Particular biochemical profiles for enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli O157:H7 isolates on the ID 32E system

The ability of the ID 32E system to identify and discriminate 74 Escherichia coli O157 isolates among 106 E. coli non-O157 isolates was evaluated. The results showed atypical biochemical reactions but accurate identification at the species level and no unique biochemical profile numbers for E. coli O157, although these numbers were distinct from those of other serotypes.     

Characterization of a novel temperate phage originating from a cereulide-producing Bacillus cereus strain

A novel temperate bacteriophage was isolated from a Bacillus cereus cereulide-producing strain and named vB_BceS-IEBH. vB_BceS-IEBH belongs to the Siphoviridae family. The complete genome sequence (53 kb) was determined and annotated. Eighty-seven ORFs were detected and for 28, a putative function was assigned using the ACLAME database. vB_BceS-IEBH replicates as a plasmid in the prophage state. Accordingly, a 9-kb plasmid-like region composed of 13 ORFs was identified. A fragment of around 2000 bp comprising an ORF encoding a putative plasmid replication protein was shown to be self-replicating in Bacillus thuringiensis. Mass spectrometry analysis of the purified vB_BceS-IEBH particle identified 8 structural proteins and enabled assignment of a supplementary ORF as being part of the morphogenesis module. Genome analysis further illustrates the diversity of mobile genetic elements and their plasticity within the B. cereus group.     

Sudden death of a young adult associated with Bacillus cereus food poisoning

A lethal intoxication case, which occurred in Brussels, Belgium, is described. A 20-year-old man died following the ingestion of pasta contaminated with Bacillus cereus. Emetic strains of B. cereus were isolated, and high levels of cereulide (14.8 μg/g) were found in the spaghetti meal.     

IS elements as constituents of bacterial genomes

We provide here an overview of our present understanding of the distribution of different insertion sequences (ISs) within bacterial genomes (both chromosomes and plasmids). This is at present fragmentary and a significant effort is needed in the analysis of the increasing number of genomes whose sequence has been determined. We also consider some of the properties of ISs which are important in their role of assembling, reassorting, and transmitting groups of genes.     

High incidence of sensitization to ornamental plants in allergic rhinitis

BACKGROUND: A few indoor plants have been described as potential allergens, in single case reports of allergic rhinitis. There is no data evaluating the prevalence of allergic sensitization to these plants. AIM: The relationship between owning indoor ornamental plants with the risk to be sensitized has been evaluated in atopic rhinitis. METHODS: A group of 59 patients with allergic rhinitis were submitted to skin prick tests (SPT) using both the leafs of their own plant and commercial extracts of the most frequent airborne allergens. A control group of 15 healthy subjects was tested with the same allergens. RESULTS: While no subject from the control group developed a significant SPT to any of the tested plants, 78% of allergic rhinitis had positive SPT to at least one plant, the most frequent sensitization being Ficus benjamina, yucca, ivy and palm tree. CONCLUSION: In allergic rhinitis, indoor plants should be considered as potential allergens.     

Effect of vaginal douching with povidone-iodine during early pregnancy on the iodine supply to mother and fetus

Vaginal douching with polyvinylpyrrolidone iodine (PVP-I) during pregnancy results in maternal iodine overload and increases the iodine content of amniotic fluid. We evaluated the possible effects of this therapy on the thyroid of the fetus by investigating 62 women with a mean duration of amenorrhea of 20 weeks who solicited controlled abortion. Nineteen of them douched daily with PVP-I for 7 consecutive days before abortion (treated group). The other 43 women were not treated (control group). In both groups the iodine content was determined in the fetal thyroid and in amniotic fluid and maternal urine at the time of abortion. In addition, in the treated group the concentrations of iodine were also determined in amniotic fluid and urine before therapy and in urine after 4 days of therapy. There were no differences in the concentrations of iodine in urine and amniotic fluid in the control group and in the treated group before therapy. In the treated group urinary iodine increased from 6.1 +/- (SEM) 0.8 micrograms/dl before therapy to 91 +/- 20 micrograms/dl after 4 days and to 153 +/- 60 micrograms/dl after 7 days of therapy (p less than 0.001). In parallel, iodine in amniotic fluid increased from 1.2 +/- 0.2 micrograms/dl before therapy to 3.7 +/- 1.3 micrograms/dl after 7 days (p less than 0.05). In both groups the iodine content of the fetal thyroid increased with gestational age. However, it increased more rapidly in the treated group (from 1 to 7.7 micrograms) than in the control group (from 1 to 2.5 micrograms), p less than 0.05.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Aggressive pilomatrixoma of the infra-auricular area: a case report

Although pilomatrixomas are well known among dermatologists and dermatopathologists, head and neck surgeons confronted with these lesions in the infra-auricular region do not consider this benign neoplasm in the differential diagnosis. Aggressive pilomatrixoma is a benign tumor of the hair matrix cells affecting mainly children. Histologically, the border between aggressive pilomatrixoma and pilomatrix carcinoma is still not clear. We report the case of a 15-year-old Turkish boy suffering from an aggressive pilomatrixoma of the infra-auricular region and review the literature about this unclear entity.     

Clinically unsuspected tonsillar sarcoidosis in a child revealed by routine histologic examination

In most hospitals, making a microscopic examination to tonsil and adenoid specimens from pediatric patients who present recurrent infections has become a standard practice. However, studies have shown that systematic examination of tonsils and adenoids was not needed for individual aged 21 or less. In this context, we describe the third report of an unsuspected tonsillar sarcoidosis revealed by histologic examination. A 5-year-old white girl was referred to our department because of frequent nasal and pharyngeal infections. Both tonsillectomy and adeno?dectomy were performed. Histologic evaluation revealed noncaseous epithelioid granulomas morphologically compatible with a diagnosis of sarcoidosis. Our observation illustrates the benefit of histological analysis in every tonsillectomy and adeno?dectomy specimen.     

Prevalence and Levels of Bacillus cereus Emetic Toxin in Rice Dishes Randomly Collected from Restaurants and Comparison with the Levels Measured in a Recent Foodborne Outbreak

Abstract Whereas the prevalence of Bacillus cereus emetic strains in the environment has been shown to be very low, there is a lack of information on the prevalence of its toxin, cereulide, in food. Yet, the rice leftovers of a family outbreak which occurred after the consumption of dishes taken away from an Asian restaurant revealed significant amounts of cereulide, reaching up to 13,200?ng/g of food. The occurrence of cereulide in rice dishes collected from various restaurants was therefore evaluated using the liquid chromatography coupled with tandem mass spectrometry method, which allows for the direct quantification of the toxin in food. The cereulide prevalence was found to be 7.4% when samples were analyzed at the day of sampling, but reached 12.9% when exposed to temperature abuse conditions (25°C). The cereulide concentrations observed in cooked rice dishes were low (approximately 4?ng/g of food). However, since little is known yet about the potential chronic toxicity of cereulide, one needs to be very careful and vigilant.     

Identification of five novel tectiviruses in Bacillus strains: analysis of a highly variable region generating genetic diversity

Our biosphere is abundant with unique and small genes for which no homologs are known. These genes, often referred to as orphans or ORFans, are commonly found in bacteriophage genomes but their origins remain unclear. We discovered five novel tectivirus-like genetic elements by screening more than five-hundred Bacillus strains. A highly variable region (HVR) of these viruses was shown to harbor ORFans in most of these otherwise well-conserved bacteriophages. Previous studies demonstrated that mutations close to this region dramatically alter bacteriophage gene regulation, suggesting that the acquisition of those ORFans may provide a source of genetic diversity that is then subject to genetic selection during bacteriophage evolution.