Department of Biotechnology, University of Johannesburg, 37 Nind Street, Doornfontein 2094, South Africa.
Published: May 2018
AI Article Synopsis
Article Abstract
Although many developing countries use harvested rainwater (HRW) for drinking and other household purposes, its quality is seldom monitored. Continuous assessment of the microbial quality of HRW would ensure the safety of users of such water. The current study investigated the prevalence of pathogenic strains and their antimicrobial resistance patterns in HRW tanks in the Eastern Cape, South Africa. Rainwater samples were collected weekly between June and September 2016 from 11 tanks in various areas of the province. Enumeration of was performed using the Colilert18/Quanti-Tray 2000 method. isolates were obtained and screened for their virulence potentials using polymerase chain reaction (PCR), and subsequently tested for antibiotic resistance using the disc-diffusion method against 11 antibiotics. The pathotype most detected was the neonatal meningitis (NMEC) ( 28%) while pathotype enteroaggregative (EAEC) was not detected. The highest resistance of the isolates was observed against Cephalothin (76%). All tested pathotypes were susceptible to Gentamicin, and 52% demonstrated multiple-antibiotic resistance (MAR). The results of the current study are of public health concern since the use of untreated harvested rainwater for potable purposes may pose a risk of transmission of pathogenic and antimicrobial-resistant
Access to urgent and emergency care in the UK decreased during COVID-19 lockdowns, but demand has risen since then, impacting a population of 1.1 million in eastern England.
During the lockdown, emergency department (ED) visits dropped by 10%, but increased by 7% post-lockdown, while ambulance arrivals decreased by 13% and other means increased by 17%.
Post-lockdown, ED waiting times have extended significantly, leading to delays in ambulances handing over patients, suggesting a need for improved patient flow and discharge processes in hospitals.
- This study analyzed a statewide ambulance database to define "frequent presenters" in mental health emergencies, aiming to settle the lack of consensus on what constitutes frequent use of emergency services.
- Results showed that frequent presenters (attending 5 to 39 times annually) are typically more likely to be female, deal with self-harm, face social disadvantages, and often require police involvement.
- Despite various definitions, the methods used to identify these frequent presenters were found to be unreliable over time, suggesting that future research should focus on dynamic and adaptable definitions.
Background: Children in out-of-home-care (OOHC) are a vulnerable population, typically with complex needs, however there is minimal research examining the behavioural presentations that lead to the increased use of acute emergency care by OOHC children.
Objective: This study aimed to describe differences in lifetime complexity factors identified during ambulance attendances between children with and without an identified history of OOHC. Further, this study aimed to describe whether having an identified history of being in OOHC was associated with increased utilisation of emergency care resources and increased likelihood of multiple ambulance attendances.
The chemical composition of spilt oils from events that took place on the north-eastern coast of Brazil in 2019 and 2022 was investigated to better understand their sources, and post-spill processes. Oils from both events originated from different sources, based on their fingerprints, hydrocarbons composition and specific biomarkers, such as the C23 tricyclic terpane and oleanane. Despite the differences, the source rocks share similarities in paleoenvironments and depositional conditions and both oils suffered little weathering, mainly due to evaporation and dissolution.
