Arsenic, cadmium, lead, and aluminium concentrations in human milk at early stages of lactation.

BACKGROUND: Human milk is considered to be the best nutrition for all infants because it provides the optimal source of nutritional, immunological, developmental, psychological, economic, practical, and environmental benefits in both the short and long terms. To the best of our knowledge, few studies in Taiwan have examined the toxicant levels in breast milk and associated factors. METHODS: The research was carried out over a 6-month period. Forty-five healthy lactating women, who delivered full-term newborns at our maternity ward, were recruited, and all participants had been living in coastal urban areas of mid-Taiwan for at least 3 years. One hundred and eighty human milk samples were collected on four occasions, which were classified into four lactation stages as follows: colostrums, transitional milk, early mature milk, and mature milk. RESULTS: We found that lead, cadmium, aluminium, and arsenic concentrations were the highest in colostrums: 13.22 ± 3.58 ng/mL, 1.37 ± 0.94 ng/mL, 56.45 ± 22.77 ng/mL, and 1.50 ± 1.50 ng/mL, respectively. The results of lead, cadmium, aluminium, and arsenic determination in human milk samples demonstrated a trend of decline of microelement concentrations with advancing stages of lactation. We found that the infants of smoking mothers were exposed to more cadmium than infants of nonsmoking mothers (p < 0.05). CONCLUSION: According to our findings, frequent routine sampling of breast milk is worthwhile. Prevention strategies including behavior modification and education on proper nutrition should be provided to women who are at high risk of toxicant exposure. In summary, breastfeeding is still generally encouraged and recommended.

An upper airway obstruction emergency: Ludwig angina.

Ludwig angina remains a potentially lethal disease, rapidly spreading bilateral cellulitis of the submental, sublingual, and submandibular spaces, which bears the threat for rapid airway obstruction. Since the introduction of antibiotics in 1940s, the mortality was reduced significantly. This resulted in the rare occurrence of the disease, leaving many physicians with limited experience of Ludwig angina. Although the occurrence of Ludwig angina in adults is rare, its presence in the pediatric edentulous population is even more uncommon. Because the unfamiliarity with this disease is now increasing, unnecessary delaying diagnosis or inadequate management may occur and may result in serious complications. This presentation will consist of a historical review, discussion of pathophysiology, followed by clinical presentation, etiology, bacteriology, and management. With early diagnosis, airway observation and management, aggressive intravenous antibiotic therapy, and judicious surgical intervention, the disease should resolve without complications. In addition, the source of infection should be determined and eliminated if possible. A thoughtful, individualized management strategy seems to be the most reasonable approach to the disease.

In vitro antibiotic susceptibility of lactobacilli isolated from commercial products containing active lactobacilli.

To survey the antibiotic susceptibility patterns of some commercially available Lactobacillus, we collected four commercial products that contain active Lactobacillus. We incubated individual product and identified these colonies by the methods of API50 CH test kit and RAPID ID 32A kit. Strains of Streptococcus thermophilus, Bifidobacterium infantis, Lactobacillus acidophilus and Lactobacillus casei were collected. By agar dilution method, each identified strain was inoculated to Brucella blood agar-MIC plates. Each plate contained one of the following antibiotics with different concentrations: amoxicillin, cephalothin, gentamicin, vancomycin, erythromycin, rifampin, tetracyclin and penicillin G, clindamycin, chloramphenicol, cefmetazole, metronidazole, ampicillin/sulbactum, cefoxtin, etc. After incubation, the growth condition of each Brucella blood agar-MIC plate was observed and the breakpoint of each antibiotic to different Lactobacillus products determined. The MICs of amoxicillin, ampicillin/sulbactum and penicillin-G to all identified strains were < or =2 microg/ml and those of vancomycin, clindamycin, erythromycin, metronidazole, cefmetazole and cefoxtin for L. casei were >32 microg/ml. L. casei was more resistant to all the testing antibiotics than the other strains. According to the MICs of the above antibiotics, proper active lactobacillus products could be chosen to prevent antibiotic-associated diarrhea in the pediatric field.