Lancet
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The safety of playgrounds is important to protect children from injury, but studies are mostly done mainly under laboratory conditions without epidemiological data. We investigated the safety of different playground surfaces, and types and heights of equipment in public playgrounds in the City of Cardiff, UK. ⋯ Rubber or bark surfacing is associated with a low rate of injuries and we support their use in all public playgrounds. Bark alone is insufficient, however, to prevent all injuries, particularly arm fractures. Rubberised impact-absorbing surfaces are safer than bark. We believe that playing on monkeys bars increases the risk of injury in playgrounds and that they should generally not be installed. Safety standards should be based on physical and epidemiological data. Our data suggest that the proposed raising of the maximum fall height from 2.5 m to 3.0 m in Europe is worrying.
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During the past decade much effort has been devoted worldwide to limiting the spread of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus. However, the recent emergence of almost untreatable vancomycin-resistant enterococci has led to a new and unexpected public health problem in hospitals and the community. ⋯ Whereas major advances have been made in our understanding of methicillin and vancomycin resistance mechanisms, we still need to identify the sources and reservoirs of the genetic determinants of resistance and to discover how they disseminate in the environment. The outcome of the battle between antimicrobials and bacteria is still uncertain, but the challenge is worth meeting.