Publications by authors named "Ira Heimler"
Article Synopsis
- Drug-resistant cases of shigellosis are rising, especially among men who have sex with men (MSM).
- A cluster of 9 patients with a specific strain of Shigella sonnei was found in Chicago from July to October 2022, mainly affecting MSM and festival-goers.
- It's important for sexual health services targeting MSM to include screenings and prevention strategies for shigellosis.
Ozonation is widely used in high-income countries for water disinfection in centralized treatment facilities. New microplasma technology has reduced the energy requirements for ozone generation dramatically, such that a 15-watt solar panel is sufficient to produce small quantities of ozone. This technology has not been used previously for point-of-use drinking water treatment.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: The United States Environmental Protection Agency has established methods for testing beach water using the rapid quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) method, as well as "beach action values" so that the results of such testing can be used to make same-day beach management decisions. Despite its numerous advantages over culture-based monitoring approaches, qPCR monitoring has yet to become widely used in the US or elsewhere. Considering qPCR results obtained on a given day as the best available measure of that day's water quality, we evaluated the frequency of correct vs.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFAntibiotic resistance patterns of group B streptococcal clinical isolates.
Infect Dis Obstet Gynecol
October 2004
Objectives: To determine the in vitro resistance of group B streptococcus (GBS) to 12 antibiotics. To determine if there has been any decrease in sensitivity to the penicillins or other antibiotics currently used for GBS chemoprophylaxis in pregnant women. Find suitable alternative antibiotics to penicillin.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFObjective: To identify alterations in the cytokine profile and microbial ecosystem of the vagina in association with cervical dysplasia.
Methods: Demographics, lifestyle variables and Papanicolau (Pap) smear results of subjects presenting to the same site for gynecologic complaints, obstetric visits or colposcopy were prospectively recorded. Vaginal smear for Gram stain, aerobic and anaerobic culture, pH, and wet mount and KOH examination for Trichomonas vaginalis, Gardnerella vaginalis and yeast organisms were performed.