Of these, C-type sequence information was available for 4,580 outbreaks, P-type for 2,195 outbreaks, and both types for 1,192 outbreaks.
Thus, the number of clinical and environmental samples available for typing from Legionella outbreaks is likely to be limited.
Conveniently, the extent and time frame of variability in S. aureus provide ample opportunities for typing, i.e., for outbreak investigations and infection control purposes.
Furthermore, 15 of the 32 MLVA types, identified as closely related to the major MLVA type for spinach outbreak clinical strains (MLVA 163), were all indistinguishable by two enzyme PFGE (PulseNet profile EXHX01.0124-EXHA26.0015).
This factor may limit the utility of phage typing for detection of outbreaks, though at least one outbreak has been identified on the basis of phage typing and HS serotyping.
As far as I'm aware, the UK government itself has no plans for any type of outbreak, though I personally feel their response would be something very similar to when we had what was known as "mad cow disease" quite a few years back.
The hospitalization rates were higher for each type of outbreak caused by resistant salmonellae compared with outbreaks caused by susceptible salmonellae (p<0.01 for each comparison) (Table).
The median proportion hospitalized for each type of outbreak caused by resistant strains (26%) was >2.5 times higher than the median proportion hospitalized for outbreaks caused by pansusceptible strains (10%, p<0.05 for all resistance patterns).
Furthermore, not only the physicians who may directly encounter with SARS patients need to be alert and better trained for this type of outbreak, obstetricians should also be aware and extremely cautious about suddenly substantial patient shift and strong demand of shorter length of maternity stay posed by the public's fear of such an outbreak.
