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Within serological surveys 2001, prevalence of markers of hepatitis viruses A (anti-HAV), B (anti-HBc, HBsAg, anti-HBs) and for the first time also C (anti-HCV) was investigated. Sera were collected in 2001 and tested by respective kits AxSYM, Abbott. HAV: 2,623 sera were tested for the presence of anti-HAV antibodies. Comparison with serological surveys of 1984 and 1996 revealed again shifts of the age prevalence curve for anti-HAV antibodies towards higher age groups corresponding to time intervals between epidemiological surveys. High prevalence rates of anti-HAV antibodies (more than 20%) were only found for the population age groups who lived in the period of high incidence of VHA, i.e. up to 1965. The prevalence of anti-HAV antibodies increased by about 5-10% in the population under 20 years of age, the increase being significant and assumingly attributable to vaccination against VHA, and remained the same as in 1996 in the age group 20-29 years. HBV: 2,568 sera were tested for the presence of anti-HBc antibodies and 76 reactive specimens were further tested for the presence of HBsAg and anti-HBs antibodies. The prevalence of anti-HBc antibodies continuously increases with age. The total prevalence of anti-HBc antibodies calculated for the Czech population is 5.59% compared to 6.95% recorded in 1996. The calculated prevalence rate of HBsAg is 0.56% and that of anti-HBs antibodies is 3.99% for the non-vaccinee population. HCV: The prevalence rate of anti-HCV antibodies was 0.2% with 6 out of 2,950 sera testing positive. Age dependence could not be assessed because of the small number of positive persons. HCV infection is known to afflict high-risk groups, likely to escape a general serological survey, rather than the normal population.

In this study a collection of 547 S. Typhimurium strains isolated in the years 2000 and 2001 both of the human and non-human origin were analysed. 21 different phage types were detected, the most frequent one was DT104 (46%) followed by DT141 (28%) and DT68 (3%). Resistance to one or more antimicrobial agents was found mainly in DT104 (77.4%). S. Typhimurium isolates resistant to 5 and more antimicrobial agents were found in three phagetypes DT104 (57%), DT120 and DT155. Plasmid profiling of DT104 isolates showed 10 different profiles. Pattern A found in 30.5% of tested strains was predominant and carried serovar specific plasmid and one additional small plasmid of approx. 2.5 kb.

Salmonelloses belong to the most important alimentary diseases. From 1989 the main source of infection is S. Enteritidis (95% and more). The ratio of S. Typhimurium in the etiology declined gradually since 1994 from 3% in 1993 to 1.9% in 2001. The number of detected multiresistant strains STM DT104 is so far low in the Czech Republic. In 2000 laboratory tests confirmed 53 and in 2001 a total of 63 strains. Analysis of these strains revealed: 1. the proportion of multiresistant strains STM DT104 of the total number of isolated STM strains increased from 7% in 2000 to 11.5% in 2001, 2. the territory in the CR where these multiresistant strains were found expanded, 3. the relationship of proportions of the most frequently detected STM phagotypes in the human population changes: in 2000 this ratio was balanced, in 2001 the ratio of phagotype DT104 is roughly three times higher than of DT 141, 4. analysis of all STM strains from the environment and animals indicates that the frequency of STM DT104 is 73%. Almost 90% of these strains are multiresistant (resistant to one or several antimicrobial substances). The highest number was found in calves, piglets but also in poultry. With regard to the results of the submitted work it is important to concentrate attention on detection and further laboratory examination of STM strains in the human and animal population.

The ratio of serovars of S. Typhimurium among notified cases of salmonelloses in 1999-2001 did not exceed 3% and so far has a slightly declining trend. On a long-term basis the highest morbidity rate caused by this agent is reported in the South Moravian region. The age distribution and specific morbidity is highest in 1-4-year-old children, the seasonal incidence is highest, in the summer months. The most frequently suspected vehicles are eggs, poultry and meat products, in 1999 for the first time as a vehicle a grilled piglet was reported, in a total of three epidemics. Epidemiological analysis of salmonelloses caused by S. Typhimurium revealed that in the CR individual characteristics do not differ from those caused by S. Enteritidis and that the epidemiological situation as regards this serovar is, so far quiescent.

In the Czech Republic in 1989 a triple increase of the incidence of salmonelloses was recorded: 34,435 cases. Since that year the morbidity trend varies between 400 and 500 cases per 100,000 population. The dominating agent (95% and more) is Salmonella Enteritidis PT8. The epidemic incidence was recorded on the whole territory of the Czech Republic mainly in Moravia and in the East Bohemian region. The specific morbidity is highest in 0 and 1-4 year-old children. The seasonal incidence has two peaks with the exception of 1997. During the period between 1989 and 1996 there was a significant increase of epidemics of salmonellosis in conjunction with food production incl. private confectionery shops, restaurants and the sale of foods in the streets. The most important vehicle are eggs and egg products, in particular confectionery. Salmonella Typhimurium DT104 is found only rarely in the Czech Republic. The first epidemic (15 cases) developed in 1998.

Based on a grant project "Use and importance of epidemiological markers in Salmonella enteritidis and Salmonella typhimurium in the spread of salmonelloses in children under two years of age" implemented in 1995 to 1997, the authors investigated epidemiological markers in 1,186 salmonella isolates; the strains were isolated from faeces of 838 sick children, from 266 faeces of their contacts, from 49 specimens of incriminated foods and from 33 smears from the children's environment. Of 1,186 Salmonella isolates 999 were strains of S. enteritidis, 39 strains of S. typhimurium and 148 strains were not identified. The markers of Salmonella isolates were investigated from the aspect of biotyping--98% S. enteritidis were formed by the biovar Jena. 2% by biovar Essen; sensitivity to antibiotics--94.5% Salmonella strains were sensitive to 12 selected antibiotics, 2.9% were resistant and in 2.6% the resistance was in the intermediate zone; phagotyping--in 808 strains of S. enteritidis PT 8--88% predominated, in S. typhimurium DT 104 and DT 141; assessment of plasmid profiles--in strains of S. enteritidis plasmid 55 kb predominated, in three strains of S. typhimurium a plasmid size 95 kb; virulence--was compared in 43 strains isolated from hospitalized children with a severe clinical course with 39 strains from children treated at home. In vitro tests revealed that hospitalization of affected children was associated with virulence of the strains (SE phagotype 8) and not with age. The presented results are discussed with regard to the epidemiological situation in the Czech Republic and in the world.

The authors pay attention to the mode of transmission of salmonelloses in children under two years of age, where the highest specific morbidity was recorded. Using phenotypic (biochemical properties, sensitivity to antibiotics, phagotype) and genotypic properties (presence of plasmids) they examine five sporadic and seven epidemic incidences of salmonelloses in young children. The most frequent agent is Salmonella enteritidis, phagotype 8, plasmid 55 kb. Strains of S. enteritidis are isolated from the faeces of affected children, their family contacts, from food and the sick child's environment. Alimentary transmission by the incriminated food was detected from epidemic incidence where the vehicle were confectionery products contaminated by S. enteritidis. In sporadic cases in families also direct and indirect contact may have participated in the transmission of infection.

Sepsis holds the second place on the list of deaths from infectious diseases. Epidemiological data on the morbidity from sepsis are inadequate. The basis of the submitted paper are data from the Czech Statistical Office on subjects who died of sepsis, death certificates and health records. The analysis of assembled data pertains to 85 subjects who died from sepsis in 1993 and is concerned with the age distribution of the deceased, the distribution by gender, type of hospital department, where death occurred, and the diagnosis made on admission. A group of 32 subjects who developed a septic focus during hospitalization (group of nosocomial sepses) was investigated further: 10 developed a decubital sepsis (31%), 3 a diabetic sepsis and 5 urosepsis. As to risk factors, in addition to ATB therapy the following dominated: repeated hospitalizations, the development of infectious decubiti, infusions and venous and urinary catheters. A haemoculture was examined in 9 (28%), 4 times Gram-positive cocci were detected, 5 times Gram-negative rods. Antibiotics were prescribed to two-thirds of the affected patients: gentamicin in 35%, ampicillin in 34%, PNC in 13%, cefotaxime in 12% of the affected subjects.

The authors discuss the incidence of salmonelloses in the Czech Republic and analyze changes which developed during the period from 1989 to 1993. In 1989 a steep rise of cases of salmonellosis was recorded; 34,435 cases were notified which, as compared with the previous period, is a threefold rise of the incidence. This trend persists already for five years. So far the largest number of notified cases (43,558) was recorded in 1992. The death rate and case fatality rate from salmonellosis has been low for some years: the number of deaths is approximately 20-25 people per year. The salmonellosis epidemic in 1989-1993 spread to all regions of the Czech Republic. The most heavily affected regions are the South Moravian, North Moravian, East Bohemian and West Bohemian region. As to age distribution, it was revealed that the highest values of specific morbidity are in children in their first year of life and in 1-4-year-olds and that the greatest increment in 1989-1993 was notified in 1-4-year-old and in 5-9-year-old children. The dominating aetiological agent was Salmonella enteritidis, probably phagotype 8. Its ratio in the isolation of Salmonella strains is 87%. The largest number of epidemics in 1989-1991 was notified in communities with a communal catering type (workers canteens, catering for nursery schools and schools) and in communities where half the epidemics developed during family festivities (weddings, graduation, funerals, birthdays, pig-slaughtering feasts etc.). During the last two years the number of epidemics which develop in workshops producing foods and in private confectionaries is rising.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

The submitted paper analyzes the treble increase of the annual incidence of salmonelloses in the Czech Republic in 1989-1991. It deals with the seasonal distribution of notified morbidity (it is highest in August, September, October), the age distribution (it is highest in 0-4-year-old children) and the geographical distribution (the most affected areas are the eastern Bohemian, southern Moravian and northern Moravian regions). The authors emphasize the high ratio of S. enteritidis in this rise (the ratio of S. E. increased from 55% in 1988 to 84% in 1991). They analyze the notified mass incidence of salmonelloses, where one third is accounted for by catering establishments of the so-called closed type; in 1989-1991 the highest ratio of salmonelloses was in works canteens. The authors confirm that the epidemic rise of salmonelloses in 1989-1991 is associated with the consumption of contaminated eggs, similarly as in other parts of the world. The most frequent vehicle of infection revealed in the Czech Republic are eggs, their products, in 1991 in particular confectionery and fancy cakes.

The submitted paper deals with one of the possible aspects of the investigation of nosocomial infections, i.e. investigations of the properties of hospital strains, their importance and possible use. The incidence of bacterial hospital strains was investigated in a surgical department of a district hospital of the North Bohemian region in October 1990; at the time of the survey 29 nosocomial infections (36.1%) were revealed by the prevalence method. Bacterial hospital strains were isolated from patients with a nosocomial infection, from the attending staff and the hospital environment. The following markers were investigated: biotyping, phagotyping, serotyping, toxin production, sensitivity to antimicrobial substances and sensitivity to disinfectants. Based on results of marking of hospital strains 7 incidences with a possible epidemiological association were detected where the hospital strain of equal or very similar properties dominated. The results of the investigation confirmed the important participation of the attending staff in the spread of nosocomial infections, in particular via contaminated hands, and drew attention to shortcomings as regards adherence to the hygienic and epidemiological regime in the investigated department.

At 55 sites of a health institution in July and September 1990 a total of 161 specimens of arthropods were detected, 30 outdoors and 131 on the premises of the health institution. On their bodies 116 bacterial strains were isolated, mostly Gram-negative rods (more than 85%), in particular spp. Enterobacter, Acinetobacter, Klebsiella, Citrobacter and Pseudomonas. Gram-positive cocci accounted for cca 12%, in particular strains of S. haemolyticus and S. hominis. The greatest number of strains was detected on bodies of cockroaches, flies, Chironomus and Tenebrio. In about one third of strains the diffuse disk test revealed resistance to more than three antibiotics. The investigation was supplemented by microbiological examination of strains from a hospital environment (45 smears) and strains from biological material (82 specimens), from patients with nosocomial infections.

Synanthropic and other arthropods were collected and examined for microbes in the summer seasons of 1988 and 1990. The collection was performed in a Prague hospital with departments situated in separate buildings, each surrounded by a park. In 1988, the most attention was given to flies (35 species collected) found outside between the buildings. In 1990, all arthropods found inside the buildings (particularly in the departments of dermatology and urology) were studied. A total of 30 taxons were identified. The microbes found on the bodies of arthropods were isolated in both seasons. In 1990, the hospital environment and biological material from patients (urine, pus) were also examined for the presence of microbes. Altogether 108 strains (21 species) and 116 strains (25 species) were isolated from the arthropods' bodies in 1988 and 1990, respectively. The ecological characterization of the arthropods and results of microbiological studies show that synanthropic arthropods play a significant role in the epidemiology of hospital infections.

The submitted paper deals with an epidemic of severe postoperative panophthalmitis, its development, course, causes and sequelae incl. epidemiological characteristics. The disease developed in four patients 40 hours after operation of cataract. Despite treatment all four patients developed septicaemia and therefore the affected eyeballs were eviscerated. From smears of the conjunctival sac of the affected patients and from the contents of the eviscerated eyeball Proteus mirabilis and Enterobacter cloaceae were cultivated. The authors draw attention to the epidemiological association with the eye lotion BSS which was used from which Proteus mirabilis and E. coli were cultivated and with the Ringer solution from which Enterobacter cloaceae and Klebsiella pneumoniae were cultivated. An epidemiological analysis of the epidemic was made and provisions were defined to rule out its recurrence.

The authors analyze the epidemic incidence of alimentary infections of bacterial origin in two periods: 1979-1983 and 1984-1988 and 1989 resp., where in each period the number of notified epidemics of different infections equals 100%. During the period 1984-1988 as compared with 1979-1983, there was a decline in the number of epidemics of salmonelloses in health institutions from 42% to 14%, whereby almost half these epidemics were caused by Salmonella agona spread via dried milk. Conversely there was an increase in the number of epidemics of salmonelloses in communities from 14% to 23% and in works canteens from 9% to 14%. In 68% of the latter Salmonella enteritidis dominated. In 1989 there was a potent increase epidemics of salmonelloses. In 86% of the notified epidemics Salmonella enteritidis was the aetiological agent. A quarter of these epidemics developed in works canteens and half the affected subjects were ill. The transmission occurred via poultry meat and egg products. The annual incidence of bacillary dysentery after 1985 has a declining trend, the epidemics persist in nursery schools, summer camps for children and are increasing in institutes for social care. The number of alimentary intoxications is rising in recent years, in particular in school and works canteens. The number of 008 epidemics in 1984-1988 declined in health institutions from 52% to 20%. 17% of the epidemics developed in schools and camps for children.

In a retrospective study the authors analyzed 76 cases of botulism reported in 1961-1989 in the Czech Republic. The analysis of descriptive data pertained to the annual incidence of botulism with a maximum of cases in 1966, 1973 and 1984 (11, 7 and 6 cases); geographical distribution with a maximum incidence in the South and Central Bohemian region (100,000 population); age distribution with a predominance in subjects above 15 years. The dominating vehicle of botulism was in 61% of the notified cases a home-prepared food; usually a galantine, aspic, liver paste, pork with vegetables, and smoked pork. In 1966 and 1973 a processed food predominated as vehicle: pickled herring and tomato, red peppers and sausage. The results of the retrospective study were compared in the discussion with the problem of botulism in other countries. The authors discuss the danger of undetected botulism and the necessity of an anti-botulin serum (Bossea).

Two prevalence studies of Nosocomial Infections carried out in 1987 (based on 4479 patients in 64 general surgery departments and 1603 patients in 29 orthopedic surgery departments) and in 1988 (based on 1263 patients in 32 urological departments) are summarized. The prevalence rate of nosocomial infections (NI) in general surgery departments was 14.0%, in orthopedic surgery departments 8.0% and in urological departments 20.9%. The highest degree of risk of acquiring NI was run by patients above 60 years of age in urological and general surgery departments. Surgical wound infections in departments of general surgery accounted for 60%, in orthopedic surgery departments for 47% and in urological departments for 37% of all NI. The prevalence of wound infections amongst general surgical patients was 8.4%, amongst orthopedic surgical patients 3.8% and in urological patients 7.7%. The prevalence of urinary tract infections in general surgery departments was 14.4%, in orthopedic surgery departments 18.6% and in urological departments 51.6%. The problems discussed include the role of intrinsic and in-hospital risk factors and the involvement of pathogens responsible for the onset of NI.

In both the Czech and Slovak Republic since 1982 several prevalence investigations nosocomial infections were made. In the present work the authors submit an analysis of the most frequent nosocomial infections in surgical and orthopaedic departments in Czechoslovakia. They recorded a 11.7% prevalence of nosocomial infections in surgical departments in Czechoslovakia (14.0% in the Czech Republic and 8.1% in the Slovak Republic) and 8.0% in orthopaedic departments, both in the Czech and Slovak Republic. Almost 7% of the revealed nosocomial infections were wound infections, 13.5% were infections of the urinary pathways and 13.6% respiratory infection. In some 10% of the patients the wounds were suppurative. After a so-celled clean operations the wound was suppurative in 7.3%, in orthopaedic departments in 5.9% of the patients. The incidence of infections of clean surgical wounds above 2.0% should be "the reason for deeper interest in an epidemiological investigation".

The paper deals with the results of a prevalence study of nosocomial infections which was conducted in October 1987 in 64 surgical and 29 orthopaedic departments in the CSR selected at random. Epidemiological analysis of 559 nosocomial infections (NI) detected in 4,479 patients of surgical departments (prevalence 12.5%) and analysis of 122 NI in 1603 orthopaedic patients (prevalence 7.6%) was done by age, sex, site of the affected systems, predisposing factors and the etiological agent. Analysis of early infections (from the total number of NI early infections in surgical departments accounted for 67% and in orthopaedic departments for 50%) as tract (surgery) and in traumatological wounds (orthopaedic department). Analysis of the most important predisposing factors (9 of 32) as regards their prevalence in patients with NI revealed that the majority of factors (with the exception of bed sores and multiple injuries in surgical departments) occurs in more than 75% in combinations. Roughly one third of the patients with NI had none of the nine mentioned factors. An overall analysis of the results of the prevalence study of NI in surgical and orthopaedic departments revealed a more favourable position in orthopaedic departments.

Faecal samples were investigated from 948 children hospitalized with the diagnose of acute intestinal infection. The authors studied the isolation and properties of a broad spectrum of microorganisms from children's faeces: Salmonella, Shigella, E. coli, S. aureus, rotaviruses, Klebsiella, Morganella, Proteus. As a result, laboratory criteria were formulated of diagnosing in children intestinal infection of staphylococcal etiology.

The excretion of attenuated polioviruses was studied in a group of nursery children vaccinated with 105TCD50 of each type of virus. The primovaccinated children were found to excrete type 1 poliovirus for 8 weeks, type 2 for 11 weeks after the vaccination with the type 1 + 2 bivaccine. Poliovirus type 1 as eliminated by 78% and type 2 by 98% of the vaccinees. The separately administered type 3 was detectable for 6 weeks and was isolated from 100% of the vaccinees. The highest per cent of children with type 1 excretion positivity was recorded at week 5, with type 2 positivity at week 1 and with type 3 positivity at week 2. The poliovirus excretion peaked early after the vaccination, the titres of the poliovirus type 2 were the highest. The children revaccinated next year with the type 1 + 2 bivaccine eliminated the respective types of virus 1 - 2 weeks; type 3 poliovirus was detectable for 6 weeks after revaccination and was excreted by the highest per cent of vaccines. The contact infections caused by the attenuated polioviruses developed in 9 from 22 children vaccinated previously. The excretion of polioviruses did not last longer than 1 week. The contact infections were most frequently caused by the poliovirus type 2. The examined children, particularly those vaccinated previously, turned out to excrete also other enteroviruses identified as Coxsakieviruses B 4 and B 5 and Echovirus 21. In the primovaccinated these viruses were isolated only from those with the negative excretion of polioviruses.

The submitted paper presents, based on results of two prevalence, studies in the CSR and SSR, summarized data on the prevalence of nosocomial infections (NI) in the CSSR and analyses the assembled data. The prevalence studies comprised some 17,813 patients, 12,260 from the CSR and 5,553 from the SSR. In the CSSR 1,116 NI were recorded, incl. 751 in the CSR and 365 in the SSR. The prevalence of NI in the CSSR is 6.3%, in men it is slightly higher (6.8%) than in women (5.8%). The highest prevalence of NI in the CSSR was found in infants under one year (9.9%) and in subjects above 65 years (8.3%). Analysis by type of departments revealed that the prevalence of NI is highest in urological departments (19%), in departments of intensive care (13%) and surgical departments (11%). In the CSSR 24% of all NI are urinary infections, 17% early infections and 15% infections of the upper airways. Microbiological findings revealed that staphylococci participated in the development of NI in the CSSR roughly by 23% and Gram-negative bacteria by 64%. The author discusses the results of the overall prevalence of NI in the CSSR and compares the results of prevalence studies from the CSR and SSR.

The authors made an epidemiological analysis of early infections (EI) based on a prevalence study conducted in October 1987 in 64 surgical and 29 orthopaedic departments in the CSR, selected at random. A total of 4479 patients were examined in surgical departments, the prevalence of EI in 2415 operated patients was 15.6. In orthopaedic departments 1603 patients were examined, the prevalence of EI in 846 operated patients was 7.2. Early infections were analyzed with regard to the type of surgical wound, geographical distribution, type of operation and its duration, degree of inflammatory affection and time during the postoperative period when it developed. The analysis confirmed a more favourable position as regards EI in orthopaedic departments and indicated the main trends of the fight for their reduction.

In this study, medical records of 231 Prague, Czechoslovakia and 234 Moscow, USSR newborn infants treated for various forms of acute inflammatory diseases acquired in the neonatal period, i.e. during both hospital stay and home nursing period, were reviewed with the aim of assessing the epidemiological characteristics of these morbid conditions. As shown by the analysis of available epidemiological data, most of these inflammatory disease, both in Prague and Moscow, occurred shortly after birth, with a peak at 7 postnatal day, which pointed to hospital stay as a decisive factor in the onset of neonatal inflammation. In Prague, the overall number of inflammation cases diagnosed within the first decade of postnatal days was about three time the number recorded during the second decade; the respective figures for Moscow infants were in both decades identical. Assessed by clinical forms of inflammation, both groups of newborn infants showed concordance for conjunctivitis only (28%), frequencies of other clinical forms varied. In Moscow, the most common form of inflammation, predominant over all other clinical forms especially in the second decade, was pyoderma (29%), followed by conjunctivitis (28%), phlegmon (13%) and gastroenteritis (13%). Cases of gastroenteritis, acquired mostly during the home nursing period, were hospital-unrelated and predominated in the last decade of neonatal life. In the Prague group of infants, cases of catarrhal omphalitis were predominant, accounting for 37% of all diseases; this was due to a local outbreak of epidemic at the time of observation. The frequency of pyoderma, phlegmon and gastroenteritis was here lower than that among the Moscow infants, situation with the inflammation cases classed as "other diseases" was opposite.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

The results of examination of antibodies against all three types ofthe poliomyelitis virus from the period of systematically performed multipurpose immunological survey in the Czech Socialistic Republic (1970--1975) are presented and evaluated. The analysis of these results indicates that the status of immunity in the Czech population, systematically vaccinated against poliomyelitis, is good, as all requirements of collective protection against this disease have been met. At the same time, the results demonstrated that immunological surveys are at present the most suitable method of verifying the immunity of the vaccinated population and should be consistently performed.

A set of 2227 strains of Shigella sonnei isolated from dysentery patients in East-Slovakian region from 1975 through 1977 was analyzed by age and sex of patients, place and time of isolation, and by phage type, colicin type and antibiogram patterns of strains. The study showed that some phage types tended to occur in association with certain colicin types, the most common combination being that of phage type 75 and col factór Ei (86% of strains). In 1976 and 1977 this phage type gradually replaced col factor Ia that in 1975 was predominant. The rise in the incidence of these strains was striking and pointed to their intensive circulation among the population of East-Slovakian districts, particularly among children of preschool age. A hypothetic assumption is that such changes in the phage type and colicin type patterns might precede the new epidemic wave of dysentery outbreaks in the population. That would also explain e.g. the irregularity of dysentery epidemic cycles encountered in Czechoslovakia during the decade from 1972 through 1982. The analysis of strains by pattern of antibiogram showed that the percentage of strains resistant to all antimicrobials and sulphonamides tested remained virtually constant over the three years under study and did not exceed 6% of strains. Only the strains monoresistant to tetracycline were found to show a striking rise in their incidence from 5% in 1975 to 23% in 1977. In the majority of cases they were S. sonnei strains with col factor Ei.

Outbreaks of alimentary infections of bacterial origin (dg 002--typhoid or paratyphoid fever; dg 003--infections due to other Salmonella species; dg 004--bacillary dysentery; dg 005--alimentary intoxications; dg 008--intestinal infections due to other bacteria; dg 009--intestinal infections of unknown etiology) which had been reported in the Czech socialist republic from 1979 to 1982 are overviewed and analyzed. The outbreaks of alimentary infections were analyzed by the number of epidemic episodes reported annually, by the number of cases involved, by the geographical and seasonal distribution pattern, by the place of onset, and by the mode of spread of infectious agents. Hospital-related salmonelloses were further analyzed by the serotype of Salmonellae responsible for these nosocomial infections. Outbreaks of water-borne alimentary infections were analyzed by the type of contaminated water source. Changes and trends in the epidemiology of alimentary bacterial infections encountered between 1979 and 1982 are discussed in detail. This study confirms that a systematic analysis of these outbreaks should constitute an integral part of the alimentary infections surveillance program for it may help assess the risk of population exposure to the varied causes of these infections.

Tests for enterotoxins A, B, C, D, E and TSST-1 production were carried out on 775 S. aureus strains isolated from various sources (50 mothers and neonates studied periodically, mothers and infants treated for various acute inflammatory conditions, members of hospital staff, environmental swabs) during the period 1981-1983 at a maternity ward chosen for a 3-year systematic study and on additional 97 isolates obtained in 1985 from another maternity ward. This had contributed to a better classification of strains within certain phage type groups. It was found that the distribution of S. aureus types in the particular sub-sets varied, depending on the source of isolates. At the maternity ward followed for 3 years there was a clear-cut trend towards the spread of phage-untypable isolates producing enterotoxin C whereas at ward examined for comparative purposes B enterotoxin producers of phage type 95 were predominant. The tests for enterotoxigenicity has also proved to be useful as the epidemiological marker characterizing the predominantly circulating S. aureus strain. It has been confirmed that the majority role in the spread of maternity-ward-staphylococci is played by the neonates and the factors of hospital environment.

Over the period 1983-1985, investigators from the Institute of Hygiene and Epidemiology, Prague, and the Central Research Institute of Epidemiology, USSR Ministry of Public Health, Moscow, carried out a joint study of drug resistance in S. aureus strains in relation to their enterotoxigenic properties and phage group specificity. Altogether 277 strains were explored which had been isolated at random from the clinical material from infant and adult inpatients. Most of the isolated strains featured multiple resistance to antibiotics: PNC (77.9%), CMP (52.7%), TET (21.6%), ERY (17.6%) and LIN (11.9%). The strains isolated from infants were most frequently resistant to TET and ERY. No correlation was found between the incidence of antimicrobial drugs resistance and toxigenic properties of the isolated strains.

In a model experiment conducted in a Prague crèche, the detection rate for polioviruses in partially purified, non-concentrated sewage as sampled by means of gauze pads (Moore's method) was compared with that for individual stool samples. In the third week after the vaccination of children with live attenuated type 1 poliovirus (March 1975) and at an equal interval after their vaccination with a combination of types 2 and 3 (May 1975), corresponding poliovirus types were detected both in individual stool samples and sewage. The mean amount of sewage virus recovered during one week was directly proportional to the percentage of positive stool samples. After combined type 2 and 3 poliovirus administration, however, both types were only detected in one sewage sample, while in two samples type 3 only, and in one sample type 2 only, were identified. The results of the study indicate that poliovirus is detectable in sewage by the method employed if it is excreted by approximately one per cent of persons in the sewer catchment area of a small community. If a number of antigenic types are simultaneously present, their identification requires systematic examination of the sewage.

Colonization by Staphylococcus aureus, characterized by phage type or production of enterotoxins and toxic-shock-syndrome-toxin, was followed in 50 mothers and their babies. Types or groups of staphylococci predominating during the particular period at the maternity department were evaluated according to survival rates in the colonized subjects. S. aureus frequently colonized nipples at the start of lactation and was found regularly on umbilical stump and in eye and mouth corners of the babies. During the second stage of the study phage untypable staphylococci producing enterotoxin C (NT/C) strongly predominated. These microorganisms colonized in the greatest extent both mothers and neonates. The majority of NT/C complex originated probably from one or two clones characterized, among others, by high biological activity.

Studies were carried out on 86 children aged 1-14 years who had titres of antibodies against poliovirus type 3 lower than 1: 32 and against type 2 higher than 1: 4. After a booster dose of poliomyelitis vaccine type 2+3, seroconversion took place in 44 (90%) of 49 children whose original titre was lower than 1: 4 and the geometrical mean titre increased to 1: 244. Of 37 children with low original titres of antibodies against type 3, i.e., 1: 4, 1: 8, or 1: 16, the titre increased fourfold or more in 31 (84%) and the geometrical mean titre rose to 1: 175. In 11 children (13%), no significant increase in titre took place.