Search PubMed⌕ Search

Biomedical subjects

H K Geiss

Publications and source records attributed to H K Geiss.

63 records · Page 4Linked to original sources

Aeromonas as a human pathogen.

Although the first Aeromonas strain was described by Zimmermann as early as in 1890, it took 60 years until Caselitz established human pathogenicity of strains then called "Vibrio jamaicensis". Since then, and especially in the last 10 years, there have been increasing numbers of reports on different infections caused by members of the genus Aeromonas. These include sepsis; meningitis; cellulitis; necrotizing fasciitis; ecthyma gangrenosum; pneumonia; peritonitis; conjunctivitis; corneal ulcer; endophthalmitis; osteomyelitis; suppurative arthritis; myositis; subphrenic abscess; liver abscess; cholecystitis and/or ascending cholangitis; urinary tract infection; endocarditis; ear, nose, and throat infections; balanitis; etc. The role of Aeromonas in gastrointestinal disease is very controversial. Increasing epidemiological data suggest that these organisms play a major role in enteric infections, but so far enteropathogenicity has not been demonstrable in experiments where volunteers were given high numbers of Aeromonas possessing different virulence factors. Virulence factors include hemolysin(s), enterotoxin(s), hemagglutinins, invasivity, and others; but these are not found more frequently in strains isolated from patients with diarrhea than from healthy controls. Whether there is a correlation between species and disease remains to be elucidated and requires more information about the taxonomy of this genus.

Aeromonas↗

[Contamination of respirators in long-term ventilation].

The role of artificial ventilation as an exogenous source of nosocomial pneumonia in long-term ventilated patients is well established. Hence, decontamination of respirators after use is inevitable, although this procedure is costly and time-consuming. The purpose of the study was to prove the efficacy of bacterial filters (Ultipor BB 50, Pall Ltd., Dreieich) in preventing microbial contamination of respirators during long-term ventilation. We investigated the impact of the patient tracheal flora on different parts of the ventilation system. A total of 30 patients included 9 patients treated with an aminoglycoside intratracheally and whose ventilators were equipped with breathing system filters, 10 patients treated with the aminoglycoside intratracheally and without filters, and finally 11 patients without antibiotic prophylaxis and without filters. 1495 samples were taken from different parts of the ventilation circuit. The data obtained suggest that there is no significant influence on the contamination rate of the ventilators by application of bacterial filters or intratracheal aminoglycoside. The use of the breathing system filters to protect the ventilator from microbial contamination, therefore, seems to be unnecessary.

Adolescent↗

[Frequency of Aeromonas species in the stools of healthy and diarrheic patients].

During two test periods (summer 1985 and January-August 1986) a total of 7713 stool specimens were examined for the occurrence of Aeromonas spp. The isolation rate of the asymptomatic group was about 0.3%, the same rate was found in adults with diarrhea. In the stool specimens of 364 children 8 Aeromonas spp. could be found. A. caviae was isolated in most cases of diarrhea. Data obtained suggest that it seems to be useful to screen all diarrhoic stools of children for the occurrence of Aeromonas.

Adult↗

Evaluation of API 20 NE in routine diagnostics of nonfermenting gram-negative rod-shaped bacteria.

292 strains of non-fermenting Gram-negative rod-shaped bacteria were determined by standard methods and tested in a new commercial microidentification-system, the API 20 NE (api Biomérieux). A total of 282 (= 96,6%) strains were identified conformably; 130 (= 46,1%) after 24 h and 77 (= 27,3%) within 48 h. In 75 (= 26,6%) cases different conventional additional tests for determination to species level were necessary. The reasons for divergent results of 10 strains are discussed. The new microidentification system API 20 NE might be a simple and reliable tool in hand of the skilled medical microbiologist.

Alcaligenes↗

[Differentiation of nonfermenting gram-negative human-pathogenic rod bacteria from sewage water].

In the present paper the examination of the new microidentification-system API 20 NE for clinically important nonfermenters is reported. The origin of all strains tested was non-clinical (sewage, tap-water, food-stuff and other environmental sources). One hundred thirty four strains were examined simultaneously in the API 20 NE and by standard tests. One hundred twenty three strains, which included 23 species could be identified conformably. Out of 11 strains, not or misidentified in the API-system only 2 could be classified to species level by conventional means, the remainder were diagnosed to genus level only. Causes are discussed. Our data suggest that the API 20 NE is also a useful aid in routine diagnosis in environmental hygiene for clinically important nonfermenters. It allows a short-time-diagnosis with a high degree of specificity and reliability.

Food Microbiology↗

[Formaldehyde resistance to gram-negative aerobic rods from municipal sewage water].

In a municipal sewage works, a total of 30 sewage samples (19 from the inlet and 11 from the outlet of the sewage works) were analyzed for the quantitative and orientative qualitative content of microorganisms. With an incidence peak of the total bacterial count of greater than or equal to 1 X 10(6) cfu/ml in the inlet, both samples showed bacterial contents of 1 to 9 X 10(5) cfu/ml with use of MC agar and Endo agar. Fuchsin glistening colonies as well as the total bacterial counts on Sabouraud agar and Leifson agar as well as on kanamycin-esculin agar showed frequency peaks which were one power of ten lower. For pathogenic staphylococci, a distribution below the limit of detection (down to 9 X 10(3) cfu/ml) was found, and in a single case in the region of 10(4) cfu/ml. As a rule, the samples drawn from the outlet of the municipal sewage works showed values which were one power of ten lower than in the inlet. With admixture of formaldehyde in bacteriostatically active concentrations, colonies could still be cultured to a small extent with a final concentration of 0.03 weight % HCHO in the inlet, whereas values were below the limit of detection in all outlet samples. The differentiated Gram-negative aerobic rods were mainly representatives of the species Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Pseudomonas putida. In a modified quantitative suspension trial, only occasional Gram-negative rods in the inlet samples survived 30 min exposure to 0.5 weight % HCHO. In comparison, the results of the outlet samples showed a very much lower resistance to formaldehyde. The 11 strains isolated under these conditions could be classified under six species, including four Pseudomonas aeruginosa strains. Gram-negative rods which had previously tolerated a concentration of 0.12 weight % formaldehyde in the bacteriostasis revealed a raised resistance to formaldehyde only to an inappreciable extent under the conditions of the qualitative suspension trial. Overall, enhancements of resistance to formaldehyde such as we observed in isolates from hospital sewage could not be detected in bacterial strains isolated from the inlet or outlet of a municipal sewage works. The investigations carried out thus do not indicate that a quantitatively significant increase or a persistence of the resistance to formaldehyde is to be expected outside the actual hospital environment.

Drug Resistance, Microbial↗

Life-threatening infection with multiresistant Staphylococcus epidermidis in a patient with end-stage renal disease: cure with chloramphenicol and quinupristin/dalfopristin (RP 59500).

A 45-year-old man with end-stage renal disease underwent a cadaveric kidney transplantation. The allograft had to he removed 10 days after transplantation because of an acute vascular rejection. After explantation, the patient suffered from a life-threatening infection with Staphylococcus epidermidis involving lungs, eyes and liver for 11 months. Despite adequate therapy including vancomycin followed by teicoplanin, he developed spondylodiscitis requiring repeated surgical interventions. The definitive cure was achieved by a sequential therapy with chloramphenicol and quinupristin/dalfopristin.

Anti-Bacterial Agents↗