Antibacterial activities of Emblica officinalis and Coriandrum sativum against Gram negative urinary pathogens.

Present investigation is focused on antibacterial potential of aqueous infusions and aqueous decoctions of Emblica officinalis (amla) and Coriandrum sativum (coriander) against 345 bacterial isolates belonging to 6 different genera of Gram negative bacterial population isolated from urine specimens by employing well diffusion technique. Aqueous infusion and decoction of Emblica officinalis exhibited potent antibacterial activity against Escherichia coli (270), Klebsiella pneumoniae (51), K. ozaenae (3), Proteus mirabilis (5), Pseudomonas aeruginosa (10), Salmonella typhi (1), S. paratyphi A (2), S. paratyphi B (1) and Serratia marcescens (2) but did not show any antibacterial activity against Gram negative urinary pathogens.

[Explosive increase in Salmonella java in poultry. Consequences for public health]. / Explosieve toename van Salmonella Java in pluimvee. Consequenties voor de volksgezondheid.

In the Netherlands S. Paratyphi B variation Java increased in poultry from less than 2% of all isolates before 1996 up to 40% in 2001. This development in poultry runs in parallel with that in Germany and appears not to occur in other European countries. A German study shows that in the late nineties it concerns isolates of only one multi-resistant clone of Java (in Holland as well) whilst isolates before the middle nineties were genetically much more heterogeneous and sensitive to antibiotics. Although the exposition of humans to contaminated poultry meat is relatively high, human patients with a Java infection are rare. Treatment of poultry flocks with quinolones was about 13% in 2000-2001. Resistance to flumequin of Java increased from 3% between 1996-1999 to 20% between 2000-2002 whilst that of other serotypes in poultry remained about 7%. Java is also fast becoming less sensitive to ciprofloxacin which is the antibiotic of first choice in serious cases of salmonellosis. The ministries of public health, agriculture and the production boards, with their research institutes, together with the poultry meat production chain integrations have recently decided to work together in order to determine the public health importance of the Java epidemic in poultry and finding measures for effective control in the poultry industry.

Typhoid fevers: treatment with lomefloxacin.

Typhoid group of fevers pose a major threat and are a cause of high morbidity and mortality in the tropical countries. Over the last decade there has been a steady increase in the development of multiresistant strains of Salmonellae all over the world. Multiresistance ranges between 5% to 86%. In a recent study in Pakistan multidrug resistance in Salmonellae has increased to over 39%. Hence alternative therapy is needed. Fluroquinolones are an effective alternative requiring a shorter course of treatment than conventional antimicrobial agents. Lomefloxacin because of its longer half life and convenient BD dose was used in a multicentre study to treat cases of typhoid group of fevers including cases due to multiresistant isolates. In order to overcome the challenge presented by the multiresistant salmoneallae, a dual purpose multicentre study was conducted in two stages. The first stage included a vitro study and the second in vivo study. Two hundred local salmonellae isolates were collected and their sensitivity and minimum inhibitory concentrations were determined by standard methods. Two hundred and fourteen patients clinically suspected of suffering from typhoid groups of fevers were given Lomefloxacin 200 mg. BD for 14 days. Forty percent of Salmonellae isolates were found to be multiresistant while only 2% were found to be resistant to Fluroqunilones. The mean MIC 90 was found to be 0.06 mg/L Lomefloxacin was found to be effective in over 97% cases for treating typhoid group fevers including the ones due to multiresistant isolates. The side effects were found to be minimal and transient.

[Sensitivity to chemoantibiotic therapy of new isolated Salmonellae strains (author's transl)]. / Sensibilità ai chemioantibiotici di stipiti di Salmonelle di recente isolamento.

The results of chemoantibiotic sensitivity tests carried out on 626 Salmonellae strains, isolated in 1973, 1974 and 1975 at the Bacteriol. Laboratory of S. Maria Nuova Hospital, Florence (Italy), are here related. The lowest percentages of antibiotic resistance have been noted to gentamycin and colimycin. Significant differences of antibiotic resistances were observed in single tested strains: the Salmonella wien strains were polyresistant, while the Salmonella panama strains showed a very high sensitivity to all the antibiotics. The conclusion is that in order to conduct a correct and useful antibiotic therapy, the microbic sensitivity test on isolated Salmonellae strains should be always performed.

Treatment of chronic salmonella carriers. Study with 40 cases of S. typhi, 19 cases of S. paratyphi b and 28 cases of S. enteritidis strains.

The present stage of our studies suggests that, provided a highly effective combined therapy is, and can be, carried out correctly, all excreters can be cured of their chronic carrier state by chemotherapy within 8-12 weeks. Although we cannot recommend a universal therapeutic regimen for all patients, a highly effective 'basic therapy' (RMP+TSP) is available for the majority of the cases, needing occasional modification, depending on the specific requirements of the individual patient as shown by the result of the serum activity determination. This method saves the patient from toxic inconveniences caused by inadequate treatment, it shortens the treatment time and makes cholecystectomy superfluous - unless it is considered necessary out of a different indication in which case it should certainly be done. We cannot share the often expressed view that Salmonella enteritidis excreters cannot be cured, a view which is found even in the most recent manuals. The same applies to the view that therapy is not necessary because it would delay cure. It is indispensable to establish a close cooperation between the public health authorities and the private physician, and we therefore wish to sincerely thank all colleagues and Public Health Officers for their collaboration.