We used Western Australian emergency department data linked to hospital morbidity, death and microbiology data to describe the bacteriology of pneumonia according to age. The ‘atypical’ organisms and viruses were not assessed. A total of 6908 patients over a 3-year period were given an emergency department diagnosis of pneumonia, 76·9% were admitted and 6·3% died in hospital. Blood was cultured from 52·9% of patients with 6·4% growing potential pathogens. Streptococcus pneumoniae was the most common organism isolated and accounted for 92% of pathogens in those aged <15 years. Isolation of Enterobacteriaceae species tended to increase with age and accounted for around 25% of isolates from the elderly. Sputum was cultured from 25·3% of patients and bacteria were isolated from 30·3% of samples, commonly Haemophilus influenzae and S. pneumoniae. Isolates from sputum showed no distinct trend across age groups. These patterns question the value of routine blood and sputum cultures and have implications for empiric therapy for the elderly.

This study investigated the extent to which proximity to cattle and weather events in Alberta predispose human populations to E. coli O157 disease. Cases of human E. coli O157 infection in Alberta between 2004 and 2011 were obtained from the province's Communicable Disease Reporting System and Discharge Abstract Database. Regression models based on spatial area incorporated human infection data with livestock and weather covariates. A variety of regression models were applied (i.e. least squares, spatial lag/error, Poisson, negative binomial) to test the most appropriate approach. Ratios for the total number of calves, bulls and beef cows to human population were highlighted as significant cattle density variables in all final best-fitting models. Weather variables were not significant in final regression models averaged over the full study period. Our results provide evidence of a significant association between measures of cattle density and human E. coli O157 disease in Alberta.

(1) Pathogenic organisms such as B. dysenteriae (type “Y”) cannot be recovered from pupae or imagines reared from larvae to which these organisms have been administered.

(2) When the larvae have been bred from disinfected ova and are subsequently fed on B. dysenteriae (type “Y”), this organism may be successfully recovered from the pupae and imagines in a small proportion of cases.

(3) Under similar conditions B. typhosus was not recovered in a single case from pupae or imagines.

(4) In those cases in which B. dysenteriae (Y) was successfully recovered from pupae, the colonies on the plate were invariably fewer than those obtained from pupae and imagines after administration to the larvae of more adaptable organisms such as “Bac. A”(Ledingham).

(5) When organisms such as “Bac. A” were administered to larvae bred from disinfected ova, or non-disinfected ova contaminated with this organism, it was in many cases possible to recover the organism from pupae and imagines.

(6) In no series of pupae examined after administration to the larvae of either B. dysenteriae or “Bac. A” was it possible to recover the organisms in every instance. A certain proportion of pupae in both cases proved sterile, so that the process of metamorphosis is undoubtedly accompanied by a considerable destruction of the bacteria present in the larval stage.

(7) The temperature at which the larvae develop (19°–25°C.) has probably an important bearing on the survival of pathogenic organisms such as “Bac. Y” of dysentery, administered in association with organisms such as “Bac. A,” in view of the fact that the latter grows far more luxuriantly at this temperature. Even when grown in broth at 37°C. (the optimum temperature for Bac. Y) together with “Bac. A,” the “Bac. Y” was found to form after two days only one quarter of the total number of bacteria present in the mixed growth.

(8) There was no evidence that the larval juices contained substances bactericidal for Bac. Y. The bacilli died more rapidly in normal saline solution.

(9) The possibility of flies becoming infected from the presence of pathogenic organisms in the breeding ground of the larvae may be considered as very remote.

The pattern of phage types of 2553 strains of Salmonella typhi isolated over the 10-year period 1970–9 was studied. During the period 29 different phage types were encountered, not including the categories of ‘untypable strains’, ‘degraded Vi-strains’ and Vi negative strains. For the period as a whole, the commonest phage types encountered were A (20·9%), E1 (14·8%), D1 (10·3%), degraded Vi positive strains (10·3%), untypable Vi strains (7·3%), C4 (7·1%), D2 (4·4%), E2 (3·9%) and type 25 (2·6%). There were phage types which appeared in the early years of the period and then disappeared (types B2, D9 and D1-N). Others only made their appearance in recent years (K1 and 53). Notable differences were also seen in the predilection of some phage types for certain geographical areas.

1. Salmonella antisera from a number of animals, including man, have been examined by conglutinating complement-absorption and haemolytic complement-fixation tests for the presence of anitbodies. Both a soluble antigen and a particulate antigen of washed suspended orgainsms have been used. The behavior of the antisera was comparable with that previously recorded with the mallein antimallein system, in so far as the reactions obtained with the different complements followed the same general pattern.

2. Two factors were found to explain the failure of certain antisera, in conjunction with the antigen, to adsorb certain complements. On the one hand, a few antibodies themselves appeared incapable of fixing a particular complement. On the other hand, although some antisera failed to fix specific complements, their antibodies, isolated from the serum, were able to fix the complements concerned. In these cases it appeared that the heated serum contained a non-specific factor that prevented the adsorption of the complements.

3. The existence of such non-specific factors in certain heat-inactivated sera is illustrated in Figs. 11–14. An examination of the mechanism involved does not appear to implicate the procomplementary effect of sera, although this effect in itself is a complex problem requiring further elucidation. The few experiments carried out indicate that the factor in the inactivated serum does not come into play and inhibit the adsorption of complement by an antigen-antibody complex without the initial intervention of some component of complement. Only after this has occurred is the inhibitory factor able to block any further complement adsorption.

4. We have discussed the implications of these experiments and their possible relationships to the complementoid phenomena described by previous workers.

The relative susceptibility of VERO cells and primary rhesus monkey kidney cells to 47 prototype strains of human enteroviruses is described. Of these strains, types 4, 14, 16, 17, 18, 21, 31 and 34 and Coxsackie virus A 9 failed to cause CPE in the VERO cells whilst only one, echovirus type 34, failed to cause CPE in the monkey kidney cells.

A comparison is given of the efficiency of the two cell cultures for enterovirus isolation from clinical material. Results show that VERO cells are as useful as primary monkey kidney for the isolation of Coxsackie B viruses but less satisfactory for isolating echoviruses. They are satisfactory for the isolation of single types of poliovirus and appear to be more satisfactory than primary monkey kidney cells for the isolation of mixtures of polioviruses. The identification of enteroviruses by neutralization tests in VERO cells is successful.

Anecdotal evidence has suggested that outdoor-kept pigs show an improvement to health and productivity after being moved to a new site. This study explores whether Salmonella occurrence reduced and was sustained after moving to a new site. Nine farms were followed for a year in which four sampling visits were completed. The highest detection of Salmonella was from pooled faecal dropping from pigs, run-off/ pooled water, rodents and wild birds. Descriptive summaries showed that the prevalence of both all Salmonella and serovars of public health importance were lower at all visits after the move. Some variability was shown in results from individual farms, but a year after the move, six farms still maintained a lower prevalence. A risk factor model showed that the prevalence at visits 2 and 3 after the move was significantly lower than baseline, after accounting for a number of significant factors that were included in the model. These were sample type and seasonality (included as a priori), presence of coughing in the sampled group and Glasser's disease on the farm, and the use of tent or kennel accommodation. This finding provides important evidence that more frequent site moves may help reduce Salmonella prevalence in outdoor herds.

A cluster of three cases of listeriosis cases occurred against a background of endemic listeriosis in Western Australia. Human and environmental isolates of Listeria monocytogenes obtained during the outbreak investigation were rapidly subtyped by automated ribotyping using an EcoRI protocol and a RiboPrinter®. DNA macrorestriction analysis by pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) was used to confirm the relatedness of isolates. Serogroup 1/2 predominated among the food samples and the four clinical isolates from the outbreak cluster were also of this serogroup. All isolates from chicken material were serogroup 1/2 and indistinguishable by ribotype pattern. PFGE subdivided strains of this ribotype into four subtypes. The preliminary analysis had an immediate impact on hypothesis generation, environmental health investigations, environmental specimen collection and initial control measures. Sufficient typing data to guide environmental health and disease control initiatives was generated in less than one week by combining automated ribotyping with PCR-based detection of L. monocytogenes in suspect foodstuffs and an L. monocytogenes DNA probe. There were no further cases of bacteriologically confirmed listeriosis in Western Australia for six months after completion of the investigation.

The stool samples of 75 patients with gastroenteritis and/or loose and watery faeces at three hospitals and one clinic in Zaria were examined for Cryptosporidium. The stool samples were concentrated by the formol–ether method and stained with safranin–methylene blue. Sixteen (21%) samples were positive. The rate of detection was higher among females (27%) than males (17%) and among adults (29%) than children (8%). The study confirmed the presence and possible significance of Cryptosporidium, which is a known zoonotic protozoan, in the aetiology of human gastroenteritis in Zaria, Nigeria.

In the last century a wasting disease of cattle in which diarrhoea was the prominent symptom was described by some veterinarians, but was at first often confused with tuberculosis although the distinctive lesions found in the latter disease were not present at post-mortem examination. However, it is only during the last forty years that Johne's disease has been clearly differentiated from bovine tuberculosis.

We evaluated the prevalence of human papillomavirus (HPV) infection in Amerindian women from a tribe in Brazilian Amazonia. Demographic data, pap smears and cervical samples for HPV DNA detection by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) were obtained for women aged above 10 years old. In total, 79 (85·9%) out of 92 eligible women who lived there were interviewed; all women already had engaged in sexual activity. Seventy-eight and 49 women allowed collection of pap smears and PCR samples, respectively. Cytological signs of HPV infection were observed in 11 patients; 6 of these were probed for HPV infection and 1 shown to be HPV 16. Overall prevalence of HPV infection detected by PCR was 14·3%. Three patients presented high-risk HPV DNA types[ratio ]two HPV 16 and one co-infection of HPV 16 and 58. Cervical infection by oncogenic HPV types occurs in Amerindian women and cervical cancer screening should be a priority in this setting.

1. Apart from strain identification of V. cholerae for epidemiological studies by phage-typing and determination of their S-R dissociation cholera bacteriophages may be utilized for other valuable diagnostic aids in the laboratory.

2. The universal susceptibility of V. cholerae strains to group IV cholera bacteriophage and universal lyso-resistance of El Tor vibrios to it provide a specific method for differentiating between the two species of vibrios. This test is simple and convenient for routine diagnostie use and should be of special value for identifying non-haemolytic El Tor vibrios, which are otherwise liable to be missed.

3. The marked insensitivity of the NAG vibrios to cholera bacteriophages, particularly their total insusceptibility to the phage of group II, enables these strains to be readily distinguishable from V. cholerae.

4. Cholera bacteriophages which are stable on maintenance and storage in the laboratory can conveniently be supplied absorbed on filter disks for the use of the smaller laboratories.

We performed a spatial-temporal analysis to assess household risk factors for Ebola virus disease (Ebola) in a remote, severely-affected village. We defined a household as a family's shared living space and a case-household as a household with at least one resident who became a suspect, probable, or confirmed Ebola case from 1 August 2014 to 10 October 2014. We used Geographic Information System (GIS) software to calculate inter-household distances, performed space-time cluster analyses, and developed Generalized Estimating Equations (GEE). Village X consisted of 64 households; 42% of households became case-households over the observation period. Two significant space-time clusters occurred among households in the village; temporal effects outweighed spatial effects. GEE demonstrated that the odds of becoming a case-household increased by 4·0% for each additional person per household (P < 0·02) and 2·6% per day (P < 0·07). An increasing number of persons per household, and to a lesser extent, the passage of time after onset of the outbreak were risk factors for household Ebola acquisition, emphasizing the importance of prompt public health interventions that prioritize the most populated households. Using GIS with GEE can reveal complex spatial-temporal risk factors, which can inform prioritization of response activities in future outbreaks.

Three variables were included in a study to determine their effect on the incidence of Salmonella typhimurium in broilers challenged at four days of age. Variables included the presence or absence of a feed additive, avoparcin; the use of new or used litter and the initiating dose of salmonella. Cloacal swabs were taken from approximately 600 chicks at weekly intervals for 45 days. At 104, 106 and 108 c.f.u./chick there was a direct association of challenge dose and the incidence of positive chicks for the first several weeks. Chicks raised on used litter showed an appreciable reduction in susceptibility to salmonella when compared to control animals on fresh litter. As the birds approached slaughter age, the influence of litter hygiene and challenge dose diminished under the conditions of this study. Avoparcin in the diet at 10 p.p.m. had no enhancing effect on salmonella shedding at any time during the 45-day sampling period. The implications of competitive exclusion are discussed.

1. A preparation containing 0·7% scilliroside (the glucoside of red squill) had been tested as a poison for Rattus norvegicus and R. rattus.

2. The preparation has been found to be effective in the field against norvegicus but not against rattus.

3. Assayed against a strain of white rats, the preparation had an LD 50 for males of about 25mg./kg., and for feamales of about 5 mg./kg.

4. The LD 50 for adult Rhode Island Red fowls was greater than 400 mg. /kg. Pigs, dogs and cats were treated with doses up to 16mg./kg. without fatal results.

5. Silmurine was unpalatable to pigs, dose and cates, but fowls readily consumed a mash containing 1% Slimurine.

Two epidemics among mice are described that were closely associated with Morgan's No. 1 bacillus. In both of these epidemics the mice, which were fed on oats and raw beef, were found at autopsy to be suffering from peculiar lesions—an advanced degree of anaemia, pale and swollen kidneys, and general pallor and dryness of the tissues—not hitherto encountered in any other epidemic. Evidence is advanced to show that Bact. morgani was the specific cause of these epidemics; and it is suggested that the peculiar lesions described were the result of a chronic intestinal infection with this organism.

The close analogy existing between the bacteriological findings in summer diarrhoea and in our experiments is discussed. The tentative conclusion is advanced that summer diarrhoea is not a bacteriological entity, but is a disease that can be caused by a number of different members of the non-lactose-fermenting group.

Folpmers's glutamic acid medium and the lactose modification described by Burman & Oliver (1952) have been compared with MacConkey broth in the pre-sumptive coliform test of 4421 samples of water examined at six different laboratories in England and Wales. As compared with MacConkey broth, both glutamic acid media gave between 8 and 10% more isolations of Bact. coli I; the glucose medium additionally gave an increase of 6% in other coliform organisms, but this was associated with a very heavy excess (232%) of false positive results; lactose glutamic acid satisfactorily controlled false positive reactions, giving a reduction of 36%, but also suppressed by 35% the isolations of coliform organisms other than Bact. coli I.

MacConkey broth gave the largest early (18 hr.) yield of positive results, but the results at the end of 24 hr. were approximately the same with all three media. Preliminary warming of the inoculated tube had only a trivial effect on the rapidity with which the organisms grew, but the warming resulted in a slightly higher total yield of Bact. coli I in the glutamic acid media. Incubation at 42° C. for 18 hr. followed by 37° C. for 30 hr. was found to be inferior to incubation at 37° C. for 48 hr. in the case of lightly polluted waters, in that true coliform organisms were suppressed without any compensating advantage in the yield of Bact. coli I.

Notwithstanding several efforts, a satisfactory method of serological diagnosis of foot-and-mouth disease has not been arrived at. This uncertainty of serological methods delayed the discovery of the plurality of type of the virus, although the observations of epizootics and the irregular results obtained by active and passive immunisation suggested multiplicity of type. Stimulated by such observations, Vallée and Carré (1922) experimented with two viruses of foot-and-mouth disease, one of which was of German and the other of French origin. They were able to show by experimental infection, confirmed by subsequent testing for active immunity, that cases of foot-and-mouth disease with the same clinical course and symptoms could be caused by two distinct types of virus. These they called A (Allemand) and O (Oise). The only difference between these two types was their inability to produce reciprocal immunity. The existence of more than one type of virus has been confirmed in England by Stockman and Minett (1926), and by Bedson, Maitland and Burbury (1927); in Germany, by Waldmann and Trautwein (1926), and Trautwein (1927); in France, by Lebailly (1926), Olitsky (1927), and in Sweden, by Magnusson and Hermansson (1926).

The incidence of hospitalization for acute gastroenteritis (AGE) is a useful parameter to assess the utility of the new rotavirus vaccines in high-income countries. Children hospitalized for AGE were identified by searching hospital discharge data and the records of the microbiology laboratory of Hospital Donostia. Rotavirus antigen was investigated in 96·1% of the 1114 children aged 1 month to <5 years hospitalized for AGE in the study period. Nearly 40% were rotavirus positive (44·9% of the 798 children aged 1 month to <2 years), with G1[P8] being the predominant genotype. The mean annual incidence rate of hospitalization due to rotavirus AGE was 29·8 and 63·7 cases/10 000 inhabitants in the <5 and <2 years age groups, respectively, in 1996–1999, decreasing to 13·6 and 27·4 cases/10 000 inhabitants in <5 and <2 years age groups, respectively, in 2002–2005 (P<0·001). This decrease coincided with a significant increase in the consumption of oral rehydration solutions.

A method for typing ECHO and Coxsackie B viruses using counter-electrophoresis has been developed using stock strains of 15 different ECHO types and 5 Coxsackie B viruses. Work is continuing to see whether the method is a practical one to use for typing of strains from patients infected with ECHO or Coxsackie B viruses.