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Biomedical subjects

D J Stickler

Publications and source records attributed to D J Stickler.

At least 55 records · Page 3Linked to original sources
PubMed1990

The incidence of virulence factors in mesophilic Aeromonas species isolated from farm animals and their environment.

Sixty-one isolates of Aeromonas spp. from the faeces of pigs, cows and a variety of associated environmental sources were examined for the characteristics that are reputed to have roles in pathogenicity. Most isolates of Aeromonas hydrophila were cytotoxic (96.4%) and were capable of producing cell elongation factor (75%) and haemagglutinins (67.9%). In contrast few of the Aeromonas caviae isolates produced these three markers (13.6%, 27.3% and 36.4% respectively). In general, Aeromonas sobria occupied an intermediate position (36.4%, 27.3% and 54.5%), but they did produce the highest mean invasion index for HEp-2 cells. Statistical analysis revealed significant associations between the carriage of these factors and it was clear that many isolates of aeromonads from water and animals possessed the full battery of putative virulence factors.

Aeromonas↗
PubMed1989

Some observations on the faecal carriage of mesophilic Aeromonas species in cows and pigs.

Replicate faecal samples from healthy individual pigs and cows were examined for the presence of Aeromonas sp. over a 12-month period. Aeromonads were found to be minor components of the faecal flora, only 8.8% of 520 samples from pigs and 4.6% of 481 samples from cows proving positive. Isolation rates in both groups of animals were seasonal. A hydrophila (62% of the isolates) was the predominant species in cows, followed by A. caviae (32%) and A. sobria (15%). This pattern was also recorded in the natural waters that the animals drank from during the period when the faecal carriage rate was at its highest. In pigs, A. caviae (59%) was more common than A. hydrophila (41%). A. sobria was not found in any of the pig-associated samples. It seems that cattle acquire their faecal aeromonads from drinking water. The source of the organisms in pigs is less clear.

Aeromonas↗
PubMed1988

An appraisal of antibiotic policies for urinary tract infections in patients with spinal cord injuries undergoing long-term intermittent catheterisation.

The antibiotic policies that have been recommended in the literature for the prevention and treatment of urinary tract infections in patients with spinal cord injuries undergoing long-term intermittent catheterisation are reviewed. Current practices in spinal units in England and Wales are reported and the rational bases of these policies are considered.

Anti-Bacterial Agents↗
PubMed1988

Pseudomonas aeruginosa and long-term indwelling bladder catheters.

The ability of urinary isolates of nine species of bacteria to bind to urinary catheters has been assessed using a bioluminescence technique. The experiments revealed the particularly adherent properties of Pseudomonas aeruginosa. This organism has also been shown to be most frequently isolated from the urines of the patients undergoing indwelling catheterization. It is suggested that P. aeruginosa commonly grows on the surface of catheters in situ, and that at this site it can survive antibiotic therapy and cause apparent recurrence of infection by reinoculation of the urine once therapy has been completed.

Bacterial Adhesion↗
PubMed1987

The resistance of urinary tract pathogens to chlorhexidine bladder washouts.

Isolates of Providencia stuartii, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Proteus mirabilis, Klebsiella pneumoniae and Streptococcus faecalis from urinary-tract infections in spinally-injured patients together with Escherichia coli 10418 were challenged with chlorhexidine (200 mg l-1) in a model of a catheterized bladder under conditions which simulate the bladder washout technique. All species survived the antiseptic. Organisms growing on the wall of the bladder model appeared to be particularly resistant and electron microscopy showed that these cells were embedded in a protective glycocalyx. The effect of chlorhexidine bladder washouts on the bacterial flora in the urine of patients was also observed and shown to be minimal and temporary. Examination of urinary sediments from patients revealed the presence of micro-colonies of bacteria embedded in a polysaccharide matrix. We conclude that bladder washouts with chlorhexidine are not likely to eliminate established infections with organisms that occur in patients with indwelling bladder catheters.

Bacteria↗
PubMed1987

Assessment of antiseptic bladder washout procedures using a physical model of the catheterised bladder.

A simple physical model of the catheterised bladder has been used to assess the activities of antiseptic agents that have been recommended as bladder instillations in the treatment of urinary tract infections in patients with indwelling catheters. The activities of povidone-iodine, phenoxyethanol, chlorhexidine, chlorhexidine supplemented with EDTA + Tris, noxythiolin and neomycin were examined against selected species of uropathogens. Except for phenoxyethanol against Pv. stuartii and possibly Ps. aeruginosa, single applications of these antibacterials for 30 min were not effective in sterilising urine in the artificial bladder. However, a second application 1 h later of phenoxyethanol but not chlorhexidine or povidone-iodine did eradicate Ps. aeruginosa. It is suggested that bacteria growing as a film on the bladder wall are particularly resistant to antimicrobials.

Administration, Intravesical↗
PubMed1986

A study of the skin flora of spinal cord injured patients.

The skin flora of 11 spinally-injured patients was compared to that of 11 healthy control subjects. The perinea, groins, penile shafts and urethras of the patients were heavily colonized by a range of multi-drug resistant Gram-negative bacilli. Observations on patients from admission for up to 25 days suggest that the Gram-negative bacilli start to colonize the skin 2-3 days after admission. Some species, e.g., Citrobacter diversus and Escherichia coli appear as transient organisms while others such as Enterobacter aerogenes, Serratia marcescens, and Klebsiella pneumoniae seem to become stable skin residents. The relationship of the skin flora to the organisms causing urinary tract infections in these patients was studied.

Bacteriuria↗
PubMed1985

An assessment of Bacteroides fragilis group organisms as indicators of human faecal pollution.

Membrane filtration techniques were used to enumerate Bacteroides fragilis group (BFG) organisms and Escherichia coli in a variety of natural waters, the influents and effluents from three types of sewage treatment plants and faeces of various animals. The results suggest that BFG organisms die off more rapidly than E. coli in water and that animal faeces are not a significant source of BFG. It is suggested that the ratio of BFG to E. coli in water may be used to indicate the proximity of a source of human faecal contamination.

Animals↗
PubMed1985

Providencia stuartii: a search for its natural habitat.

A selective differential medium has been used to search for Providencia stuartii in sewage, sewage contaminated natural waters and the faeces and skin of a small population of healthy non-hospitalized males. Colonization of 12 male patients with long-term indwelling bladder catheters and the general environment of the spinal injury unit was also examined. Providencia stuartii was not isolated from the non-hospital samples, but colonization of the urine (two patients) faeces (five patients) and skin (eight patients) was observed. Apart from equipment that had been in contact with patients urine or skin there was no general contamination of the ward environment suggesting that colonized patients were the main reservoir of this multiply antibiotic-resistant nosocomial pathogen.

Bacteriuria↗
PubMed1984

The enumeration of Bacteroides fragilis group organisms from sewage and natural waters.

A membrane filtration technique has been developed for the enumeration of Bacteroides fragilis group (BFG) organisms from sewage and natural waters. The method uses the agar medium of Wilkins and Chalgren supplemented with gentamicin, penicillin, aesculin and ferric ammonium citrate. Membrane filters with 0.22 micron pores were significantly more efficient than those with 0.45 micron pores in the isolation of BFG. A preliminary incubation period of 4 h at 30 degrees C prior to 44 h at 37 degrees C yielded significantly higher numbers of BFG than direct incubation at 37 degrees C for 48 h.

Agar↗
PubMed1981

Antiseptic and antibiotic resistance in gram-negative bacteria causing urinary tract infection in spinal cord injured patients.

Fifty-seven isolates of Gram-negative bacterial species from urinary tract infections in spinal cord injured patients were tested for their sensitivity to chlorhexidine, cetrimide, glutaraldehyde, phenyl mercuric nitrate (PMN), a phenolic disinfectant (Hycolin) and a proprietary antiseptic containing a mixture of picloxydine, octylphenoxypolyethoxyethanol and benzalkonium chloride (Resiguard). None of the isolates were resistant to glutaraldehyde, Hycolin or PMN but a substantial percentage were resistant to chlorhexidine (44 per cent), cetrimide (26 per cent) and Resiguard (42 per cent). The resistant organisms were members of the genera Proteus, Providencia and Pseudomonas and they were also generally resistant to five, six or seven antibiotics. Significant correlations were observed between multiplicity of antibiotic resistance and the minimum inhibitory concentrations of the three cationic antiseptics. It is suggested that an antiseptic policy for the bladder management of spinal cord injured patients that relies on the extensive use of cationic agents might lead to the selection of a flora of notoriously drug-resistant species.

Anti-Bacterial Agents↗
PubMed1981

Some observations on the activity of three antiseptics used as bladder irrigants in the treatment of urinary tract infection in patients with indwelling catheters.

A comparison has been made of the activity of three antiseptics that are used as bladder irrigants in the treatment of urinary tract infection in catheterised patients. At the concentrations and exposure times used for bladder irrigation, phenoxyethanol (2:4% v/v) proved to be highly bactericidal against urine-grown cells of all the common urinary pathogens tested. Chlorhexidine (200 microgram/ml) was active against Escherichia coli and produced significant reductions in the viability of Klebsiella pneumoniae, Proteus mirabilis and Pseudomonas aeruginosa but failed to eradicate Providencia stuartii. Exposure to noxythiolin (2.5% v/v) for 20 min had little effect in any of the bacteria, even though all strains tested had been recorded as noxythiolin-sensitive by conventional plate sensitivity tests. Contact with noxythiolin for periods of at least 1-2 hrs was necessary before extensive bactericidal activity was detected. These results provide an explanation of the poor clinical performance of noxythiolin that we have observed.

Anti-Infective Agents, Urinary↗
PubMed1980

Antiseptic and antibiotic resistance in Gram-negative bacteria causing urinary tract infection.

A collection of 802 isolates of Gram-negative bacteria causing urinary tract infections was made from general practice, antenatal clinics, and local hospitals. The organisms were tested for their sensitivity to chlorhexidine, cetrimide, glutaraldehyde, phenyl mercuric nitrate, a phenolic formulation, and a proprietary antiseptic containing a mixture of picloxydine, octyl phenoxy polyethoxyethanol, and benzalkonium chloride. Escherichia coli, the major species isolated, proved to be uniformly sensitive to these agents. Approximately 10% of the total number of isolates, however, exhibited a degree of resistance to the cationic agents. These resistant organisms were members of the genera Proteus, Providencia, and Pseudomonas; they were also generally resistant to five, six, or seven antibiotics. It is proposed therefore that an antiseptic policy which involves the intensive use of cationic antiseptics might lead to the selection of a flora of notoriously drug-resistant species.

Anti-Bacterial Agents↗