PubMed Health⌕ Search

Biomedical subjects

P Plourde

Publications and source records attributed to P Plourde.

6 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1999

Regional dissemination and control of epidemic methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus. Manitoba Chapter of CHICA-Canada.

A methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) strain introduced into the largest tertiary-care teaching hospital in Manitoba in 1993 led to a sustained outbreak with secondary outbreaks at one community hospital, two large long-term-care facilities, and nosocomial transmission at a second teaching hospital. Control measures were consistent at each institution and were coordinated on a province-wide basis. MRSA is not currently endemic in any facility in the province.

Cross Infection↗
PubMed1998

Outbreak of parainfluenza virus type 3 in an intermediate care neonatal nursery.

BACKGROUND: Of the four serotypes of human parainfluenza virus, parainfluenza type 3 causes the majority of infections in young children and infants. Parainfluenza type 3 can occur in newborns, although most are born with neutralizing antibodies. There have been only infrequent reports of parainfluenza type 3 causing nosocomial respiratory infection in the newborn nursery setting. We report an outbreak occurring in the intermediate care nursery (IMCN) at St. Boniface Hospital, Winnipeg, Canada. METHOD: On August 6, 1996, nursing staff of IMCN notified Infection Control that six infants had developed respiratory tract symptoms including nasal discharge and cough. Three more cases were recognized by August 8, 1996. Infection control precautions including cohorting of infant cases and ill staff, gowning and reinforcement of hand washing practices and visitor regulations were instituted. When two further cases occurred on August 9, 1996, the unit was closed to all admissions and remained closed until August 30, 1996. The last infant case occurred on August 10, 1996. RESULTS: The attack rate among infants was 63% (12 of 19). No mortality was associated with this outbreak and morbidity was minimal (no ventilator support was required), although one-half of the infants developed radiologic pulmonary infiltrates and one-half required supplemental oxygen therapy. Parainfluenza type 3 was isolated from nasopharyngeal secretions in 6 of 12 infant cases. There was a significant difference (P = 0.02) in age between the ill and non-ill infants; ill infants were a mean age of 42 days compared with a mean age of 11 days for non-ill infants at the midpoint of the outbreak. Sixteen of 65 (25%) IMCN nursing/medical staff reported an upper respiratory tract illness between July 10 and August 18, 1996. None of the staff was cultured. CONCLUSIONS: High patient census, limited numbers of full time staff, inadequate cohorting attempts because of staffing constraints and crowding in the IMCN were thought to be contributors to this outbreak. Institution of basic barrier precautions and temporary closure of the unit were effective in preventing further spread of the outbreak.

Canada↗
PubMed1997

A phase III trial comparing anastrozole (1 and 10 milligrams), a potent and selective aromatase inhibitor, with megestrol acetate in postmenopausal women with advanced breast carcinoma. Arimidex Study Group.

BACKGROUND: Anastrozole is a new oral aromatase inhibitor with highly potent and selective activity for the aromatase enzyme. In a Phase III trial, the efficacy and tolerability of anastrozole, given in doses of 1 and 10 mg orally once daily, and megestrol acetate, given in doses of 40 mg orally 4 times daily, were compared in 386 postmenopausal women with advanced breast carcinoma who progressed after tamoxifen therapy. METHODS: The trial was randomized, double blind for anastrozole, open label for megestrol acetate, parallel group, and multicenter. Patients were randomly assigned to receive anastrozole, 1 mg (n = 128); anastrozole, 10 mg (n = 130); or megestrol acetate (n = 128). The primary efficacy measures were time to progression and tumor response; secondary measures were time to treatment failure, duration of response, quality of life, and time to death. RESULTS: With a median duration of follow-up of 6 months, there was no statistical evidence of a difference between either 1 or 10 mg doses of anastrozole and megestrol acetate for any efficacy endpoint. According to rigid response criteria, 10%, 6%, and 6% of patients in the anastrozole 1 mg, anastrozole 10 mg, and megestrol acetate groups, respectively, had an objective response (complete response or partial response) and 27%, 24%, and 30% of patients in the respective groups had stable disease for a duration of 24 weeks or longer. Quality-of-life assessments revealed that anastrozole in a 1-mg dose was associated with better physical scores and anastrozole in a 10-mg dose with better psychologic scores than megestrol acetate. Both anastrozole and megestrol acetate were generally well tolerated. Among anticipated adverse events, gastrointestinal disturbance was more common among patients in the anastrozole groups, whereas weight gain occurred more frequently among patients in the megestrol acetate groups. Weight increases of 5% or more and 10% or more were more common among megestrol acetate-treated patients; moreover, patients in this group continued to gain weight over time. CONCLUSIONS: Anastrozole, given in doses of 1 and 10 mg once daily, represents a well tolerated and effective therapeutic option for the treatment of postmenopausal women with advanced breast carcinoma who progress after tamoxifen treatment.

Adult↗
PubMed1990

Human immunodeficiency virus, genital ulcers and the male foreskin: synergism in HIV-1 transmission.

Epidemiologic studies in Nairobi and elsewhere in Africa, have shown that men infected with HIV-1 more commonly have a history of genital ulcer disease compared to uninfected men. In one study, HIV infected men were three times as likely to have a recent history of genital ulcers. In a prospective study of seronegative men, those presenting with chancroid had a five-fold risk of seroconversion during follow-up compared to men presenting with urethritis. Uncircumcised men had an increased risk of seroconversion which was independent of their risk of genital ulcer disease. Over 95% of attributable risk in men with STD was either genital ulceration or the presence of a foreskin. Genital ulcers are a major risk factor for HIV infection among prostitutes. The increased risk is about 10-fold among prostitutes with ulcers compared to a cohort who did not. We hypothesize from these studies that genital ulcers are the major portals of entry for HIV infection and also increased shedding of virus infected cells into the vaginal secretions. HIV seropositive prostitutes are more susceptible to chancroid with a two-fold increase in the prevalence of genital ulcers as compared to HIV negative women. The use of condoms by their clients prevents both genital ulcer disease and HIV acquisition among prostitutes. Chancroid is more difficult to treat in HIV infected men with one-third of patients failing single dose treatment regimens as compared to less than five percent of men without HIV infection.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Base Sequence↗