Genome Sequences of Hemolytic and Nonhemolytic Listeria innocua Strains from Human, Food, and Environmental Sources.

This report describes genome sequences for nine Listeria innocua strains that varied in hemolytic phenotypes on sheep blood agar. All strains were sequenced using Pacific Biosciences (PacBio) single-molecule real-time (SMRT) chemistry; overall, the average read length of these sequences was 2,869,880 bp, with an average GC content of 37%.

Whole-Genome Sequencing Reveals Multiple Subpopulations of Dominant and Persistent Lineage I Isolates of in Two Meat Processing Facilities during 2011-2015.

is a foodborne pathogen with a highly clonal population structure comprising multiple phylogenetic sub-groups that can persist within food processing environments and contaminate food. The epidemiology of is well-described in some developed countries; however, little is known about the prevalence and population structure of this pathogen in food and food processing environments located in less developed regions. The aim of this study was to determine the genetic characteristics and clonal relatedness of that were isolated from two Jamaican meat processing facilities.

Morbidity, mortality and antimicrobial resistance of pneumococcal infections in the Jamaican paediatric and adult populations.

Background: Pneumococcal infections are a leading global cause of morbidity and mortality, complicated by the increasing antimicrobial resistance of pneumococcal isolates.

Objective: To evaluate morbidity and mortality associated with both invasive pneumococcal disease (IPD) and non-IPD in Jamaica in both the paediatric and adult population. Pneumococcal isolates (n= 94) were collected over a 2-year period (2008-2009).

Pneumococcal disease burden, clinical presentations and vaccine coverage in the Jamaican population.

Background: Pneumococcal serotypes circulating in any population vary over time and between countries and impacts the effectiveness of pneumococcal vaccination.

Objective: This study investigated the epidemiology of pneumococcal disease in Jamaica.

Methods: Streptococcus pneumoniae isolates (n= 349) along with demographic and clinical information were collected from patients presenting at the 4 major hospitals in Jamaica over a 2-year period.

Performance Evaluation and Clinical Associations of Immunoassays That Detect Antibodies to Negatively Charged Phospholipids Other Than Cardiolipin.

Objectives: We evaluate the performance characteristics of antiphosphatidylserine (anti-PS), antiphosphatidylinositol (anti-PI), and antiphospholipid mixture (APhL) enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISAs) compared with anticardiolipin (aCL) and anti-β2 glycoprotein I (anti-β2GPI) in a large group of patients with antiphospholipid (aPL)-related diseases.

Methods: Serum samples from 548 patients from the Hopkins and Jamaican systemic lupus erythematosus cohorts, the PROMISSE cohort, and the Antiphospholipid Standardization Laboratory were examined for immunoglobulin G (IgG)/immunoglobulin M (IgM) positivity in aCL, anti-β2GPI, anti-PS, anti-PI, and APhL ELISA assays.

Results: All IgG assays were associated with one or more thrombotic and/or obstetric manifestations, with an increased risk associated with higher antibody titers.