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.

Preparing supervisors to provide safeguarding supervision for healthcare staff.

This paper outlines why experienced supervisors at a London healthcare provider received skills training so they could offer safeguarding supervision to front-line colleagues with case management responsibilities for vulnerable children and young people. It examines how supervisors use the main functions of supervision and a cycle of reflection in clinical practice with supervisees. As well as the professional issues encountered by supervisors in relation to the benefits, the challenges of providing supervision and the action required to make safeguarding supervision a part of the organisational culture are also explored.

Clinical associations of proinflammatory cytokines, oxidative biomarkers and vitamin D levels in systemic lupus erythematosus.

Background The abnormal biological activity of cytokines plays an important role in the pathophysiology of both systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and antiphospholipid syndrome (APS). Several studies have highlighted the association of vitamin D and certain pro-inflammatory cytokines with disease activity in SLE. However, there are limited data on the association of vitamin D and antiphospholipid antibodies (aPL) with various proinflammatory biomarkers in these patients and their relative impact on clinical outcomes.

A unique antiphospholipid assay recognizing phospholipid mixture compared with criteria antiphospholipid immunoassays in lupus patients.

Background While essential for the classification of antiphospholipid syndrome (APS), anticardiolipin (aCL) assays lack specificity and anti-β2glycoproteinI (anti-β2GPI) assays lack sensitivity in this regard. Our aim was to perform a comparative analysis of the APhL ELISA assay (IgG/IgM) and criteria antiphospholipid (aPL) immunoassays in identifying APS-related clinical manifestations in a large group of patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). Methods Serum samples from 1178 patients from the Hopkins ( n = 543), LUMINA ( n = 588) and Jamaican SLE cohorts ( n = 47) were examined for IgG/IgM positivity in aCL (in-house), anti-β2GPI (two commercial kits) and APhL (Louisville APL) ELISA assays.

The nursing associate role: have we been here before?

What should the nursing workforce of the future look like? It is a question all nurse leaders should ask themselves.

Obstetric Outcomes of an Afro-Caribbean Cohort Following Universal Screening and Treatment of Subclinical Hypothyroidism.

Objective: Restoration of euthyroidism with l-thyroxine reportedly reduces obstetric complications associated with subclinical hypothyroidism (SCH). The objective was to determine if obstetric outcomes of treated subjects were equivalent to euthyroid subjects.

Methods: This was a prospective cohort study.

Population Reference Values and Prevalence Rates following Universal Screening for Subclinical Hypothyroidism during Pregnancy of an Afro-Caribbean Cohort.

Background: Subclinical hypothyroidism (SCH) has been reported to be associated with adverse pregnancy outcomes, however universal screening and treatment is controversial.

Objectives: Our objectives were to determine population-specific pregnancy reference values (R1) for serum thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) and free thyroxine (FT4) at 14 weeks' gestation, along with the prevalence of SCH and thyroid peroxidase antibody (TPOAb).

Methods: This was a prospective hospital-based cohort study.

Comparison of techniques of detecting immunoglobulin-binding protein reactivity to immunoglobulin produced by different avian and mammalian species.

The rationale of this study was to use several immunological assays to investigate the reactivity of immunoglobulin binding protein (IBP) to immunoglobulins from various avian and mammalian species. The IBP studied were Staphylococcal protein A (SpA), Streptococcal protein G (SpG), Peptostreptococcal protein L (SpL) and recombinant protein LA (SpLA). The various immunological techniques used were double immunodiffusion (Ouchterlony technique) that tested positive high protein reactivities, direct and competitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISAs) that tested moderate and low positive protein binding capacities, respectively.

Autoimmune hepatitis in a Jamaican cohort spanning 40 years.

Background: The prevalence and characteristics of autoimmune hepatitis (AIH) in black populations are not well documented.

Objectives: To describe the clinical and laboratory features of AIH in patients presenting at a Jamaican hospital, 1969-2009.

Methods: A retrospective review of hospital records was done and patients were classified by the revised international scoring system.

Dengue HLA associations in Jamaicans.

Background: Polymorphisms in the human leukocyte antigen (HLA) genes might predispose certain individuals to dengue fever (DF) and the severe forms of the disease: dengue haemorrhagic fever/ dengue shock syndrome (DHF/DSS).

Subjects And Method: A DNA-based HLA typing method was used to determine the HLA class I and II alleles in 50 patients with dengue, including 45 cases of DF 5 cases of DHF and 177 healthy individuals in Jamaica.

Results: HLA-A*24 and - DRbeta5*01/02 were significantly associated with dengue infection while possession of HLA-A*23, -CW*04, -DQbeta*02, -DQbeta*03 and DQbeta*06 were protective.

Molecular epidemiology of dengue in Jamaica dengue virus genotypes in Jamaica, 2007.

The genotypes of dengue viruses (DENV) isolated from patients with dengue in Jamaica during 2007 were determined using DNA sequencing and phylogenetic analysis of the C-prM gene junction. The 17 DENV analysed included strains of DENVserotypes 1 (DENV-1, n = 3), DENV-2 (n = 7) and DENV-4 (n = 7). All strains ofDENV-1 were classified as genotype III, while 1 of 7 strains of DENV-2 belonged to the Asian American/Asian genotype, genotype I/III (Jamaica genotype), 2 were genotype V, the American genotype and 4 strains clustered with reference strains belonging to genotype IV.

Dengue virus serotypes in Jamaica, 2003-2007.

Background: Dengue virus (DENV) infection is increasing in prevalence and severity globally. The severity of dengue is influenced by several factors including the immune response, viral and host genetic factors.

Method: The DENV serotypes were determined in 770 serum samples from dengue immunoglobulin (Ig) M antibody positive (n = 469), dengue IgM negative (n = 185) and dengue antibody negative (n = 116) patients with suspected dengue who presented during (n = 150) or after (n = 620) the acute phase of illness during 2003-2007.

Antiphospholipid and other autoantibodies in a cohort of habitual aborters and healthy multiparous women in Jamaica.

Blood samples from 50~women who had had recurrent spontaneous abortions and 135 healthy multiparous women were investigated for anticardiolipin (aCL) antibodies and anti-β₂ Glycoprotein 1 (anti-β₂ GP1) dependent aCL antibodies by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISA), lupus anticoagulant activity was measured by activated partial thromboplastin time, antinuclear antibodies, rheumatoid factors and thyroid antibodies using standard techniques. Serological tests for syphilis were performed on all sera and thyroid function was evaluated. There was no significant difference in the prevalence of autoantibodies in habitual aborters and control subjects (60% and 44%, respectively).

Clinical and laboratory features of youth onset type 2 diabetes in Jamaica.

Objectives: To assess the frequency of youth onset Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2D) in Jamaica and the characteristics of youth with this form of diabetes.

Methods: Patients from two major referral hospitals, diagnosed with diabetes before age 25 years and < 6 years prior to the study, were evaluated. Classification was based on the presence of GAD-65 and IA-2 diabetes autoantibodies (AB), fasting (FCP) and stimulated C-peptide (SCP) measurements, serum leptin and clinical phenotype as follows: (i) Type IA diabetes--AB+, (ii) Type lB diabetes--AB- and FCP < 230 pmol/l and/or SCP < 660pmol/l, (iii) Type 2 diabetes - AB- and FCP > 500 pmol/L and or SCP 2 1160 pmol/l (iv) Untypeable diabetes--AB- and FCP 230-500 pmol/l and or SCP 660-1160 pmol/l and (v) Lipoatrophic diabetes--clinical phenotype and serum leptin.

Retaining the capacity to care.

AT A recent conference on the future of the NHS workforce, I heard a speaker use the term 'physician extender' (PE) to describe nurses who are licensed by doctors to provide quasi-autonomous health care.

Leptospirosis in suspected cases of dengue in Jamaica, 2002-2007.

Due to overlapping clinical features with other febrile illnesses, the diagnosis of leptospirosis is often overlooked, resulting in delay in treatment and increased mortality. In this study the prevalence of leptospirosis was determined in 590 patients with dengue-like illnesses using the Leptospira IgM dipstick and dengue enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays. Leptospira IgM antibodies were found in 27 (5.

Molecular epidemiology of multidrug resistant extended spectrum beta-lactamase producing Klebsiella pneumoniae at a Jamaican hospital, 2000-2004.

Background: The accurate identification of a pathogen beyond the species level is critical in epidemiological studies and investigations of nosocomial outbreaks of infection. The clonal relatedness of 66 multidrug resistant (MDR) strains of extended spectrum beta-lactamase (ESBL) producing K. pneumoniae isolated from clinical specimens from hospitalized patients at a Jamaican hospital during a 5 year period were determined by pulsed field gel electrophoresis (PFGE).

Cardiovascular risk profile in Caribbean youth with diabetes mellitus.

Objective: To assess the effect of diabetes mellitus type on conventional and novel cardiovascular risk factors in patients, diagnosed with diabetes from two major referral hospitals in Jamaica, before age 25 years and with diabetes duration < 6 years.

Methods: Participants were classified based on the presence of GAD-65 and IA-2 autoantibodies, C-peptide, leptin and clinical phenotype. Trained observers obtained anthropometric measurements and sitting blood pressure.

High genetic diversity in human immunodeficiency virus-type 1 in Jamaica.

The subtypes of the human immunodeficiency virus - type 1 (HIV-1) strains from 54 HIV-1 - infected persons including 44 strains which were typed previously by heteroduplex mobility assay (HMA) were determined by DNA sequencing and phylogenetic analysis. Of 54 HIV- infected persons, 92.5% were infected with HIV-1 subtype B and 7.

Seroprevalence of dengue virus antibodies in healthy Jamaicans.

Dengue fever, a mosquito borne viral infection, is endemic to Jamaica. The seroprevalence of dengue IgG and IgM antibodies were determined in 277 healthy Jamaicans by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The seroprevalence of dengue IgG antibodies was 100% (277/277) while dengue IgM antibodies were found in 3.