The use of diagnostic ultrasound in evaluation of the abdomen in primates with emphasis on the rhesus monkey (Macaca mulatta).

To characterize the sonographic appearance of the abdominal organs in primates, a program of routine imaging and diagnostic evaluation was undertaken. Compound B-mode methodology with bistable and grey scale machines was employed utilizing a 2.25- to 3.5-MHZ transducer focused at 7 cm. Visualization of the liver, gallbladder, spleen, kidney and of intraabdominal pathology are described. The stage, position, and condition of a pregnancy can be determined by this methodology.

The use of Ringer's lactate in the treatment of children with cholera and acute noncholera diarrhoea.

Two regimens of fluid and electrolyte therapy were studied in children with severe cholera and noncholera diarrhoea. In one, lactated Ringer's solution was the sole intravenous fluid, additional water, glucose, and potassium being given by mouth. In the other, three different intravenous solutions were employed to meet all fluid and electrolyte requirements. The response to therapy was satisfactory with each regimen. Because of prolonged stupor or vomiting about 15% of children treated by the first regimen were unable to ingest a sufficient quantity of glucose solution by mouth, and intravenous supplementation with a hypotonic glucose-saline solution was necessary. It is concluded that lactated Ringer's solution is suitable as the sole intravenous solution for children with acute cholera and noncholera diarrhoea provided oral supplementation, as described, is possible. The study also provides useful observations on the means of evaluating fluid requirements in such children and specific guidelines for such therapy.

Comparison of Fluorescent Antibody with Cultural Technique for Isolation of Enteropathogenic Escherichia coli from Swine.

In an investigation of hogs as possible reservoirs of human strains of enteropathogenic Escherichia coli (EEC), 92 six-month-old grain- and garbage-fed hogs were examined on the farm and again at the packing plant. Of the 331 specimens obtained by swabbing the rectum, cecum, and edible meat carcass of these hogs, 125 were presumptively positive for EEC when screened by the fluorescent-antibody (FA) technique. These "presumptive positive" specimens then underwent extensive bacteriological examination and complete serological typing. The FA technique proved to be an easier, simpler, and more economical procedure than culture when a large number of specimens were examined for possible EEC serogroups. It was found especially valuable for identification of multiple serogroups of EEC within a single specimen. It also appeared to be more sensitive than cultural examination, since results were not dependent on the presence of large numbers of organisms in the specimen, or even on their viability. However, the FA technique was found to be less specific than culture because of cross-reactivity with antigenically related Enterobacteriaceae when fluorescein-labeled antisera were used. Therefore, any specimen found positive on FA examination should be considered as presumptive positive until confirmed by bacteriological examination and complete serological study.