Reducing the risk of transfusion-transmissible viral infection through blood donor selection: the Australian experience 2000 through 2006.

Background: Selection of voluntary donors who are at low risk of transfusion-transmissible viral infection (TTVI) is central in maintaining the safety of the blood supply. Evaluation of its effectiveness and the dynamics of the process may offer opportunities to further improve transfusion safety.

Study Design And Methods: The impact of donor selection on prevalence of TTVI was analyzed in all allogeneic donations in Australia between July 2000 and June 2006 by interviewing donors found to have a TTVI.

Abnormal phagocytic function in children under one year of age.

The action of white blood cells (WBC) against Proteus mirabilis was assayed in 22 children following meningitis or septicaemia and compared with that in control groups of: (1) adult volunteers, (2) children undergoing minor surgical procedures for non-infective conditions, and (3) children being investigated for suspected renal disease. WBC bacterial killing tests were normal in all 55 adult volunteers. Abnormal results were obtained in 11 of 22 (50%) children with meningitis or septicaemia, 10 of 21 (47.

The effectiveness of invitations from general practitioners in recruiting women to mammographic screening.

Objective: To evaluate the effectiveness of general practitioner patient lists as a means of recruiting women to mammography screening.

Design: This study constitutes the first part of a comparative study of two alternative recruitment strategies involving invitation of women identified from: (i) general practitioner lists; and (ii) the electoral roll.

Setting And Subjects: The subjects were women aged 50-64 listed as patients of the first three private practices that agreed to collaborate with the South Australian (SA) Breast X-Ray Service to recruit by this method.

Encephalomyelitis with seroconversion to Listeria monocytogenes.

A previously healthy girl recovered from a lymphocytic encephalomyelitis with brain stem involvement after antibiotic and steroid treatment. Cultures of blood and cerebrospinal fluid were negative, but she seroconverted to Listeria monocytogenes serotype 4. Antilisterial treatment should be considered in similar cases.

Vapor-Liquid Equilibrium of Carbon Dioxide With Isobutane and n-Butane: Modified Leung-Griffiths Correlation and Data Evaluation.

The Leung-Griffiths model as modified by Moldover and Rainwater is used to correlate high-pressure vapor-liquid equilibria of mixtures of carbon dioxide with -butane and isobutane. Model correlations are compared against 10 independent experimental sources for these mixtures. Agreement is generally very good and comparable to mutual experimental discrepancies.

Microbiology, chemotherapy and mortality of brain abscess in Newcastle-upon-Tyne between 1979 and 1988.

71 patients admitted to Newcastle Regional Neurosurgical Centre between 1979 and 1988 with a diagnosis of brain abscess are reviewed. The overall mortality was 9.9%, with an operative mortality of 7%.

Five days versus one day of penicillin as prophylaxis in elective neurosurgical operations.

Of 423 patients undergoing elective cranial and spinal operations, infections due to Staphylococcus aureus occurred in 3 of 217 (1.4%) receiving penicillin for 1 day, in none of 206 receiving penicillin for 5 days. There was no significant difference in rates of infection between the two groups receiving penicillin.

Focal infections of the central nervous system due to Propionibacterium acnes.

Propionibacterium acnes as the single cause of intracranial infections has rarely been described. We present four patients in whom the infection arose as a result of a breach of skin tegument, and postulate that P. acnes is an under-recognised pathogen.

Twelve-hourly dosage schedule for oral and intravenous metronidazole.

Paired samples of blood were examined from 48 patients undergoing major surgery who were receiving metronidazole at a 12-hourly dosage interval, as part of a regimen for prophylaxis or therapy. Twenty-five patients were given 400 mg metronidazole orally twice a day and 23 received 500 mg metronidazole iv twice daily. Assay of the samples demonstrated trough serum concentrations of metronidazole of 3-11 mg/l (mean 5.

Bacteriology of chronic otitis media with effusion.

Samples of middle ear effusions from 102 children with serous and mucoid otitis media were cultured for mycoplasmas and bacteria. No sample yielded mycoplasmas but bacteria were cultured from 48 (47 per cent). Organisms commonly regarded as pathogens were present in 25 samples (Haemophilus influenzae 17, Streptococcus pneumoniae four, other streptococci four).

Simple peroperative antimicrobial chemoprophylaxis in elective neurosurgical operations.

From August 1981 to February 1982 postoperative infections due to different strains of penicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus occurred in 20 of 467 patients (4.3%) undergoing elective cranial and spinal operations. These infections were not attributable to defects in procedures or the theatre environment, therefore chemoprophylaxis was instituted.

A hospital outbreak of antibiotic-resistant Streptococcus pneumoniae.

We report six patients colonised with a multiply resistant strain of Streptococcus pneumoniae.

Carbon dioxide laser irradiation of bacterial targets in vitro.

Agar targets seeded with Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus in roll tubes simulating the vaginal vault were irradiated with a CO2 laser at various power densities and durations. Viable bacteria were detected in the plume emissions in all instances. Staphylococcus aureus was found to be more resistant to the thermal effects of lasing than E.

Wise Anaerobic Work Station: an evaluation.

The Wise Anaerobic Work Station permitted the growth of type cultures of a range of fastidious obligate anaerobes. In the isolation of anaerobic bacteria from clinical specimens the performance equalled that of a standard anaerobic jar incubated for 48 hours, and gave results superior to those obtained when incubation of jar cultures was interrupted at 24 hours. The Wise Anaerobic Work Station was easy to use and provided comfortable working conditions; running largely on industrial nitrogen, it was more economic than anaerobic cabinets or jars using conventional gas mixtures.