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Biomedical subjects

J Silva

Publications and source records attributed to J Silva.

At least 217 records · Page 12Linked to original sources
PubMed1983

Impaired lymphocyte function in depressive illness.

Mood states and immunity may be related. To investigate the immune status of patients with primary depressive illness, we compared in-vitro lymphocytic responses to three different mitogens in 26 drug-free depressed patients and 20 normal controls of comparable age and sex. We observed a generalized and marked decrease in the lymphocyte mitogenic activity among the depressive group. This defect in lymphocyte function may be indicative of an impairment in cell-mediated immunity in patients with primary depressive illness.

Adult↗
PubMed1983

Differential susceptibility of Aeromonas hydrophila and Enterobacteriaceae to nalidixic acid.

The susceptibility of 49 strains of Aeromonas hydrophila and 77 strains of Enterobacteriaceae towards nalidixic acid was compared by tube dilution and agar diffusion methods. A higher susceptibility was exhibited by Aerom. hydrophila and no overlap in MICs was found for strains of the two groups of microorganisms. Discs containing 0.25 microgram of nalidixic acid produced measurable zones of growth inhibition with Aerom. hydrophila and no zones with the Enterobacteriaceae. The use of a disc with 0.25 microgram of nalidixic acid for the primary differentiation of strains of Aerom. hydrophila from those of the Enterobacteriaceae with similar biochemical properties is suggested.

Aeromonas↗
PubMed1983

Effects of subinhibitory antibiotics on bactericidal activity of chronic granulomatous disease granulocytes in vitro.

Experiments were performed on leukocytes from patients with chronic granulomatous disease (CGD), incubated with subinhibitory concentrations of antibiotics (clindamycin, methicillin and N-demethyl-lincomycin). Results indicate a minor enhancement of bactericidal activity. This improvement occurred in both CGD homozygotes and one heterozygote and may indicate a future role for the use of low dose antibiotics to augment immune defences such as granulocyte function.

Anti-Bacterial Agents↗
PubMed1982

Antibiotic-associated pseudomembranous colitis: an epidemiologic investigation of a cluster of cases.

Ten cases of antibiotic-associated colitis (AAC) were identified at a hospital in Washington, D.C., from March 17 to May 9, 1979. No geographic clustering of cases was found, nor was an association with increased use of antibiotics demonstrated. Exposure to aminoglycosides, cephalosporins, and clindamycin was associated with AAC, as was a history of enemas in the seven days before the onset of illness (P=0.045). This association was strengthened when gastrointestinal procedures-defined as (1) three or more enemas per week, (2) the insertion of a nasogastric tube for two or more days, or (3) gastrointestinal surgery-were performed within seven days of the onset of illness (P=0.007). Clostridium difficile was not isolated from the hospital environments, nursing personnel, or family members of the patients. C. difficile was isolated from stool specimens of five (36%) of 14 patients who served as controls.

Adult↗
PubMed1982

Computerized house officer schedules at the University of Michigan.

An economical, computerized system was developed for producing the annual schedule of monthly assignments for medical house officers. This program can generate schedules that conform to the individual preferences of the house officers while meeting the requirements of the residency program. As a result, more individual requests of the house officers are granted than under the previous manual system. Besides providing these direct benefits, the system ensures that house officers are assigned to each rotation according to their appropriate level of skill.

Appointments and Schedules↗
PubMed1982

Fluorescent-antibody test for detection of Clostridium difficile in stool specimens.

We evaluated a direct fluorescent-antibody test to detect Clostridium difficile, the most frequent cause of antibiotic-associated colitis. C. difficile organisms were injected into the ear veins of New Zealand White rabbits to induce antibodies, and the globulin fractions of their sera were conjugated to fluorescein isothiocyanate. The resulting conjugate strongly stained all 40 isolates of C. difficile tested. It also stained isolates of C. sordellii, C. bifermentans, C. chauvoei, and C. sporogenes, but not 20 other clostridial isolates or 10 isolates from other species. Results of testing fecal smears with the direct fluorescent-antibody method were compared with results of testing stools for C. difficile toxin and of culturing for C. difficile on a selective medium. A total of 158 fecal specimens from patients with antibiotic-associated diarrhea were tested. In these patients, the fluorescent-antibody test agreed with culture and toxin testing in 93% of the specimens. However, in normal adults, 62% of the fecal specimens from which C. difficile could not be cultured were positive by the fluorescent-antibody test. Absorption of the conjugate with C. sordellii led to a loss of reactivity to other clostridia as well as to 18 of 20 isolates of C. difficile.

Animals↗
PubMed1982

Clostridium difficile colitis associated with cancer chemotherapy.

Administration of cancer chemotherapeutic agents to humans and animals is frequently complicated by diarrhea and enterocolitis. Clostridium difficile and its toxin were found in the stools of two patients with colitis after chemotherapy for malignant neoplasms. Diarrhea in both patients resolved with oral vancomycin hydrochloride therapy. Clostridium difficile was also isolated from several fomites within the room of one of these patients and also from the hands of his nurses. Based on these two recent experiences, we believe patients with cancer and diarrhea or signs suggestive of colitis should be studied for toxigenic C difficile and appropriate isolation techniques employed.

Adenocarcinoma↗
PubMed1981

Treatment of Clostridium difficile colitis and diarrhea with vancomycin.

Toxigenic Clostridium difficle is the major cause of antibiotic-associated colitis and is susceptible to vancomycin at fecal concentrations achieved with oral therapy. The effect of oral vancomycin was studied in 16 patients with C. difficile-related diarrhea or colitis, 12 of whom had colitis documented by endoscopy, biopsy, and/or barium enema. Four patients had antibiotic-associated diarrhea and possibly antibiotic-associated colitis, because sigmoidoscopy either showed normal results (two patients) or was not performed (two patients). Nineteen episodes of diarrhea were treated with oral vancomycin in two dosage regimens for three to 14 days. Twelve patients received 2 g daily, and four patients initially received 1 g or less per day. Within 48 hours of the start of vancomycin therapy, 14 of 16 patients (87 percent) showed a decrease in temperature, abdominal pain and diarrhea. Diarrhea ceased completely within two days of the start of vancomycin in nine episodes, within three to seven days in six episodes, and within eight to 14 days in the remaining four episodes, and within eight to 14 days in the remaining four episodes. Diarrhea recurred in two of these patients (12 percent) when the drug inciting the initial episode of colitis was given again 42 days or more after vancomycin therapy was stopped; both patients responded again to retreatment with vancomycin. Oral vancomycin is an effective treatment of C. difficile-related colitis and diarrhea.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1981

Epidemiology of antibiotic-associated colitis; isolation of Clostridium difficile from the hospital environment.

Clostridium difficile is the most important cause of antibiotic-associated colitis. Using selective media, it was found that contamination with this organism was common in the environment of patients in the hospital with the disease. It was often found on floors, hoppers, toilets, bedding, mops, scales and furniture. This organism was also present on these items, but less often, in areas in which patients known to carry this hardy spore-forming organism had not been detected. Air, food and walls were negative. The organism was isolated from the hands and stools of asymptomatic hospital personnel. It was also found on surfaces in a patient's home. The importance of the various sources of the organism in its spread in the hospital is not known, and further studies are needed. It is suggested that enteric isolation precautions, and careful handwashing and cleansing of potentially contaminated surfaces and objects may be worthwhile when cases of antibiotic-associated colitis are identified.

Anti-Bacterial Agents↗