bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
An evaluation of antiseptics used for hand disinfection in wards
Authors: Ojajärvi Juhani 
Published: May 2009

SUMMARYThe antibacterial effectiveness of hand antiseptics commonly used in wards was studied by laboratory and in-use tests and their acceptability assessed by means of a questionnaire passed to hospital staff. To determine the immediate and long-term antibacterial effects of the preparations the in-use tests were performed by groups of students. The greatest immediate reduction in bacterial counts on hands was obtained by products containing chlorhexidine. The longterm antibacterial effect was recorded with emulsions containing 3% hexachlorophane, 2% Irgasan CF3R or 4% chlorhexidine when used constantly on several consecutive days. Considerable discrepancies were recorded in the antibacterial effectiveness of some preparations when comparing laboratory and in-use test results. Therefore it is suggested that antiseptics should be tested by in-use tests which more closely resemble practical conditions before their use, or further trial, in hospital.
Isolation ofShigella sonneiby fluid media
Authors: Price T. H. 
Published: May 2009

SUMMARYSelenite F broth prepared in the laboratory from single ingredients was found to be significantly more efficient than nutrient broth in the isolation ofShigella sonneifrom human faeces. It was more efficient than direct plating on deoxycholate citrate agar for diagnosing Sonne dysentery in a local outbreak. The difference was significant. There was, however, no significant advantage for enrichment over direct plating when stools posted from Bristol to Cardiff were examined.Laboratory prepared selenite F broth was preferable to the same medium purchased commercially from two different firms. The product of one firm was significantly better than that of the other.Two methods of sterilization of laboratory prepared selenite F broth were studied. Seitz filtered selenite was less inhibitory to the growth of small numbers ofShigella sonnei. Sterilization by heating in free steam for periods of 15 mm and over impaired the ability of selenite F broth to allow multiplication of small numbers ofShigella sonnei.
Radioimmunoassay for antibodies againstBrucella abortus: a new serological test for bovine brucellosis
Authors: Chappel R. J. , Williamson P. , McNaught D. J. , Dalling M. J. , Allan G. S. 
Published: May 2009

SUMMARYA radioimmunoassay (RIA) has been developed to measure antibodies againstBrucella abortusin bovine serum and can be used in the diagnosis of bovine brucellosis. The RIA measures the amount of specific antibody of the IgG1and IgG2subclasses but is insensitive to 1gM, a characteristic which may make it more suitable than the complement fixation test (OFT) or the serum agglutination test for distinguishing infected animals from those which have been vaccinated withBr. abortusstrain 19. The RIA is not subject to prozoning or ambiguous reactions, both of which interfere with the interpretation of the CFT.
A comparison of the distribution of Clostridium botulinum in soil and in lake mud
Authors: Smith G. R. , Moryson Caroline J. 
Published: May 2009

SUMMARYIn 1975, 25 soil samples were collected from the London area. Of these, 20 were obtained 200–300 yards from 20 lakes that had been shown in 1974 to contain mud contaminated with one or more of types B, C, D and E of Clostridium botulinum. By means of a technique comparable with that used for the examination of mud, the 20 soil samples were found negative. The remaining 5 soil samples, obtained from sites that were not in close proximity to lakes, were also negative except for one that contained type B.
An outbreak of paratyphoid fever in the UK associated with a fish-and-chip shop
Authors: Francis S. , Rowland J. , Rattenbury K. , Powell D. , Rogers W. N. , Ward L. , Palmer S. R. 
Published: May 2009

SUMMARYAn outbreak of Salmonella paratyphi B infection in the UK associated with a fish-and-chip shop is reported. The source of infection for the first three cases was believed to be a food handler who was infected overseas 6 years earlier. His wife whose faeces and urine were originally culture negative continued to run the shop but subsequently her faeces became positive on one occasion. She was considered to have been the source of two further cases, and secondary household spread of infection from these two cases resulted in one symptomatic and two asymptomatic infections. A second household contact of the proprietor also became a faecal excretor 2 months later. We recommend that food handlers living in households or in intimate contact with eases or carriers of S. paratyphi B should be put off work until all household contacts cease excreting the organism.
Restriction endonuclease characterization of resistant plasmids in Enterobacteriaceae isolated from children in the Sudan
Authors: Shears P. , Suliman G. , Hart C. A. 
Published: May 2009

SUMMARYThe investigation of plasmid similarity is an important component in the surveillance of antimicrobial resistance and in the detection of epidemic plasmids. The use of restriction endonucleases in the classification of transferable, multiply-resistant plasmids from faecal Enterobacteriaceae isolated at the Children's Emergency Hospital, Khartoum was investigated. Twenty-four transconjugant plasmids, coding for 11 different resistance patterns, each of molecular weight 62 MDa. were studied using four restriction enzymes;PstI,EcoR I,HindIII andAraII. Fifteen different digest profiles were obtained. Restriction profiles discriminated between plasmids with differing resistance patterns and demonstrated homology of plasmids with common resistance patterns. Restriction endonuclease digest patterns provide a potentially rapid and reproducible method of plasmid classification, that could contribute towards surveillance systems in tropical countries with a high prevalence of antimicrobial resistance.
Bismuth subsalicylate in the prevention of colonization of infant mice withCampylobacter jejuni
Authors: Hänninen M. L. 
Published: May 2009

SUMMARYInfant mice were used for the evaluation of the efficacy of bismuth subaslicylate (BSS) in the prevention the growth ofCampylobacter jejuniin the intestine. The MIC90of tenC. jejunistrains was 900 μg/ml. Of three dosage regimens tested, continuous treatment before and after the bacterial challenge, mimicking the way BSS is used in the prevention of traveller's diarrhoea, was the most effective. Growth inhibition was dose dependent; the high dose of 2000 μg per day was more effective than 300 μg per day. After cessation of treatment, campylobacter counts increased to the same level as in the control animals.
Incrimination of an environmental source of a case of Legionnaires' disease by pyrolysis mass spectrometry
Authors: Sisson P. R. , Freeman R. , Lightfoot N. F. , Richardson I. R. 
Published: May 2009

SUMMARYFollowing a case of Legionnaires' diseaseLegionella pneumophilaof the same serogroup was isolated from the hot water system of the hotel which had been epidemiologically implicated as the source of the infection. Pyrolysis mass spectrometry (PyMS) was used to compare 11 isolates from the hotel water sample with the patient's strain. Epidemiologically unrelated isolates, both clinical and environmental, of the same serogroup and monoclonal antibody type ofL. pneumophilawere included in the same analysis, together with relevant reference strains. The patient strain was shown to be indistinguishable from seven of the hotel water isolates, but clearly different from other unrelated clinical isolates, the reference strains and some of the other environmental isolates. PyMS is a rapid and cheap method for inter-strain comparison forL. pneumophila.
The influence of temperature on the behaviour of mixed bacterial contamination of the shell membrane of the hen's egg
Authors: Dolman J. , Board R. G. 
Published: May 2009

SUMMARYThe inner membrane of the air cell of hens' eggs was inoculated with Pseudomonas putida, Staphylococcus xylosus, Enterococcus faecalis, Escherichia coli and Salmonella enteitidis.The first mentioned eventually dominated the contamination of the albumen of eggs stored at 4, 15, and 20 °C. The last mentioned did so in eggs stored at 37 °C. The interval between inoculation of the membrane and gross contamination of the albumen was markedly influenced by site of contamination relative to yolk movement.
Phylogenetic and epidemiological analysis ofNeisseria meningitidisusing DNA probes
Authors: Ni H. , Knight A. I. , Cartwright K. A. V. , McFadden J. J. 
Published: May 2009

SUMMARYThe genetic relationships between various serotypes and serogroups of meningococcal strains were investigated by restriction fragment-length polymorphism (RFLP) analysis using a number of random DNA probes and a probe containing a truncated copy of the meningococcal insertion sequence IS1106. The data were used to estimate genetic distance between all pairs of strains and to construct phylogenetic trees for meningococcal strains. B15: P1.16R strains isolated from cases of systemic meningococcal disease in two health districts with a high incidence of disease were clonal in contrast to similar strains from cases occurring in other parts of the UK. Strains from these areas, which contain a similar genomic deletion, were found to be derived from two distinct lineages within the B15: P1.16R phylogenetic group. RFLP data demonstrated that present serological typing systems for the meningoccus do not necessarily reflect true genetic relationships.
Community-based study of the incidence of gastrointestinal diseases in The Netherlands
Authors: Hoogenboom-Verdegaal A. M. M. , De Jong J. C. , During M. , Hoogenveen R. , Hoekstra J. A. 
Published: May 2009

SUMMARYThe incidence of gastrointestinal diseases was studied in a community-based study in four regions of The Netherlands. Two grades of severity were distinguished − 1: diarrhoea or vomiting and at least 2 additional symptoms within the period of 1 week, and 2: diarrhoea or vomiting and at least 2 additional symptoms occurring on the same day lasting at least 2 days within the period of 1 week. The incidence of gastrointestinal episodes was calculated to be 630 for grade 1 and 180 for grade 2 disease per 1000 person-years, after correction for age and sex. The incidence was higher for women than for men (relative risk 1·25) and lower for those in the 19–64-year-old age group when compared to those younger or older (relative risk 0·75 and 0·40. respectively). Independent of the degree of severity of the symptoms, about 20% of the patients had consulted a general practitioner, about half in person and half by telephone. It is concluded that community studies are essential to assess the real incidence of gastrointestinal diseases in the population.
Survey on the distribution of the gene 4 alleles of human rotaviruses by polymerase chain reaction
Authors: Wu H. , Taniguchi K. , Wakasugi F. , Ukae S. , Chiba S. , Ohseto M. , Hasegawa A. , Urasawa Tomoko , Urasawa Shozo 
Published: May 2009

SUMMARYThe presence of six gene 4 alleles (or VP4 genotypes) in human rotaviruses has been recognized. Using 16 representative cultivable human rotavirus strains, we confirmed the specificity of VP4 genotyping by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) using the nested oligonucleotides specific to each of the four representative gene 4 alleles. Using the PCR. we surveyed the gene 4 alleles of 199 human rotaviruses in stools collected in Japan and Thailand. Strains with the gene 4 allele, corresponding to P1A serotype. were shown to be the most prevalent, but two strains with P2 gene 4 allele and one strain with P3 gene 4 allele were detected in Thailand and in Japan, respectively.
Clonal dissemination of two MRSA strains in Germany
Authors: Witte W. , Cuny C. , Braulke C. , Heuck D. 
Published: May 2009

SUMMARYClonal dissemination of two different MRSA strains, both clumping factor negative, has been observed in Germany for more than a year. Both strains possess the mec-A determinant and each exhibits a characteristic genomic DNA fragment pattern. One strain has spread in the north, the other in the south-west of Germany.Intensive care units are mainly affected by MRSA-infections and probably play a special role in further intra- and inter-hospital spread.
Evaluation of live attenuated measles vaccines prepared in human diploid cells for reimmunization
Authors: Mirchamsy H. , Shafyi A. , Nazari P. , Ashtiani M. P. , Sassani A. 
Published: May 2009

SUMMARYTwo live attenuated measles vaccines developed in baby calf kidney cells, a similar vaccine produced in chick embryo chorioallantoic cells and five vaccines prepared from human diploid cells (HDC) have been studied by subcutaneous injection in groups of susceptible and immune children in three field trials. The results indicated that the vaccine developed in chick embryo cells which caused mild clinical reactions, had induced a lower seroprotection rate in susceptible children and only a low rise in hemagglutination-inhibition (HI) antibody titre in previously immunized children. The serological responses induced by vaccines developed in HDC or in calf kidney cells were satisfactory in both susceptible and immune children. The superiority of HDC grown measles vaccine for revaccination is discussed.
Serological response of chickens toSalmonella enteritidisinfection
Authors: Chart H. , Rowe B. , Baskerville A. , Humphrey T. J 
Published: May 2009

SUMMARYFifty-eight sera, from 29 chickens originating from two layer flocks known to be naturally infected withSalmonella enteritidisphage type (PT) 4, were examined for antibodies toS. enteritidis. Using the techniques of immunoblotting and ELISA, antibodies to the lipopolysaccharide (LPS) ofS. enteritidiswere detected in 43 of 58 sera. Antibodies were of the IgG class and bound to the S. enteritidis LPS antigen 0=12. Bacterial agglutination reactions using whole-cell preparations ofS. enteritidisandS. pullorum, correlated with anti-LPS antibody reactions as detected by immunoblotting and ELISA. A rapid means of screening chicken sera for antibodies to the LPS ofS. enteritidisas an indicator of infection is discussed.
Detection of novel trimethoprim resistance determinants in the United Kingdom using biotin–labelled DNA probes
Authors: Towner K. J. , Carter G. I. , Young H.- K. , Amyes S. G. B. 
Published: May 2009

SUMMARYTwo collections of trimethoprim R plasmids, isolated from strains ofEscherichia coliduring 1978–83 and 1987–8 respectively, were retrospectively screened with specific biotinylated DNA probesfor the presence of genes encoding particular DHFR enzymes. The results confirmed that the type I DHFR gene was the predominant plasmid-encoded gene conferring trimethoprim resistance in strains ofE. colifrom the Nottingham area of the UK, but indicated that genes encoding the more recently recognized types of DHFR enzymes haappeared in the bacterial gene pool and could be recognized with increased frequency in the latter plasmid collection. Thiswasparticularly true of the type IIIa and type VII enzymes which together accounted for 27 % of the trimethoprim R plasmid examined in 1987–8.
Characterization of rotavirus electropherotypes excreted by symptomatic and asymptomatic infants
Authors: Fernández J. , Sandino A. M. , Pizarro J. , Avendaño L. F. , Pizarro J. M. , Spencer E. 
Published: May 2009

SUMMARYHuman rotavirus isolates from 1100 stool samples were analyzed by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, and 48 different migration patterns were detected. Heterogeneity in the migration of segment 10 was observed in both long and short electropherotypes in which three long and two short patterns were identified. In spite of these variations all short and long electropherotypes were subgrouped by enzyme immunoassay as subgroups I and II respectively. Mixed infections were detected in 17% of cases and the subgrouping correlated with the corresponding electropherotypes. The same electropherotypes were present in severe, mild and asymptomatic cases and no electropherotype was particularly associated with greater virulence. Furthermore, the electropherotypes isolated from nosocomial asymptomatic cases were the same as those detected from those admitted with severe diarrheoa. It seems unlikely that electropherotyping can be used to identify more virulent strains of rotavirus.
Molecular subtyping by genome and plasmid analysis ofCampylobacter jejuniserogroups O1 and O2 (Penner) from sporadic and outbreak cases of human diarrhoea
Authors: Fayos A. , Owen R. J. , Hernandez J. , Jones C. , Lastovica A. 
Published: May 2009

SummaryRibosomal RNA gene patterns, randomly amplified polymorphic genomic DNA (RAPD) profiles and plasmid profiles were used to discriminate between 28 strains ofCampylobacter jejuniserogroups O1 and O2 (Penner). Most isolates were biotype I (Lior). The strains were representative isolates from a UK school outbreak of enteritis (7 cases) and from 21 sporadic human cases of enteritis in 4 countries. The molecular techniques discriminated to various degrees between strains in each of the serogroups. The outbreak strains were homogeneous in most molecular features but a variety of types was detected amongst the isolates from the sporadic cases. Five groups of two or more strains with identical ribopatterns were identified and within each, strains from different patients were homogenous with respect to serogroup. RAPD profile typing based on numerical analysis generally matched ribotyping. Plasmid profiling overall gave least discrimination but was useful in separating some strains similar in other features. We concluded that optimal discrimination ofC. jejunicould best be achieved using a combination of phenotypic and genotypic properties.HaeIII ribotyping was the single most discriminatory and reproducible technique investigated. Several strains ofC. jejunifrom sporadic infections had similar molecular profiles which have potential for general typing purposes.
Correlation between esterase electrophoretic polymorphism and virulence–associated traits in extra–intestinal invasive strains ofEscherichia coli
Authors: Goullet Ph. , Picard B. , Contrepois M. , Rycke J. De , Barnouin J. 
Published: May 2009

SummaryThe electrophoretic variations of carboxylesterase B and of esterases A, C and I, the presence of mannose resistant haemagglutinin, α–haemolysin, cytotoxic necrotizing factor type 1 (CNF1) and certain O antigens were compared in 150 strains ofEscherichia coliresponsible for extra-intestinal infections. Electrophoretic mobilities of outer membrane proteins (OMP) were also studied for strains belonging to O4, O6, O7, O8 and O75 serogroups. Fast migrating allozymes of carboxylesterase B (pattern B1) were correlated with slow migrating allozymes of esterase C, serogroups O7 and O8, lack of virulence factor, and particular OMP patterns, whereas slow migrating allozymes of carboxylesterase B (pattern B2) were correlated with fast migrating allozymes of esterase C, serogroups O2, O4, O6, O18 and O75, virulence factor production, and distinct OMP patterns. Allozymes of esterases A and I were not clearly correlated with the distribution of virulence factors. The pattern B2was more strongly associated with CNF1 than with α–haemolysin and mannose resistant haemagglutinin. These results substantiate the view that the electrophoretic pattern B2of carboxylesterase B identified most of the highly pathogenic strains implicated in extra-intestinal infection of humans.
Application of pulsed field gel electrophoresis to the 1993 epidemic of whooping cough in the UK
Authors: Syedabubakar S. N. , Matthews R. C. , Preston N. W. , Owen D. , Hillier V. 
Published: May 2009

SummaryThe purpose of this study was to DNA fingerprint the majority (64 %) of isolates received at the Pertussis Reference Laboratory during the 1993 whooping cough epidemic by pulsed field gel electrophoresis of Xba I - generated restriction digests. Two DNA restriction patterns, types 1 and 3, predominated (40% and 23%. respectively, of 180 isolates) but type 2, identified in a previous study was notably absent. Twenty-one new DNA types occurred (24% of isolates), some being atypical as bands 155–230 kb were no longer conserved, but there was no statistically significant difference in their incidence in the upswing (June-September) compared to the downswing (October-December) phase of the epidemic. There was a relatively high proportion of new types, compared to type 1. at the peak (September). About 50% of isolates received were from the North Western Region, where 44% of isolates were DNA type 1. Whereas only 1 out of 10 isolates from Scotland were of this type, suggesting some geographic variation. Statistically significant findings included a higher proportion of isolates from female patients (P < 0·01), most marked in the 12–24 months age group (P < 0·05); a higher proportion of infants under 12 months requiring hospital admission compared to older children (P < 0·05); and a greater number of isolates from unvaccinated children (P < 0·01). Analysis of serotype according to four age groups (under 3 months, 3–12 months, 12–24 months and above 2 years) showed statistically significant differences (P < 0·05) with a noticeably lower proportion (38%) of serotype 1,3 in 3–12 months age group and higher prevalence (74%) of serotype 1,3 in the 12–24 months age group. There was no correlation between DNA type and serotype.
Recent trends in the numerical solution of retarded functional differential equations
Authors: Bellen Alfredo , Maset Stefano , Zennaro Marino , Guglielmi Nicola 
Published: May 2009

Retarded functional differential equations (RFDEs) form a wide class of evolution equations which share the property that, at any point, the rate of the solution depends on a discrete or distributed set of values attained by the solution itself in the past. Thus the initial problem for RFDEs is an infinite-dimensional problem, taking its theoretical and numerical analysis beyond the classical schemes developed for differential equations with no functional elements. In particular, numerically solving initial problems for RFDEs is a diffcult task that cannot be founded on the mere adaptation of well-known methods for ordinary, partial or integro-differential equations to the presence of retarded arguments. Indeed, efficient codes for their numerical integration need speciffc approaches designed according to the nature of the equation and the behaviour of the solution.By defining the numerical method as a suitable approximation of the solution map of the given equation, we present an original and unifying theory for the convergence and accuracy analysis of the approximate solution. Two particular approaches, both inspired by Runge–Kutta methods, are described. Despite being apparently similar, they are intrinsically different. Indeed, in the presence of speciffc types of functionals on the right-hand side, only one of them can have an explicit character, whereas the other gives rise to an overall procedure which is implicit in any case, even for non-stiff problems.In the panorama of numerical RFDEs, some critical situations have been recently investigated in connection to speciffc classes of equations, such as the accurate location of discontinuity points, the termination and bifurcation of the solutions of neutral equations, with state-dependent delays, the regularization of the equation and the generalization of the solution behind possible termination points, and the treatment of equations stated in the implicit form, which include singularly perturbed problems and delay differential-algebraic equations as well. All these issues are tackled in the last three sections.In this paper we have not considered the important issue of stability, for which we refer the interested reader to the comprehensive book by Bellen and Zennaro (2003).