Value of surveillance cultures in a bone marrow transplantation unit.

Because of the increased risk of infection with the associated diagnostic and therapeutic problems in bone marrow transplantation (BMT) patients, the usefulness of surveillance cultures (SC) at the BMT department of the National Institute of Haematology, Blood Transfusion, Transplantation and Immunology, Budapest, was reviewed. Between January 1992 and May 1995, 26 BMT operations were performed; 13 patients had 23 febrile espisodes. In 12 of these episodes infection was clinically documented; however, SC of these patients yielded bacteria identical with those in the blood culture in only two episodes (1 and 6 days before their blood cultures became positive, respectively).

[Botulism in infancy].

According to international references the publication ascertains the etiologic role of neurotoxin producing Clostridial spp., other than C. botulinum in Infant botulism.

Clinico-bacteriological examination of Betadine skin disinfectant fluid and liquid soap in hospitalized patients and hospital employees.

The effectivity of Betadine skin and mucosa disinfectant solution and Betadine hand disinfectant soap (MUNDIPHARMA A. G. and EGIS Pharmaceuticals has been examined in hospitalized patients and hospital employees.

Phage pattern and antibiotic resistance pattern of coagulase-negative staphylococci obtained from immunocompromised patients.

A total of 152 coagulase-negative staphylococcal strains were isolated from clinical samples of 14 patients hospitalized after bone-marrow transplantation in a specialized hospital ward in Hungary, during an 18-month period between 1987 and 1989. Two species, Staphylococcus epidermidis and Staphylococcus haemolyticus, predominated (each, 45%). Using Pulverer and co-workers' phage set for typing, 68% of the isolates were typable; 16 phage patterns were observed.

Differentiation of Listeria and Streptococcus strains.

Colonial morphology of non-beta haemolytic Listeria strains is frequently similar to that of non-haemolytic streptococci. Biochemical characteristics, motility, haemolysis on ox blood agar, growth on Clauberg, selective streptococcus (Si) and Mitis-Salivarius agar medium, CAMP test, serological behaviour of 16 Listeria strains were studied and the results were compared with the properties of Streptococcus strains. Microscopic morphology, motility and catalase activity are useful for distinguishing these strains.