A utilização das células progenitoras hematopoéticas (CPH) obtidas do sangue de cordão umbilical e placentário (SCUP) apresenta vários benefícios para o transplante de CPH em comparação às células provenientes de outras fontes. Dentre eles, a maior disponibilidade e a maior imaturidade imunológica das CPH, o que permite certa flexibilidade nos critérios de compatibilidade entre doador e receptor e uma menor taxa de reação do enxerto-versus-hospedeiro. A legislação brasileira e órgãos internacionais exigem a realização de vários testes para garantir a qualidade do produto hemoterápico contendo CPH a ser transplantado. O objetivo deste estudo foi confirmar que o teste para quantificação de CPH com elevada atividade da enzima ALDH1(ALDHbr) pode ser considerado um teste de adequado ou seja, é capaz de predizer quais produtos tem melhor capacidade de repopular a medula óssea do recipiente após o transplante. Para isso, foram utilizadas 40 unidades de SCUP coletadas e processadas pelo Banco de Sangue de Cordão Umbilical e Placentário do Cetebio / Fundação Hemominas. As unidades foram processadas por método automatizado e amostras do creme leucocitário (buffy coat) foram coletadas para a realização da quantificação de células ALDHbr, quantificação de células CD34+, ensaio clonogênico (CFU), hemograma e cálculo do total de células nucleadas (TCN). A citometria de fluxo foi utilizada para a quantificação das CPH ALDHbr e CD34+ e das subpopulações CD45dim e CD38+. Outras informações como idade materna, idade gestacional e sexo do recém-nascido também foram coletadas para descrição das unidades. Para verificar a viabilidade da utilização do teste de ALDH pelos BSCUP foi realizado o levantamento do seu custo. A capacidade funcional das CPH em proliferar e se diferenciar em tecido hematopoético foi avaliada por meio do ensaio clonogênico. Detectou-se correlação entre a quantidade de células ALDHbr e o número de colônias no ensaio clonogênico (p<0,001), entre o número de células ALDHbr e de células CD34+ (p=0,001) e entre o número de colônias no ensaio clonogênico e o número de células CD34+ (p<0,001). A imunofenotipagem mostrou que 46,25% das células ALDHbr eram CD45dimCD38+CD34+. Os dados sugerem que a quantificação de células ALDHbr em unidades de SCUP pode ser considerada teste adequado, de baixo custo, de execução simples, rápida e menos dependente do operador em relação ao ensaio clonogênico. / The use of the umbilical cord blood cells presents numberless benefits when compared to the cells from different sources. Among them, the ease of availability, the bigger immunological immaturity, which allows some flexibility in the compatibility between donor and receptor and less induction of reaction of graft-versus-host. The Brazilian legislation and international organizations demand the practice of various tests to guarantee the quality of the product to be transplanted. The aim of this research was to confirm that the test used to quantify ALDHbr cells can be considered a power test, meaning that it tests the ability to repopulate the bone marrow after transplant. For this study, it has been used 40 units of SCUP collected and processed by the Cetebio Umbilical Cord Blood Bank - Fundação Hemominas. The units were processed by the automatized method and the samples of the final product (buffy coat) were collected for the quantification of ALDHbr cells, quantification of CD34+ cells, clonogenic essay (CFU), hemogram and the total number of nucleated cells (TNC). It was used the flow cytometry to perform ALDH and CD34+ tests. Besides that, it was also performed the association of antibodies anti-CD34, anti-CD45 and anti-CD38 for the immunophenotyping of the units. Other information such as maternal age, fertilization age and the newborn gender were also collected for description of the units. In order to verify the viability of the use of the ALDH test by BSCUP its costs were calculated, as well as of the clonogenic essay. The results showed a significant correlation between ALDHbr cells and the clonogenic essay (p<0.001), between ALDHbr and CD34+ cells (p=0,001) and between the clonogenic essay and the quantification of CD34+ cells (p<0,001). The immunophenotyping revealed that 46,25% of ALDHbr cells were CD45dimCD38+CD34+. The data indicated that the quantification of ALDHbr cells in the SCUP units can be considered a powerful and low cost procedure, of easier and quicker execution and less operator dependent.

Bakgrund: Till operationssjuksköterskors ansvarsområden hör hygien och infektionsprevention. Vårdrelaterade infektioner (VRI) drabbar drygt 55 000 patienter i Sverige varje år. Av dessa VRI är runt 12 000 postoperativa sårinfektioner (SSI), varav hälften beräknas vara möjliga att undvika. En vanlig orsak till SSI är att bakteriebärande partiklar i luften, colony forming units (CFU), hamnar i operationssåret. Antalet personer i salen, personalens klädsel och antalet dörröppningar är några faktorer som antas påverka CFU-halten i operationssalens luft. Det råder osäkerhet kring vilka infektions-förebyggande åtgärder som bör prioriteras för att hålla CFU-halten nere och säkerställa en säker vård. Syfte: Att undersöka sambandet mellan CFU-halten i operationssalens sterila område och miljöfaktorer i salen.  Metod: En prospektiv icke-experimentell korrelationsstudie med kvantitativ ansats genomfördes. CFU-halten mättes med en aktiv luftprovtagare under 113 mätperioder fördelade på 17 operationer i en operationssal utrustad med LAF-ventilation. Samtidigt observerades antalet personer, antalet personer utan dok och antalet dörröppningar. Med hjälp av SPSS beräknades korrelationerna mellan de studerade variablerna. Resultat: Inget signifikant samband kunde påvisas mellan CFU-halten i operationsområdet och antalet personer i salen, antalet personer utan dok eller antalet dörröppningar. Slutsats: Luften i operationsområdet höll genomgående en ultraren nivå och CFU-halten påverkades inte av de studerade miljöfaktorerna. Detta är positivt ur perspektivet säker vård då det tyder på att risken för att drabbas av en postoperativ sårinfektion på grund av bakterier i luften är liten i salar med LAF-ventilation. Därigenom undviks onödigt lidande för patienter och kostnaderna för samhället hålls nere. Risken att drabbas av SSI påverkas av fler faktorer. Mer forskning behövs innan nuvarande rutiner kan ändras. / Background: Hygiene and infection prevention are two of the responsibilities of the operating room nurse. In Sweden, roughly 12,000 patients suffer from surgical site infections (SSI) each year, many of which could be avoided. A common cause of SSI is bacteria-laden particles (CFU) in the air of the operating room. The number of people in the room, the attire of the surgical staff and the number of door openings are thought to affect the CFU count. It remains unclear what preventive measures are most effective in reducing the CFU count to provide the safest care possible. Aim: To investigate the relationship between the CFU count in the sterile area of the operating room and various environmental factors. Method: A prospective, non-experimental correlational study was conducted. The CFU count was measured through active air sampling during 113 ten-minute periods, distributed over 17 operations, in an operating room equipped with a laminar air flow ventilation system. Simultaneously, observations were made of the number of people in the room, the number of people wearing a specific type of surgical cap called “dok” and the number of door openings. Correlations between variables were calculated using SPSS software. Results: No correlations between the CFU count within the sterile area and the studied variables were found. Conclusion: The air in the sterile area remained ultra-clean throughout the study, and the CFU count was not affected by the studied variables. This indicates that the risk of suffering from SSI caused by airborne bacteria is low, which benefits both patients and society. However, there is still a significant risk of suffering from SSI because of other risk factors. More research is needed before any new recommendations regarding hygiene routines in the operating room can be given.

Regenerative medicine (RM) represents a promising enabling technology to revolutionize healthcare. This said there are still major gaps between the commercial promise and the reality of the cell therapy sector of regenerative medicine. There is consensus to develop high through-put, automated technologies for the manufacture of RM products. Imaging methods will have the capacity to contribute to this technological gap for cell therapies and are particularly attractive to provide non-destructive monitoring with high spatial and temporal resolution. This work applied an automated, non-invasive phase contrast imaging platform (Cell-IQ) to measure, analyse and ultimately quantify image derived metrics for human embryonic stem cells (hESCs) and haematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) as part of the colony forming unit (CFU) assay. This work has shown through thresholding and machine vision identification technology, imaging has the ability to improve the precision of current evaluation methods for cell culture, providing novel information regarding culture state and show image derived metrics to be predictive of future culture state. Building on this, differentiation through the addition of a growth factor cocktail highlighted how in-process monitoring enables protocol optimisation. After equilibrating the Cell-IQ incubator to a standard incubator, the progress of the CFU assay was monitored and image metrics representative of colony phenotype were analysed. Cell count, distance between cells and cell migration within individual colonies were identified to be informative and provide a degree of colony phenotype separation. Quantitative, novel, image derived metrics were identified that improve reliability through computer automation, cost by removing user verification and time by reducing the assay time from 14 days to 7 days. Non-invasive imaging provides a fantastic opportunity to create bespoke sampling frequencies to achieve desired precision for manufacturing cell therapies, this work has developed and shown improvement and a level of control to current culture process for ESCs and HSCs.

A mastite é uma doença complexa que pode ter diferentes causas, graus de intensidade e variações de duração e de conseqüências. Os processos inflamatórios na glândula mamária são especialmente freqüentes e importantes em bovinos leiteiros. A mastite infecciosa é a mais importante sob os pontos de vista econômico e de saúde pública. A forma subclínica é a mais onerosa e prevalente com um comprometimento mundial de 40% do rebanho leiteiro e perdas econômicas entre 5% e 25% da produção leiteira. No Brasil, a mastite subclínica caracteriza-se pela alta incidência, com índices variando de 44,88% a 97,0%, e a redução da produção leiteira situa-se entre 25,4% e 43,0%. Dentre os agentes etiológicos mais isolados em casos de mastite subclínica destacam-se os Staphylococcus spp., os Streptococcus spp. e o Corynebacterium bovis. A quantidade de UFC/mL no leite proveniente diretamente da glândula mamária bovina com infecção permitiria o conhecimento da quantidade de microrganismos associada a uma determinada intensidade de processo inflamatório na glândula. A comparação destas informações com a contagem de células somáticas na amostra avaliaria mais acuradamente a natureza do processo inflamatório e infeccioso na glândula. Importante seria o risco que representa a presença de microrganismos no leite, sobretudo se considerar o hábito do consumo de leite in natura, verificando em um estudo quantitativo desta natureza, a carga microbiana ingerida pelo homem. Foram examinadas 80 amostras de leite de vacas mestiças ou holandesas, primíparas e multíparas, em diferentes estágios de lactação de plantéis do Estado de São Paulo. Quatro grupos foram formados de 20 animais cada: grupos com crescimento negativo, de Staphylococcus spp. e Streptococcus spp. em cultura pura e grupo com a associação de ambos microrganismos. O objetivo deste trabalho consistiu em avaliação comparativa da quantidade de UFC/mL de microrganismos e CCSs no leite proveniente de glândulas mamárias bovinas, associadas com a presença dos microrganismos Staphylococcus spp. e Streptococcus spp. e infecções mistas ocorridas com a presença de ambos. Tanto Staphylococcus spp. (mediana = 4,772), quanto Streptococcus spp. em cultura pura (mediana = 5,933), não apresentam diferenças significativas na contagem de UFC com seus respectivos agentes em associação (Staphylococcus spp. com mediana da associação foi de 5,048 e mediana de Streptococcus spp. da associação foi de 5,792). Nas amostras em que houve crescimento de Staphylococcus spp. e Streptococcus spp. associados, a quantidade de UFC de Streptococcus spp. foi estatisticamente maior. Comparados entre si (crescimento em cultura pura de Staphylococcus spp. com mediana = 5,765 e Streptococcus spp., mediana = 5,920), mesmo apresentando um maior número na CCSs no grupo de crescimento de Streptococcus spp., este aumento não foi significativo estatisticamente. Porém, quando associados (mediana = 5,673), comparados à cultura pura de Staphylococcus spp. (mediana = 5,765), este último teve aumento significativo. Tanto em cultura pura como em associação, a presença dos microrganismos quando comparados, não induziram a um aumento significativo na CCSs ou à contagem de UFCs em amostras de leite com sinais de mastite subclínica, porém Staphylococcus spp. induziu maior contagem de células somáticas / Mastitis is a complex disease that can occur due to different causes, intensity of degrees and variation of duration and consequences. The inflammatory processes in the mammary gland are specially frequent and important in dairy producing cattle. The infectious mastitis is the most important because of the economic aspects and public health. The subclinical manifestation is the most expensive and prevailing affecting 40% of the milk producing herd and causing an economic loss between 5% and 25% of all dairy production. In Brazil, the subclinical mastitis is characterized by high incidence, with indexes varying from 44,8% to 97,0 % with the reduction of milk production between 25,4% and 43%. Among the more isolated etiological agents in subclinical mastitis, is the Staphylococcus spp., the Streptococcus spp. and the Corynebacterium bovis. The amount of CFU/mL in the milk directly originated from the infected cow mammary gland would make possible to know the amount of microorganisms associated to a determined intensity of inflammatory process in the gland. The comparison between this information with the number of body cells in the sample would evaluate more precisely the nature of the inflammatory process in the gland. The risk represented by the presence of microorganisms in the milk is very important mainly because of the habit of milk consumption in natura, checked in a quantitative study of this nature, based on the amount of microbes intake by man. Eight milk samples of half-breed cows and Dutch cows were examined as well as those in first or after various calving, in different lactation stages in breeding stocks in São Paulo State. Four groups were organized, with 20 animals in each with negative Staphylococcus spp. growth and Streptococcus spp. in pure culture and group, with the association of both microorganisms. The purpose of this study is the comparative assessment of the amount of CFU/mL of microorganisms and CCSs in the milk from the mammary bovine glands, associated with the presence of microorganisms Staphylococcus spp. and Streptococcus spp. and a mixed infection that occurred with the presence of both. The Staphylococcus spp. (median = 4,772) as well as the Streptococcus spp. in pure culture (median= 5,933) did not show significant differences in the CFU count, with their respective agents in association (Staphylococcus spp. with median of association was of 5,048 and median of Streptococcus spp. of the association was of 5,792). On the samples in which there was a growth of Staphylococcus spp. and Streptococcus spp. associated, the amount of CFU of Streptococcus spp. was statistically larger. Compared between themselves (growth in pure culture of Staphylococcus spp., median = 5,920, this increase wasnt statistically significant. Although when associated (median=5,673), compared to the pure culture of Staphylococcus spp. (median=5,765), the latter had a significant increase. In pure culture as well as in association, the presence of microorganisms when compared to a significant increase in CCSs or to the CFUs count in milk samples with indication of subclinical mastitis, but the Staphylococcus spp. induced a larger count of somatic cells

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Indiana University, 2008. / Title from screen (viewed June 24, 2009). Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI). Advisor(s): Maureen Harrington. Includes vita. Non-Latin script record. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 126-132).

This thesis examines the influence of packaging on the microbial condition of beef for sale. The beef - Muscullus semimembranosus - was studied in an unpackaged state, and in the packaging of stretchable plastic wrap, in multilayer polyamide - polyethylene (PA / PE) wrap using a protective atmosphere and using 80% of vacuum into a bag from a multi-layered PA / PE wrap. The beef was stored at refrigerated temperature of +5 ° C. The total number of microorganisms (the number of colony forming units) were examined for 27 days. The compared samples show that the speed of increasing number of microorganisms is dependent on the type of packaging. According to the observed averages the best results are showed at meat packaged into a modified atmosphere and vacuum packaging, where there were no significant differences between these two types. Statistically there were no sigificant differences between the observed types of packaging. Packing in plastic wrap reduced microbial contamination of meat compared to unpackaged meat, but with vacuum packaging and modified atmosphere it could not be compared.

A mastite é uma doença complexa que pode ter diferentes causas, graus de intensidade e variações de duração e de conseqüências. Os processos inflamatórios na glândula mamária são especialmente freqüentes e importantes em bovinos leiteiros. A mastite infecciosa é a mais importante sob os pontos de vista econômico e de saúde pública. A forma subclínica é a mais onerosa e prevalente com um comprometimento mundial de 40% do rebanho leiteiro e perdas econômicas entre 5% e 25% da produção leiteira. No Brasil, a mastite subclínica caracteriza-se pela alta incidência, com índices variando de 44,88% a 97,0%, e a redução da produção leiteira situa-se entre 25,4% e 43,0%. Dentre os agentes etiológicos mais isolados em casos de mastite subclínica destacam-se os Staphylococcus spp., os Streptococcus spp. e o Corynebacterium bovis. A quantidade de UFC/mL no leite proveniente diretamente da glândula mamária bovina com infecção permitiria o conhecimento da quantidade de microrganismos associada a uma determinada intensidade de processo inflamatório na glândula. A comparação destas informações com a contagem de células somáticas na amostra avaliaria mais acuradamente a natureza do processo inflamatório e infeccioso na glândula. Importante seria o risco que representa a presença de microrganismos no leite, sobretudo se considerar o hábito do consumo de leite in natura, verificando em um estudo quantitativo desta natureza, a carga microbiana ingerida pelo homem. Foram examinadas 80 amostras de leite de vacas mestiças ou holandesas, primíparas e multíparas, em diferentes estágios de lactação de plantéis do Estado de São Paulo. Quatro grupos foram formados de 20 animais cada: grupos com crescimento negativo, de Staphylococcus spp. e Streptococcus spp. em cultura pura e grupo com a associação de ambos microrganismos. O objetivo deste trabalho consistiu em avaliação comparativa da quantidade de UFC/mL de microrganismos e CCSs no leite proveniente de glândulas mamárias bovinas, associadas com a presença dos microrganismos Staphylococcus spp. e Streptococcus spp. e infecções mistas ocorridas com a presença de ambos. Tanto Staphylococcus spp. (mediana = 4,772), quanto Streptococcus spp. em cultura pura (mediana = 5,933), não apresentam diferenças significativas na contagem de UFC com seus respectivos agentes em associação (Staphylococcus spp. com mediana da associação foi de 5,048 e mediana de Streptococcus spp. da associação foi de 5,792). Nas amostras em que houve crescimento de Staphylococcus spp. e Streptococcus spp. associados, a quantidade de UFC de Streptococcus spp. foi estatisticamente maior. Comparados entre si (crescimento em cultura pura de Staphylococcus spp. com mediana = 5,765 e Streptococcus spp., mediana = 5,920), mesmo apresentando um maior número na CCSs no grupo de crescimento de Streptococcus spp., este aumento não foi significativo estatisticamente. Porém, quando associados (mediana = 5,673), comparados à cultura pura de Staphylococcus spp. (mediana = 5,765), este último teve aumento significativo. Tanto em cultura pura como em associação, a presença dos microrganismos quando comparados, não induziram a um aumento significativo na CCSs ou à contagem de UFCs em amostras de leite com sinais de mastite subclínica, porém Staphylococcus spp. induziu maior contagem de células somáticas / Mastitis is a complex disease that can occur due to different causes, intensity of degrees and variation of duration and consequences. The inflammatory processes in the mammary gland are specially frequent and important in dairy producing cattle. The infectious mastitis is the most important because of the economic aspects and public health. The subclinical manifestation is the most expensive and prevailing affecting 40% of the milk producing herd and causing an economic loss between 5% and 25% of all dairy production. In Brazil, the subclinical mastitis is characterized by high incidence, with indexes varying from 44,8% to 97,0 % with the reduction of milk production between 25,4% and 43%. Among the more isolated etiological agents in subclinical mastitis, is the Staphylococcus spp., the Streptococcus spp. and the Corynebacterium bovis. The amount of CFU/mL in the milk directly originated from the infected cow mammary gland would make possible to know the amount of microorganisms associated to a determined intensity of inflammatory process in the gland. The comparison between this information with the number of body cells in the sample would evaluate more precisely the nature of the inflammatory process in the gland. The risk represented by the presence of microorganisms in the milk is very important mainly because of the habit of milk consumption in natura, checked in a quantitative study of this nature, based on the amount of microbes intake by man. Eight milk samples of half-breed cows and Dutch cows were examined as well as those in first or after various calving, in different lactation stages in breeding stocks in São Paulo State. Four groups were organized, with 20 animals in each with negative Staphylococcus spp. growth and Streptococcus spp. in pure culture and group, with the association of both microorganisms. The purpose of this study is the comparative assessment of the amount of CFU/mL of microorganisms and CCSs in the milk from the mammary bovine glands, associated with the presence of microorganisms Staphylococcus spp. and Streptococcus spp. and a mixed infection that occurred with the presence of both. The Staphylococcus spp. (median = 4,772) as well as the Streptococcus spp. in pure culture (median= 5,933) did not show significant differences in the CFU count, with their respective agents in association (Staphylococcus spp. with median of association was of 5,048 and median of Streptococcus spp. of the association was of 5,792). On the samples in which there was a growth of Staphylococcus spp. and Streptococcus spp. associated, the amount of CFU of Streptococcus spp. was statistically larger. Compared between themselves (growth in pure culture of Staphylococcus spp., median = 5,920, this increase wasnt statistically significant. Although when associated (median=5,673), compared to the pure culture of Staphylococcus spp. (median=5,765), the latter had a significant increase. In pure culture as well as in association, the presence of microorganisms when compared to a significant increase in CCSs or to the CFUs count in milk samples with indication of subclinical mastitis, but the Staphylococcus spp. induced a larger count of somatic cells

Bakgrund: I operationssjuksköterskans kompetensbeskrivning ingår infektionsförebyggande arbete för att minska risken att patienten att drabbas av postoperativa infektioner. En smittväg som bakterier kan färdas till operationssåret är via partiklar i luften, på engelska colony forming units (CFU). Det är således viktigt för operationssjuksköterskan att ha kunskap om vilka faktorer som påverkar antal CFU för att kunna vidta åtgärder för att begränsa antalet CFU. Studier visar att faktorer som antal personer som befinner sig inne på operationssalen samt antal dörröppning kan öka antal CFU/m3.    Syfte: Att undersöka sambandet mellan mängd CFU inom det sterila området på operationssalen, antalet personer samt dörröppningar på salen.   Metod: Icke experimentella mätningar med aktiv luftmätare och observationer genomfördes på 13 operationer. Insamlade data analyserades statistiskt genom korrelationell analys med kvantitativ ansats.   Resultat: Ingen korrelation kunde ses mellan antalet CFU inom det sterila fältet, antal dörröppningar, vilken dörr som öppnades eller hur många personer som befann sig inne på operationssalen.     Slutsats: Risken för att drabbas av en infektion från luftburna CFU på stora operationssalar med LAF-ventilation anses vara minimal. Operationssjuksköterskan kan i sitt arbete känna trygghet i salens förmåga att hantera ett stort antal personer och dörröppningar.

<p>Studiens främsta målsättning har varit att ta reda på om det förekommer aeroba mikroorganismer på handtagen på kundvagnar och kundkorgar som används i dagligvarubutiker. Förutom detta har undersökningen syftat till att finna svar på frågor som; om det förekommer aeroba mikroorganismer på handtagen vilka typer, familjer och arter tillhör de? Finns skillnader mellan antalet cfu (kolonier) på handtagen på vagnar och korgar? Finns skillnader mellan antalet cfu på handtagen från morgon till kväll samt finns skillnader mellan antalet cfu på handtagen på vagnar mestadels förvarade utomhus och mestadels inomhus? Hur ofta rengörs vagnarna och korgarna och erhålls någon skillnad i antalet cfu mellan en otvättad och en tvättad korg?</p><p>Undersökningen har gjorts med hjälp av Hygicult TPC slides, vilka är avsedda för snabb kontroll av mikrobiologisk hygien på olika typer av material som ytor och fasta och flytande material. Agarfilmen på plattan är så kallad Total Plate Count Agar och den gynnar snabb tillväxt av de vanligaste förekommande bakterier, jäst- och mögelsvampar.</p><p>På 103 av 104 tryckplattsidor, kunde tillväxt av mikroorganismer observeras efter inkubering i 32oC i två dygn. Detta visar på att det förekommer aeroba mikroorganismer på handtagen på kundvagnar och kundkorgar som används i dagligvarubutiker. Identifiering av mikroorganismerna utfördes i första med hjälp av makroskopiska och mikroskopiska iakttagelser. När mikroorganismerna antogs vara bakterier utfördes även Gramfärgning, Katalastest och Oxidastest för att kunna fastställa de fysiologiska och biokemiska egenskaperna. </p><p>Nio olika bakteriearter, en jästsvamp samt tre olika mögelsvampar kunde på detta sätt identifieras. Majoriteten av dem visade sig vara opportunistiskt patogena. </p><p>Grunden till denna studie har främst legat i min egen nyfikenhet inom områdena mikrobiologi och livsmedelshygien.</p>

Studiens främsta målsättning har varit att ta reda på om det förekommer aeroba mikroorganismer på handtagen på kundvagnar och kundkorgar som används i dagligvarubutiker. Förutom detta har undersökningen syftat till att finna svar på frågor som; om det förekommer aeroba mikroorganismer på handtagen vilka typer, familjer och arter tillhör de? Finns skillnader mellan antalet cfu (kolonier) på handtagen på vagnar och korgar? Finns skillnader mellan antalet cfu på handtagen från morgon till kväll samt finns skillnader mellan antalet cfu på handtagen på vagnar mestadels förvarade utomhus och mestadels inomhus? Hur ofta rengörs vagnarna och korgarna och erhålls någon skillnad i antalet cfu mellan en otvättad och en tvättad korg? Undersökningen har gjorts med hjälp av Hygicult TPC slides, vilka är avsedda för snabb kontroll av mikrobiologisk hygien på olika typer av material som ytor och fasta och flytande material. Agarfilmen på plattan är så kallad Total Plate Count Agar och den gynnar snabb tillväxt av de vanligaste förekommande bakterier, jäst- och mögelsvampar. På 103 av 104 tryckplattsidor, kunde tillväxt av mikroorganismer observeras efter inkubering i 32oC i två dygn. Detta visar på att det förekommer aeroba mikroorganismer på handtagen på kundvagnar och kundkorgar som används i dagligvarubutiker. Identifiering av mikroorganismerna utfördes i första med hjälp av makroskopiska och mikroskopiska iakttagelser. När mikroorganismerna antogs vara bakterier utfördes även Gramfärgning, Katalastest och Oxidastest för att kunna fastställa de fysiologiska och biokemiska egenskaperna. Nio olika bakteriearter, en jästsvamp samt tre olika mögelsvampar kunde på detta sätt identifieras. Majoriteten av dem visade sig vara opportunistiskt patogena. Grunden till denna studie har främst legat i min egen nyfikenhet inom områdena mikrobiologi och livsmedelshygien.