MATER IALS AND METHODScourse of diarrh ea. Maln utrition has been report ed to increase the absorption of potentially harmful antigens (2) and to impai r imm une responses (3). A poor nutrition al state may thu s increase the risk of protracted diarrh ea as well as enhance susceptibility to other infectio ns and to gastroi ntestinal allergy. The nutritio nal state of even well-no urished infants deteriorat es rapidly during diarrhea, either because of loss of appetite, deliberate withholding of oral feeds, or partial malabsorption caused by viral invasio n ofenterocytes (4).Rapid reintrodu ction of oral feedings after rehydration has been advocated to coun terac t the pote nti al hazards related to fasting during diarrhea (5). We have previously shown that rapid refeeding results in earlier cessatio n of diarrhea in well-nourished children; also, cow milk produ cts are tolerated (6). A furt her shortening of diarrhea resulted from administratio n of hu man Lactobacillus stra in (Lactobacillus GG, Gefilac, Valio Finni sh Co-operative Dairies' Associatio n, Helsinki, Finland ) together with the rapid refeeding schedule (7). The mechanisms behind such a favorable outc ome remain poorly understood. Th e effect of nutritional therapy may be immunologically med iated and may prove important in eradicating enteric infections in the imm unocompromised host.The objective of the present study was to evaluate the effect of L actobacillus GG on the intestinal immune response triggered by rotavirus infection in well-nourished children. For th is pu rpose, we used the ELISPOT assay, which measures ISC and sASC amo ng circulating lymphocytes. T hese cells are arrested du ring their maturation cycle in peripheral blood, giving indirect evidence of gut local im m une respo nse (8-10).Patients. Forty-four well-no urished children (33.4% female), between 7 and 37 mo of age, were enro lled in the present study. Th ey were admitted for acute gastroen teritis of less than 7 d du ration at the Departm ent of Pediatrics, Ta mpere U niversity Hospital, during a rotavirus epidemic .Informed consent was obtaine d from the patients' pare nts, and the protocol was approved by the hospital's Committee on Ethical Practice.Ma nagement and samples. U pon ad mission, the children were weighed and clinically examin ed. The severity of dehydration (%) was estimated. Th e children were treated according to sta ndard practice: oral rehyd ration was accom plished in 6 h with a , solution containing Na" 60 mmo l/ L and glucose 144 mm ol/L (Osmosal Novum, Leiras, Turku , Finland) given at twice the estimated fluid loss with a minimum of 30 mL/kg body weight. Th e patients were weighed daily. Th e attending nurs es followed the quality (characterized as watery, loose, or solid) and number of stools and vomitus. The du ration of diarrh ea was counted 14 1

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A time-saving and cost-effective polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-based method was developed for species-specific detection of the scab pathogens (Streptomyces scabies and S. turgidiscabies) prevalent in potato (Solanum tuberosum) in northern Scandinavia. Species specificity of primers was verified using a collection of previously characterized Streptomyces strains isolated from potato scab lesions in Finland and Sweden. A total of 1245 scab lesions was tested from potato cvs Matilda and Sabina grown in the field in two geographic regions of Finland in 2000 and 2001. Freshly harvested or stored potato tubers were incubated at room temperature (18 -21°C) under humid conditions for a few days. Bacterial growth was collected from scab lesions for DNA isolation and PCR. The two scab pathogens were detected in the same potato fields, tubers and scab lesions. The relative incidence of S. scabies was high in freshly harvested tubers but was much lower than that of S. turgidiscabies following storage. Both pathogens were seed-transmitted in Matilda and Sabina after 24 weeks of storage at 4°C.

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Until recently Dickeya was regarded as a pathogen not established in Finland. As a result the blackleg symptom observed on potato was often associated with Pectobacterium atrosepticum. The occurrence of Dickeya spp. on potato in Finland was first reported in 2004. Since then the prevalence of Dickeya has been monitored through surveys and routine test of seed lots produced in the country. The results of monitoring of Dickeya spp. in seed lots produced in Finland between the years 2004 and 2008 indicated a steady increase in the incidence of Dickeya spp. The highest incidence was observed in samples from the 2006 growing season where about 37% were positive for Dickeya spp. The summer in 2006 was one of the warmest summers recorded in 100 years in Finland. The majority of infected lots were imported varieties. Since recently heavy blackleg outbreaks have occurred in production fields in the High Grade (HG) zone. A detailed study of these incidents of blackleg outbreaks in North Finland during the years 2008 and 2010 indicated that Dickeya spp. was the major component in the observed blackleg complex. It was detected and isolated from almost all symptomatic plants investigated. Repetitive sequences PCR (REP-PCR) and Pulsed Field Gel Electrophoresis (PFGE) analysis of strains isolated in Finland showed identical pattern with those isolated recently in other European countries with a proposed name 'Dickeya solani'. Moreover, the dnaX gene sequence of the representative strains isolated in Finland indicated 100% similarity to the dnaX sequences of 'D. solani'. The study presents the first report of a detailed analysis of bacteria involved in potato blackleg complex from natural field outbreaks in North Finland HG zone and characterisation of the 'D. solani' strains playing the major role in the disease complex.