A Study On Unused And Expired Drug Disposal Practices : Knowledge And Behavioural Patterns Among The Rural Population

INTRODUCTION:Unused and expired drugs in the households constitute a dominating cause of environmental contamination with drugs and other health hazards in addition to Industrial waste of the pharmaceutical companies. There are no proper disposal mechanisms being followed in India even we do not have a legislation to follow and to make health care providers accountable. METHODOLOGY:Around 650 households were surveyed to know about their current practicing methods of drug disposal and also their knowledge on impact of improper drug disposal on health and environment. RESULTS:Our study shown that nearly 85% of the participants discarded leftover medications by throwing them in the Garbage, while 7% burned in open place and few Respondents 1-2% followed returned to Pharmacy/health facility/friends etc. CONCLUSIONS :There is an urgent need for creating awareness among the people regarding proper drug disposal mechanisms

Outbreak of Pseudomonas Oryzihabitans Pseudobacteremia Related to Contaminated Equipment in an Emergency Room of a Tertiary Hospital in Korea / 감염과화학요법

Pseudomonas oryzihabitans is frequently found in various sites within hospital settings, including sink drains and respiratory therapy equipment. Although it rarely causes human infections, P. oryzihabitans has recently been considered a potential nosocomial pathogen, especially in immunocompromised hosts. We report our experience of an outbreak of P. oryzihabitans pseudobacteremia, presumably due to faulty aseptic preparation of a saline gauze canister.

Nutrients behavior from the association pig slurry and chemical fertilizers on soybean crop

This study aimed at evaluating the effects of pig slurry application with mineral fertilizer on ions leaching from the soil in soybean crop. The experiment was carried out in 24 drainage lysimeters under protection. The soybean cultivar CD 202/COODETEC was sown in a soil that received 0, 100, 200 and 300 m³ha-1of pig slurry in one cycle, with or without mineral fertilizer. There were three samplings of soil throughout the trial to determine the pH, N, NO3-, K+, Ca2+, Mg2+, Na+, Cu+2, Zn+2, OM, CEC, EC and SAR six times during the crop cycle. The yield was determined in the plants. In soil, pig slurry increased the concentrations of pH, NO3-, K+, Zn+2, OM and CEC, while mineral fertilizer increased P and Zn+2concentrations. The limits observed for the leachate parameters did not present environmental problems according to the Brazilian legislation, but in the intermediate and long term, there special attention should be given to NO3-, P, Na+, EC and SAR. Soybean yield was higher with mineral fertilizer and increased with pig slurry application.

Contamination of public parks in Presidente Prudente (São Paulo, Brazil) by Toxocara spp. eggs / Contaminação de praças públicas de Presidente Prudente, São Paulo, Brasil, por ovos de Toxocara spp

This study aims to evaluate soil contamination by Toxocara spp. eggs in public parks in Presidente Prudente, São Paulo, Brazil. Soil samples (500 g) were collected every month over a 12-month period, from 25 parks in different parts of the city (northern, southern, eastern, western and central areas). Two 10-g aliquots of the material collected from each park were subjected to the centrifuge-flotation method to recover Toxocara spp. eggs. Twenty-four out of the 25 squares studied (96.0%) were contaminated and the number of eggs recovered ranged from 1 to 398 per sample. Eggs were recovered all over the year. Despite the number being greater in autumn (p < 0.001), there was no correlation between number egg number and average monthly temperature (r = -0.492; p = 0.148) or between egg number and monthly rainfall (r = -0.299; p = 0.402). Park localization does not influence egg presence (p = 0.7116). Because of the high level of contamination of the parks by Toxocara spp. eggs, prevention of contamination of public areas by larva migrans agents is indicated.

O objetivo do estudo foi avaliar a contaminação do solo de praças públicas por ovos de Toxocara spp. em Presidente Prudente, São Paulo. Amostras de solo (500 g) foram coletadas mensalmente, durante um período de 12 meses, de 25 praças de cinco diferentes setores da cidade (norte, sul, leste, oeste e central). Duas alíquotas de 10 g do material coletado foram submetidas ao método de centrífugo-flutuação (sulfato de zinco; d = 1.200 g/cm3), para recuperação dos ovos. Das 25 praças estudadas, 24 (96,0%) estavam contaminadas e o número variou de 1 a 398 ovos por amostra analisada. A recuperação foi verificada durante todos os meses do ano, sendo maior no outono (p < 0,001). Entretanto, não houve correlação entre o número de ovos e a temperatura média (r = -0,492; p = 0,148) e a precipitação pluviométrica (r = -0,299; p = 0,402) mensal. Não houve influência da localização dos parques sobre a quantidade de ovos (p = 0,7116). Devido ao alto nível de contaminação de parques públicos por ovos de Toxocara spp., a prevenção da contaminação de áreas públicas pelos agentes de larva migrans é indicada.

Barreira microbiana das máscaras cirúrgicas descartáveis segundo o seu tempo de utilização / Microbial barrier of disposable masks in relation to their usage time

A prática da utilização de máscaras cirúrgicas durante a realização dos procedimentos cirúrgicos, como uma medida de prevenção da infecção do sítio cirúrgico (ISC), vem sendo questionada nos últimos tempos. Com o intuito de produzir evidências científicas, foi desenvolvida a presente investigação, com delineamento experimental, controlado, que teve como objetivo avaliar a eficácia da barreira microbiana das máscaras cirúrgicas descartáveis (Eficácia de Filtração Bacteriana - BFE- de 95%), segundo o seu tempo de utilização (1 hora, 2 horas, 4 horas e 6 horas). Os dados foram coletados em uma sala de operação de uma unidade de centro cirúrgico de um hospital privado do município de São Paulo cuja estrutura física atende às recomendações atuais propostas pelo Ministério da Saúde (RDC-50 - MS/2002). Para os experimentos, constituíram-se 2 grupos denominados controle e experimental. O primeiro sem utilização de máscaras cirúrgicas e o segundo com elas. A fim de reproduzir as conversações que normalmente ocorrem entre a equipe cirúrgica durante o ato operatório, uma variável que interfere no período de validade das máscaras cirúrgicas descartáveis, manteve-se o controle de palavras emitidas pelos colaboradores da coleta de dados, nos dois grupos, em todos os tempos estudados. Para controlar a influência do ambiente, foram mantidas placas de Petri no ambiente de sala de operações, próximas à entrada do ar condicionado. Realizou-se a contagem das Unidades Formadoras de Colônia (UFC) das unidades de análise das simulações em ambos os grupos, nos intervalos de tempo pré-estabelecidos (1, 2, 4 e 6 horas), por meio das placas de Petri com meio de cultura (Agar Triptona Soja -ATS) dispostas sobre a mesa cirúrgica. Foram identificados os microrganismos mais freqüentes encontrados nas simulações. Os dados foram submetidos à análise estatística e os resultados mostraram que a utilização da máscara cirúrgica diminuiu ) diminuiu (coeficiente de regressão = -20,10) a média de UFC das placas da mesa cirúrgica que simulou o campo operatório, em todos os tempos testados. Verificou-se que a sua utilização além de 2 horas aumentou a contaminação das placas da mesa cirúrgica. Nas análises estatísticas foram consideradas as interferências da contaminação ambiental e constatou-se que existiu uma correlação positiva alta (coeficiente de correlação = 0,886) entre as médias de UFC da mesa cirúrgica e do ambiente, estatisticamente significante (P< 0,001). Concluiu-se que as máscaras cirúrgicas descartáveis (BFE 95%) demonstraram constituir barreiras microbianas eficazes em todos os tempos estudados, diminuindo sua eficácia de filtração após 2 horas de sua utilização

The practice of the use of surgical masks during surgical procedures as a preventive measure against Infection of the Surgical Site (ISS) has been questioned lately. With the aim of producing scientific evidence, the present investigation was developed - with an experimental controlled basis - in order to evaluate the effectiveness of microbial barriers of disposable surgical masks (Bacterial Filtration Effectiveness - BFE - 95%) in relation to their usage time (one, two, four and six hours). Data were collected inside an operating room of the operation theatre unit of a private hospital in the city of São Paulo, whose physical structure meets the recommendations currently proposed by the Health Ministry (RDC - 50 - MS/2002). Two groups were formed for the carrying out of these experiments, respectively denominated control group and experimental group: in the first group no surgical masks were used; in the second surgical masks were used. In order to reproduce conversations that usually take place among the surgical team members during surgeries - a variable which interferes in the validity period of disposable surgical masks - control was kept of words uttered by those collaborating in the gathering of the data, in the two groups, for all the times studied. In order to control the influence of the environment, Petri dishes were maintained in the operating room environment, close to the air conditioning inlets. A count was taken of the Colony Forming Units (CFU) of the units of simulation analysis in both groups, at pre-established time intervals (1,2,4 and 6 hours), through Petri dishes with culture medium (Agar Trypton Soybean - ATS) placed on the surgical table. Identification was made of the most frequent micro organisms found in the simulations; these data were submitted to statistical analysis and the results demonstrated that the use of surgical masks decreased (regression coefficient = -20,10) the the average count of CFU in the Petri dishes placed on the surgical table which simulated the surgical field in all of the times tested. It was verified that their use beyond 2 hours increased contamination of the dishes placed on the surgical table. In the statistical analyses, the interferences of milieu contamination were considered and it was found that there was a high positive correlation (correlation coefficient = 0,886) between the average count of CFU in the surgical table and in the environment, which was statistically significant (P<0,001). The final conclusion was that disposable surgical masks (BFE 95%) proved to be effective microbial barriers in all of the times studied. Their BFE decreased after two hours of use

Disposable Over-shoes Using for Nosocomial Infection Control in Intensive Care Unit / 中华医院感染学杂志

OBJECTIVE To analyze the effect of the disposable over-shoes for the control of nosocomial infection of the intensive care units(ICU). METHODS The effects of the disposable over-shoes for the environment contamination and nosocomial infection control of the surgical ICU were investigated. RESULTS The mean of air bacteria colony counts when disposable over-shoes were worn was lower than that when without their use by healthcare workers (P0.05). The rates of nosocomial infection beteen them were 21.5‰ and 17.1‰,respectively. CONCLUSIONS The use of disposable over-shoes can't improve the environment quality and is not benefit for the control of nosocomial infection of surgical ICU.