[Stethoscope or staphyloscope?: Potential vector in nosocomial infections]. / ¿Estetoscopio o estafiloscopio?: Potencial vector en las infecciones asociadas a la atención de la salud.

Healthcare-associated infections (HCAI) are a problem worldwide. In our country, the estimated incidence of HCAI is 70,000 per year. This results in an increase in the average length of hospital stay by 10 days per patient, an estimated annual cost of US $ 70 million and an overstay of 700 thousand bed days a year. For over 30 years stethoscopes have been considered as potential HCAI vectors, since pathogens like methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus and vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus strains adhere and colonize them. These organisms can be transmitted between patients if the instruments are not sanitized. Several studies conclude that disinfecting the stethoscope with isopropyl alcohol eliminates up to 99% of bacteria. Simple, economic measures such as implementation of guidelines for stethoscope disinfection are a clear opportunity for preventing infections.

¿Estetoscopio o estafiloscopio?: Potencial vector en las infecciones asociadas a la atención de la salud / Stethoscope or staphyloscope?: Potential vector in nosocomial infections

Healthcare-associated infections (HCAI) are a problem worldwide. In our country, the estimated incidence of HCAI is 70,000 per year. This results in an increase in the average length of hospital stay by 10 days per patient, an estimated annual cost of US $ 70 million and an overstay of 700 thousand bed days a year. For over 30 years stethoscopes have been considered as potential HCAI vectors, since pathogens like methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus and vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus strains adhere and colonize them. These organisms can be transmitted between patients if the instruments are not sanitized. Several studies conclude that disinfecting the stethoscope with isopropyl alcohol eliminates up to 99% of bacteria. Simple, economic measures such as implementation of guidelines for stethoscope disinfection are a clear opportunity for preventing infections.

Las infecciones asociadas a la atención de la salud (IAAS) son un problema a mundial. Sólo en nuestro país se estima una incidencia de 70.000 al año, lo que se traduce en un aumento de la estadía hospitalaria en 10 días promedio por paciente, un costo anual estimado en 70 millones de dólares y una sobre-estadía de 700 mil días cama al año. La evidencia señala que diferentes instrumentos de uso hospitalario resultan contaminados por patógenos; entre ellos, el estetoscopio se ha identificado como potencial vector de IAAS hace más de 30 años y adquiere gran relevancia al ser de uso generalizado. Microorganismos patógenos, incluyendo cepas de Staphylococcus aureus resistente a meticilina y cepas de Enterococcus resistente a vancomicina se adhieren y contaminan los estetoscopios, pudiendo transmitirse a otros pacientes si no son desinfectados. Diversos estudios concluyen que la desinfección del estetoscopio con alcohol isopropílico elimina hasta 99% de estas y otras bacterias, por lo que existe una clara oportunidad para aportar a la prevención de las IAAS, interviniendo a través de la implementación de medidas sencillas, económicas y operativas al corto plazo, normando por ejemplo la limpieza del estetoscopio.

Absence of COCH mutations in patients with Meniere disease.

Missense mutations in the coagulation factor C homology (COCH) gene (14q12-q13) cause the autosomal dominant sensorineural hearing loss and vestibular disorder DFNA9 (OMIM 603196), and a high prevalence of symptoms of Meniere disease (MD) has been described in families with a mutation in the COCH gene. In this study, we search for mutations in the COCH gene in peripheral blood from patients with definite MD. DNA was extracted from peripheral blood cells of 30 individuals with MD and 30 controls. Exons 4 and 5 of the COCH gene were amplified by PCR reaction, using primer pairs flanking both exons. Sequences were analysed by a DNA sequencing system and compared with the published COCH cDNA sequence. No differences were found in the nucleotide sequences of exons 4 and 5 in the COCH gene in patients with definite sporadic MD when they were compared with the control group. Patients with definite MD have a low prevalence of mutations in exons 4 and 5 of the COCH gene.

Expression of A, B, C and DR antigens in definite Meniere's disease in a Spanish population.

To analyze the associations of HLA class I and II antigens in patients with Meniere's disease (MD) in southern Spain, 54 patients with definite MD according to the diagnostic scale of the AAO-HNS were compared with 534 normal controls in a prospective multicenter study. We performed a serological typing for A, B, C and DR specificities of the major histocompatibility complex and allele-specific amplification for HLA-DRB1. No differences were found in the distribution of class I antigens or DR antigens in patients with definite MD when they were compared with the control group. Our results suggest that HLA antigens do not determine an increased susceptibility to develop MD.

Ambiente familiar y dificultades de adaptación de los hijos / Family environmental and children's adjustment difficulties

La familia cumple la primera y la más importante función de socialización en la vida del niño, de manera que el clima social de la familia en la que se educan los hijos resulta fundamental para explicar su nivel de adaptación. Para demostrar la relación existente en el contexto familiar y los problemas de la conducta que presentan los hijos se aplicó la Escala de clima social de la familia (FES) a una muestra de madres, que debieron completar también el Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL). Los resultados del estudio demuestran el papel que determinadas variables del contexto familiar del contexto familiar desempeñan en los problemas internos y externos del comportamiento de los niños. Concretamente, los niños que presentan menos problemas de la conducta, tanto internos como externos, vivían en familias caracterizadas por una mayor cohesión y orientación al logro y por un menor control.

As the family fulfils the first and most important socializing function in a child’s life, the familial social environment is fundamental in explaining the child’s level of adjustment. In order to demonstrate the relation between the family context and child behavior problems, The Family Environment Scale (FES) was used with a sample of mothers, who were also required to complete the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL), Results demonstrate the role that certain family context variables play in internalizing and externalizing behavior problems in children. Specifically, children who presented with fewer behavior problems, either internalizing or externalizing, lived in families characterized by greater cohesion, achievement orientation, and a lower level of control.