Impact of hypochlorite-based disinfection on bacterial contamination of cystic fibrosis patients' home-nebulisers.

Nebulisers are a potential source of bacterial contamination in cystic fibrosis (CF) patients. The aims of the study were to survey patient practice regarding maintenance of home nebulisers and to assess the impact of standardised guidelines derived from a previous in-vitro study. In total, 42 CF patients were studied.

In vitro evaluation of efficacy of 5 methods of disinfection on mouthpieces and facemasks contaminated by strains of cystic fibrosis patients.

Introduction: Home-nebulizers are a potential source of bacterial infection of the respiratory tract in patients suffering from cystic fibrosis. Recommendations for disinfecting this equipment are often arbitrary and sometimes contradictory.

Objective: To assess in vitro the effectiveness of 5 methods of disinfecting this equipment.

Evaluation of chlorhexidine and silver-sulfadiazine impregnated central venous catheters for the prevention of bloodstream infection in leukaemic patients: a randomized controlled trial.

It has been suggested that central venous catheters impregnated with antiseptics such as chlohexidine and silver-sulfadiazine reduce the risk of catheter-related bacteraemia in intensive care patients. Patients suffering from haematologic malignancy treated by chemotherapy through a central venous catheter are at even greater risk of catheter-related bacteraemia. A prospective double-blind randomized controlled trial was performed in order to investigate the effectiveness of chlorhexidine and silver-sulfadiazine impregnated catheters (CH-SS) in these patients.

An outbreak of Ochrobactrum anthropi bacteraemia in five organ transplant patients.

Nosocomial bacteraemia caused by Ochrobactrum anthropi occurred over a 1-month period in five organ transplant recipients, four of whom were in the same renal and pancreatic transplant unit. Bacteraemia occurred with cyclosporin A, azathioprine and steroids, and with a rabbit anti-thymocyte globulin (RATG) during the induction phase. RATG appeared to be the only common factor among the five cases.

Legionella spp. in a hospital hot water system: effect of control measures.

Potential sources of Legionella spp. in a university hospital were investigated over 3 years in order to gain better understanding of the ecology and transmission of this organism to hospitalized patients. The survey highlighted the contamination of the hot water system with high concentrations of legionellas (up to 10(6) cfu 1(-1].