Food-Borne Diseases

Clostridium difficile is a spore-forming, Gram-positive anaerobic bacillus that produces two exotoxins: toxin A and toxin B. It accounts for 15-25% of all episodes of antibiotic-associated diarrhoea. Clostridium difficile infections cause nausea, fever, diarrhea, and abdominal pain. [1]

The 2011 report of the National CJD Research and Surveillance Unit Western General Hospital, Edinburgh (NCJDRSU), published on Oct 8, 2012, says that  the number of sporadic cases remains relatively stable for the past 15 years, varying around 70 deaths/year. There has been a small rise to 85 deaths or higher in 2008, 2009, and 2011. [1]

Rinderpest (cattle plage) is an ancient viral infection of cattle and other large ruminants, It is caused by a member of the genus morbillivirus, of the Paramyxovirus family  closely related to human measles virus and canine distemper virus. The disease is characterized by fever, oral erosions, diarrhea, lymphoid necrosis, and high mortality. [1]

The CDC reports a total of 296 infections with influenza A (H3N2) variant (H3N2v) viruses July 12 through September 6, 2012 in U.S.A. The first death caused by the virus occurred in the last week of August.  [1]

The protozoan parasite Giardia intestinalis and the pathogenic bacterium Helicobacter pylori, both in association are found infesting concomitant in high number of mostly children in densely populated regions. [1]

Dao et al. 2012 describes the imunological differenciation of  the acute HBV infection (AHBV-ALF) and the exacerbation of chronic HBV infection (CHBV-ALF) , both processes may end in Hepatitis B virus (HBV)-related acute liver failure (HBV-ALF). [1]

An ancient  hepatitis B virus (aHBV)-DNA sequences was isolated of the liver of a mummified Korean child dated of the 16th-century.  The DNA is 3,000 to 100,000 years ago old. Its genetic sequence, compared  with actual viral genomes show changes which may have their origin in immunologic, environmental and pharmacologic mutations an environmental pressures acting during milleneans. [1]

The CDC calls vor increased efforts to detect all new cases of H3N2v infections. However, it should be kept in mind that the sensitivity of Rapid Influenza Diagnostic Tests (RIDTs) which used to detect H3N2v virus infection varies. A negative RIDT should not be considered evidence of lack of infection. [1]

Only four of seven RIDTs were found by the authors of a CDC study (Directigen, Sofia, Veritor, and Xpect) to find all influenza A (H3N2)v viruses. BinaxNOW detected five of seven, and QuickVue detected three of seven. FluAlert detected only one of seven.