bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
South African Typhus
Authors: Pijper Adrianus , Dau Helen
Published: May 2009

From an outbreak of very mild “typhus-like disease” in Pretoria, which strongly resembled the cases of “sporadic” or “mild” typhus occasionally occurring in that town, a virus was isolated which was studied in guinea-pigs and rabbits, and was found to belong to the typhus-group.

This virus in cross-immunity experiments with virus of South African louse-typhus and South African tick-bite fever and also in other respects behaved exactly like the typhus-like virus the authors on a previous occasion isolated from rats in a South African town where cases of “mild” or “ sporadic ” typhus have been known to occur regularly for many years.

This constitutes evidence that South African “mild” or “sporadic” typhus comes from rats and is communicated to man by rat-fleas.

In southern Africa, therefore, one has to reckon with three typhus-like diseases: tick-bite fever, flea-typhus from rats, and louse-typhus. Tick-bite fever has a primary sore, the tick-bite, as a pathognomic symptom, the other two can only be differentiated satisfactorily from one another by cross-immunity tests.

Agglutination reactions and cross-immunity tests show that South African louse-typhus and South African rat- or flea-typhus are not identical with similar diseases in other parts of the world.

Tick-bite fever is a mild typhus-like disease extending from the Cape to South Rhodesia.

The typhus-like disease of Kenya is not tick-bite fever, and seems to be identical with fièvre boutonneuse.
An experimental study on cellular immunity in Pasteurella pestis infection
Authors: Bhatnagar S. S. , Shrivastava D. L.
Published: May 2009

1. Animals susceptible and naturally immune to plague—Bombay rats and white mice—were infected with Past, pestis and supravital study of white blood cells from the peripheral blood stream carried out. Similar studies were made on white mice injected with (a) pure envelope serum, (b) pure somatic serum, and (c) whole antiplague serum.

2. Different experimental conditions produced different cell pictures with different behaviours of individual cell types, especially the polymorpho-nuclears, the monocytes and the clasmatocytes. These abnormalities were found to bear distinctive relationship to (a) active immunity, (b) passive immunity, and (c) susceptibility on the part of the experimental animal.

3. The value of immunological inferences from this study in relation to plague-serum therapy and plague prophylaxis has been emphasized.

4. The possibility of a better understanding of host-parasite relationships from similar studies in other bacterial infections has been pointed out.

Our thanks are due to Lt.-Col. S. S. Sokhey, I.M.S., Director Haffkine Institute, for his interest in this investigation.
Some methods of measuring ventilation
Authors: Lidwell O. M. , Lovelock J. E.
Published: May 2009

Measurement of ventilation, is of importance both in the design and control of heating and ventilating systems. In addition, the rates of ventilation actually obtaining constitute an important factor in any quantitative studies of air-borne infection. Measurements of ventilation have, however, not been made as often as was desirable: partly, at least, owing to the lack of a convenient method.
A localized outbreak of Salmonella food poisoning apparently transmitted by a hen's egg
Authors: Crowe M.
Published: May 2009

This account of an outbreak of food poisoning may prove interesting, as its origin is attributed to a somewhat unusual source.
A critical examination of the organism described asBacillus wakefield
Authors: Bridges R. F. , Taylor Joan
Published: May 2009

The organisms described asBacillus wakefieldand considered to be members of the Flexner group are not dysentery bacilli. They are paracolon bacilli containing α-antigen.
The epidemic curve for mumps
Authors: Heiberg Povl , Petersen Helge
Published: May 2009

The extensive epidemic of mumps which prevailed in Copenhagen in the winter of 1941–2 will presumably serve to establish whether Helge Petersen's (1941) general formula for epidemic curves for direct infectious diseases applies to mumps.
The statistical treatment of measurements of the carcinogenic properties of tars (Part I) and mineral oils (Part II)
Authors: Irwin J. O. , Goodman Nancy
Published: May 2009

1. The Tworts' potency measures correlate highly with all the reasonable alternative single measures of potency which have been examined.

1. Section A of this report is introductory; Section B deals with the correlations between the Tworts' measures of carcinogenic potency and certain alternative measures, and their use in testing the significance of differences between the potencies of different oils. Section C deals with the relation of potency to physical characteristics and place of origin of the oil. Section D deals with the relations between the saturation, refractivity, carcinogenic potency and place of origin of oils.
Feeding and breeding of laboratory animals: I. Rat and mouse cubes, and cube containers
Authors: Parkes A. S.
Published: May 2009

1. General considerations relating to the feeding of laboratory animals are discussed.

2. A cubed diet suitable for growing and stock rats and mice is described, together with wire-mesh, containers adapted to various types of cage.

3. The consumption and requirement of these cubes by growing rats and mice is recorded.
Feeding and breeding of laboratory animals: II. Growth and maintenance of rabbits without fresh green food
Authors: Bruce H. M. , Parkes A. S.
Published: May 2009

1. Fresh greenstuff is not necessary for rabbits, provided that drinking water is supplied.

2. A dry diet has been evolved which gives very satisfactory results with rabbits when supplemented only by hay and water.

3. Dry diet in the form of pellets is much more acceptable to rabbits than an identical diet in the form of meal.

4. The presence in the diet of 30% of even poorquality dried grass seems to supply an adequate amount of ascorbic acid, and the exogenous requirement of rabbits for this vitamin must therefore be very small.

5. Confirmation of the toxic effects of cod-liver oil for rabbits is given.
Streptomycin treatment of infantile diarrhoea and vomiting. Conduct and results of a controlled trial
Authors: Alexander M. B. , Benjamin B. , Maslen L. G. C. , Roden A. T.
Published: May 2009

1. An account is given of the design and conduct of a controlled trial of streptomycin by mouth in the treatment of infantile diarrhoea and vomiting.

2. The classification of cases is described. The streptomycin-treated and control series are shown to be comparable in respect of severity of illness on admission and in respect of other factors likely to affect progress.

3. The criteria adopted for assessment of progress are defined, viz. degree and duration of dehydration, duration of diarrhoea and tolerance of feeds.

4. Comparison of streptomycin-treated and control cases was based partly on progress during the first week of hospital stay and partly on subsequent progress.

5. No significant difference was shown between the streptomycin-treated and the control series in respect of progress during the first week. Severe relapses of diarrhoea were proportionately higher in the streptomycin-treated series, but the difference was not statistically significant.

6. The bacteriological investigations are described.Bact. coliO group 111 andBact. coliO group 55 were used as ‘ indicator organisms’ in studying the immediate and delayed effects of streptomycin on the coliform flora of the intestine. The results show the inhibition, in streptomycin-treated cases, of coliform growth from the rectal swab, and the subsequent emergence of streptomycin-resistant strains.

7. Evidence of cross-infection with the ‘ indicator organisms’ is given. Problems of cross-infection and relapses of diarrhoea are discussed in relation to the assessment of the effects of a chemotherapeutic agent.

8. The difficulty of defining criteria for classification of cases and assessment of progress is discussed.

We wish to express our most grateful thanks to Sister A. Doherty and other members of the nursing staff of the hospital for their unfailing co-operation in a long and often tedious investigation; to members of the medical staff, in particular to Dr V. V. Tracey, for assisting in the work; and to the entire staff of the hospital's laboratory.

We are indebted to Prof. Robert Cruickshank for his help in initiating the trial and for his continued interest and encouragement; and to Dr Joyce Wright for valuable criticism and help in the bacteriological investigations. Acknowledgement is due to Dr R. Swyer, Physician (Infectious Diseases), St Ann's General Hospital, for facilities for carrying out the trial; to Dr Joan Taylor and Miss R. E. Hilton for their serological and biochemical investigations; and to Prof. A. Bradford Hill for helpful statistical criticism.
Nasal mucus and influenza viruses. I. The haemagglutinin inhibitor in nasal secretions
Authors: De St Groth S. Fazekas
Published: May 2009

A technique is developed by which minimal changes in haemagglutinin inhibitors can be detected.

It is shown that theinhibitor indexof normal human nasal secretions is 33·2 with a standard deviation of ±7·4. This value is independent of the donor, of the absolute amount of mucus collected, of the time of extraction, and of the period of storage.

Minimal amounts of influenza viruses (less than one agglutinating dose) are capable of causing significant alteration in the inhibitor index upon interactionin vitrofor 60 min. at 37° C.
A strain of mycobacterium isolated from skin lesions of a cold-blooded animal, Xenopus laevis, and its relation to atypical acid-fast bacilli occurring in man
Authors: Schwabacher Herta
Published: May 2009

1. A brief review of the literature on acid-fast bacilli found in skin lesions is given.

2. The characteristics are described of an acid-fast bacillus isolated from a skin lesion found in the South African Xenopus laevis.

3. Reasons are given to support the view that chromogenic acid-fast bacilli cultured from skin lesions belong to the group of ‘Saprophytic acid-fast bacilli’.

4. The possibility of using the Middlebrook-Dubos haemolysin test as a tool to differentiate atypical acid-fast bacilli is discussed.

Thanks are due to Dr Charles Pike for all the histological reports, to Mr T. R. West for the microphotographs, to Dr Piersma (Messrs Lederle) for the gift of special sensitive Old Tuberculin for the Middlebrook test, to Dr Nassau for patients' sera and the ‘Goss’ antigen and finally to Mr W. J. Fincham for the titrations of the haemolysin titres.
A comparison of media for the detection of coliform organisms in water
Authors: Jebb W. H. H.
Published: May 2009

Five media—MacConkey broth, lactose broth, Teepol broth, lauryl sulphate broth and glucose glutamic acid medium—have been compared as primary media for the isolation of coliform organisms from 1691 samples of water received for examination during a period of 18 months.

Of these samples 1043 (61·7%) gave an identical result in all five media. In the other 648 (38·3%) samples there were differences either in the types of coliform organism isolated or in the rapidity with which the reactions appeared in the different media. The differences in the final yields of coliform organisms andEscherichia coliin the five media are not statistically significant.

There were differences in the number of false presumptive positive reactions given by the different media—lactose broth giving many more false presumptive positive reactions than any of the other media and nearly six times as many as MacConkey broth, which gave the smallest number.

All the reactions tended to appear rather more slowly in glucose glutamic acid medium than in the other media.

Glucose glutamic acid medium has the advantages of being a chemically defined medium and of not containing any substances which are likely to be inhibitory to coliform organisms. Other glutamic acid media may be found on further investigation to give better results than the present glucose glutamic acid medium, but those presented here suggest that media containing glutamic acid are worthy of further investigation.

I am indebted to Dr Ian Sutherland of the M.R.C. Statistical Research Unit for statistical advice and to Dr R. D. Gray of the Public Health Laboratory, Newport (Mon.) and to Dr A. H. Tomlinson of the Public Health Laboratory, Oxford, for much helpful criticism.
A comparison of complement-fixing antigens by Types 1 and 2 poliomyelitis-infected suckling mouse brains
Authors: Selzer Golda
Published: May 2009

Good fixation of complement was obtained with the infective virus fraction of the Mahoney Type 1 poliomyelitis virus which had been adapted to suckling mice. The presence of a soluble antigen, specific to Type 1 virus, was also demonstrated but was small in amount.

The infective virus fraction of the suckling mouse adapted MEF1 Type 2 poliomyelitis virus produced as good fixation of complement as did Type 1, but the fixation of complement by the MEF1 soluble antigen was far greater than that obtained with the Mahoney strain.

The author would like to thank Prof. A. Kipps for his interest and encouragement and Miss M. Butchart for her valuable technical assistance. She is also indebted to Dr H. Malherbe of the Poliomyelitis Research Foundation, Johannesburg, for the Type 1 monkey immune serum.
A sampling study on the power function of the χ2 ‘index of dispersion’ test
Authors: Bennett B. M.
Published: May 2009

A total of 454 sampling experiments were performed on the groupings of 100 samples each from separate Poisson populations in order to establish estimates of frequency of rejection of the hypotheses of homogeneity by means of the z, or index of dispersion, test. Results of these artificial realizations are presented in Figs. 1–6, and compared with the corresponding non-central ξ2-distributions.

It is a pleasure to mention the technical assistance of Dennis Hamilton of the Research Computer Laboratory in programming the detailed computational phases of this investigation, which was partially supported by the State of Washington Initiative 171 Funds for Research in Biology and Medicine.
Contamination of Apparatus During Freeze-Drying
Authors: Busby D.
Published: May 2009

When the manifold system of freeze-drying is used the practice of plugging the tubes containing the product to be dried would seem to be necessary. It should be emphasized that a loose plug implies teased out cotton-wool and not just a loosely fitting one. Virus was recovered from the drying apparatus under various conditions when unplugged tubes were used. No virus contamination could be demonstrated when the tubes were plugged.
Sewage contamination of coastal bathing waters in england and wales A bacteriological and epidemiological study
Authors:   By the Committee on Bathing Beach Contamination of the Public Health Laboratory Service
Published: May 2009

1. Bacteriological surveys of more than forty popular bathing beaches around the coasts of England and Wales have been made during the past 5 years. The great majority of the beaches studied were subject to contamination with sewage.

2. A rough grading of the beaches studied gave a similar ranking order whether the results of the presumptive coliform test or faecal coli counts were used as the basis of grading.

3. Grading of beaches was valid only when surveys were carefully planned to ensure representative sampling from the areas on the beaches concerned where bathing actually took place.

4. The coliform test as used in the bacteriological examination of drinking waters was the main test procedure used but had certain limitations. Promising results with plate counts on relatively non-inhibitory media were obtained.

5. Various salmonella serotypes, notablySalm. paratyphi B, were isolated in small numbers from a high proportion of sea-water samples. The proportion of positive results for salmonella isolation increased from 13·3% in samples with less than 1000 coliform organisms per 100 ml. to 40·1% in samples with over 10,000 coliforms per 100 ml. Comparison of the numbers of salmonellae isolated with what is known of the minimum infective doses of these organisms suggested that very large volumes of sea water would require to be ingested for infection to occur.

6. Poliovirus was not isolated from a small series of sea-water samples examined. Because of the very large dilution factor, special concentration procedures would probably be required to isolate this virus from sea water.

7. Four cases of paratyphoid fever probably due to bathing were recorded. Surveys of the two associated beaches had given median presumptive coliform counts of more than 10,000 per 100 ml., and both showed gross macroscopic pollution with sewage.

8. A statistically controlled study of the bathing histories of 150 poliomyelitis cases in children living permanently by the seaside gave no evidence that bathing had played any part in causing the disease.
Type A7 Coxsackie (type 4 poliomyelitis) virus infection in Scotland
Authors: Grist N. R.
Published: May 2009

Coxsackie A 7 virus was isolated from thirty-seven patients during an outbreak in Scotland in 1959. Seven cases were paralytic, one of them fatal. Evidence is presented that Coxsackie A 7 virus caused these paralytic illnesses. The virus was also isolated from a paralytic case in 1956 and from a non-paralytic case in 1961. Serological surveys suggest that it has been active in the community for some years. Specific haemagglutination by Coxsackie A 7 virus was useful for rapid identification of viruses and for measurement of serum antibodies.

I am grateful to Dr A. D. Macrae of the Virus Reference Laboratory, Colindale, London, for prototype Coxsackie A 7 virus; to Dr K. Habel of the National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, U.S.A., for tissue culture-adapted ABIV virus; to Dr J. Wallace of the Blood Transfusion Service, West of Scotland Region, for samples of blood donor sera; to Dr M. Rentsch, Klinik für Kinderkrankheiten, University of Berne, Switzerland, for permission to quote the results of virological tests of his cases; to Miss R. McLelland, F.A.T.A., and to Mr C. McLean F.I.M.L.T., for technical assistance with animal experiments; to Mr H. G. Carson, F.I.M.L.T. and to Mr J. Kerr, A.I.M.L.T., for technical assistance with neutralization tests; and to the many clinical colleagues who provided specimens and information for this study.
The epidemiology of the common cold III. The effect of ventilation, air disinfection and room size
Authors: O. M. D. Kingston , Lidwell O. M. , Williams R. E. O.
Published: May 2009

Mechanical ventilation at 7 air changes/hr., air disinfection using vaporized hexyl resorcinol or α-hydroxy-α-methyl butyric acid, or irradiation of the air of the room above 8 ft. with ultraviolet radiation when applied to various clerical offices did not result in any observed alteration in the numbers of colds experienced by those working in them.

There were no differences in the numbers of colds experienced by those working in rooms of different sizes. The working population in these rooms varied from, about 20 to more than 80.

We should like to express our thanks to the Ministry of Pensions and National Insurance and to the Shell Petroleum Company, to those members of their staffs and to the nurses and others who helped us in this investigation. We should also like to thank the Shell Petroleum Company for the supply of α-hydroxy-α-methyl butyric acid, and the British Thomson Houston Company of Rugby for the loan of the ultraviolet lamp fittings.
Comparative studies onSalmonella typhigrownin vivoandin vitroI. Virulence, toxicity, production of infection-promoting substances and DPN-ase activity
Authors: Olitzki A. L. , Godinger Dina
Published: May 2009

1. The virulence ofS. typhistrains Ty 2 and O 901 injected intra-abdominally into white mice was examined. The lethal dose of strain Ty 2 grownin vivowas lower than that of the corresponding culture grownin vitro, while the lethal doses of thein vivo- andin vitro-grown strain O 901 were almost identical.

2. The extracts of infected livers and spleens were not toxic, but acted as infection-promoting substances. Extracts from normal organs exerted similar but weaker effects. Glycogen together with sodium taurocholate were powerful infection-promoting substances. The highest increases of virulence were observed when spleen-grown bacteria together with extracts from infected organs were injected.

3. Extracts from infected spleen, pancreas, stomach and lower intestines, spleen-grownS. typhi, other spleen-grown Enterobacteriaceae, and bacteria taken from the intestines of normal and diseased animals, exhibited high DPN-ase activity.

4. The extracts from infected organs contained soluble bacterial antigens. Their presence was demonstrated by tube precipitation, agar gel precipitation and antibody production after immunization of rabbits with extracts from infected organs with addition of adjuvants.

5. Spleen-grown bacteria were able to absorb host antigens and to produce, in addition to the known agglutinating antibodies, anti-spleen precipitins.
Demonstration of complement-fixation titres against the species-specific trachoma antigen in sera of trachoma patients
Authors: Terzin A. L. , Fornazarić M. R. , Birtašević B. V.
Published: May 2009

Semi-purified elementary body suspensions, prepared or preserved in three different ways, have been compared as to their species-specific CF-activity as revealed both against Bedsonia-negative sera of trachoma patients (of known stage), and against psittacosis-positive sera of men and animals.

Two of these antigens (the SPG-formol-antigen and the SPG-glycerol-antigen) revealed a positive species-specific CF-reaction in 61–100% of the Bedsonia-negative serum samples obtained from trachoma patients, with titres ranging from 1/2 to 1/128.

Various parameters (as percentage proportion of positive reactors, CF-titre, duration of the disease, clinical stage of trachoma, etc.) have been analysed for correlation, and the results obtained with the different antigens are compared with one another.

The most useful of the three antigens, showing a good species-specific CF-reactivity and no anticomplementary activity, was found to be the ‘SPG-formolantigen’. However because of its group-specific reactivity, for detection of species-specific trachoma antibodies in routine, it could be used only with Bedsonia-negative samples of sera. Because of the thermolability of its species-specific component, the SPG-formol-antigen proved to be liable to deterioration.

We have pleasure in thanking to Dr F. B. Gordon for help in procuring bibliography and the viable strain of trachoma virus. We wish to express our thanks also to Mrs R. Šepetavic and to Miss M. Krečo for their technical assistance.
Electron microscopy of neurotropic African horse-sickness virus
Authors: Polson A. , Deeks D.
Published: May 2009

During attempts at purification of horse-sickness virus for electron-microscopy from infected mouse brain extracts, it was found that a combination of polyethylene glycol precipitation of the virus, ultracentrifugation and zone electrophoresis gave promising results. The final purified material could not be regarded as pure on account of the presence of considerable normal brain components, but it contained particles not present in normal brain treated identically, which could be recognized as virus particles. The virus particles appear to have diameters of 70–80 mμ and are estimated to have 92 rod-shaped subunits radiating from a spherical body.

The authors wish to express their gratitude to Prof. A. Kipps and R. A. Alexander for their continued interest in this work.

The electron micrographs were taken by Mr L. G. Fowle of the Department of Physics, University of Cape Town.

This investigation was supported in part by a Public Health Service research grant AI 04044–02 from the National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, U.S.A.
The intermittent use of hexachlorophene soap—a controlled trial
Authors: Weatherall J. A. C. , Winner H. I.
Published: May 2009

The number of bacteria on the hands of nurses using 2 % hexachlorophene soap intermittently was compared with the numbers of bacteria on the hands of nurses using ordinary soap. No significant differences were observed.

This study would not have been possible without the whole-hearted co-operation of the Matron, Miss M. Schurr, the Deputy Matron, Miss G. Davies and the Sisters and Nursing Staff of Fulham Hospital.

We are also indebted to Mr T. Ridgewell, Mr T. F. Fletcher and Miss Julia Fisher for technical assistance, and to Messers Bibby and Co. For their generous gift of soap.
The composition of tea infusions examined in relation to the association between mortality and water hardness
Authors: Anderson W. , Hollins J. G. , Bond Pamela S.
Published: May 2009

Recent epidemiological studies have shown that death-rates from certain chronic diseases are higher in areas with soft than in areas with hard drinking-water. In the striking negative correlation found in the county boroughs of England and Wales between cardiovascular mortality and water hardness the important underlying factor is apparently the water calcium. Interest is therefore focused on the dietary significance of calcium present in drinking-water. In relation to that interest, the present report gives a quantitative account of the composition of tea infusions prepared with waters containing different amounts of calcium. It is shown that a substantial part of water calcium is taken up by the tea leaf during the preparation of infusions. The analysis of the infusions covers a wide range of individual components, including trace metals and polyphenolic substances. It appears that the principal change caused in infusion composition by the presence of calcium in the water is a substantial reduction in the relatively high oxalate content. The question is raised whether there may be some connexion between the ‘ water factor’ in cardiovascular disease and the absorption of oxalates from foods.
A preliminary survey of the epidemiology of bluetongue in Kenya
Authors: Walker A. R. , Davies F. G.
Published: May 2009

A survey of the species composition and distribution of the Culicoides midge populations at a range of sites where bluetongue is enzootic isolated a group of dominant species: C. cornutus, C. grahamii, C. magnus, C. milnei, C. pallidipennis and C. 23.† Monthly light-trap sampling of Culicoides showed that the population densities of the dominant species greatly increased after the rain seasons and that these species concentrated around flocks of sheep and cattle. The larval habitats of C. cornutus and C. pallidipennis were found associated with stock pens. Precipitin tests on blood-fed Culicoides showed that most of the dominant species regularly feed on sheep and cattle. Bluetongue virus was isolated from C. milnei, C. pallidipennis and C. 23. Serological surveys of wild and domestic bovids from the enzootic area showed a high proportion with antibody to bluetongue virus. The colonization of C. cornutus, a potential vector, is described briefly. A causal relationship between peak rainfall in April-May, peak numbers of Culicoides in May-June and peak bluetongue incidence in June-July is postulated. The vector status of the above species and C. austeni was evaluated.
Prevalence of cytomegalovirus in France
Authors: Jeddi M. , Gaudin O. G. , Sohier R.
Published: May 2009

Between October 1968 and February 1970, 30 strains of cytomegalovirus were isolated from the urine of children admitted to hospitals in Lyon. Three groups of children up to the age of 14 years have been investigated.

The first group consisted of 304 newborns and infants up to the age of 1 year; cytomegalovirus was grown from five of these (1·6%). Among these five children, two had cerebral disorders. None of them had ever shown any sign of typical CMV infection.

The second group comprised 102 children between the ages of 1 and 14 years, from a special service for neurological and mental diseases. Cytomegalovirus was grown from 19 (18·6%).

The third group was 27 children also between 1 and 14 years of age, admitted to hospital for miscellaneous diseases excluding cerebral disorders; cytomegalovirus was grown from six (22·2%).

It appears that cytomegalovirus has a very low incidence in neonatal disease. The virus spreads at a higher rate in children 1–14 years old. No difference has so far been shown in the excretion rates of two groups of children, one with cerebral disorders and one with other diseases, but the number of children in the last group is too small to allow definite conclusions to be drawn.
A reappraisal of the role of mosquitoes in the transmission of myxomatosis in Britain
Authors: Service M. W.
Published: May 2009

Field experiments were made in southern England to re-examine the possibility that mosquitoes in Britain might feed on wild rabbits and hence be vectors of myxomatosis. Mosquitoes of several species were attracted to rabbits enclosed hi cylindrical traps and in a trap in which the animal was placed in a wire mesh cage. Substantial numbers of mosquitoes were also caught biting, or attempting to bite, tethered rabbits which were not in cages or traps. Evidence that mosquitoes fed on wild rabbits under natural conditions was obtained from results of precipitin tests made on blood-smears collected from mosquitoes caught resting amongst vegetation. On a few evenings mosquitoes were seen to be attracted to healthy wild rabbits and apparently attempting to feed on them. Batches of two mosquito species collected from the field were infected with myxoma virus.

It was concluded that contrary to previous beliefs mosquitoes in Britain feed to a certain extent on wild rabbits, and therefore are potential vectors of myxomatosis. No attempts were made to assess their relative importance in the transmission of the disease, which in Britain is transmitted mainly by the rabbit flea.
An evaluation of the efficiency of cleaning methods in a bacon factory
Authors: Dempster J. F.
Published: May 2009

The germicidal efficiencies of hot water (140–150° F.) under pressure (method 1), hot water + 2% (w/v) detergent solution (method 2) and hot water + detergent + 200 p.p.m. solution of available chlorine (method 3) were compared at six sites in a bacon factory. Results indicated that sites 1 and 2 (tiled walls) were satisfactorily cleaned by each method. It was therefore considered more economical to clean such surfaces routinely by method 1. However, this method was much less efficient (31 % survival of micro-organisms) on site 3 (wooden surface) than methods 2 (7% survival) and 3 (1% survival). Likewise the remaining sites (debarring machine, black scraper and table) were least efficiently cleaned by method 1. The most satisfactory results were obtained when these surfaces were treated by method 3.

Pig carcasses were shown to be contaminated by an improperly cleaned black scraper. Repeated cleaning and sterilizing (method 3) of this equipment reduced the contamination on carcasses from about 70 % to less than 10 %.
Mosquito-borne infections in Fiji: III. Filariasis in northern Fiji: epidemiological evidence regarding the mechanisms of pathogenesis
Authors: Mataika J. U. , Dando B. C. , Spears G. F. S. , Macnamara F. N.
Published: May 2009

During a filariasis survey conducted in northern Fiji in 1968–9 examinations were made for microfilaraemia, enlarged lymph nodes and elephantiasis. Analysis of the microfilarial densities at different ages and the number of anatomical sites showing lymph gland enlargement or elephantiasis have been used to provide evidence on the clustering of infections and pathogenesis.

Although there is no evidence of clustering of risk of infection, there is evidence favouring the clustering of adult filariae in individuals. Nevertheless the number of sites of lymph node enlargement do not correspond with this finding and statistical evidence suggests that lymph-node enlargement is not necessarily associated with the near presence in the body of adult filariae, whether dead or alive.

Males of Indian ethnic origin showed a higher prevalence of elephantiasis than males of Fijian ethnic origin, but women of either ethnic race showed prevalences lower than those of men.

The onset of elephantiasis at a site does not directly reflect the number of infections sustained in the local area, but it appears that filariasis first induces for a limited period a proneness to elephantiasis. During this period a random and discrete event may induce the onset of elephantiasis. The nature of the event is unknown, but it probably is not trauma.
Persistence of antibody after subcutaneous vaccination with Wistar RA 27/3 rubella vaccine
Authors: Hillary Irene B.
Published: May 2009

After subcutaneous vaccination of rubella sero-negative children with Wistar RA 27/3 rubella vaccine, haemagglutination-inhibiting antibody titres were compared in sera taken 46 days and 2 years after vaccination. Antibody titres were well maintained in the absence of any known exposure to natural infection.
The comparative susceptibility of hysterectomy-produced, colostrum-deprived pigs and naturally born, enzootic-pneumonia-free pigs to enzootic pneumonia
Authors: Goodwin R. F. W. , Whittlestone P.
Published: May 2009

Hysterectomy-produced, colostrum-deprived (HPCD) pigs and naturally born, enzootic-pneumonia-free (EPF) pigs were compared with respect to their susceptibility to two strains of enzootic pneumonia induced by intranasal inoculation of suspensions of ground pneumonic tissue. All but one of the HPCD pigs developed enzootic pneumonia, whereas the EPF pigs commonly failed to develop the disease; secondly, the pneumonic lesions were more extensive in the HPCD pigs.

When the dose of inoculum was increased in EPF pigs, the resulting pneumonic areas were larger.

In a small, in-contact experiment the disease was also more readily transmitted to HPCD pigs than to EPF pigs.
Sero-epidemiological survey on Yaba and 1211 virus infections among several species of monkeys
Authors: Tsuchiya Y. , Tagaya I.
Published: May 2009

The distribution of neutralizing antibody to Yaba virus and 1211 agent in the sera of three Asian and one African monkey species was examined.

Cynomolgus (Macaca irus), bonnet (M. radiata) and rhesus (M. mulatta) monkeys possessed antibody to Yaba virus at incidences of 19·9, 8·4 and 0%, respectively. In African green monkeys (Cercopithecus aethiops) the incidence was as high as 76·4%.

As for 1211 agent, no Asian monkeys had neutralizing antibody and 5·5% of African green monkey sera neutralized the virus.
Gastroenteritis due toSalmonellasubgenus III (Arizona). A second case diagnosed in Britain
Authors: Hughes M. H. , Bartlett D. I. , Baker M. , Dreaper R. E. , Rowe B.
Published: May 2009

The second patient with Arizona gastroenteritis to be diagnosed in Britain had just returned from the United States, where his illness began.
Protective isolation in single-bed rooms: studies in a modified hospital ward
Authors: Ayliffe G. A. J. , Collins B. J. , Lowbury E. J. L. , Wall Mary
Published: May 2009

Studies were made in a modified hospital ward containing 19 beds, 14 of them in the open ward, one in a window-ventilated side-room, two in rooms with partial-recirculation ventilators giving 7–10 air changes per hour, and two in self-contained isolation suites with plenum ventilation (20 air changes per hour), ultra-violet (UV) barriers at doorways and airlocks.

Preliminary tests with aerosols of tracer bacteria showed that few bacteria entered the plenum or recirculation-ventilated rooms. Bacteria released inside mechanically ventilated cubicles escaped into the corridor, but this transfer was reduced by the presence of an airlock. UV barriers at the entrance to the airlock and the cubicle reduced the transfer of bacteria from cubicle to corridor.

During a period of 4 years while the ward was in use for surgical and gynaecological patients, the incidence of post-operative sepsis and colonization of wounds by multiple-resistant Staphylococcus aureus was lower (though not significantly lower) in the plenum-ventilated rooms than in the open ward, the recirculator-ventilated cubicles and the window-ventilated cubicles. Nasal acquisition of multiple-resistant Staph. aureus was significantly less common in the plenum-ventilated than in the recirculator-ventilated cubicles and in the other areas. Mean counts of bacteria on settle-plates were significantly lower in the plenum-ventilated cubicles than in the other areas; mean settle-plate counts in the recirculator-ventilated cubicles were significantly lower than in the open ward and in the window-ventilated side-room; similar results were shown by slit-sampling of air. Mean settle-plate counts were significantly lower in all areas when the ward was occupied by female patients. Staph. aureus was rarely carried by air from plenum-ventilated or other cubicles to the open ward, or from the open ward to the cubicles; though staphylococci were transferred from one floor area to another, they did not appear to be redispersed into the air in sufficient numbers to infect the patients. Ultra-violet irradiation caused a significant reduction in the total and staphylococcal counts from the floors of airlocks, and a significant reduction of total counts in the air.
Criteria for measuring the efficacy of trachoma vaccines in baboons
Authors: Collier L. H. , Lightman Elaine
Published: May 2009

Trachoma vaccines are usually assayed by testing their ability to protect monkeys or baboons against subsequent challenge of the conjunctiva with a pathogenic strain of trachoma/inclusion conjunctivitis (TRIC) agent. In such experiments the course of infection in vaccinated baboons was compared in terms of arbitrary scores assigned to a range of clinical signs, and of counts of TRIC inclusions in conjunctival scrapings. Analysis of many such scores indicated that after a large challenge dose of strain MRC-4s, the scores for signs of inflammation reached their maximum earlier than the follicle score; the inflammation score was closely related to the number of inclusions, whereas the follicle score was not. With this system, the optimum periods for eliciting differences between vaccinated and control measures varied according to the sign used; it was later for follicles than for inflammation or inclusions. For assessing the influence of vaccination, the mean of the inflammation scores read weekly for the first 3 weeks after challenge and the mean inclusion score over the same period were equally satisfactory, and either was rather better than the mean of three follicle scores taken over the period 3–6 weeks.

For assessing the influence of vaccines or therapeutic agents on experimental trachoma it is important to determine which signs discriminate best between treated and control animals, and the optimum times for measuring them.
Enteritis due toSalmonella panamafrom infected ham
Authors: Bailey G. K. , Fraser P. K. , Ward C. P. , Bouttell G. , Kinnear E.
Published: May 2009

After the appearance of sporadic cases of enteritis due toSalmonella panama, baked ham from one supplier was implicated as the source of infection. No pathogenic organisms were isolated from the working surfaces of the factory involved or from samples of a day's bacon output, butS. panamawas isolated from the factory sewers. Stool examinations of the 500 employees showed one man in the baked ham section to be excretingS. panama. He was removed from work and no further infections were reported from the district. The organism could no longer be found in the sewers.

Some weeks later, further infections were reported in the London and Southend areas, which could be traced to ham from the original source. Sewer swabs at the factory were again positive. A further examination of all the employees revealed three cases and 82 symptomless excretors. Eight of 192 family contacts were also found to be excretors. Trimethoprim-sulphamethoxazole appeared to have no effect on the carrier state.

Examination of the hams in cold store showed some to be infected withS. panama, and a number of these had been consumed in the canteen.

Subsequent examination of pigs at slaughter and pig food prepared locally failed to isolateS. panama. The source of infection at the factory is unknown.
Salmonella aberdeen infection in cattle associated with human sewage
Authors: Bicknell S. R.
Published: May 2009

Salmonella aberdeen was established as the cause of illness in 30 out of a herd of 90 milking cows. The illness was only moderately severe, and all animals responded to treatment.

The source of infection was considered to be human sewage effluent overflowing onto grazingland. There was no report of human infection in the area from which the effluent came.
Screening for transmission of hepatitis within a liver unit
Authors: Bentley P. , Haynes D. , Sharpstone P. , Taylor P. E. , Zuckerman A. J. , Williams R.
Published: May 2009

Detailed screening of the patients and staff in a unit specializing in liver disease was carried out over a year to ascertain whether transmission of the serum hepatitis virus was occurring and whether the situation was comparable in any way to that found in a Renal Haemodialysis Unit. Of the 154 patients with liver disease tested on admission, 6% were found to have Australia antigen in the serum and throughout the year there were rarely less than two patients in the ward at any one time with positive serum. No instances of clinical hepatitis were detected in the other patients following their stay in the ward or in their attendant medical, nursing and lay staff. Six staff members were found to have Australia antigen in their serum. In four of these, all nurses, it was present in the first sample tested and so the infection may have been acquired earlier. Temporary elevations in both plasma bilirubin and serum aspartate aminotransferase levels were found in another five staff members whose serum was negative for Australia antigen and who clinically were well. In a further eight and apparently healthy staff members, an isolated but persistent elevation of the plasma bilirubin was noted. In both groups these changes could represent the spread of subclinical infectious hepatitis and it is recommended that in units dealing with ‘liver patients’ not only should considerable care be taken during diagnostic and therapeutic procedures but the medical and nursing staff should be screened at regular intervals.
Coronavirus antibody titres in sera of healthy adults and experimentally infected volunteers
Authors: Bradburne A. F. , Somerset B. A.
Published: May 2009

Six coronaviruses isolated in the U.S.A. have been inoculated into volunteers and all produced colds. Between 10 and 20 % of infected volunteers developed heterologous antibody responses after these and other experimental infections with coronaviruses. The haemagglutination-inhibition test with the OC43 virus strain was found to detect antibody rises after infection with a variety of strains.

Studies on normal adult sera taken between 1965 and 1970 revealed a high frequency of neutralizing antibody to one strain (229E) and a frequency of HI antibody to strain OC43 which fluctuated from year to year. Complement-fixing antibodies to these two viruses were also found, revealing an apparent increase in the activity of coronaviruses in the general population of the U.K., during the winter of 1968–9.
The control by ventilation of airborne bacterial transfer between hospital patients, and its assessment by means of a particle tracer: I. An airborne-particle tracer for cross-infection studies
Authors: Foord N. , Lidwell O. M.
Published: May 2009

A simple and convenient particle tracer for studies of the effectiveness of isolation units and other places in limiting the airborne transfer of bacteria is described. Particles of potassium iodide 7–8 µm. diameter are generated by spraying from solution and collected on membrane filters. The particles can be identified by development with 0·1 % acid palladium chloride solution, when dark brown spots approximately 100 µm. in diameter are produced.
The control by ventilation of airborne bacterial transfer between hospital patients, and its assessment by means of a particle tracer: II. Ventilation in subdivided isolation units
Authors: Lidwell O. M.
Published: May 2009

Values are deduced for the efficiency of isolation against airborne particulates, e.g. micro-organisms, of a variety of ventilation systems. The calculated values show reasonable correspondence with the limited experimental data available. Much better control and indication of the air flow is necessary if high degrees of isolation are required.
Colonization resistance of the digestive tract and the spread of bacteria to the lymphatic organs in mice
Authors: van der Waaij D. , Berghuis-de Vries J. M. , Lekkerkerk-van der Wees J. E. C.
Published: May 2009

After oral contamination of conventional mice with high doses ofEscherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniaeorPseudomonas aeruginosathe contaminant was recovered in abnormally high concentrations from the duodenum and caecum during the first few days. In this initial colonization phase, evidence of spread was obtained by culturing the cervical and mesenteric lymph nodes and spleen. Longer after contamination the intestinal concentration decreased to normal and spread stopped. In orally antibiotic-treated mice, the situation seen during the initial colonization phase in conventional mice occurred after a much lower oral contamination dose and persisted during the entire observation period of 2 weeks.
Specificity of early protective responses induced by pseudomonas vaccines
Authors: Jones R. J.
Published: May 2009

A single inoculation of pseudomonas vaccine protected mice against a 1 LD 100 challenge by nine different serotypes ofPseudomonas aeruginosa, 4 days after vaccination. Three inoculations of the same vaccine, given on consecutive days, protected mice for a longer time, against challenge by a wide range ofPs. aeruginosaserotypes, than the single inoculation of vaccine. The amount of vaccine inoculated only marginally influenced the non-specific response. F1 vaccines from eight serotypes ofPs. aeruginosaeach induced protection against a different range of serotypes.
The mechanism of cross-protection afforded by dengue virus against West Nile virus in hamsters
Authors: Price Winston H. , Thind Inderjit S.
Published: May 2009

The protection afforded by similar concentrations of different dengue virus serotypes against a subsequent challenge of West Nile virus was studied in hamsters. The New Guinea C strain of dengue 2 virus gave the best protection. It was found that the anamnestic neutralizing antibody response induced by the challenge West Nile virus against West Nile virus in hamsters, previously immunized with dengue 2 virus, might play a major role in the cross-protection observed in this system.