Fever and Rash.

Infectious causes of fever and rash pose a diagnostic challenge for the emergency provider. It is often difficult to discern rashes associated with rapidly progressive and life-threatening infections from benign exanthems, which comprise the majority of rashes seen in the emergency department. Physicians must also consider serious noninfectious causes of fever and rash. A correct diagnosis depends on an exhaustive history and head-to-toe skin examination as most emergent causes of fever and rash remain clinical diagnoses. A provisional diagnosis and immediate treatment with antimicrobials and supportive care are usually required prior to the return of confirmatory laboratory testing.

View from the front lines: an emergency medicine perspective on clostridial infections in injection drug users.

Injection drug use (IDU), specifically non-intravenous "skin-popping" of heroin, seems to provide optimal conditions for Clostridial infection and toxin production. IDU is therefore a major risk factor for wound botulism and Clostridial necrotizing soft tissue infections (NSTI) and continues to be linked to cases of tetanus. Case clusters of all 3 diseases have occurred among IDUs in Western U.S. and Europe. Medical personnel who care for the IDU population must be thoroughly familiar with the clinical presentation and management of these diseases. Wound botulism presents with bulbar symptoms and signs that are easily overlooked; rapid acquisition and administration of antitoxin can prevent neuromuscular respiratory failure. In addition to Clostridium perfringens, IDU-related NSTIs can be caused by Clostridium sordellii and Clostridium novyi, which may share a distinct clinical presentation. Early definitive NSTI management, which decreases mortality, requires a low index of suspicion on the part of emergency physicians and low threshold for surgical exploration and debridement on the part of the surgeon. Tetanus should be preventable in the IDU population through careful attention to vaccination status.

Immediate skin grafting of sub-acute and chronic wounds debrided by hydrosurgery.

A wound bed may be prepared by various non-surgical debridements using autolytic, biological or enzymatic techniques. These are all effective in selective wounds but tend to be time consuming. Surgical debridement is not selective since healthy collateral tissue is also removed. Physical debridement uses whirlpool therapy to slough off necrotic tissues - the saline which comes out of the hand piece if vapourized over the wound - and therefore disseminates contaminated droplets. Hydrosurgery combines physical and surgical debridement but does not have their drawbacks. Water dissection works by using a high-pressure jet of sterile saline that travels parallel to the wound and creates a Venturi effect, thus enabling the selective removal of necrotic tissues without dissemination of contaminants. In this study, the authors report on 167 sub-acute and chronic wounds from 155 patients treated under general anaesthesia by hydrosurgery (Versajet). Of these, 95% of the debrided wounds were immediately covered with an autologous meshed graft. Compared to other debridement techniques, hydrosurgery has two main advantages: namely its tissue selectivity and its high percentage of successful engraftment after immediate skin grafting.

Evaluación de la actividad hipotensora del Maytenus krukovii (chuchuhuasi) en rata conciente / Maytenus krukovii (chuchuhuasi) effects on blood pressure and cardiac frequency in conscious rats

Maytenus krukovii (chuchuhuasi), oriunda de la amazonía sudamericana, tradicionalmente se le atribuye acción analgesica, antiinflamatoria, afrodisíaca entre otros; investigaciones reportan acción analgésica con intermediación de receptores opiáceos, efecto antipirético, antiinflamatorio y gastroprotector. El presente estudio experimental indagó acerca de la acción sobre la presión arterial y frecuencia cardiaca del chuchuhasi en rata conciente. Se utilizaron 10 ratas albinas machos, a las que se les administró vía oral, 1000 mg/kg de extracto metanolico de chuchuhuasi, se registraron básales y controles de presión arterial y frecuencia cardiaca a las 1, 3, 4 y 24 horas, utilizando el LE 5000 Meter Pressure. Los resultados obtenidos muestran comparados con los valores basáles, actividad hipotensora del Maytenus Krukovii destacándose el máximo efecto a la hora de administración arterial sistólica (238 vs. 181 mmhg), diastolica (200 vs 129 nmhg) y media (299 vs 187 mmhg); respecto a la frecuencia cardiaca Maytenus Krukovii mostró actividad bradicárdica, siendo su máximo efecto a las 3 horas de administrar el chuchuhuasi (430 vs 386 latidos por minutos). Se concluye en que Maytenus krukovii presenta acción hipotensora y cronotropa negativa.

Maytenus krukovii (chuchuhuasi), is originary from the South America Amazonian Forest, traditionally anti-inflammatory, analgesic, aphrodisiac proporties are atributed to this plant. Research reports suggest analgesic action by intermediation of opioid receptors, antipyretic effect, antiinflammatory and gastro protective actions. The presente experimental study inquited about the action of chuchuhuasi on blood pressure and cardiac frequency on conscious rats. Ten male albino rats were administered orally with 1000 mg/kg of methanolic extract of chuchuhuasi. Basal blood pressure and cardiac frequency were registared alt hour 1, 3, 4 and 24, using LE 5000 Meter Pressure. Results obtained show comparative values regarding basal values, with hipontensive activity of Maytenus krukovii. The maximum values is detected at the first hour of administration, systolic blood pressure (238 vs. 181 mmHg), diastolic (200 vs. 129 NMHG) and media (299 vs. 187 mmHg); were obtained. Redarding cardiac frequency, Maytenus krukowii showed bradychardic activity the highest effect recorded after 3 hours (430 vs. 386 beats/minute). We conclude that Maytenus krukovii has hypotensive action and negative chronotropic effects.

[Laboratory model of a microvascular free flap in the rat: the epigastric flap]. / Modello sperimentale di lembo libero microchirurgico nel ratto: il lembo epigastrico.

BACKGROUND: Soft tissue defects are mostly managed surgically by free microvascular flaps. The progressive development of techniques and the availability and reliability of new different and free flaps encouraged this surgical approach. Thus, there is a constant need of free flap models to reproduce in laboratory. The experience with the use of the epigastric free flap in the rat as a laboratory model for microsurgical trainees is presented. In our microsurgical flap model the anastomoses were constantly performed on the femoral vessels. METHODS: The flap was used in 25 rats during the practical sessions of periodical experimental microsurgery courses. The main steps were: flap harvesting on the superficial epigastric vessels; flap anastomosis on the femoral vessels; pedicle section; microvascular anastomosis. RESULTS: The epigastric free flap showed to be an easy surgical model. The mean duration of the exercise was 2 hours and 11 minutes. These surgical times were considered acceptable to the requirement of a laboratory model. CONCLUSIONS: The epigastric free flap in the rat is a reproducible experimental model which is still up to date in microsurgical training.

Informe de situación de salud porterior a desastres naturales sedes Oruro y La Paz

El proyecto brinda un informe respecto a la situación de la salud posterior a los desastres naturales en las sedes de Oruro y La Paz, tiene también una guía de instrumentos sobre al vigilancia epidemiológica post desastre y propuesta de alimentación para poblaciones en refugios temporales

A microbiological and clinical study of the safety and efficacy of baking-soda dentifrices.

This article reports the results of a study that examined the clinical and microbiological changes associated with regular use of baking-soda dentifrices. Two dentifrice formulations were examined in a 6-month longitudinal study of 101 adult subjects with assessments for plaque, gingival inflammation, and stain at baseline and 3 and 6 months during the active phase of the study, and at 3 months after cessation of product use. One dentifrice contained 52% baking soda and 3% sodium percarbonate (Arm & Hammer PeroxiCare) while the other dentifrice contained 65% baking soda (Arm & Hammer Dental Care). Both dentifrices resulted in statistically significant reductions in dental plaque, gingival inflammation, and stain at all time periods compared to baseline. Dental plaque and buccal soft-tissue samples were obtained for microbiological analysis from a 50-subject subset. Microbiological assays, including bacterial culture, phase-contrast microscopy, and immunofluorescence microscopy, confirmed the safety of both formulations. Beneficial alterations in dental plaque bacteria were noted, including significant reductions in the levels of Actinomyces species. The data from this study indicate that dentifrices containing high levels of baking soda are clinically effective and microbiologically safe.

A microbiological and clinical study of the safety and efficacy of baking-soda dentifrices.

This article reports the results of a study that examined the clinical and microbiological changes associated with regular use of baking-soda dentifrices. Two dentifrice formulations were examined in a 6-month longitudinal study of 101 adult subjects with assessments for plaque, gingival inflammation, and stain at baseline and 3 and 6 months during the active phase of the study, and at 3 months after cessation of product use. One dentifrice contained 52% baking soda and 3% sodium percarbonate (Arm & Hammer PeroxiCare) while the other dentifrice contained 65% baking soda (Arm & Hammer Dental Care). Both dentifrices resulted in statistically significant reductions in dental plaque, gingival inflammation, and stain at all time periods compared to baseline. Dental plaque and buccal soft-tissue samples were obtained for microbiological analysis from a 50-subject subset. Microbiological assays, including bacterial culture, phase-contrast microscopy, and immunofluorescence microscopy, confirmed the safety of both formulations. Beneficial alterations in dental plaque bacteria were noted, including significant reductions in the levels of Actinomyces species. The data from this study indicate that dentifrices containing high levels of baking soda are clinically effective and microbiologically safe.

Lack of antibody activity directed against the most common human bacteria in human myeloma protein.

The fact that sera of germ-free animals contain very little Ig suggests that most Ig probably correspond to antibacterial antibodies. We have detected an antibacterial activity against 40 bacterial strains, pathogenic and nonpathogenic, in 85 M-component of human origin. This work has been conducted by indirect immunofluorescence withipure labeled antibodies. The reasons for which indirect immunofluorescence seems to be the best technique for this kind of research are discussed. No activity whatsoever could be detected. The reasons of this lack of activity remain to be explained.