estimation of parasite burden

[Ingrid Mueller]

Dear All

I would like to find out which programms are currently in use for parasite
limiting dilution assays to calculate the frequency of parasites in
infected tissues.

Kevin Brunson wrote a program based on SAS which has two advantages it's
power and multi-platform versions -its disadvantage is that it is very
expensive and that the licence has to be renewed on a yearly basis.

Considering the costs for SAS, we are currently using an old copy of the
Taswell programm to calculate the frequency of parasites - however, this
programm works in our hands only with an old computer and a special printer
attached to it.

We are currently discussing whether it will be useful to update the program
and to avoid SAS.  If we do update it, the programm will be made available
to everybody in the field for free.  In order to decide whether there is a
need for an update and to make the program useful for as many people as
possible, we would like to get answers to the following questions:

1. Which operating systems are used (Window 98, NT, Mac, UNIX, Linux, etc?)
2. of those, is one preferred over others?
3. which statistical/mathematical software is already in use?
4. which hardware is used?

Of course, question 1-4 are only of interest in relation to parasite
limiting dilution assays and the programs used for the calculation of the
frequencies.

Please send your answers directly to  i.muller at ic.ac.uk,  please do not
reply to the list

Thanks

Ingrid Muller
Imperial College School of Medicine at St. Mary's
Department of Immunology
London W2 1PG

Tel.: +44-207 594 3732
FAX : +44-207 402 0653