A multiplatform real-time polymerase chain reaction detection assay for Vibrio cholerae.

We report a multiplatform real-time polymerase chain reaction methodology based on genes encoding for the regulatory toxR activator and enterotoxin A protein to determine enterotoxigenic Vibrio cholerae types from other vibrios. This assay, which was successfully validated on a collection of 87 bacterial strains, including 63 representatives of V. cholerae and 8 noncholera vibrios provides a rapid tool for detection and identification of cholera.

Antiresistance?

After billions of years of evolution and untold numbers of bacterial generations there appears to be only a finite number of genera belonging mainly to order Actinomycetales, producing largely similar types of antibiotics all over the world. It is hypothesized that this not just a result of limited number of susceptible targets or a transitory situation in the evolutionary process. It is proposed that there is some stabilizing factor associated with the commonly encountered antibiotics that alleviates the selection pressure to design new antibiotics.

Vaccine coverage, herd immunity and occurrence of canine distemper from 1990-1996 in Finland.

Official vaccine sales statistics, the development of the young dog population and the takes of available vaccines were used to calculate the vaccine coverage and herd immunity (HI) against canine distemper, endemic during 1990-1993 and epidemic in 1994-1995 in Finland. Despite the satisfactory vaccine coverage, HI was no more than 50-65% in 1990-1993 because low-take vaccines dominated the market. Replacement of the low-take with high-take vaccines in 1995 raised the HI to 90%, which coincided with the ending of the epidemic.

Epidemiology and eradication of infectious bovine rhinotracheitis/infectious pustular vulvovaginitis (IBR/IPV) virus in Finland.

Background: Infectious bovine rhinotracheitis/infectious pustular vulvovaginitis (IBR/IPV) is a significant disease among domestic and wild cattle. The BHV-1 infection was first detected in Finland in 1970; presumably it was imported in 1968. The infection reappeared in the large-scale bulk-tank milk surveillances which started in 1990, and was eradicated in 1994.

An automated turbidimetric method for the identification of certain antibiotic groups in incurred kidney samples.

An automated turbidimetric method was developed for group level identification of penicillinase sensitive penicillins, tetracyclines and fluoroquinolones in kidney samples. A sample pretreatment procedure was elaborated for the extraction of incurred residues from kidney tissue in a translucent solution to enable the measurement of changes in optical density. The method was comprised of three pairs, one for each antibiotic group: a sensitive test bacterium strain and a resistant strain for the identification of fluoroquinolones and tetracyclines, and a sensitive strain with and without penicillinase for the identification of penicillinase sensitive penicillins.

An indirect conductimetric screening method for the detection of antibiotic residues in bovine kidneys.

An indirect conductimetric screening method using three test bacterium-medium combinations was developed for rapid detection of antibiotic residues in bovine carcasses. The detection time (DT), i.e.