Schistosomiasis in Saudi Arabian recruits. A morbidity study based on quantitative egg excretion.

We surveyed stool and urine specimens from 245 Saudi Arabian trainees for parasites. Schistosoma mansoni eggs were found in the stool in 66 (26.9%) and S. haematobium eggs were recovered from the urine in 1 (0.4%). Additional parasites were recovered in 167 (68.2%) of the survey group and were not more common in those with schistosomiasis (P greater than .10). Schistosome egg counts ranged from 0--6,320 eggs/g feces (mean 447.9). When patients with high egg counts (over 400 eggs/g) were compared with uninfected controls, abdominal complaints and fatigue were found to be more frequent (P less than .05) in the infected group, as was eosinophilia (P less than .001). Other laboratory and physical examination findings were equally present in both groups. This study reaffirms the value of quantitative examination of stool specimens for schistosome eggs.

Incidence of Staphylococcus aureus for an obstetric population.

The incidence of Staphylococcus aureus recovered from cultures of anterior nares was determined for personnel and patients of an obstetric and a neonatal unit. Among the hospital personnel, 10.2% harbored S. aureus. On admission to the hospital, 4% of the obstetric patients were identified as carriers of S. aureus and only 1.3% of the patients acquired the microorganism during hospitalization. The neonates of these mothers with S. aureus were not colonized during hospitalization. Subsequent bacteriophage typing indicated that microbial isolates were primarily in the Group 1 and Group 3 classifications of S. aureus.

Bacteremia associated with Haemophilus influenzae type e biotype 4.

Haemophilus influenzae type e biotype 4 was isolated from a single antemortem blood culture obtained from a 60-year-old, white male with abdominal carcinomatosis.

Incidence and spontaneous resolution of postpartum bacteriuria.

On the first postpartum day, 53 patients (17.2 per cent) had asymptomatic bacteriuria. Spontaneous resolution of bacteriuria occurred in 40 (75.5 per cent) of the 53 patients by the third postpartum day--the most appropriate time to identify patients with true asymptomatic bacteriuria.

Pneumonia due to Haemophilus influenzae (H. aegyptius) biotype 3.

Haemophilus influenzae (H. aegyptius) biotype 3 was isolated from eye, nasopharyngeal, and sputum cultures of a 23-month-old male and from sputum and transtracheal aspirate cultures of his 39-year-old mother, both with diffuse bronchopneumonia.

Reliability of the Bacturcult system in the clinical evaluation of postpartum bacteriuria.

The reliability of the Bacturcult system versus the standard calibrated loop-direct streak technic for screening bacteriuria was determined for 182 postpartum patients. Both false negative and false positive results were obtained by the Bacturcult system, therefore precluding its usefulness as a screening method. Based on these findings, therapy should not be instituted prior to performance of the standard culture technic.

Cold sterilization of gutta-percha cones with formocresol vapors.

Cold sterilization of gutta-percha cones was accomplished by exposing them to formocresol vapors for 16 hours. The data obtained from this in vitro study indicate that gaseous sterilization with formocresol vapors is effective against a variety of gram-positive, gram-negative, and spore-forming microorganisms.

Experiences and observations with the typing of Staphylococcus aureus phage 94.

During a 28-month period, 5,078 cultures from a variety of anatomical sites were received for staphylococcal phage typing. Of these, 503 (10%) were not suitable for the procedure requested. Of the 4,575 viable cultures, 1,030 (23%) of the microorganisms were nontypable at both the routine test dilution (RTD) and at 100 times RTD. Of the 3,545 typable organisms, 3,061 (86%) were lysed at RTD, whereas 484 (14%) were typed only at 100 times RTD. Observations pertaining to the typing efficacy of staphylococcal phage 94 indicate that 651 (18%) of the typable microorganisms were lysed only by phage 94 at RTD or at 100 times RTD. Without the addition of this new phage to the international basic set, the number of nontypable strains (1,030 or 23%) would have been 1,681 (39%). Data regarding the geographic distribution of Staphylococcus aureus phage 94 point to the occurrence of the host strain in 13 (68%) of 19 states and 18 (62%) of the 29 hospitals submitting specimens to this laboratory. The assumed origin and speculated mode of dissemination of this microorganism are discussed.

Evaluation of agar-gel double diffusion for the diagnosis of adenovirus infection.

Agar-gel double diffusion was compared to the Laboratory Branch complement fixation test. The efficacy of the agar-gel double diffusion test for the semiquantitation of group-specific adenovirus antibody and its usefulness as a serodiagnostic aid for the evaluation of adenovirus infection was determined.

Apparent spontaneous induction of Staphylococcus aureus isolated from clinical sources.

Apparent spontaneous induction in staphylococcal strains from two clinical specimens was described. One of the two phages associated with these strains was found useful in typing otherwise untypable strains.