bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Surveillance of hepatitis B virus infection in Scotland, 1973–1982
Authors: Ako T. I. , Follett E. A. C. , Dewar R. D. , Cossar J. H. , Reid D. 
Published: October 2009

SummarySince 1973 epidemiological surveillance of laboratory-confirmed hepatitis B virus infection has been undertaken in Scotland. During the ten-year period, 1973–82, 2893 persons with laboratory evidence of infection were reported and the number increased by almost threefold between the beginning and the end of this time. Males accounted for 66 % of the patients and intravenous drug abuse was the most commonly encountered risk factor. The low risk to laboratory staff is confirmed, but among National Health Service hospital staff nurses accounted for 54% of those reported.
A cryptogram for recording rotavirus strains: the Rotacode
Authors: Moosai R. B. , Alcock R. , Madeley C. R. 
Published: October 2009

SummaryThe RNA genome of rotaviruses consists of 11 segments in four size-classes which can be separated by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, although 11 separate bands are not shown by all strains. We propose a cryptogram (Rotacode) based on the relative distance of migration of adjacent bands in each size-class for coding the typical pattern of each strain of virus. This provides a shorthand for recording details of each strain and for grouping electrophoretically similar strains.Rotacode was found to be reliable and reproducible, with identical codes being obtained for the same samples in repeated experiments under code and by various observers. Rotacode was also used to analyse 189 strains obtained over a three-year period and differentiated 13 electrophoretypes. This confirms the considerable electrophoretic variability of wild strains.
A comparison of three vaccines against respiratory syncytial virus in calves
Authors: Stott E. J. , Thomas L. H. , Taylor G. , Collins A. P. , Jebbett J. , Crouch S. 
Published: October 2009

SummaryAn inactivated vaccine against respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) was compared with two live vaccines. The inactivated (GC) vaccine consisted of glutaraldehyde-fixed bovine nasal mucosa cells persistently infected with RSV and emulsified with oil adjuvant. The live vaccines were a modified virus (MV) derived from a bovine strain of RSV and a temperature-sensitive mutant (ts-1) derived from a human strain. The GC vaccine was inoculated subcutaneously into 12 calves and the live vaccines intramuscularly into eight calves each. Nine unvaccinated calves acted as controls. The vaccines were administered in two doses 3 weeks apart and all calves were challenged intranasally with 2 × 107p.f.u. of bovine RSV 3 weeks after the second dose.At the time of challenge calves given GC, MV and ts-1 vaccines had mean serum neutralizing antibody titres of 25, 19 and 2 respectively; mean titres of IgG1antibody by radioimmunoassay were log104·5, 1·3 and 2·6 respectively and mean zone areas by single radial haemolysis (SRH) were 107, 27 and 36 mm2respectively.Eleven of 12 calves given GC vaccine were completely protected against challenge but all control animals and those given the two live vaccines were infected. The mean peak titre of virus in nasal swabs of control calves was 3.0 log10p.f.u./ml and the mean duration of virus shedding was 6·8 days. Both these parameters were significantly reduced in animals given MV and ts-1 vaccines: mean peak titres were 2·1 and 2·4 log10p.f.u./ml and mean duration of shedding was 3·4 and 3·3 days respectively.Thus, protection correlated better with RSV antibody detected by radio-immunoassay and SRH than with neutralizing antibody. These results are discussed in relation to the possible mechanism by which protection was mediated.
Interpretation of responses and protective levels of antibody against attenuated influenza A viruses using single radial haemolysis
Authors: Al-Khayatt R. , Jennings R. , Potter C. W. 
Published: October 2009

SummaryAntibody determinations against H3N2 and H1N1 type A influenza viruses were carried out on paired sera obtained from volunteers taking part in influenza virus vaccine studies, using both the haemagglutination-inhibition (HI) and single radial haemolysis (SRH) test. Good correlation between the HI and SRH test was found for both H3N2 and H1N1 antibody and the zone area increases corresponding to significant SRH antibody rises determined for both virus strains. In both H3N2 and H1N1 vaccine studies, intranasal infection of the volunteers with live attenuated viruses was involved and by the measurement of HI and SRH antibodies prior to and following infection, levels of antibody equating with protection against the infecting viruses could be estimated. For the HI test the antibody titres associated with 50% protection were 42 for H1N1, and 44 for H3N2 viruses; for the SRH test, 50% protection was associated with zone areas of 20·0–25·0 mm2for both H1N1 and H3N2 viruses.
Isolation of an English uukuvirus (family Bunyaviridae)
Authors: Eley S. M. , Nuttall P. A. 
Published: October 2009

SummaryA virus of the Uukuniemi serogroup was isolated from various organs of a moribund kittiwake (Rissa tridactyla) and from ticks (Ixodes uriae) that were feeding on the bird. The kittiwake was found on Marsden beach, north-east England. This is the first virus in the family Bunyaviridae to have been isolated in England and only the second English arthropodborne virus after louping ill virus, family Togaviridae (Smith & Varma, 1981). The possibility of infection of humans by uukuviruses is discussed.
Vaccination againstKlebsiella aerogenes
Authors: Roe E. A. , Jones R. J. 
Published: October 2009

SummaryKlebsiella vaccine was prepared from strains ofKlebsiella aerogeneswith capsular types Kl, K36, K44 and K Cross (a type which cross-reactsin vitrowith sera from many klebsiella capsular types). The vaccine was extracted by dialysis and ultrafiltration from capsular material released during growth of the bacteria in a five-day batch culture.Mice given one dose of vaccine from K1a (l·0 μg/mouse) survived lethal intraperitoneal challenge of 11/11 homologous klebsiella strains four days after vaccination; 14 days after vaccination protection against the same challenge strains had declined to 5/11 strains. Vaccines from Kla, b, c, K3G, K44 and K Cross induced homologous protection and protected mice against different ranges of heterologous klebsiella capsular types.The protective response of the mice was greatly enhanced by administering three doses of the vaccines. Vaccines from Kl, K36, K44 and K Cross protected mice against 14/20, 11/20, 10/20 and 9/20 homologous and heterologous klebsiella challenge strains respectively.None of the klebsiella vaccines was toxic for mice at the immunizing dose (l·0 μg/mouse). Vaccine from K36 was the most lethal, killing mice at 103immunizing doses. The least toxic vaccine was from K44, which killed mice at 104immunizing doses.
The carriage of Corynebacterium suis in male pigs
Authors: Jones J. E. T. , Dagnall G. J. R. 
Published: October 2009

SummaryThis investigation was designed to determine the prevalence of Corynebacterium suis in the preputial diverticulum of pigs of various age groups, located in different parts of the U.K., and to demonstrate whether the organism is transmissible between male pigs.C. suis was isolated from almost 90% of 224 adult males, distributed among 25 pig units in widely separated regions of the country and in 96 % of 66 pigs aged 5–6 months originating from six different herds in East Anglia. The rate of isolation of C. suis from younger pigs depended, at least in part, on the system of husbandry practised. Thus, in one herd, A, in which young pigs were maintained in comparative isolation, none of 26 pigs aged 5–8 weeks harboured C. suis; however, in the same herd, the organism was isolated from 77 % of 64 pigs aged 9–15 weeks which were in close contact with male pigs aged up to 6 months. In another herd, B, in which individual litters were housed in the same pen from birth to 5 months of age, C. suis was isolated once from only one of 36 pigs in the age range 5–17 weeks, sampled on two occasions, with an interval of 5 weeks between each sampling. In a third herd, C, in which adult males had never been present, C. suis was not isolated from any of 26 pigs aged 4 months.In each of two herds at the Royal Veterinary College colonization of the preputial diverticulum by C. suis was shown to have occurred by the age of 5 weeks in all of 38 pigs examined in a Large White herd and in all of 29 pigs in a Göttingen miniature pig herd.Transmission experiments clearly demonstrated the ease and rapidity with which the preputial diverticulum became colonized with C. suis when non-infected pigs were placed in close contact with pigs which harboured the organism.
Antibiotic resistance in Escherichia coli causing generalized infections in chickens in the UK in 1982: the relationship between the results of in vitro and in vivo furazolidone sensitivity tests
Authors: Smith H. Williams , Lovell M. A. 
Published: October 2009

SummaryCompared with a similar survey conducted ten years previously, a survey conducted in 1982, eleven years after the implementation of legislation forbidding the routine use of feeds containing ‘therapeutic’ antibiotics, revealed a decreased incidence of resistance to tetracyclines, furazolidone and sulphonamides in Escherichia coli strains causing generalized infections in chickens in the UK; the decrease was particularly marked in the case of tetracycline resistance, 17·9% of strains in 1982 being resistant to this antibiotic compared with 31·2% in 1972.Giving furazolidone to groups of chickens inoculated intramuscularly with O2:K1 strains of E. coli of differing degrees of furazolidone sensitivity indicated that great care is required in the performance and interpretation of laboratory tests for sensitivity to this antibiotic. Infections caused by strains that required as little as 1·25 μg/ml of furazolidone to inhibit their multiplication in laboratory tests responded poorly to furazolidone treatment; those that were inhibited by less responded well, better than to treatment with tetrac3rcline, chloramphenicol. ampicillin or trimethoprim.
Frequency of isolation of enterotoxigenic staphylococci from milk of nursing mothers in Kaduna, Nigeria
Authors: Adekeye J. D. , Adesiyun A. A. 
Published: October 2009

SummaryMilk samples from 251 nursing mothers were screened for enterotoxigenic staphylococci. The incidence of staphylococci in milk samples was 71·3%. Two hundred and sixteen strains were isolated from 179 mothers. Eighty-six (39·8%) of the 216 strains were found to be toxigenic. Enterotoxin type A (SEA) predominated, with 41 strains (19·0%) elaborating it. Twenty-one strains (9·7%) produced enterotoxin B (SEB) while only eight (3·7%) produced enterotoxin C (SEC). Ten strains (4·6 %) produced all three types. Enterotoxigenic strains usually produced coagulase, thermonuclease and alpha haemolysin.In this series breast-feeding alone was more common than combined breast and bottle feeding, especially among mothers less than 30 years old. The incidence of reported infantile diarrhoea decreased with increasing age of the mother. Of 16 babies with diarrhoea, 10 (62·5%) had mothers whose milk yielded staphylococci. Six of these were toxigenic. Although no direct relationship between enterotoxigenic staphylococci in the milk of nursing mothers and infantile diarrhoea could be demonstrated, these findings reveal a potential health risk to these infants.
Further observations on the excretion of salmonella in the faeces of calves fed milk substitute
Authors: Hinton M. , Suleyman I. O. , Allen Vivien , Linton A. H. 
Published: October 2009

SummarySwabs of rectal faeces were obtained daily for 28 days from 90 calves reared in five batches during the summer of 1983. The calves were purchased unweaned in markets and fed a milk-substitute diet. Salmonella typhimurium phage type DT204c was isolated from calves in four batches and Salmonella newport from one. When the data from the 90 calves were considered together the incidence of salmonellas, excretion rose to peak between 5 and 7 days after purchase before declining to low levels during the fourth week. Salmonella was isolated from 55 (61%) calves; 30 were positive on up to four occasions while 21 and 4 animals respectively were positive between 5 and 11 and 15 and 20 times. In the majority of animals infection was probably subclinical since treatment with antibacterial drugs and excretion of S. typhimurium coincided in four calves only.
Oscillatory fluctuations in the incidence of infectious disease and the impact of vaccination: time series analysis
Authors: Anderson R. M. , Grenfell B. T. , May R. M. 
Published: October 2009

SummaryThis paper uses the techniques of time series analysis (autocorrelation and spectral analysis) to examine oscillatory secular trends in the incidence of infectious diseases and the impact of mass vaccination programmes on these well-documented phenomena. We focus on three common childhood diseases: pertussis and mumps (using published disease-incidence data for England and Wales) and measles (using data from England and Wales, Scotland, North America and France). Our analysis indicates highly statistically significant seasonal and longer-term cycles in disease incidence in the prevaccination era. In general, the longer-term fluctuations (a 2-year period for measles, 3-year periods for pertussis and mumps) account for most of the cyclical variability in these data, particularly in the highly regular measles series for England and Wales. After vaccination, the periods of the longer-term oscillations tend to increase, an observation which corroborates theoretical predictions. Mass immunization against measles (which reduces epidemic fluctuations) magnifies the relative importance of the seasonal cycles. By contrast, we show that high levels of vaccination against whooping cough in England and Wales appear to have suppressed the annual cycle.
Development of an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) for the detection of specific antibodies against an H7N7 and an H3N8 equine influenza virus
Authors: Denyer M. S. , Crowther J. R. , Wardley R. C. , Burrows R. 
Published: October 2009

SummaryThis paper describes a solid-phase microtitre plate enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) for the detection of antibodies to equine influenza viruses. Using egg-grown influenza viruses as the antigens attached to the solid phase, crossreactions were observed between an H7N7 equine virus (designated A1) and an H3N8 equine influenza virus (designated A2) when untreated antisera were tested. Absorption of antisera with egg-grown A/Porcine/Shope/1/33 influenza virus eliminated cross-reactive antibodies so that specific detection of anti-equine influenza A1 or A2 antibodies was possible.Examination of horse sera following vaccination with A1 and/or A2 isolates showed that antibodies were produced against antigen associated with egg allantoic fluid as well as against virus. Such antibodies were eliminated following the absorption of antisera with porcine influenza virus. Results using sera from horses with known vaccination histories confirmed that the ELISA preferentially detected antibodies homologous to the antigen attached to the solid phase and methods to evaluate the current serological state of individual horses by relating the titres of specific antibodies against equine influenza A1 and A2 isolates are shown. This ELISA provides a simple and rapid method of assessing specific antibodies from horse sera and offers advantages over the ‘routine’ HI and SRH assessments since it gives high precision, is economical of reagents and has the capacity to handle large numbers of serum samples.
Preliminary survey of domestic animals of the Sudan for precipitating antibodies to Rift Valley fever virus
Authors: Eisa M. 
Published: October 2009

SummaryIn a preliminary seroepidemiological survey a total of 780 serum samples derived from various domestic animals of the Sudan were examined for Rift Valley fever (RVF) virus precipitating antibodies. The incidence was approximately 34·3% in sheep, 33·2% in cattle, 22%in goats, 7·9% in camels and 4% in donkeys. The findings indicated that RVF is mainly prevalent in the rich savanna areas of the south as well as the irrigated areas close to the Nile in the north.Circumstantial evidence suggests that the detected antibodies were induced by a long-standing cryptically cycling infection and that resurgence of extensive epizootics is unlikely although limited outbreaks may occur. It is concluded that RVF virus circulates across the country in a south–north range along the Nile Valley with little or no extension to the drier lands to the east and west, and that ruminants are the primary species involved in virus maintenance. These species evidently serve as main amplifiers of infection during epizootics, but whether or not they also serve as sole virus reservoirs in inter-epizootic periods has yet to be determined.
The distribution of plasmids among a representative collection of Scottish strains of salmonellae
Authors: Platt D. J. , Brown D. J. , Munro D. S. 
Published: October 2009

SummaryThe distribution of plasmids was studied in a representative collection of salmonella strains which comprised 98Salmonella typhimuriumand 96 other serotypes. Plasmids were detected in 72% of strains (mean 1·3 plasmids/strain) and individual strains harboured between 0 and 7 plasmids. They were more common amongS. typhimuriumthan other serotypes (incidence 92 and 53%; mean 1·9 and 0·8 plasmids/strain respectively). Although a higher proportion ofS. typhimurium(33%) were antibiotic-resistant compared to other serotypes (14%) the evidence presented indicated that R-plasmids were not responsible for the difference observed in the number and distribution of plasmids in these strains. These results were discussed in comparison with similar studies ofEscherichia coliand other enteric genera.
Plasmids in group JK coryneform bacteria isolated in a single hospital
Authors: Kerry-Williams S. M. , Noble W. C. 
Published: October 2009

SummaryInvestigation of 39 JK-type coryneform isolates from patients at a single hospital revealed that 23 possessed plasmids, which formed six groups on restriction endonuclease analysis. Four of the groups were associated with production of similar bacteriocin-like substances, and shared a minimum of 6·4 kilobase pairs of DNA. These plasmids, found in isolates from different patients, provide strong direct evidence that person-to-person transmission of JK bacteria had occurred within the hospital.
A rapid and simple method for the detection and enumeration ofEscherichia coliin cleansed shellfish
Authors: Humphrey T. J. , Gawler A. H. L. 
Published: October 2009

SummaryA multiple-tube technique based on peptone water incubated at 44 °C for 24 h followed by detection of indole was found to be sensitive and specific for the detectionof Escherichia coliin oysters and mussels. The method has the advantage of providing rapid results and is both less expensive and less time-consuming than other MPN techniques.
Faecal carriage rate ofYersiniaspecies
Authors: Lewis Ann M. , Chattopadhyay B. 
Published: October 2009

SummaryA total of 1203 unselected routine faecal samples from 1006 patients were cultured forYersiniaspecies by a cold enrichment technique. Seventy-five specimens (6·1%) from 63 patients were culture-positive forYersiniaspp. Fifty-two wereYersinia enterocolitica, 22Yersinia frederikseniiand 1Yersinia intermedia. The predominantY. enterocoliticaisolates belonged to biotype 1 – serotype 0:6, 30 or serotype 0:5, 27.Y. frederikseniistrains were non-typable. Forty isolates were recovered from 33 patients with gastroenteritis. During the study period 83Salmonellaspp. from 33 patients, 17Shigella sonneifrom 13 patients and 13Campylobacter jejunifrom 12 patients were cultured.Yersiniaspp. was isolated in association with salmonella on three occasions, twice with rotavirus and once each withShigella sonnei, Campylobacter jejuniandTrichuris trichiura.
Comparative pathogenicity and antigenic cross-reactivity of Rift Valley fever and other African phleboviruses in sheep
Authors: Swanepoel R. , Struthers J. K. , Erasmus M. J. , Shepherd S. P. , McGillivray G. M. , Shepherd A. J. , Hummitzsch D. E. , Erasmus B. J. , Barnard B. J. H. 
Published: October 2009

SummaryHomologous and heterologous haemagglutination-inhibition (HAI), complement- fixation (CF), immunodiffusion (ID) and mouse neutralization tests were performed with the Lunyo (LUN) and a Zimbabwean strainof Rift Valley fever (RVF) virus, the prototype and a South African strain of Arumowot (AMT) virus and prototype strains of Gordil (GOR), Saint-Floris (SAF) and Gabek Forest (GF) viruses, using immune mouseascitic fluids prepared against these viruses. Reactions of identity occurred in all tests between LUN and the Zimbabwean strains of RVF and between the two strains of AMT virus. Otherwise, cross-reactions occurred between all the phleboviruses in HAI tests, while reactions in CF, ID and neutralization testswere monospecific for virus serotypes, except that weak cross-reaction occurred between GOR and SAF viruses in CF and ID tests.Four sheep infected subcutaneously with the Zimbabwean strain of RVF virus developed transient fever, viraemia, leucopaenia, relative thrombocytopaenia, haemoconcentration and raised serum enzyme levels, which indicated that the sheep had developed necrotic hepatitis. Disseminated focal necrotic hepatitis was confirmed in a sheep killed for examination on day 4 post-infection. The other three sheep recovered uneventfully after only mild depression and anorexia. Groups of three sheep infected with SAF, GOR, AMT and GF viruses had no demonstrable viraemia or other sign of infection or illness, except that the sheep infected with AMT developed mild fever lasting less than 24 h.Antibody responses were monitored at intervals over a period of 24 weeks in all sheep by homologous and heterologous HAI, CF and cell culture neutralization (CPENT) tests. Homologous antibody responses were marked in the RVF-infected sheep and their sera cross-reacted strongly in HAI tests with antigens of the other viruses. The sera of the RVF-infectes sheep cross-reactes less marledly in CF and CPENT tests. Homologous antibody responses were poor in all the sheep infected with phlebovirused other than RVF, and the cross-reactivity of their sera RVF antigen or virus was negligible. All sheep were challenged with RVF virus 48 weeks after their initial infection. The sheep which had originally been infected with RVF virus were immune and developed neither fever nor viracmia. All other sheep developed fever, viraemia and antibodies to RVF virus.It was concluded that the African phleboviruses, other than RVF, are unlikely to cause disease in livestock ot to induce antibodies which could cause confusion in the diagnosis of RVF.
Influenza in the United Kingdom 1982–85
Authors: Chakraverty P. , Cunningham P. , Shen G. Z. , Pereira M. S. 
Published: October 2009

SummaryInfluenza surveillance in the UK between the years 1982 and 1985 has demonstrated the regular winter appearance of influenza A virus of both H1N1 and H3N2 subtypes and influenza B.Their antigenic diversity is described and correlated with the national statistics for morbidity and mortality for influenza.One unexpected finding has been that despite the wide circulation of influenza viruses there has been a continuation of winters without significant increases in influenza deaths or morbidity. A previous report of influenza surveillance (Pereira & Chakraverty, 1982) noted an already unusual series of three consecutive winters with this pattern. This report records a further 4 years bringing a total of seven successive winters without evidence of epidemics of severe disease associated with influenza viruses, as indicated by the national UK statistics.