Bacteriological evaluation of wounds in seriously burned hospitalized patients

During the period between May and December 1988, 21 patients were studied bacteriologically at Hospital João XXIII's burn's unit which belongs to "Fundação Hospitalar do Estado de Minas Gerais" in Belo Horizonte, Brazil. A qualitative and quantitative evaluation of aerobic and facultative bacteria from burn wounds was carried out by the standard filter paper disc technique, including antibiotic susceptibility. At the same time an evaluation of those bacteria isolated from the environmental unit was performed. The most common organisms recovered from wounds of patients were: Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Staphylococcus aureus, and Staphylococcus epidermidis. P. pseudomallei was the most frequent strain recovered from environmental specimens. In nearly all patients specimens (16 in total) from whom P. aeruginosa was isolated, the rate of CFU/cm² of skin was above 10². In nine of these, it reached 10(5), wich is equivalent to 10(7) CFU/g of burned tissue.

Re-evaluation of the basic procedures involved in the storage of measles vaccine in public health units of the municipality of Niterói, state of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Four years after the first visit seventeen public health units were visited again and evaluated as to standards of storage recommended by the Brazilian Immunization Programme. In 100% of the units, refrigerators and proper inside location of vaccines in the refrigerator were adequatety or regularfy maintained and checked, respectively. However, when control of temperature was checked, onfy 64.7% presented adequate storage conditions. In 94.1 % of the units, health workers complained of lack of immediate technical support in emergency situations. In 55.2 % the titers vaccine samples of were under the minimal recommended potency. It is necessary that the factors concerning the cold chain be continualfy evaluated so that the quality of the vaccines that will be used is not affected.

Evaluation of platelet number and function and fibrinogen level in patients bitten by snakes of the Bothrops genus

Platelet function and plasma fibrinogen levels were evaluated in 14 patients, 10 males and 4females, aged 13-59years bitten by Bothrops genus snakes. There was a statistical difference (p < 0.05) among plasma fibrinogen levels evaluated 24 and 48 hours after envenomation. There was a tendency towards normalization after 48 hours of treatment. The low platelet number was clear in 24-48 hour evaluations with a tendency towards normalization after 48 hours of treatment (p<0.05). Fibrinogen levels and fibrin degradation product (FDP) levels appeared to be altered in 83.33% of patients evaluated. The authors suggest that platelet hypoaggregation is related to decreased fibrinogen and increased FDP levels.