Tracing lineage by phenotypic and genotypic markers in Salmonella enterica subsp. enterica serovar 1,4,[5],12:i:- and Salmonella Typhimurium isolated in state of São Paulo, Brazil.

Fifty-three Salmonella 1,4,[5],12:i:- and 45 Salmonella Typhimurium strains were characterised using phage typing, plasmid profiles and pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) for comparison. The majority of the strains were subdivided into definitive type (DT) 41 (22.6%) and DT 193 (18%) and the 60-MDa plasmid was detected in 94.

Phenotypical and genotypical characterization of Bordetella pertussis strains isolated in São Paulo, Brazil, 1988-2002.

Whooping cough or pertussis was a major cause of childhood morbidity and mortality in the world until the introduction of a whole-cell vaccine in the 1940's. However, since the early 1980's whooping cough cases have increased in many countries, becoming an important problem of public health. This increase may be due to accuracy of laboratory diagnosis and reporting of the disease, a decline in immunity over time, demographic changes, and adaptation of the bacterial population to vaccine-induced immunity.

Phenotypic characterization of Neisseria meningitidis strains isolated from invasive disease in Brazil from 1990 to 2001.

Phenotype characterization of 11 181 invasive Neisseria meningitidis isolates collected in Brazil from 1990 to 2001 was performed. Based on laboratory data, there were 7436 (67 %) serogroup B isolates, 3391 (30 %) C, 236 W135, 51 Y, four 29E, three X, one Z, and 59 of unknown serogroup. Phenotype B : 4,7 : P1.

Serosubtypes and PorA types of Neisseria meningitidis serogroup B isolated in Brazil during 1997--1998: overview and implications for vaccine development.

Meningococcal disease caused by N. meningitidis serogroup B (MenB) has been endemic in Brazil since 1997. In this study, we determined the prevalence of serosubtypes of MenB isolated in 10 Brazilian states and the Federal District during 1997 and 1998 and investigated the extent of PorA VR sequence variation among the most prevalent serosubtypes to evaluate the possible use of an outer membrane vesicle (OMV)-, PorA-based vaccine to prevent meningococcal disease in Brazil.

Genetic relationships among serogroup B: serotype 4 Neisseria meningitidis strains.

We compared the results obtained by serotyping of PorB epitopes using an expanded panel of monoclonal antibodies (mAb) including mAb 7 and mAb 10, with results obtained by RFLP of rRNA genes (ribotyping). The purpose of this study was to assess the correlation between phenotypic- and genotypic- methods for typing N. meningitidis.

Listeria monocytogenes in renal transplant recipients.

Five cases of Listeria monocytogenes bacteremia were observed from April to December 1985, among renal transplant recipients from the same hospital in São Paulo, Brazil. The patients were adults (mean age: 40.6 years), and the basic complaint was fever, with no report of meningeal syndrome.

Proposed standardization of Neisseria meningitidis PorA variable-region typing nomenclature.

Neisseria meningitidis isolates are conventionally classified by serosubtyping, which characterizes the reactivities of the PorA outer membrane protein variable-region (VR) epitopes with monoclonal antibodies (MAbs). A newer method (PorA VR typing) uses predicted amino acid sequences derived from DNA sequence analysis. The resulting classification schemes are not standardized, offering conflicting and sometimes irreconcilable data from the two methods.

The use of oligonucleotide probes for meningococcal serotype characterization.

In the present study we examine the potential use of oligonucleotide probes to characterize Neisseria meningitidis serotypes without the use of monoclonal antibodies (MAbs). Antigenic diversity on PorB protein forms the bases of serotyping method. However, the current panel of MAbs underestimated, by at least 50% the PorB variability, presumably because reagents for several PorB variable regions (VRs) are lacking, or because a number of VR variants are not recognized by serotype-defining MAbs.

Meningococcal disease caused by Neisseria meningitidis serogroup B serotype 4 in São Paulo, Brazil, 1990 to 1996.

A large epidemic of serogroup B meningococcal disease (MD), has been occurring in greater São Paulo, Brazil, since 1988. A Cuban-produced vaccine, based on outer-membrane-protein (OMP) from serogroup B: serotype 4: serosubtype P1.15 (B:4:P1.

Correlation between serological and sequencing analyses of the PorB outer membrane protein in the Neisseria meningitidis serotyping system.

The current serological typing scheme for Neisseria meningitidis is not comprehensive; a proportion of isolates are not serotypeable. DNA sequence analysis and predicted amino acid sequences were used to characterize the structures of variable-region (VR) epitopes on N. meningitidis PorB proteins (PorB VR typing).

Aerobic bacteria, Chlamydia trachomatis, Pneumocystis carinii and Cytomegalovirus as agents of severe pneumonia in small infants.

The authors studied 58 infants hospitalized for pneumonia in a semi-intensive care unit. Age ranged from 1 complete to 6 incomplete months. The infants were sent from another hospital in 20 cases and from home in a further 38.

Distribution of serotypes of Streptococcus pneumoniae isolated from invasive infections over a 16-year period in the greater São Paulo area, Brazil.

Capsular types of pneumococci from normally sterile body sites of 1,622 patients in Brazil were analyzed. Of 1,477 isolates from cerebrospinal fluid, 76.1% were of types represented in the currently available pneumococcal vaccine.

Genetic structure of Neisseria meningitidis serogroup C epidemic strains in south Brazil.

In the present study we report the results of an analysis, based on serotyping, multilocus enzyme electrophoresis (MEE), and ribotyping of N. meningitidis serogroup C strains isolated from patients with meningococcal disease (MD) in Rio Grande do Sul (RS) and Santa Catarina (SC) States, Brazil, as the Center of Epidemiology Control of Ministry of Health detected an increasing of MD cases due to this serogroup in the last two years (1992-1993). We have demonstrated that the MD due to N.

Immune response of Brazilian children to a Neisseria meningitidis serogroup B outer membrane protein vaccine: comparison with efficacy.

Since 1986, serogroup B Neisseria meningitidis has caused approximately 80% of the meningococcal disease in Brazil. In 1988, an epidemic caused by N. meningitidis B:4:P1.

Characterization of epidemic Neisseria meningitidis serogroup C strains in several Brazilian states.

Epidemic strains of the Neisseria meningitidis C:2b:P1.3 electrophoretic type 11 complex were responsible for an outbreak in Curitiba, Parana State, Brazil, from 1990 to 1991. Strains of this complex were also isolated in other Brazilian states and were responsible for a meningococcal disease epidemic in São Paulo State in 1990.

Production and immunochemical characterization of Neisseria meningitidis group B antiserum for the diagnosis of purulent meningitis.

Unlike Neisseria meningitidis groups A, C, Y and W135, the group B capsular polysaccharide has been shown to be chemically and immunologically identical to the capsular polysaccharide of Escherichia coli K1. Both components are sialic acid homopolymers and are poorly immunogenic. Nevertheless, due to the high incidence of Neisseria meningitidis group B meningitis in the population of the State of São Paulo, preparing antiserum to this serogroup for diagnostic purposes has become a matter of high priority.

[Immune response to anti-meningococcal vaccines].

In view of a recent epidemic of meningococcal disease caused by serogroup B N. meningitidis in the Greater S. Paulo area (Brazil), a review of the epidemics that occurred in Brazil during the period from 1900 to 1990 is presented.

Ongoing group B Neisseria meningitidis epidemic in São Paulo, Brazil, due to increased prevalence of a single clone of the ET-5 complex.

Beginning in 1988, the incidence of meningococcal disease in the area of greater São Paulo began to surpass the upper confidence limit of an 8-year average incidence (from 1979 to 1986), thus characterizing a new epidemic in the region of greater São Paulo. This epidemic, which extended to 1990, was different from previous epidemics in that it was caused by serogroup B. The increased incidence of meningococcal disease was paralleled by an increased prevalence of a single group B clone, B:4:P1.

[Differences in the adhesive properties of Staphylococcus saprophyticus to HEp-2 cells and erythrocytes].

S. saprophyticus has been frequently isolated from urinary tract infections in young women. In contrast with S.

Emergence of a new clone of serogroup C Neisseria meningitidis in São Paulo, Brazil.

Serogroup C isolates of Neisseria meningitidis recovered from 121 patients with meningitis or septicemia in Greater São Paulo, Brazil, between 1976 and 1990 were analyzed with respect to serotype and multilocus enzyme genotype. The distribution of serotypes has changed since 1989 when serotype 2b started to replace serotype 2a. There were 48 distinct multilocus genotypes (electrophoretic types [ETs]) and 13 distinct complexes.

[Serotypes of Streptococcus pneumoniae isolated from cerebrospinal fluid in 1977-1988 in São Paulo City, Brazil].

Since 1977, the Instituto Adolfo Lutz (IAL) is having interest in the serotyping of S. pneumoniae or pneumococcus from infections caused by this bacteria. The isolated strains have been sent to the WHO Pneumococcal Reference Center, Pennsylvania, U.

Comparative activity of six beta-lactam antibiotics against strains of Haemophilus influenzae, Neisseria meningitidis and Streptococcus pneumoniae.

The minimum inhibitory concentrations (MIC) of penicillin G, ampicillin, mezlocillin, azlocillin, cephalothin and cefoxitin were determined for 47 strains of Haemophilus influenzae, 68 strains of Neisseria meningitidis and 45 strains of Streptococcus pneumoniae. These strains were isolated during the past three years from patients with acute bacterial meningitis. Three strains of H.