Insecticide susceptibility of cat flea (Siphonaptera: Pulicidae) pupae.

Studies were conducted to investigate what protective nature the cocoon and nylon carpeting has against the performance of insecticides directed at cat flea, Ctenocephalides felis (Bouché), pupae developing in carpet. The following 5 combinations of life stages and substrates were used in these tests were: (1) larvae that pupated in carpet, (2) cocoons placed in carpet, (3) naked pupae placed in carpet, (4) cocoons placed on filter paper, and (5) naked pupae placed on filter paper. These studies evaluated the performance of chlorpyrifos, microencapsulated chlorpyrifos, propetamphos, permethrin, and linalool.

Mycobacterium marinum infection of the finger.

A case of Mycobacterium marinum infection of a finger is described. This is a rare condition in the UK. The relevant literature is reviewed.

Prevalence of Bartonella henselae antibodies in pet cats throughout regions of North America.

Cat exposure has been directly associated with the development of human Bartonella henselae infections, resulting in cat-scratch disease, bacillary angiomatosis, or bacteremia. The prevalence of serum antibody titers to B. henselae was determined for selected pet cats from 33 geographic locations throughout the United States and several areas in western Canada.

Clinic referral for oppositional defiant disorder: relative significance of attachment and behavioral variables.

Attachment classifications have been found to distinguish clinic-referred, oppositional preschool boys from controls, but there has been no previous effort to examine the relative contribution of attachment when behaviors from a social learning perspective are also considered. The present study examined the contribution of attachment and behavioral variables to the prediction of clinic referral for oppositional defiant disorder in a sample of preschool boys. We hypothesized that the attachment measures would offer better discrimination of clinic and control group boys at this age.

Asymptomatic foodhandlers as the source of nosocomial salmonellosis.

A nosocomial outbreak of salmonellosis affected 22 patients and seven staff on 14 wards in two hospitals with shared catering facilities. The outbreak was characterized by a low level intermittent infection with Salmonella enteritidis phage type 4 over a 19-day period. The epidemiology did not suggest a common source for the outbreak and there was little evidence for person-to-person spread.

Techniques for estimating on-animal populations of Ctenocephalides felis (Siphonaptera: Pulicidae).

Effectiveness of two sampling techniques to estimate cat flea populations were compared on beagles (short-haired dogs). Overall, 23.5 and 81.

Vaccination against the cat flea Ctenocephalides felis felis.

Non-chemical control of haematophagous parasites is a desirable goal. We report here on the use of concealed antigens from the major digestive organ of the cat-flea as vaccine components. Rabbits were immunized with various antigens from cat flea midguts, and immunoglobulin from these rabbits was fed to cat fleas in an artificial feeding system.

Detection of Chlamydia trachomatis in general practice urine samples.

Background: Chlamydia trachomatis is frequently overlooked as a cause of dysuria and urinary frequency in general practice patients.

Aim: This study set out to determine the impact of performing chlamydial antigen detection on sterile pyuria samples from patients aged 16-65 years and which were submitted to a hospital microbiology laboratory by general practitioners in the Winchester health district for routine microbiological investigations.

Method: Chlamydial antigen detection was performed by enzyme immunoassay and direct immunofluorescence.

Cat flea (Siphonaptera: Pulicidae) cocoon formation and development of naked flea pupae.

The rate of cat flea, Ctenocephalides felis (Bouché), pupal development and the stimuli responsible for successful cocoon formation were investigated by rearing flea pupae without an enclosing cocoon. Female larvae pupated an average 12.1 h earlier than males, and female pupae developed to the adult stage an average 1.

The cat flea: biology, ecology and control.

Control failures and recurrences of infestation of dogs, cats and their home environment with the cat flea, Ctenocephalides felis felis are common. Attempts to control these infestations are often impaired by an inadequate understanding of the interaction of the cat flea with its hosts and environment. This review presents information on the medical and veterinary importance of the cat flea and discusses recent information on the environmental and host factors that affect its development and survival.

RAPD typing of clinical isolates of Staphylococcus haemolyticus.

The randomly amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) assay was used to generate DNA fingerprints from clinical isolates of Staphylococcus haemolyticus isolated from patients treated with continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis and previously subjected to a combination of typing methods. The RAPD profiles generated with one of six randomly designed 10-mer primers allowed visual discrimination of strains. Good correlation with the original typing scheme was achieved but RAPD typing allowed discrimination of strains previously indistinguishable.

RAPD typing of clinical isolates of Staphylococcus haemolyticus.

The randomly amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) assay was used to generate DNA fingerprints from clinical isolates of Staphylococcus haemolyticus isolated from patients treated with continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis and previously subjected to a combination of typing methods. The RAPD profiles generated with one of six randomly designed 10-mer primers allowed visual discrimination of strains. Good correlation with the original typing scheme was achieved but RAPD typing allowed discrimination of strains previously indistinguishable.

Severe flea infestation in dairy calves.

An investigation was conducted of a severe flea infestation in Holstein dairy calves. Inspection of the dairy revealed hundreds of cat fleas, Ctenocephalides felis, on 23 calves, and thousands of fleas in the barn where the calves were housed. During the investigation, > 92,000 fleas were collected from the barn.

Development of a trap for collecting newly emerged Ctenocephalides felis (Siphonaptera: Pulicidae) in homes.

The visible light spectra most attractive to cat fleas, Ctenocephalides felis (Bouché), were determined. A green-yellow filter with a transmittance spectrum centered at 515-nm and a 82.5-nm half-height width attracted significantly more fleas than any other filter or white light.

Serological response to coagulase-negative staphylococci in patients with peritonitis on continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis.

Sera and dialysis effluent from 20 patients on continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD) with coagulase-negative staphylococcal (CNS) peritonitis were examined by immunoblotting for antibody activity against CNS. Immunoblotting was highly sensitive and demonstrated significantly greater antibody activity in serum and dialysate of infected patients compared with that of uninfected CAPD patients or healthy volunteers. Fourteen of 20 infected CAPD patients had strong antibody activity (> 7 bands); one patient had equivocal activity.

Identification of a nasal nematode (Eucoleus boehmi) in greyhounds.

Eggs of Eucoleus boehmi were recovered from the faeces of greyhounds from three breeding farms and four racetrack kennels and from those of four greyhounds submitted for necropsy. Diagnosis was dependent on differentiation of the eggs of E. boehmi, E.

Evaluation of methods for typing coagulase-negative staphylococci.

One hundred and forty-two coagulase-negative staphylococci (CNS) isolated from dialysate effluent or skin of patients receiving continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD) were typed by extended antibiogram (16 antibiotics) and biotype (26 reactions). These isolates were then typed by supplementary methods to determine the most suitable typing method for an epidemiological study of antibiotic resistance. These included phage typing, reverse phage typing, plasmid typing, whole-cell protein typing by SDS-PAGE with analysis by densitometry, and immunoblotting.

The epidemiology of ciprofloxacin resistance in coagulase-negative staphylococci in CAPD patients.

Ciprofloxacin was used as empirical therapy for peritonitis in patients receiving continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD) for 26 months, providing an opportunity to study the epidemiology of ciprofloxacin resistance amongst coagulase-negative staphylococci (CNS). Swabs were collected from the CAPD patients, staff, and clinic environment before, during and after the time this antibiotic was prescribed. Clinical isolates were also studied, and records kept of patient hospital attendance.

Differential activity of cythioate against female and male Ctenocephalides felis on cats.

A study was conducted to determine whether cythioate, a systemically active insecticide, has different activity against male and female Ctenocephalides felis, the cat flea. Eighteen cats were allotted equally to 1 control and 2 treatment groups and infested on day 0 with fixed ratios of male and female cat fleas. Cats in the untreated control group and treatment group 2 were infested with 50 fleas with a female-to-male ratio of approximately 2:1.

Controlled trial of a Y-set dialysis delivery system to prevent peritonitis in patients receiving continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis.

Peritonitis rates were compared in patients receiving continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD) via either a Y-set dialysate delivery system or a standard system. Forty patients in each arm of the trial were matched for age (range 20-67 years, mean 49 years), and remained in the study for similar periods (range 3-36 months, mean 14.1 months).

Infective complications associated with the use of the Quinton 'Permcath' for long-term central vascular access in haemodialysis.

The major complication of central venous catheterization for immediate access for haemodialysis is infection. The Quinton Permcath is a tunnelled, double lumen, flexible silastic catheter with a Dacron cuff, and is claimed to be associated with a low rate of infection. In a two-year study we have monitored all complications including catheter-associated infection related to this device in haemodialysis patients while following a simple aseptic programme for the care of the catheter exit wound.