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New data on the distribution of 40 species of Dytiscidae are provided. Most of these records are from the Balkan Peninsula (Bulgaria, Greece, Montenegro, North Macedonia and Romania), northern Africa (Algeria and Libya), the Caucasus Region (Armenia, Azerbaijan and the South European Territory of Russia), Central Asia (Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan) and the Himalaya Region (Bhutan, northern India and Nepal). Two species, Hygrotus rufus (Clark, 1863) and Copelatus bacchusi Wewalka, 1981, known previously only from the Palearctic, are reported for the first time from the Oriental Region. Eight species are reported for the first time from Bhutan. Seven of these species, including three species new for the Palearctic Region, were provided by the insect dealer Jingke Li, but the provenance of the specimens is regarded as questionable. The necessity of publishing new records before accepting them for catalogues, e.g., the Catalogue of Palearctic Dytiscidae, is emphasised. Finally, previously published records of four incorrectly identified species/subspecies are corrected. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The diving beetle genus Microdytes J. Balfour-Browne, 1946 in Thailand, Laos, and Cambodia is reviewed, and five new species are described: Microdytes eliasi Wewalka & Okada, sp. nov. (Thailand, Cambodia), M. jeenthongi Okada & Wewalka, sp. nov. (Thailand), M. maximiliani Wewalka & Okada, sp. nov. (Laos, China), M. sekaensis Okada & Wewalka, sp. nov. (Thailand, Laos), M. ubonensis Okada & Wewalka, sp. nov. (Thailand, Laos). Two species are the first country records: M. balkei Wewalka, 1997 (Laos, Cambodia) and M. wewalkai Bian & Ji, 2009 (Laos). For 12 and 8 species, the first provincial records from Thailand and Laos, respectively, are given. A checklist, a key to the 25 known Microdytes species from these countries, and habitus images and illustrations of diagnostic characters are provided. Distribution maps of the recorded species are presented, and species distribution patterns are also briefly discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hydroglyphus sinuspersicus sp. nov. is described from the United Arab Emirates, Oman and Iran. It is very similar to H. major (Sharp, 1882). Hydroglyphus gujaratensis (Vazirani, 1973) known previously only from Gujarat (India) is redescribed, based on recently collected material from Rajasthan (India), Iran and Oman. The first national records are given for Hydroglyphus major from Libya and for H. infirmus (Boheman, 1848) from Oman and Yemen. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present a molecular phylogeny and taxonomic review of the Pacific island colymbetine diving beetles, focusing on the Fijian and New Caledonian faunas. Four new species are described: Rhantus monteithi and R. poellerbauerae from New Caledonia, and R. kini and R. bula from Fiji. We also describe the 3rd instar larvae of R. monteithi and R. poellerbauerae spp. nov., assigned to adults using mtDNA sequence data and discuss larval characters in the light of phylogeny. The phylogenetic hypotheses derived from both parsimony and Bayesian inference based on 3508 aligned nucleotides from a combination of mitochondrial ( cox1, cob and rrnL-tRNALeu-Nad1) and nuclear genes (18S rRNA and H3) reveal a clade comprising R. novaecaledoniae, R. alutaceus, R. pseudopacificus, R. monteithi sp. nov. and R. poellerbauerae sp. nov., which agrees with the R. pacificus group sensu Balke (1993). Carabdytes upin was included within this clade, possibly indicating paraphyly of the genus Rhantus. Rhantus annectens, R. bacchusi, R. supranubicus, R. suturalis, R. simulans, and the Palearctic R. exsoletus, R. latitans and R. bistriatus formed a clade corresponding to the R. suturalis group sensu Balke (2001). Rhantus vitiensis, previously assigned to the R. pacificus group, was included in the R. suturalis clade. We find some support for a scenario where the Pacific was colonized out of the Northern hemisphere only during the past c. 12 million years, rejecting a Gondwanan origin of the morphologically isolated endemics. The new species are all characterized by mtDNA haplotype clusters, the degree of divergence between sister species pairs ranging from 1.3 to 7%, while R. novaecaledoniae individuals from all over New Caledonia apparently form one morphospecies, with moderate genetic diversity (up to 2.3% mtDNA divergence between populations). The sisters R. pollerbauerae sp. nov. +  R. monteithi sp. nov. occur sympatrically on Mont Panié but appear ecologically segregated, while the sisters R. vitiensis +  R. bula sp. nov. were encountered syntopically on Viti Levu. Comparing genetic and morphological data of Fijian Rhantus and Copelatus diving beetles, we here show that even in island radiations it is not per se possible to know if mitochondrial DNA barcoding would perform well ( Rhantus: YES, Copelatus: NO). At the same time we show that fixed cutoff values, as sometimes used to discriminate between barcodes, thus species, might be meaningless. We underpin the importance of morphology for sustainable exploration of global diversity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Using two studies of a simple design it has been possible to furnish proof of the influence of hand hygiene prior to insertion of peripheral venous catheters on the incidence of complications. In the first study detailed data were collected anonymously for each patient on the procedure used for catheter insertion or on any complications. Data were collected for around 64% of patients in one hospital. Evaluation of the questionnaires revealed that there was a significant increase in the incidence of complications in line with an increasing duration of the indwelling period of between 24 and 96 hours. The unexpected finding of this evaluation study was that in the case of catheters with an indwelling period of more than two days there were highly significantly lower complication rates in those cases in which hand disinfection was carried out or gloves donned before catheter placement. The second study, based on the former, documented the cases giving rise to complications. The proportion of peripheral venous catheters implicated in complications was 24%. Here, too, there was a sharp rise in the risk of complications in line with the duration of the indwelling period. Catheters placed in the OR during the patient's hospital stay showed a significantly lower risk of complications than those inserted on wards, or even in the outpatient department. Conductance of hygienic hand disinfection or the wearing of disposable gloves resulted in significantly lower complication rates compared to normal handwashing or omission of a hand hygiene measure. The most plausible explanation for this positive effect exerted by the wearing of disposable gloves or conductance of hygienic hand disinfection prior to catheter placement is that there was no recontamination during repalpation, as often seen, of the prepared venepuncture site. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The species list of Dytiscidae of Iran has been composed using recently studied material and all literature data known to us. We report 139 species of Iranian diving beetles including one Dytiscus species of uncertain taxonomic position. Two species, Agabus amoenus Solsky, 1874 and Copelatus pulchellus (Klug, 1834) are recorded for the first time from Iran. For 57 species, new provincial records are provided. Twenty-two species and one genus have been excluded from the Iranian diving beetle fauna as based on misidentifications. The distributional pattern in Iran and preferred habitat (if available) are summarised for each species and discussed in general. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The first account of the predaceous diving beetles or Dytiscidae of Jordan is presented. Altogether 25 species are listed, although the occurrence of two of them remains doubtful. Nine species are recorded from the territory of Jordan for the first time, and the first precise locality data are provided for an additional seven species. Bidessus anatolicus Wewalka, 1972 and Nebrioporus stearinus (Kolenati, 1845) recorded recently from Jordan based on misidentification are removed from the list. If available, habitat information is provided for recently collected species. The zoogeographical patterns of the region are briefly summarised. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The diversity of the aquatic and strictly riparian beetles of the Philippines is reviewed. A checklist (with 317 species and subspecies) of the aquatic and riparian Coleoptera of the Philippines is provided for the first time herein. This checklist covers the following families (number of species and subspecies in parentheses): Hydroscaphidae (1), Gyrinidae (15), Dytiscidae (65), Noteridae (4), Haliplidae (2), Hydraenidae (15), Hydrochidae (2), Spercheidae (1), Hydrophilidae (72), Scirtidae (49), Elmidae (23), Dryopidae (2), Psephenidae (16), Eulichadidae (1), Limnichidae (20), Heteroceridae (5), Malachiidae (5), Lampyridae (15), Nitidulidae (4). A total of 201 species and subspecies (63%) are considered to be endemic to the Philippines. Aquatic/riparian beetle genera and families that are still unrecorded but likely to occur in this country are briefly discussed. Based on estimates at the genus level, it is concluded that about 850 aquatic and riparian species can be expected to occur in the Philippines. The implication of the Philippine biogeographic history for this diversity is discussed. The potential of aquatic/riparian beetles as bioindicators is briefly examined. The dilemma of aquatic invertebrate conservation is analysed and priorities for future research are outlined. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Focuses on an outbreak legionellosis in 2001. Notification of the Austrian Ministry of Health by the German Ministry of Health that a small Austrian village was suspected as the disease source; Cases reported to Austria by the European Working Group for Legionella Infection Network (EWGLINET); Presence of Legionella pneumophila in six hotels of the tourist village; Idea that notification of the outbreak did not reach the general population, physician, and hospital, but private households were informed that the water system was disinfected; The responsibility for local infection control in Austria; Opinion there is a need for health agencies at the national level which will be capable of implementing early investigations and preventive public health measures.

Introduction: Little is known about prevailing ribotypes of Clostridium difficile infection in Romania where CDI is not a mandatory notifiable disease. Methodology: We studied 64 non-duplicate C. difficile isolates from patients hospitalised at the National Institute of Infectious Diseases, Bucharest, Romania between March 2011 and March 2012. Results: Sixty-three of the 64 C. difficile isolates produced toxins A and B whereas 44 (69%) isolates produced a binary toxin. Ribotype 027 accounted for 43 (68%) of the 63 toxigenic strains. The remaining 20 isolates belonged to ribotypes 018 (n = 9), 012 (n = 3), and, with one isolate each, 014, 031, 081, 416, 433, 500, 507 and PR03035 (new ribotype). Information on hospital mortality was available for 62 of the 64 patients; among these 62 cases, 4 (6.4%) ended fatal. Recurrence was documented for 11 (18.3%) of the 60 patients for whom this information was available. Multilocus variable-number tandem repeat analysis of the 43 isolates of ribotype 027 yielded a unique cluster for the Romanian isolates when compared to Austrian or Italian isolates. Conclusion: Our findings sustain the hypothesis of a recent emerged outbreak of C. difficile PCR ribotype 027 infections in the area of Bucharest. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Currently, to our knowledge, quality of output water of dental chair units is not covered by specific regulations in the European Union, and national recommendations are heterogeneous. In Germany, water used in dental chair units must follow drinking water quality. In the United States of America, testingfor aerobic heterotrophic bacteria is recommended. The present study was performed to evaluate whether the counts of aerobic heterotrophic bacteria correlate with the presence of potentially pathogenic bacteria such as Legionella spp. or Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Methods: 71 samples were collected from 26 dental chair units with integrated disinfection device and 31 samples from 15 outlets of the water distribution pipework within the department were examined. Samples were tested for aerobic heterotrophic bacteria at 35°C and 22°C using different culture media and for Legionella spp. and for Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Additionally, strains of Legionella pneumo-phila serogroup 1 were typed with monoclonal antibodies and repre-sentative samples of Legionella pneumophila serogroup 1 were typed by sequence based typing. Results: Our results showed a correlation between different agars for aerobic heterotrophic bacteria but no correlation for the count of aerobic heterotrophic bacteria and the presence of Legionella spp. or Pseudo-monas aeruginosa. Conclusion: Testingfor aerobic heterotrophic bacteria in output water or water distribution pipework within the departments alone is without any value for predicting whether the water is contaminated with poten-tially pathogenic bacteria like Legionella spp. or Pseudomonas aeru-ginosa. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]