bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Occurrence of FImeplasmids in multiply antimicrobial-resistantEscherichia coliisolated from urinary tract infection
Authors: Riley P. A. , Threlfall E. J. , Cheasty T. , Wooldridge K. G. , Williams P. H. , Phillips I. 
Published: May 2009

SUMMARYPlasmids belonging to the FImeincompatibility group were found in seven different serogroups of multiply antimicrobial-resistantEscherichia coliisolated from patients with urinary tract infection (UTI) and living in south-east London. Although widespread inSalmonellaspp., FImeplasmids have only previously been described inE. coliin a strain of serogroup O15 K52 H1 responsible for an extensive and protracted outbreak of invasive community-acquired infection in south-east London in 1986. Our findings suggest either a wider background occurrence of FImeplasmids inE. coliassociated with UTI than previously reported or alternatively, the dissemination and subsequent molecular diversification of the FImeplasmid associated with the epidemic strain of serogroup O15 K52 H1.
Hospital infections in Spain. I.Staphylococcus aureus(1978–91)
Authors: Vindel A. , Trincado P. , Nicolas MM. Martin De , Gomez E. , Bourgon C. Martin , Nieto J. A. Saez 
Published: May 2009

SUMMARYThis study was undertaken to determine the distribution of phage types ofStaphylococcus aureusisolates from hospital outbreaks or sporadic cases received in our laboratory during the past 14 years. The records for 15803 isolates from 55 Spanish hospitals have been analysed.In relation to sporadic isolates we have been able to detect the predominance of phage group I and non-typable staphylococcal strains. Since 1989, we have observed a considerable increase in hospital infection caused by methicillin-resistantS. aureusstrains which we could differentiate in to two groups; one belonging to phage group III (6/47/54/75/77/84/85) and other groups of non-typable strains which could be classified as phage group I-III after heat treatment (29/77/84) and with similar patterns by reverse typing (6/47/53/54/75/83A/84/85/W57/1030/18042).During 1990 and 1991, these strains have extended widely to at least six different autonomous regions creating an epidemic situation in Spain.
The contamination of paté byListeria monocytogenesin England and Wales in 1989 and 1990
Authors: Gilbert R. J. , McLauchlin J. , Velani S. K. 
Published: May 2009

SUMMARYIn July 1989, 1834 samples of paté (of which 1698 were from retail displays) were examined by the PHLS for the presence ofListeria monocytogenes. The survey was repeated in July 1990, when 626 paté samples on retail sale were examined. Between the two surveys there was a marked reduction in the proportions of patés contaminated (10% in 1989 and 4% in 1990) and in the numbers of samples from which > 103L. monocytogenes/gwere recovered. The higher rate of contamination detected in 1989 was largely due to paté from a single manufacturer. In both surveys, paté sold as loose slices had higher rates of contamination than those prepackaged. Temperature control had improved between the two surveys where 65% of samples in 1989 and 83% in 1990 were stored at ≤ 7 °C. Although contamination occurred at almost all temperatures,L. monocytogeneswas both quantitatively and qualitatively more common in samples stored at > 7 °C. The majority of patés had unexpired shelf lives of between 0 and 3 weeks. Although contamination occurred throughout the shelf life of these products, the proportion of samples whereL. monocytogeneswas recovered was higher in patés with expired sell by dates. There was an association between high total viable counts and the presence ofL. monocytogenes.
Campylobacter bacteraemia in England and Wales, 1981-91
Authors: Skirrow M. B. , Jones D.M. , Sutcliffe E. , Benjamin J. 
Published: May 2009

SUMMARYRoutine surveillance of infection in England and Wales detected 394 cases of campybacter bactermia in 11 years. This represented an average incidence of 1.5 per 1000 intestinal campllobacter infections, with range of 0.3/1000 in children aged 1–4 years to 5.9/1000 in patients aged 65 years or more. Definitive identification of 257 isolates showed that 89% wereCampylobacter jejuniorC. coli: other species wereC. fetus(8.6%).C. lari(0.8%),C. uspaliensis(0.8%). helicobacter (Campylobacter)fennlliae(0.8%), andHelicobacter (Camphlobacter) cinaedi(0.4%). Most (71%) of theC. jejuni/C. colibacteraemias were in pastients with acute enteritis. Of the patients withC. fetusbacteremias only 27% had diarrhoea: they were older than patients with diarrhoae: they were older than patients withC. jejuniorC. colibacteremia (54.1 r. 45.9 years) and proportionally more of them were male (M:F retio 2.7: 1 v. 1.9:1): 41% had endovascular pathology or cellulitis. There was a higher proportion ofC. jejuniserogroup O 4 (Penner) and O 18 strains among blood than faecal isolates. Which suggests that they were unsually serum resistant and/or invasive.
Genetic analysis ofEscherichia colifrom porcine postweaning diarrhoea
Authors: Hampson D. J. , Woodward J. M. , Connaughton I. D. 
Published: May 2009

SUMMARYA total of 79 Australian isolates of beta-haemolyticEscherichia colifrom cases of porcine postweaning diarrhoea (PWD), and 18 isolates of serotype O 149:K91:K88 (F4) from unweaned pigs from Australia, Indonesia and Denmark, were examined by multilocus enzyme electrophoresis. These were divided into 57 electrophoretic types (ETs), with an overall mean genetic diversity per enzyme locus of 0·466. This value closely resembled that previously recorded for the whole species. Not only was the collection diverse, but there was considerable genetic heterogeneity amongst PWD isolates of the same serogroup. Isolates from serogroups O 8 and O 138 were most varied, whilst many from serogroups O 141 and O 149 were more closely related. In contrast, the isolates from the unweaned pigs all belonged to only one ET.
An outbreak ofEscherichia coliO157 associated with a children's paddling pool
Authors: Brewster D. H. , Brown M. I. , Robertson D. , Houghton G. L. , Bimson J. , Sharp J. C. M. 
Published: May 2009

SUMMARYIn May 1992. a small, circumscribed community outbreak of infection due to verotoxin-producingEscherichia coliO157 phage type 49 occurred in a semi-rural area of south-east Scotland. On the basis of stool cultures, six cases were identified, one of whom was asymptomatic. One child developed the haemolytic uraemic syndrome. Although the source of infection of the index case was not established nor could the extent of person-to-person spread be fully determined, the clinical, microbiological and epidemiological evidence available indicated that a children's paddling pool served as the focal point in the transmission of infection causing the outbreak.
Seroprevalence of leptospirosis in a rural flood prone district of Bangladesh
Authors: Morshed M. G. , Konishi H. , Terada Y. , Arimitsu Y. , Nakazawa T. 
Published: May 2009

SUMMARYLeptospirosis is a worldwide zoonotic disease. In the present investigation, a total of 89 human sera from a flood prone district of Bangladesh was screened by a one-point microscapsule agglutination test (MCAT). MCAT-positive and-doubtful sera were further tested by microscopic agglutination test (MAT) against 16 reference serovars ofLeptospira interrogans. and the antibody titres determined. In MCAT, 34 sera were positive and 22 were doubtful. Among those positive and doubtful sera. 33 and 20. respectively were tested by MAT. Thirty-four out of 53 MCAT-screened samples were MAT-positive. The titres ranged from 20 to 1600 with antibodies to serovarscopenhageni, australis, cynopteriandicterohaemorrhagiaebeing the most prevalent. Eleven MCAT-positive samples failed to react with any strains used by MAT, suggesting the presence of new or untested serovars. Among the MAT-positive samples, the presence of antibody against two or more serovars was more common than that of a single serovar. The present study suggests that rural people in Bangladesh are at high risk to leptospiral infection.
Comparison in the immunological properties ofBorrelia burgdorferiisolates fromIxodes ricinusderived from three endemic areas in Switzerland
Authors: Hu C. M. , Leuba-Garcia S. , Kramer M. D. , Aeschlimann A. , Gern L. 
Published: May 2009

SUMMARYBorrelia burgdorferiisolates were obtained fromIxodes ricinusfrom three sites in Switzerland. They were examined by SDS-PAGE and immunoblotting. The phenotypes, in respect of three outer surface proteins (Osp), differed between the sites of collection. In site 1, most isolates had an OspA of 31 kDa and an OspB of 34 kDa: in site 2, isolates presenting an OspA of 33 kDa dominated and in site 3, the isolates with an OspA of 32 kDa and an OspB of 35 kDa were most frequent. This distribution differed significantly. About half of the isolates from sites 1 and 3 reacted with anti-OspA monoclonal antibody H5332 compared to 29% from site 2. Site 1 isolates reacted significantly more frequently (81 %) with another anti-OspA monoclonal antibody LA-31 than isolates from site 3 (P< 0·0001). These findings have implications for the epidemiology of Lyme borreliosis, for the further development of serodiagnostic reagents and for the development of a vaccine.
Subtyping ofMycobacterium aviumcomplex (MAC) isolates by thin-layer chromatography – distribution of subtypes from patients with AIDS compared with clinically non-significant isolates
Authors: Chew W. , Sorrell T. C. , Gilbert G. L. 
Published: May 2009

SUMMARYThin-layer chromatography (TLC) was compared with seroagglutination for subtyping ofMycobacterium aviumcomplex (MAC) bacteria. Seventy-five significant MAC isolates from patients with AIDS were typed by both methods and 36 isolates, judged to be clinically non-significant, were examined by TLC only. Overall. 75% of isolates tested were typable by seroagglutination and 91% by TLC; the results correlated between the two except for minor discrepancies.Serovars 1, 8 and 21 and mixed serovars 1–21 and 1–8–21 were common among isolates from AIDS patients and together represented 83 % of isolates compared with only 36% in the non-significant group (odds ratio 8·4; 95% confidence interval 3·4–23·3). This difference remained significant after exclusion of serovar 41 (M. scrofulaceum), which was the commonest isolate (28%) in the non-significant group but was not isolated from patients with AIDS.TLC is useful to supplement seroagglutination for subtyping of MAC. Further study is required to determine whether apparent differences between isolates from patients with AIDS and from other sources reflect differences in virulence or in environmental prevalence of MAC subtypes.
Household-acquisition of measles and illness severity in an urban community in the United States
Authors: Butler J. C. , Proctor M. E. , Fessler K. , Hopfensperger D. J. , Sosin D. M. , Davis J. P. 
Published: May 2009

SUMMARYStudies from developing countries suggest that persons with household-acquired (HA) measles are at greater risk of severe illness than persons with community acquired (CA) infection. Reported measles cases occurring among Milwaukee residents from May 1989 to June 1990 were used to assess whether household acquisition was a risk factor for severe measles in the United States. A case was classified as HA if onset of rash occurred 7–18 days after onset of rash in another case in the same household. Hospitalization rates were similar for 128 patients with HA measles (27%) and for 1004 patients with CA measles (26%). Multiple logistic regression was used to evaluate the association between hospitalization and household-acquisition after controlling for socioeconomic status, measles vaccination history, age, race, and date of onset of rash. Patients with HA measles were no more likely to be hospitalized than patients with CA measles (odds ratio 0·9, 95% confidence interval 0·6, 1·5). HA measles cases were not more severe than CA measles cases during this urban outbreak in the United States.
Distribution of bluetongue virus in Turkey, 1978–81
Authors: Taylor W. P. , Mellor P. S. 
Published: May 2009

SUMMARYInformation about the distribution of bluetongue in Turkey during 1978–81 has been obtained by serological surveys in cattle, sheep and goats. The group-specific immunodiffusion test was used to identify the presence of bluetongue virus (BTV) in a given province and the type-specific microneutralization test to decide which virus types had been in circulation. By drawing sera from accurately aged donor animals in May and August 1980. it was possible to draw up a general outline of the distribution of BTV in Turkey between early 1978 and mid 1980. By combining the same technique with spring and autumn field visits it became possible to make detailed inferences about the distribution of BTV serotypes in 1980 and 1981. The results support the conclusion that BTV was widespread in central and western Turkey for a number of years and suggests that overwintering can be a regular occurrence in that country. When compared with contemporaneous results from Syria and Jordan, a unifying and well-defined bluetongue virus ecosystem becomes apparent.
Application of pulsed-field gel electrophoresis to the epidemiological characterization ofStaphylococcus intermediusimplicated in a food-related outbreak
Authors: Khambaty F. M. , Bennett R. W. , Shah D. B. 
Published: May 2009

SUMMARYAn outbreak of food intoxication involving over 265 cases in western United States occurred in October 1991.Staphylococcus intermediuswas implicated as the aetiologic agent. Representative outbreak isolates (five clinical and ten from foods) produced type A enterotoxin. DNA fragments generated by four restriction endonucleases and analysed by pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) provided definitive evidence that all isolates from nine different counties in California and Nevada were derived from a single strain. The PFGE pattern of these outbreak isolates was distinct from those of a heterogeneous collection of sevenS. intermediusstrains of veterinary origin and five unrelatedS. aureuslaboratory strains. The data show a significant PFGE pattern heterogeneity not only among members of differentStaphylococcusspecies but also within members of the same species and even the same enterotoxin type. The results indicate that PFGE is a valuable strain-specific discriminator for the epidemiological characterization ofS. intermedius. To our knowledge, this represents the first documented foodborne outbreak caused byS. intermedius. These findings suggest that the presence ofS. intermediusand other species such asS. hyicusin food should be reason for concern.
A school- and community-based outbreak of Mycobacterium tuberculosis in Northern Italy, 1992–3
Authors:   The Lodi Tuberculosis Working Group
Published: May 2009

SUMMARYIn late 1992, three cases of smear-positive tuberculosis were diagnosed among secondary school students in Lodi, Italy. The three attended different schools but travelled on the same bus. Schoolmates, other bus riders, family members, and friends underwent tine testing and X-rays. Of the 3188 students tested, 277 (8·7 %) were reactors. Independent risk factors for tine reactivity among students included living in the same town (odds ratio [OR] = 4·8; 95% confidence intervals [CI] = 3·8–6·0); having classroom contact (OR = 4·4; 95% CI = 3·4–5·7); or riding the same bus (OR = 5·4; 95% CI = 4·3–6·7) as a smear-positive case. Twenty-four cases of pulmonary tuberculosis were identified. The index case was a student whose father had had cavitary tuberculosis. Despite being tine test positive in 1989, he was not given prophylaxis and was lost to follow-up. This large outbreak emphasizes the need for identification and prompt chemoprophylaxis of reactors, especially in vulnerable adolescent populations.
Prevalence of serum IgG antibodies to Puumala virus (haemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome) in Northern Sweden
Authors: Ahlm C. , Linderholm M. , Juto P. , Stegmayr B. , Settergren B. 
Published: May 2009

SUMMARYA stratified and randomly-selected population sample was identified in 1990 in order to study the seroprevalence of nephropathia epidemica (haemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome) in Northern Sweden. Sera from 1538 subjects (750 men, 788 women), 25—64 years of age, were analysed for the presence of Puumala virus (PUV) specific-IgG by the indirect immunofluorescence antibody test. Specific IgG was detected in sera from 83 subjects (5·4%). Men and women had similar seroprevalence rates. The highest seroprevalences were found in subjects 55 years or older (8·0%) and among farmers and forestry workers (15·9%). The geographic distribution of seropositive individuals was uneven and there were significantly more seropositive persons in rural than in urban areas (P < 0·05).
Measurement of IgA responses following Norwalk virus infection and other human caliciviruses using a recombinant Norwalk virus protein EIA
Authors: Parker S. P. , Cubitt W. D. 
Published: May 2009

SUMMARYAn enzyme immunoassay employing recombinant Norwalk virus capsid protein was evaluated for the measurement of IgA responses. Tests on 23 volunteers and patients known to have been infected with Norwalk virus (NV) showed that 19 developed significant IgA responses, 2 had unchanging levels of IgA and 2 failed to respond. There was no evidence of IgA responses to NV following infection with Hawaii or Snow Mountain-like viruses.Tests on sera from patients involved in outbreaks associated with eating contaminated shellfish suggest that some patients may have been infected with more than one strain of calicivirus. The use of the rNV EIA for measuring IgA and IgG responses in patients involved in a major outbreak of food poisoning affecting hospital staff indicated that the causative agent was probably NV.
The prevalence ofEscherichia coliO157.H7 in dairy and beef cattle in Washington State
Authors: Hancock D. D. , Besser T. E. , Kinsel M. L. , Tarr P. I. , Rice D. H. , Paros M. G. 
Published: May 2009

SUMMARYEscherichia coliO157.H7 was found in 10 of 3570 (0·28%) faecal samples from dairy cattle in 5 of 60 herds (8·3%). Several tentative associations with manure handling and feeding management practices on dairy farms were identified. Faecal/urine slurry samples, bulk milk samples, and milk filters from dairy herds were negative forE. coli0157.H7.E. coli0157.H7 was also isolated from 10 of 1412 (0·71 %) faecal samples from pastured beef cattle in 4 of 25 (16%) herds. The prevalence ofE. coli0157. H7 excretion in feedlot beef cattle was 2 of 600 (0·33 %). The identification of cattle management practices associated with colonization of cattle byE. coli0157.H7 suggests the possibility that humanE. coliO157.H7 exposure may be reduced by cattle management procedures.
Municipal drinking water and cryptosporidiosis among persons with AIDS in Los Angeles County
Authors: Sorvillo F. , Lieb L. E. , Nahlen B. , Miller J. , Mascola L. , Ash L. R. 
Published: May 2009

SUMMARYTo assess unfiltered drinking water as a source of cryptosporidium infection in patients with the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) the prevalence of cryptosporidiosis among persons with AIDS in Los Angeles County was assessed by water service area. One water distributor, serving approximately 60% of the county's residents (area B), has consistently employed filtration. The other company, which serves the remainder of the county (area A), did not institute nitration until mid-December 1986. This difference provided a ‘natural experiment ’ in which to assess the effect of municipal water filtration on the level of cryptosporidiosis among persons with AIDS. The prevalence of cryptosporidiosis among AIDS patients was compared for the two water service areas for the time period (1983–6) preceding the implementation of filtration in area A. From 1983 to 1986 the age-standardized prevalence of cryptosporidiosis among AIDS patients was 32% lower in area A (4·2%), which received unfiltered water, than in area B (6·2%). Following addition of filtration in area A, the prevalence of cryptosporidiosis among AIDS patients decreased by 20%; however, a decline, of 47%, was also observed in area B. The similar baseline levels of cryptosporidiosis and the corresponding post-filtration decline in both areas suggest that filtration had no effect on levels of cryptosporidiosis among persons with AIDS. Thus it does not appear that municipal drinking water is an important risk factor for cryptosporidiosis in AIDS patients residing in Los Angeles County.
The distribution of serotype-specific plasmids among different subgroups of strains ofSalmonella entericaserotype Enteritidis: characterization of molecular variants by restriction enzyme fragmentation patterns
Authors: Rankin S. C. , Benson C. E. , Platt D. J. 
Published: May 2009

SUMMARYFour hundred and thirty-four isolates ofSalmonella entericaserotype Enteritidis were studied. They were grouped into five subsets defined by either the collection criteria or the parameter which formed the basis for subsequent analysis. Seventy-seven per cent harboured the serotype-specific plasmid (SSP). In 55% of the isolates this was the sole plasmid. Molecular variation in the SSP was detected in 17 (5%) of the isolates on the basis of restriction enzyme fragmentation pattern (REFP) analysis usingPstI andSmaI. The SSP variants were further characterized using additional restriction enzymes chosen to optimize the information content and analysed using a coefficient of similarity.A variant SSP designated pOG690 showed greater resemblance to the SSP ofSalmonella entericaserotype Typhimurium than Enteritidis; 89% and 68% respectively forPstI and 79% and 55% respectively forSmaI. In respect of thePstI data pOG690 shared at least 55 kb of DNA with the Typhimurium SSP and 37 kb with the SSP of Enteritidis. This variant was associated with poultry (duck, goose, chicken) and all isolates belonged to phage type 9b. Other variants were associated with phage types 4, 6, 6a, 9a, 11, 15 and 24. The epidemiological implications of these results are discussed.
Epidemiology ofPseudomonas aeruginosakeratitis in contact lens wearers
Authors: Stapleton F. , Dart J. K. G. , Seal D. V. , Matheson M. 
Published: May 2009

SUMMARYThis study evaluated the epidemiology ofPseudomonas aeruginosakeratitis in contact lens (CL) wearers; the relationships between CL storage case contamination and CL hygiene practice and between CL hygiene and the development of keratitis. Sixteen CL wearers with keratitis were compared with 44 asymptomatic controls. Lens hygiene practice was assessed and CL care materials, domestic water sites and endogenous sites were evaluated microbiologically. Poor CL hygiene was not associated withPs. aeruginosakeratitis. There was an association between keratitis and bacterial contamination of the CL and storage case (P < 0·0005). Lens and storage case contamination were not significantly associated with poor hygiene. No domestic or endogenous source forPs. aeruginosawas found. Causative organisms may be derived from other sources, but CLs and CL storage cases provide a favourable environment forPs. aeruginosacolonization. Changing the CL care environment to one less favourable forPs. aeruginosamay help to eliminate this problem.