bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The isolation of salmonellas from British pork sausages and sausage meat
Authors: Roberts Diane , Boag Karen , Hall Mary L. M. , Shipp Christine R.
Published: May 2009

Between 1969 and 1974, 1467 packets (3309 samples) of pork sausages and sausage meat produced by two large and two medium sized manufacturers and several local butchers were examined for the presence of salmonellas. Of these, 435 packets (786 samples) were found to contain salmonellas, but there was a wide variation in the isolation rates according to the producer. The salmonella incidence in samples from several small and two medium sized producers was low (0–11%) while the results from the two large producers investigated showed a striking difference, the rate of salmonella contamination in the product of one was low (about 2%) and in that of the other consistently high (40–60%).

A comparison of liquid enrichment media, incubation temperatures and selective agar media was also carried out to determine the most efficient combination for the isolation of salmonellas from minced meat products. The results showed that (a) incubation of enrichment cultures at 43° C. yielded a consistently greater number of salmonella isolations than at 37° C., regardless of plating medium, (b) tetrathionate broth A (Rolfe) was superior to selenite broth as an enrichment medium at both 37 and 43° C. and (c) brilliant green agar gave better results than deoxycholate citrate sucrose agar and bismuth sulphite agar as a selective medium.
The differential transmissibility of myxoma virus strains of differing virulence grades by the rabbit flea Spilopsyllus cuniculi (Dale)
Authors: Mead-Briggs A. R. , Vaughan J. A.
Published: May 2009

Laboratory studies showed that few rabbit fleas (Spilopsyllus cuniculi (Dale)) transmitted myxomatosis after removal from wild rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus (L)) that had been infected for fewer than 10–12 days, irrespective of the virulence of the myxoma virus strain involved. Rabbits infected with fully virulent (Grade I) strains died within 10–15 days and few fleas from these hosts became infective; averaging all the samples taken, 12% of the fleas were infective. Also, few fleas acquired infectivity on individual rabbits which recovered from infection with attenuated strains; the mean was 8% infective. Rabbits which died between 17 and 44 days after infection had higher proportions of infective fleas at all sampling times; the mean was 42% infective. Male and female fleas transmitted virus with equal efficiency.

For rabbits infected with any of the attenuated virus strains the mean percentage of infective fleas was inversely related to the survival time of the host. Rabbits infected with moderately attenuated strains (Grades IIIA and IIIB) had, on average, the highest proportion of infective fleas; hence such strains have a selective advantage and have become predominant under natural conditions in Britain. The changes that might occur if there is an increase in host resistance to myxomatosis are discussed.
Comparison of two methods for assessing the removal of total organisms and pathogens from the skin
Authors: Ayliffe G. A. J. , Babb J. R. , Bridges Kim , Lilly H. A. , Lowbury E. J. L. , Varney Janet , Wilkins M. D.
Published: May 2009

A standard hand-wash sampling technique was compared with a simple fingerstreak sampling method in assessing the relative effectiveness of a number of alternative preparations used for disinfecting the surgeon's hands (alcoholic 0-5% chlorhexidine, alcoholic 0-1% tetrabrom-o-methyl phenol, a 4% chlorhexidine detergent solution, aqueous 0-5% chlorhexidine, 2% 'Irgasan' detergent solution and, as control, bar soap). There was a fairly good correlation between the results of assessment by the two methods after a single disinfection and after six disinfections, three on one day and three on the next. Significant differences were shown in 21 comparisons between treatments when the hand-wash sampling test was used, and 16 of these comparisons also showed a significant difference by the finger-streak test.

Staphylococcus aureuswas found in hand samplings from 5 out of 8 nurses in the Burns Unit of Birmingham Accident Hospital by the hand-wash sampling method and from 2 of the same 8 nurses by the finger-streak method; the numbers were small, and noStaph. aureuswere isolated from the same hands after 1 min. wash in 70 % ethyl alcohol. Similar sampling on 29 nurses in other wards showedStaph. aureuson 3 nurses (one in large numbers) by the hand-wash technique and on 1 nurse by the finger-streak test; in only 1 nurse whose hands showedStaph. aureusbefore disinfection was the organism found, by hand-wash sampling, after disinfection.

Parallel sampling of nurses' hands after washing with soap and water and after disinfection with 95 % ethanol showed larger numbers ofStaph. aureusin a hospital for skin diseases than in a general hospital, and a lower incidence and somewhat lower density ofStaph. aureusafter ethanol treatment than after washing with soap and water; Gram-negative bacilli, on the other hand, were commoner on hands in the general than in the skin hospital, and present in much smaller numbers after disinfection with ethanol than after washing with soap and water.

Antibiotic sensitivity tests showed the frequent recurrence on the hands of some nurses of multi-resistantStaph. aureuswith resistance patterns similar to those found in infective lesions in some of the patients; different sensitivity patterns were usually found in staphylococci isolated from the nose. Even in wards where many patients were infected, carriage by nurses' hands of a particular strainofStaph. aureusdid not seem to last for more than a few days.
The effect of antibiotic therapy on the faecal excretion of Salmonella typhimurium by experimentally infected chickens
Authors: Smith H. Williams , Tucker J. F.
Published: May 2009

Chickens in groups of 40 were infected orally with a nalidixic acid-resistant mutant of Salmonella typhimurium and then fed continuously on diets containing ampicillin, chloramphenicol, furazolidone, neomycin, oxytetracycline, polymixin, spectinomycin, streptomycin or a mixture of trimethoprim and sulphadiazine. The amount of S. typhimurium excreted in their faeces was estimated at intervals by culture on brilliant green agar containing sodium nalidixate, both direct and after enrichment in selenite broth; the amount of Escherichia coli excreted was estimated by culture on MacConkey agar. The feeding of diets containing 500 mg./kg. of ampicillin, furazolidone, neomycin, polymixin, spectinomycin or streptomycin or 100 mg./kg. of trimethoprim and 500 mg./kg. of sulphadiazine for 46 days reduced to a varying degree the amount of S. typhimurium and E. coli excreted, the greatest reduction in S. typhimurium being brought about by the last treatment. The effect was less obvious when the concentration of the antibiotics in the food was decreased fivefold. An important reason for the very limited effect of some of the antibiotics was the emergence of antibiotic-resistant populations of S. typhimurium and E. coli. High concentrations of antibiotic-resistant organisms also arose in the faeces of the chickens fed diets containing tetracyclines and chloramphenicol, treatments which had no apparent effect on the amount of S. typhimurium and E. coli excreted. Much of the antibiotic resistance encountered was determined by R factors, a particular R factor usually being found in the E. coli populations of individual chickens before it was found in their S. typhimurium populations. No S. typhimurium or E. coli were isolated that possessed R factors determining resistance to polymixin, furazolidone or trimethoprim. No S. typhimurium or E. coli were isolated that were polymixin-resistant and no S. typhimurium that were furazolidone-resistant. The few trimethoprim-resistant S. typhimurium isolated were thymine-dependent.

The feeding of diets containing the higher concentrations of trimethoprim/sulphadiazine, neomycin, furazolidone or ampicillin for 9 days reduced the amount of S. typhimurium excreted. After the withdrawal of these diets, the amount of S. typhimurium excreted increased to the numbers found in chickens given ordinary diets throughout; the chickens that had been given trimethoprim/sulphadiazine or furazolidone did not remain faecal excreters of S. typhimurium longer than the chickens that had been given ordinary diets. Similar results were obtained with trimethoprim/sulphadiazine when the start of the 9-day treatment period was delayed for an extra 9 days or when it was extended to 18 days.
Bacterial contamination in a modern operating suite. 1. Effect of ventilation on airborne bacteria and transfer of airborne particles
Authors: Hambraeus Anna , Bengtsson Stellan , Laurell Gunnar
Published: May 2009

The effect of ventilation on airborne contamination was studied in a new operating suite containing operating rooms with conventional ventilation (17−20 turnovers/h) and operating rooms with zonal ventilation, where the turnover in the central part of the room was˜80/h. The efficacy of the ventilation was first examined with gas tracer experiments and found satisfactory. Experiments using potassium iodide particles showed the transfer between adjacent rooms in the suite to be less than 10−3% with closed doors and from 1% to 2·5 × 10−2% when the doors were opened once a minute. The transfer between two adjacent operating rooms was calculated to be˜10−4%. There is thus little risk of spread of airborne infection between operating rooms.

Experiments with potassium iodide particles showed that in operating rooms with zonal ventilation the particle concentration in the centre of the room was about one-tenth that in the periphery; in conventionally ventilated operating rooms the concentration was about one-half. With bacteria-carrying particles generated by human activity the concentration in the centre of operating rooms with zonal ventilation was about half that in the periphery both during experimental activity and operations; in conventionally ventilated operating rooms it was about equal in both cases. Bacterial counts at the periphery were found to be lower in rooms with zonal ventilation (˜ 50 c.f.u./m3) than in conventionally ventilated (˜ 70 c.f.u./m3).
Isolation of myxoviruses from dead birds arriving at Heathrow Airport, London
Authors: Alexander D. J. , Allan W. H. , Sillars T.
Published: May 2009

Forty-four haemagglutinating viruses were isolated from the pooled tracheal/cloacal swabs of the dead birds from 170 consignments of caged birds arriving at Heathrow Airport over a period of 6 months. Two isolates were identified as Newcastle disease virus but the remaining 42 were all identified as influenza viruses with Hav 7 Neq 2 antigens. All the consignments from which influenza viruses were isolated originated in India but had widespread destinations. The NDV isolates were from birds originating in central America and destined for Japan.
A test for the assessment of disinfectant/sanitizers used for napkin storage
Authors: Prosser-Snelling K. R. , Duke A. M. , Rodger M. N.
Published: May 2009

A test is described for assessing the effect of hypochlorites in reducing the bacterial load on soiled napkins during storage, between removal from the infant and the laundering.
Identification of pregnancies at risk from cytomegalovirus infection
Authors: de Silva L. M. , Kampfner G. L. , Lister C. M. , Tobin J. O.'H.
Published: May 2009

The fluorescent antibody technique was used for the identification of specific cytomegalovirus IgM in the sera of twenty-four of 1065 unmarried pregnant women. Seventeen of them were followed to term and five infected infants were identified. Two other infants had CMV IgM in neonatal serum samples but virus excretion was not demonstrated. The congenital infection rate in this study was 5·3 per 1000 births by virus excretion and 7·9 per 1000 if cases with specific IgM are included; from previous studies a rate of 8·8 per 1000 was expected. The reasons for the lack of relationship between specific IgM in the mothers' serum and infected babies is discussed.
Isolation ofCampylobacter fetusfrom recent cases of human vibriosis
Authors: Hallett A. F. , Botha P. L. , Logan A.
Published: May 2009

Campylobacter fetuswas isolated from five recent cases of human vibriosis, of which two were adults and three were children. One adult presented with pericarditis and the other with recurrent pyrexia.Campylobacter fetussubsp.intestinaliswhich resembled cattle strains serologically, was isolated under CO2or anaerobic conditions from blood cultures of these patients. Two of the three children had kwashiorkor and the third was only 8 days old. Isolates identified asCampylobacter fetussubsp.jejuniwere cultured from blood of these patients, two of whom had diarrhoea. Three patients succumbed, despite adequate antibiotic therapy. The epidemiology of the disease is discussed and it is suggested that infection may have been from the patients' own flora.
Serotype-related enterotoxigenicity inEscherichia coliO6.H16 and O148.H28
Authors: Scotland Sylvia M. , Gross Roger J. , Rowe Bernard
Published: May 2009

The ability of certainEscherichia colistrains to produce enterotoxin is determined by transmissible plasmids. It is therefore possible that anyE. colistrain might be able to acquire such a plasmid and that the correlation between enterotoxigenicity and serotype might be random. However, recent studies show that the enterotoxigenic strains so far described belong to a restricted range of serotypes. Enterotoxigenic strains ofE. coliO6.H16 andE. coliO148.H28 have been associated with outbreaks of diarrhoea in several countries, therefore strains ofE. colibelonging to these serotypes were selected for further study.

Twenty-three strains ofE. coliO6.H16 and 14 strains ofE. coliO148.H28 were examined; 20 strains ofE. coliO6.H16 and all 14 strains ofE. coli0148.H28 were enterotoxigenic but strains ofE. coliO6 with flagellar antigens other than H16 and strains ofE. coliO148 with flagellar antigens other than H28 were not enterotoxigenic. The examination of single colony subcultures derived from theE. coliO6.H16 strains showed that in some strains loss of enterotoxigenicity had occurred in a proportion of colonies.
Clonal distribution of resistance plasmid-carryingSalmonella typhimurium, mainly in the Middle East
Authors: Anderson E. S. , Threlfall E. J. , Carr Jacqueline M. , McConnell Moyra M. , Smith H. R.
Published: May 2009

Strains ofSalmonella typhimuriumof predominantly Middle Eastern origin, but distributed from England to India, were found to carry at least three types of resistance plasmid. The most important was initially identified as an FIplasmid by compatibility tests, but differs from the F factor on the one hand and the FIfactors R162 and CoIV on the other. The three groups of FIplasmids can be distinguished by their compatibility reactions with the MP10 plasmid ofS. typhimurium(Smith, Humphreys, Grindley, Grindley & Anderson, 1973) and group H1factors: the F factor is unilaterally incompatible with group H1(Smith, Grindley, Humphreys & Anderson, 1973; Anderson, 1975b); the FIfactors are compatible with MP10 and group H1and FImefactors are incompatible with MP10 but compatible with H1. The majority ofS. typhimuriumcultures belonged to phage type 208; most of those that did not, belonged to types related to 208. Only a minority of their FImeplasmids were autotransferring. The remainder were mobilizable by F-like plasmids, and by group H1and H2factors, but not by thefi–I1facter δ, or by plasmids of the I2, B, P, W, N andcom7 groups. The compatibility reactions of the autotransferring F1meplasmids were identical with those of the non-transferring members of the group, and both were large, single-copy plasmids.

TheS. typhimuriumstrains of this series carried A or AK, and SSu resistance determinants: small, probably multicopy, non-transferring plasmids similar to those originally described in phage type 29 ofS. typhimurium(Anderson & Lewis, 1965b).

TheseS. typhimuriumcultures probably represent a clone of wide geographical distribution. The accurate epidemiological study of such clonal outbreaks requires, in addition to phage typing, precise identification of the plasmids harboured by the epidemic strains, and may have to be carried to the molecular level.

FImeplasmids were identified in other drug-resistant salmonellas, notably in a strain ofS. wienwhich caused large outbreaks of mainly paediatric infection in Algeria, and also spread to Britain. An FImeplasmid was found inS. typhiphage type 44 from Algeria, in which the phage-restricting properties of the plasmid are responsible for the specificity of the type.
Single radial haemolysis: a survey of antibody titres in the Highland Region of Scotland to recent strains of Influenza A
Authors: Joss A. W. L. , McPherson J. K. , Williams H.
Published: May 2009

The single radial haemolysis test is conveniently practical and economical and promises to have wide applicability in the study of influenza antibodies in human populations. It can also be adapted for preliminary examination of new virus isolates during epidemics.

Using this test a rather higher proportion of the population in the Highland Region of Scotland was found to possess antibody to a recent epidemic strain of influenza (A/Scotland/74) than was the case in the south of England. Antibody was detected and apparently evenly spread throughout all but the most remote island communities. Some evidence of the spread of the subsequent variant, A/Victoria/75, was obtained. Most of the school children in our study had high antibody titres to recent strains but the proportion with high antibody titres to these strains declined speedily from the age of 17 years onwards.
Observations of the effects of formaldehyde on cockroaches and their flora: II.Prolonged survival of cockroaches drinking formaldehyde or glutaraldehyde solutions
Authors: McCarthy K. , Bartzokas C. A. , Baker B. F.
Published: May 2009

Adult cockroaches were found to survive up to 22 weeks when provided with 1% Formalin (0·4% formaldehyde) in lieu of drinking water. Given 4% Formalin or 2% glutaraldehyde they survived up to 41 days. During the experiments eggs were laid and hatched and the offspring continued to grow. Combined with surface disinfection, this may hold out a simple method of rendering adult cockroaches gnotobiotic or even axenic.
Bacterial contamination in a modern operating suite. 4. Bacterial contamination of clothes worn in the suite
Authors: Hambraeus A. , Bengtsson S. , Laurell G.
Published: May 2009

Clean clothes in the staff dressing rooms were heavily contaminated with bacteria, mainly Bacillus sp., but Staphylococcus aureus were found on 14% and Clostridium sp. on 10% of the garments examined. A comparison of the occurrence of Staph. aureus on shirts worn by staff in wards and operating departments showed ward shirts to be contaminated more heavily and with more strains. Examination of sterile gowns worn by surgeons showed that 70% were contaminated with Staph. aureus after operation. Of the strains isolated 31% were identical with those carried by the surgeon or by the patient operated on, but for the remainder no source could be found.
Studies on Rift Valley fever in some African murids (Rodentia:Muridae)
Authors: Swanepoel R. , Blackburn N. K. , Efstratiou S. , Condy J. B.
Published: May 2009

Brains, spleens and livers of 2212 murids, 27 shrews and 7 dormice, trapped at 7 sites in Rhodesia, were tested in 277 pools for the presence of Rift Valley Fever virus. There were no isolations of Rift Valley Fever, but 69 isolations of an unidentified virus were obtained. Sixteen out of 867 sera had low-titre haemagglutination-inhibition activity against Rift Valley Fever antigen, but only one out of 1260 sera had neutralizing antibody. The evidence suggests that murids fail to encounter infection in nature and are unlikely to play a role in circulation and dissemination of Rift Valley Fever virus. Four out of seven widely distributed species of murid,Rhabdomys pumilio, Saccostomys campestris, Aethomys chrysophilusandLemniscomys griselda, were shown to be capable of circulating amounts of virus likely to be infective for mosquitoes.
Prophylaxis against tetanus in non-immune patients with wounds: the role of antibiotics and of human antitetanus globulin
Authors: Lowbury E. J. L. , Kidson A. , Lilly H. A. , Wilkins M. D. , Jackson P. M.
Published: May 2009

The potential value of oral erythromycin for antitetanus prophylaxis in non-immune patients with open wounds was assessed. Serum obtained by venepuncture from healthy persons 2 h after an oral dose of an erythromycin preparation was used as a culture medium rendered anaerobic by addition of cooked meat. Strains of Clostridium tetani inoculated into these sera failed to multiply when the donor had taken 500 mg of erythromycin estolate before a meal; other erythromycin preparations and the estolate at a dosage of 250 mg were ineffective or inconsistent in their inhibition of the growth of Cl. tetani.

Human antitetanus globulin (ATG) was given to 12 patients, 9 with severe injuries and 3 with extensive burns, all of whom were judged, from their history, to be non-immune (or with expired immunity); all except one had received large intravenous infusions of blood and/or other fluids. Serum antitoxin assays by a mouse protection technique on days 0, 1–2, 3–5, 6–10 and 14 + showed no detectable antitoxin (< 0·01) unit/ml) in the initial (pre-ATG) sample from three patients with severe injuries and in one with extensive burns. All the patients in the severely injured group showed an early appearance or increase in tetanus antitoxin to protective titres. Two of the three severely burned patients showed, respectively, delayed appearance or an increase in antitoxin; the other burned patients showed a reduction from the initial pre-ATG titre, followed by a return to that titre after day 5.
The distribution ofVibrio parahaemolyticusin British coastal waters: report of a collaborative study 1975–6
Authors: Ayres P. A. , Barrow G. I.
Published: May 2009

A collaborative survey has shown thatV. parahaemolyticusis widely distributed in British coastal waters, sediments and shellfish, especially in southern and western areas. The relatively small numbers in the environment do not present significant health hazards from marine products, provided that processing, storage and distribution are adequate. The presence of this organism in small numbers in British coastal waters or in shellfish should not in itself be regarded as cause for concern.
A study of acute respiratory disease in the community of Port Chalmers. II. Influenza A/Port Chalmers/1/73: intrafamilial spread and the effect of antibodies to the surface antigens
Authors: Jennings L. C. , Miles J. A. R.
Published: May 2009

During the first year of a study of respiratory disease in the semi-isolated community of Port Chalmers, New Zealand, an epidemic of clinical influenza occurred from which the variant influenza A/Port Chalmers/1/73 (H3N2) was isolated. Within a selected group of 26 families, 59 (46%) members had clinical or laboratory evidence of infection. During intrafamilial spread the infection frequency was highest for school-aged children (77%), followed by female adults (67%), infants (64%) and male adults (41%). The index infection in each family was a school-age child on 10 occasions, suggesting the role of this age group in the transmission of influenza A in this community. The secondary attack rate (SAR) of 58·3% was higher than expected.

In sera taken before the 1973 epidemic, 59% of family members had detectable HI antibody and 25% NI antibody to A/England/42/72 while 38% had detectable HI antibody and 8% NI antibody to A/Port Chalmers/ 1/73. The relation between pre-existing antibody and infection frequency is discussed.
High and low level tetracycline resistance inShigella sonnei
Authors: Hawkins W. A. , Dale J. W.
Published: May 2009

The results presented in this paper confirm the existence of two types of tetracycline resistance inShigella sonnei. One group of strains had a high level of resistance to tetracycline and oxytetracycline, with a variable level of minocycline resistance. The second group had a lower level of tetracycline resistance and were sensitive to minocycline. After conjugation withE. coliK12 the selectedE. colitransconjugants had the same levels of resistance as the parentSh. sonneistrain, with one exception.Sh. sonnei87 was resistant to a high level of tetracycline, but was able to transfer only low level resistance. It is suggested thatSh. sonnei87 carries two plasmids: pSU1, a conjugative plasmid conferring a low level of tetracycline resistance, and pSU2, a non-conjugative plasmid which confers a high level of resistance to tetracycline.
Waterborne infectious disease in Britain
Authors:   The Public Health Laboratory Service Standing Sub-Committee on the Bacteriological Examination of Water Supplies
Published: May 2009

The incidence of waterborne typhoid fever and other intestinal infections in Britain since 1937 is reviewed. In the light of the current very low incidence of indigenous typhoid fever, it is suggested that the examination of relevant water-works staff and prospective employees for carriage of the agents of potentially waterborne disease should be done selectively by appropriate laboratory tests only when indications for them are revealed by medical assessment.
An instrument for measuring bacterial penetration through fabrics used for barrier clothing
Authors: Ransjö Ulrika , Hambraeus Anna
Published: May 2009

A new instrument has been designed to measure the penetration by rubbing of bacteria from cloth contaminated in the nursing of burn patients through fabrics designed for barrier garments. Most fabrics tested dry reduced the transfer of bacteria from the source cloth to about 10%, irrespective of the results of air filter tests, which agrees with mock nursing results. When the fabrics were tested against a wet surface, the transfer of bacteria rapidly reached 100% if the fabrics had a high wettability, but was slower for fabrics with a low wettability. Through closely woven waterproofed cotton, transfer was 5–25%, but increased three- to four-fold after ten launderings, in line with the water absorption. Transfer through plastic-laminated material was less than 1%. The results suggest that barrier garments should be made either of plastic or of recently waterproofed closely woven cotton at points of contact between nurse and patient where the clothes may be wetted by bacteria-containing wound secretions.
Attempts to control clothes-borne infection in a burn unit, 3. An open-roofed plastic isolator or plastic aprons to prevent contact transfer of bacteria
Authors: Ransjö Ulrika
Published: May 2009

An open-roofed plastic isolator was built in a single patient isolation room in a burn unit. It was designed to prevent contact contamination only, as this had been shown to be the important route of cross-colonization in the unit. To exclude any possible effect on airborne transfer of bacteria, the isolator was first examined by means of an airborne particle tracer of the same size as bacteria-carrying particles. Such experiments indicated that the isolator might prevent some transfer out of but not into the isolator. This was not confirmed in simulated nursing experiments nor in a patient study, where the air counts of bacteria were practically the same inside and outside the isolator wall. Two patients only were nursed in the isolator. Both patients acquired exogenous colonizations from other patients, one with Ps. aeruginosa and the other with S. aureus. Nursing in the isolator was difficult and staff-demanding. In simulated nursing experiments, plastic aprons and gaunt-lets as the only protective measures against contact contamination gave as much protection to a mock patient as did the isolator. S. aureus were released from nurses' clothes more easily during work with the isolator than in open nursing with aprons and gauntlets. In conclusion, the isolator did not seem to be a realistic alternative to impermeable clothes such as plastic aprons as a means of preventing clothes-borne cross-contamination between burn patients.
Four bills of health issued from Malta by the Order of St John
Authors: Cassar Paul
Published: May 2009

The specimens here described enlarge our knowledge of the bills of health of the Order of St John issued from Malta, an aspect of public health that had hitherto remained unexplored. These lone survivors from a vanished by-way of Maltese medical history formed, in their age, an integral part of the daily social, commercial and sanitary pattern of life in Malta. The earliest met so far, and described in the present series, dates from 1713; two belong to 1766 and another dates from 1794. A further bill, issued in 1782, has been published elsewhere. The chance preservation of these documents in unlikely places, as here indicated, makes it probable that additional ones may eventually come to light.
Serotypes of antibiotic resistant Escherichia coli isolated from the sewage of Palmerston North (New Zealand)
Authors: Meekin Gail E. , Bettelheim K. A. , Bacon D. F.
Published: May 2009

Antibiotic resistant strains ofEscherichia coilwere isolated from the domestic sewage of Palmerston North. The ability of these strains to transfer the drug resistance markers to two different recipientE. colistrains was assessed. The ‘O’ and ‘H’ serotypes of all strains were determined and attempts at correlation with the drug resistance studies were made. Some typically ‘human’ serotypes were found as well as a number of rarely described ones. No correlation between serotype and resistance pattern was observed.
Role of rubella in congenital malformations in India
Authors: Chaturvedi U. C. , Tripathi B. N. , Mathur Asha , Singh U. K. , Mehrotra R. M. L.
Published: May 2009

In the present study rubella HI antibodies were determined in cases of congenital malformation and bad obstetric history to determine the role of rubella in such cases in India, as it has been reported to be rare in Japan in contrast to Western countries. The incidence of antibodies was statistically significant in cases of congenital eye, c.n.s., visceral and miscellaneous malformations and cases of spontaneous abortion and still-birth compared with controls of matching age groups. This is further supported by the demonstration of IgM antibodies in seven cases of congenital malformations and ten cases of spontaneous abortion. Our findings show that congenital rubella is not rare in India.
Survival ofSalmonella east bourneandSalmonella typhimuriumin chocolate
Authors: Tamminga S. K. , Beumer R. R. , Kampelmacher E. H. , van Leusden F. M.
Published: May 2009

Experiments were carried out to assess the reduction rate of two salmonella strains (S. eastbourneandS. typhimurium) in chocolate bars. After artificial contamination of chocolate, after ‘conching’, with about 106S. eastbourne/g. this organism was still recovered after 9 months storage. The strain ofS. typhimuriumwas less resistant. Both serotypes died off more rapidly in bitter chocolate than in milk chocolate.

After contamination with a smaller dose (about 103/g.) with these two serotypes, similar differences were observed.
The immunogenic activity of ribosomal fractions derived fromBrucella abortus
Authors: Corbel M. J.
Published: May 2009

The immunizing activity of ribosome preparations derived fromBrucella abortusstrain 19 cells was examined in guinea-pigs and mice. After subcutaneous injections ofBr. abortusribosomes in Freund's incomplete adjuvant, both mice and guinea-pigs developed immunity to challenge by virulentBr. abortus544 organisms which was at least as effective as the protection conferred by live strain 19 vaccine. Both mice and guinea-pigs also developed agglutinating and complement-fixing antibodies and delayed hypersensitivity toBr. abortusantigens. Conversely, ribosome preparations elicited delayed hypersensitivity reactions on intracutaneous injection into guinea-pigs chronically infected withBr. abortusorBr. melitensis.

On injection into rabbits,Br. abortusribosomes incorporated in incomplete adjuvant induced high titres of agglutinins, complement fixing antibodies and precipitins forBr. abortusantigens. On immunochemical examination, the ribosome preparations were not grossly contaminated with antigens derived from the cell surface. They were chemically complex, however, and in addition to RNA contained numerous protein components identified by disk electrophoresis. The nature of the components responsible for conferring protection againstBr. abortuswas not determined.
An outbreak ofBacillus cereusfood -poisoning in Finland associated with boiled rice
Authors: Raevuori Markku , Kiutamo Tuomo , Niskanen Aimo , Salminen Kalevi
Published: May 2009

A food-poisoning outbreak caused byBacillus cereusoccurred in a Finnish industrial plant in January 1975. Eighteen of the 36 persons who ate a lunch including boiled rice, meat and vegetables became ill. The disease pattern was similar to previously reported short incubation timeB. cereusfood-poisonings associated with cooked rice. The median incubation time was two hours, the main symptoms being nausea, abdominal pain and vomiting. Rice and certain seasonings were the contaminated raw materials. Gas chromatographic fatty acid analysis of a bacterial cell was used as a diagnostic method as well as to identify a certain strain ofB. cereus.
The cleaning and disinfection by heat of bedpans in automatic and semi-automatic machines
Authors: Mostafa A. B. M. G. , Chackett K. F.
Published: May 2009

This work is concerned with the cleaning and disinfection by heat of stainless-steel and polypropylene bedpans, which had been soiled with either a biological contaminant, human serum albumin (HSA) labelled with technetium-99m 99m(Tc), or a bacteriological contaminant, streptococcus faecalis mixed with Tc-labelled HSA. Results of cleaning and disinfection achieved with a Test Machine and those achieved by procedures adopted in eight different wards of a general hospital are reported. Bedpan washers installed in wards were found to be less efficient than the Test Machine, at least partly because of inadequate maintenance. Stainless-steel and polypropylene bedpans gave essentially the same results.
The role of sheep and goats in the epizootiology of foot-and-mouth disease in Kenya
Authors: Anderson E. C. , Doughty W. J. , Anderson J.
Published: May 2009

The pathogenicity of two bovine field strains of virus for indigenous goats was examined in the laboratory. The goats failed to develop clinical disease or become virus carriers although the majority showed a definite immune response. A field survey in a foot-and-mouth disease enzootic area showed that the indigenous sheep and goat populations were frequently exposed to infection as evidenced by a high proportion of sero-positive animals but the incidence of virus carriers was very low in goats and no carriers were detected in sheep.
Isolation of mycobacteria from dairy creamery effluent sludge
Authors: Matthews P. R. J. , Collins P. , Jones P. W.
Published: May 2009

Sixty three samples of dairy creamery effluent were examined for the presence of mycobacteria. Thirty two strains were isolated from 27 samples. These were classified as follows:M. fortuitum(13),M. peregrinum(6),M. gordonae(5),M. marianum (scrofulaceum)(4), unidentified (4).

Ten strains, representative of the groups isolated, were tested for their effect on experimental animals. None were pathogenic for guinea pigs or mice but a number produced a minimal amount of skin sensitization in guinea pigs to avian and mammalian tuberculin.
The effect of chloroform on Brucella abortus agglutinins in whey
Authors: Hinton M.
Published: May 2009

Defatting milk for the Brucella abortus whey agglutination test with chloroform caused some reduction in the titre in i.u./ml. in 42 of 57 samples and this reduction exceeded 50% in seven. Though this procedure will probably rarely affect the final interpretation of the test defatting the milk by centrifugation is preferred.
A clinical trial of WRL 105 strain live attenuated influenza vaccine comparing four methods of intranasal vaccination
Authors: Freestone D. S. , Bowker C. H. , Letley E. , Ferris R. D. , White W. G. , Barnes G. M.
Published: May 2009

A single intranasal dose of 107.0EID50 recombinant WRL 105 strain live attenuated influenza vaccine was administered intranasally to 193 volunteers either as nose drops or by one of three spray devices which produced sprays of differing physical characteristics. In volunteers with homologous haemagglutinating inhibiting antibody titres of ⋜ 20 before vaccination, seroconversion rates varied widely from 80% following the administration of drops to 71%, 57% and 28% with the three spray devices.

In the week following vaccination 16 (22%) of 74 volunteers who were found to show a fourfold or greater antibody response took analgesics to control symptoms in comparison with 4 (7%) of 58 volunteers who exhibited no sero-logical response to vaccination (P < 0.05). However, neither the occurrence of upper respiratory nor systemic symptoms were significantly different in these two groups and the degree of attenuation of the recombinant WRL 105 strain appears to be acceptable for future use.
The effect of desert conditions on the reactivity of Libyan schoolchildren to a range of new tuberculins
Authors: Stanford J. L. , Shield M. J. , Paul R. C. , Khalil A. , Tobgi R. S. , Wallace A.
Published: May 2009

This study was carried out to investigate the effect of desert conditions on the pattern of delayed hypersensitivity to mycobacteria in school children aged 6–10 and 11–18 years. A new range of tuberculins prepared from ultrasonic lysates of living mycobacteria belonging to 12 different species was employed. Three centres were chosen for study, a sea port and two desert towns differing greatly from each other. The results obtained were compared with those of a previous study using the same reagents in Kenya.

As expected both the range of mycobacterial species to which the children reacted, the rate of acquisition of specific hypersensitivity with age and the total percentage of children reacting to individual reagents differed from centre to centre. The harsh desert conditions of Ajdabia produced the least, and the proximity of the people's dwellings to those of their farm animals in Kufra produced the most positive reactors to essentially environmental species. The greatest number of reactors to our Tuberculin were found in Benghazi where the cosmopolitan urban conditions probably lead to a high contact with open cases of tuberculosis. As assessed by skin test reactivity, immunization with BCG in Libya was much less effective than in Kenya. The interpretation of the differences between the results from the different test centres and between those for Libya and Kenya are discussed.
Epidemiological studies on the 1967–1968 foot-and-mouth disease epidemic: the reporting of suspected disease
Authors: Hugh-Jones M. E.
Published: May 2009

From an analysis of the telephone reports in ten FMD Control Centres in the West Midlands, the veterinary officers' reports on each outbreak, the farm patrol reports and the daily number of outbreaks announced on the 17.50 h B.B.C. T.V. News, it would appear that the reporting of suspected outbreaks was indirectly related to the local disease activity. Private veterinary practitioners reported older cases of FMD at the beginning and end of the epidemic than in the middle.
Neonatal infection due toSalmonella worthingtontransmitted by a delivery-room suction apparatus
Authors: Ip H. M. H. , Sin W. K. , Chau P. Y. , Tse Doris , Teoh-Chan C. H.
Published: May 2009

An outbreak of diarrhoea due toSalmonella worthingtonin five newborn babies, 5 weeks after a similar outbreak in 13 babies for which no cause had been found, occurred in the nursery of a maternity ward. The source of infection was traced to the contaminated rubber tubing of a mechanical suction apparatus.S. worthingtonwas isolated from the rubber tubing and the Y connexion of the suction apparatus from which all the five infected babies had received suction. Reflux of contaminated amniotic fluid into the sterile catheter connected to the apparatus some time before use could have been the means of introducing the infected material to the oropharynx of the newborn babies, and amniotic fluid, acting as a good medium to support the growth ofS. worthington, might be responsible for the long-lasting contamination.
The treatment of soil infested with the human whipworm, Trichuris trichiura
Authors: Burden D. J. , Whitehead A. , Green E. A. , McFadzean J. A. , Beer H. J. S.
Published: May 2009

The soil fumigants methyl bromide, chioropicrin and Basamid or mixtures of Basamid and chloropicrin proved to be of no use in killing T. trichiura ova in soil. However, on untreated plots the eggs died at a rate such that only 20 % of the ova remained viable after 18 months.
KlebsiellaandEnterobacterorganisms isolated from horses
Authors: Platt H. , Atherton J. G. , Øskov Ida
Published: May 2009

An account is given ofK. pneumoniaecapsule types occurring in horses, with particular reference to strains originating from the genital tract in the mare and the external genitalia of the stallion.

A survey of the prevalence ofK. pneumoniaeandE. aerogenesstrains in the preputial flora of healthy stallions is described. The majority of horses were found to be carriers of these organisms. The cultural characteristics of these preputial strains are described and compared with those ofK. pneumoniaestrains associated with epidemic metritis in mares. The epidemiological significance of certainK. pneumoniaecapsule types is discussed.
The effect of cigarette smoking on susceptibility to epidemic influenza and on serological responses to live attenuated and killed subunit influenza vaccines
Authors: MacKenzie J. S. , MacKenzie I. H. , Holt P. G.
Published: May 2009

The effects of cigarette smoking on the incidence of epidemic influenza and on the serological response to influenza vaccination with killed subunit and live attenuated vaccines have been investigated during comparative vaccine trials in Western Australia. It was found that cigarette smokers with no pre-epidemic haemagglutination-inhibiting (HI) antibody (titres of ≤ 12) were significantly more susceptible to epidemic influenza than non-smokers. Smokers were no more susceptible however, if they had possessed detectable pre-epidemic HI antibody. A significantly higher proportion of smokers sero-converted after receiving the live virus vaccine than their non-smoking counterparts, but this could not be correlated with pre-vaccination HI antibody titres. The longevity of the immune response to the subunit vaccine was severely depressed 50 weeks post-vaccination in smokers who had possessed little or no immunity before vaccination (titres of ≤ 12). This antibody deficit was not observed in live virus vaccinees or subunit vaccinees with pre-vaccination HI antibody (titres of ≥ 24). Post-vaccinal symptoms were similar regardless of vaccine group or smoking history.
Ecological effects of a deodorant and a plain soap upon human skin bacteria
Authors: Bibel David J.
Published: May 2009

The effects of a commercial trichlorocarbanilide-containing deodorant soap and a commercial plain soap upon the cutaneous flora of individuals were compared. Using a cross-over design, 21 volunteers (10 women and 11 men) washed their forearms at least once a day with one soap for 3 weeks and then switched soaps for another 4 weeks use. By analysis of variance no significant difference in total colony counts was noted among individuals in their use of the two soaps. With the exception of individual variation, neither sequence of use, sex, nor any combination was influential. However, in 20 of 21 subjects an alteration in the composition of skin flora was observed. The deodorant soap, which in six cases increased total flora, tended to reduce or eliminate diphtheroids in 12 of 17 carriers (71%). Fewer kinds of bacteria were also noted. MoreStaphylococcus epidermidiswas seen with the plain soap, but washing with the deodorant soap seemed to favourAcinetobacter calcoaceticusandMicrococcus luteus.The impact of this alteration and the use of total counts to measure effectiveness of deodorant soaps were brought into question.
Thermal comfort of patients in hospital ward areas
Authors: Smith R. M. , Rae A.
Published: May 2009

The patient is identified as being of prime importance for comfort standards in hospital ward areas, other ward users being expected to adjust their dress to suit the conditions necessary for patient comfort. A study to identify the optimum steady state conditions for patient comfort is then described.

Although this study raises some doubts as to the applicability of the standard thermal comfort assessment techniques to ward areas, it is felt that its results give a good indication of the steady-state conditions preferred by the patients. These were an air temperature of between 21.5° and 22° C and a relative humidity of between 30% and 70%, where the air velocity was less than 0.1 m/s and the mean radiant temperature was close to air temperature.
Path analysis: application in an epidemiological study of echinococcosis in New Zealand
Authors: Burridge M. J. , Schwabe C. W. , Pullum T. W.
Published: May 2009

The method of path analysis is described in detail. Application of this analytical technique in the interpretation of causal relationships in complex biological systems is demonstrated using data from an epidemiological study of echinococcosis in New Zealand. The results identified the major causal pathways determining Echinococcus granulosus prevalence in dogs, based on multiple regression analysis of a linear causal model constructed from prior biological and epidemiological knowledge. Only ethnic and sheep husbandry variables had important direct effects on prevalence in the North Island of New Zealand, with some climatic factors (maximum temperature and relative humidity) and soil porosity acting indirectly through animal husbandry practices. It is suggested that path analysis, by permitting interaction between epidemiological theory and statistical analysis, provides a valuable additional tool to epidemiologists for the study of causal relationships among variables in multivariate systems.
Survival of aerosolized bacteriophage φX174 in air containing ozone–olefin mixtures
Authors: de Mik G. , de Groot Ida , Gerbrandy J. L. F.
Published: May 2009

The effects of ozone and ozonized olefins on aerosol survival of bacteriophage øX174 were studied. The ozone concentrations used were between 0 and 110 parts/109, giving decay rates up to 0·03 min−1. The olefins used were trans-2-butene and cyclohexene in concentrations of 500 parts/109and 2·4 parts/106, respectively. Olefins alone have no effect, whereas in combination with ozone, decay rates of 0·1 min−1and higher were obtained. The results are discussed in relation to the viricidal effect of open air.