bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Phage type/biotype groups of Salmonella typhimurium in Scotland 1974–6: variation during spread of epidemic clones
Authors: Old Ruth Barker D.C. , Sharp J. C. M. 
Published: May 2009

SUMMARYBiotyping by the scheme of Duguid et al. (1975) of 2010 cultures of Salmonella typhimurium received by the Scottish Salmonella Reference Laboratory in 1974–6, the definitive phage types of which were known, revealed 137 different phage type/biotype groups. Four major epidemic clones, comprising 52 % of the cultures, were recognized: 1/2a, 49/26a, 56/17g and 141/9f. The sources of each of these four groups of strains were primarily bovine (587 cultures) and human (361), suggesting a close association between infections in the two hosts.Epidermiological evidence showed that most of the outbreaks were caused by cultures of a single phage type/biotype, suggesting that both phage typing and biotyping characters were usually stable in the course of spread of epidemic strains.Thirty-two of the 63 phage types contained strains of more than one biotype. Cultures from 11 of the phage types were of two or more closely related biotypes and those from 21 others were of unrelated or distantly related biotypes. The combined use of phage typing and biotyping made it possible to detect occasional variations in the phage type or biotype in epidemic clones during their spread, e.g. phage type 49 to 204, 56 to 193, 141 to 193 and biotype 2a to lOa, 9f to 9bf, or 9cf, 26a to 26f.
Infection prevention in patients with cancer: microbiological evaluation of portable laminar air flow isolation, topical chlorhexidine, and oral non-absorbable antibiotics
Authors: Spiers A. S. D. , Dias Sylvia F. , Lopez J. A. 
Published: May 2009

SUMMARYThe increasing use of intensive cytotoxic chemotherapy for patients with solid tumors enhances the risk of opportunistic infection to levels formerly seen only in patients with acute leukaemia, and prevention of infection is a major concern. A relatively simple regimen of isolation, topical antisepsis, and orally administered non-absorbable antibiltics was stuidied in 18 patients. Sixteen of 21 studies were performed using portable laminar ait flow apparatus and five with isolation only. All patients became severly neutropenic but there were no major infections. Microbiological results showed effective decontamination of the skin, which was maintained without recolonization or acquisition of new organisms. The ears, nose and throat were effectively decontaminated only when the regimen was intensified. Colonization with Pseudomonas aeruginosa, a major pathogen in compromised hosts, did not occur. The propective regimen is less expensive than regimens previously desribed, is acceptable to patients, and requires no modification of existing hospital rooms. It merits further evaluation in patients with common cancers who receive intensive cytotoxic drug therapy.
The virulence of salmonella strains for chickens: their excretion by infected chickens
Authors: Smith H. Williams , Tucker J. F. 
Published: May 2009

SUMMARYInoculated orally, 16 Salmonella typhimurium strains belonging to 12 phage types varied greatly in their abilityto kill 1-day-old chickens; variation was noted even between strains of the same phage type. Fourteen strains belonging to 11 food poisoning serotypes other than S. typhimurium were practically non-lethal whenexamined in this manner. All of them were lethal by the intramuscular route but some were more so than others. Twowere more lethal by this route than one of the S. typhimurium strains that was highly lethal when given orally.With age, chickens rapidly became resistant to fatal infection with the food poisoning strains; given orally, a S.typhimurium strain killed 79 % of 1-day-old chickens but only 3 % of 2-day-old chickens. Of 2 specific poultrypathogenic strains, one, of S. gallinarum, was lethal by oral inoculation to chickens of all ages but the other, of S. pullorum, was only lethal to very young ones.Some salmonella strains, such as those of S. infantis and S. menston, were more efficient at infecting and colonizing the alimentary tract of chickens than were the more virulent S. typhimurium strains, the S. gallinarum and S. pullorum strains and a S. cholerae-suis strain.
A comparison between minerals-modified glutamate medium and lauryl tryptose lactose broth for the enumeration of Escherichia coli and coliform organisms in water by the multiple tube method
Authors:   Joint Committee of the Public Health Laboratory Service and the Standing Committee of Analysts
Published: May 2009

SummaryIn a multi-laboratory trial, minerals-modified glutamate medium (MMGM) was compared with lauryl tryptose lactose broth (LTLB) in the multiple tube method for the enumeration of coliform organisms, including Escherichia coli, in water. Samples of raw and chlorinated waters yielded a total of 2313 positive tube-reactions with MMGM and 2174 with LTLB. These were interpreted either as E. coli; other coliform organisms; or as false positive reactions. The results at first reading (18 or 24 h) and at 48 h have been analysed statistically in terms of (i) most probable numbers of coliform organisms; (ii) positive reactions and their interpretation; and (iii) whether or not the sample yielded any E. coli or other coliform organisms. All three analyses indicated the same trends. For the detection of E. coli in raw waters LTLB was better than MMGM at 18–24 h, but MMGM was better at 48 h with waters containing small numbers of coliform organisms; for raw waters with greater numbers of organisms, both media performed equally well. Analysis of a subset of samples read at both 18 and 24 h indicated that the superiority of LTLB over MMGM with raw waters disappeared by 24 h. For chlorinated waters, LTLB yielded more positive gas reactions at 18–24 h, but fewer of these were E. coli than with MMGM; at 48 h MMGM was clearly better than LTLB for total coliform organisms including E. coli – especially if the numbers were small. MMGM therefore remains the medium of choice for the detection of E. coli as an indicator of faecal contamination of chlorinated drinking water supplies. It is also better for the detection of small numbers of E. coli in other waters.
Properties of a cell-wall-defective variant ofBrucella abortusof bovine origin
Authors: Corbel M. J. , Scott A. C. , Ross H. M. 
Published: May 2009

SummaryThe properties of an atypicalBrucellastrain isolated from lymph node tissue of a cow slaughtered as a brucellosis reactor were examined. The organism was Gram negative and highly pleomorphic, existing as cocci, coccobacilli, rods, branched and irregular forms which stained with fluorescent antibody conjugates prepared against rough and smoothBrucella abortusstrains. It produced lecithinase and required at least 15% v/v equine or bovine serum for growth. It did not need supplementary CO2for growth, produced H2S and was inhibited by brucella dyes and partially byi-erythritol. Growth inhibition or lysis was produced by brucellaphages. The organism was not pathogenic for guinea-pigs or mice but evoked antibodies mainly to roughBrucellaantigens.
The use of the milk ring test in a survey of the incidence of bovine brucellosis in southern Scotland
Authors: Ferguson G. S. , Robertson A. 
Published: May 2009

A report is made of a total of 438 simultaneous blood serum and milk ring tests, and an attempt made to evaluate the milk ring test as a diagnostic aid in individual animals.The ring test has been used to test the bulk milk from some 370 herds providing the greater part of the raw milk supply for Edinburgh.The incidence of viable Br. abortus in raw milk samples taken in the Edinburgh area has been studied together with the ring test reaction of such samples.The survey has shown that:(1) The ring test is correct in some 93 % of cases in detecting cows whose blood serum will be found positive to the brucella agglutination test.(2) The ring test, if carefully carried out, is a simple time-saving and accurate screening test for detecting herds possibly infected with brucella.(3) A high proportion of herd milks (53 %) giving a positive reaction to the ring test is disclosed, and the probable effect of vaccination with strain 19 in giving rise to this figure is noted.(4) The relatively high incidence (at least 10·5%) of Br. abortus in Edinburgh milk supplies is noted.Thanks are tendered to Dr Bruhn of the Veterinary School, and Dr Bendtsen, Veterinary State Serum Institute, both of Copenhagen and to Dr Stableforth of the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries Laboratory at Weybridge, for providing samples of stained antigen. Thanks are also due to the Bacteriology Department, Edinburgh University, for providing material from guinea-pigs and for relevant information; to J. Norval, Esq., M.R.C.V.S., for permission to obtain samples from the slaughterhouse, and also to the dairies and farmers who granted facilities for taking samples and to Miss Elma Chapman for assistance in the laboratory studies and in taking samples.
Observations on brucella species based on the examination of 800 strains
Authors: Cruickshank J. C. , Madge B. 
Published: May 2009

An account is given of the examination by biochemical and serological methods of 800 strains of brucella sent for identification to the Brucella Reference Laboratory of the Public Health Laboratory Service.Most of the strains were isolated from milk in Great Britain, but strains from other countries, and from cases of undulant fever, were also examined.Of 738 strains from milk in Britain, 680 wereBr. abortus, of which sixty-two (9·1 %) were of a type inhibited by all the usual test-dyes in their customary concentrations. Thirty strains ofBr. melitensis, behaving typically in all laboratory tests, were obtained from milk from individual cows, herds or bulk sources.Br. melitensishas now been identified from twenty-four separate farms and one Tuberculin Tested bulk supply in this country. Eighteen strains behaved likeBr. abortusin biochemical tests, but serologically likeBr. melitensis.Of the relatively small number of strains isolated from patients with undulant fever in Britain, all those from persons infected in this country wereBr. abortus, with the exception of two laboratory infections withBr. melitensis. The organisms isolated in Britain from patients infected abroad comprised three strains ofBr. melitensis, one strain behaving biochemically likeBr. abortusand serologically likeBr. melitensis, and two behaving biochemically likeBr. melitensisand serologically likeBr. abortus. One of the latter was from a patient infected in southern Italy, and the examination of nineteen strains from that country showed that thirteen were of this type. The thionin-resistant type ofBr. abortuswas identified several times, from undulant fever cases in Rhodesia, Kenya and Italy. No strains ofBr. suiswere observed.I wish to thank the numerous bacteriologists who sent cultures and provided details of their isolation. A few submitted large numbers of strains and enabled a general picture of the prevailing types to be obtained. I am grateful to these and to the other bacteriologists who provided information about the herds from whichBr. melitensiswas isolated, in particular Dr P. H. Martin and Dr J. A. Sykes (Ipswich), Dr L. M. Dowsett (Norwich), Dr J. Kennedy (Newcastle, then at Stafford), Dr J. H. C. Walker (Luton), Dr E. H. Gillespie and Dr N. S. Mair (Leicester) and Dr J. E. Jameson (Brighton). I have also to acknowledge the help of Dr A. W. Stableforth, Director of the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries Veterinary Laboratory, who provided much bacteriological and veterinary information about the infected herds.
An intensive system for guinea-pigs
Authors: Lane-Petter W. 
Published: May 2009

Guinea-pigs are suited to colony management, whether for breeding or maintenance, and single cages are only necessary when experimental or other requirements demand them.Floor pens are extravagant of space and open to criticism on grounds of hygiene.Wire floored pens, in batteries of four tiers, have many advantages, both in economy and hygiene, and are compatible with excellent health and breeding performance.Certain details in the design of such batteries are important; among them being the size of mesh of the wire floor, the avoidance of corners and ledges where soil can accumulate, and the observance of convenient dimensions.I first saw this method developed by an accredited guinea-pig breeder, Mr Ashton Poole, who has since given up breeding. Although the present battery is a far cry from Mr Poole's pens, the method is the same, and the unblemished health record of his very large stud over a period of some years was impressive. I am glad therefore to acknowledge my indebtedness to him.
Experiments with the Cyprus strain of blue-tongue virus: multiplication in the central nervous system of mice and complement fixation
Authors: van den Ende M. , Linder Anne , Kaschula V. R. 
Published: May 2009

The multiplication rate of blue-tongue virus in suckling and adult mouse brains has been determined. The first cycle of virus multiplication appears to take 8–12 hr. both in fully susceptible sucklings and in adults which suffer an inapparent infection with this virus.Antigens suitable for complement-fixation tests have been made from suckling mouse brains and from eggs infected with blue-tongue virus.A potent immune serum has been obtained from mice immunized by repeated intraperitoneal injections of blue-tongue virus in suckling mouse brain.Attempts, with negative results, have been made to demonstrate interference with virus multiplication by virus from eggs incubated at 38·5° C. and by virus from adult mouse brains.We are grateful to Dr R. Alexander for his helpful and critical interest in this work and to Mr G. S. Turner and Dr G. Selzer for their able and willing assistance.The Virus Research Unit is financed by the South African Council for Scientific and Industrial Research and by grants from the Nkana-Kitwe and Chingola Poliomyelitis Research Funds.
The carriage of Staphylococcus pyogenes var. aureus in the human nose
Authors: Gould J. C. , McKillop Elizabeth J. 
Published: May 2009

Over 500 medical students have been examined for nasal carriage of Staph. pyogenes at weekly intervals over a period ranging from 3 to 12 months.Nasal carriers were classified as persistent, intermittent and occasional. Of the students, 39% were persistent or intermittent carriers in whom the staphylococcus was believed to colonize the skin of the vestibule of the nose; 42% were occasional carriers in whom the staphylococcus was only a chance inhabitant of the nares.Staph. pyogenes was isolated from the anterior nares of persistent carriers on at least 90% of the occasions on which they were examined, and was of the same phage type on each occasion. From intermittent carriers it was isolated less regularly, but on at least 10% of occasions on which they were examined, and it remained of one phage type. Staph. pyogenes was isolated at less than 10% of swabbings from occasional carriers, and at each the organism was of a different phage type.Eighty-nine per cent of persistent and intermittent carrier strains, and 54% of occasional carrier strains could be typed with phage filtrates. The strains not typable with phage filtrates, and found predominantly among occasional carriers, were considered worthy of separate classification, and it is suggested that typability with phage be used as a criterion of pathogenicity for Staph. pyogenes.We wish to thank Prof. T. J. Mackie for his continued interest and advice; Dr J. P. Duguid for criticism and advice; Dr R. E. O. Williams and Miss Joan Rippon of the Staphylococcal Reference Laboratory, Colindale, who very kindly instructed one of us (J.C.G.) in bacteriophage typing; Dr Donald Cruickshank for taking nasal swabs from patients; Dr Cumming of the Blood Transfusion Department, Royal Infirmary, Edinburgh, for permission to swab blood donors, and the medical students who so willingly co-operated in this work.
The epidemiology of infection withPseudomonas pyocyaneain a burns unit
Authors: Lowbury E. J. L. , Fox Jean 
Published: May 2009

A bacteriological study of burned patients and of the staff and environment in a burns unit was made with the purpose of discovering the principal reservoirs and routes of transfer ofPs. pyocyanea.Infected burns appeared to be the most important reservoirs. About 3 % of the stools of normal subjects and of patients with intestinal symptoms carried the organism, which was also isolated from the nose, throat, nasopharynx, skin and ear of a small proportion of patients and staff in the burns wards.The hands of nurses in the wards were often contaminated withPs. pyocyanea, and presented a likely vector in the transfer of the organism by contact—e.g. from the bandages of infected patients, and from furniture and other objects near to their beds.It was shown by slide agglutination that a new type ofPs. pyocyaneaadmitted to one of the wards spread freely in that ward but hardly at all to the other ward. Since patients from both wards used the same dressing station and operating theatres, it seemed from this finding that a large proportion of the cross-infection occurred in the wards.Polymyxin dusting powder was shown in a controlled trial to protect exposed burns against contamination byPs. pyocyanea.These results are discussed in relation to the mechanism of transfer of the organism and the methods of preventing cross-infection. The need to use several methods concurrently is emphasized, since none of those which have been investigated contributes more than a partial effect. Cubicle wards are advocated, since much cross-infection is shown to occur in open wards.We are much indebted to Dr G. T. Cook for kindly letting us use results obtained by him at the Oxford Public Health Laboratory. We also wish to thank Prof. J. F. D. Shrewsbury of Birmingham University and our colleagues at the Birmingham Accident Hospital for their valuable co-operation, and Dr A. C. Cunliffe of King's College Hospital for information on the typing ofProteusfrom patients in our wards.
The poliomyelitis epidemic of 1937 in Denmark: Epidemiology and clinical statistics
Authors: Henningsen E. Juel , Rasch G. 
Published: May 2009

The poliomyelitis epidemic of 1937 in Denmark was investigated by means of information obtained about each individual case.It occurred in the usual season, culminating in September. The districts involved were limited largely to Zealand, including Copenhagen. It is of particular interest that the disease occurred also in rural districts that were the sites of similar epidemics in 1933 and 1934.It is noted as a peculiar fact that poliomyelitis seems to be unable to invade the whole of Denmark within one season.The 1937 epidemic comprised 1200 notified cases, of whom 599 developed paralysis and 113 died. Everything suggests that the number of non-paralytic cases was far greater than the number of cases notified. Influenza and angina were notified with striking frequency in the districts where poliomyelitis prevailed.The morbidity, frequency of paralysis and mortality were greater among males than among females.A change in the age distribution during the past 35 years is pointed out. In 1937, 30% of the patients were over 15 years, and about 14% over 20 years; of those who died 45% were over 15 years, 20% over 20 years.Convalescent serum was not employed in Copenhagen, but in the provinces 489 patients were treated with, and 400 without, serum. The principles of the treatment were the same as in 1934. Serum was given early in the disease, as a rule intravenously.
The bactericidal action of ultra-violet light
Authors: Lea D. E. , Haines R. B. 
Published: May 2009

Experiments on the bactericidal action of ultra-violet light have been made to determine the shape of the survival curve and the dependence upon radiation intensity of the rate of death.Bact. coli, Bact. prodigiosumand spores ofB. mesentericuswere irradiated with approximately monochromatic light of wave-length 2537 A. The survival curves obtained were exponential and the rate of death was accurately proportional to the intensity over an intensity range of 500:1.By comparing these results with data previously obtained of the action of X-rays on the same organisms it was established that one ionization produced by X-rays is as effective as some hundreds of ultra-violet quanta. This is interpreted to mean that the quantum yield in whatever chemical change leads to the loss of viability in the irradiated bacteria is, for 2537 A., between 0·01 and 0·001.
The pleuropneumonia-like organisms: further comparative studies and a descriptive account of recently discovered types
Authors: Klieneberger Emmy 
Published: May 2009

1. The four different L1 strains in the writer's possession isolated between 1933 and 1936 have been maintained for a further period without reverting to Streptobacillus moniliformis. The supposition that the L1 is a pleuro-pneumonia-like organism and lives in symbiosis with a bacterium in cultures of S. moniliformis is still maintained by the writer and the reasons for it are given.2. From a culture isolated from lesions in guinea-pigs and pathogenic for these animals called the “guinea-pig strain”, an L1-like organism of the pleuropneumonia group has been separated, but not yet been maintained for a long enough period to ensure irreversibility. The morphology of the “guinea-pig strain” shows that it is closely related to S. moniliformis though it can be distinguished from the latter by its cultural and pathogenic properties. The morphology of two other cultures, viz. a saprophytic coccus from the skin of a pig and the organism known as Fusobacterium nucleatum, have been described as possibly representing similar symbiotic associations of bacteria and pleuropneumonia-like organisms.3. Cultural and serological differences between the L4 causing arthritis, swollen glands and abscesses in rats, and the two other pleuropneumonia-like organisms from rats, L1 and L3, are recorded. It has been shown that the organisms occurring in the brains of mice, L5 and L6, and in the joint of a mouse, “M55”, are of aetiological significance for the condition in which they occur. At the same time they differ in their colony type, morphology and serological features.4. Morphological and serological studies of the saprophytic organisms of the pleuropneumonia group isolated by Laidlaw & Elford and Seiffert from water and soil show that Seiffert's organisms are closely related to Laidlaw & Elford's type “A”. In agreement with Laidlaw & Elford it was found that their type “B” is slightly different from “A” serologically, while “C” is distinct from “A” and “B” and may be regarded as a special type.These saprophytic types are not antigenically related to the parasitic varieties.
The distribution and significance of typhoid Vi agglutinins in normal sera of African natives
Authors: Davis L. J. 
Published: May 2009

1. 656 samples of sera taken at random from natives in Southern Rhodesia were examined for the presence of typhoid Vi agglutinins.2. Forty-nine or 7·47% were shown to contain Vi agglutinins in titres of 1 in 5 to 1 in 12·5.3. Samples of faeces and urine from twenty-six of the positive Vi reactors were cultured for Bact. typhosum, which was isolated from only one individual who was shown to be a chronic urinary carrier.4. The significance of these findings is discussed.