Food Microbiology Laboratory Overview of food analysis

Introduction to microorganisms and foodborne diseases. Activities in a Food Microbiology Laboratory.

Microbiology of chronic suppurative otitis media at Queen Elizabeth Central Hospital, Blantyre, Malawi: A cross-sectional descriptive study

Background Chronic suppurative otitis media (CSOM) is still a significant health problem in developing countries. Therefore, it was pertinent to determine the local Malawian microbiology in order to guide adequate treatment, avoid complications, and provide records for future reference. Aim The study sought to determine the CSOM-causing microorganisms at Queen Elizabeth Central Hospital in Blantyre, Malawi, and establish their relationship signs and symptoms, and with the demographic pattern of the study. Methods This was a hospital-based cross-sectional descriptive study carried out at the ENT outpatient clinic and the Microbiology Department of Queen Elizabeth Central Hospital.The sample comprised 104 patients with unilateral or bilateral active CSOM, who met the inclusion criteria. All patients were evaluated through a detailed history and clinical examination. Pus samples from draining ears were collected by aspiration with a sterile pipette. The specimens were immediately sent for microbiological analysis. Data were analyzed using SPSS.version 20. Results The study found that Proteus mirabilis , Pseudomonas aeruginosa , and Staphylococcus aureus were the most prevalent aerobic bacteria, while Bacteroides spp. and Peptostreptococcus spp. were the commonest anaerobic bacteria causing CSOM. These CSOM-causing microorganisms were predominant among males aged 18 years and below. Some CSOMcausing microorganisms were—significantly more so than the others— characteristically associated with each of the following clinical features: quantity of pus drainage, mode of onset, otalgia, hearing loss, location of tympanic membrane perforation, and mucosal appearance.

A microbiology study of the surgical site infection, at a hospital in northern Portugal

Surgical site infections (SSIs) remain a major clinical problem in terms of morbidity, mortality, time spent in hospital and overall direct and indirect costs. Objectives: To measure the prevalence of the SSI, by type of surgery and microbiologically characterization, in adult patients undergoing surgery during 2015 at a public hospital in northern Portugal. Methods: A prospective study, attended by 609 adult patients, undergoing surgery. The sociodemographic and clinical data of the population, as well as the surgical procedure and microbiological study were analyzed using Microsoft Access 2013. Results: In the sample of 609 adults undergoing surgery, it was found that 62.89% of surgical wound were cleaned, 15.8% were clean-contaminated, 8.70% were contaminated and 9.36% infected. About 62.52% of the intervened patients had antibiotic prophylaxis prior to surgery. Out of all surgeries, 33.3% were laparoscopic. The percentage of SSI was 5.74%; In these positive cases, only 3.61% was identiied the responsible bacteria. The urgent surgeries have more infections when compared to the programmed ones. In colon surgery the number of infections was 60% after cholecystectomy (22.86%). In hernioplasty, infection occurred in only 2.86% of the patients. The most isolated bacteria was Escherichia coli with 59%, in which 30% are -producing-lactamases of extended spectrum, followed by Pseudomonas aeruginosa (13.6%) and Serratia marcescens (13.6%). The mortality rate was 14.8%. Pseudomonas aeruginosa was isolated in 3 of 4 patients who died. Conclusions: The most microorganisms belong to the group of Gram-negative and are usually linked to infections associated with health care.

"The post-antibiotic apocalypse" and the "war on superbugs": catastrophe discourse in microbiology, its rhetorical form and political function

Discourses evoking an antibiotic apocalypse and a war on superbugs are emerging just at a time when so-called "catastrophe discourses" are undergoing critical and reflexive scrutiny in the context of global warming and climate change. This article combines insights from social science research into climate change discourses with applied metaphor research based on recent advances in cognitive linguistics, especially with relation to "discourse metaphors." It traces the emergence of a new apocalyptic discourse in microbiology and health care, examines its rhetorical and political function and discusses its advantages and disadvantages. It contains a reply by the author of the central discourse metaphor, "the post-antibiotic apocalypse," examined in the article.

Huambo Microbiology Laboratory : economical and financial viability

Mestrado em Finanças