Klebsiella species in hospital food and kitchens: a source of organisms in the bowel of patients.
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Hospital food was examined for the presence of Klebsiella species. Salads and cold meat were most frequently contaminated, often containing more than 10(3) organisms per g. Klebsiella species were also widely distributed in the kitchen environment which was considered, at least in part, to be the source of the organisms in food. By the use of serological and bacteriocin typing, intestinal carriage of strains ingested in food could be demonstrated. (+info)
Contamination of hands and work surfaces with Salmonella enteritidis PT4 during the preparation of egg dishes.
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Salmonella enteritidis PT4 was recovered from fingers following the breaking of intact shell eggs artificially contaminated in the contents with the bacterium. Kitchen utensils used to mix egg dishes were salmonella-positive, sometimes after washing. Following the preparation of batter or the mixing of eggs, S. enteritidis was recovered from work surfaces over 40 cm from the mixing bowl. The bacterium survived well in thin, dry films of either batter or egg and, from an initial level of one cell per cm2, could be recovered from formica work surfaces 24 h after contamination. (+info)
Lead poisoning from lead-soldered electric kettles.
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Lead poisoning occurred in two infants, causing lead encephalopathy in one but no symptoms in the other. Both infants had been fed a formula prepared with water boiled in a lead-soldered electric kettle. The diagnosis was suggested by dense metaphyseal bands in radiographs, illustrating the importance of careful examination of "routine" radiographs, particularly in asymptomatic infants. (+info)
A human in vivo model for the determination of lead bioavailability using stable isotope dilution.
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Beverages stored in lead-crystal glass accumulate extraordinary concentrations of lead. We obtained a lead-crystal decanter manufactured with lead from Australia, where the ratio of 206Pb/207Pb is distinctly different from that in the United States. We sought to determine the bioavailability of crystal-derived lead, using the technique of stable isotope dilution in blood. We conducted a single-dose, nonrandomized cross-over study in which participants were admitted to the Clinical Research Center twice, 1 week apart. During the first admission, subjects ingested sherry obtained from the original bottle. During the second admission, they ingested sherry that had been stored in the crystal decanter and that had achieved a lead concentration of 14.2 mu mol/l. After ingesting decanter-stored sherry, mean blood lead rose significantly (p = 0.0003) from 0.10 to 0.18 mu mol/l, while mean 206Pb/207Pb fell from 1.202 to 1.137 (p = 0.0001). On average, 70% of the ingested dose of lead was absorbed. We conclude that lead derived from crystal glass is highly bioavailable; repeated ingestions could cause elevated blood lead concentration. The technique of stable isotope dilution lends itself to the study of the bioavailability of lead in other matrices, including soil. (+info)
Penetrating head injury caused by chopstick--case report.
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A 4-year-old boy suffered a transorbital penetrating head injury caused by falling on a wooden chopstick while walking. The chopstick was removed completely, but full diagnosis was delayed for 3 years because the entry wound had not appeared to be serious. The patient later experienced rhinorrhea of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), and recurrent bacterial meningitis. Surgical repair of the CSF fistula at the anterior skull base was performed when the patient was 7 years old. Previous penetrating head injury should be considered in patients with recurrent CSF fistula and meningitis. (+info)
Iron nutritional status is improved in Brazilian preterm infants fed food cooked in iron pots.
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To determine the efficacy of cooking food in iron pots to prevent anemia in premature infants, a longitudinal study on iron nutritional status was conducted in preterm, healthy infants from families of low socioeconomic level between mo 4 and 12 of life. The infants were divided randomly into two groups. The study group consisted of 22 infants whose food was cooked in iron pots; the control group consisted of 23 infants whose food was cooked in aluminum pots. Supplemental iron [2 mg/(kg.d)] was recommended from 15 d to 12 mo of age for both groups. At 12 mo of age, the group fed food cooked in iron pots had significantly better hematologic values than the group fed food cooked in aluminum pots. Differences included hemoglobin (116 +/- 16 vs. 103 +/- 20 g/L, P = 0.02), hematocrit (0.35 +/- 0.04 vs. 0.31 +/- 0.05, P = 0.005), mean corpuscular volume (72.1 +/- 10.4 vs. 62.7 +/- 11.1 fL, P = 0.005), free erythrocyte protoporphyrin (0.78 +/- 0.60 vs. 1.46 +/- 0.94 mol/L, P = 0.006) and serum ferritin (median 5 vs. 0 g/L, P = 0.001). No significant differences between groups were observed in serum iron concentration, total iron-binding capacity or transferrin saturation. Iron deficiency anemia (hemoglobin +info)
Lead poisoning from an unexpected source in a 4-month-old infant.
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Childhood lead poisoning is characteristically a disease that occurs between the second and third years of life, generally resulting from the child's ingestion of lead-based paint or dust. However, lead poisoning may also appear in the first year of life. The case of a 4-month-old infant is reported in which the preparation of infant formula in a lead-soldered samovar (urn) resulted in venous blood lead levels as high as 46 microg/dl. The samovar had been brought into the United States by the parents while on a visit to Iran. The infant was placed on chelation therapy with parenteral CaNa2EDTA followed by oral meso-2,3-dimercaptosuccinic acid (DMSA) and d-penicillamine. This resulted in a rapid and substantial reduction in the blood lead level. Lead poisoning in infancy may have unusual etiologies such as in utero transmission of lead by lead-poisoned women. Because sources of lead poisoning in infancy may be unusual, a detailed environmental investigation may be necessary to identify the exact source. Children exposed to lead in the first 2 years of life have a special vulnerability to the neurotoxicity of lead, with the risk of enduring developmental handicaps. Continued public health initiatives to remove lead from the environment, in conjunction with routine lead screening of young children, will be key in meeting the goal of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to eliminate childhood lead poisoning by the year 2011. (+info)