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Biomedical subjects

R G Masterton

Publications and source records attributed to R G Masterton.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1991

Hepatitis A immunity and travel history.

Travel histories were taken from 1111 British travellers. Serological testing showed that increasing age and a past history of jaundice were associated with a greater likelihood of travellers being immune to hepatitis A. Neither travel to nor the duration of stay in areas of increased hepatitis A endemicity influenced the level of hepatitis A immunity. It is concluded that travel histories from British citizens normally resident in the U.K. cannot be used to identify those travellers in whom serological prescreening would be of value prior to immunoglobulin prophylaxis.

Adult↗
PubMed1991

Perineal cleansing and midstream urine specimens in ambulatory women.

A prospective trial is reported of an assessment of perineal cleansing as a means of reducing bacterial contamination of midstream urine samples. One hundred and ninety-two asymptomatic antenatal ambulatory patients were randomly allocated into cleansing and non-cleansing cohorts. Quantitative urine microscopy and culture showed no significant differences between the groups. It is concluded that perineal cleansing has no role to play in the collection of midstream urine specimens from ambulatory women.

Ambulatory Care↗
PubMed1991

West African malaria.

Plasmodium falciparum malaria poses an increasing risk to travellers to West Africa. The development of chloroquine resistant in West Africa has further compounded the risk. Two cases of falciparum malaria from Sierra Leone are presented. One represents the classic missed case and the other a probable case of chloroquine resistant (RI vide infra) falciparum malaria. These cases highlight the danger of the missed or late diagnosis; the need for chemoprophylaxis, even in emigrants; the threat posed to the international traveller by malaria; and the problem of chloroquine resistant Plasmodium falciparum (CRPF) malaria from West Africa. The position of Plasmodium falciparum malaria in West Africa is reviewed along with the problem caused by chloroquine resistance.

Chloroquine↗
PubMed1990

Specimen transport audit.

A specimen transport audit was performed at a routine and reference laboratory. Over the survey period (1986-89) the percentage of specimens received and assessed as hazardous (inadequately packed, misidentified, or contaminated by leakage) fell significantly from 12.0 to 2.8%. Specimen transport audit identified technical and logistical faults associated with sample transmission. It is concluded that no type of hazard should exceed 0.5% of samples, with the total being less than 1% of specimens received. Specimen transport audit is an additional laboratory performance indicator.

England↗
PubMed1989

C-reactive protein in acute renal failure.

This paper demonstrates the utility of C-reactive protein (CRP) in the diagnosis of infection in patients with acute renal failure. C-reactive protein can be assayed using plasma as effectively as using serum, thus avoiding the problems of microclots in serum, which can occur in samples from a heparinised patient. Plasma concentrations of C-reactive protein are unaffected by the process of haemodialysis. In the complicated setting of the severely ill patient with acute renal failure, infection remains the most common cause of death and its detection is often difficult. The use of C-reactive protein assay in this setting is illustrated by data from 20 patients, and two representative cases are described in detail. It is recommended that C-reactive protein be assayed daily to aid in the detection of infection in patients with acute renal failure.

Acute Kidney Injury↗
PubMed1988

Control of an outbreak of group C meningococcal meningitis with a polysaccharide vaccine.

An outbreak of meningitis in Royal Air Force recruits due to Neisseria meningitidis Group C type PI, 2 gave the first opportunity for polysaccharide vaccine to be used for controlling such an outbreak in the U.K. The effect of the vaccine on an epidemic in a large recruit training centre was studied after chemoprophylaxis had failed. With the possible exception of one vaccinee, further cases did not arise among camp personnel. Vaccination was continued until the carriage rate of the epidemic strain among recruits leaving the camp had fallen from greater than 19 to less than 1%. Two persons who had only indirect contact with the camp developed the disease. Vaccination early in the course of such an outbreak appears to be a useful and practical method of limiting symptomatic infection but not acquisition of the epidemic strain.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1988

Sexually transmitted diseases in a British military force in peacetime Europe, 1970-83.

A retrospective analysis was performed to identify the incidence and pattern of sexually transmitted diseases (STD) affecting a modern British peacetime military force in 1970-83. Relative risk factors for a comparable UK civilian population were assessed and showed a slightly greater risk or the military only in 1974-81. The development of incidence and pattern of STD affecting the military force was shown to be broadly similar to trends in the UK.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1987

Streptococcus milleri infection of a hepatopulmonary hydatid cyst.

A case of hepatopulmonary hydatid disease in a Cypriot who presented with pyogenic infection with Streptococcus milleri is described. Although hydatid disease and pyogenic liver abscess are both rare in the UK, an underlying echinococcal pathology should be suspected in any patient from an area endemic for hydatid who presents with a pyogenic hepatic or hepatopulmonary abscess.

Echinococcosis, Hepatic↗
PubMed1987

Immunity to diphtheria in young British adults.

Of 906 recruits aged between 16 and 20 years who were Schick-tested upon entry to the Royal Air Force, 775 were tested for circulating Corynebacterium diphtheriae antitioxin by means of an indirect haemagglutination (IHA) method. Of the total population, 95.7% were Schick-test negative, 3.5% were Schick-test positive and 0.8% gave pseudo-reactions. Of those tested by the IHA test, 37.7% were regarded as immune, 47.0% as 'immune-susceptible' and 15.3% as non-immune. Discrepancies between the two tests were discovered. Of those persons found to be Schick-test positive, 34.6% possessed circulating antitoxin; of those Schick-test negative, 13.5% were regarded as non-immune. A history of diphtheria immunisation in childhood was found to be a poor predictor of immunity. A protocol for selective diphtheria immunisation of adults is proposed.

Adolescent↗