bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
A one-year survey of nosocomial bacteraemia at a Danish university hospital
Authors: Eliasen K. , Nielsen P. B. , Espersen F. 
Published: October 2009

SUMMARYA 1-year prospective study of nosocomial bacteraemia was performed at Hvidovre Hospital with special reference to frequency, focus of infection and prognosis. All patients were examined clinically in order to confirm the bacteraemia. In total, 98 hospital-acquired bacteraemias were observed, giving an incidence rate of 0·28%. Bacteraemia due to Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus and Staphylococcus epidermidis predominated. The overall mortality was 38%; 65% of the patients with S. aureus bacteraemia died, 25% due to the bacteraemia. The most common types of infection were urinary tract infections and intravenous catheter infections. Fifty-five of the bacteraemias were caused by foreign bodies, mostly urinary catheters and intravenous catheters, and in 14 cases the focus was unknown. The patient population was severely ill patients. We conclude that nosocomial bacteraemia occurs specially in severely ill patients often preceded by indwelling urinary or intravenous catheters. The patients seldom die due to the bacteraemia, but they die with concomitant bacteraemia.
Low incidence of campylobacter enteritis in Northern Ireland
Authors: Lafong A. C. , Bamford K. B. 
Published: October 2009

SUMMARYIn a prospective survey carried out over 9 months in 1984 in the Department of Bacteriology, Belfast City Hospital, Campylobacter jejuni was isolated from 24 out of 1200 faecal specimens (2%) from patients with acute diarrhoea. This isolation rate is much lower than that from other parts of mainland Britain which report an isolation rate of between 8 and 15%. It is difficult to explain this large discrepancy but the limited availability of unpasteurized milk and the generally worse summer here (fewer barbecues, picnics) may be some reasons to explain this low incidence in N. Ireland.
Bacteriological quality of drinks from vending machines
Authors: Hunter P. R. , Burge S. H. 
Published: October 2009

SUMMARYA survey on the bacteriological quality of both drinking water and flavoured drinks from coin-operated vending machines is reported. Forty-four per cent of 25 drinking water samples examined contained coliforms and 84% had viable counts of greater than 1000 organisms ml at 30 °C. Thirty-one flavoured drinks were examined; 6% contained coliforms and 39% had total counts greater than 1000 organisms ml. It is suggested that the D.H.S.S. code of practice on coin-operated vending machines is not being followed. It is also suggested that drinking water alone should not be dispensed from such machines.
Bacteriocin-like activity of group B and group C streptococci of human and of animal origin
Authors: Schofield Christine R. , Tagg J. R. 
Published: October 2009

SUMMARYAn inhibitor ‘fingerprinting’ technique was used to test 120 group B and 50 group C streptococcus strains for production of inhibitory activity. The incidence of inhibitor production was low. Five of 70 group B streptococci of animal origin and one of 50 from human sources consistently produced inhibitory activity. Six of 20 animal strains and three of 30 human strains of group C streptococci were inhibitor producers. These included twoStreptococcus dysgalactiae, threeS. equisimilisand fourS. zooepidemicus.The temperature of incubation and species of origin of the blood used in the culture medium were critical determinants of inhibitor production. Investigation of inhibitors for their spectrum of activity, heat stability, sensitivity to trypsin, dialysability and mode of action indicated that five of the group B and seven of the group C streptococci produced inhibitors that had bacteriocin-line properties. Three bovine strains of group B streptococci produced very similar inhibitory activity. A greater variety of bacteriocin-like substances was detected in the group C streptococcus strains. Two of theS. zooepidemicusstrains were each found to Produce more than one inhibitory substance.
Hydatid disease in the Western Isles
Authors: Chisholm Isobel L. , MacVicar M. J. , Williams H. 
Published: October 2009

SUMMARYAn investigation into the incidence of hydatid disease was carried out in the Hebridean islands of Lewis and Skye. The results showed that 20% of the sheep were infected and 10% of the dogs harboured Echinococcus granulosus. Sporadic human cases continue to occur but using serological tests we were unable to show evidence of subclinical infection in the population sampled.
A graded-dose study of inactivated, surface antigen influenza B vaccine in volunteers: reactogenicity, antibody response and protection to challenge virus infection
Authors: Goodeve A. , Potter C. W. , Clark A. , Jennings R. , Schild G. C. , Yetts R. 
Published: October 2009

SUMMARYOne hundred and nineteen volunteers were divided into five groups, and each volunteer inoculated subcutaneously with an aqueous subunit B/Hong Kong/73 vaccine containing 40, 20, 10, or 5 μg of HA or saline alone in a 0·5 ml volume. The incidence of reactions was recorded 24 h after inoculation. One month following immunization the serum HI antibody to B/Hong Kong/73 virus was measured; each volunteer was inoculated intranasally with live, attenuated influenza B (RB77) virus; and the incidence of infection by the challenge virus was determined by HI antibody response.The results showed that the incidence of reactions to all doses of vaccine were relatively low, the severity mild, and the duration short. However, the incidence of reactions was highest for those given 40 μg HA and least for those given 5 μg HA. The serum HI antibody responses to vaccine showed a dose-response relationship. For volunteers given 40 μg HA, 22 (96%) showed a fourfold rise in antibody titre and all volunteers had antibody titres of > 40 following immunization: for volunteers given 5 μg HA the g.m.t. increased from 16·6 to 86·1; and for those given 10 and 20 μg HA the response was intermediate. Following challenge, the lowest incidence of infection was seen in volunteers given the highest dose of vaccine. However, all doses of vaccine induced some protection against challenge virus infection, and the incidence of infection was directly related to the serum antibody titre at the time of challenge. The 50% protection titre of serum HI antibody was estimated as 15 to 20.
Hotting-up the complement-fixation test
Authors: Ronalds C. J. , Hardiman A. E. , Griffiths P. D. 
Published: October 2009

SUMMARYA detailed investigation into the effect of modifying the incubation temperature of the complement-fixation (CF) test is described. For varicella-zoster virus cytomegalovirus and rubella virus, increasing the incubation temperature progressively increased the sensitivity of the CF test to reach a maximum at 15°C, at which temperature the geometric mean titre of seropositive samples was significantly greater than that found at 4°C. For these three viruses, each serum shown to contain IgG antibodies by ultrasensitive radioimmunoassay procedures was detected by CF following incubation at 15°C. No false-positive reactions occurred at 15°C, but it was our impression that anticomplementary activity was enhanced at this temperature. Significant increases in antibody titre at 15°C were also seen when measles virus, respiratory syncytial virus, adenovirus andMycoplasma pneumoniaewere employed as CF antigens. The results demonstrate that the CF test should be performed at 15°C if optimum sensitivity is to be achieved. The ability of the test to detect significant rises in antibody titre was not impaired at the higher incubation temperature.
A prevalence study of antibodies toLegionellaspp. in geriatric institutions
Authors: Boldur I. , Ergaz M. , Sompolinsky D. 
Published: October 2009

SUMMARYThe prevalence of scropositivity toLegionellaspp. was studied in inmates and staff members of two geriatric hospitals (Rahel and Sinai); attendants to a geriatric Day Club; and 26 old people with entirely independent households. The sera were examined by indirect immunofluorescence with antigens of sixLegionellaspecies (L. pneumophila, L. longbeachae, L. micdadei, L. gormanii, L. dumoffiiandL. bozemanii). A titre of ≥ 256 to at least one antigen was obtained in 30·5% of patients and 35·7% of staff members from Rahel; 12·1% of patients and 17·2% of staff members from Sinai; 9·1% of attendants to the Day Club; and none of 26 old people with their own households. All the positive patients from Rahel reacted withL. pneumophila, but only four of seven of the positive patients from Sinai did so; none of the seropositive subjects from the Day Club reacted with this agent.The results indicate intramural exposure to agents of legionellosis, at least for the Rahel Hospital.
Growth and survival characteristics ofCampylobacter jejuniin liquid egg
Authors: Hänninen M. L. , Korkeala H. , Pakkala P. 
Published: October 2009

SUMMARYGrowth and survival of fourCampylobacter jejunistrains in yolk, in liquid whole egg and in white during aerobic storage at 37, 20 and 4 °C was followed. In 48 h at 37 °C the coll counts ofC. jejuniincreased by about 3 log10units in yolk and 1·60–3·3510log units in liquid whole egg. The growth ofC. jejuniwas slightly better in yolk than in liquid whole egg. At 20 °C during 48 h the cell counts decreased by about 0·5–1·5 log10units in yolk and in liquid whole egg. At 4 °C the decrease in cell counts after 21 days ranged from 1 to 2 log10units, except for one strain, KH 3, which could not be detected after 14 days storage in yolk. In liquid whole egg the cell counts of this strain also decreased considerably during storage.In white the number of inoculatedC. jejunicells decreased rapidly. The killing effect of white was shown to be temperature-dependent; at 37 and 20 °C no positive samples were detected after 24 h and at 4 °C no positive samples were found after 48 h.
Intra-uterine transmission of cytomegalovirus in women known to be immune before conception
Authors: Griffiths P. D. , Baboonian C. 
Published: October 2009

SUMMARYA prospective study identified 785 pregnant women who had been shown to possess complement fixing antibodies against cytomegalovirus (CMV) during a previous pregnancy. As these women were thus known to have been immune prior to their subsequent conception, their neonates were examined for evidence of congenital CMV infection. Specimens were obtained from 725(92%) of the neonatcs and congenital infection was found in only one (0·14%). The elder sister of the infected child was also shown, by retrospective testing of her stored cord serum for specific IgM antibodies, to have been infectedin utero. Thus, one woman was identified who had delivered consecutive siblings congenitally infected with CMV. We conclude that some women have a propensity for intra-uterine transmission of CMV, despite being immune prior to conception, and speculate that such women may have acquired their infections perinatally.
A micro immune haemolysis test for rubella antibody screening
Authors: Murray H. G. S. 
Published: October 2009

SUMMARYA micro test for the detection of rubella IgG antibody by passive haemolysis in free solution (MIH) is presented. The technique is reproducible, sensitive, simple to perform and economical in the use of reagents. Identical results were obtained in all but one of 408 tests on serum specimens screened for rubella antibody at 15 i.u./ml by the MIH and haemagglutination inhibition (HI) techniques. The quantitative potential of the MIH test and the relative merits of the MIH, HI and radial haemolysis (RH) procedures for rubella screening are discussed.
Influenza A: infection and reinfection
Authors: Davies J. R. , Grilli E. A. , Smith A. J. 
Published: October 2009

SUMMARYTwenty-nine boys in a boarding school were present during a large outbreak of influenza A H1N1 in 1978 when 27 were infected, 21 with clinical influenza. These boys were bled annually and were still in school when another outbreak of influenza A H1N1 occurred in 1983. Twentythree of them were reinfected but only nine had symptoms. These results are compared with the experience of a similar group of boys in the early years of the influenza A H3N2 era.
Corynebacterium ulcerans in humans and cattle in North Devon
Authors: Hart R. J. C. 
Published: October 2009

SUMMARYA case of Corynebacterium ulcerans sore throat in a community that drank raw milk from its own farm led to the discovery of another symptomless human infection. Eight cows in the herd were found to be infected and the intermittent pattern of excretion was demonstrated in another cow followed through its lactation. Further evidence of milk infected by C. ulcerans was found by examining all raw milk samples submitted to the laboratory. Two other human cases were diagnosed in Devon during the period of this investigation.
The pathogenic properties ofFusobacteriumandBacteroidesspecies from wallabies and other sources
Authors: Smith G. R. , Oliphant Janet C. , Parsons R. 
Published: October 2009

SUMMARYIntracerebral inoculation was more effective than intraperitoneal, intravenous or subcutaneous inoculation as a means of producing lethal infections withFusobacterium necrophorumin mice. Strains varied in virulence but, of five examined, two had LD50 values as low asca. 8000 and 14000 viable organisms. Profuse bacterial multiplication in the brain was demonstrated. Intravenous vaccination with a single large dose of heat-killed whole culture or washed bacterial cells failed to protect against intracerebral challenge.Intracerebral injection of other fusobacteria (F. nucleatum, F. variumandF. necrogenes) and of 22 strains belonging to 10Bacteroidesspp. was without apparent effect on mice, except for a slight transient illness in some animals givenB. fragilis. This organism (five strains) differed from the otherBacteroidesspp. tested, which included eight strains belonging to the fragilis group, in being eliminated more slowly from the mouse brain – a point that may be relevant to the special pathogenicity ofB. fragilisin endogenous infections in man. There was no evidence thatB. fragilismultiplied in the brain or that intravenous vaccination with a large dose of heat-killed homologous culture affected the rate at which it was eliminated.
Serological evaluation of an influenza A virus cold-adapted reassortant live vaccine, CR-37 (H1N1), in Japanese adult volunteers
Authors: Yamane N. , Nakamura Y. , Yuki M. , Odagiri T. , Ishida N. 
Published: October 2009

SUMMARYA cold-adapted influenza A virus, CR-37 (H1N1), derived from genetic reassortment between A/Ann Arbor/6/60 (H2N2) cold-adapted variant virus and A/California/10/78 (H1N1) wild-type virus, was tested in Japanese adult volunteers. The CR-37 live virus preparation induced only low-grade clinical reactionsin volunteers for the first 3–4 days after inoculation. Two vaccinees who did not show any antibody changes became febrile (over 38–0 °C). Skin tests using the vaccine preparation and uninfected allantoic fluid were performed, and indicated that one of these two vaccinees was positive for the CR-37 vaccine preparation. A high proportion of the vaccinees whose sera had a haemagglutination-inhibition (HI) antibody titre against thevaccine strain of ≤ 64 before inoculation, seroconverted in both HI and neuraminidase-inhibition (NA1) antibody titrations, and only a few seroconverted in the titration of antibody against type-specific internal antigens. The serological examinations against heterotypic H1N1 variants indicated that the cold-adapted live influenza virus vaccine could induce a broad spectrum of HI antibody reactivity and immunity of long duration.
Large outbreaks of Clostridium perfringens food poisoning associated with the consumption of boiled salmon
Authors: Hewitt J. H. , Begg N. , Hewish J. , Rawaf S. , Stringer M. , Theodore-Gandi Bernadette 
Published: October 2009

SUMMARYFive large outbreaks of food poisoning are described in which clinical, epidemiological or laboratory data indicated Clostridium perfringens as the causative organism. The foodstuff common to all incidents was boiled salmon served cold as an hors d'oeuvre. In all cases the fish had been subject to a long period of cooling or storage between boiling and consumption. It is thought that multiplication of the organism occurred during this time.Recommendations are made for the avoidance of further similar incidents.
Endotoxin removal from water using microporous polyethylene chopped fibres as a new adsorbent
Authors: Sawada Yosuke , Fujii Reiko , Igami Ikuo , Kawai Atsushi , Kamiki Teruo , Niwaf Makoto 
Published: October 2009

SUMMARYA new adsorbent, microporous polyethylene chopped fibre, was produced from a high density polyethylene. This can adsorb lipopolysaccharides (LPS) linearly up to 2 h, and showed the highest capacity to adsorb LPS when compared with two other polyethylene-based adsorbents and a polystyrene-based adsorbent. More than twice as much orange II and 4-nitroquinoline N oxide were adsorbed in the new adsorbent as was LPS. The adsorption isotherm of the new adsorbent for LPS was of Ln type, the correlation between adsorption and concentration of solute was proportional; whereas orange II and 4-nitroquinoline N oxide were of L type (greater adsorption than Ln type); tetrachloroethylene adsorption was of S type, less than Ln type. Adsorption of LPS to the new adsorbent increased when temperature rose, whereas adsorption of orange II and 4-nitroquinoline N oxide decreased. These data suggest that the binding of LPS to the new adsorbent is a hydrophobic interaction, whereas the binding of both orange II and 4-nitroquinoline N oxide is not. The new adsorbent has a greater potential for the removal of endotoxin from tap water than other commercially available adsorbents such as charcoal and Amberlite XAD-2.
Salmonella gold-coast from outbreaks of food-poisoning in the British Isles can be differentiated by plasmid profiles
Authors: Threlfall E. J. , Hall M. L. M. , Rowe B. 
Published: October 2009

SUMMARYFour distinctive plasmid profile types have been identified in strains of Salmonella gold-coast isolated in Britain. Strains of one type, designated plasmid profile type 4, caused an extensive outbreak of food-poisoning in 1984, and it has been confirmed that the vehicle of infection was imported French pâté.
Chemical disinfection of human rotavirus-contaminated inanimate surfaces
Authors: Lloyd-Evans Nellie , Springthorpe V. Susan , Sattar Syed A. 
Published: October 2009

SUMMARYFomites may play a role in the transmission of rotavirus infections, and in view of this, 27 disinfectants were evaluated for their ability to inactivate human rotavirus (HRV) on contaminated non-porous inanimate surfaces. Disks of stainless steel, glass and two types of plastics were contaminated with about 107 plaque-forming units of HRV suspended in faecal matter. The inoculum was allowed todry and an equal volume of the product under test was applied to the contaminated surface. After contact for 1 min, the action of the disinfectant was stopped by dilution. Surviving infectious virus on the disks was determined by plaque assay in MA-104 cells. A product was considered to be effective if itcould reduce the virus titre by at least 3 log10. Only 33·3% (9/27) of the formulations tested proved to be effective. Further testing of the effective products, which included antiseptics, instrument soaks and hard-surface disinfectants, showed that all of them could, in fact, reduce the virus titre on contaminated surfaces by at least 6 log10. These findings show the relative resistance of HRV to a widerange of chemical disinfectants in common use, and also emphasize the need for a more thorough evaluation of the virucidal potential of formulations regularly employed in attempts to prevent and control outbreaks of rotaviral diarrhoea.
The inactivation of a bovine enterovirus and a bovine parvovirus in cattle manure by anaerobic digestion, heat treatment, gamma irradiation, ensilage and composting
Authors: Monteith H. D. , Shannon E. E. , Derbyshire J. B. 
Published: October 2009

SUMMARYA bovine enterovirus and a bovine parvovirus seeded into liquid cattle manure were rapidly inactivated by anaerobic digestion under thermophilic conditions (55°C), but the same viruses survived for up to 13 and 8 days respectively under mesophilic conditions (35°C). The enterovirus was inactivated in digested liquid manure heated to 70°C for 30 min, but the parvovirus was not inactivated by this treatment. The enterovirus, seeded into single cell protein (the solids recovered by centrifugation of digested liquid manure), was inactivated by a gamma irradiation dose of 1·0 Mrad, but the parvovirus survived this dose. When single cell protein seeded with bovine enterovirus or bovine parvovirus was ensiled with cracked corn, the enterovirus was inactivated after a period of 30 days, while the parvovirus survived for 30 days in one of two experiments. Neither the enterovirus nor the parvovirus survived composting for 28 days in a thermophilic aerobic environment when seeded into the solid fraction of cattle manure. It was concluded that, of the procedures tested, only anaerobic digestion under thermophilic conditions appeared to be a reliable method of viral inactivation to ensure the safety of single cell protein for refeeding to livestock. Composting appeared to be a suitable method for the disinfection of manure for use as a soil conditioner.
An outbreak of psittacosis in a boys' boarding school
Authors: Pether J. V. S. , Noah N. D. , Lau Y. K. , Taylor J. A. , Bowie J. C. 
Published: October 2009

SummaryIn 1980, an outbreak of a mild illness involving twenty pupils and four adults in a boys' boarding school was identified serologically as psittacosis. Intensive epidemiological investigations did not uncover the source. It is suggested either that sources of chlamydia other than avian exist, which may produce a milder illness than the avian type, or that human-to-human spread of a mild form of chlamydiosis occurs.
A study of the spread ofCampylobacter jejuniin four large kitchens
Authors: Dawkins H. C. , Bolton F. J. , Hutchinson D. N. 
Published: October 2009

SummaryCampylobacters were sought in swabs taken from work surfaces, sinks and floors of four kitchens–i.e. hospital, university, cook-freeze and commercial, processing frozen or fresh chickens. Each kitchen was visited on four occasions. In the large commercial kitchen environmental contamination was found on each visit, whereas campylobacters were isolated on six of the twelve visits to the other kitchens. The hands of operatives were contaminated with campylobacters on only two of the 45 swabs taken during processing. Cleaning with detergent and hot water (or steam) and drying appears to be sufficient to remove the organism from the environment.Evidence of carriage of campylobacters by the birds was obtained on all 16 visits. In the three kitchens where only frozen birds were used the organism was isolated from 30% and 9·8% of swabs taken from the internal and external surfaces respectively, while 41 % of giblets and 22·2% of thawed juices yielded campylobacters. The external surface of 30 (88%) of 34 fresh birds grew campylobacters.