Rickettsia felis in Fleas, Germany

Among 310 fleas collected from dogs and cats in Germany, Rickettsia felis was detected in all specimens (34) of Archaeopsylla erinacei (hedgehog flea) and in 9% (24/226) of Ctenocephalides felis felis (cat flea). R. helvetica was detected in 1 Ceratophyllus gallinae (hen flea).     

Some properties of a nonautonomous deterministic growth model describing the adjustment of the bacterial population to a new environment

Present address: Unilever Research, Colworth Laboratory, Colworth House, Sharnbrook, Bedford MK44 1LQ, UK. Some mathematical properties of a simple nonautonomous deterministicgrowth model are presented. The model describes the lag phaseof bacterial growth as an adjustment of the population to anew environment after inoculation. A useful family of ‘adjustmentfunctions’ is considered and some of its mathematicalproperties are given.     

Linkage of ambulance service and accident and emergency department data: a study of assault patients in the west midlands region of the UK

OBJECTIVE: The objectives of this study are to determine whether it is possible to link ambulance service and Emergency Department (ED) data for assault patients, to look at the potential advantages of this linkage and to investigate the quality of coding in the two data sets. DATA AND METHODS: Data from West Midlands Ambulance Service and seven EDs in the urban West Midlands were linked using probabilistic linkage. The linked data were analysed to investigate demography, priority category, diagnosis, conscious level, disposal and assault coding. PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: 84.2% of the ambulance records were linked to an ED record. Only 40.7% of the linked records were coded as assault in the ED data and only 46.7% of ED assault cases brought by ambulance could be linked. 77.6% of all assault injuries were to the head, face and neck. Only 1.0% of patients presented with coma. 12.0% of all assault patients and 53.5% of the highest priority cases were admitted. CONCLUSIONS: Data linkage is possible and can increase the amount of information available. Data quality problems were identified in both datasets, which has implications for the monitoring and prevention of assaults. The use of a common identifier would aid the following of patient pathways.     

Analysis of multiple casualty incidents - a prospective cohort study

Background:  Our aim was to report the rate and causes for multiple casualty incidents (MCI) to analyse the prehospital part of responding to MCIs, report mortality and find areas for improvement.
Methods:  A prospective cohort study conducted in an urban emergency medical service (EMS) between 1.3.1998 and 28.2.2004.
Results:  Fifty-nine MCIs involving 263 patients (167 walking, 96 non-walking) occurred. The incidence of MCIs was 1.8/100,000 inhabitants year⁻¹. Traffic accidents were the most common cause followed by residential fires, intoxications and stabbings or shootings. Early MCI alarm by the dispatching centre was performed in 18 MCIs. Deviations from standard emergency medical care occurred in 12% of patients. Lack of immobilization of the neck or back in trauma patients and lack of administration of 100% oxygen in suspected carbon monoxide intoxication were the most common deviations. Deviations were related to the lack of presence of on-scene medical command ( P =  0.0013) and inadequate resources ( P =  0.0342). One hundred and ninety-two patients were transported to emergency departments. Mortality during the prehospital phase was 4.9% (13/263) and during the next 28 days 2.3% (6/263). Adequate resources for safe and effective management of a MCI were related to an early MCI alarm by the dispatching centre ( P =  0,022) and to the presence of on-scene medical command ( P <  0,001).
Conclusions:  Traffic accidents, residential fires and intoxications were the leading causes for MCIs. Emergency medical service could respond to most MCIs efficiently and safely. Majority of deviations from standard medical care seemed potentially preventable. Several areas for improvement were identified. From prehospital links, the dispatching centre and on-scene medical command had a vital role in the successful management of MCIs.     

Estimate of illnesses from Salmonella enteritidis in eggs, United States, 2000

Results from our model suggest that eating Salmonella enterica serovar Enteritidis-contaminated shell eggs caused 182,060 illnesses in the United States during 2000. Uncertainty about the estimate ranged from 81,535 (5th percentile) to 276,500 illnesses (95th percentile). Our model provides but 1 approach for estimating foodborne illness and quantifying estimate uncertainty.     

Noroviruses in archival samples

Application of recent techniques to detect current pathogens in archival effluent samples collected and concentrated in 1987 lead to the characterization of norovirus GGII.6 Seacroft, unrecognized until 1990 in a clinical sample. Retrospective studies will likely increase our knowledge about waterborne transmission of emerging pathogens.     

Divergent HIV and simian immunodeficiency virus surveillance, Zaire

Recent HIV infection or divergent HIV or simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV) strains may be responsible for Western blot-indeterminate results on 70 serum samples from Zairian hospital employees that were reactive in an enzyme immunoassay. Using universal polymerase chain reaction HIV-1, HIV-2, and SIV primers, we detected 1 (1.4%) HIV-1 sequence. Except for 1 sample, no molecular evidence for unusual HIV- or SIV-like strains in this sampling was found.     

G, N, and P gene-based analysis of Chandipura viruses, India

An encephalitis outbreak in 2003 in children from India was attributed to Chandipura virus. Sequence analyses of G, N, and P genes showed 95.6%-97.6% nucleotide identity with the 1965 isolate (G gene, 7-11 amino acid changes); N and P genes were highly conserved.     

A Novel Paramyxovirus?

In public databases, we identified sequences reported as human genes expressed in kidney mesangial cells. The similarity of these genes to paramyxovirus matrix, fusion, and phosphoprotein genes suggests that they are derived from a novel paramyxovirus. These genes are sufficiently unique to suggest the existence of a novel paramyxovirus genus.     

Babesia microti, upstate New York

Five cases of human babesiosis were reported in the Lower Hudson Valley Region of New York State in 2001. An investigation to determine if Babesia microti was present in local Ixodes scapularis ticks yielded 5 positive pools in 123 pools tested, the first detection of B. microti from field-collected I. scapularis in upstate New York.