Risk factors for donor cornea contamination: retrospective analysis of 4546 procured corneas in a single eye bank.

Purpose: Microbiological contamination is a common cause for elimination of organ-cultured donor corneas. The aims of the present study were to analyze contamination rates and identify risk factors for contamination.

Methods: Retrospectively, the contamination rates of 4546 organ-cultured corneas and the causative species were studied.

Epidemic keratoconjunctivitis: the current situation and recommendations for prevention and treatment.

Background: Epidemic keratoconjunctivitis (EKC) is a highly contagious infection of the ocular surface. 316 cases were diagnosed in Germany in the first 8 months of 2010, corresponding to a 300% increase above the typical figures for recent years. This outbreak motivates us to present the current recommendations concerning EKC.

Influence of rub-in technique on required application time and hand coverage in hygienic hand disinfection.

Background: Recent data indicate that full efficacy of a hand rub preparation for hygienic hand disinfection can be achieved within 15 seconds (s). However, the efficacy test used for the European Norm (EN) 1500 samples only the fingertips. Therefore, we investigated hand coverage using sixteen different application variations.

Effective protection of allogeneic stem cell recipients against Aspergillosis by HEPA air filtration during a period of construction--a prospective survey.

High incidence of aspergillosis on transplant units or hematological wards without HEPA air conditioning during periods of demolishing or construction has been reported by several investigators. Here we report monitoring of fungal air contamination during a period of construction on a stem cell transplantation ward using the gravity air-setting plate (GASP) method. Fungal air contamination in HEPA-conditioned patient rooms was constantly low, independent from construction activity.

Alcoholic ingredients in skin disinfectants increase biofilm expression of Staphylococcus epidermidis.

The pathogenesis of Staphylococcus epidermidis is correlated with biofilm formation. We investigated the effect of three common alcoholic skin disinfectants, ethanol, n-propanol and isopropanol, on the biofilm formation of 37 clinical, icaADBC-positive S. epidermidis isolates.

In vitro evaluation of the antibacterial activity of beta-triketones admixed to Melaleuca oils.

The in vitro antibacterial properties of mixtures of Australian tea tree oil and niaouli oil after adding the beta-triketone complex isolated from manuka oil were tested. MIC and MBC values for four different bacteria were determined applying the broth dilution method. Both Melaleuca oil mixtures showed good antimicrobial effects against Staphylococcus aureus and Moraxella catarrhalis, exceeding the effectiveness of myrtol, which is well established in the treatment of acute and chronic bronchitis and sinusitis.

Synthesis and antibacterial activity of 5- and 6-hydroxy substituted 4-aminoquinolines and derivatives.

The synthesis and antimicrobial activity of 4-amino-8-methylquinolines 8, 11 substituted with a hydroxy- or methoxy-group at 5- and at 6-position have been investigated. The title compounds could be prepared by a six-step procedure according to the literature starting from commercially available anilines 1. The novel 4-aminoquinolines 8,11 exhibited slight antibacterial activity against Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria.

Nosocomial outbreak of vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus faecium at a German university pediatric hospital.

Nosocomial Infections caused by vancomycin-resistant enterococci (VRE) are an emerging threat to critically ill patients. At the University Hospital Eppendorf, VRE were isolated from 38 patients between August 1993 and April 1997, of whom 32 were hospitalized at the Department of Pediatrics. Pulsed-field gel electrophoresis revealed that 26 Enterococcus faecium isolates from patients of the Department of Pediatrics were identical or closely related, and that isolates from three additional patients of the same department were possibly related.

A comparative study of the in vitro antimicrobial activity of tea tree oils s.l. with special reference to the activity of beta-triketones.

The in vitro antibacterial and antifungal activities of Australian tea tree oil, cajuput oil, niaouli oil, kanuka oil and manuka oil as well as of a beta-triketone complex isolated from manuka oil were investigated in a constituent-oriented study. The compositions of the oils were analysed by capillary GLC and GLC-MS. The MICs for sixteen different microorganisms were determined applying the broth dilution method.

Pulsed-field gel electrophoresis for the analysis of Listeria monocytogenes infection clusters after kidney transplantation.

Listeria monocytogenes causes a rare, life-threatening infection in recipients of transplanted organs. We used cultures of blood and cerebrospinal fluid to characterize isolates and to distinguish cases in clusters from what might have been sporadic cases. From December 1994 to November 1995, six systemic L.

In vitro susceptibilities of enterococcal blood culture isolates from the Hamburg area to ten antibiotics.

Treatment of enterococcal infections is often difficult because of intrinsic and acquired resistance to a variety of antimicrobial agents. Between January 1993 and May 1997, enterococci were isolated from blood cultures of 117 patients at the Institute of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, University Hospital Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany. Eightynine (76%) isolates were phenotypically identified as Enterococcus faecalis, and 24 (21%) as Enterococcus faecium.

Association of qacE and qacEDelta1 with multiple resistance to antibiotics and antiseptics in clinical isolates of Gram-negative bacteria.

Clinical isolates of Enterobacter cloacae, Citrobacter freundii, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Stenotrophomonas maltophilia were tested for resistance to antibiotics and to the antiseptics benzalkonium chloride and cetyltrimethylammonium bromide. Furthermore, they were examined for the presence of the resistance genes qacE and qacEDelta1. qacEDelta1 was detected by PCR in 10% of all (n=103) and in 81% of multiply antibiotic-resistant strains (n=15).

Early infections in patients undergoing bone marrow or blood stem cell transplantation--a 7 year single centre investigation of 409 cases.

Infections are a major cause of morbidity and mortality in patients undergoing high-dose therapy and subsequent autologous or allogeneic haemopoietic stem cell transplantation, despite the change from topical to systemic anti-infection prophylaxis and the introduction of growth factors and new antimicrobial drugs. We report our single centre experience with data from 409 patients treated at our unit from its opening in 1990 until May 1997. Three hundred and seventy-eight patients were transplanted for the first time, 12 patients were retransplanted or boosted and 19 patients were readmitted for miscellaneous reasons.

Nosocomial infections by Listeria monocytogenes: analysis of a cluster of septicemias in immunocompromised patients.

From December 1994 to November 1995 an unusual accumulation of Listeria infections occurred at the University Hospital Hamburg-Eppendorf, Germany. Eleven immunosuppressed patients from different departments developed septicemia due to Listeria monocytogenes during hospitalization. In a retrospective study, serotyping and pulsed-field gel electrophoresis revealed that six isolates were identical or genetically related.

Fatal pulmonary hemorrhage in patients with acute leukemia and fulminant pneumonia caused by Stenotrophomonas maltophilia.

Pulmonary hemorrhage is a rare cause of death in patients with acute leukemia. Within a 3-month period we observed three such cases, all of which were associated with the gram-negative opportunistic pathogen Stenotrophomonas maltophilia. Since fatal lung bleeding had previously not been observed in conjunction with this organism, we collected the data from all patients with documented S.

Recurrent septicemias with Enterococcus faecium.

A 17-year-old male patient with extrahepatic biliary atresia underwent an orthotopic liver transplantation in September 1994. In blood cultures drawn in November and (6 weeks later) December 1994, from bile secretions in May 1995, stool in June 1995 an wound abscess in August 1995, ampicillin-resistant Enterococcus faecium was isolated. Pulsed-field gel electrophoresis demonstrated the clonal identity of the isolates.

Plasmid-mediated formaldehyde resistance in Escherichia coli: characterization of resistance gene.

The formaldehyde resistance mechanisms in the formaldehyde-resistant strain Escherichia coli VU3695 were investigated. A large (4.6-kb) plasmid DNA fragment encompassing the formaldehyde resistance gene was sequenced.

[Epidemiology and reasons for microbial resistance to biocides].

In the last years the significance of microbial resistance to biocides like toxic heavy metal ions, aldehydes, phenoles, and cationic surface active agents has increased. However the genetical and functional mechanisms of the resistance to most of these compounds are still unknown. Till now it was possible to demonstrate a plasmid resistance in only some bacterial strains which were resistant to heavy metal ions, hexachlorophene, formaldehyde, benzalkoniumchloride, and chlorhexidine.

Formaldehyde-resistance in Enterobacteriaceae and Pseudomonas aeruginosa: identification of resistance genes by DNA-hybridization.

A 4.1. Kb large DNA fragment of a E.

Demonstration of formaldehyde dehydrogenase activity in formaldehyde-resistant Enterobacteriaceae.

Clinical isolates of different Enterobacteriaceae strains and genetically modified variants which were resistant to the disinfectant formaldehyde were investigated. In cell-free extracts of all formaldehyde-resistant strains a glutathione-dependent formaldehyde dehydrogenase activity was demonstrated. In contrast cell extracts from formaldehyde sensitive strains did not show any formaldehyde dehydrogenase activity.

Plasmid-mediated formaldehyde resistance in Serratia marcescens and Escherichia coli: alterations in the cell surface.

The plasmid-mediated formaldehyde resistance of Serratia marcescens and Escherichia coli was examined. For that purpose the outer membranes of isogenic strains (with and without resistance plasmid) were compared. No quantitative or immunological differences in lipopolysaccharide of resistant and sensitive strains were noted.

[Recurring meningitis caused by Streptococcus pneumoniae during preventive penicillin therapy].

It is generally accepted, that Streptococcus pneumoniae is very sensitive to penicillin G; minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) is normally about less than = 0.01 microgram/ml. Some years ago strains relatively resistant to penicillin (MIC 0.

[Transmissible formaldehyde resistance in Serratia marcescens].

It was possible to isolate a strain of Serratia marcescens from fresh clinical bacterial isolates which was 4-6 times more resistant against formaldehyde than other strains. It was shown that the strain harbours two plasmids with molecular sizes of 58- and 90 Mdal. It was demonstrated by conjugation-, transformation- and plasmid-curing experiments that the formaldehyderesistance is plasmid mediated and transferable to E.

Origin of Haemophilus influenzae R factors.

The Haemophilus influenzae R plasmids specifying resistance against one, two, or three antibiotics which have emerged in different parts of the world were shown to have closely related but not identical plasmid cores. The gene for ampicillin resistance in the H. influenzae plasmid pKRE5367 is part of a transposon similar to Tn3, which was transposed from pKRE5367 onto RSF1010 in Escherichia coli.

Molecular nature of two Haemophilus influenzae R factors containing resistances and the multiple integration of drug resistance transposons.

The 36-megadalton Haemophilus influenzae R plasmid pHK539 was found to specify resistance to tetracycline (Tc) and ampicillin (Ap). It was shown by molecular hybridization studies and by electron microscopy that the plasmid pHK539 contained the tetracycline translocation deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA)segment (TnTc) as well as the ampicillin translocation segment (TnAp). The TnAp was integrated in the stem of TnTc.