Search results

The Defense Medical Surveillance System (DMSS) is the central repository of medical surveillance data for the US armed forces. The DMSS integrates data from sources worldwide in a continuouslyexpanding relational database that documents the military and medical experiences of servicemembers throughout their careers.

The seroconversion rates and geometric mean concentrations (GMC) of IgG anti-PA for stored sera from U.S. military personnel immunized 3, 4, and 6 times with the U.S. licensed anthrax vaccine adsorbed were studied. Anti-PA IgG concentrations were measured by ELISA. All 246 vaccinees had low but detectable pre-immunization anti-PA IgG (GMC 1.83μg/mL). Three doses elicited a GMC of 60 μg/mL and a seroconversion rate of 85.3%, four doses elicited a GMC of 157 μg/mL and 67.9% and the sixth of 277 μg/mL and 45.5% respectively. The forth dose elicited 100% seroconversion compared to the pre-immunization level. These results should facilitate comparison between different immunization schedules and new vaccines.

An altered anti–Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) serologic profile preceding diagnosis is associated with an increased risk of Hodgkin lymphoma. It is unknown whether this atypical pattern predicts Hodgkin lymphoma risk further subdivided by determination of EBV in tumor cells. A nested case-control study of 128 incident Hodgkin lymphoma cases and 368 matched controls from active-duty military personnel with archived serum in the US Department of Defense Serum Repository was conducted to determine whether a panel of anti-EBV antibody titers differed in EBV+ and EBV− Hodgkin lymphoma. Among 40 EBV+ Hodgkin lymphoma cases and matched controls, statistically significant increased risks were associated with elevated anti-EBV VCA IgG antibody titers (relative risk = 3.1; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.1-8.7), and an anti–EBNA-1/anti–EBNA-2 antibody ratio ≤ 1.0 versus > 1.0 (relative risk = 4.7; 95% CI, 1.6-13.8). In contrast, no significant associations were found among 88 EBV− Hodgkin lymphoma cases relative to their matched controls. In case-case analysis, EBV+ disease was significantly associated with a low anti–EBNA-1/anti–EBNA-2 antibody ratio. This distinc-tive serologic response to EBV latent antigens, indicative of immune dysfunction in other clinical settings, is associated with an increased risk of developing EBV+ but not EBV− Hodgkin lymphoma.