Hostname: page-component-cd9895bd7-gbm5v Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-12-22T13:24:56.896Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Laboratory diagnosis of smallpox: role of the Virus Reference Laboratory, Colindale, 1947–70

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  25 March 2010

A. D. Macrae
A. D. Macrae
Affiliation:
Public Health Laboratory, University Hospital, Queen's Medical Centre, Nottingham NG7 2UH, and formerly of the Virus Reference Laboratory
Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Summary

Core share and HTML view are not available for this content. However, as you have access to this content, a full PDF is available via the ‘Save PDF’ action button.

The Virus Reference Laboratory, Colindale, first embarked on laboratory investigations for smallpox early in 1947. From then, in conjunction with the Department of Bacteriology, University of Liverpool, it provided a complete diagnostic service throughout England and Wales until 1962, after which the service became available regionally until eradication was effected. Up to 1970 it had investigated 2696 specimens from suspected cases of smallpox and had recovered 108 strains of variola and 248 of vaccinia virus. These last were from persons suffering the complications of vaccination. Some outbreaks following smallpox importation are discussed but infection among laboratory staff during this period was not demonstrated.

Type
Research Article
Information
Journal of Hygiene , Volume 89 , Issue 3 , December 1982 , pp. 399 - 407
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1982

References

REFERENCES

Bradley, W. H. (1947). Smallpox in the first half of 1947. Monthly Bulletin of the Ministry of Health and the Public Health Laboratory Service 6, 121–123.Google Scholar
Craigie, J. & Wishart, F. O. (1936). The complement-fixation reaction in variola. Canadian Public Health Journal 27, 371–379.Google Scholar
Cruickshank, J. G., Bedson, H. S. & Watson, D. H. (1966). Electron microscopy in the rapid diagnosis of smallpox. Lancet ii, 527–530.Google Scholar
Downie, A. W. (1939). A study of the lesions produced experimentally by cowpox virus. The Journal of Pathology and Bacteriology 48, 361–379.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Downie, A. W. (1943). Laboratory examination of material from suspected cases of smallpox. Monthly Bulletin of the Emergency Public Health Laboratory Service 2, 1.Google Scholar
Downie, A. W. (1946). The laboratory diagnosis of smallpox. Monthly Bulletin of the Ministry of Health and the Public Health Laboratory Service 5, 114–116.Google Scholar
Downie, A. W. (1947). Laboratory diagnosis of smallpox. Proceedings of the Royal Society of Medicine 40, 657–660.Google Scholar
Dumbell, K. R. & Nizamuddin, Md. (1959). An agar gel precipitation test for the laboratory diagnosis of smallpox. Lancet i, 916–917.Google Scholar
Hogben, G. H.McKendrick, G. D. W. & Nicol, C. G. (1958). Smallpox in Tottenham – 1957. Lancet i, 1061–1064.Google Scholar
Irons, J. V., Bohls, S. W., Cook, E. B. M. & Murphy, J. N. (1941). Chick membrane as differential culture medium with suspected cases of smallpox and varicella. American Journal of Hygiene 33B, 50–55.Google Scholar
MacCallum, F. O. (1952). Laboratory diagnosis of smallpox. Journal of the Royal Sanitary Institute 72, 112–116.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
MaCrae, A. D., Field, A. M., McDonald, J. R., Meurisse, E. V. & Porter, A. A. (1969). Laboratory differential diagnosis of vesicular skin rashes. Lancet ii, 313–316.Google Scholar
Murray, L. H. & Bradley, W. H. (1948). Smallpox in 1947. Monthly Bulletin of the Ministry of Health and the Public Health Laboratory Service 7, 96–103.Google Scholar
Nagington, J. & Macrae, A. D. (1965). Smallpox diagnosis and electron microscopy. Monthly Bulletin of the Ministry of Health and the Public Health Laboratory Service 24, 382–384.Google Scholar
Peters, D., Nielsen, G. & Bayer, M. E. (1962). Variola. Reliability of the rapid electron microscopic diagnosis. Deutsche Medizinische Wochenschrift 87, 2240–2246.Google Scholar
Report (1953). Laboratory diagnosis of smallpox. Mem. Port 21. Ministry of Health, London, August 1953.Google Scholar
Report (1962). Smallpox – winter 1961–1962. Monthly Bulletin of the Ministry of Health and the Public Health Laboratory Service 21, 40–44.Google Scholar
Report (1967). Epidemiological Notes – Smallpox Kuwait. Weekly Epidemiological Record, W. H. O. 42, 242.Google Scholar
Report (1972). Diagnosis of smallpox medical memorandum. Revised 1972. H.M.S.O.Google Scholar