Same-day Enterococcus qPCR results of recreational water quality at two Toronto beaches provide added public health protection and reduced beach days lost.

Objectives: We evaluated the potential impacts from using a rapid same-day quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) monitoring method for beach posting outcomes at two Toronto beaches.

Methods: In total, 228 water samples were collected at Marie Curtis Park East and Sunnyside Beaches over the 2021 summer season. Water samples were processed using the USEPA 1609.

Norovirus risk at a golf course irrigated with reclaimed water: Should QMRA doses be adjusted for infectiousness?

About 25 golf courses in Ontario, Canada have environmental compliance approvals to use reclaimed water for irrigation, where disinfection is confirmed through E. coli limits. A previous study at five Ontario municipal wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) confirmed that enteric viruses are less susceptible to disinfection than E.

Enteric viruses in municipal wastewater effluent before and after disinfection with chlorine and ultraviolet light.

In Ontario, Canada, information is lacking on chlorine and ultraviolet (UV) light disinfection performance against enteric viruses in wastewater. We enumerated enteroviruses and noroviruses, coliphages, and Escherichia coli per USEPA methods 1615, 1602, and membrane filtration, respectively, in pre- and post-disinfection effluent at five wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs), with full-year monthly sampling, and calculated log reductions (LRs) while WWTPs complied with their monthly geometric mean limit of 200 E. coli/100 mL.

Pathogen Characterization of Fresh and Stored Mesophilic Anaerobically Digested Biosolids.

  Culturable bacterial pathogens (Campylobacter, Salmonella, Listeria, Yersinia) and indicators (E. coli, enterococci, Clostridium perfringens) were quantified at six water resource recovery facilities that land apply anaerobically digested biosolids in Ontario, Canada. Cryptosporidium parvum and Giardia lamblia were also quantified by polymerase chain reaction (PCR).

Towards a more accurate quantitative assessment of seasonal Cryptosporidium infection risks in surface waters using species and genotype information.

Many Cryptosporidium species/genotypes are not considered infectious to humans, and more realistic estimations of seasonal infection risks could be made using human infectious species/genotype information to inform quantitative microbial risk assessments (QMRA). Cryptosporidium oocyst concentration and species/genotype data were collected from three surface water surveillance programs in two river basins [South Nation River, SN (2004-09) and Grand River, GR (2005-13)] in Ontario, Canada to evaluate seasonal infection risks. Main river stems, tributaries, agricultural drainage streams, water treatment plant intakes, and waste water treatment plant effluent impacted sites were sampled.

Using Campylobacter spp. and Escherichia coli data and Bayesian microbial risk assessment to examine public health risks in agricultural watersheds under tile drainage management.

Human campylobacteriosis is the leading bacterial gastrointestinal illness in Canada; environmental transmission has been implicated in addition to transmission via consumption of contaminated food. Information about Campylobacter spp. occurrence at the watershed scale will enhance our understanding of the associated public health risks and the efficacy of source water protection strategies.

Helicobacter pylori DNA in dental plaques, gastroscopy, and dental devices.

The role of dental plaque in the transmission of Helicobacter pylori (Hp) is unclear due to variability in the detection rates and techniques used. We used nested PCR to estimate the incidence of Hp in dental plaques of 24 dental hygienists. We found an unexpectedly high incidence (50%) of Hp DNA in dental plaques using sterilized dental probes.

Cluster of neonatal infections in Jerusalem due to unusual biochemical variant of Enterobacter sakazakii.

Reported here is a cluster of infections due to a nitrate-negative variant of Enterobacter sakazakii, which occurred among premature neonates at the Hadassah Hospital, Mount Scopus, Jerusalem, in December 1999-January 2000. Pulsed-field gel electrophoresis showed cluster isolates to be identical but unrelated to previous systemic isolates recovered in 1993 and 1998. The organism was not isolated from infant formula powder, but it was recovered from prepared formula and from a kitchen blender.

Factors associated with nosocomial diarrhea and Clostridium difficile-associated disease on the adult wards of an urban tertiary care hospital.

A prospective survey of the adult inpatient population of an urban tertiary care hospital was conducted to determine factors associated with the development of nosocomial diarrhea and the acquisition of Clostridium difficile-associated disease. During the 3-month survey, 98 patients with nosocomial diarrhea were enrolled, and 38 controls were recruited. The controls were patients without diarrhea lying in beds adjacent to the affected patients.

Skin disease presenting as an outbreak of pseudobacteremia in a laboratory worker.

An outbreak of pseudobacteremia due to Streptococcus pyogenes (group A streptococci [GAS]) and methicillin-susceptible Staphylococcus aureus (MSSA) was traced to the venting procedure for aerobic bottles prior to their loading into the incubator of the BacT/Alert analyzer (Organon Teknika). Bacteria shed by a laboratory worker suffering from impetigo and cellulitis contaminated the aerobic bottles of 10 patients. All blood culture isolates, in addition to the isolates from the laboratory worker, were of the same GAS M and T types.

Acinetobacter baumannii at a tertiary-care teaching hospital in Jerusalem, Israel.

In a retrospective 10-year analysis of 3,536 patient-unique isolates, Acinetobacter baumannii imipenem susceptibility declined from 98.1 (1990) to 64.1% (2000), and ciprofloxacin susceptibility decreased from 50.

Evaluation of chlorhexidine and povidone iodine activity against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus and vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus faecalis using a surface test.

Most published studies of the activity of biocides against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and vancomycin-resistant enterococci (VRE) have been based on suspension tests. This study was undertaken to provide information on the effect of chlorhexidine and povidone iodine on bacteria dried on to surfaces, a situation in which biocide activity is known to be reduced. The inactivation of MRSA (10 strains), methicillin-sensitive Staphylococcus aureus (MSSA, 10 strains), VRE (nine strains) and vancomycin-sensitive Enterococcus faecalis (VSE, 10 strains) by 0.

Outbreak of bloodstream infections associated with dialysis machine waste ports in a hemodialysis facility.

Eight cases of gram-negative bloodstream infection without a clinically evident source occurred at a hemodialysis unit in Jerusalem between February and September 1997. All infections could be traced to three of the 13 dialysis machines in use. Epidemiological investigation, including pulsed-field gel electrophoretic characterization of organisms isolated from the patients and dialysis machines, implicated the Waste Handling Option system of the machines as the source of the infections.

Invasive pneumococcal infections. A comparison between adults and children.

A similar number of adults and children had invasive pneumococcal infection. There was male predominance, and different ethnic distribution between children and adults. The majority of adults (78%), had underlying diseases, but this was less frequent in children (24%).

Nosocomial coagulase-negative staphylococcal infections in bone marrow transplantation recipients with central vein catheter. A 5-year prospective study.

The purpose of this study was to examine coagulase-negative staphylococcal infections in bone marrow transplantation (BMT) patients with central vein catheters by investigating incidence, clinical relevance, risk factors, methicillin resistance, clinical impact of initial empiric antimicrobial therapy without vancomycin, and management of documented catheter-related infections. A 5-year prospective study was conducted with daily evaluation of 242 BMT patients during hospitalization, including clinical assessment and blood culture via the Hickman/Broviac catheter. If fever or infected appearance occurred, peripheral blood cultures or exit site cultures, respectively, were done.

Cytosine arabinoside as a major risk factor for Streptococcus viridans septicemia following bone marrow transplantation: a 5-year prospective study.

The incidence and clinical course of nosocomial septicemia with Streptococcus viridans was evaluated prospectively in 242 consecutive bone marrow transplant (BMT) recipients throughout their 15-213 days' (median 47) hospitalization, including 4-58 days (median 18) of neutropenia. Initial empiric therapy for febrile neutropenia consisted of mezlocillin, gentamicin and cefazolin; glycopeptide was excluded. S.

Group A streptococcus bacteremia at the Hadassah Medical Center in Jerusalem.

Streptococcus pyogenes bacteremia occurred in 104 patients over a 6-year period, during which time the annual incidence remained constant. The clinical and epidemiologic characteristics are described for 90 of these patients. Of the 90 patients, 90% had community-acquired infection, and 77% had an underlying illness predisposing them to infection.

Infections with Chryseomonas luteola (CDC group Ve-1) and flavimonas oryzihabitans (CDC group Ve-2).

We have described 15 cases of infection due to Chryseomonas luteola and Flavimonas oryzihabitans isolated between May 1990 and May 1994. These infections were often associated with the presence of a foreign body, especially central venous access and joint prosthesis. The high frequency of isolating C.

Infections caused by Pseudomonas pickettii in association with permanent indwelling intravenous devices: four cases and a review.

Permanent indwelling intravenous devices (PIIDs) have become increasingly prevalent in the past decade. These devices offer the advantage of long-term and convenient venous access, but their not-infrequent colonization by bacterial or fungi can lead to bloodstream infection with or without sepsis. We describe a series of four patients with PIIDs who became infected with Pseudomonas pickettii, and we review the properties of this unusual organism and the clinical presentation of the infections it causes.

How to predict the immune status of poliovirus vaccinees? A comparison of virus neutralization at a very low serum dilution versus ELISA in a cohort of infants.

A cohort of children from Gaza was observed from birth to the age of one year. Blood specimens were collected at birth, before and after poliovirus vaccination and at one year of age. Poliovirus immunity before and after vaccination was assessed by ELISA and virus neutralization (NT).

Rotavirus infection and rotavirus serum antibody in a cohort of children from Gaza observed from birth to the age of one year.

Rotaviruses were studied in a cohort of children from Gaza, during their first year of life. Surveillance was effected through visits to the local health clinic by parents and infants, and to a lesser extent, field workers' home visits. The observed rate of diarrhoea (all causes), and of rotavirus-associated diarrhoea was 1.

Low endemicity and low pathogenicity of rotaviruses among rural children in Costa Rica.

Rotaviruses were prospectively studied in 51 rural Costa Rican children from birth to two years. Samples of feces were collected weekly over a 33-month period. Rotavirus was detected in 45 (1.

Fecal rotaviruses, adenoviruses, coronavirus-like particles, and small round viruses in a cohort of rural Costa Rican children.

Excretion patterns of fecal viruses were studied in a cohort of 51 rural Costa Rican children. The presence of rotavirus, adenovirus, coronavirus-like particles, and small round viruses was investigated by electron microscopy (EM) in 2,516 extracts of weekly fecal specimens. Rotavirus was in addition studied with ELISA.