Occurrence and fate of endotoxin activity at drinking water purification plants and healthcare facilities in Japan.

Occurrence of residual endotoxin activity (ET) in dialysis water and also tap water as its source is a matter of great concern to medical professionals conducting dialysis therapy at healthcare facilities (HCFs). The present study was performed to determine the occurrence and fate of the ET at selected Japanese drinking water purification plants and HCFs between 2014 and 2016. Chemical coagulation and sedimentation, rapid sand filtration, and membrane filtration were highly effective to decrease both ET dissolved in water (free-ET) and ET bound to cells/particles (bound-ET).

Phylogenetic Clades 6 and 8 of Enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli O157:H7 With Particular stx Subtypes are More Frequently Found in Isolates From Hemolytic Uremic Syndrome Patients Than From Asymptomatic Carriers.

Background: Enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli (EHEC) O157:H7 infection causes severe diseases such as bloody diarrhea and hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS). Although EHEC O157:H7 strains have exhibited high genetic variability, their abilities to cause human diseases have not been fully examined.

Methods: Clade typing and stx subtyping of EHEC O157:H7 strains, which were isolated in Japan during 1999-2011 from 269 HUS patients and 387 asymptomatic carriers (ACs) and showed distinct pulsed-field gel electrophoresis patterns, were performed to determine relationships between specific lineages and clinical presentation.