The term ‘metapopulation’ is used to describe individuals of a species living as a group of local populations in geographically separate, but connected, habitat patches (Levins 1970, Hanski 1999). Patches may become empty through local extinction and empty patches may be recolonised by migrants from other local populations. A balance between local extinction and colonisation may be reached whic...

Objectives To determine the prevalence and health outcomes of meticillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) colonisation in elderly care home residents. To measure the effectiveness of improving infection prevention knowledge and practice on MRSA prevalence. Setting Care homes for elderly residents in Leeds, UK. Participants Residents able to give informed consent. Design A controlled in...

OBJECTIVES To determine the penile, perianal, and oropharyngeal candidal colonisation rates among homosexual and heterosexual males attending an STD clinic. To determine the prevalence of balanitis and candidal balanitis in the two groups. SUBJECTS 252 heterosexual and 210 homosexual male patients attending consecutively the STD clinic in Coventry, England. DESIGN A prospective study record...

Candida albicans is the most prevalent human fungal commensal organism and is reported to be the most frequent aetiological organism responsible for infection associated with incontinence-associated dermatitis. However, it remains unclear whether incontinence predisposes a patient to increased Candida colonisation or whether incontinence acts as a trigger for Candida infection in those already ...

BACKGROUND Non-cystic fibrosis bronchiectasis is characterised by irreversibly dilated bronchi usually associated with chronic sputum production, bacterial colonisation of the lower respiratory tract, inflammation and frequent exacerbations. Irrespective of the underlying cause, this represents failure of the host defence to maintain sterility of the respiratory tract. OBJECTIVE To review th...

Certain species of terrestrial chironomids (Diptera) are specialised on open patches in initial stages of primary or secondary succession (early fallow, lichens and mosses on rocks, etc.). These ‘‘source’’ habitats provide good quality food for their larvae and most offspring are produced here, but they are sensitive to summer desiccation. This often results in extinction of the summer larval p...

The mycorrhizal colonisation of plants grown in unmanaged soils from two restoration sites with a fire history in Northern Portugal was evaluated from the perspective of supporting restoration programmes. To promote restoration of original tree stands, Quercus ilex L. and Pinus pinaster Ait. were used as target species on two sites, denoted Site 1 and 2 respectively. The aim of the study was to...

BACKGROUND Heptavalent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV7) shifts nasopharyngeal colonisation with vaccine serotype pneumococci towards nonvaccine serotypes. Because of the reported negative association of vaccine serotype pneumococci and Staphylococcus aureus in the nasopharynx, we explored the effect of PCV7 on nasopharyngeal colonisation with S. aureus in children and parents. METHODOLOG...

BACKGROUND A study was undertaken to investigate the incidence, diagnostic yield of non-invasive and bronchoscopic techniques, and risk factors of airway colonisation in patients with bronchiectasis in a stable clinical situation. METHODS A 2 year prospective study of 77 patients with bronchiectasis in a stable clinical condition was performed in an 800 bed tertiary university hospital. The i...

INTRODUCTION Candida prophylaxis in ICU is still a matter of debate. Oral chemoprophylaxis has been advocated to reduce the incidence of Candida colonisation and infection. METHODS We performed a randomised trial studying a single drug (nystatin) versus control in surgical/trauma ICU patients. Multiple-site testing for fungi was performed in each patient on ICU admission (T0) and subsequently...