OBJECTIVES Early microbiological diagnosis of deep sternal wound infections (DSWI) could improve outcomes by allowing targeted antibiotic treatment. This study aims to analyse the utility of superficial sternal wound swabs and blood cultures. METHODS From January 2005 to June 2011, 70 patients were prospectively identified with DSWI. Microbiological data were obtained retrospectively to study...

Screening recommendations for multidrug-resistant Gram-negative bacteria comprise microbiological analyses from rectal swabs. However, essential specifications of the preanalytic steps of such screenings, i.e. the sampling technique, sampling devices and sampling site, are lacking. For standardized and optimum screening conditions these parameters are indispensable. Here, the optimum parameters...

Bacterial vaginosis (BV) is traditionally diagnosed using vaginal samples. The aim of this study was to investigate whether BV can be diagnosed from first-void urine (FVU). Self-collected vaginal smears, vaginal swabs, and FVU were obtained from 176 women. BV was diagnosed by Nugent's criteria. The FVU and vaginal swabs were analyzed by quantitative PCRs (qPCRs) for selected vaginal bacteria (A...

New technology was used to identify traces of a commercial barrier/spermicide in evidence from a case of a man accused of rape of a minor. Examination of vaginal swabs performed by another laboratory had been negative for seminal fluid or other sources of DNA from the suspect and we were asked to examine the remaining swabs for any traces that might have originated from the commercial product. ...

Integrated farming is popular in India but little is understood about circulation of multi-host pathogens under the emerging farming systems (IFS). Circulation of Edwardsiella a pathogen of public health importance has been studied in IFS. Gill swabs of fish (8), pond water (8), rectal swabs of pig (36) and cloacal swabs of duck (32) from an IFS and 24 samples each of rectal swabs of pigs and c...

BACKGROUND The development of optimal vaccination strategies for pneumococcal conjugate vaccines requires serotype-specific data on disease incidence and carriage prevalence. This information is lacking for the African meningitis belt. METHODS We conducted hospital-based surveillance of acute bacterial meningitis in an urban and rural population of Burkina Faso during 2007-09. Cerebrospinal f...

The standard method for detecting meningococcal carriage is culture of throat swabs on selective media, but the levels of carriage determined depend heavily on the skills of the individuals taking the swab and interpreting the cultures. This study aimed to determine the most sensitive detection method for meningococcal carriage. Throat swabs and saline mouth gargles, obtained from 89 university...

Plain, buffered cotton-wool swabs and albumen-coated cotton-wool swabs were prepared with known numbers of the following: Haemophilus influenzae, Streptococcus pneumoniae, Staphylococcus aureus, corynebacteria and Escherichia coli. Swabs were plated immediately (0 hours) after loading with a 0.1 ml standardised inoculum; each swab was plated out four times by streaking on both halves of two pla...

OBJECTIVES To re-examine the prevalence of group B Streptococcus colonisation in our antenatal population, and identify demographic factors associated with carriage. DESIGN Prospective observational study. SETTING A tertiary obstetrics unit in Hong Kong. PARTICIPANTS A total of 1002 pregnant women were recruited at the booking clinic in a tertiary obstetrics unit in Hong Kong. High and lo...

Brain analysis cannot be used for the investigation of active lyssavirus infection in healthy bats because most bat species are protected by conservation directives. Consequently, serology remains the only tool for performing virological studies on natural bat populations; however, the presence of antibodies merely reflects past exposure to the virus and is not a valid marker of active infectio...