Immersive virtual reality and psychological well-being in adult chronic physical illness: systematic review.

Introduction: Individuals with chronic physical illness are at increased risk of negative psychological sequelae. Immersive virtual reality (VR) is an emerging treatment that might reduce these negative effects and increase quality of life in individuals with chronic physical illness.

Objective: To systematically review literature examining the use of immersive VR in adult populations with chronic physical illness to understand: (1) how immersive VR is used to improve psychological well-being of adults with chronic physical illness (2) what effect this immersive VR has on the psychological well-being of adults with chronic physical illness.

Garlic revisited: antimicrobial activity of allicin-containing garlic extracts against Burkholderia cepacia complex.

The antimicrobial activities of garlic and other plant alliums are primarily based on allicin, a thiosulphinate present in crushed garlic bulbs. We set out to determine if pure allicin and aqueous garlic extracts (AGE) exhibit antimicrobial properties against the Burkholderia cepacia complex (Bcc), the major bacterial phytopathogen for alliums and an intrinsically multiresistant and life-threatening human pathogen. We prepared an AGE from commercial garlic bulbs and used HPLC to quantify the amount of allicin therein using an aqueous allicin standard (AAS).

Pseudomonas aeruginosa bacteraemia in an adult with cystic fibrosis and acute appendicitis.

Despite their high bacterial load, bacteraemia is rare in patients with cystic fibrosis (CF). We report an adult with CF who developed Pseudomonas aeruginosa bacteraemia during an episode of acute appendicitis. The Pseudomonas aeruginosa isolated from the blood culture was confirmed by molecular typing to be the same transmissible strain responsible for the patient's chronic pulmonary infection.

A randomized controlled trial of nebulized gentamicin in non-cystic fibrosis bronchiectasis.

Rationale: Bronchiectasis is a chronic debilitating disease with few evidence-based long-term treatments.

Objectives: A randomized controlled trial assessing the efficacy of nebulized gentamicin therapy over 1 year in patients with non-cystic fibrosis bronchiectasis.

Methods: Sixty-five patients were randomized to either twice-daily nebulized gentamicin, 80 mg, or nebulized 0.

Do processing time and storage of sputum influence quantitative bacteriology in bronchiectasis?

This study aimed to establish whether the bacterial density of spontaneous sputum is affected by the time and mode of sample storage. Ten patients with bronchiectasis collected all sputum expectorated over 45 min. The samples were aliquoted and processed at 25 degrees C for qualitative and quantitative bacteriology at 1, 2, 4 and 6 h from expectoration.

The changing epidemiology of Burkholderia species infection at an adult cystic fibrosis centre.

Background: This study reviews the impact of changing infection control practices at the Manchester Adult Cystic Fibrosis Centre (MACFC) upon the epidemiology of Burkholderia species infections.

Methods: We reviewed strain and genomovar typing of all available Burkholderia isolates at our centre between 1983-2006.

Results: The incidence/prevalence of infection with Burkholderia species between 1983-1990 was below 5%/9% each year.

Hypermutability in environmental Pseudomonas aeruginosa and in populations causing pulmonary infection in individuals with cystic fibrosis.

Pseudomonas aeruginosa is the pathogen most commonly associated with morbidity and mortality in cystic fibrosis (CF) patients. The host-pathogen interactions responsible for progressive CF lung diseases are complex. However, there is growing interest in the role of hypermutable P.

Prospective surveillance for Pseudomonas aeruginosa cross-infection at a cystic fibrosis center.

We have performed a 4-year prospective surveillance for Pseudomonas aeruginosa cross-infection at a large regional adult cystic fibrosis center. Despite purpose-built facilities in a new building and the practice of strict hygiene, P. aeruginosa cross-infection has continued.