An outbreak of Salmonella hadar associated with food consumption at a building site canteen

A biphasic outbreak of gastroenteritis caused by Salmonella hadar affected canteen employees and workers at a construction site in central Italy in September 1994. There were 448 symptomatic cases, from 61 of whom group C Salmonella was isolated. Six cases were canteen employees. Twenty-two other individuals were asymptomatic excreters. There were 10 secondary cases. Working as a food handler at the canteen constituted an increased risk of infection, independently of ingestion of the food (odds ratio: 62.1; 95% confidence interval (CI): 9.5– 406.6). Having eaten at the canteen on the 19th and 20th September was identified as risk factor for subjects symptomatic within 72 hours (relative risk (RR): 17.0, 95% CI: 2.3–124.3), and cooled meat salad was identified as the vehicle of infection (RR: 36.6, 95% CI: 14.3–93.8). The use of portable toilets was another possible route of transmission of infection for all cases (RR: 1.3, 95% CI: 1.0–1.6). The index case was a cook who had symptoms five days before the peak of the outbreak. From 27 individuals both symptomatic and asymptomatic excreters group B, group D and not-typed Salmonellas were isolated. This study underlines the problem of improper food handling in salmonellosis outbreaks and emphasizes the role of several vehicles in the transmission of salmonellosis in a community.     

Low dose recombinant human growth hormone normalizes bone metabolism and cortical bone density and improves trabecular bone density in growth hormone deficient adults without causing adverse effects

OBJECTIVES Prolonged GH deficiency Induces alterations In bone metabolism and structure. Trials In GH deficient adults (GHDA) employing high dose GH replacement therapy produced conflicting results, and caused several adverse effects. This prompted us to study the effects of rhGH treatment on bone metabolism and structure at lowest doses so far used. DESIGN Nine GHDA (7 males and 2 females, aged 25–34 years) were studied before, after 12 months of rhGH treatment (70 μg/kg/week, divided Into 3 Injections, administered s.c. at 2000 h on Monday, Wednesday and Friday, respectively) and after 12 months off therapy. MEASUREMENTS Serum IGF-I, IGFBP-3, bone-gla-protein (BOP), procollagen-III (PIIINP), PTH and vitamin D, and bone mineral density (BMD) at proximal (Prox) and ultradistal (Dist) sites of the radius were measured. RESULTS Before treatment, IGF-I, IGFBP-3, BGP and PIIINP levels, as well as both Prox and Dist BMD, were significantly lower than In controls. GH therapy normalized all these parameters, except for the Dist value, which nonetheless Increased. No significant changes In PTH and vitamin D variation were seen. After 12 months off therapy all parameters returned to pretreatment levels. CONCLUSIONS Our results suggest that 12 months of rhGH treatment at the lowest doses so far used normalizes bone metabolism and cortical bone density, and Improves trabecular bone density without causing adverse events.     

The influence of age on early surgical treatment of acute cholecystitis

This study was undertaken to assess the influence of age on the early surgical treatment of acute cholecystitis. One hundred consecutive patients who had early operations for acute cholecystitis were divided into two groups according to age. Group 1 consisted of 41 patients who were younger than 60 years of age, and group 2 was made up of 59 patients who were more than 60 years of age. Shock, leukocytosis, hyperglycemia and uremia were more common in those patients in group 2 (p less than 0.05). The over-all diagnostic effectiveness was 94 per cent. The mortality rate was 4.1 per cent (n = 4). There were no significant differences in morbidity and mortality between both groups. In conclusion, advanced age is not a contraindication for early surgical treatment of acute cholecystitis.     

Modified ontogenesis of enkephalin and substance P containing neurons after perinatal exposure to morphine

The development of met-enkephalin (ME) and substance P (SP) neurons has been studied in rats exposed to morphine during the perinatal period up to day 30 of life. Both peptides levels were measured by specific radioimmunoassays. ME developmental pattern is markedly affected by morphine in the pons-medulla oblongata, while SP does not seem to be influenced. It is suggested that the well known inhibitory effects of opiates on brain growth and maturation might take place by altering the developmental pattern of the endogenous opioid system.     

Foot and mouth disease virus. II. Endoribonuclease activity within purified virions.

Highly purified FMDV virions have a ribonuclease located within the viral particles. The enzyme is an endonuclease; it degrades the genomic RNA in situ upon prolonged incubation (20–25 hr) of the virions at 37°C. The enzyme acts gradually and produces intermediate RNA fragments which always have the same size distribution. Based on the results suggesting that other molecules such as Sarkosyl and pancreatic ribonuclease are not able to penetrate inside intact virions, even after prolonged incubation at 37°C, it was postulated that the enzyme is incorporated into the virion during the viral morphogenesis. However, the origin of this enzyme is at present unknown.     

Typing of Haemophilus influenzae by Coagglutination and Conventional Slide Agglutination

Coagglutination was compared with conventional slide agglutination for the typing of 297 clinical isolates of Haemophilus sp. A 100% correlation was found with the H. influenzae type b isolates. Coagglutination showed no false-positive reactions with the nontypable strains of H. influenzae and H. parainfluenzae isolates; however, conventional slide agglutination exhibited many false-positive and non-interpretable reactions.     

Quantitative analysis of catechol and 4-methylcatechol in human urine

A method was developed for the quantitative analysis of catechol and 4-methylcatechol in human urine. [U-¹⁴C]Catechol was used as an internal standard. Urine was treated with β-glucuronidase and sulphatase, acidified and extracted with ether. The ether extract was silylated and analysed by glass capillary gas chromatography. Catechol and 4-methylcatechol occurred in urine primarily as conjugates. Levels of catechol and 4-methylcatechol in the urine of nonsmokers on unrestricted diets were 10 ± 7·3 (mean ± 1 SD) and 3·4 ± 2·3 mg/24 hr, respectively. Nonsmokers on uniform restricted diets, in which the intake of plant-derived products was limited, excreted 4·4 ± 1·2 mg catechol and 81 ± 1·7 mg 4-methylcatechol/24 hr. Smokers on the same restricted diet excreted 6·8 ± 3·0 mg catechol and 6·1 ± 2·6 mg 4-methylcatechol/24 hr. These results indicate that diet is a major factor in determining urinary catechol levels and that the contribution of smoking is comparatively small. Catechol and 4-methylcatechol appear to have different dietary precursors.