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Biomedical subjects

L Nicolle

Publications and source records attributed to L Nicolle.

17 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2001

Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus: profiles oceans apart--Canadian and Saudi Arabian experiences.

Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), a pathogen which has increased over the past three decades, is responsible for nosocomial infections and adverse patient outcomes. It is a pathogen of global importance. Rates of patient colonization or infection vary greatly internationally. Lower rates have been observed in Canada and Saudi Arabia compared to the United States and United Kingdom. Although these lower rates may appear reassuring, the trend in MRSA observed in two capital cities, Winnipeg, Canada and Riyadh, Saudi Arabia are consistent with a widespread global increase in MRSA.

Canada↗
PubMed2001

Transmission of hepatitis C in a pharmacologic study.

OBJECTIVE: To describe an outbreak of hepatitis C in a clinical research study. DESIGN: Observational study. SETTING: Tertiary-care hospital. PATIENTS: Healthcare workers who volunteered to be subjects in a study of the metabolic effects of inhaled and oral corticosteroids who were unwittingly exposed to hepatitis C virus (HCV). METHODS: Epidemiological investigation and serological analyses. RESULTS: One chronic carrier of HCV was identified. Four fellow workers volunteering in the studies became infected with HCV, with 96% homology among strains. There was no evidence of spread from infected healthcare workers to patients on whom they had performed arterial punctures (2 of 214 positive, unrelated to each other and to the outbreak strain). CONCLUSION: Infection control standards in clinical research must be maintained vigorously to prevent transmission of blood-borne pathogens such as HCV.

Adrenal Cortex Hormones↗
PubMed2001

Identifying research priorities on infections in older adults: proceedings of an interdisciplinary workshop.

BACKGROUND: Infections pose a substantial burden to the health of older adults. In this report, we describe the proceedings of a workshop to formulate and prioritize research questions about infections in older adults using an interdisciplinary approach. METHODS: Researchers from four sectors (basic science, clinical sciences, health services and epidemiology/determinants of health) and representatives from various Canadian local, provincial, and federal stakeholder groups were invited to a two-day workshop. Five multi-disciplinary groups and stakeholders from each of three healthcare settings (long term, acute care and community) discussed research priorities for each of the settings. Five to ten research questions were identified for each setting. RESULTS: The research questions proposed ranged from risk factors and outcomes for different infections to the effect of nutrition on infection and the role of alternative and complementary medicine in treating infections. Health service issues included barriers to immunization, prolongation of hospital length of stay by infection, use of care paths for managing infections, and decision-making in determining the site of care for individuals with infections. Clinical questions included risk factor assessment for infection, the effectiveness of preventative strategies, and technology evaluation. Epidemiologic issues included the challenge of achieving a better understanding of respiratory infections in the community and determining the prevalence of colonization with multi-resistant bacteria. CONCLUSIONS: The questions are of direct relevance to researchers in a wide variety of fields. Bringing together a multi-disciplinary group of researchers to frame and prioritize research questions about aging is feasible, participants valued the opinions of people working in other areas.

Journal Article↗
PubMed1999

Inactivation of brassinosteroid biological activity by a salicylate-inducible steroid sulfotransferase from Brassica napus.

Recent discoveries from brassinosteroid-deficient mutants led to the recognition that plants, like animals, use steroids to regulate their growth and development. We describe the characterization of one member of a Brassica napus sulfotransferase gene family coding for an enzyme that catalyzes the O-sulfonation of brassinosteroids and of mammalian estrogenic steroids. The enzyme is specific for the hydroxyl group at position 22 of brassinosteroids with a preference for 24-epicathasterone, an intermediate in the biosynthesis of 24-epibrassinolide. Enzymatic sulfonation of 24-epibrassinolide abolishes its biological activity in the bean second internode bioassay. This mechanism of hormone inactivation by sulfonation is similar to the modulation of estrogen biological activity observed in mammals. Furthermore, the expression of the B. napus steroid sulfotransferase genes was found to be induced by salicylic acid, a signal molecule in the plant defense response. This pattern of expression suggests that, in addition to an increased synthesis of proteins having antimicrobial properties, plants respond to pathogen infection by modulating steroid-dependent growth and developmental processes.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1999

Requirements for infrastructure and essential activities of infection control and epidemiology in out-of-hospital settings: a Consensus Panel report.

In 1997 the Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology and the Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America established a consensus panel to develop recommendations for optimal infrastructure and essential activities of infection control and epidemiology programs in out-of-hospital settings. The following report represents the Consensus Panel's best assessment of requirements for a healthy and effective out-of-hospital-based infection control and epidemiology program. The recommendations fall into 5 categories: managing critical data and information; developing and recommending policies and procedures; intervening directly to prevent infections; educating and training of health care workers, patients, and nonmedical caregivers; and resources. The Consensus Panel used an evidence-based approach and categorized recommendations according to modifications of the scheme developed by the Clinical Affairs Committee of the Infectious Diseases Society of America and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Healthcare Infection Control Practices Advisory Committee.

Allied Health Personnel↗
PubMed1999

Requirements for infrastructure and essential activities of infection control and epidemiology in out-of-hospital settings: a consensus panel report. Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology and Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America.

In 1997 the Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology and the Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America established a consensus panel to develop recommendations for optimal infrastructure and essential activities of infection control and epidemiology programs in out-of-hospital settings. The following report represents the Consensus Panel's best assessment of requirements for a healthy and effective out-of-hospital-based infection control and epidemiology program. The recommendations fall into 5 categories: managing critical data and information; developing and recommending policies and procedures; intervening directly to prevent infections; educating and training of health care workers, patients, and nonmedical caregivers; and resources. The Consensus Panel used an evidence-based approach and categorized recommendations according to modifications of the scheme developed by the Clinical Affairs Committee of the Infectious Diseases Society of America and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Healthcare Infection Control Practices Advisory Committee.

Aftercare↗
PubMed1996

Pneumococcal bacteremia in two tertiary care hospitals in Winnipeg, Canada. Pneumococcal Bacteremia Study Group.

STUDY OBJECTIVE: To review experience with pneumococcal bacteremia at two Canadian tertiary care centers. DESIGN: Retrospective record review. SETTING: Two tertiary acute care teaching hospitals in Winnipeg, Manitoba. PATIENTS: Patients identified with pneumococcal bacteremia during an 8-year period. RESULTS: Hospital records were reviewed for 534 of 617 patients with pneumococcal bacteremia. The overall case fatality ratio was 70 (13%), varying from 3.2% in children to 43% in those older than 80 years. Twenty-seven (18%) hospitalized children and 68 (23%) adults required ICU admission. Duration of hospitalization was 14.9 +/- 24.9 and 11.0 +/- 19.1 days for children at the two institutions and 22.5 +/- 37.6 days and 38 +/- 93 days for adults. For the 217 viable pneumococcal strains studied, 89% were serotypes included in the present 23-valent vaccine. Documentation of prior vaccination was present for only 9 (1.7%) patients, although 281 (89%) adults and 99 (45%) children met criteria for vaccination. CONCLUSIONS: Mortality in our population is similar to previous reports. More widespread pneumococcal vaccination in eligible populations may not only decrease mortality, but may also provide savings through decreased hospital admission and need for intensive care.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1993

Clostridium difficile enteritis in a Canadian tertiary care hospital.

Nosocomial Clostridium difficile enteritis causes epidemic and endemic infection. The authors report the incidence of C difficile enteritis in a tertiary care hospital. The overall incidence rate over two years in the authors' institution was 22.2 cases per 100,000 in-patient-days; this rate appeared to decline over the study period (from 30.0 cases per 100,000 in 1990 to 11.2 at study end in 1992). Continued surveillance will determine whether this is a durable trend. An average of 5.25 cases per month occurs in the authors' hospital. A 50% increase overall was selected as the threshold for outbreak investigation. Surveillance of ward and specialty specific rates will allow clustering detection.

Cluster Analysis↗
PubMed1991

Salmonella and Shigella gastroenteritis at a public teaching hospital in Nairobi, Kenya.

OBJECTIVE: To measure the proportion of nosocomial diarrhea cases associated with Salmonella and Shigella species. DESIGN: Prospective 6-month survey. SETTING: Tertiary care center in a developing country. PATIENTS: Pediatric and adult patients admitted with the previous 24 hours and all consenting adult or pediatric medical patients with nosocomial diarrhea. OUTCOME MEASURES: Prevalence of Salmonella and Shigella species isolated from rectal swabs at admission and among subjects with nosocomial diarrhea. RESULTS: Salmonella species and Shigella species were isolated from 3.0% and 2.5%, respectively, of 667 patients screened on admission. All admission Salmonella isolates were identified in children under 13 years of age; Shigella prevalence was similar for children and adults. Children with Salmonella at admission were significantly older and more likely to have diarrhea, fever, and some indicators of malnutrition than those from whom Salmonella was not isolated. Salmonella and Shigella were isolated from rectal cultures in 36 (10%) and 9 (2.5%) of 360 nosocomial gastroenteritis cases, respectively. Nosocomial cases occurred equally in adults and children. In adults, nosocomial Salmonella acquisition was associated with sharing a room with a diarrhea patient and previous institutionalization. In children, it was associated with recent antimicrobial therapy, crowding at home, and age between 6 months and 6 years. Nine (41%) of 22 nosocomial Salmonella cases in adults occurred in patients with human immunodeficiency virus-type 1 (HIV-1) infection, while none of 79 HIV-1-positive patients had Salmonella isolated at admission. CONCLUSIONS: Salmonella is a frequent cause of nosocomial gastroenteritis in this tertiary care institution in a developing country. Risk factors appear to differ for children and adults, and HIV-1-infected subjects may be at increased risk of acquisition. Control measures feasible for the limited resources available to such institutions require evaluation.

Adult↗
PubMed1991

An outbreak of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus in a pediatric hospital--how it got away and how we caught it.

An outbreak of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) occurred in a hospital without endemic MRSA, following the transfer of a patient colonized by MRSA from another hospital known to have a problem with endemic MRSA. Despite initial appropriate isolation and therapy to eradicate colonization of the organism, the index child relapsed 10 weeks after the last prior positive culture. Simultaneously, the organism was isolated from two other patients on the same ward, and subsequently at surgery from one child transferred to the neonatal intensive care nursery. Antimicrobial therapy for urinary tract infection likely impaired earlier identification of MRSA in the index case. Suppression with mupirocin rather than eradication may have resulted in inappropriate early discontinuation of infection control precautions. Control of the outbreak and eradication of the organism from all patients was successful after intensive surveillance and control measures, including strict isolation and cohorting. This outbreak suggests that infection control precautions and intensive screening of contacts, as well as positive cases, may be effective for control and eradication of MRSA from health care facilities with recent introduction of an epidemic strain.

Child, Preschool↗
PubMed1988

[Epidemiology of tinea of the scalp in Togo].

In 1985, 374 children of primary schools in North and South Togo were examined and sample of hair were collected on all children with small sterile squares of carpet. 11% of the children in the North (dry and urban area) and 20% in the South (wet and rural area) had obvious clinical lesions. Two species of dermatophytes were isolated: Microsporum langeronii and Trichophyton soudanense; this second dermatophyte being uncommon in the South. Moreover, 15% of the children of the North and 42% of the children of the South were asymptomatic carriers. One year later, these asymptomatic carriers had frequently developed clinical lesions. A survey carried out in 131 inhabitants of a small village in the South, showed that clinical lesions were mostly observed in children between 5 and 9 years and that 7.6% of these inhabitants were asymptomatic carriers. Lastly, no dermatophyte could be isolated from 30 cats and dogs.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1986

[Metabolism of monocarbons and trisomy 21: sensitivity to methotrexate].

A diminution of the mitotic index, proportionnal to the square of the dose of methotrexate, was observed in lymphocyte cultures. Six trisomy 21 patients were twice as sensitive as six controls. This highly significant result confirms the hypothesis of a disturbance of monocarbons' metabolism in trisomy 21.

Cells, Cultured↗
PubMed1982

Rheumatic fever in native children in Manitoba.

From data reported to a central computer file, cases of rheumatic fever in persons under 17 years of age in Manitoba were reviewed. Although the overall incidence of the disease declined throughout the study period, Jan. 1, 1970 to July 1, 1979, the rates per 100 000 population were higher overall (36) and for non-natives (29) and much higher for natives (126) than average rates in urban centres around the world. Rates of death and readmission showed that the disease was also more severe in the native Manitoba children.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1969

[Not Available].

Explore the source record for details and available documents.

France↗