US outbreak of human Salmonella infections associated with aquatic frogs, 2008-2011.

Objective: Although amphibians are known Salmonella carriers, no such outbreaks have been reported. We investigated a nationwide outbreak of human Salmonella Typhimurium infections occurring predominantly among children from 2008 to 2011.

Methods: We conducted a matched case-control study.

Feasibility of reduction in use of the mouse bioassay: presence/absence screening for saxitoxin in frozen acidified mussel and oyster extracts from the coast of California with in vitro methods.

In the United States, the detection of paralytic shellfish poisoning (PSP) for regulatory purposes relies on the mouse bioassay (MBA). Using a saxitoxin presence/absence test could reduce animal usage significantly. Three in vitro methods, the RIDASCREEN Saxitoxin kit, MIST Alert, and a 5 h neuroblastoma assay, were evaluated in parallel with the MBA using 106 twice-frozen, acidified extracts from California-grown mussel and oyster tissues.

Two processing methods for the isolation of Salmonella from naturally contaminated alfalfa seeds.

Two processing methods were examined for the recovery of Salmonella from naturally contaminated alfalfa seed. Seed samples, from each of three investigations, were processed by sprouting and shredding before preenrichment and culture. In lot A, Salmonella serotype Newport was isolated from 3 of 30 sample units with the sprouting method and 2 of 30 with the shredding method.

Overview of the etiology of wound infections with particular emphasis on community-acquired illnesses.

Wound cultures represent a general catchall category for a group of extremely diverse anatomic samples that range from superficial specimens of cutaneous structures (folliculitis, cellulitis) to specimens revealing invasive infections involving deep fascial planes and muscle (myonecrosis). Because of the complex nature of these infective processes, the terminology associated with such infections is often imprecise and confusing. Wounds are the result of trauma, either intentionally or accidentally induced.

Behavioral and electrophysiological indices of voicing-cue discrimination: laterality patterns and development.

Voicing is an important phonetic dimension that distinguishes voiced (i.e., /b/) from voiceless-aspirated stop consonants (i.