Microbial analysis of fruit-flavored drinks

Standard plate of all the fruit-flavored drink samples namely Juicy Kid, Von Welt, Sweetness, Sunshine and Joly did not meet the standards set by the Bureau of Food and Drugs (BFAD). Possible coliforms were detected from Juicy Kid samples which, likewise, did not meet the set limits of BFAD. However, all of the 5 brands of juice samples that were tested yielded negative results for the presence of yeast and mold

Epidemiological Characterization of Influenza A(H1N1)pdm09 Cases from 2009 to 2010 in Baguio City, the Philippines

<div><p>Background</p><p>Baguio City, Philippines experienced its first influenza A(H1N1)pdm09 [A(H1)pdm09] case in May 2009. In spite of numerous reports describing the epidemiological and clinical features of A(H1)pdm09 cases, there are no studies about A(H1)pdm09 epidemiology in the Philippines, where year-round influenza activity was observed.</p> <p>Objectives</p><p>We aimed to investigate the epidemiological and clinical features of A(H1)pdm09 in pandemic and post-pandemic periods.</p> <p>Methods</p><p>Data were collected under enhanced surveillance of influenza-like illness (ILI) and severe acute respiratory infection (SARI) from January 2009 to December 2010. RT-PCR was used to detect A(H1)pdm09, following the protocol of the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The reproduction number was computed as a simple exponential growth rate. Differences in proportional and categorical data were examined using chi-square test or Fishers’ exact test.</p> <p>Results and Conclusions</p><p>The outbreak was observed from week 25 to 35 in 2009 and from week 24 to 37 in 2010. The highest proportion of cases was among children aged 5–14 years. The number of ILI outpatients was 2.3-fold higher in 2009 than in 2010, while the number of inpatients was 1.8-fold higher in 2009. No significant difference in gender was observed during the two periods. The clinical condition of all patients was generally mild and self-limiting, with only 2 mortalities among inpatients in 2009. The basic reproduction number was estimated as 1.16 in 2009 and 1.05 in 2010 in the assumption of mean generation time as 2.6 days. School children played a significant role in facilitating influenza transmission.</p> </div

Weekly number of influenza A(H1N1)pdm09 cases in outpatients and inpatients, Baguio City, week 18, 2009 to week 45, 2010.

<p>Weekly number of influenza A(H1N1)pdm09 cases in outpatients and inpatients, Baguio City, week 18, 2009 to week 45, 2010.</p

A-B. Weekly proportion of influenza A(H1N1)pdm09 cases by each age group (A) and weekly ratio of students to non-students, week 21, 2009 to week 37, 2010, Baguio City.

<p>A-B. Weekly proportion of influenza A(H1N1)pdm09 cases by each age group (A) and weekly ratio of students to non-students, week 21, 2009 to week 37, 2010, Baguio City.</p