Haemophilus influenzae type b still remains a leading cause of meningitis among unvaccinated children--a prospective CSF analysis study

A prospective, hospital-based cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) analysis study was undertaken in 65 children who had diagnostic lumbar puncture on admission for suspected central nervous system infections. Twenty-three children were clinically diagnosed to have had sepsis and/or meningitis. CSF bacterial culture grew Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib) in four cases and Streptococcus pneumonia (SP) was cultured in another child. Bacterial antigen was detected in 13 other CSF specimens and the pathogens were Hib (n = 9), SP (n = 3) and Group B Streptococcus (n = 1). No etiologic cause was identified to explain the abnormal CSF pleocytosis and biochemistry in the remaining five cases. In contrast, the CSF analysis was normal in 42 other children with probable viral and non-infectious neurological condition, mostly febrile convulsions. The overall frequency rate for all types of meningitis and especially for Hib meningitis were 43 and 31 cases per 100,000 children < 5 years of age, respectively. These findings support our earlier observations that Hib meningitis still remains the leading cause of childhood meningitis in our region. Also it reaffirms the observation that bacterial meningitis may often be under-reported if CSF positive culture alone is considered for the diagnosis.

Adapting a natural (lay) helpers model of change for worksite health promotion for women

Social network interventions that utilize informal systems of helping can be an important strategy for health promotion change. This article describes the development, implementation and evaluation of a natural (lay) helping intervention for health promotion change, specifically designed for women in small rural blue-collar worksites. One hundred and four women in four intervention worksites were recruited as natural helpers, and received health and skill-building education over an 18-month period. Qualitative evaluation showed: (1) two patterns of natural helping for women, i.e. participation due to a specific health concern with either themselves or others in their personal networks, and participation due to a larger sense of the importance of health and prevention; (2) over time natural helpers expanded the diffusion of health promotion information from close network members to co-workers and were more likely to be approached by their co-workers for information; (3) group activities at the worksite, particularly around physical activity, increased over time; and (4) because of time constraints at the workplace, written materials were a major way of spreading information to co-workers. This study shows that women can be recruited and trained to diffuse health promotion information and provide support to co-workers for health behavior change.

Tailoring and targeting a worksite health promotion program to address multiple health behaviors among blue-collar women

PURPOSE

This study examined the relationship between health risks, health behaviors, stages-of-change, and behavior change priorities among blue-collar women participating in a worksite health promotion study.

DESIGN

Cross-sectional.

SETTING

Rural manufacturing worksites in North Carolina.

SUBJECTS

Participants were 859 women aged 18 and over.

MEASURES

The self-administered questionnaire assessed smoking, exercise, nutrition (fat, fruits, and vegetables), and breast and cervical cancer screening behaviors. In addition, demographics, body weight, perceived health, stages-of-change, and priority for behavior change were measured. Chi-square tests and regression analysis were used to assess statistical significance.

RESULTS

Overall, 28% of women smoked, 37% were completely sedentary, 82% consumed less than five daily servings of fruits and vegetables, and the majority were overweight. The dominant stage of change for each of the lifestyle behaviors was contemplation, whereas most women were in the action stage for cancer screening. When asked to prioritize the behavior they most wanted to change, the majority of women chose healthy eating and/or exercise.

CONCLUSIONS

The findings suggest that blue-collar women in this study had multiple health risks and were interested in changing multiple health behaviors. Allowing women to choose the behavior(s) on which they are ready to focus may be a promising approach to tailoring interventions for this population.

The outcome of a 2-week treatment of Helicobacter pylori-positive duodenal ulcer with omeprazole-based antibiotic regimen in a region with high metronidazole resistance rate

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVE

Metronidazole resistance is a major problem in many developing countries. Our main objective was to study the outcome of a non-metronidazole and omeprazole-based antibiotic regimen in eradicating Helicobacter pylori in patients with duodenal ulcer.

DESIGN

A prospective study of 50 consecutive patients with proven peptic ulcer (mean age 36.6 +/- 10.5 years, range 17-60, male:female = 2), referred from the primary health centres.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE

The primary outcome of the study was H. pylori eradication, at least 4 weeks after stopping antibiotic treatment.

METHODS

Patients were considered eligible for the study if they had endoscopic evidence or a past medical history of peptic ulcer and had not received any antibiotics for at least 4 weeks prior to admission into the study. H. pylori infection was confirmed by serology, histology, a rapid urease test (RUT) and culture. After an initial oesophago-gastroduodenoscopy (OGD), each patient received a 2-week course of omeprazole (20 mg twice daily), and each of amoxycillin capsules (500 mg) and clarithromycin tablets (250 mg) thrice daily after food. The follow-up OGDs were performed after a mean period of 10.04 weeks (range 4-48) and at 10.4 +/- 2.5 months (range 6-14 months) after stopping treatment.

RESULTS

All 50 patients completed the study. The sensitivity values for serology, RUT and histopathology were 98, 96 and 100%, respectively. H. pylori culture was positive in only 15 of 50 patients (30% sensitivity). H. pylori was eradicated in 47 (94%) patients. There was no evidence of H. pylori infection in the 27 of 35 (77%) patients, who returned for a third OGD. At the time of the second OGD, there was a significant reduction of pain-days (from 5.47 to 1.16), and antral (from 1.95 to 0.78) and corpus (from 1.8 to 0.6) mucosal cellular infiltrate scores, when compared with the first OGD (P < 0.001 in each case).

CONCLUSION

Exclusion of metronidazole from the treatment regimen of patients with H. pylori-positive duodenal ulcer in a region with metronidazole resistance yielded an excellent H. pylori eradication rate of 94%, when omeprazole, amoxicillin and clarithromycin were used.

Nurses' participation in the euthanasia programs of Nazi Germany

During the Nazi era, so-called euthanasia programs were established for handicapped and mentally ill children and adults. Organized killings of an estimated 70,000 German citizens took place at killing centers and in psychiatric institutions. Nurses were active participants; they intentionally killed more than 10,000 people in these involuntary euthanasia programs. After the war was over, most of the nurses were never punished for these crimes against humanity--although some nurses were tried along with the physicians they assisted. One such trial was of 14 nurses and was held in Munich in 1965. Although some of these nurses reported that they struggled with a guilty conscience, others did not see anything wrong with their actions, and they believed that they were releasing these patients from their suffering.

A comparison of plasma polymorphonuclear leucocyte elastase levels in obese and lean individuals

Increased release of polymorphonuclear leucocyte (PMNL) elastase, when the PMNLs are activated, can damage tissues in vivo. It was postulated that PMNL elastase might have a tissue-remodelling effect in the body and that obese individuals might have less PMNL elastase activity than lean individuals. To test this hypothesis, plasma PMNL elastase levels were determined in 70 obese individuals and 30 lean normal controls. The PMNL elastase levels (determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay) in the obese group (median 36.2 ng/ml) did not differ significantly from those in the lean healthy controls (32.6 ng/ml; P = 0.5).

AIDS in older people. A literature review for clinical nursing research and practice

Older Americans, 50 years of age and older, account for 10% of the 400,000 reported cases of AIDS nationwide (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 1994). the integrated literature review format in this article examines the published literature on HIV/AIDS in older adults. Most articles are case studies and reports, with only 17% having a research basis. The information reviewed indicates that older adults have different risk factors than younger populations for contracting HIV disease and a different pattern of disease progression. These differences create a need for knowledge of HIV infection and AIDS and its parameters in aging populations so nurses may provide both timely and appropriate care.

Historical, ethical, and legal aspects of assisted suicide

This article explores the historical, ethical, and legal antecedents of assisted suicide. Following a differentiation between assisted suicide and euthanasia, the historical aspects of suicide in the United States and other countries are described. Four cardinal principles form the basis for the ethical consideration of practice: autonomy, beneficence, nonmaleficence, and justice. Respect for autonomy is essential to the care of dying patients. However, the exercise of autonomy does not necessarily place an obligation to act on others. This could be important in the consideration of a request to a nurse for assistance in suicide. Nonmaleficence may also be a principle involved in decisions to discontinue treatments that are unwanted by the individual. Beneficence, the prevention of harm or the doing of good, may be in conflict with the respect for autonomy when one considers assisted suicide. Although one may wish to alleviate the suffering, assisting with death as a means of ending the suffering may violate the principle of beneficence even though the individual may, in his or her autonomy, request death. Justice describes what individuals are legitimately entitled to, but individual justice may be abridged by the utilitarian model of justice for society overall. Most states send ambivalent messages about the legal status of assisted suicide. Although many states criminalize assisted suicide, state prosecution of assisted suicide is not common. Furthermore, many juries have found those accused of murder or manslaughter in these instances "not guilty." A summary of the laws of each state related to assisted suicide is included.

Anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic antibody (ANCA) in malaria is directed against cathepsin G

Autoantibodies of diverse specificities are detected in sera of patients with acute malaria. The clinical relevance of these autoantibodies is not clear, though there are reports associating some autoantibodies with specific disease manifestations. We have investigated the occurrence of ANCA in the sera of 93 patients during episodes of acute malaria. Sera were tested by indirect immunofluorescence (IIF) and by ELISA for antibodies to neutrophil cytoplasmic components proteinase 3 (PR3), myeloperoxidase (MPO), cathepsin G (CG), human leucocyte elastase (HLE), and lactoferrin (LF). Forty-seven sera samples (50.5%) were positive by IIF, all except one with the atypical ANCA pattern (a-ANCA). When screened by ELISA, anti-CG antibodies were detected in 52 samples (56%), while anti-PR3 and anti-MPO antibodies were detected in three and one samples, respectively. Antibody binding to HLE and LF was not significant. Anti-CG antibodies were detected in 93% of the IIF-positive sera. A combination of anti-CG and anti-PR3 antibodies was noted in three samples. Our study demonstrates the presence of ANCA in sera from patients with acute malaria, almost all with the a-ANCA pattern on IIF. The antibody specificity, noted for the first time in our study, appears to be predominantly directed against CG. The significance of CG and CG-ANCA in the pathogenesis and clinical manifestations of malaria has yet to be elucidated.

Breast cancer detection by daughters of women with breast cancer

PURPOSE

This study was conducted to determine the frequency of breast self-examination (BSE), clinical breast examination, and mammography of adult daughters of women with breast cancer. Additionally, the relationships among frequency of self-examination, clinical examination, perceived risk, fear of breast cancer, and frequency of talking with their mothers about breast cancer were assessed.

METHODS

A retrospective, correlational descriptive design was used. Questionnaires were mailed to members of a breast cancer support group and to women diagnosed with breast cancer in one medical oncology practice. These women were asked to mail the questionnaires to their adult daughters.

RESULTS

There was a significant relationship between frequency of BSE and frequency of talking with mothers about breast cancer. Frequency of self-examination was related inversely to fear of breast cancer. Fear of breast cancer appears to act as a barrier to action whereas frequency of talking with their mothers about breast cancer seems to act as a cue to action in support of the Health Belief Model.

CLINICAL IMPLICATIONS

Healthcare providers should make every effort to optimize the practice of BSE in daughters of women with breast cancer. Only 52% reported performing BSE monthly, with the remaining 48% performing BSE less frequently or not at all. Thirty-one percent reported having no formal or printed instruction regarding BSE. Health professionals caring for women who have a family history of breast cancer should assess the educational needs of these women and provide opportunities for them to acquire and demonstrate skills. Periodic re-evaluation of BSE is needed to reinforce importance and demonstrate technique. The development of educational materials developed specifically for daughters of women with breast cancer may be useful in diminishing the perception of an unrealistically high risk of developing breast cancer. With the decrease in fear, which appears to be acting as a barrier to BSE in this group, better breast cancer detection practices in daughters may be realized. Counseling about realistic risk of developing breast cancer also may be useful in reducing the amount of fear of breast cancer in these women. This is an unnecessary burden for any woman to bear and may interfere with her optimal practice of breast cancer detection practices.

Nurses' attitudes toward parental visitation on the postanesthesia care unit

Little has been documented in the nursing research literature about the desirability and the effects of parental visitation of children in the Post Anesthesia Care Unit. The purpose of this study was to determine the attitudes of PACU nurses about parental visitation in the PACU and the conditions under which PACU nurses believe that parental visitation should and should not occur. A 22-item questionnaire was developed by the authors for the purposes of this study. One hundred questionnaires were distributed at a South Carolina Post Anesthesia Nurses Association Conference; 79 completed questionnaires were returned. Eleven percent (n = 9) of the subjects opposed parental visitation in the PACU under any circumstances. Conditions affecting nurses' opinions about parental visitation were age of child, level of agitation, and how busy the PACU was at the time.

Method of discovery of breast cancer

PURPOSE

The purpose of this study was to determine how breast cancers are found according to the frequency of breast self-examination, mammography, and clinical examinations. Additionally, the means of discovery according to age, race, family history, and educational level was determined.

DESCRIPTION OF STUDY

The study was a retrospective, descriptive design using a nonprobability sample of 51 women diagnosed with breast cancer during 1991-1992. Anonymous questionnaires were used for data collection.

RESULTS

Overall, the most frequent method of discovery was mammogram (n = 20; 39%), followed by breast self-examination (n = 18; 35%), accidental palpation by self (n = 7; 14%), clinical examination (n = 3; 5.9%), and by accidental palpation by another person such as husband/lover (n = 3; 5.9%). Only 10 of the 51 women 40 years of age and older followed all American Cancer Society guidelines for breast cancer detection. Of these, 60% of the cancers were found by breast self-examination. Similarly, breast self-examination was the most frequent method for white women, and for women with a high school education or higher. Mammography was the most frequent means for black women, for women with less than a high school education, and for women with a negative family history of breast cancer. Of particular concern was the fact that of the 20 women having mammograms every 1 to 2 years before diagnosis, half (n = 10) had breast cancer found by palpable means.

CLINICAL IMPLICATIONS

All three breast cancer detection methods--breast self-examination, mammography, and clinical breast examinations--should be emphasized by health professionals given that mammography alone is not 100% accurate.

Recalled anxiety: from discovery to diagnosis of a benign breast mass

PURPOSE/OBJECTIVES

To determine the amount of anxiety recalled by women who have had benign breast biopsies and to describe coping strategies used by these women during the time from discovery of the mass to definitive diagnosis.

DESIGN

Descriptive, retrospective.

SETTING

Surgical oncology practices, private and academic, treating patients living in five southern states.

SAMPLE

238 women who had excisional biopsies with benign results within the previous two years. Mean age of 52 years, 80% Caucasian, and 20% African American.

METHODS

Subjects rated their anxiety from discovery to diagnosis on a 16-point visual analogue scale and answered a short-answer question about the coping strategies used to deal with the anxiety.

MAIN RESEARCH VARIABLES

Anxiety and coping strategies.

FINDINGS

The mean length of time from discovery to diagnosis was 35 days. No statistically significant relationship was found between the length of time from discovery to diagnosis and the amount of anxiety experienced. However, 58% of the women recalled severe amounts of anxiety during this time. Qualitative analysis grouped coping strategies into five patterns (themes): diversionary, spiritual, interpersonal, hopeful, and avoidance.

CONCLUSIONS

The time between discovery of a breast mass and definitive diagnosis is a time of considerable anxiety for many women. Substantial time elapses between discovery and diagnosis, contributing to the possible morbidity associated with severe anxiety.

IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING PRACTICE

Nurses can work to decrease the time occupied by the diagnostic process, counsel women regarding the anxiety being experienced, and present coping strategies that may help.

The effect of benign breast biopsy on subsequent breast cancer detection practices

PURPOSE/OBJECTIVES

To determine the effect of benign breast biopsy results on the frequency of subsequent breast self-examination (BSE), mammograms, and clinical examinations.

DESIGN

Retrospective, descriptive design.

SETTING

Two surgical oncology practices of an academic health science center in the southeastern United States and one surgical oncology practice and three family practices in another southern U.S. city.

SAMPLE

A nonprobability sample consisting of 238 women with benign breast biopsies and a comparison group of 243 women with no histories of breast disease.

METHODS

Questionnaires based on American Cancer Society (ACS) breast cancer detection guidelines were designed and mailed to all women who had benign breast biopsies within the past three years at the academic health science center. Similar questionnaires were mailed to women randomly selected from three family practices who had no histories of breast disease. Chi-square, Kruskal-Wallis one-way analysis of variance, and Wilcoxon matched pairs signed-ranks test were used in the data analysis.

MAIN RESEARCH VARIABLES

Frequency of breast cancer detection practices including BSE, mammography, and clinical breast examinations.

FINDINGS

In the group that had undergone biopsies, breast abnormalities were found by mammogram (38.8%), BSE (28.3%), clinical examination (16.9%), and accidental discovery (8.7%). The percentage of women performing monthly BSE increased from 47.4% to 67.3% postbiopsy (p < 0.0001). The frequency of mammography and clinical breast examinations also significantly increased postbiopsy (p < 0.0001). Similarly, the postbiopsy rate of BSE, mammography, and clinical breast examinations was higher than the rates for the control group. Women whose breast abnormalities were found by mammography became significantly more fearful of mammography (p < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

Benign breast biopsies are associated with increased breast cancer detection practices.

IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING PRACTICE

All women need to follow ACS guidelines for breast cancer detection. Women who have undergone breast biopsy may be unduly afraid about the results of future detection practices and may need support and encouragement.

Fungal infections associated with malignancies, treatments, and AIDS

Severe fungal infections have become increasingly common over the past 10 years, largely due to the greater number of immunocompromised patients, such as those infected with HIV and those undergoing immunosuppressive therapy for malignancies. Between 60% and 80% of people with AIDS, for example, develop at least one fungal infection. Other predisposing factors for these infections include mechanical defects such as indwelling catheters, surgery, and burns. Candidiasis, aspergillosis, cryptococcoses, coccidioidomycosis, and histoplasmosis are among the fungal infections most commonly encountered in the clinical setting. Diagnosis is often elusive and treatment difficult. Amphotericin B has been the standard therapy for most life-threatening fungal infections for almost three decades but has significant drawbacks, including severe adverse reactions. Other systemic antifungal agents have proved useful in certain situations. Fluconazole, a new broad-spectrum agent, has shown particular promise in the treatment of candidiasis and cryptococcal meningitis.

Anesthesia for the homeless

Healthcare for the homeless is often crisis-oriented and fragmented. Homelessness may be associated with ongoing healthcare problems such as tuberculosis, human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS), and substance abuse. The purpose of this study was to identify the anesthesia services required by homeless individuals from an urban area. The anesthesia records of all individuals (N = 40) identified as being homeless and receiving care at one New York City medical center during a 12-month period were reviewed. Approximately one-half (47.5%) of the 40 patients in the study did not require general anesthesia but intubation only. Most of these intubations were for cardiac/respiratory arrests of unknown cause, drug/alcohol overdose, or multiple trauma. Of the 21 patients requiring surgery, 15 had emergency procedures such as splenectomy, appendectomy, exploratory laparotomy, incarcerated hernia repair, and reduction of fractures. The findings of this study support previous research which indicates that most homeless people enter into care for emergency rather than elective services.

Degree of Comfort in Providing Care to PWAs: Effect of a Workshop for Baccalaureate Nursing Students

A low-incidence area of HIV/AIDS was the site for this study, which examined baccalaureate nursing students' degree of comfort in providing basic nursing care to people with AIDS (PWAs), and determined the effect of a National Institutes of Health (NIH)-sponsored one-day workshop on HIV/AIDS on this degree of comfort. The pretest-posttest study revealed no statistically significant decrease after the workshop in the amount of discomfort associated with providing basic nursing care to PWAs. However, there were changes in the ranking of nursing procedures following the workshop. Included is a discussion of the workshop's effect on students' comfort level and implications for nurse educators. Ideas for related studies in the area of HIV health care are explored.

Requirement of the adenovirus E1A transformation domain 1 for inhibition of PC12 cell neuronal differentiation

Expression of the adenovirus early gene E1A inhibits the nerve growth factor (NGF)-induced differentiation of PC12 pheochromocytoma cells. Expression of the 12S form of E1A, which lacks the transcription activation region, also inhibited PC12 cell differentiation in a manner similar to the wild-type gene. Three cellular proteins--the retinoblastoma susceptibility gene product referred to as 105(Rb)-, 107-, and 300-kDa proteins--stably interacted with the different E1A polypeptides. Analysis of the association of these cellular proteins with mutant E1A polypeptides demonstrated that a functional domain 1, which is minimally involved in the association of the 300-kDa protein with E1A, was sufficient to inhibit neuronal differentiation. Deletion of transformation domain 2, which encodes sequences necessary for the binding of the 105(Rb)- and 107-kDa proteins, did not influence the ability of the mutant E1A polypeptide to inhibit PC12 cell differentiation. E1A was also shown to alter the expression of mRNAs for the early response genes c-fos, c-myc, egr-1, and c-jun and their regulation in response to NGF. In clones expressing either 12S or 13S E1A, NGF stimulation of c-fos and c-myc was repressed. In contrast, basal mRNA levels for c-jun and egr-1 were constitutively elevated and not significantly affected further by challenge with NGF. Simply expressing c-jun by gene transfer, however, did not mimic the action of E1A because constitutively expressing c-jun clones differentiated in response to NGF. Thus, expression of the E1A polypeptide disrupts NGF control of early transcription events that have been shown to be critical for PC12 cell neuronal differentiation.

RN education flexibility utilizing laptop computers

In a geographic region that is largely rural, baccalaureate faculty teaching RNs needed a program of study that provided flexibility. This article describes a project that incorporates CAI and PCs into RN education. Difficulties and successes of the project are also discussed.

Nursing research priorities related to HIV/AIDS

To determine the nursing research priorities related to HIV/AIDS, a two-round Delphi technique survey was conducted. Registered nurses in clinical, administrative, academic, and research nursing positions identified a total of 208 topics. The highest-ranked items were patient-centered and lower-ranked items were provider-centered. Subjects in clinical practice identified the nutritional aspects of AIDS care and hospice care as being of higher priority than did subjects in administrative, academic, and research positions. Complementary therapies and healthcare providers' fears were ranked as higher priorities by the administrative, academic, and research nurses than by the clinical practice subjects.

The suffering associated with lung cancer

The purpose of this study was to investigate the physical, psychological, and interactional aspects of lung cancer associated with suffering. A sample of 30 adults with primary pulmonary malignancies was obtained from an oncology clinic and from the practice of a thoracic surgeon. The subjects had been treated with chemotherapy, surgery, and/or radiation. A structured interview was conducted with each subject to determine the incidence of suffering associated with lung cancer. A five-point Likert-type scale was used to quantify the subjects' responses. The highest level on the scale, "Very Much" suffering, was reported to be associated with lung cancer by 50% of the sample. Ten percent of the sample reported no suffering. The following were reported to be the sources of greatest suffering: disability, pain, anxiety, changed daily activities, and weakness/fatigue. There were no statistically significant differences beyond the 0.05 level in reported suffering among groups treated with surgery, chemotherapy, or radiation. There was a statistically significant difference (p = 0.028) between groups with known metastatic disease and no known metastatic disease in the amount of suffering associated with the psychological aspects.

Activation of Na+/H+ exchange and the expression of cellular proto-oncogenes in mitogen- and phorbol ester-treated lymphocytes

It has been suggested that an intracellular alkalinization, resulting from stimulation of Na+/H+ exchange, is a necessary step and perhaps the signal leading to cellular proliferation in cells stimulated by mitogens. This hypothesis was tested by measuring the early stages of the proliferative cascade in cells where antiport activity was precluded by omission of Na+ or by the addition of potent amiloride analogs. To circumvent possible nonspecific effects due to long incubations under these conditions, an early response to mitogens, the increased level of c-fos mRNA, was monitored. In rat thymic lymphocytes, the increase in the level of c-fos RNA induced by the combination of 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol 13-acetate and ionomycin was unaffected by inhibition of the antiport with 5-(N-ethyl-N-propyl)amiloride. Increased c-fos RNA was also observed in the absence of Na+ and when alkalinization was prevented by means of nigericin. Similar results were obtained with phytohemagglutinin-stimulated human T lymphocytes. Moreover, although the lectin stimulated the antiport in these cells, an alkalinization was not observed, due to the concomitant occurrence of an acidifying process. It was concluded that the stimulation of the Na+/H+ antiport that accompanies the addition of mitogens is neither sufficient nor necessary for the initiation of cellular proliferation.

Isolation of three new avian sarcoma viruses: ASV 9, ASV 17, and ASV 25

The newly isolated avian sarcoma viruses, ASV 9, 17, and 25, cause fibrosarcomas in young chickens and induce foci of transformed cells in chick embryo fibroblast cultures. They are defective in replication and belong to envelope subgroup A. The sizes of their genomes are 6 kb (ASV 9), 5 kb (ASV 17), and 6 kb (ASV 25), respectively. All three contain long terminal repeat (LTR) and gag sequences but lack pol. env is absent from ASV 9 and ASV 25, but some env sequences are detectable in ASV 17. None of the defective viral genomes hybridized to selected onc probes representing src, fps, yes, myc, myb, and erb A. erb B appears absent from ASV 9 and ASV 17, but some hybridization between the erb B probe and the RNA of ASV 25 was detected. ASV 9 codes for a transformation-specific gag-linked protein of 130kDa. Multiple gag-linked transformation-specific proteins are seen in ASV 17 and 25; they require further study.