Diagnostic microbiology and infectious disease
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Diagn. Microbiol. Infect. Dis. · May 2010
Epidemiology and molecular characteristics of community-associated methicillin-resistant and methicillin-susceptible Staphylococcus aureus from skin/soft tissue infections in a children's hospital in Beijing, China.
To evaluate the epidemiology and molecular features of community-associated methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (CA-MRSA) and methicillin-sensitive S. aureus (MSSA) from children with skin and soft tissue infections (SSTIs) in Beijing, China, prospective community-acquired S. aureus SSTIs surveillance was conducted at the Beijing Children's Hospital, Beijing, China, for a 12-month period from August 1, 2008, to July 30, 2009. Susceptibility to 12 antimicrobials was determined by the agar dilution method. Genotypic characteristics of CA-MRSA isolates were tested by SCCmec typing, spa typing, and multilocus sequence typing. ⋯ Panton-Valentine Leukocidin (PVL)-positive community-acquired S. aureus strains were more commonly associated with skin abscesses than other SSTIs (29.4% versus 5.9%, P < 0.01). In conclusion, CA-MRSA infections are not common among Chinese children with SSTIs. Our findings show that MSSA strains in China have diverse genetic backgrounds.
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Diagn. Microbiol. Infect. Dis. · Apr 2010
Comparative StudyComparison of the clinical and microbiologic characteristics of patients with Enterobacter cloacae and Enterobacter aerogenes bacteremia: a prospective observation study.
We compared the characteristics and outcomes of 172 Enterobacter cloacae bacteremia and 67 Enterobacter aerogenes bacteremia (EAB) cases. Antimicrobial resistance rates to E. cloacae were higher than those to E. aerogenes. However, EAB more frequently presented as septic shock and was associated with poorer outcomes.
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Diagn. Microbiol. Infect. Dis. · Jan 2010
Trends in the frequency of multiple drug-resistant Enterobacteriaceae and their susceptibility to ertapenem, imipenem, and other antimicrobial agents: data from the Study for Monitoring Antimicrobial Resistance Trends 2002 to 2007.
The management of patients with complicated intra-abdominal infections has increased in complexity because of the evolution of antibiotic resistance and the development of multidrug-resistant (MDR) Enterobacteriaceae implicated in this clinical infectious process. The Study for Monitoring Antimicrobial Resistance Trends study 2002 to 2007 monitored the susceptibility of Enterobacteriaceae from intra-abdominal infections to a panel of appropriate antimicrobials. During 2002 to 2007, 6644 MDR (resistant to 2 or more antimicrobial classes) Enterobacteriaceae species were isolated and tested against selected antimicrobials from varying classes. ⋯ The susceptibility of E. coli to the quinolone (8-21.6%), cephalosporin (30.2-70.7%), aminoglycoside (81.0-92.1%), and carbapenem (91.9-99.3%) agents varied by year. Susceptibilities of other Enterobacteriaceae were similar to those of E. coli. Surveillance of pathogens responsible for intra-abdominal infections is useful in the monitoring of changing susceptibility patterns and in the formulation of more effective treatment modalities.
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Diagn. Microbiol. Infect. Dis. · Oct 2009
Cutoff values for bacteria and leukocytes for urine flow cytometer Sysmex UF-1000i in urinary tract infections.
Because urinary tract infections (UTIs) are a quite common disease, the gold standard for diagnosing UTIs is still bacterial culture, although a large percentage of samples are negative: unnecessary cultures can be reduced by means of an effective screening test. The analytic performance of a new urine cytometer, the UF-1000i, has been tested on 1463 urine samples submitted to our laboratory for culture. Bacteria and leukocyte counts have been compared by means of the UF-1000i with colony-forming unit (CFU) quantification on citrate lactose electrolytes deficient agar to assess the best cutoff values. ⋯ Analytic parameters such as sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, negative predictive value, and correctly classified incidence were satisfactory. Based on the results obtained in this study, when using the UF-1000i analyzer for a screening test for UTI, a cutoff value of 40 white blood cells/microL should be adopted. The cutoff value for bacteria should be 125/microL for those clinical conditions in which 10 x 10(5) CFU/mL indicates a positivity.
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Diagn. Microbiol. Infect. Dis. · Oct 2009
Review Case ReportsInfective endocarditis and osteomyelitis caused by Cellulomonas: a case report and review of the literature.
Cellulomonas spp. are often believed to be of low virulence and have never been reported as a pathogen causing human disease before. We report the first case of endocarditis caused by Cellulomonas and complicated with osteomyelitis of the lumbar spine in a 78-year-old woman. General weakness and aggravated lower back pain followed by sudden-onset of fever and chills were the major presentation. ⋯ The magnetic resonance imaging of the lumbar spine revealed infective spondylodisciitis at an early stage. After a full course of antibiotics treatment, the patient's fever subsided but her lower back pain persisted. A slow clinical response to appropriate antimicrobial agents was characteristic of Gram-positive bacillary endocarditis.