Haraldur Briem - Academia.edu (original) (raw)
Papers by Haraldur Briem
Neðst á síðunni er hægt að nálgast greinina í heild sinni með því að smella á hlekkinn View/OpenO... more Neðst á síðunni er hægt að nálgast greinina í heild sinni með því að smella á hlekkinn View/OpenOcular complications of acquired immunodeficiency syndrome are common and often very serious. We studied the incidence of ocular complications of AIDS in Iceland, patients visual handicap and survival after developement of ocular complications. We made a retrospective study of hospital files and fundus photographs of AIDS patients who were examined at the Department of Ophthalmology St. Joseph's Hospital prior to September 30th 1993. As of September 30th 1993, 81 Icelanders were known to be HIV-infected and 29 of those had developed AIDS. Twelve HIV-positive patients were examined at the Department of Ophthalmology, nine of whom had ocular complications (8 of 9 had AIDS). Four had died by September 30th 1993 (all with cytomegalovirus retinitis). Six patients had cytomegalovirus retinitis, one had optic nerve atrophy, one had chronic herpes simplex keratitis and six had retinal microva...
British Journal of Clinical Pharmacology, 2004
Background Europe is a continent with strong public healthcare systems, but diverg ing antibiotic... more Background Europe is a continent with strong public healthcare systems, but diverg ing antibiotic policies and resistance patterns. Aims To describe the performance and methodological approach in a retrospective data collection effort (1997-2001), through an international network of surveillance systems, aiming to collect publicly available, comparable and reliable data on antibiotic use in Europe. Methods A central multidisciplinary management team coordinated a network of national representatives, liasing with national data providers and bodies responsible for antibiotic policy. The data collected were screened for bias, using a checklist. We focused on detection bias in sample and census data; errors in assigning medicinal product packages to the Anatomical Therapeutic Chemical Classification (ATC); errors in calculations of defined daily doses (DDD) per package; bias by over-the-counter sales and parallel trade; and bias in ambulatory care (AC)/hospital care (HC) mix. Datasets were corrected after national feedback, and classified as valid; valid but with minor bias; not valid. Results Of the 31 participating countries, 21 countries delivered AC data suitable for crossnational comparison (14 for all 5 years). Of these, 17 countries provided data on a quarterly basis for at least 1 year. For HC, 14 countries were able to deliver valid data (nine for all 5 years). A valid estimate of the total exposure of national populations to human antibiotic consumption could be made in 17 countries. Conclusion In cross-national comparisons of antibiotic consumption in Europe, methodolog ical rigour in correcting for various sources of bias and checking the validity of ATC/DDD assignment is needed.
... Sigurõsson, Sólveig D. Magnúsdóttir, Helga Erlendsdóttir, Haraldur Briem, Sigurõur Guõmundsso... more ... Sigurõsson, Sólveig D. Magnúsdóttir, Helga Erlendsdóttir, Haraldur Briem, Sigurõur Guõmundsson ALDURSBUNDIB ALGENGI MÓTEFNA GEGN CHLAMYDIA ... IgM gigtarbaettir vora einnig mseldir í IgM jákvaeõum synum meõ ELISA aõferõ (16) á rannsóknadeild Landspítala í ...
... Ann Intern Med 1979; 90: 690. 9. Woodhead MA, MacFarlane JT, MacCracken JS, Rose DH, Finch RG... more ... Ann Intern Med 1979; 90: 690. 9. Woodhead MA, MacFarlane JT, MacCracken JS, Rose DH, Finch RG et al. Prospective study of the aetiology and outcome of pneumonia in the community. ... 15. Everett ED, Rahm AE, Adaniya R, Stevens DL, McNitt TR et al. ...
The international journal of tuberculosis and lung disease : the official journal of the International Union against Tuberculosis and Lung Disease, 1999
Eurosurveillance, 2008
Binary file ES_s_Final_ECDC.txt matches
Neðst á síðunni er hægt að nálgast greinina í heild sinni með því að smella á hlekkinn View/Open ... more Neðst á síðunni er hægt að nálgast greinina í heild sinni með því að smella á hlekkinn View/Open Ocular complications of acquired immunodeficiency syndrome are common and often very serious. We studied the incidence of ocular complications of AIDS in Iceland, patients visual handicap and survival after developement of ocular complications. We made a retrospective study of hospital files and fundus photographs of AIDS patients who were examined at the Department of Ophthalmology St. Joseph's Hospital prior to September 30th 1993. As of September 30th 1993, 81 Icelanders were known to be HIV-infected and 29 of those had developed AIDS. Twelve HIV-positive patients were examined at the Department of Ophthalmology, nine of whom had ocular complications (8 of 9 had AIDS). Four had died by September 30th 1993 (all with cytomegalovirus retinitis). Six patients had cytomegalovirus retinitis, one had optic nerve atrophy, one had chronic herpes simplex keratitis and six had retinal microv...
Neðst á síðunni er hægt að nálgast greinina í heild sinni með því að smella á hlekkinn View/Open ... more Neðst á síðunni er hægt að nálgast greinina í heild sinni með því að smella á hlekkinn View/Open Í þessu hefti Læknablaðsins birtist athyglisverð grein um aðstöðu sjúklinga á Landspítala (1). Fram kemur að einungis 13% sjúkrarúma eru í einbýlum og 43% sjúkrarúma eru í þríbýlum eða fjölbýlum. Næstum þrír sjúklingar að meðaltali þurfa að deila með sér salerni og á einni deild þurftu 13 sjúklingar að deila með sér einu salerni. Handlaugar eru af skornum skammti á fjölbýlum og þurfa sjúklingar, gestir og starfsfólk að deila þeim með sér. Höfundur greinarinnar vekur einnig athygli á því að spítalasýkingum hefur fjölgað umtalsvert á undanförnum misserum sem leitt hefur til þess að loka hefur þurft deildum tímabundið vegna faraldra innan spítalans. Skyndilokanir sem þessar hafa valdið mikilli röskun á starfsemi spítalans. Ekki fer á milli mála að bágborin hreinlætisaðstaða sjúklinga og starfsfólks, mikil nálægð sjúklinga og síendurtekin tilfærsla þeirra grefur undan sýkingavarnastarfi, hve...
The International Journal of Tuberculosis and Lung Disease
Epidemiology and Infection, 2015
SUMMARYMeasles mortality fell prior to the introduction of vaccines or antibiotics. By examining ... more SUMMARYMeasles mortality fell prior to the introduction of vaccines or antibiotics. By examining historical mortality reports we sought to determine how much measles mortality was due to epidemiological factors such as isolation from major population centres or increased age at time of infection. Age-specific records were available from Aberdeen; Scotland; New Zealand and the states of Australia at the end of the 19th and beginning of the 20th centuries. Despite the relative isolation of Australia, measles mortality was concentrated in very young children similar to Aberdeen. In the more isolated states of Tasmania, Western Australia and Queensland adults made up 14–15% of measles deaths as opposed to 8–9% in Victoria, South Australia and New South Wales. Mortality in Iceland and Faroe Islands during the 1846 measles epidemic was used as an example of islands isolated from respiratory pathogens. The transition from crisis mortality across all ages to deaths concentrated in young chi...
Laeknabladid
Objectives: To investigate the incidence and prevalence of positive tuberculin skin test reaction... more Objectives: To investigate the incidence and prevalence of positive tuberculin skin test reactions in schoolchildren from six to 16 years of age. Material and methods: Data from tuberculin test school surveys in Reykjavik during the years 1958 to 1991 are available for almost all individuals of each age cohort. During 1958 to 1991 schoolchildren from six to 16 years of age were tested annually. In Iceland regular BCG vaccination in children or aldults has never been applied. Results: Incidence of positive tests in all ages fell from 2.5 (per 1000 tested per year) from 1958 down to 0.5 in the mid seventies and after that the incidence remained low. Prevalence of positive tests for the same age group in different age cohorts showed that for each age group from seven to 16 years positive tests were most common at the beginning of the study period but decreased successively to the beginning of the seventies. The prevalence of positive tests was low and almost unchanged during 1976 to 19...
European Journal of Cancer Supplements, 2004
Acta Medica Scandinavica, 2009
The long-term effect of clofibrate (at least 6 months' treatment) on albumin meta... more The long-term effect of clofibrate (at least 6 months' treatment) on albumin metabolism was investigated in 7 subjects and the results were compared with those from 15 control subjects. Human albumin labelled with 131I was used as a tracer. A significant difference between the groups was found in the following parameters: The clofibrate-treated group had a prolonged rapid component (t1 1/2) of the disappearance curve (p less than 0.05), relatively increased albumin in the extravascular space (i.e. decreased distribution ratio, p less than 0.01) and increased extravascular albumin space when corrected for body size by calculating it as per cent of the extravascular bromide space (p less than 0.01). There was no significant difference between the groups in albumin synthesis, fractional catabolic rate or the slow component (t2 1/2) of the disappearance curve. The results suggest that long-term treatment with clofibrate causes changes in the intercellular matrix.
Zoonoses and Public Health, 2011
Epidemics often result in organizational, policy and technical changes within a country. In 1999,... more Epidemics often result in organizational, policy and technical changes within a country. In 1999, an epidemic of campylobacteriosis was reported in Iceland. The recent availability of fresh poultry products in the marketplace was suggested as the source of infection. This paper reports on the context of the epidemic, reviews interventions implemented to prevent campylobacteriosis, and discusses lessons learned. A retrospective study of interventions implemented in Iceland from June 1995 to December 2007 was conducted by interviewing key informants and reviewing Iceland's literature. Cumulative incidence rates of domestic campylobacteriosis by year and average incidence rates per epidemic period were calculated. Interventions included on-farm surveillance of Campylobacter, producer education, enhanced biosecurity measures, changes in poultry processing, a leak-proof packaging policy, a freezing policy for products from Campylobacter-positive poultry flocks, consumer education, and the creation of a legislated inter-organizational response committee. These interventions appear to have collectively contributed to a decrease in campylobacteriosis' incidence rate near pre-epidemic baseline levels. Expert consultations revealed that the implementation of a Campylobacter surveillance program in poultry and the freezing policy were critical to controlling the disease in the Icelandic population. It was also recognized that new multidisciplinary collaborations among public health, veterinary, and food safety authorities and a sustained co-operation from the poultry industry were integral factors to the mitigation of the epidemic. Iceland's response to the campylobacteriosis epidemic is a lesson learned of inter-disciplinary and inter-organizational precautionary public health action in the face of a complex public health issue.
Laeknabladid, 1990
ABSTRACT Neðst á síðunni er hægt að nálgast greinina í heild sinni með því að smella á hlekkinn S... more ABSTRACT Neðst á síðunni er hægt að nálgast greinina í heild sinni með því að smella á hlekkinn Skoða/Opna(view/open) Skútabólga (sinusitis) er algeng sýking fullorðinna, og benda athuganir vestan hafs til að skútabólga fylgi í kjölfar um 0.5% efri loftvegasýkinga. Litlar upplýsingar eru til um tíðni og orsakir sjúkdómsins hérlendis. Tilgangur þessarar athugunar var annars vegar að kanna orsakir skútabólgu meðal fullorðinna hér á landi og hins vegar að kanna forspárgildi ræktana frá nefi um orsök sjúkdómsins. Á tímabilinu febrúar til desember 1987 gerðu háls-, nef- og eymalæknar á Borgarspítala rannsókn á 70 manns með kjálkaholubólgu (28 karlar, 42 konur) á aldrinum 15 til 74 ára í samvinnu við lyfjafyrirtækið Astra (rannsókn I). Megintilgangur rannsóknarinnar var tvíblindur samanburður á virkni cefixíms og cefaclors gegn skútabólgu. Frá September 1988 til desember 1989 var gerð svipuð rannsókn í samvinnu við lyfjafyrirtækið Eli Lilly & Co. á 101 einstaklingi (42 karlar, 59 konur) á aldrinum 16-76 ára í því skyni að bera saman árangur meðferðar með lóracarbef og doxýcýklín (rannsókn II). Enginn einstaklinganna hafði ónæmisbælandi sjúkdóm. Greining var staðfest í öllum tilvikum með röntgenmyndatöku. Sýni var tekið til ræktunar með ástungu á kjálkaholu (undir concha inferior) frá öllum einstaklingum. Hjá 74 einstaklingum í rannsókn II var jafnframt tekið nefstrok til ræktunar. »Jákvætt« nefstrok var skilgreint sem sýni er úr óx sami sýkill og frá ástungu á kjálkaholu. Reiknað var næmi (sensitivity), sértæki (specificity), jákvætt og neikvætt forspárgildi fyrir þessi tengsl. Hér eru kynntar niðurstöður bakteríuræktana eingöngu, en árangur meðferðar verður kynntur annars staðar. í rannsókn I ræktuðust sjúkdómsvaldandi sýklar frá 36 einstaklingum af 70 (51%) og í rannsókn II frá 57 af 101 (56%). Frá 20 af þeim 93 sýnum sem reyndust jákvæð (21.5%) ræktuðust tvær eða fleiri mismunandi sýklategundir. Sýklar skiptust sem hér segir eftir tegundum: S. pneumoniae (31%), H. influenzae (23%), S. aureus (11%), S. milleri (9%), aðrir streptococci (10%), B. catarrhalis (2%), loftfælnar bakteríur (9%) og aðrar bakteríur (6%). Aðeins einn stofn H. influenzae myndaði (3-lactamasa, en báðir B. catarrhalis stofnanna og 12/13 5. aureus stofnanna. Tilvist sýkils í nefi sagði vel fyrir um tilvist sama sýkils í skúta, og var jákvætt forspárgildi þegar litið var til allra sýkla 84%. Fyrir S. pneumoniae reyndist jákvætt forspárgildi vera 95% og fyrir H. influenzae 86%. Orsakir skútabólgu samkvæmt þessum athugunum eru hliðstæðar þeim sem fram hafa komið í sambærilegum erlendum rannsóknum. Jákvætt forspárgildi nefstroks er umtalsvert og gagnlegt. Kjörmeðferð við skútabólgu virðist samkvæmt þessum niðurstöðum vera lyf úr hópi amínópenicillína, þó hafa verði allnokkra tíðni stofna sem framleiða ß-lactamasa (14%) í huga.
Transfusion, 2000
The TT virus (TTV) is a newly identified blood-borne virus. Its association with disease is still... more The TT virus (TTV) is a newly identified blood-borne virus. Its association with disease is still unknown, and screening of blood donors has not been implemented. Several genotypes of the TTV have been identified. Three hundred seventy healthy blood donors were randomly selected and tested for TTV by the PCR method. Sequencing of a part of the genome was performed to identify various genotypes of the virus. ALT levels were determined in both infected and uninfected individuals. The TT virus (TTV), was detected in the sera of 23 (6.2%) of 370 healthy Icelandic blood donors; this prevalence is lower than that reported in Japan but higher than that in Scotland. The virus was found in all groups over the age of 19. Sequencing and phylogenetic analysis of 202 bp from open reading frame 1 demonstrated genotypes 1b and 2b 2c and genotype 4 isolates, with the latter bearing 89-percent nucleotide homology with other genotype 4 sequences deposited at GenBank. One sample showed a mixed genotype 1b/2c infection. Serum ALT levels were within normal limits in all infected individuals. The TTV carrier state does not cause significant liver injury.
BMJ open, 2012
To estimate physical and mental health effects of the Eyjafjallajökull volcanic eruption on nearb... more To estimate physical and mental health effects of the Eyjafjallajökull volcanic eruption on nearby residents.
Acta Obstetricia et Gynecologica Scandinavica, 2009
Evaluate the efficacy of catch-up HPV vaccination in sexually active young women and the potentia... more Evaluate the efficacy of catch-up HPV vaccination in sexually active young women and the potential impact of HPV vaccines on the practice of organized screening. (1) Women enrolled in the Future II study and (2) from a separate population-based study in Iceland. (1) Analysis of cytological and histological results and colposcopic examinations among 710 women, aged 18-23, with less than five sexual partners, irrespectively of baseline HPV status at enrolment. (2) The impact on screening practice as determined by evaluating the distribution of 12 oncogenic HPV types in 582 cervical intraepithelial lesions (CIN 2-3) and cancer cases. (1) Distribution of evaluated parameters according to age at enrolment. (2) Age distribution of four HPV groups, within age classes and HPV groups: mean time to development of lesions, mean time to development of CIN 2-3+, cumulative frequency for CIN 2-3+ lesions after the last normal smear. (1) After an average 52 months of post-enrolment follow-up, significant reductions in all evaluated parameters were observed in women aged 18-19 at enrolment. (2) Among women <25 years, the proportion of cases with only HPV 16/18 was significantly lower and the proportion containing HPV16/18 plus > or =1 out of 10 non-vaccine HPV types (31/33/45/52/58/35/39/51/56/59) was higher than at age 25-49. The proportion of cases containing only the non-vaccine types was the same within all age groups. Cases with HPV 16/18 and some non-vaccine types decreased significantly with age and accumulated more slowly after the last negative smear. Catch-up vaccination of younger women should be considered in the context of sexual practices and the effects of prevalent disease on observed vaccine efficacy. Current data do not support a change in the lower age limit or screening intervals for women.
Neðst á síðunni er hægt að nálgast greinina í heild sinni með því að smella á hlekkinn View/OpenO... more Neðst á síðunni er hægt að nálgast greinina í heild sinni með því að smella á hlekkinn View/OpenOcular complications of acquired immunodeficiency syndrome are common and often very serious. We studied the incidence of ocular complications of AIDS in Iceland, patients visual handicap and survival after developement of ocular complications. We made a retrospective study of hospital files and fundus photographs of AIDS patients who were examined at the Department of Ophthalmology St. Joseph's Hospital prior to September 30th 1993. As of September 30th 1993, 81 Icelanders were known to be HIV-infected and 29 of those had developed AIDS. Twelve HIV-positive patients were examined at the Department of Ophthalmology, nine of whom had ocular complications (8 of 9 had AIDS). Four had died by September 30th 1993 (all with cytomegalovirus retinitis). Six patients had cytomegalovirus retinitis, one had optic nerve atrophy, one had chronic herpes simplex keratitis and six had retinal microva...
British Journal of Clinical Pharmacology, 2004
Background Europe is a continent with strong public healthcare systems, but diverg ing antibiotic... more Background Europe is a continent with strong public healthcare systems, but diverg ing antibiotic policies and resistance patterns. Aims To describe the performance and methodological approach in a retrospective data collection effort (1997-2001), through an international network of surveillance systems, aiming to collect publicly available, comparable and reliable data on antibiotic use in Europe. Methods A central multidisciplinary management team coordinated a network of national representatives, liasing with national data providers and bodies responsible for antibiotic policy. The data collected were screened for bias, using a checklist. We focused on detection bias in sample and census data; errors in assigning medicinal product packages to the Anatomical Therapeutic Chemical Classification (ATC); errors in calculations of defined daily doses (DDD) per package; bias by over-the-counter sales and parallel trade; and bias in ambulatory care (AC)/hospital care (HC) mix. Datasets were corrected after national feedback, and classified as valid; valid but with minor bias; not valid. Results Of the 31 participating countries, 21 countries delivered AC data suitable for crossnational comparison (14 for all 5 years). Of these, 17 countries provided data on a quarterly basis for at least 1 year. For HC, 14 countries were able to deliver valid data (nine for all 5 years). A valid estimate of the total exposure of national populations to human antibiotic consumption could be made in 17 countries. Conclusion In cross-national comparisons of antibiotic consumption in Europe, methodolog ical rigour in correcting for various sources of bias and checking the validity of ATC/DDD assignment is needed.
... Sigurõsson, Sólveig D. Magnúsdóttir, Helga Erlendsdóttir, Haraldur Briem, Sigurõur Guõmundsso... more ... Sigurõsson, Sólveig D. Magnúsdóttir, Helga Erlendsdóttir, Haraldur Briem, Sigurõur Guõmundsson ALDURSBUNDIB ALGENGI MÓTEFNA GEGN CHLAMYDIA ... IgM gigtarbaettir vora einnig mseldir í IgM jákvaeõum synum meõ ELISA aõferõ (16) á rannsóknadeild Landspítala í ...
... Ann Intern Med 1979; 90: 690. 9. Woodhead MA, MacFarlane JT, MacCracken JS, Rose DH, Finch RG... more ... Ann Intern Med 1979; 90: 690. 9. Woodhead MA, MacFarlane JT, MacCracken JS, Rose DH, Finch RG et al. Prospective study of the aetiology and outcome of pneumonia in the community. ... 15. Everett ED, Rahm AE, Adaniya R, Stevens DL, McNitt TR et al. ...
The international journal of tuberculosis and lung disease : the official journal of the International Union against Tuberculosis and Lung Disease, 1999
Eurosurveillance, 2008
Binary file ES_s_Final_ECDC.txt matches
Neðst á síðunni er hægt að nálgast greinina í heild sinni með því að smella á hlekkinn View/Open ... more Neðst á síðunni er hægt að nálgast greinina í heild sinni með því að smella á hlekkinn View/Open Ocular complications of acquired immunodeficiency syndrome are common and often very serious. We studied the incidence of ocular complications of AIDS in Iceland, patients visual handicap and survival after developement of ocular complications. We made a retrospective study of hospital files and fundus photographs of AIDS patients who were examined at the Department of Ophthalmology St. Joseph's Hospital prior to September 30th 1993. As of September 30th 1993, 81 Icelanders were known to be HIV-infected and 29 of those had developed AIDS. Twelve HIV-positive patients were examined at the Department of Ophthalmology, nine of whom had ocular complications (8 of 9 had AIDS). Four had died by September 30th 1993 (all with cytomegalovirus retinitis). Six patients had cytomegalovirus retinitis, one had optic nerve atrophy, one had chronic herpes simplex keratitis and six had retinal microv...
Neðst á síðunni er hægt að nálgast greinina í heild sinni með því að smella á hlekkinn View/Open ... more Neðst á síðunni er hægt að nálgast greinina í heild sinni með því að smella á hlekkinn View/Open Í þessu hefti Læknablaðsins birtist athyglisverð grein um aðstöðu sjúklinga á Landspítala (1). Fram kemur að einungis 13% sjúkrarúma eru í einbýlum og 43% sjúkrarúma eru í þríbýlum eða fjölbýlum. Næstum þrír sjúklingar að meðaltali þurfa að deila með sér salerni og á einni deild þurftu 13 sjúklingar að deila með sér einu salerni. Handlaugar eru af skornum skammti á fjölbýlum og þurfa sjúklingar, gestir og starfsfólk að deila þeim með sér. Höfundur greinarinnar vekur einnig athygli á því að spítalasýkingum hefur fjölgað umtalsvert á undanförnum misserum sem leitt hefur til þess að loka hefur þurft deildum tímabundið vegna faraldra innan spítalans. Skyndilokanir sem þessar hafa valdið mikilli röskun á starfsemi spítalans. Ekki fer á milli mála að bágborin hreinlætisaðstaða sjúklinga og starfsfólks, mikil nálægð sjúklinga og síendurtekin tilfærsla þeirra grefur undan sýkingavarnastarfi, hve...
The International Journal of Tuberculosis and Lung Disease
Epidemiology and Infection, 2015
SUMMARYMeasles mortality fell prior to the introduction of vaccines or antibiotics. By examining ... more SUMMARYMeasles mortality fell prior to the introduction of vaccines or antibiotics. By examining historical mortality reports we sought to determine how much measles mortality was due to epidemiological factors such as isolation from major population centres or increased age at time of infection. Age-specific records were available from Aberdeen; Scotland; New Zealand and the states of Australia at the end of the 19th and beginning of the 20th centuries. Despite the relative isolation of Australia, measles mortality was concentrated in very young children similar to Aberdeen. In the more isolated states of Tasmania, Western Australia and Queensland adults made up 14–15% of measles deaths as opposed to 8–9% in Victoria, South Australia and New South Wales. Mortality in Iceland and Faroe Islands during the 1846 measles epidemic was used as an example of islands isolated from respiratory pathogens. The transition from crisis mortality across all ages to deaths concentrated in young chi...
Laeknabladid
Objectives: To investigate the incidence and prevalence of positive tuberculin skin test reaction... more Objectives: To investigate the incidence and prevalence of positive tuberculin skin test reactions in schoolchildren from six to 16 years of age. Material and methods: Data from tuberculin test school surveys in Reykjavik during the years 1958 to 1991 are available for almost all individuals of each age cohort. During 1958 to 1991 schoolchildren from six to 16 years of age were tested annually. In Iceland regular BCG vaccination in children or aldults has never been applied. Results: Incidence of positive tests in all ages fell from 2.5 (per 1000 tested per year) from 1958 down to 0.5 in the mid seventies and after that the incidence remained low. Prevalence of positive tests for the same age group in different age cohorts showed that for each age group from seven to 16 years positive tests were most common at the beginning of the study period but decreased successively to the beginning of the seventies. The prevalence of positive tests was low and almost unchanged during 1976 to 19...
European Journal of Cancer Supplements, 2004
Acta Medica Scandinavica, 2009
The long-term effect of clofibrate (at least 6 months' treatment) on albumin meta... more The long-term effect of clofibrate (at least 6 months' treatment) on albumin metabolism was investigated in 7 subjects and the results were compared with those from 15 control subjects. Human albumin labelled with 131I was used as a tracer. A significant difference between the groups was found in the following parameters: The clofibrate-treated group had a prolonged rapid component (t1 1/2) of the disappearance curve (p less than 0.05), relatively increased albumin in the extravascular space (i.e. decreased distribution ratio, p less than 0.01) and increased extravascular albumin space when corrected for body size by calculating it as per cent of the extravascular bromide space (p less than 0.01). There was no significant difference between the groups in albumin synthesis, fractional catabolic rate or the slow component (t2 1/2) of the disappearance curve. The results suggest that long-term treatment with clofibrate causes changes in the intercellular matrix.
Zoonoses and Public Health, 2011
Epidemics often result in organizational, policy and technical changes within a country. In 1999,... more Epidemics often result in organizational, policy and technical changes within a country. In 1999, an epidemic of campylobacteriosis was reported in Iceland. The recent availability of fresh poultry products in the marketplace was suggested as the source of infection. This paper reports on the context of the epidemic, reviews interventions implemented to prevent campylobacteriosis, and discusses lessons learned. A retrospective study of interventions implemented in Iceland from June 1995 to December 2007 was conducted by interviewing key informants and reviewing Iceland's literature. Cumulative incidence rates of domestic campylobacteriosis by year and average incidence rates per epidemic period were calculated. Interventions included on-farm surveillance of Campylobacter, producer education, enhanced biosecurity measures, changes in poultry processing, a leak-proof packaging policy, a freezing policy for products from Campylobacter-positive poultry flocks, consumer education, and the creation of a legislated inter-organizational response committee. These interventions appear to have collectively contributed to a decrease in campylobacteriosis' incidence rate near pre-epidemic baseline levels. Expert consultations revealed that the implementation of a Campylobacter surveillance program in poultry and the freezing policy were critical to controlling the disease in the Icelandic population. It was also recognized that new multidisciplinary collaborations among public health, veterinary, and food safety authorities and a sustained co-operation from the poultry industry were integral factors to the mitigation of the epidemic. Iceland's response to the campylobacteriosis epidemic is a lesson learned of inter-disciplinary and inter-organizational precautionary public health action in the face of a complex public health issue.
Laeknabladid, 1990
ABSTRACT Neðst á síðunni er hægt að nálgast greinina í heild sinni með því að smella á hlekkinn S... more ABSTRACT Neðst á síðunni er hægt að nálgast greinina í heild sinni með því að smella á hlekkinn Skoða/Opna(view/open) Skútabólga (sinusitis) er algeng sýking fullorðinna, og benda athuganir vestan hafs til að skútabólga fylgi í kjölfar um 0.5% efri loftvegasýkinga. Litlar upplýsingar eru til um tíðni og orsakir sjúkdómsins hérlendis. Tilgangur þessarar athugunar var annars vegar að kanna orsakir skútabólgu meðal fullorðinna hér á landi og hins vegar að kanna forspárgildi ræktana frá nefi um orsök sjúkdómsins. Á tímabilinu febrúar til desember 1987 gerðu háls-, nef- og eymalæknar á Borgarspítala rannsókn á 70 manns með kjálkaholubólgu (28 karlar, 42 konur) á aldrinum 15 til 74 ára í samvinnu við lyfjafyrirtækið Astra (rannsókn I). Megintilgangur rannsóknarinnar var tvíblindur samanburður á virkni cefixíms og cefaclors gegn skútabólgu. Frá September 1988 til desember 1989 var gerð svipuð rannsókn í samvinnu við lyfjafyrirtækið Eli Lilly & Co. á 101 einstaklingi (42 karlar, 59 konur) á aldrinum 16-76 ára í því skyni að bera saman árangur meðferðar með lóracarbef og doxýcýklín (rannsókn II). Enginn einstaklinganna hafði ónæmisbælandi sjúkdóm. Greining var staðfest í öllum tilvikum með röntgenmyndatöku. Sýni var tekið til ræktunar með ástungu á kjálkaholu (undir concha inferior) frá öllum einstaklingum. Hjá 74 einstaklingum í rannsókn II var jafnframt tekið nefstrok til ræktunar. »Jákvætt« nefstrok var skilgreint sem sýni er úr óx sami sýkill og frá ástungu á kjálkaholu. Reiknað var næmi (sensitivity), sértæki (specificity), jákvætt og neikvætt forspárgildi fyrir þessi tengsl. Hér eru kynntar niðurstöður bakteríuræktana eingöngu, en árangur meðferðar verður kynntur annars staðar. í rannsókn I ræktuðust sjúkdómsvaldandi sýklar frá 36 einstaklingum af 70 (51%) og í rannsókn II frá 57 af 101 (56%). Frá 20 af þeim 93 sýnum sem reyndust jákvæð (21.5%) ræktuðust tvær eða fleiri mismunandi sýklategundir. Sýklar skiptust sem hér segir eftir tegundum: S. pneumoniae (31%), H. influenzae (23%), S. aureus (11%), S. milleri (9%), aðrir streptococci (10%), B. catarrhalis (2%), loftfælnar bakteríur (9%) og aðrar bakteríur (6%). Aðeins einn stofn H. influenzae myndaði (3-lactamasa, en báðir B. catarrhalis stofnanna og 12/13 5. aureus stofnanna. Tilvist sýkils í nefi sagði vel fyrir um tilvist sama sýkils í skúta, og var jákvætt forspárgildi þegar litið var til allra sýkla 84%. Fyrir S. pneumoniae reyndist jákvætt forspárgildi vera 95% og fyrir H. influenzae 86%. Orsakir skútabólgu samkvæmt þessum athugunum eru hliðstæðar þeim sem fram hafa komið í sambærilegum erlendum rannsóknum. Jákvætt forspárgildi nefstroks er umtalsvert og gagnlegt. Kjörmeðferð við skútabólgu virðist samkvæmt þessum niðurstöðum vera lyf úr hópi amínópenicillína, þó hafa verði allnokkra tíðni stofna sem framleiða ß-lactamasa (14%) í huga.
Transfusion, 2000
The TT virus (TTV) is a newly identified blood-borne virus. Its association with disease is still... more The TT virus (TTV) is a newly identified blood-borne virus. Its association with disease is still unknown, and screening of blood donors has not been implemented. Several genotypes of the TTV have been identified. Three hundred seventy healthy blood donors were randomly selected and tested for TTV by the PCR method. Sequencing of a part of the genome was performed to identify various genotypes of the virus. ALT levels were determined in both infected and uninfected individuals. The TT virus (TTV), was detected in the sera of 23 (6.2%) of 370 healthy Icelandic blood donors; this prevalence is lower than that reported in Japan but higher than that in Scotland. The virus was found in all groups over the age of 19. Sequencing and phylogenetic analysis of 202 bp from open reading frame 1 demonstrated genotypes 1b and 2b 2c and genotype 4 isolates, with the latter bearing 89-percent nucleotide homology with other genotype 4 sequences deposited at GenBank. One sample showed a mixed genotype 1b/2c infection. Serum ALT levels were within normal limits in all infected individuals. The TTV carrier state does not cause significant liver injury.
BMJ open, 2012
To estimate physical and mental health effects of the Eyjafjallajökull volcanic eruption on nearb... more To estimate physical and mental health effects of the Eyjafjallajökull volcanic eruption on nearby residents.
Acta Obstetricia et Gynecologica Scandinavica, 2009
Evaluate the efficacy of catch-up HPV vaccination in sexually active young women and the potentia... more Evaluate the efficacy of catch-up HPV vaccination in sexually active young women and the potential impact of HPV vaccines on the practice of organized screening. (1) Women enrolled in the Future II study and (2) from a separate population-based study in Iceland. (1) Analysis of cytological and histological results and colposcopic examinations among 710 women, aged 18-23, with less than five sexual partners, irrespectively of baseline HPV status at enrolment. (2) The impact on screening practice as determined by evaluating the distribution of 12 oncogenic HPV types in 582 cervical intraepithelial lesions (CIN 2-3) and cancer cases. (1) Distribution of evaluated parameters according to age at enrolment. (2) Age distribution of four HPV groups, within age classes and HPV groups: mean time to development of lesions, mean time to development of CIN 2-3+, cumulative frequency for CIN 2-3+ lesions after the last normal smear. (1) After an average 52 months of post-enrolment follow-up, significant reductions in all evaluated parameters were observed in women aged 18-19 at enrolment. (2) Among women <25 years, the proportion of cases with only HPV 16/18 was significantly lower and the proportion containing HPV16/18 plus > or =1 out of 10 non-vaccine HPV types (31/33/45/52/58/35/39/51/56/59) was higher than at age 25-49. The proportion of cases containing only the non-vaccine types was the same within all age groups. Cases with HPV 16/18 and some non-vaccine types decreased significantly with age and accumulated more slowly after the last negative smear. Catch-up vaccination of younger women should be considered in the context of sexual practices and the effects of prevalent disease on observed vaccine efficacy. Current data do not support a change in the lower age limit or screening intervals for women.