Molecular and epidemiologic analysis of a county-wide outbreak caused by <Emphasis Type="Italic">Salmonella enterica</Emphasis> subsp. <Emphasis Type="Italic">enterica</Emphasis> serovar Enteritidis traced to a bakery

Background  

An increase in the number of attendees due to acute gastroenteritis and fever was noted at one hospital emergency room in Taiwan over a seven-day period from July to August, 2001. Molecular and epidemiological surveys were performed to trace the possible source of infection.     

SCHISTOSOMIASIS VACCINATION HISTORICAL DEVELOPMENT, PRESENT STATUS AND FUTURE PROSPECTS*

50 years of research on killed or live vaccine for schistosomiasis without successful produc- tion of a human schistosomiasis vaccine are reviewed.     

Validation of the International Prostate Symptom Score in Chinese males and females with lower urinary tract symptoms

Objectives

To evaluate the translation of the IPSS (Hong Kong Chinese version 1) and to assess the applicability, validity, reliability and sensitivity of the instrument in both males and females with LUTS in Chinese population.

Methods

The translation of the IPSS (Hong Kong Chinese version 1) was reviewed through back translation. Modifications were made, resulting in the development of The IPSS (Hong Kong Chinese version 2). The content validity was assessed by contend validity index. 233 subjects with LUTS were recruited in Hong Kong primary care settings for pilot psychometric testing. The construct validity was assessed by corrected item-total correlation and Pearson’s correlation test against ICIQ-UI SF, IIQ-7 and SF-12 v2. The reliability was assessed by the internal consistency (Cronbach’s Alpha coefficient) and test –retest reliability (Intraclass correlation coefficient). The Sensitivity was determined by performing known group comparisons by independent T-test.

Results

The content validity index for all items could reach 1. Corrected item-total correlation scores were ≥0.4 for four symptom questions (feeling of incomplete bladder emptying, intermittency, weak stream and straining). Overall, the total symptom score moderately correlated with ICIQ-UI SF. The quality of life score moderately correlated with the IIQ-7 but weakly correlated with SF-12 v2. Overall, the reliability of the IPSS (Hong Kong Chinese version 2) was acceptable (Cronbach’s Alpha coefficient?=?0.71, ICC of the symptom questions =0.8, ICC of the quality of life question =0.7). The symptoms questions and quality of life questions of the IPSS (Hong Kong Chinese versions 2) were sensitive in detecting differences between groups.

Conclusions

The IPSS (Hong Kong Chinese version 2) is a valid, reliable and sensitive measure to assess Chinese females and males with lower urinary tract symptoms. The IPSS quality of life question is more sensitive than the generic quality of life measure to differentiate subgroups.     

Probiotic effects in allergic disease

The increasing prevalence of allergic disease has been linked to reduced microbial exposure in early life. Probiotics have recently been advocated for the prevention and treatment of allergic disease. This article summarises recent publications on probiotics in allergic disease, focusing on clinical studies of prevention or treatment of allergic disease. Studies employing the combined administration of pre‐natal and post‐natal probiotics suggest a role for certain probiotics (alone or with prebiotics) in the prevention of eczema in early childhood, with the pre‐natal component of treatment appearing to be important for beneficial effects. On the other hand, current data are insufficient to support the use of probiotics for the treatment of established allergic disease, although recent studies have highlighted new hope in this area. Probiotic bacteria continue to represent the most promising intervention for primary prevention of allergic disease, and well‐designed definitive intervention studies should now be a research priority.     

Intrathecal administration of nitroxides as potential contrast agents for MR imaging

The diagnosis of various disorders of the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) with magnetic resonance (MR) imaging may require the intrathecal administration of a paramagnetic contrast agent. Furthermore, the CSF route provides direct access to the brain, circumventing the blood-brain barrier. Three nitroxides, two charged and one uncharged, were administered intrathecally to dogs to assess their potential as contrast agents for MR imaging of the CSF. Nitroxide concentrations and proton T1 values were measured in samples of CSF removed at various times after nitroxide administration, and pharmacokinetic curves were constructed. The charged nitroxides had considerably longer half-lives than the uncharged compound. On in vivo MR imaging of the CSF (surrounding the upper cervical cord and brain stem) in one dog, use of a charged nitroxide as contrast agent led to considerably higher CSF signal intensity than was observed in the nonenhanced, baseline T1-weighted images. This effect was achieved at low doses (20 mumol) and sustained for at least 90 minutes. The intrathecal use of nitroxides as contrast agents for MR imaging warrants continued investigation.