US outbreak of human Salmonella infections associated with aquatic frogs, 2008-2011.

Objective: Although amphibians are known Salmonella carriers, no such outbreaks have been reported. We investigated a nationwide outbreak of human Salmonella Typhimurium infections occurring predominantly among children from 2008 to 2011.

Methods: We conducted a matched case-control study.

Feasibility of reduction in use of the mouse bioassay: presence/absence screening for saxitoxin in frozen acidified mussel and oyster extracts from the coast of California with in vitro methods.

In the United States, the detection of paralytic shellfish poisoning (PSP) for regulatory purposes relies on the mouse bioassay (MBA). Using a saxitoxin presence/absence test could reduce animal usage significantly. Three in vitro methods, the RIDASCREEN Saxitoxin kit, MIST Alert, and a 5 h neuroblastoma assay, were evaluated in parallel with the MBA using 106 twice-frozen, acidified extracts from California-grown mussel and oyster tissues.

Two processing methods for the isolation of Salmonella from naturally contaminated alfalfa seeds.

Two processing methods were examined for the recovery of Salmonella from naturally contaminated alfalfa seed. Seed samples, from each of three investigations, were processed by sprouting and shredding before preenrichment and culture. In lot A, Salmonella serotype Newport was isolated from 3 of 30 sample units with the sprouting method and 2 of 30 with the shredding method.

Overview of the etiology of wound infections with particular emphasis on community-acquired illnesses.

Wound cultures represent a general catchall category for a group of extremely diverse anatomic samples that range from superficial specimens of cutaneous structures (folliculitis, cellulitis) to specimens revealing invasive infections involving deep fascial planes and muscle (myonecrosis). Because of the complex nature of these infective processes, the terminology associated with such infections is often imprecise and confusing. Wounds are the result of trauma, either intentionally or accidentally induced.

Behavioral and electrophysiological indices of voicing-cue discrimination: laterality patterns and development.

Voicing is an important phonetic dimension that distinguishes voiced (i.e., /b/) from voiceless-aspirated stop consonants (i.

Clinical disease spectrum and pathogenic factors associated with Plesiomonas shigelloides infections in humans.

Plesiomonas shigelloides is a gram-negative, facultatively anaerobic rod whose appropriate taxonomic position is presently under investigation. The isolation and identification of this microorganism in contaminated specimens (e.g.

Detection, quantitation and stability of the beta haemolysin of Aeromonas spp.

Amongst 58 isolates of motile aeromonads evaluated for the ability to produce beta haemolysin, haemolytic activity was significantly associated with strains belonging to the Aeromonas hydrophila and A. sobria groups. Of erythrocytes from nine animal species tested, mouse red blood cells provided the best indicator system for detection of beta-haemolysin activity.

Clotrimazole treatment for prevention of oral candidiasis in patients with acute leukemia undergoing chemotherapy. Results of a double-blind study.

Fungal infections have become an increasing cause of morbidity in patients with acute leukemia undergoing chemotherapy. Oral candidiasis is prone to develop in these patients, and there is also a risk of the development of esophageal Candida infection. Clotrimazole troches have been previously reported to be effective in the treatment of documented oral Candida infection.

Vibrio alginolyticus bacteremia in an immunocompromised patient.

Vibrio alginolyticus, an extremely halophilic member of this genus, was isolated from multiple sets of blood cultures drawn during a septic crisis of a patient with osteogenic sarcoma. No identifiable source of this infection could be determined.

Pathophysiology of experimental Aeromonas hydrophila infection in mice.

A virulent fish strain of Aeromonas hydrophila was inoculated intramuscularly into laboratory mice (B10.G strain). Histological, biochemical and haematological changes during the first 36 h of the infection were measured.

The interaction of complement components with Aeromonas species.

The interaction of seven serum-sensitive Aeromonas strains with the complement system was investigated using a 2-h quantitative assay. Of the strains tested, four isolates activated both the alternative and classical pathways, two activated only the alternative pathway, and one strain was sensitive to the bactericidal action of complement through the classical pathway only. Two of the four Aeromonas caviae strains were such efficient activators of the complement system that when challenged with human sera deficient in normal concentrations of C3 and C4, they were still subject to complement-mediated bacterial lysis.