bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Paralytic poliomyelitis in England & Wales, 1970–84
Authors: Begg N. T. , Chamberlain R. , Roebuck M.
Published: October 2009

In 1962 the Public Health Laboratory Service (PHLS) became responsible for the Poliomyelitis Surveillance Scheme for England and Wales, which since 1970 has included the World Health Organisation (WHO) enquiry into Acute Persisting Spinal Paralysis. All the records have been kept, including those of patients who were later considered not to have had poliomyelitis. This paper reviews the cases between 1970–84 of patients normally resident in England and Wales, where the clinical features of the illness were considered by the clinician in charge to be those of poliomyelitis and in which either poliovirus was isolated or there was serological evidence of recent infection. Seventy cases met these criteria. Two patients died. A wild strain of poliovirus was isolated in 19 cases; a vaccine-like strain in 27; an intermediate strain in 5; and in 19 cases the strain was not known or there was no isolate. Eleven patients had a history of overseas travel; 17 had been vaccinated recently; and 12 had been in contact with a recent vaccinee. In the remaining 30 cases, the source of the infection was not found. Other details, including the age distribution, vaccination history and the laboratory findings are discussed.
Serological studies of British leptospiral isolates of the Sejroe serogroup: III. The distribution of leptospires of the Sejroe serogroup in the British Isles
Authors: Little T. W. A. , Stevens A. E. , Hathaway S. C.
Published: October 2009

Some 94 strains of Ieptospires belonging to the Sejroe serogroup isolated in the British Isles were identified to the serovar level using specific factor sera.

Seventy strains were identified as Leptospira interrogans serovar hardjo, 66 from cattle, 2 from pigs and 1 each from a sheep foetus and a human.

Twenty-four strains were identified as L. interrogans serovar saxkoebing, most strains were isolated from either wood mice, bank or field voles but strains were also isolated from badgers, a fox and a dog.
Old and new techniques together resolve a problem of infection bySalmonella typhimurium
Authors: Platt D. J. , Brown D. J. , Old D. C. , Barker R. M. , Munro D. S. , Taylor J.
Published: October 2009

Isolates ofSalmonella typhimurium, recovered over a 9-month period from a child with gastroenteritis, were characterized by biotyping, phage-typing and plasmid-profile analysis. Because the data from the different methods were discrepant, it was difficult to establish whether her infection was due to a single strain that had changed characterin vivoor was due to recurrent infections with different, unrelated strains. Restriction-enzyme fingerprinting of the plasmids from the different isolates provided an explanation for the initial discrepancy and highlighted a source of potential confusion in epidemiological studies.
Observations on the incidence of herds with non-visible lesioned tuberculin test reactors in south-west England
Authors: Wilesmith J. W. , Williams D. R.
Published: October 2009

The herd incidence of confirmed Mycobacterium bovis infection in cattle in the south-west of England has been approximately ten times that of the remainder of England and Wales; this greater incidence has been attributed to infection from badgers. The incidence of herds with only non-visible lesioned tuberculin test reactors, from which M. bovis was not isolated, has also remained higherin the south-west region.

The incidences of these latter unconfirmed incidents were compared in parishes in the south-west region in which M. bovis in cattle had been confirmed, and those where M. bovis had not been confirmed, for the period 1979–83. This analysis was carried out both for those parishes in which herds had been subjected to annual tuberculin testing and for those subjected to biennial tuberculin testing. The incidence of unconfirmed incidents was significantly higher in parishes in which confirmedincidents had occurred, and this difference was found in both the annual and biennially tested parishes. The relative risks for the incidence of unconfirmed incidents in annually and biennially tested parishes were 1*89 and 2–56, respectively. The incidence of unconfirmed incidents in biennially tested parishes was lower than in annually tested parishes.

The incidence of non-specific tuberculin test reactor herds was estimated from tuberculin test results in the eastern region of England during a period when tuberculosis was not confirmed in cattle. A comparison of this incidence and that of unconfirmed incidents in the south-west region suggests that approximately 70% of the unconfirmed incidents in the south-west were related to exposure to M. bovis.

The results of the analyses indicate that unconfirmed incidents cannot be completely ignored in epidemiological analyses and studies of bovine tuberculosis in the problem areas of the south-west region of England.
An epidemiologic study of the fungal skin flora among the elderly in Alexandria
Authors: Gad Zahira M. , Youssef Nagwan , Sherif Aida A. , Hasab Ali A. , Mahfouz Ahmed A. , Hassan M. N. R.
Published: October 2009

The fungal skin flora of a sample of 205 elderly persons in Alexandria, drawn by cluster sampling probability technique, was investigated. Pathogenic yeasts were isolated from 18·6% and 10·3% of skin and nails respectively. Candida albicans (16·1% and 7·3%) was prominent. A low prevalence of dermatophytes grown on agar (2·4% from skin and 2·9% from nails) was observed. In contrast, saprophytic filamentous fungi comprised 45·4 and 50·7% of skin and nails samples respectively. This study showed no statistically significant effect of sociodemographic variables (sex, marital status, crowding index, and income per capita) on the skin flora. There was no statistical significant difference between elderly diabetics and non-diabetics as regards fungal skin flora.
Enterobacteriaceae suppression by three different oral doses of polymyxin E in human volunteers
Authors: van Saene J. J. M. , van Saene H. K. F. , Tarko-Smit N. J. Ph. , Beukeveld G. J. J.
Published: October 2009

Polymyxin E is frequently used as an oral drug for flora suppression of the gastrointestinal canal. The suppression effect is dose dependent because polymyxin E is moderately inactivated by faecal and food compounds. Three oral polymyxin E doses (150, 300, 600 mg daily) were given to six volunteers for 6 days. The Enterobacteriaceae suppression effect was compared by means of the suppression index i.e. ratio of total number of faecal samples free of Enterobacteriaceae to the total number of faecal samples. The impact on the indigenous (mostly anaerobic) flora was measured in four ways: (i) beta-aspartylglycine content; (ii) volatile fatty acid pattern; (iii) yeast overgrowth and (iv)Streptococcus faecalisdecrease. Enterobacteriaceae suppression was most successful during 600 mg oral polymyxin E (suppression indices during 150, 300 and 600 mg were 0·32, 0·55 and 0·89 respectively). None of the four markers of indigenous flora alterations were positive. However, using this dosage half of the volunteers suffered rather severe gastrointestinal side-effects. Oral polymyxin E in a dosage of minimum 600 mg daily seems to possess the ideal properties of a flora suppression agent, if the gastrointestinal side-effects could be mitigated.
Specific IgG subclass antibody in rubella virus infections
Authors: Thomas H. I. J. , Morgan-Capner P.
Published: October 2009

A solid-phase antigen enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was developed for the detection of rubella-specific IgG subclasses. For rubella-specific IgG1and IgG3sera were quantitated in arbitrary units (au) by comparison with standard curves. A concentration of 3 au was taken as that indicating positivity for specific IgG1and specific IgG3. No sera reactive for specific IgG2and IgG4have been found, and thus the assay reagents were controlled by testing dilutions of a standard calibrant serum containing known concentrations of the specific IgG subclasses.

Of 105 unselected sera negative for rubella antibody by radial haemolysis (RH), two gave concentrations of specific IgG1> 3 au and both were positive by rubella latex agglutination (LA). The sensitivity of the assay for specific IgG1was confirmed by examining 25 selected sera negative by RH but reactive by LA. Twenty-one gave concentrations > 3 au. None of these 130 was positive for specific IgG3. All 63 sera containing > 15 international units rubella antibody by RH from cases of rubella in the remote past contained specific IgG1and eight contained specific IgG3.

In 79 cases of primary rubella, specific IgG1developed in all cases by day 8. Specific IgG3became detectable in all cases except one by day 16. Serum taken on day 21 from one case was negative for specific IgG3but the absence of later sera precluded further investigation. One case had become negative for specific IgG3by day 56.

Sera from 24 cases of rubella reinfection were examined and all contained specific IgG1. In three cases of symptomatic reinfection, specific IgG3was detectable in two but not in the remaining case. In 2 of the 21 cases of asymptomatic reinfection only a very early or a very late serum was available. Of the remaining 19 cases, 7 had detectable specific IgG3. However, only one of 9 sera collected 30–50 days after contact contained specific IgG3. Thus for the asymptomatic patient for whom other serological tests suggest a recent rubella infection, the failure to detect specific IgG3in sequential sera collected after contact suggests reinfection rather than primary rubella. The detection of specific IgG3did not correlate with the presence of specific IgM.

Sera collected 6–8 weeks after rubella vaccination had detectable specific IgG1in 32 of 33 cases and specific IgG3in 9 of 33. The remaining vaccinee was seronegative.
Isolation and characterization of rotavirus from feral pigeon in mammalian cell cultures
Authors: Minamoto N. , Oki K. , Tomita M. , Kinjo T. , Suzuki Y.
Published: October 2009

Avian rotaviruses were isolated from feral pigeon faeces treated with trypsin using roller tube cultures of mammalian cells. Two pigeon strains, designated as strains PO-8 and PO-13, produced a marked cytopathic effect (CPE), small intracytoplasmic inclusion bodies and high titres of infectious particles in infected MA-104 and MDBK cell lines without cell adaptation and roller drum apparatus. The pigeon rotaviruses shared a common group specific antigen with the Lincoln strain of bovine rotavirus by indirect immunofluorescence, but differed from both the Lincoln strain and the Wa strain of human rotavirus in neutralization tests.

The RNA segment profile of this virus on polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis differed from that of group A mammalian rotaviruses. The results of a serological survey suggested that antibody to pigeon rotaviruses was widespread in avian species in Japan.
Host cell-mediated selection of influenza A (H3N2) virus variant subpopulations: lack of association between antigenic and receptor-binding properties
Authors: Pyhälä R. , Pyhälä L. , Pekkala P.
Published: October 2009

During the outbreak of influenza due to A (H3N3) viruses in Finland in 1985/6 virus pairs were isolated from the same clinical specimens in embryonated hens' eggs (CE) and in canine kidney cell cultures (MDCK). Some of these isolates, the E and M pairs, were distinguished by their reactions in haemagglutination inhibition (HI) tests carried out using polyclonal antisera, and by receptorbinding properties, as evidenced by differences in their elution activity from erythrocytes. Passage of the E- and M-virus isolates in the foreign host affected their serological characteristics, but the E virus did not convert to an M-like virus and the M virus did not convert to an E-like virus. Returning the viruses to grow in the host used for their isolation changed the serological reactions so that they were once more close to the reactions of the original isolates. This contrasts with the changes in receptor-binding properties. Rapid elution from hen erythrocytes, which has been described as a property of viruses binding to the SAα2,3Gal sequence in preference to SAα2,6Gal, characterized the virus passages grown solely in MDCK cell cultures. Cultivation of the M virus in CE, at any stage of its passage history, made the virus irreversibly incapable of elution. The M virus was more sensitive than the E virus to HI antibodies against heterologous viruses of the H3N2 subtype, and, when used as an antigen in HI serology, it more frequently (90%vs.69%;P< 0·01) detected diagnostic antibody responses in patients infected with viruses of this subtype in 1985/6. Use of antigens with a different passage history in HI serology provided evidence that this superiority, which may be due to the ability of the virus to pick out anamnestic antibody responses, is unrelated to the receptor-binding peculiarity of the M virus under consideration. The results support the concept that the host cell can select a diversity of virus variant subpopulations from a single clinical specimen during isolation and subsequent cultivation procedures. Moreover, the MDCK-grown influenza viruses may correspond better than the egg-grown isolates to the natural epidemic viruses.
Faecal colonization with P-fimbriated Escherichia coli between 0 and 18 months of age
Authors: Tullus K. , Källenius Gunilla , Möllby R.
Published: October 2009

A prospective study of faecal colonization with P-fimbriated Escherichia coli between 0 and 18 months of ago was conducted in 751 healthy infants. The influence of breast-feeding and treatment with antibiotics on this colonization was studied. Colonization with P-fimbriatcd E. coli increased with age from 10% at 6 days to 30% at 18 months of ago (P < 0·01). Breast-feeding influenced colonization at 6 weeks of age when breast-fed children harboured fewer bacterial species (P < 0·001) and fewer P-fimbriated E. coli (P = 0·06) than bottle-fed infants. Treatment with antibiotics increased the colonization rate with P-fimbriatcd E. coli at the age of 11 months (P < 0·05). However, this was not true for treatment with ampicillin, which increased colonization rate with Gram-negative species other than E. coli (P < 0·05). Fifty per cent (378) of all children were colonized and a quarter (183) had pure cultures of P-fimbriatcd E. coli in at least one faecal sample. The clinical importance of this colonization remains to be shown.
Managemental influences on the selective proliferation of two strains of haemolyticEscherichia coliin weaned pigs
Authors: Hampson D. J. , Fu Z. F. , Bettleheim K. A. , Wilson M. W.
Published: October 2009

In an experimental study on a piggery it was found that haemolyticEscherichia coliof O-scrotypes 138 or 139 proliferated in the intestinal tracts of pigs following weaning, withE. coliof the 0-138 typo also being occasionally recovered from unwearied pigs, and onco from a sow. Organisms of the O-138 typo produced heat labile enterotoxin and their presence in weaned pigs was associated with the development of severe post-weaning diarrhoea.E. coliof O-130 type produced a vero cell cytotoxin and were associated with a milder diarrhoea in weaned pigs. Under various managemental circumstances the O-138 typeE. colialmost invariably proliferated after weaning. The O-139 strain ofE. colidid however proliferate rather than the O-138 strain following the movement of weaned pigs to new accommodation, after weaned pigs were returned to their sow and then weaning again 5 days later, and very occasionally in pigs weaned at 5 weeks of ago. In all theso cases earlier proliferation of the O-138E. colihad been detected, suggesting that this may be a prerequisite for proliferation of the O-130 strain.
High prevalence of campylobacter excretors among Liberian children related to environmental conditions
Authors: Mølbak Kåre , Højlyng Niels , Gaarslev Knud
Published: October 2009

Campylobacter was the bacterial pathogen most prevalent in 850 children, aged 6–59 months, examined in a house-to-house diarrhoea survey in two Liberian communities. 44·9% of the children from an urban slum and 28·4% from a rural area were excretors. Since the prevalence of diarrhoea was very high and consequently many convalescent carriers were found, it was not possible to evaluate the pathogenic role of campylobacter.

The excretor rate increased with ago and was significantly correlated to the uso of supplementary feeding, inversely correlated to the quality of the water supply, and also associated with helminthic infestation. Results from re-examination of 172 children suggested a high intensity of transmission.

The findings all indicate the existence of a heavy environmental contamination with campylobacter, probably of both human and animal faecal origin.
Salmonella infection in chicks following the consumption of artificially contaminated feed
Authors: Hinton M.
Published: October 2009

Poultry feed was contaminated artificially with either Salmonella kedougou or S. livingstone using a two-stage mixing process. Intestinal infection became established in a small proportion of birds when feed containing between 0·1 and 0·3 salmonellas/g was given continuously for 2 or 3 weeks from the day of their purchase as ‘day-olds’ while nearly all birds became infected when the feed contained 100–300 salmonellas/g. Between these limits a dose response was demonstrated in that the proportion of birds becoming colonized with salmonellas increased as the numbers of salmoncllas added to feed was increased.

Nalidixic acid-resistant strains of both serotypes were used to facilitate the recovery of organisms. The isolation rate was higher from dilutions of euccal contents inoculated directly onto brilliant green agar supplemented with nalidixic acid than it was from swabs of cloacal faeces, even when an enrichment technique was used. This observation confirms that the incidence of salmonella carriage in flocks will be under-estimated if only cloacal faeces are cultured.

Of the two serotypes used S. kedougou proved the more efficient colonizer although for both scrotypes variation in infection rates was demonstrated in different groups of birds given feed containing comparable numbers of salmoncllas.
Slide-agglutination for rapid serological typing of Treponema hyodysenteriae
Authors: Hampson D. J.
Published: October 2009

A slide agglutination (SA) test was developed to determine the serogroup of isolates of Treponema hyodysenteriae of serogroups A to F. Rabbit antisera which are normally used for serogrouping T. hyodysenteriae in an agarose gel doublediffusion precipitation test (AGDP) were not suitable for SA because they agglutinated isolates from more than one serogroup. The agglutination reaction was made serogroup-specific by cross-absorbing the typing sera for serogroups A to F with whole treponemes from the other 5 of these 6 serogroups of T. hyodysenteriae. The absorbed sera were reacted in slide agglutination tests with 33 isolates of T. hyodysenteriae and with four non-T. hyodysenteriae intestinal spirochaetes. None of the non-T. hyodysenteriae isolates agglutinated, but 27 of the 33 isolates of T. hyodysenteriae did. The results for 26 of the 27 agglutination reactions agreed with the serogroup as determined in AGDP. One of the 6 isolates of T. hyodysenteriae which failed to react in slide agglutination was of serogroup B, 1 of serogroup D, 1 each were from new serogroups G, H and I, and 1 was untypable in AGDP.
Legionella pneumophila: comparison of isolation from water specimens by centrifugation and filtration
Authors: Brindle R. J. , Stannett P. J. , Cunliffe R. N.
Published: October 2009

A comparison was made between membrane filtration and centrifugation for the isolation ofLegionella pneumophilafrom seeded water samples. Using samples of varying concentration, the optimum speed and time of centrifugation were determined and the relationship between the number of organisms present in the water and the proportion recovered was examined. Following this, sequential routine environmental waters were filtered and centrifuged in parallel.

Centrifugation and filtration using nitrocellulose filters were found to be comparable. The optimum speed and time of centrifugation was approximately 6000gfor 10 min. There was a constant proportion of viable organisms recovered irrespective of the concentration in the unspun samples.
Molecular relationship amongSalmonella dublinisolates identified at the Center for Enterobacteriaceae of Palermo during the years 1971–85
Authors: Nastasi A. , Villafrate M. R. , Mammina C. , Massenti M. F. , Oliva D. , Scarlata G.
Published: October 2009

A molecular epidemiological study was carried out on 60Salmonella dublinisolates identified at the Southern Italy Enterobacteriaceae Center between 1971 and 1985. These included 23 isolates from children with diarrhoea in Palermo obtained during 1984.

All isolates from the outbreak of gastroenteritis in children were resistant to chloramphenicol and streptomycin and harboured two plasmids of 50 MDa and 3 MDa molecular weight, whereas the majority of the isolates identified before 1984 were susceptible to these antibiotics and carried only a 50 MDa molecular weight plasmid. FourS. dublinstrains successively identified from cattle (Palermo, Foggia, Portici) and from a child (Palermo) were shown to possess similar antibiotic resistance patterns and plasmid profiles toS. dublinisolates from the outbreak of gastroenteritis in children.

The 50 MDa plasmid was shown to be associated with virulence in mice, while it was not possible to assign any genetic function to the 3 MDa plasmid.
A phage-typing scheme forSalmonella enteritidis
Authors: Ward L. R. , de Sa J. D. H. , Rowe B.
Published: October 2009

For many years phage typing has proved invaluable in epidemiological studies onSalmonella typhi, S. paratyphi AandB, S. typhimuriumand a few other serotypes. A phage-typing scheme forS. enteritidisis described. This scheme to date differentiates 27 types using 10 typing phages.
Incidence of plasmids in multiply-resistant salmonella isolates from diarrhoeal patients in Hong Kong from 1973–82
Authors: Ling Julia , Chau P. Y.
Published: October 2009

Plasmids present in multiply-resistant salmonella strains includingSalmonella typhimurium, S. johannesburg, S. wandsworth, S. derby, S. newport, S. londonandS. choleraesuiscausing diarrhoea in patients in Queen Mary Hospital in Hong Kong from 1973–82 were studied. In multiply-resistantS. typhimurium, plasmids belonging to groupsF1me, H1, or H2and plasmids encoding trimethoprim-resistance which were compatible with standard plasmids of testable incompatibility groups were detected. InS. johannesburg, both the ASTCKSu- and ASCKSu- resistant strains which were predominant in two consecutive periods of an outbreak were found to harbour the same plasmid which belonged to the incompatibility group F1me. S. wandsworthstrains isolated from a hospital outbreak in 1980 harboured an identical R-plasmid belonging to group N. A few strains of the other salmonellae showing resistance to multiple antibiotics were found to harbour R-plasmids belonging to groups H1, H2and F1me. The only salmonella of the enteric fever group resistant to ampicillin, chloramphenicol and trimethoprim was anS. paratyphi Bstrain. The resistances were encoded on a plasmid of an unknown incompatibility group. The occurrence and distribution of plasmids in these salmonellae isolated within the 10-year period are discussed.
Pattern of antibiotic and heavy-metal ion resistance in recent hospital isolates ofStaphylococcus aureus
Authors: Millar M. R. , Griffin N. , Keyworth N.
Published: October 2009

Two hundred and one strains ofStaphylococcus aureusisolated from in-patients and out-patients were examined for sensitivity to antibiotics, heavy-metal ions and ethidium bromide and for phage-typing pattern.

Heavy-metal ion resistance was less frequent than reported in previous studies and was as frequent in penicillinase non-producing as producing strains. ‘Methicillin-resistant’ strains were resistance to ethidium bromide and mercury. Resistance to heavy-metal ions, including cadmium, may bo becoming less common amongst clinical isolates ofS. aureus.
Staphylococcal food poisoning on a cruise ship
Authors: Waterman Stephen H. , Demarcus Thomas A. , Wells Joy G. , Blake Paul A.
Published: October 2009

Two waves of vomiting and/or diarrhoea affected approximately 215 of the 715 passengers on a Caribbean cruise ship. The outbreak was independently associated with eating cream-filled pastries at two separate meals. Staphylococcus aureus phage type 85/+ was isolated from cases and pastry cooks, but not from controls. This is the first well-documented outbreak of staphylococcal food poisoning on a cruise ship.
Serodiagnosis of leptospirosis in China by the one-point MCA method
Authors: Arimitsu Y. , Matuhasi T. , Kobayashi S. , Sato T. , Cui J. J.
Published: October 2009

The one-point MCA method is very simple to perform nnd useful as a screening test in diagnosing leptospirosis in routine clinical laboratories.

The kit, sensitized with six serovars occurring in Japan, was also useful in detecting serum antibodies of patients with leptospirosis in China.
Strain differentiation ofCandida albicansby morphotyping
Authors: Phongpaichit S. , Mackenzie D. W. R. , Fraser C.
Published: October 2009

Strains ofCandida albicanscan be differentiated by the morphological features of streak colonies developed on malt agar. A morphotyping system is proposed, where numerical codes are assigned primarily on the basis of the nature and extent of marginal fringing and the surface topography of the streak colony. The system allows ready differentiation to be made of morphotypcs, requires no specialized equipment or expertise and provides a simple and reproducible means for epidemiological studies of candida and candidosis.
The bacteriological quality of traditional water sources in north-eastern Imo State, Nigeria
Authors: Blum D. , Huttly S. R. A. , Okoro J. I. , Akujobi C. , Kirkwood B. R. , Feachem R. G.
Published: October 2009

Monthly bacteriological water testing of traditional water sources (ponds, rivers, unprotected springs and traditional wells) used by five villages in northeastern Imo State, Nigeria, was conducted during the period January 1983 to August 1985. The membrane-filtration technique was used to detect faecal coliforms (FC) and faecal streptococci (FS). Evidence of faecal pollution was seen throughout the year for all water sources. During the study period, the monthly geometric mean counts per 100 ml of water (all sources combined) ranged from 760 to 17877 for FC and from 678 to 17394 for FS. The peak period of faecal pollution occurred during the transition between the dry and wet seasons and in the early wet season. During this peak pollution season (February–May), the geometric mean counts were 2·5–7·2 times higher than in the remaining part of the year for all source types except rivers, with ponds being the most heavily polluted. Preliminary findings on the sensitivity and specificity, in this tropical environment, of the standard membrane-filtration technique for enumerating FC are presented. The implications of the findings of this study for the environmental control of waterborne and hygiene-related diseases are discussed.
Isolation ofNeisseria meningitidisstrains with increase of penicillin minimal inhibitory concentrations
Authors: Sáez-Nieto J. A. , Fontanals D. , De Jalon J. Garcia , De Artola V. Martinez , Peña P. , Morera M. A. , Verdaguer R. , Sanfeliu I. , Belio-Blasco C. , Perez-Saenz J. L. , Casal J.
Published: October 2009

We report the isolation and characterization of ten strains showing an increase in the minimal inhibitory concentrations to penicillin (MICs > 0·1 μg/ml), and describe the epidemiological, clinical and microbiological features.

The susceptibility of 3432 meningococcal strains isolated from patients in the recent epidemic wave (1978–86) in Spain, to several antimicrobial agents used in the treatment and chemoprophylaxis of meningococcal infection has been tested. Most were resistant to sulphadiazine but sensitive to other antibiotics.

The possible existence of a new pattern of behaviour of meningococcal to penicillin is discussed.
Sequential infection or immunization of ferrets with a series of influenza A (H3N2) strains (Report to the Medical Research Council's Sub-Committee on Influenza Vaccines (CDVIP/IV))
Authors: Potter C. W. , Jennings R. , Ali M. J. , Wood J. M. , Dunleavy U. , Tyrrell D. A. J.
Published: October 2009

Previous studies of boys at Christ's Hospital school have indicated that annual immunization with influenza virus vaccines did not significantly reduce the total incidence of influenza infection compared to unimmunized subjects. In view of the implications of this result, a similar study was conducted in ferrets to clarify these findings. Groups of ferrets were immunized or infected with a series of influenza A (H3N2) viruses over an 18-month period, and the immunity to subsequent live virus challenge was measured after each virus or vaccine exposure. The results indicated that live virus infection gave a more solid immunity than immunization with inactivated vaccine; and the serum haemagglutination-inhibiting antibody response was greater following immunization than following infection. In addition, differences in immunity could not be explained by measurements of cross-reacting and specific antibody, since the incidence of these antibodies was similar in both infected and immunized animals. The results do not suggest an explanation for the different levels of immunity induced following infection or immunization or the results obtained from the Christ's Hospital study. However, the relative contribution of various immune responses to virus or virus antigen is discussed, and it is suggested that the difference in immunity may lie in the ability of live virus infection to stimulate local antibody.
Rift Valley fever: a sero-epidemiological survey among pregnant women in Mozambique
Authors: Niklasson B. , Liljestrand J. , Bergström S. , Peters C. J.
Published: October 2009

Rift Valley fever (RVF) causes abortion in sheep and cattle. However, the teratogenic and abortogenic potential of RVF in humans is not known. Sera from a total of 1163 pregnant women in Mozambique were tested for RVF virus antibodies by ELISA and 28 (2%) were found to be positive. Mothers experiencing fetal death or miscarriage (155) had the same RVF virus antibody prevalence as those with normal deliveries. Analysis of maternity histories showed some indication of increased fetal wastage among women positive for RVF virus antibody.

The ELISA used in this study was compared with a plaque reduction neutralization test and found to be equally sensitive and specific for the detection of RVF virus IgG antibodies.
Antigenic relationship of West Nile strains by titre ratios calculated from cross-neutralization test results
Authors: Blackburn N. K. , Thompson D. L. , Jupp P. G.
Published: October 2009

The antigenic relationship of ten South African West Nile isolates, the South African prototype virus H442, the Egyptian strain EG101 and the Indian strain G2266 were compared using titre ratios. The titre ratios or ‘R’ values were calculated from heterologous and homologous neutralization titres and expressed as a percentage.

Substantial antigenic differences were demonstrated between the South African prototype strain and the majority of the recently obtained South African isolates, seven of which were fairly closely related and possibly form a distinct antigenic sub-set. The recent isolates also differed from the Egyptian and Indian West Nile isolates. The heterologous results between the South African West Nile strains and the Indian strain G2266 suggest that prior infection with an Indian West Nile virus would give poor protection against the South African viruses, whereas the reverse would not be so.
Molluscum contagiosum: characterization of viral DNA and clinical features
Authors: Porter C. D. , Muhlemann M. F. , Cream J. J. , Archard L. C.
Published: October 2009

Restriction endonuclease analysis of molluscum contagiosum virus DNA revealed two subtypes. In a study of 46 isolates from 41 patients, some with no other disorder and some with atopic dermatitis, the ratio of MCV I isolates to MCV II was 34:12. Multiple clustered lesions removed at the same time from an individual patient yielded only one type of MCV. Lesions induced by MCV I or MCV II were indistinguishable on the basis of size and form. Neither subtype was associated exclusively with lesions at certain sites or with other clinical features. Heterogeneity of DNA restriction endonuclease cleavage patterns amongst isolates of the same subtype was observed, this being greatest for MCV II.
Molecular characterization of plasmids in Salmonella enteritidis phage types
Authors: Brown D. J. , Threlfall E. J. , Hampton M. D. , Rowe B.
Published: October 2009

Plasmids in selected type strains of 26 of the Salmonella enteritidis phage types have been characterized by restriction enzyme fingerprinting and by DNA–DNA hybridization with oligonucleotide probes for Salmonella plasmid virulence (Spv) genes. With one exception, the fingerprints of the 38 MDa plasmids studied were homogeneous but there was heterogeneity in the fingerprints of 59 MDa plasmids found in 4 of the type strains. However all 38 MDa and 59 MDa plasmids were related as was a 45 MDa plasmid identified in the type strain of phage type 19. A 3·5 kb fragment homologous to SpvC was conserved in Hind III digests of all 38 MDa and 59 MDa plasmids, and in the related 45 MDa plasmid. In contrast a 65 MDa plasmid found in the type strain of phage type 10 was not related to these three plasmid molecular weight groups and did not carry the SpvC gene.
Genotype analysis of faecal and blood isolates of Salmonella dublin from humans in England and Wales
Authors: Chowdry N. , Threlfall E. J. , Rowe B. , Stanley J.
Published: October 2009

An analysis of genotype was made for representative strains of Salmonella dublin. The collection consisted primarily of strains isolated from humans in England and Wales, and were of both intestinal and extra-intestinal origin. Three genetic elements were characterized by DNA hybridization. They were the sprBC genes, extrachromosomal virulence determinants. the salmonella-specific insertion sequence IS200, and the 16S ribosomal RNA genes, a phylogenetic marker. Two clones of S. dublin (SdRI and SdRII) which shared an identical IS200 profile, were identified on the basis of restriction fragment length polymorphism at the 16S rRNA locus. With one exception, all strains harboured a 52 MDa plasmid which contained a conserved 3·7 kbp Hind III fragment homologous to the sprBC mouse-virulence genes of S. typhimurium. However, a single plasmid-free strain of SdRI, isolated from a patient with septicaemia exhibited no spc homology. In SdRI there was no observable genotype distinction between strains causing gastroenteritis or bacteraemia. In contrast, none of the strains of SdRII were from cases of bacteraemia, and all human isolates of this clone were from cases of gastroenteritis.
Egg-relatedSalmonella enteritidis, Italy, 1991
Authors: Binkin N. , Scuderi G. , Novaco F. , Giovanardi G. L. , Paganelli G. , Ferrari G. , Cappelli O. , Ravaglia L. , Zilioli F. , Amadei V. , Magliani W. , Viani I. , Riccò D. , Borrini B. , Magri M. , Alessandrini A. , Bursi G. , Barigazzi G. , Fantasia M. , Filetici E. , Salmaso S.
Published: October 2009

In recent years,Salmonella enteritidishas become an increasingly important public health problem in Italy. In some parts of the country, the fraction of total human salmonella isolates accounted for byS. enteritidishas risen from 3–4% in the mid-1980s to more than 30% in 1990. Between 1090 and 1991. the number of reportedS. enteritidisoutbreaks increased more than sixfold. The 33 outbreaks reported in 1991 occurred in seven contiguous regions in northern and central Italy and were clustered in time between June and October: in the majority, products containing raw or undercooked shell eggs were implicated. Five of the egg-related outbreaks that occurred within a 30 kilometre radius over a 7-week period were investigated in detail. A phage type 1 strain containing a 38·9 MDa plasmid appeared responsible for three of the outbreaks, while in the remaining two a phage type 4 strain, also with a 38·9 MDa plasmid was isolated. Efforts are being made to enhance epidemiological surveillance and laboratory evaluation, and the use of pasteurized eggs has been recommended for high-risk populations.
The role of management systems in the epidemiology of thermophilic campylobacters among poultry in Eastern zone of Tanzania
Authors: Kazwala R. R. , Jiwa S. F. H. , Nkya A. E.
Published: October 2009

A total of 255 samples of droppings collected from a total of 22 different poultry units were examined for the presence of thermophilic campylobaeters and the isolates biotyped using Skirrow's protocol. The organisms were isolated from 90 (35·3%) of all samples. Among the 22 units investigated. 13 (59%) were found to have unsatisfactory management systems, while 7 (32%) and 2 (9%) were found to have unsatisfactory and good systems respectively. Significantly large numbers of isolations, 68 of 147 (46·2%), were made from samples collected from poultry units with poor management (P < 0·005). compared with 19 out of 84 (22·6%) samples which were collected from satisfactory units and 3 out of 24 (12·5%) samples collected from units exercising particularly good management. Nineteen of 72 (26·4%) samples collected from broilers, 32 out of 132 (24·2%) samples collected from layers and 39 out of 51 (70·49%) samples collected from indigenous free range poultry were positive for campylobacters. Among the 90 strains isolated from various units, 64 (70·1%) were Campylobacter jejuni. 25 (27·7%) were C. coli. and only 1 (2·2%) was C. laridis.
The prevalence ofFusobacterium necrophorumbiovar A in animal faeces
Authors: Smith G. R. , Thornton E. A.
Published: October 2009

Only a small proportion of animals tested were found to be excretingFusobacterium necrophorumbiovar A, the causative organism of necrobacillosis, in the faeces (3 of 69 wallabies, 1 of 66 deer, 2 of 81 cattle). The two positive cattle belonged to a single group of calves on a farm with a history of necrobacillosis and the litter underfoot also readily yielded biovar A organisms. All attempts to demonstrate biovar A in litter on other farms and in soil from an area populated by wallabies and deer failed. Ruminal contents from young beef cattle proved a fertile source ofF. necrophorumbiovar A, 15 of 18 animals giving a positive result. It is suggested that disturbance of the gastrointestinal microflora leads to intestinal multiplication and faecal excretion of the organism, which may then give rise to necrobacillosis of the body surface.
Seroprevalence of HIV-1 and HIV-2 infection among children diagnosed with protein-calorie malnutrition in Nigeria
Authors: Fischer G. D. , Rinaldo C. R. , Gbadero D. , Kingsley L. A. , Ndimbie O. , Howard C. , Montemayor P. C. , Langer A. , Sibolboro W.
Published: October 2009

Excessive weight loss due to protein calorie malnutrition (PCM) is a significant problem in Nigerian children. This syndrome may be difficult to differentiate from the wasting disease caused by human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) infection. We studied 70 children admitted to the Baptist Medical Center in Ogbomosho, Nigeria in 1990 with PCM for prevalence of antibodies to HIV-1 and HIV-2. The cohort was from low-risk mothers and had a median age of 25 months (range, 4 months–9 years) with a weight deficit of at least 20% of the theoretical weight for age. Two sera were positive for anti-HIV-1 by both ELISA and Western blot (WB). A high prevalence of samples negative for HIV-1 antibody by ELISA were repeatedly reactive (11%, 8/70) or indeterminate (46%. 32/70) by WB. None of the sera was positive for antibody to HIV-2. There was no correlation of ELISA positivity or extent of WB banding with successful recovery from malnutrition. These results indicate a relatively low but significant prevalence of HIV-1 infection in Nigerian children with PCM. The high prevalence of indeterminate reactions in WB assays for HIV-1 suggests that other procedures may be necessary for confirmatory diagnosis of HIY-1 infection in this African population.
Characterization of human rotavirus strains causing gastroenteritis in Kenya
Authors: Gatheru Z. , Kobayashi N. , Adachi N. , Chiba S. , Muli J. , Ogaja P. , Nyangao J. , Kiplagat E. , Tukei P. M.
Published: October 2009

Human rotavirus strains from Kenya, from children with gastroenteritis in an urban area (Nairobi) and three rural areas were characterized by antigenic and genomic analysis. While in all areas strains with subgroups II and G serotype 1 antigens were most common, two unusual strains were detected. One strain (NK59: subgroup II. G serotype 4) possessed an additional RNA band on polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, the other (D202) which had antigenic specificity of subgroup II and G serotype 1 showed a ‘short’ RNA pattern. The latter strain was adapted to growth in cell culture.
Genome fingerprinting of Salmonella typhi by pulsed-field gel electrophoresis for subtyping common phage types
Authors: Nair S. , Poh C. L. , Lim Y. S. , Tay L. , Goh K. T.
Published: October 2009

The genomic DNA of 39 strains of Salmonella typhi isolated from local residents and patients who had visited countries in the Asian region was analysed for restriction fragment length polymorphisms (RFLP). Pulsed-field gel electrophoretic (PFGE) analysis of Xba I- and Spe I-generated genomic restriction fragments established 22 PFGE types whereas phage typing differentiated the 39 isolates into 9 distinct phage types. This study showed that PFGE is more discriminatory than phage typing as it is capable of subtyping S. typhi strains of the same phage types. Genetic relatedness among the isolates was determined. Seven major clusters were identified at SABSof > 0–80 and the remaining 13 isolates were distributed into minor clusters which were related at SABS of less than O.80. In conclusion, PFGE analysis in conjunction with distance matrix analysis served as a useful tool for delineating common S. typhi phage types of diverse origins from different geographical localesand separated in time.
Contamination of hands and work surfaces with Salmonella enteritidis PT4 during the preparation of egg dishes
Authors: Humphrey T. J. , Martin K. W. , Whitehead A.
Published: October 2009

Salmonella enteritidis PT4 was recovered from fingers following the breaking of intact shell eggs artificially contaminated in the contents with the bacterium. Kitchen utensils used to mix egg dishes were salmonella-positive, sometimes after washing. Following the preparation of batter or the mixing of eggs, S. enteritidis was recovered from work surfaces over 40 cm from the mixing bowl. The bacterium survived well in thin, dry films of either batter or egg and, from an initial level of one cell per cm2, could be recovered from formica work surfaces 24 h after contamination.
The APOE gene and cognitive function in non-demented and Alzheimer's disease patients
Authors: Payton Antony
Published: October 2009

This review discusses the role that the APOE gene plays in cognitive dysfunction both in demented and non-demented elderly people. The increasing problem of cognitive impairment in developed countries makes finding new and effective treatments a research priority. Understanding the biological basis of this impairment is therefore paramount. APOE has received much attention in the field of cognitive genetics due to it being a major susceptibility gene for Alzheimer's disease, which itself is characterized by a rapid and irreversible loss in memory function. Over the past 14 years this has generated a considerable number of publications that have produced conflicting findings, making it difficult for the reader to interpret whether the APOE gene regulates cognition or not. This review attempts to summarize the mass of information on this gene in relation to cognition, by weighting the pros and cons of the methodologies used, and offers suggestions for future study designs.
Do perceptual asymmetries differ in peripersonal and extrapersonal space?
Authors: THOMAS NICOLE A. , ELIAS LORIN J.
Published: October 2009

A space-based dissociation has been observed in clinical hemineglect, wherein neglect can be specific to either peripersonal or extrapersonal space. This same dissociation might occur in pseudoneglect, where both space-based and visual field differences have been observed. Upper and bottom visual field differences were examined within-subjects (N = 39), by presenting the greyscales task in both peripersonal and extrapersonal space. The leftward bias was strongest in the bottom visual field; however, no space-based differences were observed. It appears that perceptual biases differ between the upper and bottom visual fields, but this is not related to space-based perceptual biases. (JINS, 2010, 16, 210–214.)
Editorial note
Authors: Denison David
Published: October 2009

Richard Hogg was one of the founding editors of English Language and Linguistics up to his sudden death in 2007. For a short appreciation see Denison & Aarts (2007). The International Society for the Linguistics of English (ISLE), which he had helped to set up, was already in informal operation, though not formally inaugurated until its first conference in Freiburg in November 2008.
On so-called transitive expletives in Belfast English
Authors: BORSLEY ROBERT D.
Published: October 2009

Henry & Cottell (2007) argue that Belfast English (BE) sentences such asThere shouldn't anybody say thatandThere've lots of people passed the testare transitive expletive constructions (TECs) similar to those that are a feature of Icelandic. They propose that the difference between BE and Standard English (SE) is that whereas expletivethereis introduced in Spec vP in the latter it is introduced in Spec TP in the former. On the assumption that transitive subjects originate in Spec vP, this entails that expletivetherecannot co-occur with a transitive verb. While it is clear that BE is different from SE in this area, it is not clear that BE has TECs while SE does not. There are a variety of examples which are acceptable in BE but not SE which do not seem to be TECs. SE also has certain examples which might be called TECs. The result of this is that Henry & Cottell's analysis is not very successful. It seems that what distinguishes BE from SE is not what verbs may follow the associate of the expletive but what elements may precede it. SE allows an associate immediately afterbe, but BE also allows an associate immediately after modals andhave, and for some speakersseemandlikelyas well. The facts can be captured in Head-driven Phrase Structure Grammar by assuming thatbehas an extra lexical description with expletivethereas its subject and the associate as an extra complement in both varieties of English, and that modals andhave, and for some speakersseemandlikelyas well, have an extra lexical description of this form in BE. Generalizations can be captured if the pairs of lexical descriptions are analysed as alternative ways of fleshing out basic underspecified lexical descriptions.