% for B) were significantly higher than those in vaccine-naïve 1-year-olds. These seroprotection rates for AH1 and AH3 were comparable with those in previously vaccinated 2- and 3-year-olds. Although seroprotection rates for B remained low in every age stratum even after the second dose, seroprotection rate in previously vaccinated 1-year-olds (50%) was similar to that in 3-year-olds. After adjustment for age, baseline antibody titer and experience of acute febrile respiratory illness in the preceding season, odds ratios showed a significant independent positive effect of prior vaccination on seroprotection rate for every strain. After the seroprotection threshold was changed from 1:40 to 1:160, the results of the effects of prior vaccinations on immunogenicity were similar or became more evident, which demonstrate the robustness of our findings. Our study found that prior vaccinations improved poor immunogenicity among young children, especially in 1-year-olds.

In Japan, the routine immunization program with oral polio vaccine (OPV) has been suspended since September 2012, when a program with 4 doses of inactivated monovalent polio vaccine (IPV) or quadrivalent vaccine against diphtheria, pertussis, and tetanus with IPV (DTaP-IPV) was introduced. The aim of this study was to examine the interchangeability among these 3 types of polio vaccines.We conducted a prospective cohort study at 5 pediatric clinics in Japan. A total of 153 infants were assigned to 1 of the 4 groups by considering the vaccination history of OPV and trivalent vaccine against DTaP. Eleven infants with a history of OPV received 3 doses of DTaP-IPV; 49 infants with a history of OPV and DTaP received 3 doses of IPV; 50 polio vaccine-naive infants received 2 doses of IPV followed by 2 doses of DTaP-IPV; and 43 polio vaccine-naive infants received 2 doses of DTaP-IPV followed by IPV. The immunogenicity after polio vaccination was evaluated among these 4 groups.After 2 doses of polio vaccination, more than 80% of the infants exhibited a neutralization antibody titer ≥1:8 for all Sabin strains and wild strains in all groups. After the third dose, the seroprotection proportion (i.e., a neutralization antibody titer ≥1:8) reached about 100%. After the fourth dose, a neutralization antibody titer exceeded the required protective levels (i.e., a neutralization antibody titer ≥1:8) considerably in all groups.Four doses of polio vaccines induced a sufficient level of immunity in Japanese infants, irrespective of vaccine combinations or order.

We have developed a new noninvasive method to evaluate regional left ventricular (LV) function by digital subtraction angiography (DSA) without the use of contrast medium. DSA images of the left ventricle with and without contrast medium were obtained from 35 patients with anterior myocardial infarction (MI) and from 35 control subjects. Using an image-processing computer, regional LV time-density curves were constructed for one cardiac cycle. Regional LV time-density curves obtained from DSA without the use of contrast medium presented a pattern similar to those from intravenous DSA. The amplitude of regional LV time-density curves in patients with MI decreased along with increasing severity of regional wall motion abnormality assessed by conventional left ventriculography. In attempting semi-quantitative evaluation by DSA without the use of contrast medium, the regional wall motion index (RWI) in the 6 segments of the left ventricle was calculated by normalizing segmental density changes to the maximal segmental density changes. When compared with control subjects, patients with MI have significantly lower RWIs in the anterolateral and apical regions. RWI showed a good correlation with the regional ejection fraction (REF) obtained from intravenous contrast DSA (r = 0.83). RWI decreased with increasing severity of regional wall motion abnormality by qualitative analysis in conventional left ventriculography, being consistent with REF. The diagnostic accuracy of RWI therefore seemed to be comparable to that of REF derived from intravenous contrast DSA. These results indicate that computerized analysis of DSA without the use of contrast medium is a valuable noninvasive method for semi-quantitative assessment of regional LV function.

To study the clinical significance of abnormal myocardial perfusion in patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM), we performed a computerized washout analysis of digital subtraction coronary arteriograms in 28 patients with HCM and 16 control subjects. The contrast disappearance half-life (T1/2) was calculated from a time-density curve generated in the four sectors of the myocardium perfused by the left anterior descending coronary artery and the mean T1/2 was calculated by averaging T1/2 values for these four sectors. Patients with HCM demonstrated longer T1/2 in the ventricular septal region than control subjects. Thirteen (46%) of the patients with HCM presented abnormally longer mean T1/2 values, suggesting impaired myocardial perfusion. Family histories of HCM were more frequent in patients with abnormal mean T1/2 values (92% vs 47%; p less than 0.05). On the exercise stress test, patients with abnormal T1/2 values presented significantly lower exercise tolerance with more frequent exercise-induced ST segment depression (62% vs 13%; p less than 0.05). However, there were no significant differences between the two groups with regard to ventricular wall thickness, left ventricular end-diastolic pressure, or the severity of systolic narrowing of the coronary arteries. These findings suggest that 13 (46%) of the patients with HCM have impaired myocardial perfusion, which may be a manifestation of intramural coronary artery disease in addition to left ventricular hypertrophy, elevated left ventricular end-diastolic pressure, or systolic narrowing of the coronary arteries. Additionally, significant association of the prolonged T1/2 with a familial occurrence of HCM and depressed exercise tolerance with ST segment depression imply that impaired myocardial perfusion could be an important inherent pathophysiological state leading to myocardial ischemia during exercise.

Right ventricular ejection fractions were determined by videodensitometric computer analysis of digital subtraction angiography in 50 patients with various cardiac diseases. Using intravenous injection of 35 ml sodium meglumin diatrizoate at a constant rate of 12 ml/min, serial right ventriculograms were obtained in the right anterior oblique projection. Right ventricular enddiastolic and end-systolic counts and ejection fractions were obtained by integrating densitometric counts within the, right ventricular region of interest, in addition to application of the conventional pyramidal method. The obtained right ventricular densitometric counts correlated closely (r=0.91) with the single-plane right ventricular volumes. The right ventricular ejection fraction determined by video-densitometry also exhibited satisfactory correlation (r=0.74) with that by single-plane ventriculography. Thus, videodensitometric analysis of digital subtraction right ventriculograms are an acceptable method for the determination of the right ventricular ejection fraction, and therefore videodensitometric analysis is recommended as a convenient method for clinical practice.