A Study of Influenza Viruses and the Implications in Regard to the Epidemiology and Prevention of Influenza

Isaacs, Alick (1954) A Study of Influenza Viruses and the Implications in Regard to the Epidemiology and Prevention of Influenza. MD thesis, University of Glasgow.

Abstract

The subject is introduced in Chapter I. Chapter II contains an account of the techniques of study used in the laboratory investigations. Chapter III considers the antigenic characters of the influenza viruses. All the evidence points to the belief that antigenically new varieties of influenza A viruses are continually emerging to replace older varieties. This statement prompts a digression into the recently reported isolations of strains of virus identical to strains recovered 10-20 years earlier; it is shown that the evidence that these strains represent genuine isolations is far from complete and that the possibility of laboratory contaminations in the cases investigated cannot reasonably be excluded. An account is given of the antigenic characters of older and more recent influenza A viruses, the latter received as part of the World Health Organisation's programme on influenza. The influenza B and C viruses are discussed briefly. Chapter IV describes the so-called P-Q variation in influenza viruses. The natural occurrence and laboratory induction of these variants are discussed and an attempt is made to estimate the epidemiological significance of the phenomenon. Evidence is presented for the theory that P-Q variation represents an alteration in the arrangement of the antigenic components within the virus particle. In Chapter V some conclusions are drawn about the epidemiology of influenza from these results. An attempt is made to relate the characteristic epidemiological behaviour of influenza A, B and C viruses to their different degrees of antigenic variability The importance of the antigenic variability of the virus and the past experience of a population to infection with antigenically related viruses is illustrated by an account of an influenza epidemic in Ocean Island. The evidence for transcontinental spread of virus is presented and the origin of Influenza epidemic discussed. Chapter VI is concerned with the prevention of influenza. The successes and failures of parenteral vaccination are considered and methods for improving its efficiency are described. Finally, laboratory evidence is adduced that nasal vaccination with live attenuated virus has a sound theoretical basis and deserves further experiments in man.

• Item Type: Thesis (MD)
• Qualification Level: Doctoral
• Keywords: Medicine, Virology, Epidemiology
• Date of Award: 1954
• Depositing User: Enlighten Team
• Unique ID: glathesis:1954-79114
• Copyright: Copyright of this thesis is held by the author.
• Date Deposited: 05 Mar 2020 11:42
• Last Modified: 05 Mar 2020 11:42
• URI: https://theses.gla.ac.uk/id/eprint/79114