ABSTRACT
In order to determine the aetiology of acute epiglottitis in adults, blood cultures, paired sera and a urine sample were obtained from 54 patients with fever and epiglottitis visualized by indirect laryngoscopy or by direct fibreoptic nasolaryngoscopy. Antibodies were determined against the capsular polysaccharide of Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib), 3 pneumococcal antigens (a mixture of 23 capsular polysaccharides, C-polysaccharide and pneumolysin) and antistreptolysin O. Acute sera were examined by the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for DNA of Hib and pneumococci. The urine samples were examined for Hib capsular antigen. Blood cultures were positive in 15 patients. In another 16, serology and/or PCR verified the aetiology. Hib was the cause in 14, pneumococci in 12 and group A streptococci in 5 patients. The aetiology remained unknown in 23/54 patients (43%). In conclusion, the addition of serology and PCR to blood cultures doubled the possibilities of verifying the aetiology of acute epiglottitis in adults.
Subject(s)
Epiglottitis/etiology , Haemophilus Infections/diagnosis , Pneumococcal Infections/diagnosis , Streptococcal Infections/diagnosis , Acute Disease , Adult , Aged , DNA, Bacterial/analysis , Epiglottitis/blood , Epiglottitis/microbiology , Female , Haemophilus Infections/complications , Haemophilus influenzae type b/isolation & purification , Humans , Male , Middle Aged , Pneumococcal Infections/complications , Polymerase Chain Reaction , Serologic Tests , Streptococcal Infections/complications , Streptococcus pneumoniae/isolation & purification , Streptococcus pyogenes/isolation & purificationABSTRACT
The Swedish-developed ID-band has become the internationally accepted method for marking dentures and the Federation Dentaire International (FDI) has put its stamp of approval on the system, but recent research has indicated that the materials used for the metal bands are not resistant to the temperatures the material might be exposed to during fire. In this article, a new group of materials (nickel aluminides) is shown to have a unique combination of mechanical strength, ductility, microstructural high temperature stability and high temperature oxidation resistance in both oxidising and carbonising atmospheres, that make the material suitable for denture marking.
