Prevalence and characterization of Escherichia coli O26 and O111 in retail minced beef in Ireland.

Verocytotoxigenic Escherichia coli (VTEC) O157 are recognized as bacterial pathogens with significant public health impact. However, other serogroups, including O26, O111, O103, and O145, have the potential to cause the same spectrum of illness. In this study, 800 minced (ground) beef samples covering a large geographical region in Ireland were collected and tested for Escherichia coli (E.

Laboratory-based surveillance of human verocytotoxigenic Escherichia coli infection in the Republic of Ireland, 2002-2004.

The aim of this study was to examine the frequency and distribution of human verocytotoxigenic Escherichia coli (VTEC) O157 and non-O157 in the Republic of Ireland, and also to examine the presence of virulence genes in these isolates. This genetic information combined with phenotypic tests was used to produce a complete laboratory-based surveillance of human clinical VTEC infection in the Republic of Ireland between 2002 and 2004. Between January 2002 and December 2004 a total of 207 VTEC isolates were studied (one isolate per patient), 185 (89 %) of these were E.

Bloodborne virus infections among drug users in Ireland: a retrospective cross-sectional survey of screening, prevalence, incidence and hepatitis B immunisation uptake.

Background: Injecting drug users are at high-risk of bloodborne virus infections including hepatitis C (HCV), hepatitis B (HBV) and HIV.

Aims: To document screening for and immunisation against bloodborne viruses and to determine the known prevalence and incidence of these infections.

Methods: A cross-sectional survey of clients attending 21 specialist addiction treatment clinics in one health board area in greater Dublin.

Irish injecting drug users and hepatitis C: the importance of the social context of injecting.

Background: The incidence of hepatitis C (HCV) infection among injecting drug users (IDUs) in Dublin is particularly high by international standards. The most robust predictor of an IDU's HCV status is his or her total number of lifetime injecting episodes. It has been proposed that participation in specific unsafe injecting practices is the principal contributor to this accumulated risk.

Heroin smoking by "chasing the dragon" in young opiate users in Ireland: stability and associations with use to "come down" off "Ecstasy".

We explored the frequency of commencing opiate use by "chasing the dragon" to "come down" off Ecstasy and the stability of heroin smoking in young opiate takers by assessing 102 subjects in Dublin using a semistructured interview. Ninety-two subjects had used Ecstasy. Of these, 68 reported "chasing" to "come down" off Ecstasy at some point in their history and were found to have used Ecstasy more frequently and in larger amounts.

Syringe borrowing persists in Dublin despite harm reduction interventions.

Aims: To measure the frequency of syringe borrowing in young Irish injecting drug users (IDUs) and identify associated characteristics.

Design: Cross-sectional survey.

Setting: Addiction treatment services in Dublin.

Trends in treated opiate misuse in Dublin: the emergence of chasing the dragon.

Aims: To examine trends in treated opiate misuse and identify factors associated with route of heroin use.

Design: Cross-sectional survey.

Setting: Services providing addiction treatment in Dublin.