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Biomedical subjects

J R Babb

Publications and source records attributed to J R Babb.

At least 55 records · Page 3Linked to original sources
PubMed1979

A unit for source and protective isolation in a general hospital.

An isolation unit consisting of 12 ventilated cubicles was investigated over 18 months. Out of 462 patients admitted, 262 (57%) required source and 200 (43%) protective isolation. Admissions of patients with staphylococcal sepsis fell from 16 in the first three months to six in the last three months. Staphylococcus aureus was recovered from 12% of nurses' fingers and often in small numbers from protective clothing and uniforms, but only two patients acquired a strain from a nurse or another patient. Gram-negative bacilli were rarely recovered from hands or protective clothing of nurses, and there was no evidence of spread of infectious diseases. This inexpensive unit, with simple but efficient isolation-nursing techniques, successfully prevented the spread of infection.

Air Microbiology↗
PubMed1978

Disinfection of the skin of the abdomen.

The skin of the abdomen of 106 staff and 358 patients was sampled 5 min and 2 h after disinfection using contact plates. Control areas of skin were treated with water only or left untreated. A reduction of 99 per cent (log reduction factor = 2) or more in colony counts was obtained in 5 min with 70 per cent ethyl alcohol and alcoholic solutions of chlorhexidine, povidone-iodine and chloroxylenol/EDTA. Aqueous solutions of chlorhexidine (0.5 per cent) Savlon (5 per cent), povidone-iodine (10 per cent) and chloroxylenol/EDTA (X10 recommended concentration) also showed similar reductions. Weaker aqueous solutions of chlorhexidine (0.05 per cent), Savlon (1 per cent) and chloroxylenol/EDTA (recommended concentration) were significantly less effective than the alcoholic and the most effective aqueous solutions, although all were more effective than water. Total bacterial counts were lower from the skin of female than from male staff and lower from staff than from patients. Pathogens (Staphylococcus aureus or Gram-negative bacilli) were isolated from only one member of staff in small numbers and irregularly and rarely in large numbers from patients. Few pathogens were isolated after application of any of the disinfectants.

Abdomen↗
PubMed1978

A test for 'hygienic' hand disinfection.

A standardised test procedure is described in which finger-tips are inoculated with broth cultures of organisms (Staphylococcus aureus, Staphyloccocus saprophyticus, Escherichia coli, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa): counts are made from washings of hands after disinfection with various antiseptic-detergents, alcoholic solutions, or unmedicated soap. 70% alcohol, with or without chlorhexidine, was the most effective preparation. The two antiseptic detergents showed variable results, but against Gram-negative bacilli neither was significantly more effective than plain soap. Some tests were also made on the death rate of organisms dried on the skin without disinfection.

Anti-Infective Agents, Local↗
PubMed1976

Topical chemoprophylaxis with silver sulphadiazine and silver nitrate chlorhexidine creams: emergence of sulphonamide-resistant Gram-negative bacilli.

Controlled trials of 0.5% silver nitrate compresses (SN), 1% silver sulphadiazine cream (SSD), and a cream containing 0.5% silver nitrate and 0.2% chlorhexidine digluconate (SNC) showed that all were comparably effective in protecting burns from infection. SN compresses were much less active against miscellaneous Gram-negative bacilli than the other preparations, and the mean morning and evening temperatures and respiration rates in the patients treated with SN compresses were higher then those of patients treated with SSD. Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Proteus spp, though rare in all groups, were less often found in the patients treated with SN compresses. Sulphonamide-resistant Gram-negative bacilli became predominant during the trial of SSD cream on extensive burns and the prophylactic effectiveness of that preparation was thus reduced in the later stages of the trial.

Administration, Topical↗
PubMed1976

A source isolator for infected patients.

A plastic, mechanically ventilated source isolator with filters in the air effluent was designed to enable infected patients to be nursed and treated in a general ward or to be transported without risk to staff or other contacts. Two models of isolator were developed. Their potential value was tested by the challenge of heavy dispersal, inside the isolator, of bacteria (a) from patients with burns, during the change of dressings, (b) from contaminated bedding during simulated bed-making, and (c) from the dispersal of a suspension of Bacillus subtilis var. globigii. Sampling of air by slit samplers outside the isolator and, in comparable control patients, from the air of the room in which dressings were changed, showed consistently lower counts of bacteria and of Staph. aureus during dressings when the isolator was used; on removal of the isolator canopy there was, in some experiments, a considerable increase in airborne bacteria, due to residual bacteria in the isolator of to the re-dispersal of bacteria which settled on the patient and his bedding during the dressing. Simultaneous sampling with slit samplers inside and outside the isolator during and after bed-making or dispersal of B. subtilis var. globigii showed an almost complete protection of the air outside the isolator against contamination by bacteria released inside the isolator.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1974

Pseudomonas aeruginosa in hospital sinks.

Pseudomonas aeruginosa was isolated from sink waste-traps in 27 of 116 (23.3%) samples from a large general hospital and from 19 of 47 (40.4%) samples from a burns unit at another hospital. Smaller proportions of samples from sink outlets and surfaces of basins yielded Ps. aeruginosa. A waste-trap heater ('Econa') used twice daily for fifteen minutes reduced the isolations of Ps. oeruginosa from waste-traps to a very low level; isolations of other organisms were also reduced, though to a smaller extent. Despite the continuing high frequency of Ps. aeruginosa in sinks and some other moist hospital sites, Ps. aeruginosa infections were infrequent in the general hospital and had been greatly reduced by the successful use of various prophylactic measures in the burns unit.

Bacteriological Techniques↗