American Journal of Epidemiology Vol. 93, No. 6: 463-471
Copyright © 1971 by The Johns Hopkins University School of Hygiene and Public Health
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THE RISK OF ACUTE RESPIRATORY INFECTIONS IN TWO GROUPS OF YOUNG ADULTS IN COLOMBIA, SOUTH AMERICA: A PROSPECTIVE SEROEPIDEMIOLOGIC STUDY
2From the WHO Serum Reference Bank and Section of International Epidemiology, Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, Yale University School of Medicine 333 Cedar St, New Haven, Conn. 06510.
Evans, A. 5. (Dept. of Epidemiology and Public Health, Yole Univ. School of Medicine, New Haven, Conn. 06510), C Jeffrey and J. C. Niederman. The risk of acute respiratory infections in two groups of young adults in Colombia, South America. A prospective seroepidemiologic study. Amer J Epidem 93: 463–471, 1971.—This study was carried out on Colombia military recruits from 1966–1968 and on U. S. Peace Corps volunteers in Colombia from 1964–1966 in order to determine risk of respiratory infections in these groups. Seventy-ftve % of 346 recruits had serologic evidence of myxovirus infections over 23 months; 16.6% of 205 Peace Corps volunteers were infected in the first 15 months and another 3 of 41 (7.3%) who were followed an additional 7 months. The higher attack rate in recruits was shown to be related both to higher susceptibility as measured by lower antibody prevalence on entry into service and to greater exposure as determined by infection rates in susceptible persons. The HI antibody titer was a reliable indicator of risk of influenza infection; levels of 1: 40 or more were associated with high degree of resistance over a two-year period. Adeno-virus type 7 infections were demonstrable in 6.3% of recruits and 0.5% of Peace Corps volunteers. Seroconversion to M. pneumoniae was found.in 17.0% of recruits and 14.3% of volunteers.
adenovirus; antibodies; influenza; military personnel; recruits; M. pneumoniae; parainfluenza; Peace Corps; respiratory tract infections
1The authors gratefully acknowledge the valuable technical assistance of Joan Wanat, Linda Cenabre and Lalitha Subrahmanyan. They also express their appreciation to: Dr. Alfonso Ramirez-Guttierrez and Capt. Circer Noriega for their support and interest in this study and for the procurement of the second serum sample from the recruit population; General Chavez of the Colombian Army who kindly gave permission for the investigation and provided logistic support; and Dr. Raul Cuadrado for his help in the first serum collection. The Peace Corps samples represent the cooperation of many Peace Corps physicians, especially Drs. Robert H. Gif-ford, N. Burton Attico, Douglas K. Stewart, William K. Linson, Joe H. Davis, Harris C. Taylor, and Robert D. Collins. Miss Virginia Richards greatly assisted in the statistical and computer analyses
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