Water specimens taken from the public water supply (A), a swimming-pool (B), and an inland lake (C) were infected with pathogenic amebae of the genus Naegleria (strain TY/Richmond). The specimens were stored at various temperatures for different periods. The water was then filtered and examined for naegleriae by animal inoculation. The results summarized in table 1 indicate that pathogenic naegleriae are viable at least for some weeks in warm tap and natural waters. Water from indoor swimming-pools however, may be a less suitable medium for the viability of pathogenic naegleriae.
Three standard variants of intensive care units are described. The hygienic-microbiological examinations of the patients' surrounding show in how fat architectural factors influence the propagation of germs responsible for nosocomial infections. The results are hygienic requirements concerning the architectural functional structure of intensive care units to facilitate the maintenance of anti- and asepsis for the nursing personal.
During the winter-half-year 1976/77 the concentrations of airborne microorganisms in the open air were measured in Bonn and at a place in the Sauerland. Simultaneously the data of wind direction, wind speed, atmospheric rel. humidity, temperature, intensity of solar radiation were registered. It can be shown, that the denominated parameters are influencing the content of microorganisms of the air in different proportions.
In the examination of 526 samples of minced meat for the presence of salmonellae, a preliminary pre-enrichment in buffered peptone water was made. From this medium enrichments were made, for each sample of meat, in the usual Rappaport's medium (R25), incubated at 37 degrees C, and in Muller-Kauffmanns tetrathionate broth, incubated at 43 degrees C. Moreover, an enrichment was also made in a strongly modified Rappaport's medium, containing much less malachite green (R10), incubated at 43 degrees C. The two Rappaport's media proved to be equally effective in the isolation of salmonellae and clearly more efficient, in this respect, than the Muller-Kauffmann's broth. The new Rappaport's medium (R10), incubated at 43 degrees C, has the advantage over the usuals Rappaport's and Muller-Kauffmann's enrichment media to inhibit much more considerably the growth of competing organisms than the two other enrichment media.
This paper is concerned with the measurement of first order rate constants for the death of bacteria by chlorine and ozone. While the first order conditions for chlorine were achieved with the aid of a new instrument which works basing on the polarographic principle this was attained for ozone under steady state conditions. Besides differences of species some different properties for both oxidants were found as far as their bactericidal efficiency is concerned. They are discussed in this paper.
The capillary moisture of the gray layer of the Sphagnum magellanicum ass. contains nutrients for the growth of mycobacteria. Tested in vitro significant multiplication was stated in M. intracellulare, serotyp Davis, M. avium, M. scrofulaceum, M. fortuitum, M. xenopi, M. kansasii, M. borstelense, M. flavescens, M. gaxtri, M. gordonae, M. marinum, M. terrae, M. smegmatis, M. spec. "S" and M. nonchromogenicum (Fig. 1 and 2). There was no evident multiplication in M. phlei, M. triviale, M. tuberculosis, M. bovis, and M. ulcerans in vitro. Using the cultivation of mycobacteria in the hollow fibers (pore size 100,000 mol. weight) inserted directly in the gray layer of the Sph. magellanicum ass. a significant growth of all 18 species investigated was stated (the same species as above, excl. M. bovis and M. tuberculosis; Fig. 3). A rapid multiplication was detected also in M. ulcerans. The sphagnum vegetation spreads over all continents. It develops very good under wet conditions surrounding springs and brooklets in the moutain region. Accumulation of solar heat directly under the surface of this vegetation makes possible a temperature 15-28 degrees C higher than the air temperature. In this way favorable conditions for mesophilic mycobacteria arise over an extend period of time. The close contact to water contributes to the wide distribution of mycobacteria.
In the Federal Republic of Germany a decline of population is expected, because fertility is very low. This article deals with the implications of this trend for the health system. On the basis of population models and population forcasts the author comes to the conclusion that in the long run the burden of health costs will not become lower but higher, because of the growing proportion of old people. Nevertheless it is supposed that the influence of other factors than demographic ones may be greater.
This project was to provide a further indication for the triggering of central-nervous effects by a 50 - cycle alternating field with a field strength of 5.300 V/m. Previous studies already raised the suspicion of an effector mechanism of this kind: for instance, the nucleus temperature of rats sank under field influence. The same effect is triggered in mice and rats by prescribing centrally stimulating pharmaca. Furthermore, a rise in diastolic blood pressure with a simultaneous drop in heart rate was described for human subjects. We were able to demonstrate the latter effect in laboratory animals (rats). The experiments under consideration resulted in a significant rise in norepinephrine content of the rats' brains following brief exposure of 15 min length. The measured data after 10 d fell highly significantly below those of the untreated controls and remained approximately at this lowered level until the end of field exposure (21 d). Changes in "turn over" of the norepinephrine metabolism of the brain represent an important indicator for the demonstration of the stimulation of central-nervous structures. Our findings therefore substantiate the presented hypothesis of a central-nervous point of attack by electrical energies.
The microflora of the air in university lecture rooms was examined with the sedimentation method. For this purpose blood agar (20 degrees C and 37 degrees C), saline agar and Endo plates were used. The germ counts identified correlate to the size and utilization of the rooms. The lowest germ count was determined in the room used for practical work, which was followed by the lecture room. The newly built lecture room contained the highest colony count. The floor ventilation furnishes an explanation for this. Most of the colonies were Gram-positive cocci (micrococci, indifferent streptococci, sarcins). Aerobic spore-forming organisms were found to be present in smaller quantities than cocci. Fungi, mainly, moulds grew better at a temperature of 20 centigrade. The microbiological monitoring of air forms an important part of environmental protection. Great importance can be attached to a stardization of the air germ count in the prevention of airborne infections.
Effect of zinc on the osmotic fragility-stability of human erythrocytes in hypotonic NaCl solutions and on the reversion of hemolysis was studied in vitro. Erythrocytes washed in 0.9% NaCl were incubated in 1.5 X 10(-3) M ZnSO4 solution in 0.6% NaCl. The obtained results indicate an osmotic stabilization of the erythrocyte membrane by Zn2+ ions increase in osmotic fragility-stability in hypotonic NaCl solutions and increase in reversion of hemolysis due to the effect of Zn2+ ions. As the process of stabilization of the erythrocyte membrane by zinc ions was found to be independent of temperature, a non-enzymatic character of this phenomenon is postulated on this basis and on the basis of literature data.
7 intensiv-care-units (I.U.C.) were compared by analysing the charts of 100 patients from each station. They showed remarkable differences concerning the diagnosis of admittance, age and other factors related to the risk of infection. Consequently, kind and number of intensive care related medical procedures, the use of antibiotics, the duration of the patients stay on the station and the death rate differed widely. Some criteria concerning the layout, personnel, organisation and therapy on I.C.U. are named, which are mainly related to the patients condition and to the thereby given risk of infection.
1405 neonates and infants were vaccinated with BCG Vaccine (strain 1331 Copenhagen) at five clinics in the Federal Republic of Germany. Doses in logarithmic increments from 22000 to 250000 VU (viable units)/0.1 ml were given by strictly intradermal injection. Carrying out the post-vaccinal tuberculin test by the MENDEL-MANTOUX technique, the dose-effect relationship could be demonstrated (Fig. 3). Conversion rates raised from 43% to 76% (Tab. 1); they are furthermore depending from the tuberculin dose and the assessment of the skin reaction. Tests with up to 50 I.U. of purified tuberculin were resulting in conversion rates over 90% for vaccination doses of 100 000 VU and more, any palpable infiltration regarding as a positive result (Fig. 4). The vaccine showed good safety in all concentrations employed concerning reactions at the site of injection. Lympnode enlargement, palable even 12 weeks postvacc., was common. In the course of the trial there was one case of suppurative lymphadenitis among the 262 children who were given the vaccine in the highest concentration (250000 VU). Subsequent trials revealed a rate of this complication in the 1:1000 range. The approval for the vaccine with 100000-300000 VU/dose has subsequently been given by the Federal Bureau for Sera and Vaccines.
The relative proportion of eight polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) in suspended particles from several sampling stations with different level of air pollution (cities and rural districts) was investigated. The PAH-profiles of most samples collected in three winters (1974/75, 1975/76, 1976/77) and in one summer (1975) were very similar. On the other hand the PAH-profiles differ distinctly from those of several exhausts, especially regarding automobiles, coke and oil stoves. It can be presumed, that the mixture of the emissions in the atmosphere leeds to a rather uniform relative proportion of the eight PAH in the immission as much as the difference in stability of the PAH.
For 4,000 men aged from 35 to 50 years, all employed in an industrial plant in Poznan a record was made of the daily number of the first sick-notes issued as a result of accidents, acute inflammation of the respiratory tract and exacerbation of chronic diseases which accounted for a total of 82 per cent of the absence from work. On the days which showed an increased incidence of accidents and exacerbations of chronic diseases, the weather charts issued by the Institute of Meteorology indicated a statistically significant and more frequent prevalence of meteorotropically active weather conditions over Poland. In contrast, the number of sicknesses due to an acute inflammation of the respiratory tract increased significantly on the day following the passage of a warm or cold weather front in Poland. Such losses of working hours also occurred more frequently during the colder season, while absence from the workplace due to accidents increased during the warm season.
