bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
High Rate of Fatal Cases of Pediatric Septicemia Caused by Gram-Negative Bacteria with Extended-Spectrum Beta-Lactamases in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
Authors: Blomberg Bjørn , Jureen Roland , Manji Karim P. , Tamim Bushir S. , Mwakagile Davis S. M. , Urassa Willy K. , Fataki Maulidi , Msangi Viola , Tellevik Marit G. , Maselle Samwel Y. , Langeland Nina 
Published: February 2005

ABSTRACT

Extended-spectrum
beta-lactamases (ESBLs) were present in high proportions of
Escherichia coli
(25% [9 of 36]) and
Klebsiella pneumoniae
isolates (17% [9 of
52]) causing pediatric septicemia at a tertiary hospital in
Tanzania. Patients with septicemia due to ESBL-producing organisms had
a significantly higher fatality rate than those with non-ESBL isolates
(71% versus 39%,
P
= 0.039). This is the
first report of the CTX-M-15 genotype of ESBLs on the African continent
and the first observation of SHV-12 genotype in an isolate of
Salmonella enterica
serotype
Newport.
Simple Method for Determination of the Number ofHelicobacter pyloriCagA Variable-Region EPIYA Tyrosine Phosphorylation Motifs by PCR
Authors: Argent Richard H. , Zhang Youli , Atherton John C. 
Published: February 2005

ABSTRACTHelicobacter pyloristrains possessing thecagpathogenicity island are associated with the development of gastric cancer. The CagA protein is translocated into epithelial cells and becomes phosphorylated on tyrosine residues within EPIYA motifs, which may be repeated within the variable region of the protein. Strains possessing CagA with greater numbers of these repeats have been more closely associated with gastric carcinogenesis. Phosphorylated CagA leads to epithelial cell elongation, which is dependent on the number of variable-region EPIYA motifs. Thus, determination of the degree of CagA phosphorylation and the number of EPIYA motifs appears to be more important than detection ofcagAalone. Determination of the number of EPIYA motifs by nucleotide sequencing, however, is a laborious and expensive process. We describe here a novel and rapid PCR method for determination of the pattern of repeats containing the EPIYA motif. This will aid in the identification of those strains that may be more likely to cause disease.
Genetic Variants of
Anaplasma phagocytophilum
Infecting Dogs in Western Washington State
Authors: Poitout Florence M. , Shinozaki Joanne K. , Stockwell Patrick J. , Holland Cynthia J. , Shukla Sanjay K. 
Published: February 2005

ABSTRACT

Eight dogs from western Washington State suspected of being infected with
Anaplasma phagocytophilum
because of the finding of morulae in peripheral blood neutrophils were studied for determination of the etiologic agent of disease. All cases were diagnosed between April 2003 and April 2004. Six of the eight dogs had no travel history during the 6 months prior to presentation. Two dogs had traveled within the Northwest United States and Canada. Fever, lethargy, and anorexia were the most common clinical signs in the dogs. Lymphopenia, thrombocytopenia, and an elevated activity of alkaline phosphatase in the serum were the most common laboratory findings. All dogs tested during the acute phase of clinical signs were seropositive for
A. phagocytophilum
antibodies but negative for
Ehrlichia canis
antibodies. PCR amplification and direct sequencing of portions of the 16S rRNA gene from the whole blood of all seven dogs that were tested yielded
A. phagocytophilum
after a comparison to bacterial sequences available in the GenBank database. Five genetic variants were identified based on one or two nucleotide differences in the 16S rRNA gene sequences at nucleotide positions 54, 84, 86, and 120. Individual dogs were infected with more than one variant. Treatment with doxycycline or tetracycline resulted in a rapid resolution of clinical signs. The occurrence of canine granulocytic anaplasmosis in western Washington State suggests that
A. phagocytophilum
infection should be considered in differential diagnoses of dogs presenting with lethargy, anorexia, fever, and lameness, particularly in the context of lymphopenia, thrombocytopenia, and increased serum alkaline phosphatase. The zoonotic importance of
A. phagocytophilum
should support an increase in surveillance for horses and people residing in this area.
Stability of PorA during a Meningococcal Disease Epidemic
Authors: Devoy A. F. , Dyet K. H. , Martin D. R. 
Published: February 2005

ABSTRACT

Meningococci causing New Zealand's epidemic, which began in 1991, are defined as group B, serosubtype P1.4 (subtype P1.7-2,4), belonging to the ST-41/ST-44 complex, lineage III. Of the 2,358 group B isolates obtained from disease cases from 1991 through 2003, 85.7% (2,021 of 2,358) were determined to be serosubtype P1.4. Of the remaining isolates, 156 (6.6%) were not serosubtypeable (NST). Molecular analysis of the
porA
gene from these B:NST meningococcal isolates was used to determine the reason. Most NST isolates (156, 88.5%) expressed a PorA that was distinct from P1.7-2,4 PorA. Fifteen isolates expressed variants of P1.7-2,4 PorA, and a further three expressed P1.7-2,4 PorA without any sequence variation. These three isolates expressed P1.7-2,4 PorA at very low levels, as determined by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis analysis, and showed variation in the
porA
promoter region. Among the 15 meningococcal isolates expressing variants of P1.7-2,4 PorA, 11 different sequence variations were found. Compared with the P1.7-2,4 PorA sequence, the sequences of these variants contained deletions, insertions, or single-nucleotide substitutions in the VR2 region of the protein. Multilocus restriction typing was used to assess the clonal derivations of B:NST case isolates. Meningococcal isolates expressing distinct PorA proteins belonged mostly to clonal types that were unrelated to the epidemic strain, whereas all meningococcal isolates expressing variants of P1.7-2,4 PorA belonged to the ST-41/ST-44 complex, lineage III. These results, together with those obtained serologically, demonstrate that the P1.7-2,4 PorA protein of meningococci responsible for New Zealand's epidemic has remained relatively stable over 13 years and support the use of a strain-specific outer membrane vesicle vaccine to control the epidemic.
Evidence ofBorreliaAutoimmunity-Induced Component of Lyme Carditis and Arthritis
Authors: Raveche Elizabeth S. , Schutzer Steven E. , Fernandes Helen , Bateman Helen , McCarthy Brian A. , Nickell Steven P. , Cunningham Madeleine W. 
Published: February 2005

ABSTRACTWe investigated the possibility that manifestations of Lyme disease in certain hosts, such as arthritis and carditis, may be autoimmunity mediated due to molecular mimicry between the bacteriumBorrelia burgdorferiand self-components. We first compared amino acid sequences ofStreptococcus pyogenesM protein, a known inducer of antibodies that are cross-reactive with myosin, andB. burgdorferiand found significant homologies with OspA protein. We found thatS. pyogenesM5-specific antibodies and sera fromB. burgdorferi-infected mice reacted with both myosin andB. burgdorferiproteins by Western blots and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. To investigate the relationship between self-reactivity and the response toB. burgdorferi, NZB mice, models of autoimmunity, were infected. NZB mice infected withB. burgdorferideveloped higher degrees of joint swelling and higher anti-B. burgdorferiimmunoglobulin M cross-reactive responses than other strains with identical major histocompatibility complex (DBA/2 and BALB/c). These studies reveal immunological cross-reactivity and suggest thatB. burgdorferimay share common epitopes which mimic self-proteins. These implications could be important for certain autoimmunity-susceptible individuals or animals who become infected withB. burgdorferi.
Evaluation of Two Commercially Available, Inexpensive Alternative Assays Used for Assessing Viral Load in a Cohort of Human Immunodeficiency Virus Type 1 Subtype C-Infected Patients from South Africa
Authors: Stevens G. , Rekhviashvili N. , Scott L. E. , Gonin René , Stevens W. 
Published: February 2005

ABSTRACT

Although human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) RNA is the acknowledged “gold standard” marker for monitoring disease activity in patients receiving highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART), it remains unaffordable in resource-constrained settings. The present study investigated two commercially available kits for the detection of HIV-1 viral load markers as more affordable alternatives to HIV-1 RNA quantitation. The greatly improved heat-denatured, signal-boosted HiSens HIV-1 p24 Ag Ultra kit (Perkin-Elmer) and the ExaVir Load Quantitative HIV-RT kit (Cavidi Tech AB) were compared with the Amplicor HIV-1 Monitor (version 1.5) assay (Roche Molecular Systems Inc.). A total of 117 samples containing HIV-1 subtype C were analyzed by all three methodologies. Eighty-nine of these samples represented serial measurements from 20 patients receiving HAART. The remaining samples analyzed were from a group of treatment-naïve patients. The association between the p24 antigen assay and the RNA assay was fairly strong (
R
2
= 0.686). The association between the reverse transcriptase (RT) quantitation assay and the RNA assay was strong (
R
2
= 0.810). Both alternative assays seemed most useful for the serial monitoring of patients receiving HAART (
n
= 89 plasma samples from 20 patients), as all assays showed a statistically significant downward trend over time, with the trend being either linear or curvilinear. In addition, all three assays showed negative correlations with the CD4 count (CD4 count versus RNA load,
r
= −0.336 and
P
= 0.001; CD4 count versus p24 antigen level,
r
= −0.541 and
P
< 0.0001; CD4 count versus RT level,
r
= −0.358 and
P
= 0.0006). Still of major concern are both the lack of sensitivity and the wide degrees of variability of both assays. However, both assays provide a less expensive alternative to the Roche viral load assay and demonstrate the same trends during treatment.
Population-Level Retrospective Study of Neurologically Expressed Disorders in Ruminants before the Onset of Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE) in Belgium, a BSE Risk III Country
Authors: Saegerman C. , Berkvens D. , Claes L. , Dewaele A. , Coignoul F. , Ducatelle R. , Cassart D. , Brochier B. , Costy F. , Roels S. , Deluyker H. , Vanopdenbosch E. , Thiry E. 
Published: February 2005

ABSTRACT

A retrospective epidemiological study (
n
= 7,875) of neurologically expressed disorders (NED) in ruminants before the onset of the bovine spongiform encephalopathy epidemic (years studied, 1980 to 1997) was carried out in Belgium. The archives of all veterinary laboratories and rabies and transmissible spongiform encephalopathy (TSE) epidemiosurveillance networks were consulted. For all species, a significantly higher number of NED with virological causes (rabies) was reported south of the Sambre-Meuse Valley. During the period 1992 to 1997, for which the data were complete, (i) the predicted annual incidence of NED varied significantly as a function of species and area (higher numbers in areas where rabies was present) but was always above 100 cases per million, and (ii) the mean incidence of suspected TSE cases and, among them, those investigated by histopathological examination varied significantly as a function of species and area. The positive predictive value of a presumptive clinical diagnosis of NED ranged from 0.13 (game) to 0.63 (sheep). Knowledge of the positive predictive value permits the definition of a reference point before certain actions (e.g., awareness and training campaigns) are undertaken. It also shows the usefulness of a systematic necropsy or complementary laboratory tests to establish an etiological diagnosis. TSE analysis of a small, targeted historical sampling (
n
= 48) permitted the confirmation of one case and uncovered another case of scrapie. The results of the present study help to develop and maintain the quality of the worldwide clinical epidemiological networks for TSE, especially in countries that in the past imported live animals, animal products, and feedstuffs from countries with TSE cases.
Growth of
Mycobacterium tuberculosis
in Conventional BacT/ALERT FA Blood Culture Bottles Allows Reliable Diagnosis of Mycobacteremia
Authors: Hanscheid T. , Monteiro C. , Cristino J. Melo , Lito L. Marques , Salgado M. J. 
Published: February 2005

ABSTRACT

The conventional BacT/ALERT FA blood cultures supported the ample growth of
Mycobacterium tuberculosis
in seeding experiments and appeared to perform as reliably as the BACTEC Myco/F-Lytic vials in the recovery of
M. tuberculosis
from blood in HIV-infected patients. Overall, blood cultures were positive in 39% of patients with tuberculosis.
Mycobacterium marinum
Infections in Fish and Humans in Israel
Authors: Ucko M. , Colorni A. 
Published: February 2005

ABSTRACT

Israeli
Mycobacterium marinum
isolates from humans and fish were compared by direct sequencing of the 16S rRNA and
hsp65
genes, restriction mapping, and amplified fragment length polymorphism analysis. Significant molecular differences separated all clinical isolates from the piscine isolates, ruling out the local aquaculture industry as the source of human infections.
Evaluation of a New Selective Enrichment Broth for Detection of Group B Streptococci in Pregnant Women
Authors: Heelan Judith S. , Struminsky Judith , Lauro Patricia , Sung C. James 
Published: February 2005

ABSTRACT
Studies at two Brown Medical School-affiliated hospitals were undertaken to evaluate a new selective broth medium (GBS broth) and to compare it to the LIM broth currently used to culture for group B streptococci. Beta-hemolytic group B streptococci produce a carotenoid pigment that turns GBS broth an orange color. From a total of 580 pregnant women, duplicate vaginal-rectal swabs were collected at 35 to 37 weeks of gestation and cultured for group B streptococci, using either LIM broth (a selective broth containing antibiotics) or GBS broth for enrichment. Specimens were either transported to the laboratory or immediately placed in the respective enrichment broths and delivered to the laboratory. GBS broth medium had sensitivity, specificity, and positive and negative predictive values of 87.8, 100, 100, and 95.1% when planted in the laboratory and 90.3, 100, 100 and 97.6%, respectively, when inoculated at bedside. Use of GBS broth would satisfy Centers for Disease Control and Prevention requirements and would provide faster, more-sensitive, and cost-effective detection of group B streptococci in pregnant women.
Persistence of
Escherichia coli
O157 Isolates on Bovine Farms in England and Wales
Authors: Liebana Ernesto , Smith Richard P. , Batchelor Miranda , McLaren Ian , Cassar Claire , Clifton-Hadley Felicity A. , Paiba Giles A. 
Published: February 2005

ABSTRACT

We performed pulsed-field gel electrophoresis on
Escherichia coli
O157 isolates (
n
= 318) from 199 healthy animals in a longitudinal study carried out on nine farms. Investigation of the restriction types proved that at the farm level, the same clones can be detected on sampling occasions separated by as much as 17 months. The cohort animals were repeatedly sampled, and for some of these, the same clones were obtained on sampling occasions separated by as much as 8 months.
Emergence of a Nephropathogenic Avian Infectious Bronchitis Virus with a Novel Genotype in India
Authors: Bayry Jagadeesh , Goudar Mallikarjun S. , Nighot Prashant K. , Kshirsagar Supriya G. , Ladman Brian S. , Gelb Jack , Ghalsasi Govind R. , Kolte Gopal N. 
Published: February 2005

ABSTRACT
We describe the emergence of a nephropathogenic avian infectious bronchitis virus (IBV) with a novel genotype in India. The Indian IBV isolate exhibited a relatively high degree of sequence divergence with reference strains. The highest homology was observed with strain 6/82 (68%) and the least homology with strain Mex/1765/99 (34.3%).
Detection of
Burkholderia pseudomallei
in Soil within the Lao People's Democratic Republic
Authors: Wuthiekanun Vanaporn , Mayxay Mayfong , Chierakul Wirongrong , Phetsouvanh Rattanaphone , Cheng Allen C. , White Nicholas J , Day Nicholas P. J. , Peacock Sharon J. 
Published: February 2005

ABSTRACT

Clinical cases of melioidosis caused by the saprophyte
Burkholderia pseudomallei
were first noted in the Lao People's Democratic Republic (PDR) in 1999. In this study, 36% of 110 soil samples in northern Lao PDR were positive for
B. pseudomallei
, providing further evidence for the presence of melioidosis in this country.
Use of the Restriction Enzyme EcoRI for Pulsed-Field Gel Electrophoretic Analysis of
Helicobacter pylori
Authors: Hosaka Yoshio , Irinoda Kazuhiko , Nakano Ryuichi , Tanabe Satosi , Koizumi Wasaburo , Saigenji Katunori , Inoue Matsuhisa 
Published: February 2005

ABSTRACT

Pulsed-field gel electrophoretic (PFGE) analysis of
Helicobacter pylori
isolates is not commonly employed because of the inability to compare the typing with other typing systems. We adapted the PFGE analysis for
H. pylori
by using EcoRI and slightly modified our laboratory methods to improve the typing of isolates (typeability was 97%).
Identification and Characterization of Sporadic Isolates of
Streptococcus iniae
Isolated from Humans
Authors: Facklam Richard , Elliott John , Shewmaker Lynn , Reingold Art 
Published: February 2005

ABSTRACT

Seven reference strains and seven clinical isolates of
Streptococcus iniae
, submitted to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Streptococcus Reference Laboratory between 2001 and 2004, were successfully identified by a conventional identification system. The seven randomly submitted clinical isolates were sensitive to β-lactams, macrolides, quinolones, and vancomycin. Two of the seven clinical isolates were resistant to tetracycline. All seven strains grew well and multiplied in a phagocytosis assay. One of the seven randomly submitted strains was more similar to the type strain of
S. iniae
than to the other six strains. The latter six strains were similar if not identical to representative strains from a cluster of disease in Canada (M. R. Weinstein et al., N. Engl. J. Med.
337:
589-594, 1997).
Evaluation of Etest MBL for Detection of
bla
IMP-1
and
bla
VIM-2
Allele-Positive Clinical Isolates of
Pseudomonas
spp. and
Acinetobacter
spp
Authors: Lee Kyungwon , Yong Dongeun , Yum Jong Hwa , Lim Yong Sik , Bolmström Anne , Qwärnström Anette , Karlsson Åsa , Chong Yunsop 
Published: February 2005

ABSTRACT

The Etest MBL (AB BIODISK, Solna, Sweden) correctly differentiated all 57 isolates of
Acinetobacter
spp. and
Pseudomonas aeruginosa
with the
bla
IMP-1
allele and 135 of 137 (98.5%)
Acinetobacter
spp. and
Pseudomonas
spp. isolates with the
bla
VIM-2
allele. The Etest MBL was reliable for detecting the IMP-1- and VIM-2-producing
Pseudomonas
and
Acinetobacter
isolates.
Bartonella vinsonii
subsp.
arupensis
as an Agent of Blood Culture-Negative Endocarditis in a Human
Authors: Fenollar Florence , Sire Stéphane , Raoult Didier 
Published: February 2005

ABSTRACT

We report the case of a patient hospitalized with endocarditis. The etiological diagnosis of
Bartonella
was suggested by detection of high titers of antibodies by immunofluorescence and Western blotting. Two different nested PCRs performed on sera identified
Bartonella vinsonii
subsp.
arupensis
by sequencing.
Duplex PCR To Differentiate between
Mycoplasma synoviae
and
Mycoplasma gallisepticum
on the Basis of Conserved Species-Specific Sequences of Their Hemagglutinin Genes
Authors: Ben Abdelmoumen Mardassi B. , Ben Mohamed R. , Gueriri I. , Boughattas S. , Mlik B. 
Published: February 2005

ABSTRACT

We developed a duplex PCR assay targeting the hemagglutinin multigene families, vlhA and pMGA, of
Mycoplasma synoviae
and
Mycoplasma gallisepticum
, respectively. The assay proved to be specific and sensitive enough to justify its use for the simultaneous detection of the two major avian mycoplasma species from field isolates.
Rapid Diagnosis of Herpes Simplex Virus Infection by a Loop-Mediated Isothermal Amplification Method
Authors: Enomoto Yoshihiko , Yoshikawa Tetsushi , Ihira Masaru , Akimoto Shiho , Miyake Fumi , Usui Chie , Suga Sadao , Suzuki Kayoko , Kawana Takashi , Nishiyama Yukihiro , Asano Yoshizo 
Published: February 2005

ABSTRACT
Primers for herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV 1)-specific loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) method amplified HSV-1 DNA, while HSV-2-specific primers amplified only HSV-2 DNA; no LAMP products were produced by reactions performed with other viral DNAs. The sensitivities of the HSV-1- and HSV-2-specific LAMP methods, determined by agarose gel electrophoresis, reached 500 and 1,000 copies/tube, respectively. The turbidity assay, however, determined the sensitivity of the HSV-1- and HSV-2-specific LAMP methods to be 1,000 and 10,000 copies/tube, respectively. After initial validation studies, 18 swab samples (in sterilized water) collected from patients with either gingivostomatitis or vesicular skin eruptions were examined. HSV-1 LAMP products were detected by agarose gel electrophoresis in the 10 samples that also demonstrated viral DNA detection by real-time PCR. Nine of these 10 samples exhibited HSV-1 LAMP products by turbidity assay. Furthermore, both the agarose gel electrophoresis and the turbidity assay directly detected HSV-1 LAMP products in 9 of the 10 swab samples collected in sterilized water. Next, we examined the reliability of HSV type-specific LAMP for the detection of viral DNA in clinical specimens (culture medium) collected from genital lesions. HSV-2 was isolated from all of the samples and visualized by either agarose gel electrophoresis or turbidity assay.
Identification and Characterization of Clinical Isolates of Members of the
Staphylococcus sciuri
Group
Authors: Stepanović Srdjan , Dakić Ivana , Morrison Donald , Hauschild Tomasz , Ježek Petr , Petráš Petr , Martel An , Vuković Dragana , Shittu Adebayo , Devriese Luc A. 
Published: February 2005

ABSTRACT

A total of 28 staphylococcal isolates from human clinical specimens belonging to the
Staphylococcus sciuri
group were identified and characterized. The API Staph and ID32 STAPH correctly identified
S. sciuri
and
S. lentus
but not
S. vitulinus
strains. Identification to the subspecies level was possible only by a PCR-based method.
Identification and First Report of
Inonotus
(
Phellinus
)
tropicalis
as an Etiologic Agent in a Patient with Chronic Granulomatous Disease
Authors: Sutton D. A. , Thompson E. H. , Rinaldi M. G. , Iwen P. C. , Nakasone K. K. , Jung H. S. , Rosenblatt H. M. , Paul M. E. 
Published: February 2005

ABSTRACT

Although isolates of filamentous basidiomycetes can usually be recognized in a clinical laboratory setting, identification is problematic, as they seldom exhibit diagnostic morphological features formed in nature. This paper is the first report of
Inonotus
(
Phellinus
)
tropicalis
inciting human disease and describes the methods used to support the identification.
Liver Abscess Caused by
magA
+
Klebsiella pneumoniae
in North America
Authors: Fang Ferric C. , Sandler Netanya , Libby Stephen J. 
Published: February 2005

ABSTRACT

Taiwan has witnessed an emerging syndrome of liver abscess caused by
Klebsiella pneumoniae
carrying the
magA
gene required for exopolysaccharide web biosynthesis. We report a patient transferred from Alaska to Washington State with a
magA
+
K. pneumoniae
liver abscess and describe a simple approach for recognition of these hypervirulent strains.
Isolation of an Influenza C Virus Introduced into Japan by a Traveler from Malaysia
Authors: Matsuzaki Yoko , Sato Katsuhiko , Sugawara Kanetsu , Takashita Emi , Muraki Yasushi , Morishita Takayuki , Kumagai Norimichi , Suzuki Sousuke , Hongo Seiji 
Published: February 2005

ABSTRACT
An influenza C virus was isolated from a Japanese traveler who had visited Malaysia in April 1999. Phylogenetic analysis indicated that the genome composition of this virus was distinct from that of any other strain isolated in Japan. The possibility that a genetically unique influenza C virus was introduced into Japan by a traveler is shown.