A Descriptive Study of HumanSalmonellaSerotype Typhimurium Infections Reported in Ontario from 1990 to 1997

BACKGROUND:Salmonellainfections cause gastrointestinal and systemic diseases worldwide and are the leading causes of food-borne illnesses in North America (1-4).Salmonellaserotype typhimurium (ST), in particular, is increasingly becoming a major public health concern because of its ability to acquire multiple resistant genes (5,6).OBJECTIVE: To describe demographic, temporal and geographical distributions, and reported risk factors of nonoutbreak cases of ST reported to a surveillance system in Ontario.METHODOLOGY: Descriptive analyses were performed on data on salmonellosiscases reported in Ontario between 1990 and 1998. Direct age- and sex-standardized rates were computed, and temporal trend analyses were performed using simple linear regression and a general additive model with alocally weighted regression (LOESS) smoother.RESULTS: The mean annual rates of infections with allSalmonellaserotypes and with ST were 27 cases per 100,000 persons and 3.7 cases per 100,000 persons, respectively. Males and children under five years of age had significantly higher rates of both ST and ST definitive type 104 (DT104) infections. There was also evidence of temporal clustering of all strains ofSalmonella,with significantly more cases being reported during the summer. Significantly higher rates of ST DT104 were observed in urban areas compared with rural areas, suggesting potential differences in the geographical distribution of risk factors.CONCLUSIONS: Information on demographic, temporal and geographical distributions, and risk factors is critical in planning disease control strategies. Further prospective analytical observation studies are needed to gain a better understanding of the epidemiology of ST and ST DT104 in Ontario, which will better guide disease control decisions.

Phytoplankton trends in the Baltic Sea

Monitoring data of phytoplankton abundance and biomass (1979–1999) and Chl. a (1979–2000) from surface samples (0–10 m) of the Kattegat, Belt Sea and Baltic proper were investigated for long-term trends. The Mann–Kendall test as well as the LOESS smoother was applied for three taxonomic groups in spring, summer and autumn separately. Chl. a trends were analysed by linear regression. Downward trends were found for diatoms in spring and summer whereas dinoflagellates generally increased in the Baltic proper but decreased in the Kattegat. In autumn, diatoms increased at some stations. For cyanobacteria, downward trends were detected mainly in the Kattegat/Belt Sea area. Chl. a concentrations showed a general decrease in the Kattegat/Belt Sea area but an increase in the Baltic proper. Observed changes in trends during the two decades might indicate shifts in the ecosystem.