Health implications of engineered nanoparticles in infants and children.

Background: The nanotechnology boom and the ability to manufacture novel nanomaterials have led to increased production and use of engineered nanoparticles (ENPs). However, the increased use of various ENPs inevitably results in their release in or the contamination of the environment, which poses significant threats to human health. In recent years, extraordinary economic and societal benefits of nanoproducts as well as their potential risks have been observed and widely debated.

[Development of a protocol on pulsed field gel electrophoresis analysis for Streptococcus suis].

Objective: To develop a PFGE protocol for Streptococcus suis.

Methods: We developed and optimized a PFGE protocol for S. suis, in terms of plug preparation, choice of restriction endonucleases and optimized electrophoresis parameters.

[An outbreak of human Streptococcus suis serotype 2 infections presenting with toxic shock syndrome in Sichuan, China].

Objective: In mid-July 2005, five patients presented with septic shock to a hospital in Ziyang city in Sichuan, China, to identify the etiology of the unknown reason disease, an epidemiological, clinical, and laboratory study were conducted.

Methods: An enhanced surveillance program were established in Sichuan, the following activities were introduced: active case finding in Sichuan of (a) laboratory diagnosed Streptococcus suis infection and (b) clinically diagnosed probable cases with exposure history; supplemented by (c) monitoring reports on meningococcal meningitis. Streptococcus suis serotype 2 infection was confirmed by culture and biochemical reactions, followed by sequencing for specific genes for serotype and virulence factors.