770 remarkable feature was the uniformity of the contamination: clearly the activity has been deposited from the air. All surfaces were decontaminated. The fan in the fume cupboard of the laboratory had been out of operation over the two-month period. Subsequently as many operations as possible were done in the fume cupboard, even though it would not normally be considered necessary to work in a fume cupboard at the activities involved. The fan was run continuously to promote air changes. Over the next three months no surface contamination was detected, except on working surfaces.
positive for HBeAg and 45.5% are positive for HBeAb. Owing to vagaries of the immune response and the sensitivity of the techniques used, it is not clear whether the remaining 50% have been exposed to e antigen.
Radiochemical Laboratory, Department of Chemistry, University of Dundee, Dundee DD1 4HN
Department of Medical Microbiology, University College,
I. S. MCLINTOCK
Department of Obstetrics and Gynæcology, University of Dundee
J.
We thank Dr J. Wallace, of the Glasgow and West of Scotland Regional Transfusion Centre, for his help. This work was supported by a grant from the Distillers Company Limited.
University Department Royal Infirmary, Glasgow, G4 0SF
M. J. PARKER R. B. GOUDIE A. G. SHATTOCK
Belfield, Dublin
L. YOUNG
DISULFIRAM-INDUCED MYOCARDIAL AND SKELETAL-MUSCLE DEGENERATION IN RATS
CEREBRAL BLOOD-FLOW IN POLYCYTHÆMIA
SIR,—The paper by Dr Thomas and his colleagues (July 23, 161) may be relevant to patients with hypoxic lung disease and secondary polycythsemia. Such patients frequently have cerebral symptoms which are usually attributed to the low
p.
. p a02 and raised Paco2. After isovolumetric venesection (e.g., with dextran 40) there is usually a clinical improvement in these symptoms but no concomitant change in blood gases or respiratory-function tests.’ When the packed cell volume rises the benefits of increased oxygen carriage are outweighed by the exponential increase in blood viscosity and the resultant reduction in blood-flow.2 It is unlikely that altered renal perfusion plays a role in this improvement-indeed venesection should probably be done only on patients with a normal blood-urea.3 Much of the apparently subjective improvement reported by patients with polycythaemic chronic obstructive lung disease after isovolumetric venesection may result from increased cerebral blood-flow. Brook General London SE18
of Pathology,
Hospital, DAVID HONEYBOURNE
SIR,-Disulfiram has been used as a fungicide and rubber chemical and for the treatment of alcoholism. Like many other thiocarbamates it is biotransformed to carbon disulphide.1,2 Many of the toxicological properties of disulfiram, such as its neurotoxicity, may be attributed to this biotransformation product. Animal studies on carbon disulphide,3,4 disulfiram,s and thiram6 have described muscle incoordination, ataxia, and tremor as well as paralysis, suggesting that the neurotoxic effects of carbon disulphide may lead to muscle impairment. We have looked for morphological effects of disulfiram on skeletal muscle and myocardium. 30 Sprague-Dawley rats of each sex were given disulfiram
120, mg/kg body-weight daily by
gavage
as a
microsuspension
in ’Methocel 65 Hg’ water solution. The same number of control animals were given the vehicle alone. Five animals of each
1. Johnston, C. D., Prickett, C. S. Biochim. biophys. Acta. 1952, 9, 219. Fischer, R., Brantner, H. ArzneimittelForsch., 1967, 17, 1461. Lewey, F. H. J. ind. Hyg. Toxicol., 1941, 23, 415 Wronska-Nofer, T., Stetkiewicz, J., Szendzikowski, S. Int. Arch. Arbeitsmed. 1973, 31, 123. 5. Child, G. P. Crump, M. Acta pharmac. toxicol., 1952, 8, 305. 6. Lee, C. G., Peters, P. J. Envir. Hlth Perspect. 1976, 17, 35.
2. 3. 4.
INCIDENCE OF HBe ANTIGEN AND HBe ANTIBODY IN BLOOD-DONORS
SIR,-In South-West Scotland 0-2% of healthy blood-
hepatitis-B surface (HBs) antigensemia as assessed by radioimmunoassay. 88 HBsAg-positive plasmas from blooddonors were examined for the presence of e antigen (HBeAg) and anti-e antibody (HBeAb) by an immunodiffusion technique. Several plasmas, mainly high-titre HBeAb-positive, produced multiple lines and for this reason results were considered positive only when they produced a line of confluence with standard HBeAg and HBeAb. All negative samples were concentrated fourfold by ultrafiltration and tested against a panel of e and anti-e positive plasmas. This was found, greatly enhancing the sensitivity of HBeAg detection. The sensitivity ofHBeAb detection was 29% greater: donors have
These findings demonstrate that approximately 50% of HBjAg carriers have evidence of e-antigen exposure: 3-4% are Harrison, B. Gregory, R., Clark, T., Scott, G. Br. med. J. 1971, iv, 713. Dintenfass, L., Read, J. Lancet, 1968, i, 570. 3. Honeybourne, D. Br. med. J. 1977, i, 52.
1. 2.
Fig. 1—Section firam 120
of rat
myocardmm after treatment with disul-
mg/kg/day
for 14
myocardial degeneration. (H. & E.-, x 250.)
days showing acute-subacute
positive for HBeAg and 45.5% are positive for HBeAb. Owing to vagaries of the immune response and the sensitivity of the techniques used, it is not clear whether the remaining 50% have been exposed to e antigen.
Radiochemical Laboratory, Department of Chemistry, University of Dundee, Dundee DD1 4HN
Department of Medical Microbiology, University College,
I. S. MCLINTOCK
Department of Obstetrics and Gynæcology, University of Dundee
J.
We thank Dr J. Wallace, of the Glasgow and West of Scotland Regional Transfusion Centre, for his help. This work was supported by a grant from the Distillers Company Limited.
University Department Royal Infirmary, Glasgow, G4 0SF
M. J. PARKER R. B. GOUDIE A. G. SHATTOCK
Belfield, Dublin
L. YOUNG
DISULFIRAM-INDUCED MYOCARDIAL AND SKELETAL-MUSCLE DEGENERATION IN RATS
CEREBRAL BLOOD-FLOW IN POLYCYTHÆMIA
SIR,—The paper by Dr Thomas and his colleagues (July 23, 161) may be relevant to patients with hypoxic lung disease and secondary polycythsemia. Such patients frequently have cerebral symptoms which are usually attributed to the low
p.
. p a02 and raised Paco2. After isovolumetric venesection (e.g., with dextran 40) there is usually a clinical improvement in these symptoms but no concomitant change in blood gases or respiratory-function tests.’ When the packed cell volume rises the benefits of increased oxygen carriage are outweighed by the exponential increase in blood viscosity and the resultant reduction in blood-flow.2 It is unlikely that altered renal perfusion plays a role in this improvement-indeed venesection should probably be done only on patients with a normal blood-urea.3 Much of the apparently subjective improvement reported by patients with polycythaemic chronic obstructive lung disease after isovolumetric venesection may result from increased cerebral blood-flow. Brook General London SE18
of Pathology,
Hospital, DAVID HONEYBOURNE
SIR,-Disulfiram has been used as a fungicide and rubber chemical and for the treatment of alcoholism. Like many other thiocarbamates it is biotransformed to carbon disulphide.1,2 Many of the toxicological properties of disulfiram, such as its neurotoxicity, may be attributed to this biotransformation product. Animal studies on carbon disulphide,3,4 disulfiram,s and thiram6 have described muscle incoordination, ataxia, and tremor as well as paralysis, suggesting that the neurotoxic effects of carbon disulphide may lead to muscle impairment. We have looked for morphological effects of disulfiram on skeletal muscle and myocardium. 30 Sprague-Dawley rats of each sex were given disulfiram
120, mg/kg body-weight daily by
gavage
as a
microsuspension
in ’Methocel 65 Hg’ water solution. The same number of control animals were given the vehicle alone. Five animals of each
1. Johnston, C. D., Prickett, C. S. Biochim. biophys. Acta. 1952, 9, 219. Fischer, R., Brantner, H. ArzneimittelForsch., 1967, 17, 1461. Lewey, F. H. J. ind. Hyg. Toxicol., 1941, 23, 415 Wronska-Nofer, T., Stetkiewicz, J., Szendzikowski, S. Int. Arch. Arbeitsmed. 1973, 31, 123. 5. Child, G. P. Crump, M. Acta pharmac. toxicol., 1952, 8, 305. 6. Lee, C. G., Peters, P. J. Envir. Hlth Perspect. 1976, 17, 35.
2. 3. 4.
INCIDENCE OF HBe ANTIGEN AND HBe ANTIBODY IN BLOOD-DONORS
SIR,-In South-West Scotland 0-2% of healthy blood-
hepatitis-B surface (HBs) antigensemia as assessed by radioimmunoassay. 88 HBsAg-positive plasmas from blooddonors were examined for the presence of e antigen (HBeAg) and anti-e antibody (HBeAb) by an immunodiffusion technique. Several plasmas, mainly high-titre HBeAb-positive, produced multiple lines and for this reason results were considered positive only when they produced a line of confluence with standard HBeAg and HBeAb. All negative samples were concentrated fourfold by ultrafiltration and tested against a panel of e and anti-e positive plasmas. This was found, greatly enhancing the sensitivity of HBeAg detection. The sensitivity ofHBeAb detection was 29% greater: donors have
These findings demonstrate that approximately 50% of HBjAg carriers have evidence of e-antigen exposure: 3-4% are Harrison, B. Gregory, R., Clark, T., Scott, G. Br. med. J. 1971, iv, 713. Dintenfass, L., Read, J. Lancet, 1968, i, 570. 3. Honeybourne, D. Br. med. J. 1977, i, 52.
1. 2.
Fig. 1—Section firam 120
of rat
myocardmm after treatment with disul-
mg/kg/day
for 14
myocardial degeneration. (H. & E.-, x 250.)
days showing acute-subacute
