bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Salmonellosis in Indonesia: phage-type ofSalmonella oranienburgobtained from hospitalized patients in Jakarta, Indonesia
Authors: Cobet Andre B. , Gershman M. , Moechtar M. Asril , Sumarmo  , Sunoto
Published: March 2010

During a survey in Jakarta, Indonesia, 158 culturesof Salmonella oranienburg, consisting of two phage types, were obtained from 150 hospitalized patients with diarrhoea. Phage type I, though found notably in young children, was found in all age groups while phage type II was found almost exclusively in young children aged 0–7 years. Phage type I may produce a more severe clinical picture affecting all age groups alike, while phage type II may result in hospitalization of only the very young, who are more susceptible to dehydration. Phage type I was significantly more resistant than phage type II to the individual antibiotics: tetracycline, chloramphenicol, kanamycin and neomycin. However, there was no difference in their respective antibiotic resistance patterns as measured by disk and MIC assay. All cultures were sensitive to gentamicin and trimethoprimsulphamethoxazole 1:19.
Aspects of the epidemiology of bovine tuberculosis in badgers and cattle. I. The prevalence of infection in two wild animal populations in south-west England
Authors: Barrow P. A. , Gallagher J.
Published: March 2010

The prevalence of infections caused by Mycobacterium bovis was estimated in two populations of wild animals in the south west of England. A variety of mammalian species was trapped on farm land where incidents of infection with tuberculosis had occurred in cattle. Bacteriological analysis of lymph node samples and lesions showed that the only animals acting as a reservoir for M. bovis were badgers. Examination of arthropod ectoparasites of infected badgers proved negative for M. bovis and suggests that these are unlikely to act as vectors in transmission of the disease.
Aspects of the epidemiology of bovine tuberculosis in badgers and cattle. II. The development and use of a typing system forMycobacterium bovis
Authors: Barrow P. A.
Published: March 2010

A relatively simple method for the detection of intra-specific variation ofMycobacterium bovisis described, based on the ability of strains to utilize or remove amino acids from solution. Using the method, 31 strains ofM. bovis, isolated from badgers and cattle, have been divided into four major groups with some additional sub-groups and intermediate strains. Preliminary results suggest that the biotypes observed are relatively stable. The method was used in the investigation of an outbreak of bovine tuberculosis in cattle in Gloucestershire where badgers were implicated as a source of infection. The results suggested that transmission of infection had occurred on at least two or three separate occasions. It is suggested that the method could be used in studying the epidemiology of bovine tuberculosis in wild animals, cattle and man.
Streptococcal antibodies in patients with burn injuries
Authors: Widdowson J. P. , Wormald P. J.
Published: March 2010

Serum samples from 14 patients whose burns had become infected with streptococci of groups A (11 patients), C (one patient) or G (two patients), and from 19 burned patients without bacteriological evidence of streptococcal infection were examined for anti-streptococcal antibodies. Tests were made for anti-streptolysin O (ASO), anti-hyaluronidase (AH), anti-deoxyribonuclease B (anti-DNAase B) and antibody against M-associated protein (MAP). Sera from the patients with streptococcal infections were also examined, when this was practicable, for ‘bactericidal’ (anti-M) antibody and for antibody against the opacity factor (OF) of the infecting serotype.

In patients infected with group A streptococci, the ASO response was generally poor, except in patients infected with strains of type T12/M12, and the AH response was rather similar, but most of the patients gave a rapid and vigorous anti-DNAase B response, except when the burn was small or colonization occurred very late. Antibody to the M and MAP antigens, and to OF (when the infecting strain formed this), was weak and transient, or absent, except in three of four patients infected with streptococci of type T12/M12.
Contamination of chlorhexidine cream used to prevent ascending urinary tract infections
Authors: Salveson A. , Bergan T.
Published: March 2010

Chlorhexidine-containing cream is often used as an antimicrobial barrier to ascending urinary tract infection in patients with indwelling urethral catheters. The cream is dispensed in small tubes for personal use but repeated use of a tube still entails a potential infection hazard. The extent of cream contamination was analysed by emulsifying it in 1 % peptone broth with 1 % Tween-80 added as a wetting agent, and culturing quantitatively for bacteria and fungi by membrane filtration. Twenty-three per cent of cream samples and 35 % of swabs taken from outside the tube beneath the screw cap demonstrated microbial contamination. Isolates included potential pathogens such as enterococci, staphylococci,Proteus mirabilis, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, opportunists likeMoraxellaspp. and diphtheroids, and contaminants such asBacillusspp., micrococci, and a mould of the genusCladosporium. Contamination of cream with a particular bacterial strain was found to precede urinary tract infection with the same microbe. We recommend that chlorhexidine cream for this use be dispensed in single dose units to ensure sterility.
Rubella serology: a comparison of four methods for exclusion of non-specific serum inhibitors
Authors: Traavik T. , Spanne O. , Mennen S.
Published: March 2010

The ability of the pyrogenic silica Aerosil 380Rto exclude non-specific serum inhibitors (NSI) of rubella virus haemagglutination was evaluated. The developed procedure was compared with the kaolin, heparin/MnCl2and dextran sulphate/CaCl2methods.

Aerosil and kaolin were found superior for the elimination of non-specific inhibitors and high density lipoproteins (HDL). The other methods left NSI and HDL in a majority of the sera, occasionally in high titres. Aerosil seemed to be somewhat more efficient than kaolin in NSI and HDL exclusion. The Aerosil method offers the opportunity to detect sera with rubella antibody titres < 10. Among eight such sera, six were shown to contain rubella antibodies, while two were false positives.
Experimental infection of Rhesus monkeys with a human strain ofCampylobacter jejuni
Authors: Fitzgeorge R. B. , Baskerville A. , Lander K. P.
Published: March 2010

Young Rhesus monkeys (Macaca mulatta) were infected orally with a human strain ofCampylobacter jejuni. The disease induced was mild, with inappetence and diarrhoea of short duration, but prolonged intermittent excretion of the bacteria in the faeces occurred. Bacteraemia was generally present for 2–3 days and later the organisms localized in the liver and gall bladder. Recovered animals, when challenged with the same strain, showed no clinical symptoms, no bacteraemia, and excreted the organisms in the faeces for only 3 days.
An outbreak of otitis externa in competitive swimmers due toPseudomonas aeruginosa
Authors: Reid T. M. S. , Porter I. A.
Published: March 2010

Pseudomonas aeruginosawas isolated from the ears of 18 of the 25 members of a team of competitive swimmers who complained of painful discharging ears. This group of swimmers trained twice daily in the pool, in the early morning and late afternoon. In contrast swabbing of the ears of a similar group of 54 competitive swimmers who used the pool only in the afternoon revealed only one swimmer withP. aeruginosa.Investigation of the swimming pool revealed that chlorination was often inadequate when the first group of swimmers were training in the early morning. Strains ofP. aeruginosawere isolated from various sites around the pool and from the bag of a vacuum used to clean the pool.

Pyocin typing, serotyping and phage typing were performed on all isolates. The dominant strain recovered from the swimmers' ears was found to be almost identical to that from the vacuum bag and belonged to serotype 0–11 which has been particularly associated with outbreaks ofP. aeruginosainfection in whirlpools in the United States.

These results support the hypothesis that there is a direct correlation between the development of otitis externa and swimming in water contaminated withP. aeruginosa.
Antibodies toEubacteriumandPeptostreptococcusspecies and the estimated probability of Crohn's disease
Authors: Van de Merwe J. P. , Schmitz P. I. M. , Wensinck F.
Published: March 2010

Anaerobic coccoid rods belonging to species ofEubacteriumandPeptostreptococcusagglutinate more frequently with sera from patients with Crohn's disease than with sera from patients suffering from other diseases and from healthy subjects. Results of agglutination tests with four strains of coccoid anaerobes were used to estimate the probability that a patient suffers from Crohn's disease. The data on healthy subjects and patients with Crohn's disease were subjected to logistic discriminant analysis. With the methods and interpretation described, 52% of the patients with Crohn's disease were recognized as ‘definite’ or ‘probable’ Crohn's disease and 14% as ‘suspected’. Only 1% of the healthy subjects were classified as ‘suspected’ and none as ‘definite’ or ‘probable’ Crohn's disease.
The presentation and incidence of paratrachoma in adults
Authors: Tullo Andrew B. , Richmond Shirley J. , Easty David L.
Published: March 2010

Thirteen definite and 3 probable cases of chlamydial eye infection were diagnosed in young adults attending the Bristol Eye Hospital between June 1978 and May 1980, an incidence of about 1 case per 44000 per year in the 15 to 44-year-old community served by this hospital, and 1 per 100000 in the total population of this community. These patients presented with a sub-acute follicular conjunctivitis or kerato-conjunctivitis, which had usually been present for several weeks and had often failed to respond to topical chloramphenicol treatment before presentation. Sera obtained from 14 patients all had chlamydial antibody titres of 64 or more. Over the same period of time, an estimated 2500 patients per year from the same community attended the Venereology Department at the Bristol Royal Infirmary with genital chlamydial infections. These figures suggest that chlamydial infection of the eye complicates no more than 1 in 300 chlamydial infections of the genital tract in adults.
Furazolidone resistance in Salmonella gallinarum: the relationship between in vitro and in vivo determinations of resistance
Authors: Smith H. Williams , Tucker J. F. , Lovell M.
Published: March 2010

Of 22 strains of Salmonella gallinarum isolated from recent outbreaks of infection in poultry in Greece (15), Amman (3), Kenya (2), Lebanon (1) and Yemen (1), 20 were more resistant to furazolidone in vitro than 6 strains that had been isolated in the U.K. in the 1950s; the minimum inhibitory concentration of furazolidone was approximately 0·3 μg/ml for the sensitive strains and 1·3 or 2·5 μg/ml for the more resistant strains.

Furazolidone given continuously in the food did not control experimental infections in chickens caused by most of the strains that had been classed as more resistant by the in vitro tests. Chloramphenicol, trimethoprim and sulphadiazine or mixtures of the latter two were the best antibiotics for treating these infections, but they were less satisfactory than furazolidone for treating infections caused by the furazolidone-sensitive strains.

As a group, the furazolidone-resistant strains and furazolidone-resistant mutants of one of the sensitive strains were less virulent for chickens than the sensitive strains.
Streptococcus pyogenes in the throat: a study in a small population, 1962–1975
Authors: Hope-Simpson R. Edgar
Published: March 2010

A general practice population of around 6700 was kept under clinical and laboratory surveillance from 1962 to 1975. Illnesses totalled 18703 in three morbidity classes: sore throat (Throats) 4451, acute febrile respiratory diseases (FRD) 4934, acute non-febrile respiratory diseases (Non-FRD) 9318. Specimens were examined for beta-haemolytic streptococci (BHS) from 37·1% of these illnesses: from Throats 33·3%, from FRD 67·8%, from Non-FRD 22·6%, and 515 specimens were collected from a miscellaneous (‘Other’) class consisting of healthy persons and ailments that could not have had a streptococcal component.

Strains of BHS were isolated from 7448 specimens as follows: group A (Streptococcus pyogenes) 353, group C 36, group G 15, other groups 274.

Group A strains were isolated from specimens at the following rates: Throats 16·7 %, FRD 2·4%, Non-FRD 0·9 %, Other 1·4 %. The last two classes reflect the carrier rate in the general community, which must be deducted to obtain the streptococcal morbidity in the other classes. Carriers thus accounted for 6% of the strains isolated from the Throats class and for 42 % of those from FRD illnesses.

No consistent seasonal trend of prevalence was detected. Long-term fluctuations in prevalence over several years affected all groups and most group A serotypes.

Serotyping was performed on 304 strains from 1963 to 1975. The commonest types found were T-types 4 and 12 and M-type 12.

Immunity against re-infection by identical strains appeared to be fairly strong and also against heterotypic strains that shared a T-antigen, but little protection was conferred against re-infection by group A strains with no shared M- or T-antigen. R-28 antigen is considered here as a marker epidemiologically equivalent to an M-antigen.

Epidemicity, as measured by a simple estimate of aggregation, appeared to be low and there were differences between and within serotypes.

The infecting organism appeared to linger in the pharynx, sometimes for several months, after a streptococcal illness.
Are many women immunized against rubella unnecessarily?
Authors: Mortimer P. P. , Edwards J. M. B. , Porter A. D. , Tedder R. S. , Mace J. E. , Hutchinson A.
Published: March 2010

Radial haemolysis (RH) was used to test sera for immunity to rubella from 1317 patients attending a general practice. One hundred and forty-one (10·7%) were treated as susceptible and offered an attenuated virus vaccine (RA 27/3). Pre-immunization sera from 43% of these patients were reactive at low levels in RH (< 15 international units rubella antibody per ml).

Pre- (S1) and post- (S2) immunization sera from 66 vaccinees were studied in detail. Antibody was detected by RH, haemagglutination inhibition (HI) and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), and the specific IgM response was measured by a solid-phase M-antibody capture radioimmunoassay (MACRIA). The vaccine-induced IgM response was only detected if the S1 serum was non-reactive by all tests for rubella antibody. It was weaker than that seen following wild virus infection. It could be detected reliably for six weeks, and in most cases for nine weeks, after immunization. In contrast, patients with S1 specimens reactive by RH, HI or ELISA never showed an IgM response in the S2 specimen despite ‘significant’ antibody rises often being present.

It was considered that an IgM response to RA 27/3 was the best indicator of pre-immunization susceptibility to rubella. The failure of many vaccinees to make an IgM response implied that a significant proportion were already immune. It is suggested that the threshold for a report of immunity to rubella could be lowered from 15 i.u. antibody per ml and so fewer women immunized without vaccine being withheld from those who need it.
The relationship between epidemic influenza A(H1N1) and ABO blood groups
Authors: Lebiush M. , Rannon L. , Kark J. D.
Published: March 2010

An outbreak of influenza caused by the A(H1N1) subtype in military recruits in February 1978 afforded an opportunity to study the association of ABO blood groups with influenza morbidity and serological response. Fifty-eight per cent of 336 recruits became clinically ill. There was no differential distribution of clinical influenza by blood group. However, seroconversion to a titre of ≥ 20 was significantly and appreciably higher in groups A and B than O and AB. Also, among those with serologically confirmed clinical influenza, the occurrence was significantly higher in groups A and B than groups O and AB.
Frequency of naturally occurring antibody to influenza virus antigenic variants selected in vitro with monoclonal antibody
Authors: Natali A. , Oxford J. S. , Schild G. C.
Published: March 2010

Antigenic variants of A/Texas/77 (H3N2) virus were selected in vitro using monoclonal antibody to virus haemagglutinin (HA). The antigenic variants and parental A/Texas/77 viruses were used to evaluate the frequency of anti-HA antibodies in the sera of children and adults using single-radial-haemolysis (SRH) tests. Twenty to 41 % of selected sera from adults, which contained antibody to the parental A/Texas/77 virus, failed to react with the different antigenic mutant viruses. A higher proportion of sera from children (37–58%) failed to react with the antigenic variants. Certain human sera and particularly those of children would appear to possess a more limited antibody repertoire to influenza HA, potentially allowing new antigenic variants to escape neutralization and spread in the community.
Antibody response to immunization with influenza A/USSR/77 (H1N1) virus in young individuals primed or unprimed for A/New Jersey/76 (H1N1) virus
Authors: Masurel N. , Ophof P. , de Jong P.
Published: March 2010

A group of 269 pupils of the Harbour and Transport Training Institute in Rotterdam (group A), aged 13–20 years, and of 109 patients of the Dr Mr Willem van den Bergh Foundation at Noordwijk (group B), aged 11–21 years, were immunized with a whole virus vaccine containing 10, 20, or 40 μg HA of A/USSR/92/77 (H1N1) influenza virus. A booster vaccination was administered 6 weeks later with 20 μg HA of the same virus. Many of the participants had been immunized during the two preceding years with a whole virus vaccine containing A/New Jersey/8/76 (H1N1) (A/NJ/76) virus. The side-effects, mostly of a moderate nature, increased with the dose of virus in the vaccine. In group A side effects were least frequent in the vaccinees who had never received A/NJ/76 vaccine. A single dose of A/USSR/77 vaccine did not produce satisfactory levels of homologous antibodies. After booster immunization with 20 μg HA of A/USSR/77 virus participants showed a higher homologous antibody response in all vaccine-dose groups if they had not been immunized with A/NJ/76 virus in previous years. After primary and especially after booster immunization with A/USSR/77 virus, a very high response against A/NJ/76 virus and adequate levels of A/NJ/76 antibody were found in participants who had been immunized previously with A/NJ/76 virus. Those who had not been immunized with this virus previously showed no or a very low antibody response to A/NJ/76 virus.
Salmonella in the intestinal tract and associated lymph nodes of sheep and cattle
Authors: Samuel J. L. , Eccles J. A. , Francis J.
Published: March 2010

The distribution of salmonellas along the gastrointestinal tract and in associated lymph nodes were studied in 100 sheep and 100 cattle at slaughter. Animals were chosen from those slaughtered on the first day of the week, since this meant that they were likely to have been held at the abattoir for several days and thus to be at high risk of salmonella infection. The contents of the rumen, abomasum, ileum, caecum and rectum were sampled, together with the lymph nodes draining each of these sites.

Of the cattle, 77 were carrying salmonellas, including 61 with infected lymph nodes, whereas only 43 sheep were infected, 14 of them with infections in the nodes. The lower prevalence in sheep than in cattle might be explained by a shorter time between leaving the property and slaughter. In both species, within the gastrointestinal tract salmonellas were most frequently found in the caecum and rectum and least frequently in the abomasum. In cattle salmonellas were frequently present, usually in large numbers, in the lymph nodes draining the ileum, caecum and colon, but rarely in the ruminal and abomasal nodes; however this difference was not apparent in sheep. Over 70 % of infected animals yielded more than one serotype, the maximum number isolated from any one animal being ten.
Comparison of radioimmunoassay and the gel filtration technique for routine diagnosis of rubella during pregnancy
Authors: Kangro H. O. , Jackson C. , Heath R. B.
Published: March 2010

Radioimmunoassay (RIA) for rubella-specific IgM antibodies was compared with haemagglutination-inhibition (HI) in conjunction with gel filtration for the diagnosis of rubella infection in pregnant women during a 1-year period. In total 476 women were investigated of whom 221 were tested for rubella IgM. Both techniques gave positive results with 64 sera, and RIA alone with one additional serum.

Difficulties associated with the removal of non-specific HI activity were encountered with four sera all of which were negative by RIA.

RIA was found to have practical advantages over the gel filtration method but is at present technically more difficult to perform.
Bacteroidesspecies in the normal neonatal faecal flora
Authors: Rotimi V. O. , Duerden B. I.
Published: March 2010

Bacteroidesspp. were isolated from the faeces of neonates and identified by rapid modifications of established conventional methods. Gram-negative anaerobic bacilli were recovered from 12 out of 16 neonates and a heavy growth ofBacteroidesspp. was obtained from all 12 specimens. Twelve representative isolates from each subject were selected for identification; 141 of the 144Bacteroidesisolates belonged to theB. fragilisgroup and three to theB. melaninogenicus/oralisgroup. Eight species were represented within theB. fragilisgroup.B. vulgatus(c.46%) andB. thetaiotaomicron(c.30 %) were the predominant species.B. fragilis, the type-species of the group, formed only a small proportion of neonatal faecal flora. The proportional representation of individual species were similar to that found in adults butB. asaccharolyticuswas not represented.
Toxoplasmosis and the wild rabbit Oryctolagus cuniculus in Victoria, Australia with suggested mechanisms for dissemination of oocysts
Authors: Cox J. C. , Edmonds J. W. , Shepherd Rosamond C. H.
Published: March 2010

Sera or serum eluates from 1697 wild rabbits [Oryctolagus cuniculus (L)], collected over the past 10 years from 24 sites in 5 geographic regions of Victoria, were examined for antibodies to Toxoplasma gondii. Sera generally were classified into three broad groups, negative (titre < 10), weakly reactive (titre 10 to 100) and strongly positive (titre > 1000). Strongly positive sera came from rabbits collected in a small number of localized areas, most significantly the Melbourne and Metropolitan Board of Works (MMBW) Sewerage Farm at Werribee and Mud Island in Port Phillip Bay.
Discrimination by multiple typing of isolates ofShigella sonneiin Dundee (1971–6)
Authors: Old D. C. , Helgason S. , Scott A. C.
Published: March 2010

Different strains ofShigella sonneipresent in Dundee from 1971 to 1976 were identified by a ‘multiple typing’ method in which resistotyping, used as the main method of differentiation, was supplemented by colicine typing, antibiogram testing and biotyping. At least 19 different ‘multiple types’ (MTs) were identified by combining information from the four typing techniques. The relation of the different types and their possible derivation from each other are discussed.

The practical value of multiple typing was demonstrated in a study of 247 isolates, of three distinct MTs, recovered from 178 persons involved in an extended outbreak centred primarily on day nurseries.

A few episodes that yielded isolates of different resistotypes were analysed to determine whether the cultures were: isolates of the same strain different in resistotype as a result ofin vivoorin vitrovariation of resistotype characters, or isolates of distinct strains of different resistotypes.

The multiple typing approach clarified the way in which different MTs emerged, persisted, disappeared or co-existed in the community during the 6 years of the study.
Parainfluenza virus infections in the Cirencester Survey: Seasonal and other characteristics
Authors: Hope-Simpson R. Edgar
Published: March 2010

Parainfluenza viruses were isolated 165 times during 14 years surveillance of the illnesses of a general practice population of around 3700. Type 1 isolations numbered 57, type 2 isolations 22 and type 3 isolations 86, representing annual rates of 33, 13 and 50 infections respectively per 10000 of population. Type 4 parainfluenza virus was not isolated. Three major classes of illness gave the following rates: sore throats (Throats) nine, acute febrile respiratory diseases (FRD) 23, acute non-febrile respiratory diseases (non-FRD) 71. The illnesses caused by the three types isolated were similar. Type 1 infections were most abundant in November and type 2 infections in December, and only 11.4 % of these types were isolated in the warm semester April through September. Type 3 infections were seasonally bi-modal, with a winter peak in January and an even greater prevalence (66% of the total) in the warm semester. Type 3 infections in the warmer months and in the later years of the Survey were usually more severe. Type 3 virus may therefore be heterogeneous, one subtype possessing and the other lacking the genetic mechanism of ‘cold-season’ prevalence. Geographical discontinuity between summer and winter isolations strengthens the case for the existence of the two subtypes of type 3 parainfluenza virus.

Type 3 infections caused the majority of the infections in very young infants. Type 2 infections were widely distributed at all ages. Females were attacked more often than males: type 1, 68.4%; type 2,636%; type 3, 53.5%. Type 3 infections in males outnumbered those in females up to 60 years of age, whereas female predominance became apparent in types 1 and 2 before 10 years of age.

All types were widely and sparsely distributed, areas of prevalence changing from year to year. Recurrences occurred only twice, both with type 3 infections. Six persons suffered both a type 1 and a type 3 infection, and one person suffered both a type 2 and a type 3 infection.
The occurrence ofCampylobacter jejuniin fresh food and survival under different conditions
Authors: Svedhem Å. , Kaijser B. , Sjögren E.
Published: March 2010

Campylobacter jejuniwas an almost regular finding in chickens and in minced meat from pigs and cattle sold in ordinary food stores. The bacteria survived on the food at 4 °C for one week and frozen at – 20 °C for three months. None of the stains tested survived heat treatment at 60 °C for longer than 15 min.C. jejuniis apparently a frequent guest in most kitchens. Correct food handling and heat treatment to at least 60 °C for 15 min should be enough to prevent infection.
Antigenicity in hamsters of inactivated vaccines prepared from recombinant influenza viruses
Authors: Hamzawi M. , Jennings R. , Potter C. W.
Published: March 2010

Inactivated vaccines prepared from influenza virus strains obtained by the recombination of A/PR/8/34 (H1N1) or A/FM/1/47 (H1N1) viruses with A/Victoria/3/75 (H3N2) virus, were tested for their antigenicity in hamsters. The parental origin of the genes of each cloned recombinant virus was determined by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, and vaccines prepared from each strain by concentration, purification on sucrose density gradients and inactivation with formalin. All the recombinant strains used in these studies possessed surface haemagglutinin and neuraminidase antigens derived from the A/Victoria/75 parent strain.

On inoculation into hamsters, at equivalent concentrations, these vaccines varied in their ability to induce haemagglutination-inhibiting (HI) antibodies in the serum. This variation was not dependent on concentration and was observed using neutralization and single radial haemolysis, as well as HI. The possible reasons for the findings are discussed.
A study of the incidence of Vibrio parahaemolyticus in Malaysian shrimp undergoing processing for export
Authors: Cann D. C. , Taylor Lesley Y. , Merican Zahara
Published: March 2010

The incidence of Vibro parahaemolyticus in products of the Malaysian export shrimp processing industry was investigated through the stages from the catch to that of the cooked, peeled and frozen product. The organism was commonly found in freshly caught and landed shrimp, and could be detected by enrichment culture at all stages of processing. The numbers of V. parahaemolyticus in shrimp varied from nil to 4 × 104, and 19 of the 50 serotypes in the current antigenic scheme were found, O1-K38 and O1-K32 occurring most often. All the isolates were Kanagawanegative; one strain was a sucrose-positive variant. The study indicated that specifications of 102 g−1 for V. parahaemolyticus in raw tropical shelfish are too stringent but that the Malaysian shrimp industry should be able to meet this requirement for cooked shrimp.
An unusual sequel to imported Salmonella Zanzibar
Authors: Johnston W. S. , Munro D. , Reilly W. J. , Sharp J. C. M.
Published: March 2010

In August, 1980 a rare serotype S. zanzibar was isolated in the North of Scotland from a man home on leave from Malaysia, whence he returned in November having been bacteriologically negative 2 months previously. In December however, S. Zanzibar was isolated from a bulk milk sample taken at a nearby dairy farm. No illness occurred among milking cows which had been brought inside from pasture in mid-October. Since 1972 a variety of different salmonella serotypes had been identified in cattle, milk and other samples at this farm, with seagulls being implicated as the vector transmitting infection from the sewage of a local town on to farmland and an adjacent loch. Although water from this source has not been used in recent years for drinking by cattle, it is utilized for washing floors within the dairy premises. Since 1979, following an outbreak affecting consumers, all milk produced at the farm has been pasteurized.
The serological response of cattle to vaccines against brucellosis, as measured by the brucellosis radioimmunoassay and other tests
Authors: Chappel R. J. , Hayes J. , Rogerson B. A. , Shenfield L. J.
Published: March 2010

Serum samples were obtained from 281 heifers vaccinated with Brucella abortus strain 19, and from 50 heifers that had received two injections of killed B. abortus strain 45/20 adjuvant (K45/20A) vaccine. The serological response measured by the brucellosis radioimmunoassay (RIA) was compared with responses measured by other tests.

The serological responses of cattle during the first weeks after strain 19 vaccination were found to give little guide to the frequency of persistent reactions.

In the case of strain 19, persistent reactions were considered to be those occurring 12 or more months after vaccination. In heifers vaccinated at the recommended age, small numbers of persistent reactions were given by the RIA (four in 374 sera), the complement fixation test using warm fixation (CFTW) (six in 383) and cold fixation (one in 185), the serum agglutination test (two in 222) and the indirect haemolysis test (IHLT) (two in 369). The Rose Bengal plate test gave 74 persistent reactions in 374 sera.

Five of the 50 heifers gave particularly prolonged responses to K45/20A vaccine. In these animals the RIA and IHLT remained positive for longer than the CFTW.
Shigellaspecies from Addis Ababa: frequency of isolation andin vitrodrug sensitivity
Authors: Gedebou Messele , Tassew Alebachew
Published: March 2010

One hundred and five shigella isolates from Addis Ababa were studied to determine serogroup frequency andin vitroantibacterial drug sensitivity.

About 70 % of the isolates wereShigella Flexnerifollowed bySh. dysenteriae(15%),Sh. boydii(10%) andSh. sonnei(5%). All or most of the strains were susceptible to cephalothin, gentamicin, kanamycin, polymyxin B and trimetho-primsulphamethoxazole. Frequencies of susceptibility to ampicillin, carbenicillin and chloramphenicol were, respectively, 79, 80 and 75%. Only 37, 23 and 58% were susceptible to streptomycin, sulphadiazine and tetracycline, respectively.

Resistance to one or more drugs was detected in 85 % while 72 % were multiply resistant. There were 24 different resistance patterns, varying from resistance to one drug to resistance to seven drugs.

The findings have been compared with reports from other countries. This study and several others cited support the view that trimethoprim-sulphamethoxazole is the best alternative drug for treatment of shigellosis particularly in regions with multiple drug-resistant strains.
The effect of time in lairage on the frequency of salmonella infection in slaughtered pigs
Authors: Craven J. A. , Hurst D. B.
Published: March 2010

Groups of pigs were brought to an abattoir by truck and approximately 25 were killed on each of the next 3 days.

While the pigs were in lairage they were given water but were not fed. After slaughter the caecal contents of all pigs were cultured to detectSalmonellaspp. The organism was isolated from 70% of 145 pigs killed after 1 day in lairage, 49% of 143 pigs that had been in lairage for 2 days and 41% of 135 pigs that had been held for 3 days.
The enterotoxigenicity of strains ofEscherichia coliisolated from the faeces of healthy people and cattle
Authors: Bettelheim K. A. , Wilson M. W.
Published: March 2010

In this study 197 strainsof Escherichia coliisolated from cowpats and the faeces of healthy humans were examined for the presence of enterotoxins. Six strains representing five different serotypes were found to be enterotoxigenic. Four of these strains produced the heat labile enterotoxin and two, the Vero cell cytotoxin.
Microbiological studies on hamburgers
Authors: Tamminga S. K. , Beumer R. R. , Kampelmacher E. H.
Published: March 2010

One hundred and eighty-two raw, 112 pre-cooked and 750 cooked hamburgers composed mainly of beef or beef and pork were subjected to microbiological examination.

Raw hamburgers gave total bacterial counts from 105to 108per g, counts of Enterobacteriaceae from 104to 108per g, ofEscherichia colifrom 103to 105, of group D streptococci from 102to 104, ofStaphylococcus aureusfrom 3 to 102and ofClostridium perfringensless than 10 bacteria per g. Of the samples, 32 % contained salmonellas; the highest most probable number was 102per g but most estimates were below 1 per g. Corresponding figures for the pre-cooked samples were 2–3 log cycles lower, and only one sample contained salmonella.Yersinia enterocoliticawas not isolated from any raw or pre-cooked sample.

Three hundred and ninety-five of the cooked hamburgers were prepared by grilling raw hamburgers for between 2 and 5·5 min. These gave total bacterial counts from 105to 107per g, and counts of Enterobacteriaceae from 102to 105per g. Of the samples, 9·4 % contained salmonellas, always in numbers below 1 per g. The remaining 355 cooked hamburgers were prepared from samples pre-cooked for 10 min at 80 °C. Some were grilled and some fat fried. The total bacterial counts were from 103to 105per g, and counts of Enterobacteriaceae below 102perg. Salmonellae, again in small numbers only, were recovered from 3·5 % of samples.

When hamburgers were artificially contaminated withSalmonella typhimuriumit took 5·5 min on a commercial grill, 2·25 min frying in a frying pan and 1·75 min on a household grill to reliably reduce the salmonella count one hundredfold. This means that at many vending places hamburgers are often cooked for too short a time.

D-values were determined forS. typhimuriumin hamburger meat at 50, 55, 60, 65 and 70 °C, these values were 7·1, 5·1, 1·2, 0·9 and 0·6 min respectively. It can be concluded that the heating action in the centre of the hamburgers will take place more slowly than in the hamburger as a whole, and that the time between cooking and consumption is very important in reducing the microbial load to acceptable levels.

Pre-cooking (10 min at 80 °C in a water bath) gives a reduction in the numbers of salmonella of about 4 × 103, after which cooking gives a further reduction as mentioned above.
Comparison of agglutination, complement fixation and immunofluorescence tests in Campylobacter jejuni infections
Authors: Watson K. C. , Kerr E. J. C.
Published: March 2010

Good antibody responses usually follow infection with Campylobacter jejuni. A comparison of agglutination, complement fixation and immunofluorescence tests was done on 55 sera from 40 sporadic patients with diarrhoeal disease and positive cultures for C. jejuni. Results showed 82 % positive with immunofluorescence, 62 % by complement fixation but only 38 % by agglutination, using two reference strains COP and MEL as antigens. Overall 90 % of the 40 patients were positive by one or more serological tests. Paired sera from 15 patients showed a fourfold or greater rise in only five, confirming previous observations that antibody formation occurs early in the course of infection. Results also suggest that different test systems may be detecting antibodies of different specificities. Results confirm the value of serological tests, but further information on serotypes is required for selection of suitable reference strains.
Transmission of Salmonella mbandaka to cattle from contaminated feed
Authors: Jones P. W. , Collins P. , Brown G. T. H. , Aitken M.
Published: March 2010

Salmonella mbandaka was isolated from cattle on three dairy farms. The duration of infection was less than four weeks and none of the animals became clinically ill. The animals had all consumed a diet containing a vegetable fat supplement contaminated with S. mbandaka and this was shown to be the source of the infections. It is significant that a feed containing purely vegetable components was incriminated.
Antimicrobial resistance among salmonella isolates from hospitals in Rome
Authors: Falbo Vincenzo , Caprioli Alfredo , Mondello Francesca , Cacace Maria Luisa , Luzi Stefania , Greco Donato
Published: March 2010

The susceptibility to antimicrobial agents of 569 salmonella isolates collected in 1977–8 from patients in hospitals in Rome was tested. Fifty-nine per cent of all isolates were resistant to one or more antimicrobials. Resistance was most common to sulphathiazole, tetracycline, streptomycin, whereas colistin, gentamicin, tobramycin, trimethoprim-sulphamethoxazole and nalidixic acid were the most activein vitro.

Multiple resistance was most frequently found in strains ofSalmonella wienandS. typhimurium(94% and 38% respectively).

A significant change in the resistance pattern ofS. wienwas observed between 1977 and 1978, with a significant increase of susceptibility to some antimicrobials in 1978.

Twenty-one R-plasmids transmissible toE. coliK12 were derived from 46 resistant strains ofS. typhimurum.
Enzyme immunoassay of the antibody response to Brucella andYersinia enterocolitica09 infections in humans
Authors: Lindberg A. A. , Hæggman S. , Karlson K. , Carlsson H. E. , Mair N. S.
Published: March 2010

An enzyme immunoassay, with phenol–water-extracted lipopolysaccharide (LPS) fromBrucella abortusas antigen, was used to detect the class-specific antibody response in sera from 173 patients withB. abortus, B. melitensis or B. suisinfection. Sera from 30 patients with salmonellosis, yersiniosis or tularaemia and from 25 healthy individuals served as controls. TheB. abortusLPS antigen permitted a safe diagnosis of acute and chronic brucellosis with high IgM and rising IgG titres in sera collected in the acute stage of the disease, and with elevated IgG titres only in the chronic stage. TheB. abortusLPS antigen also permitted a specific diagnosis with the exception of the high titres estimated in sera from patients withYersinia enterocolitica09 infection. The problem with that well-known reciprocal cross-reactivity was overcome by using two additional antigens:Y. enterocolitica09 native and periodate oxidized and borohydride reduced LPS preparations. In sera from patients with brucellosis high titres were estimated against all three antigens, whereas in sera from patients with yersiniosis caused by serotype 09 high titres were measurable only with theB. abortusand theY. enterocoliticanative LPS antigens. These data suggest that theB. abortusandY. enterocolitica09 LPS share one antigenic determinant resistant to periodate oxidation and borohydride reduction, and that in addition theY. enterocolitica09 LPS has a determinant which is sensitive to periodate oxidation and borohydride reduction.
The development and use of an antibody capture radioimmunoassay for specific IgM to a human parvovirus-like agent
Authors: Anderson M. J. , Davis L. R. , Jones S. E. , Pattison J. R. , Serjeant G. R.
Published: March 2010

An IgM-antibody capture radioimmunoassay (MACRIA) was developed for the detection of IgM antibody specific for the human parvovirus-like agent B19. Diagnosis of infection with this agent by either antigen detection or antibody seroconversion had been made by counter-current immunoelectrophoresis (CIE) in 18 cases of aplastic crisis occurring in children with homozygous sickle-cell disease. The MACRIA described here gave positive results in 17 of these 18 cases; in the remaining case only an acute specimen taken from the patient during viraemia and late convalescent specimens taken 184 and 247 days after onset of illness were available.

The test was used to investigate 20 further cases of aplastic crisis in which neither viral antigen nor antibody seroconversion could be detected by CIE. Detection of virus-specific IgM permitted diagnosis of infection with this parvovirus-like agent in 17 of these cases. In the remaining three cases only single serum specimens taken late in convalescence, 82 days or more after the onset of symptoms, were available.

In addition to these 34 cases of aplastic crisis in which primary infection with this agent was diagnosed by MACRIA, seven cases of apparent ‘silent’ infection detected by CIE were investigated. The test permitted the discrimination between primary infection and re-exposure to the virus in six of these patients.

The use of this assay has added a considerable weight of evidence implicating primary infection with this parvovirus-like agent as an important cause of aplastic crisis in children with sickle-cell disease. Furthermore, MACRIA permits diagnosis of infection when only single serum specimens taken up to ten weeks after infection are available. Thus the use of this test will significantly facilitate the investigation of other clinical syndromes of presumptive infectious aetiology.
Quantitation and analysis of the specificity of post-immunization antibodies to influenza B viruses using single radial haemolysis
Authors: Oxford J. S. , Yetts R. , Schild G. C.
Published: March 2010

The single radial haemolysis (SRH) technique detected anti-B/HK/8/73 HA antibody rises in 59–85 % of paired sera from persons immunized with different influenza vaccines. In contrast, analysis of the same sera by the haemagglutination inhibition (HI) test indicated significant antibody rises in only 27–54% of paired sera. High levels of antibody were detected to influenza B/HK/8/73 and B/Singapore/222/79 viruses in post-immunization sera analysed by SRH, whereas the HI test indicated comparatively low geometric mean antibody titres. Most adults responded to immunization with influenza B virus by producing cross-reactive (CR) antibody which reacted with different influenza B viruses including the early isolate B/Lee/40.
Isolations of salmonellas from human, food and environmental sources in the Manchester area: 1976–1980
Authors: Barrell R. A. E.
Published: March 2010

A retrospective survey was carried out for isolations of salmonellas from humans, foods and sewer swabs from food-handling premises for the period 1976–80.

The predominant serotypes isolated from humans were S. typhimurium, S. hadar, S. virchow and S. agona.

Salmonellas were found in less than 1% of cooked pork and poultry products and were not detected in cooked beef or lamb. The isolation rates for cooked offal and cooked open pet foods were 2·1% and 19·7% respectively. Isolation rates for uncooked meats ranged from 5% for beef to 36% for poultry. Most of the uncooked meats were sausages in which the predominant serotypes were S. derby, S. typhimurium, S. heidelberg and S. panama.

An attempt was made to investigate the relationship between serotypes isolated from humans and from sausages and sewer swabs. S. typhimurium and S. bredeney were predominant in humans, sausages and sewer swabs whilst S. derby, S. panama and S. give were predominant only in sausages and sewer swabs.
Differential typing ofSalmonella agona: type divergence in a new serotype
Authors: Barker Ruth , Old D. C. , Tyc Zofia
Published: March 2010

An international collection of 419 isolates ofSalmonella agonawas phage typed, biotyped and colicine typed. Of 16 recognized phage types, 15 were represented. Three phage types (I, V and XVI) accounted for 84% of all isolates, were widely distributed and may be interconvertible. Biotyping afforded little type differentiation; thus 92·6% of the isolates belonged to biotype 1 a. A rhamnose non-fermenting variant line (of biotype 5a) became established in Zaire from 1979 to 1980. A maltose late-fermenting line of biotype 1 a, isolated in Scotland in 1974, did not thereafter become established. Two Col+lines (producing colicine I b) accounted for 45 of 68 colicinogenic isolates. The implication of type diversification and the phylogenetic significance of these findings are discussed.
A survey of nasalStreptococcus pneumoniaein children
Authors: Burr M. L. , Gray S. J. , Howells C. H. L.
Published: March 2010

Nasal swabs were taken from 369 four-year-old children in two South Wales towns and cultured forStreptococcus pneumoniae. The organism was isolated in 34% of the specimens, similar rates being found in boys and girls in the two towns. The children were swabbed again a year later, when the prevalence of nasal pneumococci had fallen to 25%. There was no association between the presence of the organism on the two occasions. Types 6 and 23 were most often isolated. After excluding children who had received an antibiotic, the proportion carrying a pneumococcus was higher in those who had recently had a respiratory infection than in the rest, although the difference was not quite statistically significant. There was a significant negative association between the presence ofStaphylococcus aureusandStrep. pneumoniae.
Why type streptococci? The epidemiology of group A streptococci in Oxfordshire 1976–1980
Authors: Mayon-White R. T. , Perks Elizabeth M.
Published: March 2010

The results of typing all group A streptococci isolated in one laboratory in 5 years were reviewed to see if the collected information showed epidemiological patterns. The great majority of the 5858 streptococci typed came from patients seen in general practice: 72% from throat swabs and 11 % from skin lesions. Eight types, M types 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 12, 22 and type 28 R accounted for 65% of strains. These eight types had different patterns: types 2 and 6 caused small circumscribed outbreaks and were uncommon between epidemics; types 3, 4 and 12 caused larger, wider epidemics, whereas types 1, 22 and 28 R had a more stable pattern. Type 4 was more commonly resistant to tetracycline than most other types, a finding which affected the apparent incidence of tetracycline resistance in group A streptococci. Streptococci from superficial sites were more likely to have serum opacity factor and to lack a detectable M-antigen than strains isolated from the throat. Routine typing of streptococci helped to detect outbreaks of infection in special groups. It is concluded that regular streptococcal typing should be continued in some places.