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K O Gundermann

Publications and source records attributed to K O Gundermann.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources
PubMed1990

[The quantitative recovery of microbes during testing of disinfectants for instruments].

UNLABELLED: The efficacy of a disinfectant can only be determined exactly, when quantitative as well as qualitative tests are being performed. Aim of this study was to ascertain whether the earlier published method of a germ carrier test could be applied also to the testing of disinfectants for instruments. Rubber tubes of 1 cm length were used as germ carriers, Staph. aureus, Pseud. aerug., Proteus mir., E. coli and Cand. alb. as test organisms. The culture media were CASO-agar and -broth, latter containing 20% defibrinated sheep blood in some experiments. Two disinfectants on aldehyde-basis and one disinfectant on phenol-basis and on biguanide-basis, respectively, were used for the disinfectant tests. The rubber tubes were contaminated with bacterial suspension, dried upright on sterile filters and then put into 10 ml CASO-broth. After high speed vortexing of the germ carriers the bacterial count was determined. Following factors that were believed to probably having an influence on the recovery rate of bacteria were investigated: 1. the amount of fluid staying on the rubber tubes; 2. the drying time; 3. the vortexing time; 4. repeated vortexing; 5. variations of the initial concentration of bacteria on the rubber tubes; 6. addition of inactivating substances. RESULTS: ad 1. The mean amount of fluid staying on the tubes was 0.0056 g. ad 2. Drying times longer than 30 to 60 min resulted partly in considerably lower bacterial counts. ad. 3. and 4. Neither extension of vortexing time nor repeated vortexing of the same germ carrier could raise the recovery rate of bacteria. ad 5. Higher initial concentration of bacteria on the rubber tubes could not be achieved. The recovery rate of bacteria was reliable even when the initial bacterial concentration was low. ad 6. Addition of inactivating substances to the CASO-broth had no influence on the recovery rate of bacteria. The test method was checked by testing four disinfectants for instruments and proved itself a good and reliable quantitative method.

Bacteria↗
PubMed1989

[The disinfection of the oral mucosa].

For evaluation of antiseptics intended for use on mucous membranes various effects, as bactericidal and fungicidal but also bacteriostatic and fungistatic effects as well as other mechanisms, have to be considered. The application of antiseptics on the oral mucous membrane is indicated to prevent wound infections, bacteremia following surgical intervention, infection caused by injuries as for example prosthetic ulcers as well as it is indicated for prophylaxis and therapy of infections like colds and for prevention of exogenic dissemination of bacteria. The substances used essentially are PVP-iodine-solutions, cation-active compounds, organic mercury- and silver-compounds and hydrogen peroxide-solutions. It has to be taken into account, however, that the toxicological properties of these substances vary. To this day there exists no generally accepted test model for the evaluation of these mucous membrane antiseptics. Therefore a test-solution on the basis of chlorhexidine digluconate was examined with the help of a rinse- and a swab-method, respectively. The total bacterial counts and the number of alpha-haemolytic streptococci was determined. The rinse-method resulted in reduction factors of log 1.0 after 5 to 120 min and the swab-method--applied at the buccal mucous membranes--in reduction factors of about log 1.5 after 5 min and log 1.0 to 1.2 after 120 min. At the gingival margin of the front teeth reduction factors rose from log 1.55 after 5 min to log 1.85 after 120 min. Possibly this rise was due to an after-effect of the tested antiseptic in this region. For examination of antiseptics a combination of both test methods is recommended.

Bacteria↗
PubMed1988

[The pH-dependent solubility of heavy metals from sewage sludge of different compositions].

Sludge suspensions of anaerobically digested sewage sludge, limed anaerobically digested sewage sludge, precipitation sludge of the tertiary waste water treatment and limed precipitation sludge were incubated for 8 days with continuous rotation at nine defined pH-values (pH 1, 3-10). After membrane filtration (0.45 micron) solution concentrations of Zn, Cd, Cu, Pb and Cr were determined by atomic absorption spectroscopy. Results show that solubilities of Cd, Zn and Cu depend not only on pH-value but also in a high degree on the sludge type. The solubility is by far the lowest in the anaerobically digested sludge. Most obvious differences can be found for Cd: While the concentrations of soluble Cd in anaerobically digested sludge only increase at pH values lower than pH 4, the solubility of Cd in precipitation sludge and limed sludges already show rapid increases at pH values lower than 7. The solubility of Pb and Cr remains low in all sludges at all pH-values ranging from pH 3 to pH 10. These results show that when judging ecological effects of heavy metals from sewage sludges the physical and chemical composition of these sludges should be considered.

Anaerobiosis↗
PubMed1986

[Quantitative studies of Salmonella at two sewage purification plants in Schleswig-Holstein].

Quantitative Salmonella counts in different stages of the sewage treatment plants of Kiel (Bülk) and Plön in Schleswig-Holstein (FRG) were measured during a one-year-period. In weekly alternation the samples have been collected before and after each clarification step. Afterwards the Salmonella were analysed by a combined method (membrane-filtration, multistep enrichment, mpn). The inflows of the plants contained Salmonella in 98%. The treatment plant of Bülk reduced the Salmonella numbers around 89% while a reduction of 97% could be found at Plön. The most important step of the treatment for this reduction was the final sedimentation. The chemical precipitation at Plön declined the Salmonella numbers around further 87%. According to the seasonal fluctuations of the temperature of air and water the Salmonella values increased or decreased, respectively. This tendency was more impressive than it could be expected looking at the seasonal epidemiology of salmonellosis. In spite of the existing of separate sewerage systems in both towns rain led to increasing volumes of sewage. During the warmer period of the year this effect resulted in counts above average, while in wintertime - possibly caused by dilution and the salinity by roadsalt very low Salmonella numbers could be found in both treatment inflows.

Germany, West↗
PubMed1986

[Various Salmonella serotypes isolated at a sewage purification plant in a smaller city over a one-year period].

A one-year-study was carried out in the waste-water treatment plant of Plön (population equivalents 60,000), which has a mechanical and a biological purification and an additional chemical flocculation. Samples were taken at five different places in the plant and examined for Salmonella by use of membrane-filtration and MPN-method. 2,611 Salmonella-strains, representing 23 species, were isolated and serologically typed from samples taken at ten days. S. typhi-murium was found most frequently (Table 1, Fig. 1). The largest spectrum of different types was located in the activated sludge-basin and at the outlet of the chemical flocculation (Table 2). No correlation could be established between the qualitative findings and the Salmonella-counts or other parameter like temperatures. All the ten species that have been officially reported to cause salmonellosis in man were also isolated from the sewage (Table 5). Findings of other Salmonella-serotypes are attributed to unreported human infections and animals or other sources.

Germany, West↗
PubMed1986

[Various Salmonella serotypes isolated at a sewage purification plant in a large city over a one-year period].

The paper offers the results of a one-year-survey of Salmonella-serotypes in a municipal sewage-purification plant with a capacity of roughly 70,000 m3 per day. Findings of a quantitative study had shown Salmonella-maxima in the activated-sludge-basin. This suggested specialized Salmonella-serotypes, resident in this part of the plant as a possible explanation which was to be verified by this study. On ten days samples were taken from the inlet, and the outlet of the primary-sedimentation-tank, the outlet of the activated-sludge-basin and the effluent of the final sedimentation-basin. A combination of membrane-filtration and MPN-Method with a fifefold enrichment in 2.5% tetrathionate was applied for salmonella isolation. Plating was done on malachit-green-chinablue-lactose-agar followed by serological typing. 1,587 strains representing 38 different serotypes (Table 1) were identified with S. typhi-murium (Fig. 1) accounting for 36% of the isolations followed by S. bovis-morbificans, S. hadar (Fig. 2) and S. panama. None of the serotypes found showed a preference of a special sampling point. The qualitative and quantitative distribution of Salmonella in the plant seems to depend on the Salmonella contents of the entering waste water mainly. The greatest variety of Salmonella-serotypes was located in the activated-sludge-basin (Table 2) where oxygen-enrichment seems to result in the best ecological conditions for Salmonella survival. 3.3% of 722 strains examined did not produce hydrogen-sulphide (Table 3) and some showed damaged flagella-antigens. As a possible explanation toxic influences in the sewage are discussed. The epidemiological links between findings of Salmonella in sewage and in man of the same area are established and results differing in some aspects explained by the high rate of unknown infections. The existence of an autochthonous Salmonella-population in the sewage plant could not be proved.

Antigens, Bacterial↗
PubMed1986

[Quantitative studies of Salmonella in the sewage system of Kiel over a one-year period].

In the course of 1983 the contents of salmonellae was investigated as to quantity in the Kiel sewage water system by samples taken off-hand every fourteen days. Determining the numbers of salmonellae by mpn-method the canalisation of the west-side of Kiel fjord proved to be dominated by the abbatoir of Kiel-Wellsee. Additional evidence for that was given by the differing annual distribution of the numbers of salmonellae on the east-side of Kiel fjord. In total there was a remarkable reduction of salmonellae during the first and the fourth quarter of 1983 and a strong augmentation during summer. A reduction of salmonellae during the passage of the pump and pressure conduit-pipe, combining east- and west-side of Kiel fjord, could be seen.

Abattoirs↗
PubMed1986

[Various Salmonella serotypes in the sewage system of Kiel over a one-year period].

During one whole year (1983) Salmonella investigations were carried out in a total of 54 water samples taken from the sewage system of the town Kiel (FRG). Salmonella were present in 47 samples. 6181 strains were biochemically and serologically identified. The predominant serotypes isolated were S. typhi-murium, S. panama, S. schwarzengrund and S. hadar. A correlation could be demonstrated between salmonella found in sewage and registered human excreters.

Abattoirs↗
PubMed1986

[Hand, skin and mucous membrane disinfection in medical and dental practice].

Disinfection of hands, skin or mucous membranes or the mere cleansing of hands have different functions, which should be differentiated clearly. With different cleansing methods dirt will be removed, whereas disinfection methods will eliminate microbial contamination or reduce the resident skin flora. Cleansing of hands removes only a very limited amount of microorganisms and cannot replace disinfection. Skin has to be disinfected when the integrity of the body is harmed. Depending on the tasks which are to be performed, sometimes an immediate onset of action and not a long duration of effect can be desirable. In other cases it is just the prolonged action, even with slow onset, that is required. Furthermore a long-lasting effect can be useful, when recontamination takes place later on. Skin disinfectants can be applied by spraying or swabbing. There are only limited data known over disinfection of mucous membranes and till now there exist no suitable test-methods. Experimental studies have shown no really convincing results, even though sometimes a sufficient disinfection could be seen in clinical practice. This is partly due to the bacteriostatic effect. The problematical nature of recontamination of mucous membranes is naturally very serious, but the adhesion of disinfectants due to the special conditions on mucous membranes usually rather bad. Which procedures have to be applied in particular cases has to be decided after weighting the risks against each other.

Disinfection↗
PubMed1985

New methods for determining pre-operative and postoperative skin disinfection.

A comparison was made of the Thran pressurized spray gun and scrubbing with cotton swabs on the removal of organisms from the skin. Both methods showed similar results but sometimes considerable differences in counts were found on adjacent skin areas. The cotton swab method was used to compare the effect of 60 or 70% isopropanol and 10% povidone-iodine on the flora of the outer side of the upper arm over 24 h. With the exception of one test person, no significant difference was found between the disinfectants.

1-Propanol↗
PubMed1982

[Case report of the contamination of preserved blood with Klebsiella oxytoca and Serratia liquefaciens].

It will be reported on six transfusion reactions. In five cases the blood units - collected in glass containers - were contaminated with K. oxytoca serotype K 17. In addition K. oxytoca and also S. liquefaciens could be demonstrated in other not transfused blood bottles which originated from the same period of production. By means of the coincident evidence of the species in the pilot tubes as well as with regards to the sequence of operations during the withdrawal of blood and the use of glass containers, hygienic grievances were responsible for the microbial contamination of the transfusion bottles.

Aged↗
PubMed1981

[Nosocomial infective agents in a surgical intensive care unit. II. Occurrence of Staphylococcus aureus (author's transl)].

Over a period of 16 weeks we investigated nursing and medical staff, patients, their inanimate environment and air of surgical intensive care unit on the occurrence of Staphylococcus aureus. On this occasion Staph. aureus could be proved most frequently with the patients (11.0%). In the frequency of evidence the "aseptic" patients come to the fore with 13.1% followed by the "septic" (11.1%) and the "uncertain" patients (7.7%). From the inanimate environment of the "septic" patients Staph. aureus could be isolated in 7.4%, while the environment of the "uncertain" and "aseptic" patients showed nearly the same ratio (2.8, respectively 2.0%). In all the contamination of the inanimate environment is of secondary importance in comparison with the patient himself (5.6%). In only 5.0% of all cases Staph. aureus could be found in samples taken from the staff.

Air Microbiology↗