bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Immunomagnetic separation as a sensitive method for isolatingEscherichia coliO157 from food samples
Authors: Wright D. J. , Chapman P. A. , Siddons C. A. 
Published: May 2009

SUMMARYMinced beef samples inoculated withEscherichia coliO157 were cultured in buffered peptone water supplemented with vancomycin, cefsulodin and cefixime (BPW-VCC) and subcultured to cefixime tellurite sorbitol MacConkey (CT-SMAC) agar both directly and after immunomagnetic separation (IMS) of the organism with magnetic beads coated with an antibody againstE. coliO157 (Dynabeads anti-E. coli0157, Dynal, Oslo).E. coliO157 was recovered from initial inocula of 200 organisms/g by direct subculture and 2 organisms/g by IMS. Twelve strains ofE. coli0157 of different combinations of phage type, H antigen and toxin genotype were all recovered from initial inocula of two organisms/g by IMS. Nonspecific binding of other organisms to the magnetic beads could be reduced by washing of the beads in PBS with Tween-20 0·002–0.005%E. coliO157 was not bound by magnetic coated with an unrelated antibody.During investigation of a dairy herd that was possibly linked to a small outbreak of infection withE. coliO157, the organism was isolated from 2 of 279 forestream milk samples from individual cattle; both isolates were made only by the IMS technique. IMS is rapid, technically simple, and a specific method for isolation ofE. coliO157 and will be useful in epidemiological studies.
Molecular epidemiology of recent United Kingdom isolates ofNeisseria meningitidisserogroup C
Authors: Yakubu D. E. , Abadi F. J. R. , Pennington T. H. 
Published: May 2009

SUMMARYThe genomes of 34 recent United Kingdom isolates ofNeisseria meningitidisserogroup C were examined by restriction enzyme digestion and by conventional and pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE). Strains were assigned to groups on the basis of the Dice similarity coefficient; strains with values of >92% were considered to be clonally related. Twelve clones were identified by PFGE. Strains of two clonal groups predominated. Restriction endonuclease analyses using the ‘high frequency cleavage’ endonucleaseStuI and conventional electrophoresis gave 11 groups; in general it had lower resolving power than PFGE.
The distribution of Akabane virus in the Middle East
Authors: Taylor W. P. , Mellor P. S. 
Published: May 2009

SUMMARYSerological evidence was used to confirm an outbreak of Akabane disease in cattle in the Turkish Province of Aydin in 1980. Thereafter, serum collections from the Middle East were screened for the presence of neutralizing antibodies to Akabane virus. The results indicate that the virus was present in a number of provinces on the south Turkish coast in 1979 and 1980 but that it probably did not persist into 1981; the virus had also been present on Cyprus in 1980 and on at least one previous occasion. There was also evidence of limited virus transmission in the Orontes river valley in Syria in 1979 and less precise evidence to show that occasional infection occurred in the lower Jordan river valley. The failure of Akabane virus to persist in southern Turkey for more than two years indicates that this area is open to epidemic rather than endemic infection. The presence of neutralizing antibodies in the eastern Turkish Provinces of Gaziantep and Diyarbakir suggests that this might be the route whereby Akabane virus occasionally invades the Middle East region.
Clonal analysis and virulence of Australian isolates ofStreptococcus suistype 2
Authors: Mwaniki C. G. , Robertson I. D. , Trott D. J. , Atyeo R. F. , Lee B. J. , Hampson D. J. 
Published: May 2009

SUMMARYMultilocus enzyme electrophoresis was used to divide 124 Australian isolates ofStreptococcus suistype 2 into 17 electrophoretic types (ETs). Isolates in ET 1 were the most frequent cause of disease amongst Western Australian pigs, but isolates of ET 8 were more commonly associated with disease in other Australian states. Multiple isolates from 10 of 19 farms all belonged to the same ET, whilst isolates from the other farms belonged to between 2 and 4 different ETs. Some isolates could be differentiated further by DNA restriction endonuclease analysis, whilst others with the same restriction pattern were located in different, but closely-related ETs. Fourteen isolates were tested for their virulence in mice. Most caused disease if given in high numbers, but isolates in ET 1 were virulent at lower dose rates. This virulent clone also was distinguished by the fact that 80% of isolates produced extracellular factor (EF).
Population genetics ofMycobacterium tuberculosiscomplex in Scotland analysed by pulsed-field gel electrophoresis
Authors: Olson E. S. , Forbes K. J. , Watt B. , Pennington T. H. 
Published: May 2009

SUMMARYThe results of typing of 121 strains in theMycobacterium tuberculosiscomplex by PFGE are presented. Every isolate from patients in Scotland over a 3-month period forM. tuberculosisand for 1 year forM. boviswere included along with several laboratory strains including those of BCG. The PFGE results suggest that the population structure of all the strains in this complex is distinctly simple with limited genetic diversity and also suggest thatM. bovisis not a distinct species.
The epidemiology ofHaemophilus influenzaetype b disease in the Republic of Ireland
Authors: Fogarty J. , Moloney A. C. , Newell J. B. 
Published: May 2009

SUMMARYA 2-year case-control study was conducted to describe the epidemiology ofHaemophilus influenzaetype b (Hib) and investigate Hib disease risk factors in the Republic of Ireland. Between October 1991 and September 1993, 149 laboratory confirmed incident cases were matched with community controls. Annual Hib disease incidence was 25·4 per 100000 children under 5 years, with peak incidence (65·8 per 100000) in the 6–11 months age-group. Meningitis was the predominant clinical condition. Twenty-four (16·1%) isolates were resistant to ampicillin. Crèche or day-care attendance and the presence of chronic illness emerged as risk factors for Hib disease. Empirical first line treatment for suspected Hib infection warrants alternatives to ampicillin such as cefotaxime. Completed immunization with Hib conjugate vaccine by 6 months of age is required for maximum disease prevention. Until all children are receiving Hib vaccine on schedule, those who are crèche or day-care attendees and those with chronic illness should be prioritized for timely immunization.
Feasibility study for identifying adverse events attributable to vaccination by record linkage
Authors: Nash J. Q. , Chandrakumar M. , Farrington C. P. , Williamson S. , Miller E. 
Published: May 2009

SUMMARYTo investigate the feasibility of using a record linkage method for identifying vaccine attributable adverse events, computerized hospital admissions and vaccination records from South East Kent district were linked and checked for accuracy. Records for 90% of children under 2 years of age admitted to hospital over a 2-year period were matched with vaccination records using a computer algorithm based on name, date of birth, sex, and post-code supplemented by visual inspection. Relative to this gold standard, matching on date of birth, sex and postcode alone had a sensitivity of 60% and an incorrect match rate of 0·2% after matches to more than one vaccine recipient were excluded. Manual checking of a sample of admissions showed that only 4% had been assigned incorrect International Classification of Disease (ICD) codes. Routine record linkage of ICD admission codes to vaccination records therefore yields data of good quality which may be used for surveillance purposes.
Serological studies of influenza viruses in pigs in Great Britain 1991–2
Authors: Brown I. H. , Harris P. A. , Alexander D. J. 
Published: May 2009

SUMMARYSamples from a sow serum bank representative of the pig population of Great Britain collected during 1991–2, were examined for antibodies to influenza A, B and C viruses, using viruses which had been isolated from a variety of hosts. For influenza A viruses there was evidence of the continued circulation of ‘classical swine’ H1N1 virus (26%) seroprevalence), and human H3N2 viruses (39%) which are antigenically most closely-related to A/Port Chalmers/1/73 virus. In addition antibodies were detected to A/swine/England/201635/92 (8%), a strain of H3N2 virus which appears to have arisen by antigenic drift from conventional H3N2 swine strains. Specific antibodies (2%) were detected to an H1N1 virus (A/swine/England/195852/92) related most closely to avian H1N1 strains. In tests with human H1N1 and H3N2 viruses, excluding isolates from pigs, the highest seroprevalence was detected to the prevailing strains from the human population. Serological tests with avian H4 and H10, human H2, equine 1 and 2 influenza A viruses were all negative. Seven pigs seropositive by haemagglutination-inhibition, virus neutralization and immunoblotting assays for antibody to influenza B virus, were randomly distributed geographically suggesting that influenza B viruses may be transmitted to pigs but fail to spread. The seroprevalence to influenza C viruses was 9·9% indicating that these viruses are widespread in pigs. These results provide further evidence that the pig can be infected by a number of influenza viruses, some of which may have significance in the epidemiology of human influenza.
Foodborne outbreaks caused by salmonella in Italy, 1991–4
Authors: Scuderi G. , Fantasia M. , Filetici E. , Anastasio M. P. 
Published: May 2009

SUMMARYThis report summarizes studies on 1699 foodborne outbreaks, in Italy, reported to theIstituto Superiore di Sanità(ISS) (the National Institute of Health of Italy, Rome) during the period 1991–4. The most frequently reported foodborne outbreaks were caused by salmonellae (81%), in particular bySalmonella enteritidisand non-serotyped group D salmonella (34% and 33% of the total salmonella outbreaks, respectively). A vehicle was implicated in 69% of the salmonella outbreaks; eggs were implicated in 77% of the outbreaks for which a vehicle was identified or suspected. Salmonella strains isolated in 54 outbreaks were studied for phenotypic and genotypic characteristics. The isolates belonged toS. enteritidis(50 outbreaks),S. typhimurium(three outbreaks) andS. hadar(one outbreak). In theS. enteritidisoutbreaks, phage type 4 was most frequently isolated (64·8%), followed by phage type 1 (14·8%). The virulence plasmid of 38 megadaltons was found in many different phage types ofS. enteritidis.
Changing epidemiology of cholera due toVibrio choleraeO1 and O139 Bengal in Dhaka, Bangladesh
Authors: Faruque A. S. G. , Fuchs G. J. , Albert M. J. 
Published: May 2009

SUMMARYAt the International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research, Bangladesh (ICDDR, B) Dhaka we studied the trends in cholera for the period January 1992 to May 1995.Vibrio choleraeO139 Bengal emerged as a second aetiologic agent of cholera in Dhaka in January 1993. In 1993, the majority of cholera cases was due toV. choleraeO139, withV. choleraeO1 accounting for a small proportion of cases. During the latter part of the study period (Jan 1994–May 1995),V. choleraeO1 re-emerged as the predominant cholera strain. The predominant age group affected in endemic cholera due toV. choleraeO1 was children 2–9 years old, and the organism was isolated from more females than from males at all ages. In contrast, cholera due toV. choleraeO139 caused disease mostly in adults 15 years and older, which indicated that this organism was new in this population. As withV. choleraeO1,V. choleraeO139 was isolated from more females than males. The initial rapid emergence and predominance ofV. choleraeO139 was considered possibly to herald the start of the eighth pandemic of cholera. However, just after a year, the prevalence ofV. choleraeO139 decreased dramatically withV. choleraeO1 resuming the role of the dominant cholera strain. The factor(s) contributing to the dramatic decline in prevalence ofV. choleraeO139 is not well understood.
Phage typing and drug resistance ofShigella sonneiisolated in England and Wales
Authors: Bentley C. A. , Frost J. A. , Rowe B. 
Published: May 2009

SUMMARYPhage typing ofShigella sonneihas been used to examine isolates from the 1991–2 sonnei dysentery outbreak in England and Wales and compare them with strains isolated during and following a widespread foodborne outbreak in 1994 which was associated with consumption of imported lettuce. The distribution of phage types was different in the three periods studied with PT 3 predominating during 1991–2, PT 2 during the ‘lettuce’ outbreak in the summer months and PT 6 during the subsequent months. PT 6 was frequently associated with travel outside the UK. Variation was also seen in the distribution of drug resistance patterns.
A school outbreak of parvovirus B19 infection investigated using salivary antibody assays
Authors: Rice P. S. , Cohen B. J. 
Published: May 2009

SUMMARYAn outbreak of parvovirus B19 infection at a primary school was investigated using saliva samples. Antibody capture immunoassays for salivary B19 IgG and IgM were developed using a recombinant B19 antigen and monoclonal antibody to B19 virus. Evaluation of the salivary IgG assay using paired serum and saliva samples from 43 staff at St Thomas' Hospital showed that it had a sensitivity of 100% and a specificity of 95%. Evaluation of the salivary B19 IgM assay using 87 paired blood and saliva samples from a study of general practitioner rubella notifications showed it had a sensitivity of 60% and a specificity of 98%. Using the salivary assay the level of B19 IgG within 2 weeks of the start of the outbreak ranged from 5–33% in children and 29% in staff. By detecting salivary B19 IgM and/or B19 IgG seroconversions, attack rates of 8–50 % in children in different classes and 47 % in staff were observed. Household transmission was also studied and an attack rate of 45 % was recorded in 11 susceptibles. After the outbreak, the level of B19 IgG in children with the highest attack rates was 60–70%, similar to that seen in adults in the UK. This study highlights the risk of B19 infection in an institutional setting and shows that saliva samples are a useful alternative to blood.
Outbreaks of Norwalk-like virus-associated gastroenteritis traced to shellfish: coexistence of two genotypes in one specimen
Authors: Sugieda M. , Nakajima K. , Nakajima S. 
Published: May 2009

SUMMARYWe determined the nucleotide sequences of Norwalk-like viruses in 10 PCR products from stool or oyster specimens obtained from four outbreaks of gastroenteritis in which shellfish was suspected as the cause in Shizuoka prefecture in Japan between 1987–94. The sequences were determined from nucleotide positions 4561–852 (292 bp) in the polymerase region. Two types of sequences were detected. One (genotype 1) had 87% sequence homology with the prototype Norwalk virus, and the other (genotype 2) had 59 % sequence homology. The sequences from isolates belonging to the same genotype were almost the same regardless of the year of isolation. Because sequences of 2 genotypes were detected in 2 of the 4 outbreaks, nested PCR was performed with genotype-specific primers to detect the presence of 2 genotypes in the same specimen. In 5 of 10 specimens, PCR bands were detected with both genotype-specific primers, indicating the coexistence of 2 genotypes in 1 specimen. We also detected two genotypes of Norwalk-like virus in an oyster from a sample implicated in one of the outbreaks which may provide direct evidence of oysters as the cause of the gastroenteritis.
Investigation of tick-borne viruses as pathogens of humans in South Africa and evidence of Dugbe virus infection in a patient with prolonged thrombocytopenia
Authors: Burt F. J. , Spencer D. C. , Leman P. A. , Patterson B. , Swanepoel R. 
Published: May 2009

SUMMARYIn the course of investigating suspected cases of viral haemorrhagic fever in South Africa patients were encountered who had been bitten by ticks, but who lacked evidence of infection with Crimean–Congo haemorrhagic fever (CCHF) virus or non-viral tick-borne agents. Cattle sera were tested by enzyme-linked immunoassay to determine whether tick-borne viruses other than CCHF occur in the country. The prevalence of antibody in cattle sera was 905/2116 (42·8%) for CCHF virus, 70/1358 (5·2%) for Dugbe, 21/1358 (1·5%) for louping ill, 6/450 (1·3%) for West Nile, 7/1358 (0·5%) for Nairobi sheep disease, 3/625 (0·5%) for Kadam and 2/450 (0·4%) for Chenuda. No reactions were recorded with Hazara, Bahig, Bhanja, Thogoto and Dhori viruses. The CCHF findings confirmed previous observations that the virus is widely prevalent within the distribution range of ticks of the genusHyalomma, while antibody activity to Dugbe antigen was detected only within the distribution range of the tickAmblyomma hebraeum. Cross-reactivity for the nairoviruses, Hazara, Nairobi sheep disease and Dugbe, was detected in serum samples from 3/72 human patients with confirmed CCHF infection, and serum from 1/162 other patients reacted monospecifically with Dugbe antigen. The latter patient suffered from febrile illness with prolonged thrombocytopenia.
An abattoir-based study of the prevalence of subclinical Johne's disease in adult cattle in south west England
Authors: Çetinkaya B. , Egan K. , Harbour D. A. , Morgan K. L. 
Published: May 2009

SUMMARYThe prevalance of subclinical Johne's disease was estimated in adult cattle slaughtered at three major abattoirs in south west England. A polymerase chain reaction (PCR) based on IS900 was used to detectMycobacterium paratuberculosisin intestinal lymph nodes of 1553 cattle. Culture was also carried out on all PCR positive and inconclusive samples. The prevalence of subclinical disease in adult cattle was 3·5% (95% confidence intervals (CI) 2·6–4·7) by PCR and 2·6% (CI 1·8–3·6) by culture. The proportion of the disease in each month ranged from 1·6% (CI 0·2–5·5) in April to 4·6% (CI 2·8–6·9) in November, but the difference was not significant (P> 0·05). The proportion of PCR positive lymph nodes in each abattoir ranged from 2·8% (CI 1·6–4·6) to 4·9% (CI 2·9–7·6), this difference was not significant either (P> 0·05). The prevalence in young cattle was 2·0% (CI 0·6–4·5). The difference between age groups was not statistically significant (P> 0·05).
The haematological values of European badgers (Meles meles) in health and in the course of tuberculosis infection
Authors: Mahmood K. H. , Stanford J. L. , Machin S. , Watts M. , Stuart F. A. , Pritchard D. G. 
Published: May 2009

SUMMARYCaptive, healthy, adult badgers have blood containing haemoglobin at 13·3 g/dl, and 8·4×1012/l red cells with an MCV of 46·2 f1 and an MCH of 15·6 pg. They have 5·1×109 white cells/1 of which 3·29×109 are polymorphs, 1·49×109 are lymphocytes, 0·26×109 are monocytes, 0·07×109 are eosinophils and 0·01×109 are basophils. These values are somewhat less in adult animals just trapped from the wild, and are lower still in wild cubs.Changes associated with tuberculosis are a rise, and then a fall in red blood count and white blood count, an increase in the proportion of polymorphs and momocytes and a fall in lymphocytes late in the disease. This picture is similar to that seen in widespread, disseminated, tuberculin negative, tuberculosis in humans, a type of disease similar to that occurring in many badgers.BCG vaccination of badgers did not produce any measurable change in the blood picture.
Food poisoning due to the consumption of red whelks (Neptunea antiqua)
Authors: Reid T. M. S. , Gould I. M. , Mackie I. M. , Ritchie A. H. , Hobbs G. 
Published: May 2009

SUMMARYTwo incidents of toxin-type food poisoning in N.E. Scotland associated with the consumption of red whelks (Neptunea antiqua) are described. Four patients developed symptoms within 1 h of consuming whole whelks. These included visual distrubances—double vision and difficulty in focusing-ingling of the fingers, prostration and in one subject nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea and ataxia. In all cases recovery was complete in 24 h. Using a newly developed analytical technique the concentration of the causative toxin, tetramine, in the salivary glands of the whelks consumed was estimated at 0.07%, equivalent to a content of 3.75mg/100g of the shellfish.
Listeria faecal carriage by renal transplant recipients, haemodialysis patients and patients in general practice: its relation to season, drug therapy, foreign travel, animal exposure and diet
Authors: MacGowan A. P. , Marshall R. J. , Mackay I. M. , Reeves D. S. 
Published: May 2009

SUMMARYAbout 2·3% (16/700) of faecal specimens from renal transplant recipients and patients having home haemodialysis as well as patients attending their general practitioners with symptoms of gastroenteritis yieldedListeriaspecies 40% of positive faeces contained more than oneListeriaspecies or serovar. The proportion of positive specimens was similar in all three patient groups. Listeria were isolated from 5·6% (10/177) of renal transplant recipients on one or more occasions over the period of a year. The commonest species wasL. monocytogenesand type 4b the commonest serovar. Carriage was more common in July and August than other times of year, and less than 28 weeks in duration. In renal transplant recipients carriage was positively related to treatment with ranitidine, consumption of more than three types of cheese in the previous 20 months, and consumption of English cheddar cheese more than once per week.
Bacteriophage as models for virus removal from Pacific oysters (Crassostrea gigas) during re-laying
Authors: Humphrey T. J. , Martin K. 
Published: May 2009

SummaryA study was undertaken to examine the feasibility of using naturally-occurring bacteriophages to assess the impact of re-laying on levels of viral contamination inCrassostrea gigas, the Pacific oyster. Two phages were chosen. One, male-specific (F+), was enumerated usingSalmonella typhimurium. The other, a somatic phage, was detected using an, as yet, uncharacterizedEscherichia coli. Investigations, using a variety of re-laying sites, demonstrated that numbers of F+ phage in oyster tissue declined more rapidly than those of somatic phage. For example, in oysters placed in commercially-used sea water ponds, F+ phage reached undetectable levels within 2–3 weeks, whereas somatic phage could still be detected 5 weeks after re-laying. The studies suggest that F+ phage may not be a suitable indicator for virus removal and that somatic phage may be better suited to this role.
Influenza immunization; vaccine offer, request and uptake in high-risk patients during the 1991/2 season
Authors: Nguyen-Van-Tam J. S. , Nicholson K. G. 
Published: May 2009

SummaryCurrent levels of influenza vaccine uptake in patients considered to be at high risk have been determined by means of a questionnaire survey. During March–April 1992, information was sought from 624 patients in Leicestershire, UK with either chronic cardiovascular or respiratory disease, or diabetes; questions related to current health status and the request, offer and receipt of influenza vaccine in the current and three previous seasons. Ninety-eight percent of all offers of immunization were made in the primary care setting, and vaccine was well tolerated as judged by the fact that 86% of vaccinees between 1988/9–1990/1 returned for immunization in the following year. However in the 1991/2 season the overall level of vaccine uptake was only about 41% which is at variance with the stated policies and practices of general practitioners. Opportunities were missed, in both hospitals and general practices, to publicise and offer immunization to individuals with vaccine indications. Future attempts to improve vaccine uptake should focus on increasing the role of hospital staff in influenza prevention, in addition to promoting better vaccine delivery through primary care.