Enteroviral aseptic meningitis in Japan, 1981-1991. A report of the National Epidemiological Surveillance of Infectious Agents in Japan.

In Japan, aseptic meningitis cases due to enterovirus infections increase every summer in various degrees with an incidence peak usually in July. During the past 11 years from 1981 through 1991, a total of 8,595 enterovirus isolations from aseptic meningitis cases were reported from 54 participating laboratories. Eight enterovirus types caused large epidemics; more than 100 isolations of each type from aseptic meningitis cases were reported for every epidemic year of the respective type. They were coxsackievirus (C) types B3 and B5, echovirus (E) types 4, 6, 7, 9, 18 and 30. Among these, the highest meningitis-associating frequency was reported for E30, representing 82.6% of the total isolations reported for the type during this period, followed by E4, 71.1%. The frequencies of E9, E7, E6 and CB5 were in a range from 54.5% to 44.4%, while that of E18 was 37.7% and that of CB3 21.0%. During the epidemics, enterovirus-associated meningitis was most frequently reported among children of 4-7 years of age. High frequencies were also shown in infants less than 1-year of age in some types. A total of 4,240 enteroviruses were isolated from cerebrospinal fluid of aseptic meningitis cases, representing 49.3% of the cases with enterovirus isolation.     

Herpangina surveillance in Japan, 1982-1989. A report of the national epidemiological surveillance of infectious agents in Japan.

In Japan, herpangina cases increase every summer with an incidence peak in July. During the past eight years from January, 1982 to December, 1989, a total of 3,974 viruses from herpangina cases were reported from 47 participating laboratories, and coxsackie A (CA) viruses accounted for most of them, 3,055 (76.9%). The major types associated with herpangina were, in order of frequency, CA4, 10, 5, 6, 2 and 3, representing 87.2%-80.8% of total isolations reported for each respective type in this period. Eighty-four point four percent of the total virus isolations were from children at four years of age or younger. More than 80% of total CA virus isolations were from nasopharyngeal specimens and nearly 90% of the viruses were isolated in mice.     

Epidemic Gastroenteritis in Newfoundland During 1963 Associated with E. coli 0111:B4

An epidemic of infantile gastroenteritis occurred in Newfoundland in the year 1963. Cases and deaths were reported from communities in widely separated geographic areas. A total of 1071 cases was reported and there were 100 deaths. The death rate was estimated at 600 per 100,000 live births and exceeded the highest rate noted during any of the preceding 15 years.During 1963 the Newfoundland Public Health Laboratories recorded a high incidence of enteropathogenic Escherichia coli isolations. Over 500 isolations were obtained, of which 76% were E. coli 0111:B4, indicating that this organism was the main offender. The majority of E. coli 0111:B4 isolates were resistant in vitro to chloramphenicol and neomycin.Important among efforts to control this widespread community outbreak was an educational program which made extensive use of television and radio.     

Poliovirus surveillance: isolation of polioviruses in Japan, 1980-1991. A report of the National Epidemiological Surveillance of Infectious Agents in Japan.

This report presents an overall distribution of poliovirus isolations in Japan, where poliomyelitis has been under control over two decades as a result of legal administration of two doses of the trivalent live oral poliovirus vaccine of the Sabin strains (OPV) to children under 48 months of age. During the past 12 years from 1980 through 1991, a total of 1,126 poliovirus isolations from humans and 268 isolations from sewage/river water were reported by respectively 49 and nine of the participating laboratories. Type 2 was most frequently isolated from children after administration of one dose of OPV, followed by type 1 and type 3. On the contrary, after the second dose of OPV, the rate of isolation of type 3 exceeded those of type 2 and type 1. Seasonal and age distribution of poliovirus isolations from both humans and sewage/river water paralleled the OPV vaccination schedule in Japan. One percent of the isolations were, however, from infants younger than the vaccination-scheduled ages and 5% were from children older than those ages, including one each from 15 and 16 years olds. The data indicate that the poliovirus has silently been disseminated from vaccinated children to others and the community, thus suggesting repeated transmission of the viruses. The fact that some elder children had poliovirus colonization in their alimentary tracts indicates a potential risk of infection of such a population when exposed to a wild virus and of becoming a source of transmission to others.     

Prevalence of enteroaggregative and other HEp-2 cell adherent Escherichia coli in asymptomatic rural south Indians by longitudinal sampling

Enteroaggregative and other HEp-2 cell adherent Escherichia coli can produce acute and persistent diarrhoea in children and adults, but their prevalence in asymptomatic individuals in the community is not known. In this study, faecal specimens were obtained at 3-4 monthly intervals from 349 subjects constituting a 20% age-stratified sample of a rural community for a period of two years. HEp-2 cell adherent E. coli were found in 210 subjects, and repeat isolations of enteroaggregative E. coli belonging to the same serogroup were found in 12.6% of children less than 12 years of age, indicating that this organism can asymptomatically colonise the intestinal tract. These children may act as a reservoir of infection for the community.     

Salmonella Isolated from Animals and Feedstuffs in Sweden during 1988-1992

The present paper surveys the number of Salmonella isolations in animals and feedstuffs in Sweden during 1988–1992. It is the eighth in a series of reports published by the National Veterinary Institute (NVI) since 1949. During the period referred to, 602 outbreaks of Salmonella were reported in animals, both domestic and wild. Compared with the previous 5-year period there was a 20% reduction in the number of outbreaks (760). Fifty-six different serotypes were reported, 19 of which had never been isolated in any animal in Sweden previously. A temporary increase in the number of outbreaks in poultry was seen in 1991 following an extended sampling before slaughter of layers. A remarkably high prevalence (38%) of Salmonella was observed in snakes in the wild. In 1990, the end-point testing of feeds was replaced by an approach based on HACCP (Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point) principles for the monitoring of feed mills. Significantly higher number of Salmonella positive samples were found by using this technique compared with the previous analysis of finished feed. It is concluded that the adopted Salmonella control program has contributed to a reduced number of Salmonella outbreaks in animals in Sweden.     

Transferable antibiotic resistance in E. coli and Klebsiella pneumoniae

Twenty-three of 43 E. coli and 25 of 39 Klebsiella isolates, resistant to two or more antibiotics, transferred one or more resistance genes to a recipient E. coli K₁₂ culture. Resistances transferred most frequently by both species were those to kanamycin and neomycin. E. coli cultures transferred resistance to tetracycline, chloramphenicol, ampicillin and carbenicillin, whereas Klebsiella isolates transferred resistance to the first two of these antibiotics. Extrapolation of these results to a larger series of isolations of E. coli and Klebsiella from hospital patients suggested that 21 and 18% respectively of cultures of these two organisms carried potentially transferable resistance.     

Intestinal parasites in Kampuchea, Takeo Province

Fresh stool samples obtained from 1407 adult patients who sought treatment in Takeo province hospital and 332 Takeo preschool and school-age children from 3 to 18 years of age were examined for the presence of intestinal parasites using the technique of native preparation and the flotation method of Faust with subsequent staining with Lugol solution to demonstrate cysts. In hospital patients, a total of 13 protozoan and 9 helminth species were diagnosed. The prevalence of Entamoeba histolytica (cysts and trophozoites) was highest in the age group 15-18 years (18.3%), the peak prevalence of Gairdia lamblia (27.6%) occurred in children of the age group 6-9 years. The highest frequency distribution of Pentatrichomonas hominis (20.1%) was recorded in 3 to 5 years old, that of Enteromonas hominis (12.8%) in 6 to 9 years old. The predominant helminth was Ancylostoma duodenale, with the peak prevalence (65.2%) in patients older than 18 years, followed by Ascaris lumbricoides and Strongyloides stercoralis. Almost half of children patients under 6 was infected with at least two species of parasites, patients over 6 were infected simultaneously with two or more intestinal parasites in an absolute majority of cases. In Takeo preschool and school children the spectrum of diagnosed protozoan and helminth species was somewhat narrower than seen in hospital patients, but their prevalence rates were higher, except for the flagellate Pentatrichomonas hominis. The highest prevalence rates recorded were for E. histolytica 29.5% (age category 10-14 years), for G. lamblia 34.8% (age category 6-9 years), for P. hominis 19.3% (age category 3-5 years), for E. hominis 10.5% (age category 3-5 years), for A. duodenale 85.9% (age category 15-18 years), for A. lumbricoides 26.1% (age category 6-9 years), and for S. stercoralis 18.8% (age category 6-9 years). As many as 70% of children at the age between 6 and 15 years were simultaneously infected with two or three species of intestinal parasites.     

Pilot studies on the occurrence of some infectious diseases in two different areas in south Yemen (Aden) (part II. Microbiology).

This paper is the second part of the article dealing with intestinal bacteria. The findings are relatively poor in comparing with the frequency of intestinal protozoa. Among 83 stool specimens taken for bacteriological examination 14 isolations of different bacteria were proved. One S. muenchen was isolated from a 3 year old boy with fever, diarrhoea. Five cases of Alkalescens dispar 05 manit negative and 05 manit positive were identified. Two of these cases were without clinical symptoms. All were males aged 10-17 years. One isolation of E. coli EPEC 086 K6 H11 was in a 10 year-old boy with diarrhoea, four watery stools daily and cramps. Six cases of other E. coli were of different types, all with clinical symptoms. Of them three were males and three females at the age from 3-46 years. One case had a mixed infection of Citrobacter, E. coli and Klebsiella with diarrhoea, about 5 watery stools daily and abdominal pain. The frequency of intestinal bacteria in males was nearly three times higher than in females. The occurrence in age groups 10-20 was almost equal 20.0-22.2%, in 0-4 it was 42.9% and surprisingly low in 5-9 years old--3.4% only.     

Frequency of isolation and susceptibility to antibiotics of Escherichia coli strains isolated from blood

The aim of our study was the analysis of Escherichia coli strains obtained from patients of University Hospital No 1 of dr A. Jurasz Collegium Medicum of L. Rydygier in Bydgoszcz Nicolaus Copernicus University in Toruń and State Infectious Diseases Observatory Hospital of T. Browicz in Bydgoszcz, between 2007 and 2010. Among all microorganisms isolated from blood was 8.7% E. coli strains and 45.1% of all rods from Enterobacteriaceae family. Number of E. coli isolations from positive blood samples was: 64 in 2007, 69 in 2008, 77 in 2009 and 26 in the first half of 2010 year. The highest percentage of E. coli strains were obtained from patients of the Transplantology and Surgery Clinic (16.1%), the Nephrology and Internal Diseases Clinic with the Dialysis Centre (14.0%), the Pediatric, Hematology and Oncology Clinic (13.6%) and the Anesthesiology and Intensive Care Clinic (13.6%). All analysed strains were susceptible to carbapenems, amikacin and tygecycline. The highest percentage of resistant strains were observed to ampicillin (70.7%), piperacillin (43.9%), tetracycline (42.8%) and doxycycline (38.8%). During four years of study 4 (6.3%), one, three and two E. coli strains with ESBL were isolated, respectively.     

Classic AIDS in a sooty mangabey after an 18-year natural infection

Prevailing theory holds that simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV) infections are nonpathogenic in their natural simian hosts and that lifelong infections persist without disease. Numerous studies have reported that SIV-infected sooty mangabeys (SMs; Cercocebus atys) remain disease free for up to 24 years despite relatively high levels of viral replication. Here, we report that classic AIDS developed after an 18-year incubation in an SM (E041) with a natural SIVsm infection. Unlike that described in previous reports of SIV-related disease in SMs, the SIVsm infecting E041 was not first passaged through macaques; moreover, SM E041 was simian T-cell leukemia virus antibody negative. SM E041 was euthanized in 2002 after being diagnosed with severe disseminated B-cell lymphoma. The plasma virus load had been approximately the same for 16 years when a 100-fold increase in virus load occurred in years 17 and 18. Additional findings associated with AIDS were CD4(+)-cell decline, loss of p27 core antibody, and loss of control of SIVsm replication with disseminated giant cell disease. These findings suggest that the time to development of AIDS exceeds the average lifetime of SMs in the wild and that the principal adaptation of SIV to its natural African hosts does not include complete resistance to disease. Instead, AIDS may develop slowly, even in the presence of high virus loads. However, a long-term relatively high virus load, such as that in SM E041, is consistent with AIDS development in less than 18 years in humans and macaques. Therefore, the results also suggest that SMs have a special mechanism for resisting AIDS development.     

The influence of experimentally manipulating a component of weaning on the development of play in domestic cats

Two previous studies found that simulating aspects of early weaning, starting 5 weeks after birth, increased the frequency of object play and, to a lesser extent, social play in kittens. The present study further investigated this finding, using the lactation-suppressing drug bromocriptine to simulate a component of early weaning (a reduction in maternal milk production). The experimental manipulation was started a week earlier in ontogeny than in the previous studies. The subjects were 14 litters of domestic kittens (Felis catus), living with their mothers in large indoor pens. Each litter consisted of two kittens. Seven Experimental (E) mothers were injected with bromocriptine on the 28th, 30th and 33rd days after their kittens were born. Seven Control (C) mothers were injected with saline. Observations of the kittens' social play, object play and locomotor play were carried out in each 3-day period from 36 to 60 days after birth. The E kittens showed significantly higher frequencies of a social play measure (Cat Contact) than the C kittens. However, object play was not significantly affected by the manipulation, in contrast to the previous studies. The E kittens also scored higher on a measure of locomotor play and fell off a climbing frame more often than the C kittens. E mothers played less than C mothers. Absolute frequencies of Cat Contacts and Object Contacts were higher in the present study than those previously reported.     

Influenza Vaccine Effectiveness in the Tropics: Moderate Protection in a Case Test-Negative Analysis of a Hospital-Based Surveillance Population in Bangkok between August 2009 and January 2013

Influenza in the tropics occurs year round with peaks that correspond variably to temperate regions. However, data on influenza vaccine effectiveness (VE) in the tropics is sparse. We report on the effectiveness of influenza vaccine to prevent medically attended laboratory confirmed influenza from sentinel surveillance conducted at a Thai military medical facility in Bangkok, Thailand from August 2009 to January 2013. Patients ≥6 months old presenting with influenza-like illness underwent combined nasal/throat swabs which were tested by influenza RT-PCR. A case test-negative study design was used to evaluate VE. Of 2999 samples available for analysis,1059 (35.3%) were PCR-positive (cases) and 1940 (64.6%) were PCR-negative (test-negative controls). Five hundred and seven (16.9%) of these patients reported being vaccinated within the previous 12 months. Periods of high and low influenza activity were defined based on publicly available Thai Ministry of Public Health data. Overall VE adjusted for age and epiweek was found to be 50.1% (95%CI: 35.0, 61.9%). The May to April adjusted VE for year 2010, 2011 and 2012 was 57.7% (95%CI: 33.7, 73.8%), 57.1% (95% CI: 35.2, 68.3%) and 37.6% (95% CI: 3.5, 62.9%).During high influenza activity in years with the same vaccine formulation, the adjusted VE was 54.9% (95%CI: 38.9, 66.9%). VE appeared to be much higher during high versus low influenza activity periods. The adjusted point estimate for VE was highest in the 18–49 year age group (76.6%) followed by 6–23 months (58.1%) and 2–17 years (52.5%). Adjusted estimates were not done for those ≥50 years of age due to small numbers. VE in patients with underlying disease was 75.5% compared to 48.0% in those without. Our findings demonstrate moderate protection by influenza vaccination and support the utility of influenza vaccination in the tropics including in very young children and those with underlying disease.     

Isolation and functional characterisation of the genes encoding Δ(8)-Sphingolipid desaturase from Brassica rapa

△~8-Sphingohpid desaturase is the key enzyme that catalyses desaturation at the C8 position of the long-chain base of sphingolipids in higher plants.There have been no previous studies on the genes encoding△~8-sphingolipid desaturases in Brassica rapa.In this study,four genes encoding A -sphingohpid desaturases from B.rapa were isolated and characterised.Phylogenetic analyses indicated that these genes could be divided into two groups:BrD8A,BrD8C and BrD8D in groupⅠ,and BrD8B in groupⅡ.The two groups of genes diverged before the separation of Arabidopsis and Brassica.Though the four genes shared a high sequence similarity,and their coding desaturases all located in endoplasmic reticulum,they exhibited distinct expression patterns.Heterologous expression in Saccharomyces cerevisiae revealed that BrD8A/B/C/D were functionally diverse A -sphingohpid desaturases that catalyse different ratios of the two products 8(Z)- and 8(E)-C18-phytosphingenine.The aluminium tolerance of transgenic yeasts expressing BrD8A/B/C/D was enhanced compared with that of control cells.Expression of BrD8A in Arabidopsis changed the ratio of 8(Z):8(E)-C18-phytosphingenine in transgenic plants. The information reported here provides new insights into the biochemical functional diversity and evolutionary relationship of△~8-sphingolipid desaturase in plants and lays a foundation for further investigation of the mechanism of 8(Z)- and 8(E)-C18-phytosphingenine biosynthesis.     

Examination of Market Foods for Coliform Organisms

Food specimens (490) in nine categories were examined for total aerobic plate count and numbers and types of coliform organisms, including the enteropathogenic Escherichia coli (EEC). The total counts were compared with various suggested standards, and a limit of 100,000/g appeared to be a realistic goal, except for certain food types with a high level of natural flora. Plate counts in VRB were compared to counts obtained by isolation by enrichment in LST Broth, and the latter method produced a higher percentage of isolations. The presence of E. coli was determined by use of EC Medium incubated at 44.5 +/- 0.1 C. Only 40.4% of the positive EC tubes, however, contained E. coli. It appeared that a limit of 10 coliform organisms per g as a suggested standard could be met with several types of foods. Isolation of EEC was obtained only three times, or in 0.6% of the specimens.     

引起一起暴发性急性胃肠炎疫情的埃可病毒18型VP1基因特征分析

埃可病毒18型(Echovirus 18,E18)属于B组肠道病毒(Enterovirus B,EV-B),是引起病毒性脑膜炎的重要病原体。对2019年4月广东省深圳市龙岗区一起急性胃肠炎疫情进行病原学鉴定及病原基因特征分析。此次疫情共有26名患者,均以发热、呕吐、腹泻、腹痛为主要症状。从其中18名病例采集了18份肛拭子标本,采用实时荧光RT-PCR、病毒分离(RD细胞)和半巢式聚合酶链反应法以鉴定病原,扩增病毒全长VP1区,测序并进行系统进化分析。结果显示,18份标本中11份肠道病毒核酸阳性,其中8份为E18。病毒分离得到2株病毒,从肛拭子标本直接扩增得到的7条E18全长VP1核苷酸序列,核苷酸相似性为100%,与GenBank中E18参考株的核苷酸及氨基酸同源性分别为79.2%~96.4%和93.3%~99.3%;进化树显示,深圳龙岗E18分离株(GDSZ1902)归属由中国分离株组成的C2a进化分支,在其VP1蛋白中的底部环处发现一处特异的氨基酸变异(D200N)。从流行病学和病原学结果分析,E18是引起本次深圳市龙岗区急性胃肠炎疫情的主要病原,属于中国E18主要流行株的进化分支,这是我国首次发现E18引起急性胃肠炎疫情的报道。     

Mutation of Residue Arginine~(18)of Cytochrome b_(559)a-Subunit and its Effects on Photosystem II Activities in Chlamydomonas reinhardtii

It has been known that arginine is used as the basic amino acid in the a-subunit of cytochrome b_(559)(Cyt b_(559)) excepthistidine. However, previous studies have focused on the function of histidine in the activities of photosystem (PS) II andthere are no reports regarding the structural and/or functional roles of arginine in PSII complexes. In the present study,two arginine (R18) mutants of Chlamydomonas reinhardtii were constructed using site-directed mutagenesis, in whichR18 was replaced by glutamic acid (E) and glycine (G). The results show that the oxygen evolution of the PSII complexin the R18G and R18E mutants was approximately 60% of wild-type (WT) levels and that, after irradiation at high lightintensity, oxygen evolution for the PSII of mutants was reduced to zero compared with 40% in WT cells. The efficiency oflight capture by PSII (F_v/F_m) of R18G and R18E mutants was approximately 42%-46% that of WT cells. Furthermore, levelsof the a-subunit of Cyt b_(559) and PsbO proteins were reduced in thylakoid membranes compared with WT. Overall, thesedata suggest that R18 plays a significant role in helping Cyt b_559 maintain the structure of the PSII complex and its activity,although it is not directly bound to the heme group.     

Analysis of the phylogenetic diversity of estrone-degrading bacteria in activated sewage sludge using microautoradiography-fluorescence in situ hybridization

In situ uptake of [2,4,6,7-3H(N)]estrone ([3H]E1) by the major phylogenetic groups present in activated sludge samples from two different municipal wastewater treatment plants was investigated using microautoradiography-fluorescence in situ hybridization (MAR-FISH). Approximately 1-2% of the total cells confined in the samples by an EUB probe mix contributed to E1 assimilation. Almost all the detected E1-assimilating cells involved in the early phase of E1 degradation were affiliated with the Beta- and Gammaproteobacteria. In the early phase of E1 degradation, no E1-assimilating cells affiliated with the Alphaproteobacteria, Actinobacteria, the Cytophaga-Flavobacterium cluster of phylum Bacteroidetes, or the phyla Chloroflexi, Nitrospira and Planctomycetes were detected. Bacteria affiliated with the Betaproteobacteria in the shape of long rods or chains of rods were found to contribute most to in situ E1 degradation. They contributed 61% and 82% of total E1-assimilating cells in cultures from two sources of activated sludge spiked with [3H]E1. The E1-degrading bacteria related to the Betaproteobacteria differed phylogenetically from the aerobic E1-degrading bacterial isolates reported in previous studies. In addition, MAR-FISH revealed the significant contribution of E1-degrading bacteria affiliated with the Gammaproteobacteria in the degradation of E1 in activated sludge.     

A Phylogenetic Study of the Origin of the Domestic Pig Estimated from the Near-Complete mtDNA Genome

The near-complete pig mtDNA genome sequence (15,997 bp) was determined from two domestic pigs (one Chinese Meishan and one Swedish Landrace) and two European wild boars. The sequences were analyzed together with a previously published sequence representing a Swedish domestic pig. The sequences formed three distinct clades, denoted A, E1, and E2, with considerable sequence divergence between them (0.8–1.2%). The results confirm our previous study (based on the sequence of the cytochrome B gene and the control region only) and provide compelling evidence that domestication of pigs must have occurred from both an Asian and a European subspecies of the wild boar. We estimated the time since the divergence of clade A (found in Chinese Meishan pigs) and E1 (found in European domestic pigs) at about 900,000 years before present, long before domestication about 9000 years ago. The pattern of nucleotide substitutions among the sequences was in good agreement with previous interspecific comparisons of mammalian mtDNA; the lowest substitution rates were observed at nonsynonymous sites in protein-coding genes, in the tRNA and rRNA genes, while the highest rates were observed at synonymous sites and in the control region. The presence of Asian clade A in some major European breeds (Large White and Landrace) most likely reflects the documented introgression of Asian germplasm into European stocks during the 18th and 19th centuries. The coexistence of such divergent mtDNA haplotypes for 100+ generations is expected to lead to the presence of recombinant haplotypes if paternal transmission and recombination occur at a low frequency. We found no evidence of such recombination events in the limited sample studied so far. Received: 19 April 2000; Accepted: 15 November 2000