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Biomedical subjects

M R Evans

Publications and source records attributed to M R Evans.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1995

Salmonella outbreak from microwave cooked food.

Following a buffet meal served to six guests at a private domestic function, five of the guests and the host developed symptoms of food poisoning. Salmonella enteritidis phage type 4 (PT4) was isolated from all four individuals who submitted faecal samples for investigation. Leftover samples of a savoury rice dish consumed by all six ill persons contained 6 x 10(3)/gm Salmonella enteritidis PT4. The rice salad comprised boiled rice, raw carrots, eggs, cheese and curry powder. The curry powder and remainder of the pack of six eggs were negative on microbiological analysis. The rice dish had been prepared by heating in a 500 W microwave oven with a rotating turntable on full power for 5 min. Although the hazards of inadequate microwave cooking are well recognized, this is only the second outbreak of food poisoning from microwave cooking to be reported.

Adult↗
PubMed1995

How complete is influenza immunization coverage? A study in 75 nursing and residential homes for elderly people.

BACKGROUND: Elderly people in residential accommodation are particularly susceptible to outbreaks of influenza. Up to 70% of residents can become ill and many will develop complications or die. Immunization can prevent such outbreaks and is cost-effective. AIM: A study was undertaken to measure influenza immunization coverage in residential accommodation for elderly people and to identify factors that might influence uptake. METHOD: In March 1992, a questionnaire survey was conducted of all 113 registered nursing and residential homes for elderly people, in South Glamorgan. It asked about the demographic characteristics of people resident on 1 October 1991, their influenza immunization history and the homes' arrangements for administering immunizations. RESULTS: Questionnaires were returned by respondents from 75 homes (66%). Mean influenza vaccine uptake was 67%. Uptake was higher in nursing homes (mean of 82% in eight nursing homes) than in homes registered as both nursing and residential homes (mean of 76% in six homes) or in residential homes (mean of 65% in 61 homes). Nearly all of those immunized (94%) had been immunized by the end of November 1991. Residents who were reported to have underlying disease that increased their risk of complications if they contracted influenza were no more likely to have been immunized than those without risk factors. Immunization coverage varied considerably both between homes and between general practices. Most general practices in South Glamorgan had several elderly people in residential accommodation on their list, but only nine out of 64 practices had immunized all the elderly residents on their list and 12 practices had immunized fewer than half. Routine recording of immunization status in nursing and residential homes was variable, often as a consequence of poor communication between the primary health care team and staff at the home. Even where recorded, retrieval of the data was sometimes a problem. CONCLUSION: Influenza immunization coverage could be improved if general practices held a case register of all at-risk patients including elderly residents, and if nursing and residential homes were encouraged to keep better immunization records. These measures would facilitate year-on-year monitoring of influenza immunization coverage and the targeting of homes with low immunization coverage.

Adult↗
PubMed1992

Audit of a tuberculosis contact tracing clinic.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the efficiency of tuberculosis contact tracing in South Glamorgan 1987-9. DESIGN: Review of records of contact tracing clinic and of data from the Mycobacterium Reference Unit. The clinic's practice was compared with 1983 British Thoracic Society's recommendations. SETTING: Health authority tuberculosis control programme. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Proportion of contacts screened, follow up attendance rates, number of secondary cases detected, and quality of record keeping. RESULTS: 101 index patients and 611 contacts were identified. 596 (97.5%) contacts were screened, of whom 139 should not have been. Of 356 contacts requiring a Heaf test, 237 were tested, seven refused the test, and 112 had chest radiography without a Heaf test. 95 contacts were unnecessarily tested. 87 contacts had chest radiography unnecessarily and seven should have had radiography but did not. 34 contacts were given follow up appointments inappropriately and seven were overlooked for follow up. Tuberculosis was diagnosed in five asymptomatic contacts, all at initial screening and all close contacts of index patients with pulmonary disease. CONCLUSION: Inadequacy of data, non-adherence to contact tracing guidelines, and failure to define the term highly infectious index case resulted in many contacts being unnecessarily screened or followed up. IMPLICATIONS: The efficiency of tracing contacts would be improved by specifying smear results and ethnic origin of the index case on the notification form, clearly classifying contacts as close or causal, and clearly defining the term highly infectious.

Adult↗
PubMed1992

Tuberculosis contact tracing: are the British Thoracic Society guidelines still appropriate?

The value of contact tracing in South Glamorgan for the period May 1987 to December 1989 was assessed. Tuberculosis was diagnosed in six (3.5%) of 170 close contacts. All were young and were detected in the initial screening. Tuberculosis was not found among 441 casual contacts. The value of follow up of contacts after the initial screening and of screening casual contacts in districts with a low prevalence of tuberculosis is questioned.

Contact Tracing↗
PubMed1990

Biotinyl and phosphotyrosinyl phosphoramidite derivatives useful in the incorporation of multiple reporter groups on synthetic oligonucleotides.

Non-nucleosidic phosphoramidite linker units suitable for use on commercial DNA synthesis machines have been designed for the direct incorporation of biotin and a new reporter group, phosphotyrosine, at multiple sites on synthetic oligonucleotides. The units are based on a 3-carbon glyceryl backbone where the reporter group is attached to the 2-O-position through a 3-aminopropyl spacer. 17-mer oligonucleotides were synthesized carrying at the 5'-end 1, 2, 4 or 8 biotinyl units or 1, 2, 4 or 8 phosphotyrosinyl units respectively and used for the detection of DNA on nitrocellulose filters by hybridization. Subsequent incubation of the filters with a monoclonal antibody to the reporter group followed by secondary detection using enhanced chemiluminescence (ECL) resulted in amplification of signal strengths as the number of reporter groups was increased. The results were quantitated by use of a charge couple device (CCD) camera. Spacing of biotin moieties by thymidyl residues resulted in further improvements in signal strengths, whereas similar spacing of phosphotyrosinyl units did not.

Base Sequence↗
PubMed1990

Potential for laboratory exposures to biohazardous agents found in blood.

The magnitude of risk for occupational exposures to biohazardous agents found in blood was assessed by 800 environmental samples taken from a total of 10 clinical and research laboratories at the National Institutes of Health (NIH). Thirty-one samples from 11 work stations in three laboratories contained hepatitis B virus surface antigen (HBsAg). Observations of workers indicated that environmental contamination arose from several sources. Among the 11 work stations with HBsAg environmental samples, eight had high work loads, seven had inappropriate behaviors, and nine had flawed laboratory techniques. This information suggests that a multifactorial approach is needed to minimize the risk of laboratory-associated infections.

Blood↗
PubMed1980

Isolation and genetic analysis of temperature-sensitive mutants of rhinovirus type 2.

Temperature-sensitive mutants of human rhinovirus type 2 were isolated by random clonings of mutagenized virus. All mutants were stable. Temperature sensitivity was not affected by different host cell systems. Complementation was observed in 3 of 10 dual viral mixtures, with complementation indices being as high as 4.0. Recombination frequencies fluctuated widely between experiments with different mutants, but positive recombination occurred with mean frequencies ranging from 0.03 to 1.25%. The complementation and recombination results obtained are similar to those reported for other picornaviruses.

Genes, Viral↗