An outbreak of febrile gastroenteritis associated with corn contaminated by Listeria monocytogenes.

BACKGROUND: On May 21, 1997, numerous cases of febrile gastrointestinal illness were reported among the students and staff of two primary schools in northern Italy, all of whom had eaten at cafeterias served by the same caterer. METHODS: We interviewed people who ate at the cafeterias about symptoms and foods consumed on May 20. There were no samples of foods left at the cafeterias, but we tested routine samples taken on May 20 by the caterer and environmental specimens at the catering plant. The hospitalized patients were tested for common enteropathogens and toxins. RESULTS: Of the 2189 persons interviewed (82 percent of those exposed), 1566 (72 percent) reported symptoms; of these, 292 (19 percent) were hospitalized. Among samples obtained from hospitalized patients, all but two of the stool specimens and all blood specimens were negative for common enteropathogens. Listeria monocytogenes was isolated from one blood specimen and from 123 of the 141 stool specimens. Consumption of a cold salad of corn and tuna was associated with the development of symptoms (relative risk, 6.19; 95 percent confidence interval, 4.81 to 7.98; P<0.001). L. monocytogenes was isolated from the caterer's sample of the salad and from environmental specimens collected from the catering plant. All listeria isolates were serotype 4b and were found to be identical on DNA analysis. Experimental contamination of sterile samples of the implicated foods showed that L. monocytogenes grew on corn when kept for at least 10 hours at 25 degrees C. CONCLUSIONS: Food-borne infection with L. monocytogenes can cause febrile illness with gastroenteritis in immunocompetent persons.

[The anti-rubella immune state of the adult female population of Local Health Unit 26 of the Piedmont Region. Prospects for a vaccination campaign]. / Stato immunitario antirubeolico della popolazione femminile adulta della U.S.S.L. 26 della Regione Piemonte. Prospettive per una campagna di vaccinazione.

500 serum samples were collected from women in child-bearing age and tested for HI titer against rubella virus. 6.8% had no protective level, that is less than 1/32. A vaccination program is discussed.

[Research on the rubella epidemic of 1973 in Turin. Virological data]. / Ricerche sull'epidemia di rosolia del 1973 a Torino. Dati virologici.

During the outbreak of rubella in Turin in 1973, 110 newborns, whose mother's pregnancy clash with the epidemic, were studied for the elimination of rubella virus. 708 samples were in total examined, through inoculation in primary cultures of African green monkey kidney (and study of the possible interference with ECHO-virus type 11), and partially in RK 13 and SIRC continuous cell lines. No strain of rubella virus was isolated, and the Authors conclude that the virus involved was particularly benign from a teratogenetic point of view.

[Antigenic hemagglutinating characterization of influenza virus A/Torino/1/75 (H3N2)]. / Caratterizzazione antigenica emoagglutininica del virus influenzale A/Torino/1/75 (H3N2

An A strain influenza virus isolated in Turin during the winter of 1974-75 was antigenetically related to the A/Port Chalmers/1/73 strain and dominant with respect to it. In addition, it was dissimilar and antigenically distant from the A/Scotland/840/74 strain.

[Research on the immunity status of the Turin population with respect to 3 recent variations of influenza A virus]. / Ricerche sullo stato immunitario della popolazione torinese verso tre recenti varianti di virus influenzale A

Measurement of influenza A/Torino/1/75, A/MRC 11 and A/Scotland/840/74 viruses h.i. antibodies in a sample of the Turin population represented by 200 non-vaccinated adults, showed that the percentage of subjects carrying antibiodies at the minimum titre of 1/10 was respectively 83, 78,5 and 52 and respective mean titres were 1/65, 1/65 and 1/43. These results confirm the antigenic affinity between A/Torino/1/75 and A/MRC/11 strains and their diversity with respect to A/Scotland/840/74. It is emphasized that vaccines should include the Scottish variant of the influenza virus also.

[Studies of the distribution of hemagglutination inhibiting antibodies against A/Victoria/3/75 (H3N2), B/Hong Kong/8/73 and A/New Jersey/76 (Hsw1N1) influenza viruses in a Turin population sample]. / Studi sulla distribuzione degli anticorpi inibenti l'emoagglutinazione dei virus influenzali A/Victoria/3/75 (H3N2), B/Hong Kong/8/73 e A/New Jersey/76 (Hsw1N1) in un campione di popolazione torinese.

53%, and 29.8% respectively, of a sample of 500 adults living in Turin have been shown lacking of any antibody against A/Victoria/3/75 and B/Hong Kong/8/73 influenza strains; less than 20%, and 45.4% respectively, possessed antibodies at a protective level (greater than or equal to 1:40). Furthermore, the study of age distribution of immunity against A/New Jersey/76 has confirmed specific h.a.i. antibodies to be present, at a significant level, only from the sixth decade onwards.

[Comparative evaluation of some methods for detection of Australia antigen (HBAg) in the serum of acute hepatitis]. / Valutazione comparativa circa alcuni metodi di ricerca dell'antigene Australia (HBAg) nel siero di epatitici acuti

On the basis of 1,083 cases of acute hepatitis, the radioimmunoassay has been confirmed the most sensible test for the detection of HBAg, followed by counterimmunoelectrophoresis, immunodiffusion and latex agglutination. Although the most complicated and expensive test, it is worth to be routinely employed in the acute hepatitis, both diagnostically and from a prophylactic point of view.

[Antiadenovirus antibodies in mother-foetus serum pairs]. / Ricerche su anticorpi contro alcuni tipi di adenovirus in coppie di sangue materno-fetali.

The behaviour of E.A.I. antibodies towards 3 strains of adenovirus was investigated in 90 mother-foetus serum pairs. Considerable circulation of the studied antigens (9, 10 and 13) was observed; antigen 13 has so far been little associated with morbid syndromes.