ABSTRACT
The behavior of Listeria monocytogenes in pasteurized milk during fermentation with starter and nonstarter lactic acid bacteria was investigated. Pasteurized milk was co-inoculated with approximately 10(4) CFU/ml of L. monocytogenes and 10(6) CFU/ml of Lactococcus lactis, Lactococcus cremoris, Lactobacillus plantarum, Lactobacillus bulgaricus, or Streptococcus thermophilus. Inoculated milks were incubated at 30 degrees C or 37 degrees C for 24 to 72 h. Listeria monocytogenes survived and also grew to some extent during incubation in the presence of all starter cultures; however, inhibition ranged from 83 to 100% based on maximum cell populations. During incubation with L. bulgaricus and L. plantarum, L. monocytogenes was completely inactivated after 20 h and 64 h of incubation at 37 degrees C and 30 degrees C, respectively. The pH of the fermenting milks declined steadily throughout the fermentation periods and was approximately 4.2 at the conclusion of the experimental period regardless both of the starter culture and pathogen combination or the temperature of incubation.
Subject(s)
Food Microbiology , Lactococcus lactis/growth & development , Listeria monocytogenes/growth & development , Milk/microbiology , Streptococcus/growth & development , Animals , Fermentation , Humans , Hydrogen-Ion ConcentrationABSTRACT
The relationship between student gender and performance was examined in first year students enrolled in the Bachelor of Nursing course at Charles Sturt University from 1991 to 1995. A greater proportion of female students achieved passing grades in subjects studied when compared to male students, irrespective of the subject discipline area. Furthermore, a significantly greater proportion of female than male students passed nursing subjects; however, no statistically significant differences in performance were detected in the proportion of male or female students in either science or humanities subjects.
Subject(s)
Education, Nursing, Baccalaureate/standards , Rural Health Services , Students, Nursing , Educational Measurement , Female , Humans , Male , New South Wales , Personnel Selection , Sex Factors , Students, Nursing/statistics & numerical data , WorkforceABSTRACT
Two hundred four strains of Streptococcus pneumoniae isolated in Hong Kong from January 1993 to May 1995 were analyzed for their antibiotic susceptibilities and epidemiological patterns. The ages of the patients from whom the strains were isolated from 1 month to 93 years (median, 53 years); the male-to-female ratio was 2.8, with a predominance of males in the pediatric group. Fifty-nine (28.9%) strains showed reduced penicillin susceptibility, including 40 (19.6%) with frank penicillin resistance (MIC > 1 microgram/ml). Tetracycline resistance alone was found in 28.4% of strains. Isolates with reduced penicillin susceptibility were more common in children than adults (40 versus 23.9%, P = 0.02), and penicillin resistance rates were significantly higher in hospitalized patients than in outpatients (39.5 versus 12.5%; p < 0.001). Penicillin resistance was significantly associated with resistance to ceftriaxone, erythromycin, and tetracycline (P < 0.01) but not with ofloxacin or vancomycin (P = 0.5). Among eight different patterns of resistance to three or more antibiotics, the commonest one (14.2%) was multiple resistance to penicillin, chloramphenicol, ceftriaxone, erythromycin, and tetracycline. Emergence of multiple-antibiotic-resistant S. pneumoniae reflects changes in the pneumococcus itself and the general indiscriminate use of antibiotics in treatment of respiratory infections in Hong Kong.
Subject(s)
Drug Resistance, Multiple , Pneumococcal Infections/microbiology , Streptococcus pneumoniae/drug effects , Adolescent , Adult , Aged , Aged, 80 and over , Anti-Bacterial Agents/pharmacology , Child , Child, Preschool , Drug Resistance, Microbial , Female , Hong Kong/epidemiology , Humans , Infant , Infant, Newborn , Male , Microbial Sensitivity Tests , Middle Aged , Pneumococcal Infections/epidemiologyABSTRACT
The fungus Histoplasma capsulatum, although commonly found in bat-frequented caves in many countries, has not previously been isolated from that environment in Australia. This report describes the isolation of H. capsulatum from several sources, including cave soil, the organs of mice exposed to the cave environment, and the sputum of a patient clinically diagnosed as having acute pulmonary histoplasmosis after exposure to the cave environment.
Subject(s)
Histoplasma/isolation & purification , Histoplasmosis/microbiology , Lung Diseases, Fungal/microbiology , Acute Disease , Air Microbiology , Animals , Australia , Chiroptera/microbiology , Feces/microbiology , Female , Histoplasmosis/transmission , Humans , Lung Diseases, Fungal/transmission , Male , Mice , Soil Microbiology , Sputum/microbiologyABSTRACT
Twenty-three chickens, aged 9 weeks, were housed in contact with a similar group of chickens which were infected with M. gallisepticum. The onset and development of the serum agglutinin responses which were detected by 3 commercial antigens using rapid serum agglutination tests up to 20 weeks of age, differed greatly both between the infected and in-contact groups and, within the latter group, between the antigens. Few reactions, which were weak and transient, were detected in 2 similar groups of chickens, neither infected with M. gallisepticum but 1 vaccinated at 12 and 17 weeks of age with killed Pasteurella multocida oil adjuvant vaccine.
