[Modifications induced by lysozyme on S. typhi. I. Morphological changes].

This study aimed at evaluating the microbial condition and antimicrobial activity of 1% silver sulfadiazine dressings used in burns, prepared in advance of the dressing change and stored for 12 to 60 hours before usage. The microbial condition was evaluated by means of three cultures prepared from the Letheen Broth (Difco) culture medium and incubated at 32-35 degrees C for 20 days. Antimicrobial activity was evaluated by means of the diffusion technique of one dressing culture in hospital strains, initially incubated at room temperature and then at 37 degrees C, for 18-24 hours. All three cultures of 12, 36 and 60 hours proved negative. Concerning antimicrobial activity, the zones of inhibition were: 2.25 mm for S. aureus; 2.65 mm for P. aeruginosa and 2.95 mm for E. coli. These dressings can be safely prepared by nurses and stored, reducing nurses' time spent for dressing change and, consequently, patients' exposure.

Anti-Infective Agents, Local↗

PubMed2005

Separation and determination of clotrimazole, methylparaben and propylparaben in pharmaceutical preparation by micellar electrokinetic chromatography.

In this study, micellar electrokinetic chromatography (MEKC) method was developed for the determination of clotrimazole (CLO), methylparaben (MP) and propylparaben (PP) in a pharmaceutical preparation. Separation was carried out in a fused silica capillary (60 cm x 75 microm i.d.) at 25 kV with UV detection at 212 nm. Optimized background electrolyte (BGE) was 15 mM phosphate buffer (pH 7.2) containing 30 mM sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) as a surfactant. Rectilinear calibration ranges were 50-500 mg l(-1) for CLO, 10-100 mg l(-1) for MP and 2.5-25 mg l(-1) for PP. The total analysis time was < 12 min.

Anti-Infective Agents, Local↗

PubMed2005

Are surgical scrubbing and pre-operative disinfection of the skin in orthopaedic surgery reliable?

This study attempts to establish the actual effectiveness of pre-surgical disinfection of the patient and surgeon's hands. We evaluated bacterial density and composition on the skin of 15 patients undergoing knee arthroscopy and the left hand of two surgeons after standard disinfection with povidone-iodine. Three samples were taken after the first 6-min scrub in the first surgical operation from the periungual space of the 1 degrees finger, from the interdigital space between the 2 degrees and 3 degrees fingers and from the transverse palmar crest of the left hand of two surgeons for seven consecutive surgical sessions, for a total of 42 samples, and two samples from the pre-patellar skin and from the popliteal skin of 15 patients undergoing knee arthroscopy, for a total of 30 samples. Pre-surgical handwashing and disinfection procedures were identical in each case. Pre-surgical disinfection of the patient's skin with povidone-iodine was shown to be completely effective, with 100% of samples negative. Samples taken from the interdigital space and the palmar crest (100% of samples negative) demonstrated the efficacy of disinfection of the surgeon's hands with povidone-iodine, while the periungual space was contaminated in 50% of the samples. The bacterial strains isolated belong to the staphylococcus genus in 100% of the cases, with pathogenic strains in 29.6% of the cases. Standard pre-surgical disinfection of skin in areas easily accessible to the disinfectant is sufficient in itself to guarantee thorough sanitization. Standard scrubbing of the surgeon's hands is insufficient in eliminating bacterial contamination, including pathogenic germs, in the periungual space, where it is probably difficult for the disinfectant to come into contact with the skin.

Anti-Infective Agents, Local↗