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Biomedical subjects

E Kanz

Publications and source records attributed to E Kanz.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1981

[Acinetobacter isolates from environmental sampling in hospitals (author's transl)].

By environmental culturing Acinetobacter could be isolated from human sources and wet sites as well as from air and dry surfaces. In variety "anitratus" strains from patients and hospital personal resistance against antibiotics and metal salts was more dominant than in other strains. Acinetobacter strains were more tolerant of dryness than E. coli but less than Micrococcus luteus. By repeated contacts Acinetobacteres could be recovered from contaminated surfaces of polyvinyl chloride in significantly higher numbers than from paving tile.

Acinetobacter↗
PubMed1981

[Problems of hygiene with life-saving equipment (author's transl)].

The problem of hygiene in the life-saving service has so far been a rarely discussed question. An ambulance used as a life-saving vehicle cannot be expected to measure up to the hygienic standards of an aseptic operating theatre. Keeping the level of pathogenic germs in ambulances low, is fundamental to the medical emergency service at large. The staff, including the physician, on emergency duty are most likely to come into contact with hospital germs. At any rate, care must be exercised so that pathogens are prevented from being transmitted from one patient to another. As far as cleaning is concerned, Figs. 3, 4 and 5 exemplifiy the problem of the so-called wet germs figs. 6, 7, 8 and 9 show the impression preparations from the hands of the physician on emergency duty, from the bed covering, from the medical apparatus and from the floor. The results yielded by 208 impression preparations from the staff and ambulance are supplemented by determining the air-borne germs and by 40 swabs taken from grooves, edges and dust accumulated in the ambulance. Further, the water containers were examined for clean and dirty water, as well as the damp areas as breeding places for "wet and puddle germs". This has already resulted in establishing several factors which justify the adoption of selective hygienic measures, but all those concerned are clear that the measures envisaged must also be practicable. Too little is ineffective, but too much detracts from the credibility of sanitary argumentation. In the near future, however, in order to be able to establish a generally valid set of measures, similar examinations must be carried out on a broad basis and under differing conditions in respect of physicians, medical staff, site and ambulance. Until this has been done, the examination results presented can only be regarded as provisional or as offering guidance data which need further supplementation.

Air Microbiology↗
PubMed1980

[The dispersal of pathogens from infected patients shown by environmental culturing (author's transl)].

During a two year's period environmental culturing was done to control hygienic measures, for pedagogical reasons or to trace a source of infection in a large university hospital. Phage typing of Staphylococcus aureus, pyocine typing of Pseudomonas aeruginosa and resistograms and biotypes of Enterobacteriaceae and Acinetobacter were used to compare patient strains with environmental isolates. It could be shown that the infecting organisms can be cultured not only from the site of infection where samples for bacteriological diagnosis usually are taken. But numerous sites of the patients' environment proved to be contaminated with pathogens indistinguishable from the infecting strains. These sites were for example: the patient's hands and other parts of his healthy skin, the outside of wound dressing, bed linen, clothes, floors and nursing utensils. The results convincingly provided reasons for environmental decontamination and for the institution of barrier nursing techniques.

Acinetobacter↗
PubMed1976

[Mutual relations between plastic materials and bacteria (author's transl)].

The complex problems of microbiological degradation of synthetic plastics and a fairly wide variety of 62 testing materials, belonging to 14 major groups of plastics, are described. Adaequate and reliable testing techniques had to be devised. Drawing on the experiences of H. Braun, 1930, and of Bushnell and Haas, 1941, as to the metabolism of bacteria and the utilization of certain hydrocarbons by microorganisms, and previous research work by A. Schwartz in Berlin, 1959-60, on microbial corrosion of plastics, methods of laboratory testing were developed. The bacteriological technique was based on selection of aerobic microorganisms, which were, by starvation, adapted to use the plastic materials as their only carbon source; foreign carbon sources had to be strictly eliminated; emphasis was laid on proper, double control cultures. The test organisms involved included P. aeruginosa and fluorescens strains, also a certain species of Candida, and mixtures of soil, sewage and garbage organisms grown on exposed plastic surfaces. By means of series of passages the selective adaptation and conservation of these organisms was continued up to 4 1/2 years. An anaerobic adaptation method for Desulfovibrio desulfuricans was developed and used successfully. After preliminary experimentation (Soil burial, sewage and garbage exposure tests) in the laboratory as well as in the open, a large scale Field testing programme under realistic and to some extent extreme conditions was implemented: Nine different plastic materials comprising eight plain high polymer plastics and for comparison one synthetic Cellulose derivate, together with glass control samples, were exposed in twelve different sewage, garbage, and soil media over a period of 3 months to 2 years, and subsequently examined. On the basis of the bacteriological results obtained from the adaptation series the test materials were classified into three categories, corresponding to the stimulation of bacterial growth: Group one, which allowed strong proliferation, included certain types of plasticized P.V.C. and Cellulose esters, as expected, and, as a new result, Polyurethane rubber; the latter showed clear signs of surface corrosion. Group two, which induced a clear but moderate growth, comprised a nylon trade type of Polyamide. Gruop three, allowing weak but still recognisable growth, included Formaldehyde pressure resing (Bakelite). This was surprising as it was thought that the formaldehyde and phenol components would exert a bacteriocidic or at least bacteriostatic effect. The results of the long and time consuming adaptation series with Pseudomonas aeruginosa were confirmed by the manometric dissimilation method of O. Warburg by means of the Braun/Melsungen apparatus. With this subtle but elegant procedure results and graphical recordings were obtained within hours and days...

Candida↗
PubMed1975

[A bacteriological study of the air in a surgical intensive care unit (author's transl)].

The air in a surgical intensive care unit was analysed with the view of ascertaining the influence on the bacterial content of the air of such medical and nursing procedures as intubation, X-ray examination, bladder washout, massage, physiotherapy, bedmaking. By means of a Casella slit sampler, placed in the middle of the room, it was established that the activities mentioned above caused the bacterial count to rise by 35-310 percent above the hourly determined normal level. In some cases the count did not return to normal until 30 minutes later. Simultaneous determinations of the dust content of the air by means of a Royco particle counter showed fairly close correlation between changes in the number of particles (over 5 mu) and in the number of bacteria in the air. Petri plates exposed near the patient showed a definite relationship between medical or nursing activities involving that particular patient and the number of bacteria deposited on the plate. Continuous disinfection of the air by air-conditioning - cum-ultraviolet ray equipment succeeded in reducing the average bacterial count by 50 per cent although the figures varied in different parts of the ward.

Air Conditioning↗