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Although oxacillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (ORSA) are well-established pathogens in many hospitals, the impact of infection control measures on the clonal distribution of ORSA is poorly defined. A citywide surveillance study of Staphylococcus aureus in Brooklyn, New York revealed that 36% of isolates were ORSA. Molecular typing showed that one strain (Cluster A) accounted for more than half...
The ability of physicians to diagnose tuberculosis is impacted by the use of smear and culture techniques combined with specimen processing methods. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of specimen processing on smear and culture sensitivity by comparing the specimen processing method that uses C18-carboxypropylbetaine with the method that combines sodium dodecyl sulfate and sodium...
This case report highlights the difficulty of diagnosing tuberculous sinusitis in the absence of pulmonary foci. Although extrapulmonary localisations of tuberculosis are rare in immunocompetent patients, it is important to consider this diagnosis, since therapeutic delay usually results in an unfavourable outcome. Acid-fast bacilli are sometimes difficult to detect in pathological specimens. Consequently,...
In order to meet the need of many microbiological laboratories for a standardized system for detecting Chlamydia pneumoniae in respiratory specimens, a hybridization probe-based LightCycler (Roche Diagnostics, Germany) PCR assay was developed. The assays analytical sensitivity and specificity were evaluated according to the recommendations of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (USA) and...
The optimal duration of antifungal treatment of candidaemia is unknown. Prolonged treatment has been advocated to prevent late-onset complications caused by metastatic infectious foci. To evaluate the relationship between duration of antifungal therapy and the development of delayed complications in patients with candidaemia, a retrospective descriptive study was performed in a tertiary care centre...
Treatment of Burkholderia cepacia-complex infections in cystic fibrosis patients is problematic, since the microorganism is often resistant to most antimicrobial agents. In this study, the Epsilometer test, or E test, was used to assess the activity of antimicrobial combinations against Burkholderia cepacia-complex. In a preliminary evaluation, the E test was compared to the checkerboard method using...
The aim of this study was to apply receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis to the microplate Alamar blue assay, a recently developed alternative for drug susceptibility testing of mycobacteria. As this is a quantitative assay, its performance can be determined by ROC analysis, in which the area under the ROC curve represents a summary of test performance (the higher the area, the better the...
Described here is an unusual case of disseminated Cylindrocarpon lichenicola (Fusarium lichenicola) infection originating from a toenail lesion of a neutropenic woman with cellulitis of the foot and underlying acute leukaemia. A computed tomography scan of the chest showed multiple, ill-defined, nodular infiltrates with alveolar consolidation. The fungus was isolated from both the nail and the skin...
An immunosuppressed patient who presented with unusual clinical signs of cutaneous alternariosis, including papular, nodular and verrucous lesions of the forearms, is reported. In spite of continuous treatment with oral itraconazole for 6 months, a large, progressive, necrotic ulcer appeared on the patients left leg. Liposomal amphotericin B was then administered (total dose, 750mg) with excellent...
Excessive production of inflammatory mediators during invasive infection plays a key role in the pathogenesis of septic shock. In an attempt to improve survival of patients with this lethal syndrome, agents were developed to selectively inhibit mediators in this inflammatory response. Despite promising preclinical results, several different mediator-specific anti-inflammatory agents failed to demonstrate...
The aim of this study was to establish the incidence of fecal carriage of Listeria monocytogenes in healthy adults. A total of 868 stool specimens from three healthy volunteers (1 male and 2 females; ages 44, 39, and 60 years) were collected between 1 October 2000 and 30 September 2001. Culture was performed using Fraser broth and Palcam selective agar plates. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was performed...
In order to compare the microbiological characteristics of nosocomial and community-acquired episodes of bacterial peritonitis, 95 consecutive, spontaneous episodes were reviewed. Seventy of these episodes were bacteriologically documented. Fifty-three (55.8%) episodes were nosocomial and 42 (44.2%) were community acquired. A total of 78 pathogens were isolated, including 40 gram-positive cocci (34...
The aim of this study was to evaluate the prevalence of virulence genotypes, namely cagA, vacA and babA2, of Helicobacter pylori strains isolated from Portuguese adults and children presenting gastroduodenal pathology. One hundred thirty-six strains were studied, 82 isolated from adult patients (50 with nonulcerative gastritis and 32 with active peptic ulcer) and 58 isolated from children (54 with...
The goal of the study reported here was to compare the results of Western blot with other serological methods for testing newborns suspected of having congenital toxoplasmosis. Western blot, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, immunoglobulin (Ig)M immunosorbent agglutination assay, and indirect immunofluorescence assay were performed on the sera of 126 neonates collected at birth and at 1 and 3 months...
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