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Biomedical subjects

F J Merino

Publications and source records attributed to F J Merino.

33 records · Page 2Linked to original sources
PubMed1989

Recovery of Campylobacter from human faeces stored at 4 degrees C.

Six hundred and thirteen fresh diarrhoeal faeces were inoculated on Skirrow blood agar (SK), on Preston blood free agar (PBF), and in Campy-thioglycolate broth (CT). After 24 h of storage at 4 degrees C, specimens were again inoculated on SK and PBF, and in Campylobacter enrichment broth (CEB). CT tubes were placed overnight at 4 degrees C. Plates and CEB tubes were incubated at 43 degrees C in microaerophilic conditions. A total of 68 specimens was positive for campylobacter on direct plating. Sixty-four of them were also recovered after subculturing from CT, and only 51 from CEB. Delayed inoculation of plates after storage of samples at 4 degrees C yielded 57 isolates. The storage of faeces at 4 degrees C for 24 h significantly reduces the number of campylobacter isolates. When samples are not plated immediately we recommend inoculating a CT tube maintained at 4 degrees C overnight as a holding medium.

Campylobacter↗
PubMed1989

[Clinical and epidemiologic characteristics of diarrhea caused by Cryptosporidium].

During a 28 month period, 6336 fecal samples from 5845 inpatients or outpatients with acute gastroenteritis were studied; 850 samples from individuals without diarrhea were evaluated as controls. Cryptosporidium oocysts were stained with a technique for acid-alcohol resistance, and the parasite was found in 40 patients with diarrhea (0.7%) and in one healthy control (0.1%). All patients had diarrhea at the time of diagnosis; abdominal pain and vomit were less common. All patients except two were below ten years of age. There were no definite seasonal differences in the incidence of Cryptosporidium diarrhea although there was a small predominance in the last summer and initial autumn months. Three patients required spiramycin therapy; the diarrhea disappeared in all cases.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1987

Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay for diagnosis of brucellosis.

The performance of an ELISA for detection of total antibodies to Brucella spp. was compared with that of the Rose Bengal, standard agglutination and Coombs test in the diagnosis of brucellosis. Sera tested were from 208 patients from whom Brucella melitensis had been isolated, 177 patients with significant results in at least two conventional tests, and 107 patients with fever from whom no Brucella spp. had been isolated and in whom all conventional tests were negative. ELISA was the most sensitive test (97%), showing greater specificity (96%) and good predictive positive and negative values (98% and 94% respectively). ELISA was the only positive test in 6% of patients in whom brucellosis had been confirmed by culture.

Agglutination Tests↗
PubMed1987

Evaluation of four enrichment media for isolation of Campylobacter jejuni.

Diarrheal stool specimens were inoculated into the following media: alkaline peptone water (APW), Bruce-Zochowsky medium (BZ), Campylobacter enrichment broth (CEB), Campy-thio broth (CT), and Skirrow blood-agar (SK) plate. All media were incubated at 42 degrees C in microaerophilic conditions for 24 h. Afterwards, a new SK plate was inoculated from every liquid medium. Campylobacter jejuni was isolated from 43 of the 259 specimens when CT was used, from 45 when APW was used, from 46 when BZ was used, and from 46 when CEB was used; these totals include specimens that grew after enrichment only, on SK plates only, and both after enrichment and on SK plates. No significant differences were found between the isolates obtained with and without enrichment procedures.

Campylobacter fetus↗
PubMed1987

Rapid automated method for screening of enteric pathogens from stool specimens.

A total of 800 colonies suggestive of Salmonella, Shigella, or Yersinia species isolated on stool differential agar media were inoculated onto both conventional biochemical test media (triple sugar iron agar, urea agar, and phenylalanine agar) and Entero Pathogen Screen cards of the AutoMicrobic system (Vitek Systems, Inc., Hazelwood, Mo.). Based on the conventional tests, the AutoMicrobic system method yielded the following results: 587 true-negatives, 185 true-positives, 2 false-negatives, and 26 false-positives (sensitivity, 99%; specificity, 96%). Both true-positive and true-negative results were achieved considerably earlier than false results (P less than 0.001). The Entero Pathogen Screen card method is a fast, easy, and sensitive method for screening for Salmonella, Shigella, or Yersinia species. The impossibility of screening for oxidase-positive pathogens is a minor disadvantage of this method.

Bacteriological Techniques↗
PubMed1986

Comparative efficacy of seven selective media for isolating Campylobacter jejuni.

Diarrheal stools from 263 patients were inoculated on seven selective media: Butzler selective medium, Blaser medium, Skirrow blood agar, Preston campylobacter selective medium, Preston campylobacter blood-free medium, Butzler Virion medium, and modified Preston medium (with amphotericin B [2 mg/liter]). A similar number of Campylobacter jejuni strains were isolated from all the media studied; nevertheless, the presence of competing fecal flora (FF) made the detection of suspect colonies difficult. Preston campylobacter blood-free medium with cefoperazone yielded the greatest number of C. jejuni isolations, and contaminating FF grew in only 9% of the plates showing C. jejuni growth; all the other media allowed the abundant growth of other FF, regardless of whether C. jejuni was isolated from them or not.

Campylobacter fetus↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Sexually transmitted diseases in a high risk subpopulation from the province of Soria].

BACKGROUND: Women who practise prostitution constitute a high risk group for acquiring sexually transmitted diseases (STD). The aim of this study was to know the frequency of these processes among prostitutes in the province of Soria. METHODS: A descriptive transversal study including 86 women who voluntarily went to a Family Planning Center (FPC) in Soria was carried out in the period between October 1986 to December 1991. Patients were submitted to: investigation of T. vaginalis, N. gonorrhoeae, G. vaginalis, C. trachomatis, S. agalactiae and yeast infections. Complete clinical history was obtained from all including sociodemographic variables and those of risk of infection. RESULTS: Of the 86 women studied 12 (14%) had positive syphilis tests (treponemic and reaginic). In 12 (14%) N. gonorrhoeae was isolated. The search for C. trachomatis was positive in 16 (18.60%). In 19 (22.10%) T. vaginalis was directly observed. Twenty-three (26.74%) presented some type of positive serology to B virus. Five (5.81%) were HIV-1 seropositive. Candida spp. was isolated in 27 (31.39%) as was G. vaginalis and S. agalactiae in 21 (24.41%). Clinical examination did not show any macroscopic lesion suggesting venereal disease. CONCLUSIONS: Infection by Candida spp. and G. vaginalis were found to be the most frequent. The seroprevalence of HIV-1 in this series was the lowest in the country having a clear relation with the use of intravenous drugs (IVDA). Sexually transmitted diseases maintain a high prevalence in high risk groups such as prostitutes thus requiring energic prevention plans, overall in the group of young IVDA prostitutes.

Adolescent↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Variation of the incidence and antibiotic sensitivity of Neisseria gonorrhoeae in a 7-year period].

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to determine the incidence and antibiotic sensitivity of Neisseria gonorrhoeae versus penicillin, tetracycline, cefoxitin, ceftriaxone and spectinomycin from 1988 to 1994 in the province of Soria (Spain). METHODS: From January 1988 to December 1994, clinical samples of 57 strains of N. gonorrhoeae were isolated. Auxotype, serotype, and minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) studies were performed versus 5 antimicrobials and analysis of plasmids in the penicillinase producer strains (PPNG), was carried out in the Bacteriology Department of the Instituto Carlos III in Madrid (Spain). RESULTS: The rate of incidence of the isolation of N. gonorrhoeae was similar from 1988 to 1990 (11.7 to 19.1 cases per 100,000 inhabitants) and decreased from 1991 to 1994 (6.4 to 0 cases per 100,000 inhabitants). The strains belonged to 30 different auxotypes/serotypes indicating a great heterogeneity among them. The proportion of penicillinase producing N. gonorrhoeae (PPNG) increased over the study period. The first strains with high resistance to tetracycline (TRNG) were first isolated in the authors' area in 1991 and the proportion increased up to the end of the study. All the strains were sensitive to ceftriaxone, cefoxitin and spectinomycin. CONCLUSIONS: A decrease was observed in the rate of incidence of N. gonorrhoeae since 1991 with an increase in the proportion of NGPP and TRNG strains. Ceftriaxone and spectinomycin present good activity versus all the strains studied with their empiric use as treatment being possible in the province of Soria (Spain).

Adolescent↗