The effects of antibiotics on Escherichia coli during exponential growth in liquid medium were monitored by flow cytometry measuring cellular DNA content and cell size of individual cells in large numbers as well as cell counts. A statistically significant increase in cellular DNA as well as size was recorded after 20 and 40 min of incubation with the MIC of ampicillin and mecillinam, respectively. The optical density (OD600nm) of treated cultures continued to increase for at least 80 minutes, showing that the increase in cellular DNA and size reflected continued growth and elongation of cells coupled with inhibition of cell division, the latter being confirmed by the cell counting. Since fixation, staining and flow-cytometric analysis can be carried out within a few minutes, the present results suggest that flow cytometry may have potential as a rapid and quantitative technique that can be automated for clinical and experimental susceptibility testing of antibacterial drugs.

The overall rate of caesarean section surgical wound infections was significantly reduced to 3,1 % (2008-2010 about 1 % in 2010). This result was demonstrated elegantly as a marked shift in process in g-chart. We found the g-chart was efficient, sensitive and simple to handle.

The rate of SSI is underestimated if the observation time is limited to the hospital stay. Operating time exceeding 38 min substantially increases the risk of SSI. The finding of no significant difference in SSI rate between elective and emergency CS should lead to a different approach concerning the use of antibiotics: subgroup at risk (operating time > or =38 min and BMI >30) may benefit from antibiotics in relation to the operation, whether the CS is an emergency or elective operation.

Exponentially growing E. coli cells were cultivated in the presence of ceftazidime, ciprofloxacin, and gentamicin in concentrations ranging from 0.5-8 minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC), permeabilized by means of cold shock in EDTA/Na-azide, and stained with the DNA-specific dye combination of ethidium bromide and mithramycin before the fluorescence, light scattering, and cell number were measured flow-cytometrically. In order to evaluate the applicability of the cold-shock procedure, cells were also permeabilized by 70% ethanol. Permeabilization by cold shock, which eliminates washing of the cells, reduced the preparation time to

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