Pathogenic Staphylococci in the Environment of the Newborn Infant

Edmunds, P. N.; Elias-Jones, T. F.; Forfar, J. O.; Balf, Charles L.

doi:10.1136/bmj.1.4920.990

Cited by 40 publications

(9 citation statements)

References 9 publications

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“…There was a progressive increase in the isolation rate of staphylococci from the three sites sampled (Fig. 1 Gillespie et al (1958) and Hurst (1960a been previously recorded (Ludlam, 1953;Edmunds et al 1955;Hutchison & Bowman, 1957;Monro & Markham, 1958;Poole, 1960), where the findings ranged from 21 to 58%. This low nasal carriage may be due to exposure to the new penicillins as postulated in the case of infants.…”

Section: Staphylococcus Pyogenessupporting

confidence: 51%

“…The publications of Rountree & Barbour (1950); Edmunds, Elias-Jones, Forfar & Balf (1955); Hutchison & Bowman (1957); Gillespie, Simpson & Tozer (1958); Plueckhahn & Banks (1958); Williams (1961), and many others, are testimonies to the interest engendered by this organism. In contrast, published accounts ofthe ecology of the Gram-negative intestinal bacilli have been more infrequent.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Bacteria in a hospital nursery: laboratory and clinical studies

Winton

Keay

1968

J. Hyg.

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SummaryTwo hundred and twenty-two infants and fifty-one staff were examined for carriage ofStaphylococcus pyogenesand Gram-negative bacilli, and the presence of these bacteria in the ward environment was also investigated. Staphylococci were phage-typed and tested for sensitivity to antibiotics. Assessment of clinical infection caused by these bacteria was made.Infant carriage ofStaphylococcus pyogeneswas maximal on the sixth day, 73·1 % of umbilical swabs yielding significant growth. Carriage of Gram-negative bacilli was maximal on the fifth day, 31·7% of umbilical swabs being positive. Where special nursing was enforced, i.e. premature baby unit, isolation of Gram-negative bacilli was very infrequent.The low nasal carriage of staphylococci seen in infants and nursing staff is attributed to traces of penicillinase-resistant penicillins in the ward air.Staphylococcus pyogeneswas recovered from 23 % of ward surfaces, and constituted 0·7% of the air-borne flora. In contrast, Gram-negative bacilli were recovered from 4·7 % of surfaces, and composed only 0·15% of the air-borne flora.Phage group I constituted 73·0, 44·9 and 41·2% of strains from infants, staff and ward environment respectively.Antibiograms were grouped into three categories, A, B and C. Category A (sensitive to chloramphenicol, erythromycin and methicillin but penicillin-resistant) composed 79·0% of infants' strains, being found mostly in group I, but was rare among staff strains.Of 54 specimens taken from 40 infants showing evidence of infection,Staphylococcus pyogeneswas isolated from 16, of which 14 were category A. Gram-negative bacilli were isolated 7 times. Only 21 infants required antibiotic therapy (9·3%) and none were infected with Gram-negative bacilli—this contrasts with the frequency of these bacilli in nursery infection today.Ward air is considered to be the maindepotofStaphylococcus pyogenes. Infant ‘dispersers’ are probably the principalsourceof the air-borne staphylococci. Infants and staff abstract from the air those staphylococci which become their colonizing strains. No transfer is thought to occur from the staff to the infants. Transmission of Gram-negative bacilli is similar in that the infants are the principal source and the air the maindepotof these bacteria. Nasal colonization by Gram-negative bacilli is low, this is possibly due to poor colonizing properties. Infant umbilical carriage almost certainly results from endogenous faecal spread.We are grateful to Dr J. C. Gould, Director, Central Microbiological Laboratories, Edinburgh, for his continued interest and advice, and to Mr J. C. Ferguson and Mrs M. M. Winton for skilled technical assistance. This study would not have been completed without the co-operation of Sisters McCartney and Struthers and their nursing staff.

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Section: Staphylococcus Pyogenessupporting

confidence: 51%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Bacteria in a hospital nursery: laboratory and clinical studies

Winton

Keay

1968

J. Hyg.

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“…Edmunds, Elias-Jones, Forfar, and Balf (1955), commenting on this procedure, state: " While this method of labelling lacks the precision of serological and phage-typing methods, it does enable recognition of different strains to be achieved with a high degree of probability, although two strains giving the same pattern may not necessarily be identical. "…”

Section: Floramentioning

confidence: 99%

Some Aspects of the Biology of the Epidermis

Russell¹

1962

BMJ

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“…Excluding 1 hospital with an epidemic, he found a pyoderma attack rate of 15.5 percent in a sample of 642 newborn infants discharged from 12 hospitals. Other investigators have found nonepidemic attack rates for infant pyoderma ranging from 5.5 percent to 22.0 percent, with most attack rates falling between 13 and 17 percent (9)(10)(11)(12)(13)(14).…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%