Human disease caused by Legionella species is dominated by Legionella pneumophila, the main causative agent in cases of Legionnaires’ disease. However, other species are known to cause infection, for ...example, Legionella longbeachae causes an equivalent number of cases of disease as L. pneumophila in Australia and New Zealand. Infection with L. longbeachae is commonly associated with exposure to composts and potting soils, and cases of infection with this organism have been increasing in Europe over the past ten years. The increase in incidence may be linked to factors such as increased awareness of clinical presentation, or due to changing formulation of growing media, although it should be noted that the presence of Legionella species in growing media does not correlate with the number of cases currently seen. This is likely due to the variables associated with infection, for example, host factors such as smoking or underlying health conditions, or difference in growing media storage or climate, especially warm humid conditions, which may affect survival and growth of these organisms in the growing media environment. There are numerous unknowns in this area and collaboration between growing media manufacturers and researchers, as well as more awareness among diagnosing clinicians, laboratory staff and the general public is necessary to reduce risk. More research is needed before definitive conclusions can be drawn: L. pneumophila research currently dominates the field and it is likely that the overreliance on diagnostic techniques such as the urinary antigen test, which is specific for L. pneumophila Sg 1, is detrimental to the diagnosis of L. longbeachae infection.
Schistosomiasis, a travel-related trematode infection, can cause a range of symptoms with potentially life-threatening complications. In this report, we describe an outbreak of schistosomiasis in a ...Scottish school group that had travelled to Uganda. We discuss the requirement for robust and accurate pre-travel advice, and the importance of raising awareness in travellers, particularly due to the asymptomatic nature of the disease. In addition, we highlight the need to submit a serum sample for laboratory testing on return from endemic regions where freshwater exposure has occurred.
A Scottish school group consisting of 19 individuals visited Uganda during July 2016 with one positive symptomatic case identified on return to the UK. As three of the individuals were not Scottish residents, their data were excluded from this report. Freshwater exposure was noted from taking part in activities which included swimming in the Nile. The Scottish Parasite Diagnostic and Reference Laboratory performed serology testing using sera from 16 Scottish residents to detect IgG towards
egg antigens. Thirteen were positive despite only one case being symptomatic.
The high positivity rate raised several issues. These included the lack of a robust risk assessment by the travel company organizing the trip, the lack of awareness of schistosomiasis by some individuals, the lack of appropriate and accurate pre-travel advice, and the asymptomatic nature of the infection. This report provides supportive evidence to strengthen the need for improvements to prevent largely asymptomatic cases being missed in future.
On 31 March 2022, Public Health Scotland was alerted to five children aged 3-5 years admitted to hospital with severe hepatitis of unknown aetiology. Retrospective investigation identified eight ...additional cases aged 10 years and younger since 1 January 2022. Two pairs of cases have epidemiological links. Common viral hepatitis causes were excluded in those with available results. Five children were adenovirus PCR-positive. Other childhood viruses, including SARS-CoV-2, have been isolated. Investigations are ongoing, with new cases still presenting.
BackgroundDuring the 2017/18 and 2018/19 influenza seasons, molecular amplification-based point-of-care tests (mPOCT) were introduced in Scotland to aid triaging respiratory patients for hospital ...admission, yet communication of results to national surveillance was unaccounted for.AimThis retrospective study aims to describe steps taken to capture mPOCT data and assess impact on influenza surveillance.MethodsQuestionnaires determined mPOCT usage in 2017/18 and 2018/19. Searches of the Electronic Communication of Surveillance in Scotland (ECOSS) database were performed and compared with information stored in laboratory information management systems. Effect of incomplete data on surveillance was determined by comparing routine against enhanced data and assessing changes in influenza activity levels determined by the moving epidemic method.ResultsThe number of areas employing mPOCT increased over the two seasons (6/14 in 2017/18 and 8/14 in 2018/19). Analysis of a small number of areas (n = 3) showed capture of positive mPOCT results in ECOSS improved between seasons and remained high (> 94%). However, capture of negative results was incomplete. Despite small discrepancies in weekly activity assessments, routine data were able to identify trend, start, peak and end of both influenza seasons.ConclusionThis study has shown an improvement in capture of data from influenza mPOCT and has highlighted issues that need to be addressed for results to be accurately captured in national surveillance. With the clear benefit to patient management we suggest careful consideration should be given to the connectivity aspects of the technology in order to ensure minimal impact on national surveillance.
INTRODUCTIONSchistosomiasis, a travel-related trematode infection, can cause a range of symptoms with potentially life-threatening complications. In this report, we describe an outbreak of ...schistosomiasis in a Scottish school group that had travelled to Uganda. We discuss the requirement for robust and accurate pre-travel advice, and the importance of raising awareness in travellers, particularly due to the asymptomatic nature of the disease. In addition, we highlight the need to submit a serum sample for laboratory testing on return from endemic regions where freshwater exposure has occurred. CASE PRESENTATIONA Scottish school group consisting of 19 individuals visited Uganda during July 2016 with one positive symptomatic case identified on return to the UK. As three of the individuals were not Scottish residents, their data were excluded from this report. Freshwater exposure was noted from taking part in activities which included swimming in the Nile. The Scottish Parasite Diagnostic and Reference Laboratory performed serology testing using sera from 16 Scottish residents to detect IgG towards Schistosoma egg antigens. Thirteen were positive despite only one case being symptomatic. CONCLUSIONThe high positivity rate raised several issues. These included the lack of a robust risk assessment by the travel company organizing the trip, the lack of awareness of schistosomiasis by some individuals, the lack of appropriate and accurate pre-travel advice, and the asymptomatic nature of the infection. This report provides supportive evidence to strengthen the need for improvements to prevent largely asymptomatic cases being missed in future.
A qualitative phenomenological research design was used to explore the meaning and
experience of intentional childlessness for heterosexual, married women. Six women between
38 and 44 years of age ...from Vancouver and the Lower Mainland volunteered to discuss their
experiences of being childless by choice in individual, audio-taped, in-depth interviews with
the researcher. Seven common themes were drawn from the participants' interview
transcripts using Colaizzi's (1978) procedure for phenomenological data analysis.
The results indicated that the women had a strong sense of independence and
autonomy that they believed would be compromised by having children. The women sensed
they needed to maintain control over their own lives and environments, especially controlling
their fertility, their sense of order and certainty, and their home environments. Most of the
women had experienced some uneasiness and discomfort when around children. Parenting
was viewed as an overwhelming responsibility that they perceived included objectionable
emotional investments, sacrifices, and risks. Primarily, the women stated they had no desire
to have children; mothering was perceived as hindering careers and the pursuit of other
meaningful endeavours. Sensing they were different than other women and especially most
married women who "traditionally" are mothers, the participants had rarely directed
"maternal" feelings toward children; they lacked both a desire for children and regret for not
having them. Perceiving that many other people expected them to have children, the women
experienced being called upon to justify their choice and had withstood criticism for choosing
to remain childless. The participants perceived childbearing as optional for women and had
exercised their right not to have children, presenting their choice as a morally responsible act.
The women were constructing their paths through life by evolving a sense of self not
identified with motherhood, but instead, a self characterized and defined by engagement in
other personally fulfilling and meaningful relationships and pursuits.
Frozen yoghurt is showing a phenomenal growth in popularity. Some companies point to a 400 percent increase in sales in one year. Many of the new frozen yoghurts are very good, but a few leave much ...to be desired. When manufacturers doctor up their product with additives, the qualtiy and food value change dramatically. The only federal regulations that govern the product's integrity are those that require all food items to meet certain broad standards. The actual calorie count of the product is debatable.
Herbivores can gain indirect access to recalcitrant carbon present in plant cell walls through symbiotic associations with lignocellulolytic microbes. A paradigmatic example is the leaf-cutter ant ...(Tribe: Attini), which uses fresh leaves to cultivate a fungus for food in specialized gardens. Using a combination of sugar composition analyses, metagenomics, and whole-genome sequencing, we reveal that the fungus garden microbiome of leaf-cutter ants is composed of a diverse community of bacteria with high plant biomass-degrading capacity. Comparison of this microbiome's predicted carbohydrate-degrading enzyme profile with other metagenomes shows closest similarity to the bovine rumen, indicating evolutionary convergence of plant biomass degrading potential between two important herbivorous animals. Genomic and physiological characterization of two dominant bacteria in the fungus garden microbiome provides evidence of their capacity to degrade cellulose. Given the recent interest in cellulosic biofuels, understanding how large-scale and rapid plant biomass degradation occurs in a highly evolved insect herbivore is of particular relevance for bioenergy.
PDF
