bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Factors associated withParacoccidiodes brasiliensisinfection among permanent residents of three endemic areas in Colombia
Authors: Cadavid D. , Restrepo A. 
Published: May 2009

SummaryThe natural habitat ofParacoccidioides brasiliensis, the aetiologic agent of paracoccidioidomycosis, has not been determined. Consequently, the events leading to the acquisition of infection remain controversial. To identify factors associated with infection in endemic areas we conducted a survey in three rural communities in Colombia where we had previously diagnosed paracoccidioidomycosis in children. Permanent residents were surveyed taking into consideration environmental and occupational variables. Skin tests were used to classify subjects as infected or non-infected. Variables found associated with infection were: (i) community A: previous residence around Porce river and agriculture in vegetable gardens; (ii) community C: frequent use of specific water sources; (iii) community V: housekeeping activities, and (iv) total group: age > 25 years and contact with bats. Residents in communities with higher prevalence of infection were older, had more complex residence history, and referred more contact with armadillos than residents of communities with lower infection.
Outbreak of SRSV gastroenteritis at an international conference traced to food handled by a post-symptomatic caterer
Authors: Patterson T. , Hutchings P. , Palmer S. 
Published: May 2009

SummaryIn an outbreak of small round structured virus (SRSV) gastroenteritis at an international AIDS conference 67 people were ill with diarrhoea or vomiting, one requiring admission to hospital. Epidemiological investigations demonstrated that the vehicle of infection was food prepared by a foodhandler who was recovering from a mild gastrointestinal illness. The food most strongly associated with illness, coronation chicken, was prepared by the food handler on the second day after symptoms ceased.The investigation confirms the view that foodhandlers may contaminate food with SRSV after cessation of symptoms and should remain off work until at least 48 h after recovery.
Verotoxin producing Escherichia coli O 157 infections associated with the consumption of yoghurt
Authors: Morgan D. , Newman C.P. , Hutchinson D.N. , Walker A. M. , Rowe B. , Majid F. 
Published: May 2009

SummarySixteen cases of verotoxin producing Escherichia coli (VTEC) O 157:H7 Phage Type 49 infection were identified in the North West of England from 1 September to 1 November 1991, eight of whom lived in or around the same large town. Eleven of the cases were aged 10 years or less, and five of the affected children developed haemolytic uraemic syndrome. A case control study demonstrated a strong association between VTEC O 157: H7 PT 49 infection and the consumption of a locally produced live yoghurt. This is the first time that an outbreak of VTEC O 157 infection has been linked to the consumption of yoghurt and this vehicle of infection should be considered when investigating such outbreaks in future.
Egg age and the growth ofSalmonella enteritidisPT4 in egg contents
Authors: Humphrey T. J. , Whitehead A. 
Published: May 2009

SummaryThe growth ofSalmonella enteritidisPT4 in albumen around an intact yolk was governed by the age of the egg on inoculation. In the majority of eggs, held at 20° C, the bacterium was unable to grow rapidly until eggs had been stored for approximately 3 weeks. The multiplication ofS. enteritidisin stored eggs appeared to be associated with alterations to the yolk membrane which allowed the bacterium to either invade the yolk or obtain nutrients from it. The rate at which egg contents change to permit the growth ofS. enteritidiswould appear to be temperature related and took place more rapidly when eggs were stored under conditions where temperatures fluctuated and, on occasions, reached 30° C.
Epidemiological investigation of risk factors for Campylobacter colonization in Norwegian broiler flocks
Authors: Kapperud G. , Skjerve E. , Vik L. , Hauge K. , Lysaker A. , Aalmen I. , Ostroff S. M. , Potter M. 
Published: May 2009

SummaryAn epidemiological investigation was conducted to identify risk factors related to hygiene and husbandry practices which determine the introduction ofCampylobacterspp. into broiler chicken flocks. All 176 broiler farms in an area in southeastern Norway participated in the study. Each farm was represented by one flock selected at random during a one-year period. The flocks were examined for Campylobacter colonization at slaughter, and the flock managers were sub-sequently interviewed about hygiene and husbandry practices.Campylobacterspp. were recovered from 32 (18%) of the flocks. The proportion of colonized flocks varied geographically and seasonally with a peak in the autumn. The following variables were found to be independently associated with an increased risk of Campylobacter colonization using logistic regression analysis: (i) feeding the broilers undisinfected water (odds ratio (OR) = 3·42,P= 0·045), (ii) tending other poultry prior to entering the broiler house (OR = 6·43,P= 0·007), (iii) tending pigs before entering the house (OR = 4·86,P= 0·037), (iv) geographic region (Hedmark versus Østfold county) (OR = 2·91),P= 0·023, (v) season (autumn versus other seasons) (OR = 3·43,P= 0·008). Presence of rats on the farm was associated with an increased risk, but this factor did not reach statistical significance (OR = 3·96,P= 0·083). Preventive measures should include dis-infection of drinking water and strict hygienic routines when the farm workers enter the rearing room. The results indicated that disinfection of drinking water is the preventive measure most likely to have the greatest impact on the prevalence of Campylobacter among broiler chicken flocks in the study area (population attributable fraction = 0·53).
A molecular characterization ofClostridium difficileisolates from humans, animals and their environments
Authors: O'Neill G. , Adams J. E. , Bowman R. A. , Riley T. V. 
Published: May 2009

SummaryIt is generally accepted that most patients withClostridium difficile-associated diarrhoea acquire the organism from the environment. Recently we demonstrated that household pets may constitute a significant reservoir ofC. difficilethrough gastrointestinal carriage in up to 39% of cats and dogs. These findings suggested that direct transmission from household pets, or contamination of the environment by them, may be a factor in the pathogenesis ofC. difficile-associated diarrhoea. To investigate this possibility, we examined isolates ofC. difficilefrom humans, pets and the environment by restriction enzyme analysis (REA) and restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) typing using enhanced chemiluminescence. Both REA and RFLP typing methods usedHindIII digests of chromosomal DNA. A total of 116 isolates ofC. difficilefrom pets (26), veterinary clinic environmental sites (33), humans (37) and hospital environmental sites (20) was examined. REA was far more discriminatory than RFLP typing and for all isolates there were 34 REA types versus 6 RFLP types. There was good correlation between the REA types found in isolates from pets and from the veterinary clinic environment, and between isolates from humans and from those found in the hospital environment. There was, however, no correlation between REA type ofC. difficilefound in pets and isolates of human origin. We conclude that there may still be a risk of humans acquiringC. difficilefrom domestic pets as these findings may be the result of geographical variation.
Characterization of human faecal flora by means of an improved fluoro-morphometrical method
Authors: Jansen G.J. , Wilkinson M. H. F. , Deddens B. , Waaij D. Van Der 
Published: May 2009

SummaryThe use of polyclonal antibodies in differentiating between samples of faecal microflora derived from ten healthy volunteers was assessed. The distribution of FITC-labelled antibodies (of the IgA, IgG and IgM isotype) over 144 morphologically distinct subsets of faecal bacteria (‘morphotypes’) was quantified by means of digital morphometry and quantitative immunofluorescence. Furthermore, a new dataprocessing algorithm was developed which makes objective quantitation of the antibody distributions over the faecal morphotypes possible. The results of this study imply that the antibody binding capacity of faecal morphotypes is a unique characteristic of faecal microflora.
The problems of tracing a geographically widespread outbreak of salmonellosis from a commonly eaten food: Salmonella typhimurium DT193 in North West England and North Wales in 1991
Authors: Thornton L. , Gray S. , Bingham P. , Salmon R. L. , Hutchinson D. N. , Rowe B. , Newton D. , Syed Q. U. 
Published: May 2009

SummaryGeographically widespread outbreaks involving commonly isolated organisms and where the vehicles of infection are commonly eaten foodstuffs pose particular difficulties at a technical and organizational level.An outbreak of Salmonella typhimurium infection, affecting 39 people, spread over a wide area in North West England and North Wales in April and May 1991, was detected thanks to the practice of sending specimens to the national reference laboratory where phage typing and characterizing of antibiotic resistance patterns enabled the identification of a cluster of distinctive isolates (S. typhimurium DT193 resistant to sulphonamides, trimethoprim and furazolidone). An investigation, involving twenty environmental health departments in addition to health authorities and the Public Health Laboratory Service, showed an association between the illness and eating loose sliced cooked ham (P = 0.004). Detailed tracing of the chain of supply of the ham showed this to be particularly cooked ham originating from a single small local producer (P = 0.00003). Further investigation of that producer revealed that a batch of ham distributed on one day in early April was undercooked due to a malfunction in cooking equipment.
Antigenic and genetic analyses of influenza type B viruses isolated in Russia, 1987–91
Authors: Hemphill M. L. , Rota P. A. , Ivanova V. T. , Slepushkin A. N. , Kendal A. P. 
Published: May 2009

SummaryFour influenza type B viruses isolated in Russia during periods of relatively low (1987–8) or high (1990–1) influenza B activity were characterized antigenically using a microneutralization assay. These isolates were antigenically similar to contemporary reference strains from either of two separate lineages represented by B/Victoria/2/87 and B/Yamagata/16/88. The evolutionary relationships of the variable portion of the haemagglutinin (HA1) genes of these viruses were determined by comparison with influenza B HA1 sequences previously obtained. The Isolate B/USSR/2/87, collected during the 1987–8 influenza season, was found to be closely related to viruses on the B/Victoria/2/87 lineage that circulated during the 1988–9 influenza season in the United States. Sequence analysis of the isolates from the 1990–1 influenza season demonstrated co-circulation of viruses from both the B/Victoria/2/87 and B/Yamagata/16/88 lineages in Russia, confirming the antigenic analysis.
Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays for the detection of antibody to Crimean-Congo haemorrhagic fever virus in the sera of livestock and wild vertebrates
Authors: Burt F. J. , Swanepoel R. , Braack L. E. O. 
Published: May 2009

SummaryIgM antibody response to Crimean-Congo haemorrhagic fever (CCHF) virus was monitored in experimentally infected sheep and cattle by an IgM capture enzyme-linked immunoassay (ELISA). Specific binding of antigen was detected by a rabbit anti-CCHF horseradish peroxidase conjugate or a sandwich technique with hyperimmune mouse anti-CCHF ascitic fluid and commercially available anti-mouse immunoglobulin peroxidase conjugate. The persistence of IgM antibody activity was found to be of shorter duration than in humans, and this may be a function of the relative lack of susceptibility of these animals to infection with CCHF virus. IgG antibody responses in the sheep could be monitoried by sandwich ELISA using commercially available anti-sheep immunoglobulin peroxidase conjugates. Total antibody activity in the sera of experimentally infected sheep, cattle and small mammals could be monitored in a competitive ELISA (CELISA) using rabbit anti-CCHF peroxidase conjugate. The CELISA was applied to the sera of 960 wild vertebrates from a nature reserve in South Africa, and the prevalence of antibody was found to be greatest in large mammals such as rhinoceros, giraffe and buffalo, which are known to be the preferred hosts of the adult tick (Hyalomma) vectors of the virus.
Dose–response effects in an outbreak of Salmonella enteritidis
Authors: Mintz E. D. , Cartter M. L. , Hadler J. L. , Wassell J. T. , Zingeser J. A. , Tauxe R. V. 
Published: May 2009

SummaryThe effects of ingested Salmonella enteritidis (SE) dose on incubation period and on the severity and duration of illness were estimated in a cohort of 169 persons who developed gastroenteritis after eating hollandaise sauce made from grade–A shell eggs. The cohort was divided into three groups based on self–reported dose of sauce ingested. As dose increased, median incubation period decreased (37 h in the low exposure group 21 h in the medium exposure group v. 17·5 h. in the high exposure group, P = 0.006) and greater proportions reported body aches (71 v. 85 v. 94%, P = 0.0009) and vomiting (21 v. 56 v. 57%, P = 0.002). Among 118 case-persons who completed a follow–up questionnaire, increased dose was associated with increases in median weight loss in kilograms (3.2 v. 4.5 v. 5.0, P = 0.0001), maximum daily number of stools (12.5 v. 15.0 v. 20.0, P = 0.02), subjective rating of illness severity (P = 0.0007), and the number of days of confinement to bed (3.0 v. 6.5, P = 0.04). In this outbreak, ingested dose was an important determinant of the incubation period, symptoms and severity of acute salmonellosis.
Bacteriophage typing inSalmonella bareilly
Authors: Sharma N. C , Bhatia R. , Singh S. , John P. C. , Kumar S. , Singh H. 
Published: May 2009

SummaryA total of 675 stdrains ofSalmonella bareillyreceived from different parts of India and France during 1959–92 were phage typed using six bacteriophages. Overall ttypability achieved was 90·8% with 23 distinctphage types excluding a group of untypable strains. Phage types have been defined in octal code. Simpson's coefficient was applied for diversity index having a value of 0·839. This system was found to be reproducible, stable and epidemiologically useful.
Legionellaceae in the potable water of Nova Scotia hospitals and Halifax residences
Authors: Marrie T. , Green P. , Burbridge S. , Bezanson G. , Neale S. , Hoffman P. S. , Haldane D. 
Published: May 2009

SummaryWater was cultured from 39 of 48 hospitals (7 Halifax hospitals and 32 non-Halifax hospitals) in the province of Nova Scotia and from 90 residences (74 private dwellings, 16 apartments) in Halifax to determine the frequency of legionella contamination. Six of seven Halifax hospitals had Legionellaceae isolated from their potable water compared with 3 of 32 non-Halifax hospitals (P < 0.0001). Overall. 19 of 59 (32%) of the water samples from Halifax hospitals were positive for legionellae compared with 5 of 480 (1%) samples from non-Halifax hospitals (P < 0.0000). Five of the six positive Halifax hospitals hadLegionella pneumophilaserogroup 1 and 1 hadL. longbeachaeserogroup 2 recovered from their potable water. Legionella contamination was associated with older, larger (> 50 beds) hospitals with total system recirculation. These hospitals also had water with a higher pH and calcium content but lower sodium, potassium, nitrate, iron and copper content.Fourteen of the 225 (6.2%) water samples from Halifax residences were positive for legionellae – 8% (6/74) of the single family dwellings were positive, compared with 25% (4/16) apartments. The positivity rate of 15.7% for the 19 electric hot-water heaters in Halifax homes was not significantly different from the 32% positivity for Halifax hospitals.L. longbeachaeaccounted for 2 of the 14 isolates of legionellae from Halifax homes.
Seroprevalence of hepatitis B and C in a Merseyside hospital for the mentally handicapped
Authors: Cunningham S. J. , Cunningham R. , Izmeth M. G. A. , Baker B. , Hart C. A. 
Published: May 2009

SummaryThis study reports the prevalence of antibodies to hepatitis B virus (HBV) and C virus (HCV). and the frequency of potential exposure to these viruses among patients and staff in six long-stay wards of a hospital caring for mentally handicapped adults from the Mersey region. A retrospective survey of risk behaviour among 134 patients and questionnaire survey of 75 nursing staff was performed. Serum samples from both groups were tested for HBV markers and patient sera for antibodies to HCV by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). None of the 102 patients tested had antibodies against HCV. although 17 had detectable antibody to HBV core (anti-HBc). Seven out of the 17 were positive for HBV surface antigen. None was positive for IgM antibody to HBV core. Only 1 out of 61 staff had anti-HBc and none was positive for surface antigen. Twenty-nine of 75 (39%) staff reported bites sufficient to break the skin and 52 (69%) significant other injuries from patients; 25 (31%) of staff had not received HBV vaccination. None of the patients had received HBV vaccine.We conclude that HCV does not appear to be a major hazard in this closed community but the prevalence of HBV markers indicating past exposure among patients is high, vaccine uptake is incomplete and incidents which may allow viral transmission are frequent.
An outbreak of diarrhoeal disease attributed to Shigella sonnei
Authors: Samonis G. , Elting L. , Skoulika E. , Maraki S. , Tselentis Y. 
Published: May 2009

SUMMARYAn outbreak of gastroenteritis occurred in a village on the Island of Crete, with 1479 inhabitants. One hundred and thirty–eight symptomatic patients from 57 different families were examined. Thirty percent of children under 12 years were affected compared with 4% of adolescents and adults (P < 0.0001). Thirty–five out of 105 stool cultures (33%) grew Shigella sonnei. Thirty–four isolates had the same susceptibility pattern and were sensitive to ampicillin, while one was resistant to this antibiotic. Thirty–three isolates had the same plasmid profile. Based on epidemiologic and environmental findings, it was concluded that the transmission of shigellosis was waterborne. Shigella were not isolated from water, but one of the three village springs was found to be contaminated with faecal coliforms. This spring was probably contaminated by sewage material, due to its proximity to a source of untreated sewage effluent. Implementation of environmental and control measures brought the epidemic to an end.
In vivoR–plasmid transfer in a patient with a mixed infection of shigella dysentery
Authors: Bratoeva M. P. , John. J. F. 
Published: May 2009

SUMMARYTransfer of shigella R–plasmidsin vivohas seldom been demonstrated. Strains ofShigella dysenteriaetype 1 andShigella flexneritype 5b were isolated from a Bulgarian traveller who visited Vietnam and developed dysentery, which was treated with trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole (TMP/SMZ) for a short time. Both species of shigellae are unusual in Bulgaria where strains ofS. sonneipredominate. Both shigella strains were multiresistant to the same antimicrobial agents. Each strain contained a 48–kilobase plasmid that conferred the entire resistance phenotype to a susceptibleEscherichia coli. Restriction endonuclease patterns of plasmid DNA from the respective strains were identical. Transmissible plasmids of the same resistance phenotypes and restriction patterns were isolated from the patient's colonicE. coli. Transconjugants hybridized to a dihydrofolate reductase type I–DNA probe. These studies support the hypothesis that R–plasmid transfer may occur between non-pathogenic, faecal strains and pathogenic shigellae, a process that may have been facilitated by inadequate treatment with TMP/SMZ at the onset of the illness.
Lyme disease: a search for a causative agent in ticks in south–eastern Australia
Authors: Russell R. C. , Doggett S. L. , Munro R. , Ellis J. , Avery D. , Hunt C. , Dickeson D. 
Published: May 2009

SUMMARYAttempts were made to identify the causative organism of Lyme disease in Australia from possible tick vectors.Ticks were collected in coastal areas of New South Wales, Australia, from localities associated with putative human infections. The ticks were dissected; a portion of the gut contents was examined for spirochaetes by microscopy, the remaining portion inoculated into culture media. The detection of spirochaetes in culture was performed using microscopy, and immunochemical and molecular (PCR) techniques. Additionally, whole ticks were tested with PCR for spirochaetes.From 1990 to 1992, approximately 12000 ticks were processed for spirochaetes. No evidence ofBorrelia burgdorferior any other spirochaete was recovered from or detected in likely tick vectors. Some spirochaete–like objects detected in the cultures were shown to be artifacts, probably aggregates of bacterial flagellae.There is no definitive evidence for the existence in Australia ofB. burgdorferithe causative agent of true Lyme disease, or for any other tick–borne spirochaete that may be responsible for a local syndrome being reported as Lyme disease.
Landfill sites, botulism and gulls
Authors: Ortiz N. E. , Smith G. R. 
Published: May 2009

SUMMARYBotulism due toClostridium botulinumtype C causes considerable mortality in gulls in the UK, and refuse disposal sites are suspected as a major source of toxin.C. botulinumtypes B, C and D were each found in 12 (63.2%) of 19 landfill sites examined. Type E was detected in only one (5.2%) and types A, F and G were not found. The prevalence of type C spores was much higher than that demonstrated in the UK environment by earlier surveys. The presence of these spores, together with the rotting organic matter and generated heat associated with landfill sites, undoubtedly leads to bacterial proliferation and toxigenesis. This is likely to result in botulism in scavenging gulls unless skilled landfill management prevents the ingestion of toxic material. Type D spores were previously shown to be rare in the UK environment and their high prevalence on landfill sites was therefore surprising. Four composite samples of refuse collected before distribution on a landfill gave negative results forC. botulinumand it seems likely that the gulls themselves play a major role in introducing contamination.
Epidemic cholera in rural El Salvador: risk factors in a region covered by a cholera prevention campaign
Authors: Quick R. E. , Thompson B. L. , Zuniga A. , Dominguez G. , De Brizuela E. L. , De Palma O. , Almeida S. , Valencia A. , Ries A. A. , Bean N. H. , Blake P. A. 
Published: May 2009

SummaryIn response to the Latin American cholera epidemic, El Salvador began a prevention programme in April 1991. The first case was confirmed in August, and 700 cases were reported within 3 months. A matched case-control study was conducted in rural La Libertad Department in November 1991. Illness was associated with eating cold cooked or raw seafood (odds ratio [OR] = 7·0; 95% confidence limits [CL] = 1·4, 35·0) and with drinking water outside the home (OR = 8·8; 95% CL = 1·7, 44·6). Assertion of knowledge about how to prevent cholera (OR = 0·2; 95% CL = 0·1, 0·8) and eating rice (OR = 0·2; 95% CL = 0·1, 0·8) were protective. More controls than patients regularly used soap (OR = 0·3; 95% CL = 0·1, 1·0). This study demonstrated three important points for cholera prevention: (1) seafood should be eaten cooked and hot; (2) populations at risk should be taught to treat household drinking waterandto avoid drinking water outside the home unless it is known to be treated; and (3) education about hygiene can be an important tool in preventing cholera.