bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Occurrence of multiple antibiotic resistance and R-plasmids in gram-negative bacteria isolated from faecally contaminated fresh-water streams in Hong Kong
Authors: French G. L. , Ling J. , Chow K. L. , Mark K. K. 
Published: October 2009

SUMMARYThe bacterial populations of six freshwater streams in populated areas of the Hong Kong New Territories were studied. There is considerable faecal contamination of these streams, with coliform counts as high as 105c.f.u./ml and the contaminating organisms show a high prevalence of antibiotic resistance and multiple resistance. With direct plating of water samples onto antibioticcontaining media, an average of 49% of the gram-negative bacteria were ampicillinresistant, 3% chloramphenicol-resistant and 1% gentamicin-resistant. At individual sites resistance to these three drugs was as high as 98%, 8% and 3% respectively. More than 70% of strains were resistant to two or more antibiotics, 29% to five or more and 2% to eight or more. A total of 98 patterns of antibiotic resistance were detected with no one pattern predominating. Twenty-eight gram-negative bacterial species were identified as stream contaminants.Escherichia coliwas the commonest bacterial species isolated and other frequent isolates wereEnterobactersp.,Klebsiellasp. andCitrobactersp., but no enteric pathogens were detected. The greatest prevalence of resistance and multiple resistance was associated with the heaviest contamination byE. coli.Analysis of selected stream isolates revealed multiple plasmid bands arranged in many different patterns, but multiple antibiotic resistances were shown to be commonly mediated by single transferable plasmids. Faecally-contaminated freshwater streams in Hong Kong may be reservoirs of antibiotic resistance plasmids for clinically-important bacteria.
Inhibition of colonization of the chicken alimentary tract with Salmonella typhimurium gram-negative facultatively anaerobic bacteria
Authors: Barrow P. A. , Tucker J. F. , Simpson J. M. 
Published: October 2009

SUMMARYOral administration of strains of food poisoning salmonellas to day-old chickens produced a profound inhibition in the subsequent colonization of the caeca by a strain of Salmonella typhimurium given one day later. Closely related genera were unable to produce a similar inhibition. The inhibition was not the result of bacteriophages produced by the first strain. Neither was it the result of an immunological response by the host induced by the first strain. In additional experiments in day-old chickens, inhibition of an Escherichia coli Nalr strain and of a Citrobacter sp. Nalr strain was produced by the antibiotic-sensitive forms of the homologous strains while strains from other genera did not produce any inhibition. When an avirulent mutant of S. typhimurium was used for pre-treatment a statistically significant reduction in the excretion of the super-infecting S. typhimurium Nalr strain over several weeks was produced. A genus specific inhibition was reproduced in vitro by mixed culture experiments. Live cultures were necessary for in vitro inhibition. Killed cells or a culture supernatant produced no inhibition.
Antibiotic sensitivity and mutation rates to antibiotic resistance inMycoplasma mycoidesssp.mycoides
Authors: Lee D. H. , Miles R. J. , Inal J. R. M. 
Published: October 2009

SUMMARYThe antibiotic resistance ofMycoplasma mycoidesssp.mycoidesstrain T1was investigated. This strain was resistant to high levels ( > 100 μg ml−1) of rifampicin and nalidixic acid. It was sensitive to streptomycin, spectinomycin and novobiocin; however, single step mutants with high levels of resistance ( > 100 μg ml−1) were readily isolated. With erythromycin and tylosin for which the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) for the parent strain was < 0·1 μg ml−1, mutants resistant to > 100 μg ml−1were obtained in two and three steps respectively. The MIC of tetracycline in single step resistant mutants (0·6 μg ml−1) was tenfold higher than the parent strain, but could not be increased further. There was only a twofold increase in resistance to chloramphenicol in single step mutants. The frequency of resistant mutants varied with the antibiotic and was between 4× 10minuss;6and 2× 10−8. The mutation rate to antibiotic resistance to streptomycin, spectinomycin, novobiocin, erythromycin and tylosin was between 3× 10−8and 5× 10−9per cell per generation. There was a fivefold decrease in mutation rate to resistance to 60 μg ml−1streptomycin compared to that to 20 μg ml−1.
The status of CMV as a human pathogen
Authors: Griffiths P. D. , Grundy J. E. 
Published: October 2009

Cytomegalovirus (CMV) is a common infectious agent which is well adapted to its host. Following primary infection, which is almost always asymptomatic in people with normal immunity, the virus establishes latency at sites which are unknown. The virus is probably maintained in this latent state by immune surveillance mechanisms since immunosuppression frequently leads to reactivation of virus.Cytomegalovirus has been identified in most anatomical areas of the human body. The aim of this article is to define criteria for pathogenicity so that clinical and experimental data can be reviewed to determine if CMV is likely to cause disease at these various clinical sites. Thus, patients have been shown to die frequentlywithCMV but do they diefromit?
Bacterial adhesion to intravenous cannulae: influence of implantation in the rabbit and of enzyme treatments
Authors: Barrett S. P. 
Published: October 2009

SUMMARYComparison was made of the adhesion ofStaphylococcus epidermidis, Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, Klebsiella aerogenesandPseudomonas aeruginosato six types of intravascular cannula material. Adhesion to materials removed from rabbit tissues did not differ significantly between types of material or between bacterial species. In contrast, major differences were found when unimplanted materials were examined; the overall rank order of adhesiveness of bacteria to unimplanted materials (S. epidermidis > P. aeruginosa > S. aureus≫K. aerogenes > E. coli) was highly significant (F= 13·0,P< 0·0005), and although no single material was consistently least attractive to all micro-organisms, FEP-Teflon and PTFE-Teflon showed significantly lower overall affinity for bacteria than other materials (P < 0·001); all species showed a significant preference for a silicone polymer (P < 0·0005). The nature of the bacterial surface structures responsible for adhesion were investigated by the actions of pronase and mixed glycosidase, which produced significant respective decreases and increases in adhesion of staphylococci to unimplanted materials; their effects on the Gramnegative bacilli were less consistent.
Red-cell IgM-antibody capture assay for the detection of Mycoplasma pneumoniae-specific IgM
Authors: Coombs R. R. A. , Easter Gwen , Matejtschuk P. , Wreghitt T. G. 
Published: October 2009

SUMMARYA red-cell IgM-antibody capture assay has been developed for detecting Mycoplasma pneumoniae-specific IgM, which is based on the adsorption or ‘capture’ of IgM from patients' sera onto so-called ‘inagglutinable’ bovine red cells, chemically linked with anti-human μ When M. pneumoniae antigen is added to the system, the red cells agglutinate in the presence of M. pneumoniae-specific IgM.The test was compared with the μ-capture ELISA described by Wreghitt & Sillis (1985), and was found to give comparable results. The two tests had similar sensitivity and specificity and could detect M. pneumoniae-spcific IgM for a similar time (up to 6 months) after proven M. pneumoniae infection.However, the red-cell antibody capture assay is a much more simple and rapid test, taking only 1 h to perform (compared to 24 h for μ-capture ELISA). The redcell IgM-antibody capture assay is therefore amenable to rapid diagnosis of M. pneumoniae infection and the institution of early appropriate antibiotic therapy.
Measles in developing countries Part I. Epidemiological parameters and patterns
Authors: McLean A. R. , Anderson R. M. 
Published: October 2009

SUMMARYThis paper presents a review of published data concerning the epidemiology of measles in developing countries. Simple mathematical models provide a framework for data analysis and interpretation. The analyses highlight differences and similarities in the patterns of transmission of the measles virus in developed and developing countries. Whilst the rate of loss of maternally derived immunity to measles is broadly similar, the average age at infection is much lower, and case fatality rates are much higher in developing countries. Data analysis also serves to illustrate inter-relationships between different kinds of epidemiological data. Thus, for example, in order to correctly interpret an age stratified serological profile from a developing country it is necessary to have information on the rate of decay of maternal antibodies and age specific case fatality rates. To determine the probable impact of a given vaccination programme, information on the birth rate in the community concerned is also required. A discussion is given of the epidemiological data required in order to effectively design a community based vaccination programme aimed at the eradication of measles.
Enteric pathogens in tropical aquaria
Authors: Sanyal D. , Burge S. H. , Hutchings P. G. 
Published: October 2009

SUMMARYA total of 100 tropical aquaria from six pet shops were sampled for the presence ofSalmonella, CampylobacterandAeromonasspecies. Eight fish tanks contained unusual serotypes of salmonella. None had been used to house terrapins. One hundred and three isolates ofAeromonasspecies were obtained from 98 tanks. One tank containedPlesiomonas shigelloides.NoCampylobacterspecies were isolated. It is suggested that a tropical aquarium may constitute an infection hazard.
Cross-reactivity amongLegionellaspecies and serogroups
Authors: Pelaz Carmen , Albert Luis García , Bourgon Cecilia Martin 
Published: October 2009

SUMMARYCross-reactions of 17 members of the family Legionellaceae were studied by four different serological techniques: immunofluorescence (IF), slide agglutination (SA), microagglutination (MA) and immunodiffusion (ID), using antigens and rabbit antisera prepared in our laboratory. Results obtained corresponded closely with those described by other authors, especially for IF and SA.The 17 antigens were further tested by IF with a panel of sera previously diagnosed as positive for legionella. A high number of positive reactions with several of the antigens tested were found, half of them being positive forLegionella pneumophilaserogroup 1, usually in combination with other serogroups or species. The remaining sera presented a great variety of patterns combining different antigens.
Plasmid content, auxotype and protein-I serovar of gonococci isolated in the Gambia
Authors: Johnson A. P. , Abeck D. , Wall R. A. , Mabey D. C. W. , Taylor-Robinson D. 
Published: October 2009

SUMMARYTwenty-nine strains of penicillinase-producing Neisseria gonorrhoeae (PPNG) and 30 non-penicillinase-producing strains, all isolated in the Gambia, were characterized in terms of their plasmid content, auxotype and protein-I serovar. Sixty-two per cent of the PPNG strains contained the 3·2 MDa penicillinasecoding plasmid, and 38% had the 4·4 MDa plasmid. All the PPNG strains contained the 2·6 MDa cryptic plasmid but lacked the 24·4 MDa conjugative plasmid. In contrast, 46·7% of the non-PPNG strains harboured only the cryptic plasmid while 16·7% contained both the cryptic and conjugative plasmids. Seventeen per cent of the non-PPNG strains contained the conjugative plasmid only and 20% lacked plasmids.The PPNG and non-PPNG strains also differed in terms of their protein-I serovar. Eighty-six per cent of the PPNG strains belonged to serogroup 1A, whereas the majority (60%) of non-PPNG strains belonged to serogroup IB. There was no significant difference in the auxotypes of the PPNG and non-PPNG strains, with both groups consisting predominantly of prototrophic and prolinerequiring strains, with a minority of strains requiring arginine. When the 59 strains were each characterized in terms of their combined plasmid profile, auxotype and serovar, 39 different combinations were noted, which indicates the heterogeneous nature of the gonococcal population found in the Gambia.
The changing incidence of human hydatid disease in England and Wales
Authors: Palmer S. R. , Biffin Anne H. B. 
Published: October 2009

SUMMARYThe incidence of hospital-diagnosed human hydatid disease acquired in the UK was estimated from a survey based on Hospital Activity Analysis data for the period 1974–83. The average annual incidence in Wales was 0·4 per 100000 population compared with 0·02 per 100000 in England. Within Wales, Powys, and particularly Brecknock, had the highest incidence (7 per 100000 per year). Compared with the period 1953–62, the average annual incidence for Wales fell by half (from 0·8 to 0·4 per 100000 per year), but in Powys the incidence did not decline, and in Brecknock and Montgomery there was a marginal increase. In comparison with 1953–62, the age-specific incidence in Wales and Powys decreased in each age group with the notable exception of children < 15 years of age. This finding emphasizes that transmission of Echinococcus granulosus to humans is still occurring at hyper-endemic levels in parts of England and Wales and that control efforts should be intensified.
Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) for the detection of antibodies against foot-and-mouth disease virus: III. Evaluation of antibodies after infection and vaccination
Authors: Hamblin C. , Kitching R. P. , Donaldson A. I. , Crowther J. R. , Barnett I. T. R. 
Published: October 2009

SUMMARYInvestigations using a liquid-phase blocking sandwich enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) for the measurement of antibodies against foot-and-mouth disease virus (FMDV) in sera from sheep and from cattle are reported, and results compared with those obtained by virus neutralization (VN) tests.Serum antibody titres in sheep after primary vaccination and in cattle challenged with a natural aerosol after vaccination were similar by ELISA and VN. However, the antibody levels detected in sera of cattle during early infection and of vaccinated cattle after intradermolingual challenge were clearly greater by ELISA than by VN.The ELISA titres in cattle sera following synthetic peptide vaccination indicated some relationship to protection and were clearly different from those recorded by VN. On the other hand, the antibody levels following conventional vaccination showed that ELISA and VN titres in cattle sera were related to protection. Although there was a good agreement between the ELISA antibody titre and protection for the four vaccines used, by VN the titre which afforded protection varied depending on the vaccine used.The ELISA was considered therefore to be more reliable than the VN and may prove useful for evaluating the immunological response of animals following infection and following vaccination.
The epidemiology of mumps in the UK: a preliminary study of virus transmission, herd immunity and the potential impact of immunization
Authors: Anderson R. M. , Crombie J. A. , Grenfell B. T. 
Published: October 2009

SUMMARYMathematical models and statistical analyses of epidemiological data are employed to assess the potential impact of mass vaccination on the incidences of cases of mumps infection and cases of mumps related complications. The analyses reveal that in the United Kingdom the average age at infection with the mumps virus is currently between 6–7 years and that the inter-epidemic period of the infection is approximately 3 years. The critical level of vaccine uptake to eliminate mumps virus transmission is predicted to be approximately 85% of each cohort of boys and girls by the age of 2 years. Analyses of published data show that the risk of complication arising from mumps infection is markedly age- and sex-related. Model predictions suggest that the incidence of orchitis will be increased, over the level pertaining prior to mass vaccination, by levels of vaccine uptake (by 2 years of age) that are less than 70% of each yearly cohort of boys and girls. Moderate (over 00%) to high (75%) levels of vaccine uptake, however, are predicted to reduce the overall incidence of cases of mumps related complications (especially those with CNS involvement).
Paralytic poliomyelitis in England & Wales, 1970–84
Authors: Begg N. T. , Chamberlain R. , Roebuck M. 
Published: October 2009

SUMMARYIn 1962 the Public Health Laboratory Service (PHLS) became responsible for the Poliomyelitis Surveillance Scheme for England and Wales, which since 1970 has included the World Health Organisation (WHO) enquiry into Acute Persisting Spinal Paralysis. All the records have been kept, including those of patients who were later considered not to have had poliomyelitis. This paper reviews the cases between 1970–84 of patients normally resident in England and Wales, where the clinical features of the illness were considered by the clinician in charge to be those of poliomyelitis and in which either poliovirus was isolated or there was serological evidence of recent infection. Seventy cases met these criteria. Two patients died. A wild strain of poliovirus was isolated in 19 cases; a vaccine-like strain in 27; an intermediate strain in 5; and in 19 cases the strain was not known or there was no isolate. Eleven patients had a history of overseas travel; 17 had been vaccinated recently; and 12 had been in contact with a recent vaccinee. In the remaining 30 cases, the source of the infection was not found. Other details, including the age distribution, vaccination history and the laboratory findings are discussed.
Serological studies of British leptospiral isolates of the Sejroe serogroup: III. The distribution of leptospires of the Sejroe serogroup in the British Isles
Authors: Little T. W. A. , Stevens A. E. , Hathaway S. C. 
Published: October 2009

SUMMARYSome 94 strains of Ieptospires belonging to the Sejroe serogroup isolated in the British Isles were identified to the serovar level using specific factor sera.Seventy strains were identified as Leptospira interrogans serovar hardjo, 66 from cattle, 2 from pigs and 1 each from a sheep foetus and a human.Twenty-four strains were identified as L. interrogans serovar saxkoebing, most strains were isolated from either wood mice, bank or field voles but strains were also isolated from badgers, a fox and a dog.
Old and new techniques together resolve a problem of infection bySalmonella typhimurium
Authors: Platt D. J. , Brown D. J. , Old D. C. , Barker R. M. , Munro D. S. , Taylor J. 
Published: October 2009

SUMMARYIsolates ofSalmonella typhimurium, recovered over a 9-month period from a child with gastroenteritis, were characterized by biotyping, phage-typing and plasmid-profile analysis. Because the data from the different methods were discrepant, it was difficult to establish whether her infection was due to a single strain that had changed characterin vivoor was due to recurrent infections with different, unrelated strains. Restriction-enzyme fingerprinting of the plasmids from the different isolates provided an explanation for the initial discrepancy and highlighted a source of potential confusion in epidemiological studies.
Observations on the incidence of herds with non-visible lesioned tuberculin test reactors in south-west England
Authors: Wilesmith J. W. , Williams D. R. 
Published: October 2009

SUMMARYThe herd incidence of confirmed Mycobacterium bovis infection in cattle in the south-west of England has been approximately ten times that of the remainder of England and Wales; this greater incidence has been attributed to infection from badgers. The incidence of herds with only non-visible lesioned tuberculin test reactors, from which M. bovis was not isolated, has also remained higherin the south-west region.The incidences of these latter unconfirmed incidents were compared in parishes in the south-west region in which M. bovis in cattle had been confirmed, and those where M. bovis had not been confirmed, for the period 1979–83. This analysis was carried out both for those parishes in which herds had been subjected to annual tuberculin testing and for those subjected to biennial tuberculin testing. The incidence of unconfirmed incidents was significantly higher in parishes in which confirmedincidents had occurred, and this difference was found in both the annual and biennially tested parishes. The relative risks for the incidence of unconfirmed incidents in annually and biennially tested parishes were 1*89 and 2–56, respectively. The incidence of unconfirmed incidents in biennially tested parishes was lower than in annually tested parishes.The incidence of non-specific tuberculin test reactor herds was estimated from tuberculin test results in the eastern region of England during a period when tuberculosis was not confirmed in cattle. A comparison of this incidence and that of unconfirmed incidents in the south-west region suggests that approximately 70% of the unconfirmed incidents in the south-west were related to exposure to M. bovis.The results of the analyses indicate that unconfirmed incidents cannot be completely ignored in epidemiological analyses and studies of bovine tuberculosis in the problem areas of the south-west region of England.
An epidemiologic study of the fungal skin flora among the elderly in Alexandria
Authors: Gad Zahira M. , Youssef Nagwan , Sherif Aida A. , Hasab Ali A. , Mahfouz Ahmed A. , Hassan M. N. R. 
Published: October 2009

SUMMARYThe fungal skin flora of a sample of 205 elderly persons in Alexandria, drawn by cluster sampling probability technique, was investigated. Pathogenic yeasts were isolated from 18·6% and 10·3% of skin and nails respectively. Candida albicans (16·1% and 7·3%) was prominent. A low prevalence of dermatophytes grown on agar (2·4% from skin and 2·9% from nails) was observed. In contrast, saprophytic filamentous fungi comprised 45·4 and 50·7% of skin and nails samples respectively. This study showed no statistically significant effect of sociodemographic variables (sex, marital status, crowding index, and income per capita) on the skin flora. There was no statistical significant difference between elderly diabetics and non-diabetics as regards fungal skin flora.
Enterobacteriaceae suppression by three different oral doses of polymyxin E in human volunteers
Authors: van Saene J. J. M. , van Saene H. K. F. , Tarko-Smit N. J. Ph. , Beukeveld G. J. J. 
Published: October 2009

SummaryPolymyxin E is frequently used as an oral drug for flora suppression of the gastrointestinal canal. The suppression effect is dose dependent because polymyxin E is moderately inactivated by faecal and food compounds. Three oral polymyxin E doses (150, 300, 600 mg daily) were given to six volunteers for 6 days. The Enterobacteriaceae suppression effect was compared by means of the suppression index i.e. ratio of total number of faecal samples free of Enterobacteriaceae to the total number of faecal samples. The impact on the indigenous (mostly anaerobic) flora was measured in four ways: (i) beta-aspartylglycine content; (ii) volatile fatty acid pattern; (iii) yeast overgrowth and (iv)Streptococcus faecalisdecrease. Enterobacteriaceae suppression was most successful during 600 mg oral polymyxin E (suppression indices during 150, 300 and 600 mg were 0·32, 0·55 and 0·89 respectively). None of the four markers of indigenous flora alterations were positive. However, using this dosage half of the volunteers suffered rather severe gastrointestinal side-effects. Oral polymyxin E in a dosage of minimum 600 mg daily seems to possess the ideal properties of a flora suppression agent, if the gastrointestinal side-effects could be mitigated.