Biological control of mites by xerophile Eurotium species isolated from the surface of dry cured ham and dry beef cecina.

Some meat dry products, including dry cured ham and dry beef cecina, are cured in cellars at moderately cold temperature allowing the growth of a lawn of fungi on their surface. During the curing process, frequently these products became contaminated with fungivore mites of the Acaridae family that feed on fungal mycelium and spores. AIMS: The aim of this article is to study the possible biological control of mites by fungi that form part of the normal microbiota of these meat products. METHODS AND RESULTS: Some yellow/orange pigmented fungi growing on the ham surface decreased the proliferation of mites; therefore, we isolated from ham and cecina xerophilic yellow/orange coloured fungal strains that were identified as members of the genus Eurotium (recently reclassified as Aspergillus section Aspergillus). Using molecular genetic tools, we have identified 158 strains as Eurotium rubrum (Aspergillus ruber), Eurotium repens (Aspergillus pseudoglaucus) and Eurotium chevalieri (Aspergillus chevalieri). Two strains, E. rubrum C47 and E. rubrum C49, showed strong miticidal activity. The toxic compound(s) are associated with the formation of cleistothecia. In synchronized mite development experiments, we observed that all stages of the mite lifecycle were inhibited by the E. rubrum C47 strain. In addition, we searched for miticidal activity in 13 culture collection Eurotium strains isolated from different habitats, and found that only one, Eurotium cristatum NRRL 4222 (Aspergillus cristatus) has a strong miticidal activity. CONCLUSIONS: These fungal strains have proliferated on the surface of ham and cecina for decades, and possibly have acquired miticidal activity as a resistance mechanism against fungivores. SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY: Biological control of infecting mites by favouring growth of E. rubrun C47, in place of the normal mixed population of Aspergillus and Penicillium, is an attractive approach to control mite infestations.

Nosocomial pneumonia is not prevented by protective contact isolation in the surgical intensive care unit.

Nosocomial pneumonia (NP) is the leading cause of death from hospital-acquired infection in intubated surgical intensive care unit (SICU) patients. To determine whether protective contact isolation would lower the incidence of NP in intubated patients we performed a prospective, randomized, and controlled study in two SICUs in a tertiary medical center. Over a period of 15 months two identical ten-bed SICUs alternated for 3-month periods between protective contact isolation (isolation group) and standard "universal precautions" (control group). In the isolation group all personnel and visitors donned disposable gowns and nonsterile gloves before entering an intubated patient's room; handwashing was required before entry and on leaving the room. In the control group caregivers utilized only "standard precautions" including handwashing and nonsterile gloves for intubated patients. Respiratory cultures were obtained 48 hours after SICU admission and every 48 hours thereafter until extubation, transfer to floor care, or death. Airway colonization (AC) occurred in 72.7 per cent of isolated patients and 69.0 per cent of control patients (P = 0.61). The incidence of NP was significantly higher in the isolation group (36.4%) compared with the control group (19.5%) (P = 0.02). There was no statistically significant difference between groups in days from SICU admission to AC, days to NP, and mortality. We conclude that protective contact isolation with gowns, gloves, and handwashing is not superior to gloves and handwashing alone in the prevention of AC and NP in SICU patients and may in fact be detrimental.

Ectopic pregnancy: an update.

This review addresses recent publications that investigate etiology, epidemiology and different modalities in diagnosis and therapy for ectopic pregnancy. A significant proportion of recent work has focused in the development of new diagnostic tools to aid in the early detection of ectopic pregnancy. Diagnostic modalities have included systemic and local markers, vascular endothelial growth factor, vascular cell adhesion molecule-1, urokinase plasminogen activator receptor, cervical fetal fibronectin, and hormonal level determinations. In addition, magnetic resonance imaging, ultrasonography, color flow mapping and endometrial thickness have been evaluated. New studies have investigated controversial issues related to the cost of the medical versus surgical treatment and the use of different medications and techniques for the management of ectopic pregnancy. Most important of all, several lines of investigation have addressed the use of human chorionic gonadotropin, algorithms, and scoring systems as prognostic indicators of successful therapy and to determine the risk of complications. The management of cervical, interstitial and heterotopic pregnancy is evaluated in this review and a summary of recent proposed diagnostic tools and concepts in management is also presented.

Cardiac metastasis from carcinoma of the cervix: report of two cases.

BACKGROUND: The presence of cardiac metastasis from cervical carcinoma is extremely rare. The diagnosis is made almost exclusively postmortem. There are few cases of premortem diagnosis, and it is believed that when cardiac metastasis are found in vivo, the prognosis is extremely poor. Due to the rarity of this condition it is very difficult to standardize care for these patients. Considering the evidence provided by the cases in this report, it is possible that aggressive therapy may lengthen patients survival and quality of life. CASE: We present two cases of cervical carcinoma with metastasis to the heart. Both patients presented with symptomatology of cardiac tamponade. Both patients had invasion of the myocardium from presumed endomyocardial metastasis where the prognosis is even worse. We took an aggressive therapeutic approach to our patients and had excellent results in one. Our report includes the longest survival reported for a patient to date with premortem diagnosis of intramyocardial metastasis from cervical carcinoma. CONCLUSION: We concluded that the prognosis for cardiac metastasis from cervical carcinoma is extremely poor. The stage of the disease at initial presentation does not predict the future development of cardiac metastasis. Taking an aggressive therapeutic approach, including thoracentesis, chemotherapy, and radiation therapy to the heart, survival and quality of life can be improved.

Bradycardia following carotid endarterectomy.

This study was performed to determine whether bradycardia complicates the postoperative course of patients undergoing carotid endarterectomy (CEA). The records of 216 patients undergoing 233 CEAs over a 2-year period were reviewed. Patients were divided into two groups based on their lowest Surgical Intensive Care Unit (SICU) heart rate (HR). Those with HR < 60 were in the Bradycardic (BRADY) group and those with HR > or = 60 were in the Non-Bradycardic (NON-BRADY) group. One hundred and sixteen patients developed bradycardia, with a mean (+/- SEM) HR of 51.1 +/- 0.5, compared with 117 NON-BRADY patients with a mean HR of 70.6 +/- 0.9 (P < 0.0005). There were no significant differences between the groups in age, use of cardioactive drugs, SICU severity of illness, or length of SICU stay. The systolic blood pressure for BRADY patients averaged 144 +/- 2.2 on admission and 144 +/- 2.2 (P = NS) in the SICU, while that of NON-BRADY patients rose from 143 +/- 2.3 on admission to 156 +/- 2.5 (P = 0.001). Fifty-four patients receiving a second CEA had a SICU HR not significantly different from those patients undergoing a first CEA. Of 17 patients who underwent bilateral CEAs during the study period, SICU HRs averaged 65.1 +/- 3.7 after the first procedure and 64.7 +/- 3.6 after the second (P = NS). The authors conclude that bradycardia following CEA is a frequent but benign postoperative finding that does not affect outcome, cause significant hypotension, or prolong the SICU stay.

Continuous intra-arterial oxygen monitoring: accuracy and reliability in the surgical intensive care unit.

The accuracy and reliability of an invasive intra-arterial oxygen sensor catheter was evaluated in 20 critically ill surgical intensive care unit (SICU) patients. All patients required continuous arterial blood pressure monitoring, at least 72 hours of ventilator support, and intermittent arterial blood gas sampling for clinical management. The intra-arterial sensor provided continuous PO2 (PsO2) values on a bedside electronic monitor. PsO2 values were sampled every 60 seconds and automatically stored on a bedside personal computer. Arterial blood gas (ABG) PaO2 values were collected and matched by collection time with corresponding PsO2 values. During 1,238 hours of continuous intra-arterial monitoring, 74,280 PsO2 values and 246 ABG PaO2 values were collected. Of the 246 PaO2 results, 175 (71.3%) had a matching PsO2. Regression of matched PsO2 and PaO2 values yielded a correlation coefficient of 0.58 and standard error of the estimate (SEE) of 33.1 (P < 0.0005). Even though matched PsO2 and PaO2 measurements demonstrated a linear relationship, only 34 per cent of the variation in PsO2 could be attributed to changes in PaO2. Technical sensor or instrument problems affected PsO2 monitoring in 17 of 20 patients and 28 of the 33 sensors tested. The authors conclude that continuous intra-arterial monitoring of PsO2 is a novel idea, but technical issues limit its use in acutely ill, conscious SICU patients.