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Biomedical subjects

R Givney

Publications and source records attributed to R Givney.

8 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2006

Does using potting mix make you sick? Results from a Legionella longbeachae case-control study in South Australia.

A case-control study was performed in South Australia to determine if L. longbeachae infection was associated with recent handling of commercial potting mix and to examine possible modes of transmission. Twenty-five laboratory-confirmed cases and 75 matched controls were enrolled between April 1997 and March 1999. Information on underlying illness, smoking, gardening exposures and behaviours was obtained by telephone interviews. Recent use of potting mix was associated with illness (OR 4.74, 95% CI 1.65-13.55, P=0.004) in bivariate analysis only. Better predictors of illness in multivariate analysis included poor hand-washing practices after gardening, long-term smoking and being near dripping hanging flower pots. Awareness of a possible health risk with potting mix protected against illness. Results are consistent with inhalation and ingestion as possible modes of transmission. Exposure to aerosolized organisms and poor gardening hygiene may be important predisposing factors to L. longbeachae infection.

Adult↗
PubMed1998

Molecular epidemiology and variation of hepatitis B in recent immigrant families to Australia.

Natural variation in hepatitis B virus (HBV) was studied in asymptomatic carriers originating from countries of high endemicity. HBV DNA was detected by dot blot and/or polymerase chain reaction (PCR) in 34 of the 184 members of 22 new immigrant families who agreed to be tested after one of their children had been found to have current or past hepatitis B in a school survey. PCR products from both the S and distal-X pre-C regions were sequenced. One vaccinated child had the classical "escape" mutation at amino acid position 126 in the S-gene and two other children and two adults had other substitutions at amino acid positions 133, 120, 165, and 159. Mutations were more frequent in the distal-X pre-C region and included two pre-C mutants and 13 other amino acid substitutions. The strains originating in the various countries were placed in almost identical groups by phylogenetic analysis using each amplicon, and determination of subtype by antigenic analysis gave the same result as sequencing. The S-data allowed recognition of three dominant strains within genotype B, while the distal-X pre-C data provided better discrimination between family groups. No change was found when the sequence of samples obtained for the study was compared with those collected from 14 of the children two years earlier. There was some evidence of horizontal spread in addition to vertical transmission. Reports of mutations of HBV in patients with severe or unusual clinical features should be interpreted with caution until the prevalence of the mutant in asymptomatic carriers has been determined.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1998

Evolution of an endemic methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus population in an Australian hospital from 1967 to 1996.

The evolution over 30 years of a population of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) from a tertiary referral hospital was studied by phylogenetic analysis of SmaI-generated restriction fragment length polymorphisms (RFLPs). The results suggest that a new clone of MRSA appeared at the hospital in the early 1980s, which, although usually retaining its ancestral phage-type, developed four different RFLP pulsotypes in the next 16 years. This finding indicates that multiple RFLP patterns in MRSA do not necessarily represent multiple clones deriving from different mec gene transfer events. Such variation within a clone may be significant in the interpretation of RFLP patterns during outbreaks and emphasizes the need to use two typing methods in studies of such populations. Since the appearance of new clones of MRSA is a relatively rare event, cross-infection control is paramount in the prevention of MRSA dissemination.

Anti-Bacterial Agents↗
PubMed1997

Concurrent outbreaks of Salmonella Typhimurium in South Australia.

The Communicable Disease Control Branch of the South Australian Health Commission received 45 laboratory notifications of Salmonella between 23 December 1996 and 17 January 1997. A rapid screening test, undertaken by the Institute of Medical and Veterinary Sciences, Adelaide, was the first indication that this was more than one outbreak, prompting the establishment of separate investigations. Three Salmonella Typhimurium (S. Typhimurium) phage types were subsequently identified. Investigations are continuing into an outbreak of S. Typhimurium phage type (PT) 64, while investigations failed to identify any association between four cases of PT 44. As of 12 February 1997, 71 notifications had been confirmed as S. Typhimurium PT 135. Epidemiological investigations found this outbreak was associated with consumption of bread rolls with a meat filling distributed through local Asian grocery stores from a home-based manufacturer. The product was voluntarily withdrawn and there have been no new cases of PT 135.

Bacterial Typing Techniques↗
PubMed1997

Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus in a cystic fibrosis unit.

Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) infection in a cystic fibrosis (CF) unit was investigated. Two typing methods, phage-typing and restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) by pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) and phylogenetic analysis, showed that nonsocomial transmission of MRSA from the general hospital population had occurred. One instance of possible transmission between two patients was identified. However, transmission between two family members did not occur indicating a minimal risk of MRSA acquisition from social contact compared with hospital admission. This study supports policies for limiting CF-patient admission to hospital but transmission of MRSA does not appear to be a reason for limiting social contact with other CF patients.

Bacteriophage Typing↗
PubMed1996

New rapid microbiological diagnostic techniques.

OBJECTIVE: To briefly and critically review the role of new, rapid techniques, especially PCR, in the diagnosis of infectious diseases. METHODOLOGY: Review of the literature. RESULTS: New diagnostic techniques show great promise but many techniques are still in their infancy and the relative roles of the various methods remain uncertain. CONCLUSIONS: It seems likely that different techniques will continue to be useful in a number of different contexts. No one technique is likely to become 'diagnostically dominant' in the foreseeable future.

Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay↗
PubMed1996

Typing multidrug-resistant Staphylococcus aureus: conflicting epidemiological data produced by genotypic and phenotypic methods clarified by phylogenetic analysis.

An outbreak of an unusual tetracycline-sensitive, rifampicin- and ciprofloxacin-resistant, methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) strain at a large teaching hospital was investigated. Two typing methods, phage typing and restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) by pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (RFLP-PFGE), gave conflicting results which were clarified by phylogenetic analysis. Phage typing identified all the "epidemic-associated" strains as identical, while RFLP-PFGE further divided these strains into four pulsotypes. Phylogenetic analysis showed these four pulsotypes were related genetically and also recognized a second strain of MRSA causing a continuing cross-infection problem. Variation in the RFLP-PFGE pattern was shown to occur following lysogenization of phage-sensitive MRSA. These results indicate that in analyzing outbreaks caused by subgroups of clonal organisms like MRSA, it is necessary to use at least two typing methods and that conflicts between these could be resolved by phylogenetic analysis.

Bacterial Typing Techniques↗