Mycoplasmas were isolated from various sites and organs of a series of 319 clinically healthy cats. They include M. felis, M. gateae, M. Arginini, A. laidlawii, feline ureaplasmas, M. pulmonis, M. arthritidis, and M. gallisepticum. In addition, there were 10 strains of mycoplasmas which could not be identified with the specific antiserums by growth inhibition tests. Antibody against M. felis was demonstrated by haemagglutination-inhibition and complement-fixation tests in cats which were over 6 months of age. However, no such antibody against M. felis was detected in animals which were less than 6 months old. No antibody against A. laidlawii, M. gateae, M. arginini and feline ureaplasmas was demonstrated by the same serological methods. The significance of these mycoplasmas in cats is described.

Labile toxin producing enterotoxic E. coli (ETEC) were the commonest pathogen isolated from diarrheal stools of hospitalized children (21%) and adults (26%) in Singapore. Salmonellas ranked a close second in children (19%). Other bacterial pathogens were isolated from less than 5% of subjects. Blastocystis hominis was detected in 4.3% of diarrheal stools when a simple sedimentation technique was used. Cryptosporidium was not detected at all. An analysis of yeast counts in smears of diarrheal and non-diarrheal stools suggested they were etiologically associated with at least 6% of diarrhea in children and 19% in adults. Testing for rotaviruses by Latex agglutination and for adenovirus by electronmicroscopy showed an association with 6 per cent and 3 per cent diarrhea respectively. The study highlighted a need for: case control studies on ETEC and B. hominis; studies on the epidemiology of diarrhea by yeasts; establishing the true incidence of adenovirus diarrhea; studies on the prevalence and seasonality of rotavirus infection in Singapore.

No abstract

No abstract

No abstract