Bratisl Med J
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In a simple uncontrolled toxicological study 27 workers of an anesthesiology-resuscitation department of a hospital type III were examined. Besides detailed clinical examination, determination of basic hematological and biochemical parameters as well as ultrasonography, also selected parameters of proteosynthetic function of the liver, some so-called proteins of the acute phase and the biological half-life of antipyrine were established in the workers under study. The occurrence of pathological findings in the picture of the examinations performed was related to long-term professional exposure to halothane over the period of one year before the examination. With regard to the possibility of chronic hepatotoxic damage, appropriate attention should be paid to workers of anesthesiology-resuscitation departments, concerning particularly entrance medical examinations and regular screening and follow-up of their health condition, including check-ups hepatic parameters. (Tab. 4, Ref. 23.)
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Examination of ticks for the presence of F. tularensis resulted in the isolation of 29 strains, predominantly from the species D. reticulatus (19x), further from I. ricinus (8x) and from H. concinna (2x). The results confirmed the activity of the known endemic focus in the area of Podunajské Biskupice and revealed three new foci in the localities Smolenice (district of Trnava), Olichov (district of Nitra), and Plást'ovce (district of Levice). In the focus of Podunajské Biskupice the mean infestation of ticks of the species D. reticulatus was around 1.4% over the years of investigation. ⋯ The third part of the study addresses questions of the ecology of ticks. It analyzes their biological characteristics in our conditions, their spread and bionomy, particularly from aspects related with their epidemiological significance as vectors of Lyma borreliosis and tularemia. Systematic follow up of infestation of ticks with causative agents of borreliosis and tularemia in established endemic foci as well as in epidemiologically indicated localities is an inevitable part of modern surveillance of these infections.
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Killing of 61 seroresistant E. coli strains equipped with virulence plasmids (F, Ent, Hly, Col) and resistance plasmids (R) in polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMNL) of healthy donors was determined by the cultivation plate and fluorescence methods of phagocytosis. Killing of the control E. coli strain K12 which does not possess any plasmids was studied by the fluorescent method. Compared to the fluorescent method, the cultivation plate method yielded a significantly higher killing rate of the bacteria after opsonization by 5% (p less than 0.05) and concentrated serum (p less than 0.001). Compared to the control E. coli strain K12, the killing rate of seroresistant E. coli strains in PMNL of healthy donors was significantly lower (p less than 0.001).
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The effect of the combination of sulbactam, cephalothin, and cephazolin was studied in vitro on 88 strains of E. coli and 11 strains of P. mirabilis producing beta-lactamases. Quantitative susceptibility of the tested strains to cephalothin was examined by the disk dilution method and the effect of the combinations with sulbactam by the micromethod. The production of beta-lactamases was determined by the qualitative test with the chromogenic substrate PODAC. ⋯ The effect of the combinations with sulbactam was assessed as synergistic, additive, indifferent or antagonistic. In the combination of sulbactam in the concentration of 16.0 mg/l with cephalothin and cephazolin a higher rate of synergistic and additive effect was recorded on both strains. In none of the combinations did sulbactam exert an antagonistic effect.
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The apical surface of ependymal cells in the cornu anterius of the lateral ventricle of the brain was studied in man. The surface of ependymal cells displays varied differentiation, the cells have microvilli, spherical processes, and cilia. ⋯ Ependymal areas with a large number of cilia were recorded along with areas without cilia and so-called transitory ependymal areas with a small number of cilia. There are no sharp borderlines between the individual areas.