ABSTRACT
During a 3-month period, 1,062 mother-infant pairs were studied for infections following internal fetal monitoring during labor. Six infants (0.56%) developed septic scalp dermatitis at the site of the spiral electrode application. Factors associated with septic scalp dermatitis included the number of vaginal examinations, the use of an intrauterine pressure catheter or of more than one spiral electrode, and fetal scalp blood sampling. Maternal diabetes and endomyometritis were also associated with an increased risk of scalp infection. The duration of spiral electrode use and duration of ruptured membranes were not significant risk factors. Endomyometritis was documented in 41 mothers, an overall incidence of 3.9%. In women whose babies were delivered by cesarean section, the incidence of endomyometritis was 28/117 (23.9%). Using multivariate analysis by logistic regression, endomyometritis was associated with the number of vaginal examinations during labor but not with the duration of internal monitoring, duration of labor, or duration of ruptured membranes.
Subject(s)
Endometritis/etiology , Fetal Monitoring/adverse effects , Labor, Obstetric , Puerperal Infection/etiology , Scalp Dermatoses/etiology , Skin Diseases, Infectious/etiology , Adult , Electrodes , Female , Humans , Infant, Newborn , Middle Aged , Pregnancy , Prospective Studies , Risk , Time FactorsABSTRACT
High-titer preparations of Klebsiella bacteriocins (klebocins) were obtained by using mitomycin to induce standard strains of Klebsiella. Of 296 clinical isolates of Klebsiella, 67% could be typed on the basis of their sensitivity to klebocins. The method proposed in this paper affords a standard basis for the further development of klebocin typing as a suitable procedure for hospital laboratories concerned with epidemiological investigations of hospital-associated infections. Evidence is also provided to show that high-titered klebocin typing can be used in conjunction with biochemical typing to provide a sensitive epidemiological marker for Klebsiella.
Subject(s)
Bacteriocins/pharmacology , Klebsiella/classification , Adult , Bacteriocins/biosynthesis , Drug Resistance, Microbial , Female , Humans , Infant, Newborn , Infant, Newborn, Diseases/microbiology , Klebsiella/drug effects , Klebsiella/metabolism , Klebsiella Infections/microbiology , Mitomycins/pharmacology , Pregnancy , Pregnancy Complications, Infectious/microbiology , Ultraviolet RaysABSTRACT
Virulent, avirulent, and attenuated hybrid strains of Shigella flexneri 2a are equally susceptible to phagocytosis by cultured mouse peritoneal macrophages. The virulent strain is highly lethal for the macrophages, whereas the avirulent is not and is killed. The attenuated hybrid strain is intermediate in its lethality. Comparable results were obtained by using virulent and avirulent S. flexneri 1b, 3, and 5. Destruction of macrophages occurs shortly after infection, suggesting virulent strains may possess a toxic component. The relationship of the ability to kill macrophages with multiplication of virulent shigellae in mucosal tissue is discussed.
