Search

Electric hand dryers, particularly jet air hand dryers, have been installed in most restrooms on the Weber State University campus to improve convenience and decrease paper waste. Hand dryer manufacturers claim they provide a more hygienic method of hand drying, yet previous research has shown they can act as a reservoir for pathogenic bacteria. The purpose of this experiment was to isolate bacteria from hand dryers, characterize their antibiotic-resistance profiles, and then identify these bacteria. Hand dryers from 32 hightraffic restrooms (16 men's and 16 women's) from four buildings at Weber State University were sampled. A 25-cm² area at the bottom of the drying chamber inside of the hand dryer was sampled using 3M Quickswabs. Swabs were used to inoculate selective and nonselective media, which were incubated at 37°C for 24-48 h. A total of 72 isolates were selected based on unique colony morphology for further characterization. Individual isolates were transferred to tryptic soy broth, grown at 37°C for 24 h, and then screened for resistance to five antibiotics (ampicillin, vancomycin, tetracycline, penicillin, and chloramphenicol) using the Kirby-Bauer method. Isolates that showed antibiotic resistance were identified using 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis. Forty-five isolates showed resistance to one or more antibiotics (Antr), with 42 resistant to at least two of the five antibiotics. The majority of isolates were resistant to penicillin and/or ampicillin, with several isolates resistant to vancomycin. The most numerous penicillinresistant isolates were common human commensal Staphylococcus sp. including, S. warneri, S. intermedius, S. saprophyticus, and S. aureus. Also identified were representatives of some environmental bacteria including Bacillus pumilus, B. velezensis, and B. subtilis. Less common were gram-negative bacteria such as Enterobacter hormaechei and Mixta calida. All species identified have the potential to cause opportunistic infections. There was no significant difference (p=0.81) between the number of antibiotic-resistant strains found in men's and women's bathrooms; however, there was a significant difference (p<0.001) in the number of Antr isolates found in the different models of dryer. There were more Antr colonies in the Mediclinics Dualflow Plus (mean=11.5, SD=2.12, n=2) than in the Dyson Airblade (mean=3.67, SD=1.21, n=6) hand dryers (t(6)=6.83, p<0.0005). We have shown that antibiotic-resistant bacteria are present in electric hand dryers and may represent a significant source of community-acquired antibioticresistant infections. To prevent bacterial contamination and the spread of antibiotic-resistant bacteria during hand drying, the hand dryer's inner chamber should be thoroughly cleaned with a disinfectant on a daily basis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A study was conducted to investigate the functions of Streptococcus thermophilus MR-1C capsular exopolysaccharide in cheese moisture retention. Plasmid DNA was determined from S. thermophilus MR-1C while the oligonucleotide primers utilized to amplify eps gene fragments were designed with the S. thermophilus Sfi6 eps gene cluster sequence. Results showed that galactose fermention was expressed in S. thermophilus DM10.

A study was conducted to develop and characterize Lac+ Pediococcus acidilactici and Pediococcus pentosaceus strains for milk fermentation. The strains were constructed by transformation with the naturally occurring 35-kb Lactococcuslactis lactose plasmid pPN-1. Results showed the potential of theLac+ Pediococcus species as replacement cocci for Streptococcus thermophilus in Italian cheese starter blends.

Fermentation of vegetables is a tradition way to preserve them because the organisms that cause spoilage are inhibited by the lower pH level after sugar is converted to acid during the fermentation process. Lactic acid bacteria such as Streptococcus, Lactococcus and Lactobacillus are the primary microorganisms that cause the preservation with natural plant sugars acting as substrates. Some examples of common fermented vegetables include pickles, sauerkraut and fermented olives.

Background: Pressure injuries (PI) are an ongoing problem in health care. Current interventions, both from clinicians and support surface technologies, do not sufficiently address PI prevention. Problem: Patient microclimate is a contributing risk factor for PI, one which can be more adequately addressed. However, the acceptable range for microclimate is unknown, in part because the body adapts to changing conditions. Approach: Two key concepts in allostasis are finite resources and responding to intrinsic and extrinsic demands. These concepts have not previously been applied to PI treatment or interventions. Addressing microclimate, when coupled with an increasing awareness of the cumulative effect of individual patient risk factors, can help resolve the risk of PI by lowering the cumulative inputs to keep patients under the threshold for tissue damage. Conclusion: This new approach, which places microclimate risk into the broader conceptual framework of allostasis, can produce more effective products and interventions to prevent PI. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Electric hand dryers, particularly jet-air dryers, are a relatively new method of drying hands and claim to be a more efficient and sterile method than using paper towels. Our purpose for performing this research was to determine whether electric hand dryers in public restrooms are antiseptic, or if they could be a source of bacterial contamination to your hands during drying. Initially, restrooms at Weber State University were selected that had a high frequency of foot traffic, making them good sampling locations. Testing was done in men's and women's restrooms in three buildings on campus, testing four bathrooms for each group in each building. Samples were collected by swabbing a 25-cm² area of the top, middle, and bottom of the hand dryer chamber using a 3M Quickswab. Pour plates using TSA were used to enumerate samples. Plate counts were determined at 48 hours after incubation at 37°C. Results showed the bottom of the dryer chamber in both the men's and women's restrooms had the most bacterial contamination, with an average of 311 CFU/25 cm² in the men's rooms and an average of 299 CFU/25 cm² in the women's. The middle section was the second most contaminated averaging 144 CFU/25 cm² for men and 145 CFU/25 cm² for women, while the top section was the least contaminated, averaging 107 CFU/25 cm² for men and 51 CFU/25 cm² for women. Results showed that electric hand dryers can serve as a source of bacterial contamination after hand washing. The overall level of bacterial contamination was higher in hand dryers in men's restrooms. As a preventative measure, the inside of these dryers should be cleaned on a daily basis to prevent people from contaminating their hands immediately after washing them, thus reducing the spread of bacteria. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Paints and solvents used in both acrylic and oil painting generate wastes resistant to decomposition, require expensive disposal fees, and pose a health hazard during storage. This waste represents a novel extreme microbial environment with a high concentration of organic solvents, metals, and pigments normally toxic or inhibitory to cell growth. In this study, microorganisms were isolated from paint waste storage containers, and the microbial degradation of three paint solvents (linseed oil, heptane, and turpenoid) by these bacterial isolates was investigated. All isolates were propagated in M9 minimal broth supplemented with a solvent. The majority of isolates formed biofilms at the solvent/broth interface after three weeks of incubation at 22°C. Using 16S rRNA sequencing, 10 isolates from paint waste containers were identified, including Pseudomonas zhaodongensis, Planococcus citreus, and Planococcus rifletoensis. Gas chromatography mass spectrometry (GC/MS) was used to measure microbial degradation of two solvents. GC/MS results indicated that six isolates degraded both heptane and oleic acid, a selected component of linseed oil, and metabolites were detected. Results show bacterial isolates from paint waste can degrade individual paint waste solvents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Transmission of infectious diseases by fecally contaminated water represents a reoccurring health risk for the local populations in rural Guatemala and has serious implications for travelers from developed nations. The presence of coliforms and Escherichia coli in water are indicators of fecal contamination, and possibly, the presence of fecally transmitted pathogens. In this study, the degree of fecal contamination in potable water designated for drinking, washing, or both was determined by screening 27 samples collected in four different locations: Guatemala City, Chulac, El Estor, and Flores. Samples taken of water from a wide variety of potable water sources, both urban and rural, were plated on Total Coliform, Enterobacteriaceae, and E. coli/Coliform Petrifilms. Inoculated Petrifilms were incubated at ambient temperatures, and colonies were counted at 24 and 48 hours. Results showed that 92.6% of the water sources contained bacteria, 48.1% of samples contained coliforms, 14.8% contained E. coli, and 70.4% were positive for Enterobacteriaceae, possibly indicative of Salmonella contamination. Coliform counts ranged from 0 to >1.6 × 102 CFU/mL and E. coli counts from 0 to >1.2 × 102 CFU/mL of potable water. These results indicate that potable sources, particularly in rural areas such as Chulac, could be a significant source of fecal pathogen transmission to its consumers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]