We identified a 5-year outbreak of a methicillin-susceptible Staphylococcus aureus (MSSA) strain, affecting 202 babies on a neonatal unit, by routine weekly phage typing all S. aureus isolates. Multiple staged control measures including strict emphasis on hand hygiene, environmental and staff surveillance sampling, and application of topical hexachlorophane powder failed to end the outbreak. S....

Colonization of the upper respiratory tract of neonates by Gram-negative bacilli (especially Escherichia coli) is not rare, and the incidence declines after 1 year of age. It is believed that the likelihood of colonization increases with the length of stay in hospital at the time of birth, and that such colonization does not reflect any pathological process. Evidence has not been found to suppo...

A variety of compounds including classical anthelmintics and avermectin analogs were screened for their effects on movements of adult heartworms (HW) (Dirofilaria immitis). Contractile activity was measured by tension recording of spontaneous movements of intact HW coil preparations (6 min compound exposure) and motility was evaluated by observation of spontaneous, free movements in culture (3 ...

O-methylation of 2,6-dibromophenol was studied in cell extracts prepared from Rhodococcus sp. strain 1395. O-methylation activity was enhanced by the addition of S-adenosyl-l-methionine but was not affected by the addition of 5-methyltetrahydrofolate nor by up to 10 mM MgCl(2) or EDTA. By using 2,6-dibromophenol, 4,5,6-trichloroguaiacol, and pentachlorothiophenol as the substrates, O-methylatio...

In previous studies we compared the relative value of alternative methods for disinfecting the hands of nurses and surgeons and the skin of operation sites, but a number of relevant questions were not considered. For disinfection of the operation site alcoholic solutions of chlorhexidine (0.5%) and iodine (1%) were found to be equally effective and superior to a number of other agents (Lowbury,...

This study examined the occurrence in wastewater of 11 aromatic biocides, pesticides and degradates, and their fate during passage through US treatment plants, as well as the chemical mass contained in sewage sludge (biosolids) destined for land application. Analyte concentrations in wastewater influent, effluent and sludge from 25 facilities in 18 US states were determined by liquid chromatogr...