Month: March 2000
Outbreak of Pseudomonas aeruginosa ventriculitis among patients in a neurosurgical intensive care unit
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: To determine the cause of an outbreak of Pseudomonas aeruginosa cerebral ventriculitis among eight patients at a community hospital neurosurgical intensive care unit. All had percutaneous external ventricular catheters (EVCs) to monitor cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) pressure.
METHODS: Cohort study of all patients who had EVCs placed during the epidemic period (August 8-October 22, 1997).… Read more
Determining the significance of coagulase-negative staphylococci isolated from blood cultures at a community hospital: a role for species and strain identification
Abstract
OBJECTIVES: To determine the degree to which species identification or strain relatedness assessment of successive blood culture isolates of coagulase-negative staphylococci (CNS) may improve the clinical diagnosis of bloodstream infection (BSI).
SETTING: 400-bed community hospital.
DESIGN: Prospective laboratory survey during which all CNS blood culture isolates obtained between mid-August 1996 and mid-February 1997 (study period) were saved and later identified to the species level; selected isolates were genotyped using pulsed-field gel electrophoresis at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).… Read more
Outbreaks of infection and/or pyrogenic reactions in dialysis patients
Abstract
These dialysis-related outbreaks demonstrate the ongoing potential for infection-related morbidity and mortality among dialysis patients. Many of these outbreaks could have been prevented by adequate water treatment, proper disinfection of water systems and dialysis machines, adherence to recommended reprocessing protocols in centers reusing dialyzers, and more stringent quality control monitoring.… Read more
Mitogen-induced modulation of CD3, CD4, and CD8
Abstract
It is not clear whether CD3 contacts CD4 or CD8 directly, nor have the regulation and interregulation of expression of these three receptor molecules been determined. We explored these issues by first stimulating human peripheral blood lymphocytes in vitro with three well-characterized T-cell receptor-directed mitogens (phytohemagglutinin [PHA], concanavalin A [ConA], and anti-CD3 monoclonal antibody [anti-CD3]) and then using multiparameter flow cytometric techniques to investigate modulation of surface (sur) and cytoplasmic (c) CD3, CD4, and CD8.… Read more