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Biomedical subjects

D C Speller

Publications and source records attributed to D C Speller.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1992

A controlled trial of selective decontamination of the digestive tract in intensive care and its effect on nosocomial infection.

Nosocomial infection is a major problem in intensive therapy units (ITUs) and a significant cause of mortality. Selective decontamination of the digestive tract (SDD) has been advocated as a means to reduce ITU morbidity and mortality. Ninety-one patients in a general ITU underwent SDD, consisting of topical polymyxin E, tobramycin and amphotericin B administered throughout the unit stay together with parenteral ceftazidime for the first three days, and were compared with 84 historical and 92 contemporaneous control patients who were treated conventionally. Twenty-seven historical and 32 contemporaneous control patients developed unit-acquired infections, in comparison with only three patients in the SDD group (P less than 0.01). Mortality in the SDD group (36%) was not significantly different from that in the other two groups (historical control 40%, contemporaneous control 43%). Screening specimens revealed a significantly higher rate of colonization with resistant Acinetobacter spp. in the contemporaneous control than in the other two groups of patients; infection caused by resistant bacteria did not occur. SDD did not lead to a significant reduction in the use of systemically-administered antibiotics when compared with either control group. SDD may be used selectively in an ITU without ill effects on those patients not receiving SDD; nevertheless, microbiological monitoring is needed to detect emergence of resistant bacteria in the unit.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1991

An outbreak of aspergillosis in a general ITU.

Over a 5-month period, six patients in a general intensive therapy unit became colonized by Aspergillus species including Aspergillus fumigatus, and invasive infection occurred in at least two of them. Broncho-alveolar lavage was unhelpful in discriminating between infection and colonization. The source of infection was presumed to be disturbance of an accumulation of spores in fibrous insulation material above the perforated metal ceiling. Patients in such units without clearly identifiable defects of defence against infection may be at risk from aspergillosis. The risk can be reduced by improved hospital design, satisfactory ventilation and thorough regular cleaning of environmental surfaces.

Adult↗
PubMed1990

Acquired immune deficiency syndrome: recommendations of a Working Party of the Hospital Infection Society.

Unified procedures to control those infections that are transmitted by inoculation of blood are recommended. These should be applied to patients with acquired immune-deficiency syndrome (AIDS), AIDS-related complex, persistent generalized lymphadenopathy or hepatitis B, those with serological evidence of infection by human immunodeficiency virus or hepatitis B virus, and those in medical and social categories with a higher than average prevalence of such infections. When the identification of these categories of patient would be particularly difficult, the precautions should be applied to all patients, in situations of high risk for inoculation incidents. Rational infection-control measures, based on the known mode of spread, permit efficient management of infected patients, with satisfactory protection of staff and other patients.

Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome↗
PubMed1989

Acute epididymo-orchitis caused by Pseudomonas aeruginosa and treated with ciprofloxacin.

Acute epididymo-orchitis caused by Pseudomonas aeruginosa is relatively unusual but difficult to treat, especially in the elderly. We report three cases involving P. aeruginosa all of which concerned patients with preexisting genito-urinary disease. The properties of ciprofloxacin make it suitable for the treatment of this condition. Its use was followed by clinical cure in all three patients and eradication of P. aeruginosa in two of them.

Administration, Oral↗
PubMed1989

Roxithromycin as a possible agent for prophylaxis of endocarditis: a study in normal volunteers.

A single dose of roxithromycin, 300 mg, was taken by six healthy male volunteers on three occasions at consecutive weekly intervals. It was well tolerated. On the first two occasions, roxithromycin was assayed in serum samples taken at intervals up to 8 h after the administration. The mean peak concentration at 1 h was 3.0 mg/l (range 0.3-7.3). The serum samples from the volunteers showed variable bactericidal activity against a strain of Streptococcus sanguis isolated from a case of bacterial endocarditis. Roxithromycin was not detected in saliva or gingival fluid. Smooth surface plaque samples taken at intervals were investigated for the emergence of streptococci resistant to roxithromycin at 2 and 8 mg/l. Initially two volunteers had small number of roxithromycin-resistant streptococci. At the end of the study all six volunteers had resistant streptococci detectable in their plaque samples and these accounted for 100% of the streptococci in two volunteers. The most resistant isolates (in several cases with MIC greater than 64 mg/l) were Str. sanguis or Str. mitior; individual volunteers tended to yield the same strain on consecutive samplings.

Anti-Bacterial Agents↗
PubMed1989

Impaired sweating in the diabetic neuropathic foot and its influence on skin flora.

Three groups each of 10 subjects, were defined by clinical and neurophysiological studies: diabetic with neuropathy (Group A), diabetic without neuropathy (Group B) and normal control (Group C). Sweating on the foot was quantified and the bacterial flora on the dorsum of the foot and deltoid area were examined. There were no significant differences in type of density of bacterial species found on either foot or deltoid regions between any of the three groups. Diabetics free of clinical infection have a similar skin microbial flora to non-diabetics even when sweating is seriously impaired. It is therefore unlikely that a change in the resident microbial flora is involved in the propensity of diabetic neuropathic patients to foot ulceration and infection.

Actinomycetales↗
PubMed1988

Bacteraemia related to indwelling central venous catheters: prevention, diagnosis and treatment.

Infective episodes in immunocompromised children with indwelling central venous catheters were studied prospectively for one year. Culture of catheter hubs and skin at catheter entry sites during the first six months suggested that hub contamination was important in the pathogenesis of catheter colonization. The incidence of catheter-related bacteraemia, and possible catheter-related bacteraemia, fell by 56.5% following alterations in the protocol for manipulative care of catheters, from 5.82 per 1000 catheter days in the first six months to 2.53 per 1000 catheter days in the subsequent six months. A firm diagnosis of catheter-related bacteraemia was made simply and economically by a pour-plate quantitative blood culture technique. Attempts at eradication of catheter-related bacteraemia without removal of the catheter were successful in all cases.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1988

In-vitro teicoplanin-resistance in coagulase-negative staphylococci from patients with endocarditis and from a cardiac surgery unit.

Among 31 strains of coagulase-negative staphylococcus (CNS) causing endocarditis in individual patients, 16 had MIC of teicoplanin greater than or equal to 8 mg/l (MIC50, 8; MIC90, 8; MIC range, 0.5-32 mg/l); and 24 had MBC greater than or equal to 16 mg/l (MBC50, 32; MBC90, 64; MBC range, 4-128 mg/l). Greater sensitivity was shown to vancomycin (MIC50, 2; MIC90, 4; MIC range, 1-8 mg/l; MBC50, 2; MBC90, 4; MBC range, 0.5-8 mg/l). Teicoplanin-resistant CNS (MIC, greater than or equal to 8 mg/l) were detected in the anterior nares of two of three patients and six of nine staff, and in the air, of a cardiac surgery unit, and in other series of CNS of clinical origin. The results of in-vitro sensitivity testing of CNS to teicoplanin are dependent on the media and conditions used, and their clinical significance has not been determined. Nevertheless, the findings reported here put in question the use of teicoplanin alone as prophylaxis during valve replacement surgery.

Cardiac Surgical Procedures↗
PubMed1987

A controlled trial of nebulized aminoglycoside and oral flucloxacillin versus placebo in the outpatient management of children with cystic fibrosis.

Six children with cystic fibrosis who had persistently had Pseudomonas aeruginosa isolated from their respiratory tract, completed a double-blind cross-over comparison of oral flucloxacillin and nebulized aminoglycoside versus double placebo. The patients had higher FEV1 results at the end of the month of active treatment than after the month of placebo.

Administration, Inhalation↗
PubMed1987

Septicaemia due to Neisseria lactamica--initial confusion with Neisseria meningitidis.

Neisseria lactamica, isolated from a baby with septicaemia, was at first thought to be Neisseria meningitidis, possibly acquired in hospital. Extensive investigation of contacts was made until the O-nitrophenyl-D-galactopyranoside reaction proved positive. Distinction between the two species, easily made in this way, is important both in individual patients and in population surveys.

Bacterial Infections↗
PubMed1986

Colonization by gentamicin-resistant Staphylococcus epidermidis in a special care baby unit.

Babies entering a special care baby unit during a 3-month period were studied prospectively for colonization by gentamicin-sensitive and -resistant coagulase-negative staphylococci (CNS). Gentamicin-resistant isolates were characterized by biotyping, antibiotic sensitivity pattern and phage-typing. All the babies studied became colonized with gentamicin-resistant CNS and often with multiple strains. Gentamicin-sensitive CNS usually appeared first and predominated, but gentamicin-resistant staphylococci could be detected by enrichment culture at a median time of 1 day, and, by direct culture at a median time of 4 days. Similar strains were found in the environment and nasal carriage was detected in 60% of the staff of the unit by enrichment culture. The gentamicin-resistant strains were all resistant to benzylpenicillin and other antibiotics. No particular pathogenic strain could be identified, but clusters of colonizations by distinguishable strains were noted. Biotype SVI was frequently encountered, particularly among clinically significant isolates.

Anti-Bacterial Agents↗