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Biomedical subjects

K Botzenhart

Publications and source records attributed to K Botzenhart.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1992

[Public health requirements in physical therapy].

Physiotherapy involves manifold measures that are partly not clearly separated from other methods of therapy. In most cases the skin or mucosa are not injured so that the danger of infectious complications is relatively low. On the other hand, patients with severe underlying diseases which are problematic from the aspect of hygiene in connection with infections, may have to be treated (for example, intensive-care patients, patients with decubital ulcers etc.) In such patients physiotherapy must comply with hygienic precautions that are employed with other diseases and treatments to prevent the transfer of pathogens. Special rules govern the composition of the water and the servicing of equipment used in hydrotherapy (German DIN standard specification No. 1964). Guidelines for the water used in municipal swimming pools and baths are in preparation. Other rules to be observed concern the recognition, treatment and prevention of nosocomial infections. In addition, every establishment must set up definite rules for regular measures to prevent infections and to monitor these measures, especially with regard to cleaning and disinfecting.

Communicable Disease Control↗
PubMed1991

Generation of Pseudomonas aeruginosa aerosols during handwashing from contaminated sink drains, transmission to hands of hospital personnel, and its prevention by use of a new heating device.

Pseudomonas aeruginosa was isolated from sinks of washing basins, showers, toilets and bathtubs, from the personnel and patients of a mixed infectious disease ward in a German children's hospital during a prospective 4-week epidemiological study. 81% of all sinks were contaminated with P. aeruginosa strains. Upon entering the hospital, all personnel hand cultures were P. aeruginosa-negative. However, during duty, 42.5% of the personnel members carried different P. aeruginosa strains on their hands. Detection of P. aeruginosa strains in sinks preceding the isolation of identical genotypes from personnel hands suggested a transmission route from sinks to hands. Opening of water taps generated aerosols containing P. aeruginosa sink organisms which contaminated hands during hand washing. Survival times of various P. aeruginosa strains in aerosols was dependent on strain characteristics, light and humidity, and t 1/2 differed between 3-76 min. Heating of washing basin sinks to 70 degrees C with a new, safe and inexpensive device inhibited bacterial growth in sinks, generation of P. aeruginosa aerosols, and resulted in hand cultures negative for P. aeruginosa after washing.

Aerosols↗
PubMed1990

[Defective function of bioindicators for steam sterilization].

It can be shown, that under certain conditions commercially available indicators with Bacillus stearothermophilus and packages of native spores from soil prepared according to DIN 58 946/4 react differently to treatment in a lab-type steam sterilizer. The differences were most evident when incomplete evacuation of air had to be supposed. These results lead to the conclusion that some bioindicators are not able to show the inefficient function of steam sterilizers caused by local residuals of air. This may be caused by the properties of the selected strain, by the conditions of growth and preparation of the spores and by the culture medium used after exposition. The results of our experiments as well as the resistance of mesophilic spore forming bacilli against dry heat described by other authors make it necessary to test the resistance of bioindicators for steam sterilization not only against steam according to DIN 58946/4 but also against dry heat or mixtures of steam and air.

Geobacillus stearothermophilus↗
PubMed1990

[The detection of legionellae in a water pipe system using gene probe technics and culture methods].

In a new hospital building, cold and warm water systems were examined for microbiological parameters before opening. All of the 35 sampling sites showed elevated colony counts, i.e. greater than 100 cfu/ml. 11 of these contained Legionella species at various times. While Escherichia coli, coliform bacteria and Pseudomonas aeruginosa could not be found, Legionella longbeachae serogroup 1 + 2 was identified in 13 samples. Only one sample contained Legionella pneumophila serogroup 3. Legionella species were detected using a commercial gene probe assay and culture techniques. The gene probe method proved to be superior to the culture techniques insofar as significantly positive results were obtained more frequently, and evidence for the presence of Legionella of different species and serogroups could be obtained with a single procedure. The gene probe method appears to be a suitable screening method for the detection of Legionella species.

Colony Count, Microbial↗
PubMed1989

Pseudomonas aeruginosa cross-colonization and persistence in patients with cystic fibrosis. Use of a DNA probe.

To investigate cross-colonization with and persistence of Pseudomonas aeruginosa in cystic fibrosis (CF), 181 isolates from 76 CF patients were typed using a P. aeruginosa-specific DNA probe. Whereas sibling pairs predominantly harboured genotypically identical P. aeruginosa strains, all of the other patients harboured different strains. Seventy-nine per cent (22/31) of the infected CF patients harboured the same strains at the beginning and the end of a summer camp. A change of strains was seen in 10% (3/31) of the patients at the end of the camp. Forty-six per cent (6/13) of the patients who were apparently initially uninfected, acquired P. aeruginosa by the end of the period. Genotyping proved that strain change or acquisition was due to cross-colonization in four of nine cases. Very little P. aeruginosa was isolated from the inanimate environment. Persistence of P. aeruginosa after a temporary loss due to antibiotic therapy was seen in 12/16 paired patient strains before and after antibiotic therapy. Thus, suppression followed a flare-up seemed to occur in these patients rather than eradication and a new infection. When 35 patients were followed over a period of 6 months, 7 (20%) changed the strain in their sputum. Only one of 43 patients harboured two different P. aeruginosa strains simultaneously over a long period.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1989

Genotyping of Pseudomonas aeruginosa sputum and stool isolates from cystic fibrosis patients: evidence for intestinal colonization and spreading into toilets.

Three hundred and fifty-eight stool and 131 sputum specimens from 40 cystic fibrosis (CF) patients and 100 toilet sinks were investigated for occurrence of Pseudomonas aeruginosa; 67% (21/31) of the patients with chronic P. aeruginosa lung infections carried the organism repeatedly in the stool but the organism was found only once in the stools of nine uninfected patients. P. aeruginosa stool carriage was correlated to high P. aeruginosa numbers in patients' sputa. Typing of P. aeruginosa with a DNA probe showed identity of sputum and stool strains. Seven patients repeatedly carried additional stool strains, not found in the sputum, suggesting intestinal colonization. No differences were seen in the clinical state of patients with P. aeruginosa-negative stool samples and patients with positive stool samples. Toilets in households of P. aeruginosa-infected CF patients were significantly more often contaminated with P. aeruginosa (42%) than toilets in households of non-infected CF patients (20%; P less than 0.03). The study shows that P. aeruginosa-infected CF patients may harbour the organisms also in the intestinal tract, and may spread the bacteria into toilets.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1989

Comparison of ozone inactivation, in flowing water, of hepatitis A virus, poliovirus 1, and indicator organisms.

In steadily flowing water at 20 degrees C and pH 7, five organisms had the following order of resistance to ozone (at constant levels of ozone): poliovirus 1 (PV1) less than Escherichia coli less than hepatitis A virus (HAV) less than Legionella pneumophila serogroup 6 less than Bacillus subtilis spores. The tests were repeated at 10 degrees C with HAV, PV1, and E. coli. Ozone inactivation of HAV and E. coli was faster at 10 degrees C than at 20 degrees C. At 20 degrees C, 0.25 to 0.38 mg of O3 per liter was required for complete inactivation of HAV but only 0.13 mg of O3 per liter was required for complete inactivation of PV1.

Bacillus subtilis↗
PubMed1989

Molecular epidemiology of Pseudomonas aeruginosa--urinary tract infections in paraplegic patients.

84 Pseudomonas aeruginosa strains from 29 paraplegic patients with urinary tract infections (UTI) and from the water reservoirs of specialized wards in two German hospitals were typed using a P. aeruginosa-specific DNA probe. P. aeruginosa strains were present in 51% of all accessible water reservoirs, including sinks of wash-basins and toilets in the wards. 14 of the 29 patients with UTI (48%) were infected by P. aeruginosa strains which were also isolated from these sources. Groups of up to four patients were infected by single strains. Some of the strains persisted in the wards and were isolated from the water reservoirs five to eight months after causing UTI. 89.5% of the investigated water samples yielded P. aeruginosa strains which were identical with strains from up to nine other sites. The wide distribution of single P. aeruginosa genotypes in the ward, the isolation of strains causing UTI from rooms inaccessible to the patients, and the outbreak of UTI caused by single, identical P. aeruginosa strains in groups of patients within short time periods, suggest that the strains are distributed by the personnel rather than by the patients who for the most part are immobile.

Cross Infection↗
PubMed1988

Impact of proteases on iron uptake of Pseudomonas aeruginosa pyoverdin from transferrin and lactoferrin.

The Pseudomonas aeruginosa siderophore pyoverdin was unable to acquire iron from human transferrin or lactoferrin at physiological pH. However, in the presence of P. aeruginosa elastase, rapid iron release and pyoverdin iron uptake from transferrin but not from lactoferrin were detected. Neither P. aeruginosa alkaline protease nor elastase from polymorphonuclear leukocytes revealed this effect.

Carrier Proteins↗
PubMed1988

Bordetellae and charcoal horse blood agar: inactivation of antibiotics in agar during prolonged incubation for susceptibility testing.

We examined the degree of inactivation of 22 antibiotics caused by prolonged incubation at 36 degrees C of agar plates during agar dilution susceptibility testing of Bordetellae. Fresh antibiotic-containing plates of charcoal horse blood agar and plates which had been held at 36 degrees C for 2 or 3 days prior to inoculation were inoculated with strains of Bordetella pertussis and Bordetella parapertussis and incubated for 2 days. Then the MICs were compared. Most antibiotics showed a loss of activity of up to four dilution steps after prolonged incubation. Further studies with other slow-growing organisms and other complex media are needed.

Agar↗
PubMed1988

Iron-chelating substances and inflammation.

The effect of Pseudomonas aeruginosa alkaline protease (AP), elastase (Ela), and the elastase from polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMN Ela) on iron acquisition of pyoverdin from human transferrin and lactoferrin at physiologic pH was investigated. Incubation of iron-loaded transferrin with iron-free pyoverdin for 10 h at 40 degrees C in the presence of Ela yielded pyoverdin-iron(III) complex, in contrast to incubations of transferrin with pyoverdin alone, AP, or PMN Ela. Sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis analysis of the incubations revealed fragmentation of transferrin by Ela in peptides smaller than 14,000 daltons, whereas AP and PMN Ela cleaved transferrin in fragments of 49,000 d and 43,000 d, respectively. Incubations of lactoferrin with the proteases and pyoverdin or pyoverdin alone did not result in iron acquisition by pyoverdin; however, lactoferrin was fragmented by Ela and AP.

Bacterial Proteins↗
PubMed1988

[Illnesses in relation to swimming pool visits--conclusions of a survey].

Diseases acquired by using swimming-pools were recorded by inquiring visitors and local physicians in a German spa. The diseases were brought into relation with microbiological and chemical parameters of the swimming-pool water. Water quality was in general satisfying, but on days with a very great number of visitors the treatment-plant quickly was working beyond capacity. 663 out of 1056 visitors indicated diseases which they traced back to the visit of the swimming-pool. The quality of the water was the reason for only a part of the diseases. Eye-irritations and colds counted up to nearly half of the illnesses, other frequent complaints concerned the skin and the ear-nose-and throat-region.

Bacterial Infections↗
PubMed1988

[Enterobacteria as quality criteria in unprocessed, drinking and swimming pool water. Comparative study of the occurrence of enterobacteria, Escherichia coli, coliforms, colony count, fecal streptococci and Pseudomonas aeruginosa].

Between 1985 and 1986 2064 samples of raw-, drinking- and swimming-pool-waters from Southwest-Germany have been examined according to German Drinking-Water Standards as well as for the occurrence of Enterobacteria, fecal streptococci and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. With the exception of Pseudomonas aeruginosa all parameters showed a statistically verified dependence on each others occurrence, which was most significant between the two criteria "Escherichia coli" and "fecal streptococci". The results of the investigation increased the doubts concerning the value of "coliforms" as a quality criterion. Enterobacteria seem to be a suitable quality criterion for waters which have received a disinfecting treatment.

Colony Count, Microbial↗