J McLauchlin

..Differentiation of C. novyi type A from C. botulinum type C in reference laboratories was based on 16S rDNA sequence data and specific neutralisation of cytopathic effects in tissue culture...

..novyi type, or both, which either had an adaptive advantage in spore germination, survival or growth following the drug preparation and the injection procedure, or produced a more severe clinical presentation...

..subtilis alone and in one sample B. pumilus alone. C. botulinum and C. novyi were not isolated from any of the heroin samples. Recommendations for the optimal examination of the microflora of heroin are given...

..The spring peak in cases was due to genotype 2. Genotype 1 was significantly more common in patients infected during the late-summer-autumn peak and in those with a history of foreign travel...

..The distribution of the genotypes was significantly different both in patients with a history of foreign travel and in those from different regions in England...

..Lessons learned have been used to produce guidance for the investigation and management of outbreaks of unexplained serious illness of possible infective aetiology...

..The correct genotype of Cryptosporidium parvum was amplified by PCR from 89 (85%) of 105 smears following conventional staining but not from negative controls. This technique may have applications for analysis of other infectious agents...

..The significance of these findings is discussed in relation to data obtained from epidemiological field studies...

..monocytogenes, and we suggest that the main areas of concern are cross-contamination and the length of display of pâté sold from opened packs...

..The patient infected by C. dt had a recent history of travel to Africa. This is the first report of infection with these two Cryptosporidium species in immunocompetent patients, and in any patient in the UK...

..aureus: the appropriate SEA or SEB gene fragments were detected directly in these three foods by PCR...

..5 per million conceptions per year. Two episodes of neonatal cross infection occurred. Two non-pregnancy associated cases in 1999 were linked by a common food; all other cases were unlinked. No trend was observed from 1995 to 1999...

..A group of three antigens of differing electrophoretic mobilities were demonstrated in the affinity purified material...

..The review is written to provide a clinical and epidemiological background to the mathematically oriented, as well as to outline the mathematical approaches to those interested in food-borne infection...

..To genetically characterize an unusual genotype of Cryptosporidium from the stools of humans with diarrhoea and to identify risk factors in the affected patients...

..SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY: The method may be useful for molecular epidemiological studies on a range of gastrointestinal pathogens where samples are collected from locations remote from the testing laboratory...

..The heminested PCR method developed is sensitive, simple, and rapid to perform and is applicable for the analysis of other intestinal pathogens...

..monocytogenes in sandwiches at the point of production...

..This preliminary evaluation suggests that this AFLP method will be useful for epidemiological typing of L. monocytogenes...

..A combination of methods gave optimal discrimination, although a single method could provide sufficient information to characterise V. vulnificus isolates...

..Labelling of cheeses with clear information on whether the cheese was prepared from raw milk also requires improvement...

..monocytogenes in food manufacturing and at retail sale is essential in order to minimize the potential for this bacterium to be present in mixed salads at the point of consumption at levels hazardous to health...

..Control strategies such as those described here are important tools for the interpretation of PCR assays by improving the reliability of detection of pathogens in food...

..The results demonstrate the greater sensitivity of PCR-based methods compared to current conventional methods...

..monocytogenes. The control of L. monocytogenes in food processing and supply systems is critical in order to minimize the potential for this bacterium to be present in foods at the point of consumption at levels hazardous to health...

..There was some geographical clustering of the cases during 2004, with most cases occurring in London and in the Yorkshire and Humberside region of northeast England...

..Recommendations are given for an improved strategy for the laboratory investigation of suspected wound botulism and tetanus among IDUs...

..These assays have already proven useful for pubic health microbiological investigation of suspected cases of human botulism by substantially improving the diagnostic process...

..The COWP gene fragment was cloned and sequencing analyses revealed it to be similar to the C. parvum 'pig' genotype but with four base pairs substitutions...

..coli since these were only investigated by PCR. The results of this small study clearly demonstrate the advantages of PCR-based methods compared to conventional techniques for the detection of gastrointestinal pathogens...

..Our data indicate that the Austrian fecal carriage rate is at least 0.8%. In view of a listeriosis incidence of 0.16/100,000 per year, the chances of fecal carriage developing into listeriosis appear to be very low...

..There was no significant association between the level of Escherichia coli detected by conventional microbiological methods and the presence of Cryptosporidium detected by ABC-PCR...

..hominis and C. parvum. The technique may be especially useful for the analysis of environmental samples which are likely to contain heterogeneous mixtures of Cryptosporidium species...

..It is suggested that multiple C. botulinum were present in both food and the intestine during infant botulism...