Epidemiological and immunological monitoring of tetanus in Georgia (Republic)

During the period of 1961-1990 the regular immunological and epidemiological monitoring of tetanus was carried out. At the prevaccination period (1937-1960) 140 cases of tetanus were registered, 77 patients died (morbidity rate being 0.97-0.11 per 100,000 of the population with mortality rate equal to 55.6%). At the period of mass vaccinal prophylaxis (1960-1990) 56 cases were registered and 27 patients died (the corresponding values: 0.09-0.11 with 48.2% mortality). In 1981-1990 altogether 53,213 vaccinees were examined. 4,864 vaccinees (8.9%) proved to be seronegative and 43,615 vaccinees (81.9%) were found to have protective antibody titers. 4,220 pregnant women were examined; 476 women (11.2%) proved to be seronegative and 3,576 women (84.3%) were found to have protective antibody titers. Timely specific prophylaxis proved to be the only way for decreasing tetanus morbidity.     

Uterine involvement in guineapig salmonellosis

Of 334 mature breeding guineapigs, 53 (15.9%) died in a disease outbreak involving Salmonella typhimurium serotypes 1, 4, 5 and 12 : i : 1,2. The uterus was consistently involved. Nine other Salmonella-free mature female guineapigs when inoculated with a pure isolate from the outbreak, using the subcutaneous, intramuscular or per os route, succumbed to salmonellosis, reproducing signs and lesions observed during the outbreak. Abortion was not recorded during the outbreak despite many pregnant sows being affected. The isolate was sensitive to gentamicin, tetracycline, ampicillin and cefuroxime but resistant to co-trimoxazole, erythromycin and penicillin.     

Lymphoid tissue reaction in experimental salmonellosis

Experimental Salmonella infection in rabbits was accompanied by immunomorphological transformation, starting in the ileum and the cervical lymph node on day 3, and in the popliteal lymph node on day 5 after inoculation. The intensity of immunomorphological reaction depended on the severity of the course of salmonellosis, and at the peak of the disease it depended on the degree of manifestation of intestinal pathology. The presence of salmonellae in the intestinal tissue, and particularly in the tissue of the ileum, facilitated the development of more pronounced and prolonged immunomorphological reaction in the mucous membrane of the ileum.     

Mortality in captive elk from salmonellosis

Salmonella typhimurium DT104 infections of captive elk (Cervus elaphus nelsoni) calves resulted in mortality in eight of 13 affected calves. Salmonellosis in these elk calves was characterized by diarrhea, fever, lethargy, inappetence and depression, and death usually ensued within 72 hr of initial clinical signs. Affected calves did not respond to antibiotic and fluid therapy. The source of the bacteria likely was one or more of the calves when they were captured in the wild at less than 5 days of age. In our captive holding facility, the disease spread quickly and was difficult to control. Phage typing, pulsed field gel electrophoresis, antibiotic sensitivity testing, and plasmid profiles determined that this Salmonella sp. strain was the epidemic strain common to cattle, sheep and humans.     

Non-typhoidal salmonellosis: emerging problems

Two major changes in the epidemiology of non-typhoidal salmonellosis have occurred during the second half of the 20th century. First, Salmonella typhimurium strains resistant to multiple antibiotics have emerged and spread within populations of food animals. Secondly, Salmonella enteritidis has emerged as a major egg-associated pathogen. This article reviews available data on the origins of the human epidemics.     

Cellular immunity factors in salmonellosis and food toxinfections

A complex immunological examination of 68 salmonellosis patients and 227 patients with alimentary toxinfections of unknown etiology has been made in the process of their treatment by rehydration therapy. At the acute period of the disease, irrespective of its nosologic form, cellular immunity has been suppressed. Cell-mediated immunity factors have been shown to depend on the severity of the disease.     

Lizards in the ecology of salmonellosis in Panama.

Enteropathogenic bacteria was isolated from 131 of 447 (29.4%) neotropical Panamanian lizards belonging to 34 species of seven families. Overall, 147 strains of bacteria were isolated comprising 26 Salmonella and 10 Arizona serotypes. Gymnopthalmus speciosus had the highest infection rate, 12 of 13 individuals (92.3%), whereas Gonatodes fuscus exhibited the lowest, 1 of 18 (5.6%). The highest infection was detected in lizards whose behavioral patterns were secretive (42.0%) and terrestrial (42.6%), whereas the lowest infection was among the scansorial lizards (17.5%). Rates were highest during the dry season, from January through April. Many neotropical Panamanian lizards were multiply infected by Salmonella an Arizona strains representing representing a wide range of serotypes. Infected lizards were distributed in areas varying from remote rural and forested regions to urban developments, offering a potentially important reservoir of enteropathogenic bacteria known to cause infection in man and domestic animals.     

Infertility associated with sub clinical salmonellosis

Subclinical infection of guinea pigs with isogenic wild type and aroA, htrA and aroA-htrA mutants of Salmonella enterica subspecies enterica serovar Abortusequi (S. Abortusequi) induced infertility, while mutants had little or no effect on conception rate in guinea pigs. Conception rate was significantly lower in guinea pigs inoculated with wild type (S-787) and aroA mutant of S. Abortusequi than those inoculated with intracellular survival deficient htrA or aroA-htrA mutants of S. Abortusequi. Chi-test analysis revealed that none of the three mutants could be attributed to low conception rate, but wild type Salmonella inoculation and chronic carriage of the pathogen were significant cause of low conception rate in guinea pigs. Role of S. Abortusequi in causation of infertility was proven from the experiment for the first time.     

Experimental salmonellosis conjunctivitis and keratitis in guinea pigs]

The authors present the results of morphological study of experimentally-induced conjunctivitis and keratitis induced in guinea pigs by salmonellae. It was revealed that injuries of the conjunctiva and cornea in salmonellae infection were different by development and morphological manifestations from keratoconjunctivitis caused by shigellae. This difference was due to specific peculiarities of the pathogenic properties of salmonellae and shigellae clearly expressed on the given experimental model.     

An outbreak of salmonellosis in newly imported cynomolgus monkeys

Serious salmonellosis occurred in groups of cynomolgus monkeys newly imported into Tsukuba Primate Center for Medical Science from the Philippines in 1985. During the quarantine period, Salmonella typhimurium (29 strains) and S. stanley (1 strain) were isolated from 30 of 130 imported monkeys. Twenty-eight of the 30 infected monkeys excreted mainly watery diarrhea, and occasionally bloody mucous stool. Seven of the 28 clinical cases infected with S. typhimurium resulted in death or in moribund state. In both the small and large intestines of autopsied monkeys, acute inflammatory changes were observed.