Management of extra-pulmonary tuberculosis (excluding miliary and meningeal) in south and west Wales (1976-8).

In a retrospective survey of the management of extrapulmonary tuberculosis lymph node and genitourinary tuberculosis were found more commonly than bone and joint or gynaecological disease. Only 29% of patients received 18 moths'' chemotherapy while 31% received nine to 12 months'' treatment with rifampicin and isoniazid regimens and 34% had short-course chemotherapy with other regimens. Five patients were not offered any chemotherapy after diagnosis, and in five patients the diagnosis was overlooked because of administrative errors. One patient died from tuberculosis (renal). Poor drug compliance appeared less of a problem than in pulmonary tuberculosis. Only 14% of patients had their disease managed solely by consultants who were not specialists in chest disease. Liaison with a chest consultant did not necessarily ensure chemotherapy for 18 moths.     

Survey of sickle-cell disease in England and Wales.

The incidence and the clinical course of patients suffering from sickle-cell syndrome (Hb SS; Hb SC; Hb S thal) in England and Wales are not known. In 1979 an ad hoc committee was formed to investigate these problems. Initially, a questionnaire was sent to 227 haematologists in England and Wales to determine the number of cases in these countries. The replies have indicated that 1367 cases were seen in 1978 and 1979. Probably this may represent only half the total number of cases. From this survey it has been possible to draw up a composite map showing the location of patients, which has provided a basis to determine the clinical course of the disease, and for further studies into the complications and management of sickle-cell disease in England and Wales. From a second questionnaire preliminary data about the general management and mortality in England and Wales have been recorded.     

Antibiotic resistance in bacteria from magpies (Pica pica) and rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus) from west Wales

The prevalence of antibiotic-resistant bacteria in wild animal and bird populations is largely unknown, with little consistency among the few published reports. We therefore examined intestinal bacteria from magpies ( Pica pica ) and rabbits ( Oryctolagus cuniculus ) collected in rural west Wales. Escherichia coli isolates resistant to multiple antibiotics were grown from eight of 20 magpies trapped in spring, 1999 and one of 17 in spring, 2000; the most prevalent resistance trait among these isolates was to tetracycline, but resistances to ampicillin, chloramphenicol, kanamycin, sulphonamide, tetracycline and trimethoprim were also found. Tetracycline-resistant Enterococcus spp. were found in one of 20 magpies in 1999 and three of 17 in 2000. Only one resistant E. coli isolate was detected among gut bacteria from 13 rabbits, and this strain was resistant only to tetracycline. Differences in the prevalence of resistance between bacteria from rabbits and magpies may reflect differences in diet: rabbits graze field edges, whereas magpies are omnivorous and opportunistic. The resistance genes found in E. coli isolates from magpies mostly corresponded to those common among human isolates, but those conferring tetracycline resistance were unique.     

Prevalence of pulmonary tuberculosis - a baseline survey in central India

Background

The present study provides an estimate of the prevalence of bacteriologially positive pulmonary tuberculosis in Jabalpur, a district in central India.

Methodology/Principal Findings

A community based cross-sectional survey was undertaken in Jabalpur District of the central Indian state of Madhya Pradesh. A stratified cluster sampling design was adopted to select the sample. All eligible individuals were questioned for pulmonary symptoms suggestive of TB disease. Two sputum samples were collected from all eligible individuals and were examined by Ziehl-Neelsen smear microscopy and solid media culture methods. Of the 99,918 individuals eligible for screening, 95,071 (95.1%) individuals were screened. Of these, 7,916 (8.3%) were found to have symptoms and sputum was collected from 7,533 (95.2%) individuals. Overall prevalence of bacteriologically positive PTB was found to be 255.3 per 100,000 population (95% C.I: 195.3–315.4). Prevalence was significantly higher (p<0.001) amongst males (355.8; 95% C.I: 304.4–413.4) compared with females (109.0; 95% C.I: 81.2–143.3). Prevalence was also significantly higher in rural areas (348.9; 95% C.I: 292.6–412.8) as compared to the urban (153.9; 95% C.I: 123.2–190.1).

Conclusions/Significance

The TB situation in Jabalpur district, central India, is observed to be comparable to the TB situation at the national level (255.3 versus 249). There is however, a need to maintain and further strengthen TB control measures on a sustained and long term basis in the area to have a significant impact on the disease prevalence in the community.     

Distributional and biometrical study of appendicularians from the west south Atlantic ocean

This study deals with appendicularians from 21 superficial plankton samples collected in the coast of Argentina, Uruguay and Brazil in October–November, 1972. Seventeen species were identified and their distribution established and compared with the results of previous authors. Megalocercus abyssorum received particular attention because it is a very infrequent species in the Atlantic Ocean. Specimens of the family Oikopleuridae were measured, taking data from trunk and tail. From the state of development of the gonads three different stages were established. The data from each station, grouped by species and state of maturity, were subjected to a conventional statistical treatment, obtaining the mean and standard error for each parameter. In addition, the use of statistical testing techniques validated the three developmental stages established, because from the analysis of variance for all the measurements highly significant results were obtained. An exception must be made for Oikopleura dioica since the only difference is in the height of the trunk. The same pertains to the difference between males and females. Oikopleura longicauda showed significant differences between specimens from coastal and pelagic samples in all measurements of the tail.Departamento de Ciencias Biológicas, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad de Buenos Aires.Departamento de Ciencias Biológicas, Facultad de Farmacia y Bioquímica, Universidad de Buenos Aires.     

Barley yellow dwarf virus infectivity of alate aphid vectors in west Wales

Live trapping at 0.9 m of alate aphid vectors of barley yellow dwarf virus (BYDV) at Aberystwyth from 1970 to 1979 showed that ten species transmitted the virus to oat test plants. Conversion of percentage infective at 0.9 m to numbers infective based on continuous trapping at 1.2 m showed Rhopalosiphum padi and R. insertum to be the main vector species in most years, whilst Metopolophium dirhodum and Sitobion auenae were normally of minor importance. The data obtained suggest that epiphytotics of BYDV in autumn-sown cereals were caused by numerous infective vectors flying late in the year and transmitting severe strains of the virus. Evidence is presented that gynoparae and males of R. padi are involved in the autumn spread of BYDV and that three further aphid species, Anoecia corni, Metopolophium albidum and M. frisicum are BYDV vectors. The use of live and continuous trapping techniques in forecasting BYDV epiphytotics is discussed.     

Defecation and urination patterns of badgersMeles meles at low density in south west England

The spatial distribution of urine and faecal scent marks of badgersMeles meles (Linnaeus, 1758) at low population density (mean±SE across 4 social groups was 5.73±0.735 badgers/km2) in south-western England were quantified. Eighteen badger latrines (greater than one dung pit containing faeces), 74 single defecations not in pits and 21 faeces in single pits were located in spring when badgers were defending well-defined territories. Woodland was selected, and arable land avoided, for latrine sites. Pasture and built-up land was selected for single defecations not in pits whereas faeces in single pits were distributed randomly across habitat types. Faecal scent marks were strongly associated with the edge of pastoral fields rather than the middle. Forty-six and 51 urinations were located in spring and summer, respectively. Urine was deposited randomly across habitat types but was concentrated at the linear features surrounding the main setts. This is the first reported use of high levels of single defecations and urinations in badger scent marking strategies in the UK. These results are discussed in relation to the potential for transmission of bovine tuberculosisMycobacterium bovis from badger excreta to cattle.