A comparison of the effects of two dinitroanilines against Cryptosporidium parvum in vitro and in vivo in neonatal mice and rats

The effects of two dinitroanilines, oryzalin and trifluralin, were compared against Cryptosporidium parvum, in vitro using HCT-8 cells and in vivo using neonatal Swiss ARC mice and Wistar neonatal rats. In vitro, oryzalin and trifluralin exhibited IC(50) values (concentration necessary to cause a 50% inhibition) of 750 and 800 nM, respectively. A viability assay showed that neither compound produced a cytotoxic effect on the host cells at concentrations as high as 1 microM. The in vivo component of this study consisted of inoculation of neonatal mice and neonatal rats with 10(5) viable oocysts of C. parvum per animal and the subsequent treatment of this infection with trifluralin and oryzalin administered via gastric intubation. At doses of 100 mg kg(-1) body weight administered twice daily for 3 consecutive days, trifluralin had no statistically significant effect on the number of oocysts recovered from the gut of either rats or mice compared with controls, whereas at the same concentration, oryzalin caused 90 and 79% inhibition of oocysts recovered from mice and rats, respectively.

Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay for immunoglobulin G and M antibodies to Chlamydia trachomatis in human sera

Microimmunofluorescence methods used for detection of immunoglobulin G and M antibodies to Chlamydia trachomatis are not available to many clinical laboratories. We evaluated a simple enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay in which serotype L2 elementary bodies are used as antigen. The enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay proved satisfactory for the detection of serum IgG. A total of 160 human sera were tested, and the results correlated well with those obtained by microimmunofluorescence. Results for IgM antibody detection were not as successful, and correlation with current methods was poor.

Antibiotic activity in surgical incisions. The basis of prophylaxis in selected operations

Perioperative antibiotic administration to produce systemic effects reduces the frequency of operative wound infection in selected procedures. Controlled clinical trials now indicate that cephalothin sodium may not be effective in this role, whereas cephaloridine and cefazolin sodium have been beneficial. Review of estimates of incisional antibiotic concentrations taken during prospective patient studies display patterns compatible with these data. EAch drug reaches acceptable incisional concentrations, which are relatively well maintained for cephaloridine and cefazolin; cephalothin disappears from human incisions so rapidly as to provide little wound protection in operations lasting more than one hour.

The importance of nutritional support for the geriatric surgical patient

An appropriately designed program of nutritional support will allow the geriatric patient to undergo necessary surgical therapy with fewer risks and improved results. The selection of the route of administration and the specific agent(s) will depend on the functional status of the gastrointestinal tract as well as the patient's protein and calorie requirements. Table 6 summarizes our recommendations in the delection process. Our obvious preference is the gastrointestinal tract route if possible. When this optimum method of nutritional management is not available, sequential or concurrent supplemented feedings or intravenous hyperalimentation may be required to achieve adequate protein calorie intake. Regardless of the route chosen, careful monitoring of the geriatric patient's response to nutritional therapy is required. Only through careful planning and execution of nutritional therapy can optimum results be achieved in this group of patients.

Intramural hematoma of the duodenum

Five new cases of intramural duodenal hematoma are reviewed with 174 cases derived from the literature. Operative therapy with simple evacuation of the hematoma is advocated as the procedure of choice. Bypass procedures and resection should be reserved for selected cases.