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2.
Cureus ; 15(11): e49181, 2023 Nov.
Artigo em Inglês | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38130559

RESUMO

Syphilis is a re-emerging disease, and an increasing number of cases are being reported in Italy and worldwide. In this report, we present a case of a male patient with secondary syphilis characterized by the heterogenicity of the lesions: hyperkeratosis, psoriasiform-like lesions, papules, macules, and patchy alopecia on the scalp. The patient had applied several topical antimicrobials and steroid medicaments and taken oral acyclovir, which yielded no relief, for a previous wrong diagnosis. At the time of his presentation to our clinic, syphilis was suspected and confirmed by serology. The administration of a single intramuscular dose of penicillin led to a full recovery in three weeks. Screening for HIV and other sexually transmitted infections returned negative. Clinicians should maintain a high index of suspicion for syphilis when encountering sexually active patients with atypical skin manifestations.

3.
Heliyon ; 9(8): e18537, 2023 Aug.
Artigo em Inglês | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-37533984

RESUMO

Here, we describe the case of a naïve HIV late presenter female African patient with progressive disseminated histoplasmosis and a severe life-threatening clinical picture in a non-endemic area. She had not visited Africa in the past decade. She developed a reactive hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis and an acute psychiatric disorder. Histoplasmosis was diagnosed after two bone marrow biopsies. Therapy with liposomal amphotericin B resulted in rapid and progressive improvements in blood examinations and clinical conditions, including the disappearance of psychiatric disorders. The characteristics of our case were compared with those of all other cases of hemophagocytic syndrome secondary to histoplasmosis in HIV-positive patients reported in PubMed. In conclusion, clinicians outside endemic areas should evaluate histoplasmosis as a cause of severe clinical picture, especially in a patient with a travel history to an endemic area, even after many years, considering the possible reactivation of latent infection.

4.
J Med Microbiol ; 72(7)2023 Jul.
Artigo em Inglês | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-37458733

RESUMO

Introduction. Serological screening and seroprevalence data for TORCH infections represent a key instrument to estimate immunity and vaccination levels and exposure rates to prevent and treat TORCH congenital infections.Hypothesis. Serology allows us to identify women susceptible to primary infection.Aim. Assess the prevalence of women at risk of primary infections by TORCH pathogens in Palermo, Sicily, Italy, in the decade 2012-2022.Methodology. A retrospective study was performed to evaluate the serological status (IgG and/or IgM) of 2359 women of childbearing age (WCBA), ranging from 16 to 46 years, attending the AOUP 'P. Giaccone' University Hospital of Palermo.Results. The results showed an overall prevalence of anti-TORCH IgG of 90.5 % for herpesvirus (HSV), 81.2 % for rubella virus (RV), 72.1 % for cytomegalovirus (CMV), 20.9 % for Toxoplasma gondii (TOX) and 4.8 % for Treponema pallidum (TP). IgM positivity was 16.9 % for HSV2, 10.3 % for TOX, 4 % for CMV and, 2 % for RV. A recent/active infection by TP was confirmed in 28.3 % of the seropositive women. Our results indicate that only a small percentage of WCBA were subjected to a comprehensive TORCH serological screening, while most WCBA were only tested for a single pathogen. In addition, no significant differences were found in terms of the overall TORCH IgG seroprevalence among different age groups (P>0.05).Conclusion. Identifying WCBA at risk of exposure during pregnancy allows us to prevent and reduce possible congenital infections, providing detailed guidelines and instructions. The results of this study showed that in Italy the risk of acquiring a primary infection by a TORCH agent is still high, therefore effective prevention strategies, including serological screening, should be implemented.


Assuntos
Infecções por Citomegalovirus , Complicações Infecciosas na Gravidez , Toxoplasmose , Gravidez , Humanos , Feminino , Masculino , Toxoplasmose/epidemiologia , Estudos Retrospectivos , Estudos Soroepidemiológicos , Infecções por Citomegalovirus/diagnóstico , Infecções por Citomegalovirus/epidemiologia , Citomegalovirus , Itália/epidemiologia , Imunoglobulina G , Imunoglobulina M , Complicações Infecciosas na Gravidez/epidemiologia
5.
Antibiotics (Basel) ; 12(5)2023 Apr 30.
Artigo em Inglês | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-37237740

RESUMO

Clostridioides difficile infection (CDI) is a significant cause of morbidity and mortality, mostly in frail patients. Notification is not mandatory in Italy, and data on incidence, risk of death, and recurrence are lacking. The purpose of this study was to determine CDI incidence and risk factors for mortality and recurrence. The "ICD-9 00845" code in hospital-standardized discharged forms (H-SDF) and microbiology datasets were used to retrieve CDI cases at Policlinico Hospital, Palermo between 2013 and 2022. Incidence, ward distribution, recurrence rate, mortality, and coding rate were considered. The risk of death and recurrence was predicted through multivariable analysis. There were 275 CDIs, 75% hospital-acquired, the median time between admission and diagnosis was 13 days, and the median stay was 21 days. Incidence increased from 0.3 to 5.6% (an 18.7-fold increase) throughout the decade. Only 48.1% of cases were coded in H-SDF. The rate of severe/severe-complicated cases increased 1.9 times. Fidaxomicin was used in 17.1% and 24.7% of cases overall and since 2019. Overall and attributable mortalities were 11.3% and 4.7%, respectively. Median time between diagnosis and death was 11 days, and recurrence rate was 4%. Bezlotoxumab was administered in 64% of recurrences. Multivariable analysis revealed that only hemodialysis was associated with mortality. No statistically significant association in predicting recurrence risk emerged. We advocate for CDI notification to become mandatory and recommend coding CDI diagnosis in H-SDF to aid in infection rate monitoring. Maximum attention should be paid to preventing people on hemodialysis from getting CDI.

6.
ACS Infect Dis ; 9(4): 916-927, 2023 04 14.
Artigo em Inglês | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-36926826

RESUMO

Combined therapy with penicillins and aminoglycosides has been proved beneficial to address many persistent bacterial infections with possible synergistic effects. However, the different pharmacokinetic profiles of these two antibiotic classes may not guarantee a concerted spatio-temporal delivery at the site of action, decreasing the efficacy of this combination and promoting resistance. Herein, we propose a multifunctional antibiotic-polymer conjugate, designed to colocalize ampicillin and gentamicin to tackle persistent biofilm infections. The two antibacterial molecules were grafted along with the amino acid l-arginine to a biocompatible polymer backbone with peptidomimetic hydrophilic structure, obtaining the antimicrobial poly(argilylaspartamide-co-aspartic) acid-ampicillin, gentamicin (PAA-AG) conjugate. The PAA-AG conjugate displayed excellent biocompatibility on human cell lines if compared with free drugs, potentially enlarging their therapeutic window and safety, and suitable mucoadhesive characteristics which may help local treatments of mucosal infections. Studies on planktonic cultures of clinical and reference strains of S. aureus, P. aeruginosa, and E. coli revealed that PAA-AG holds a broad-spectrum antibacterial efficacy, revealing high potency in inhibiting the growth of the tested strains. More interestingly, PAA-AG exhibited excellent antibiofilm activity on both Gram+ and Gram- communities, showing inhibition of their formation at subMIC concentrations as well as inducing the regression of mature biofilms. Given the high biocompatibility and broad antibiofilm efficacy, combined with the opportunity for synchronous co-delivery, the PAA-AG conjugate could be a valuable tool to increase the success of ampicillin/gentamicin-based antibiotic multitherapy.


Assuntos
Infecção Hospitalar , Peptidomiméticos , Humanos , Antibacterianos/farmacologia , Antibacterianos/química , Gentamicinas/farmacologia , Gentamicinas/química , Peptidomiméticos/farmacologia , Staphylococcus aureus , Escherichia coli , Arginina , Ampicilina/farmacologia , Biofilmes
8.
Int J Mol Sci ; 25(1)2023 Dec 27.
Artigo em Inglês | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38203549

RESUMO

One of the main causes of mortality in humans continues to be infectious diseases. Scientists are searching for new alternatives due to the fast increase in resistance of some harmful bacteria to the frontline antibiotics. To effectively treat pathogenic infections, it is crucial to design antibiotics that can prevent the development of pathogenic resistance. For this purpose, a set of 39 quaternary pyridinium and bis-pyridinium salts with different lengths of side alkyl or fluorinated chains, heterocyclic spacers, and counter ions were tested on diverse reference bacterial ATCC (American Type Culture Collection) strains, such as S. aureus and E. coli. Subsequently, 6 out of the 39 pyridinium salts showing relevant MIC (Minimum Inhibitory Concentration) values were tested on clinically isolated, resistant strains of S. aureus, S. epidermids, S. haemolyticus, K. pneumoniae, A. baumannii, and P. aeruginosa. Additional tests have been performed to assess if the minimum concentration detected through MIC assay may limit the growth of biofilms.


Assuntos
Escherichia coli , Triazóis , Humanos , Triazóis/farmacologia , Sais , Staphylococcus aureus , Cátions , Antibacterianos/farmacologia , Klebsiella pneumoniae , Oxidiazóis/farmacologia , Pseudomonas aeruginosa
9.
Int J Pharm ; 610: 121231, 2021 Dec 15.
Artigo em Inglês | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-34715261

RESUMO

In this work, with the aim to obtain a wound dressing hydrogel, an amine derivative of gellan gum was crosslinked in the presence of 4arm-polyethylenglycole-vinylsulfone. Through this easy and reproducible chemical procedure, a hydrogel with advanced elastic properties and hydrolytic resistance under physiological conditions was obtained. The incorporation of different quantities of polydopamine in the gelling solutions allows to obtain different hydrogels with marked photothermal properties when irradiated with a laser in the near infrared at 810 nm. The organic nanoparticles, reacting with the amino groups of the polysaccharide derivative, contribute to increase the storage moduli of the hydrogels. Ciprofloxacin was loaded into the hydrogel with higher amount of polydopamine and drug delivery experiments were performed to investigate the effect of irradiation on the antibiotic release profile. Antimicrobial studies, evaluated against S. aureus and P. aeruginosa, revealed that generated hyperthermia exerts a direct inhibition on the pathogens growth and, in the case of S. aureus, adjuvates the ciprofloxacin antimicrobial effect.


Assuntos
Ciprofloxacina , Hidrogéis , Indóis , Polímeros , Polissacarídeos Bacterianos , Staphylococcus aureus
10.
Artigo em Inglês | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-33925258

RESUMO

Sexually transmitted infections (STIs) are a serious global health problem. In Italy, data describing the vulnerability to STIs of specific sexual minorities and the influence of sociodemographic and behavioral determinants are limited, as most infections are not subject to mandatory notification. This retrospective study describes the sociodemographic profile and main sexual behaviors of patients attending a hospital in Palermo (Sicily, Italy) from January 2018 to March 2019 as predictors of STI risk. Patients were divided in subgroups: men-who-have-sex-with-men (MSM), men-who-have-sex-with-women (MSW), bisexual men and females. Data were obtained through an anonymous questionnaire. Patients were tested for chlamydia, syphilis, Mycoplasma genitalium infection, genital herpes and HPV infection. A total of 294 subjects with STIs (male/female ratio about 2:1) were screened. Of the total sample, 79.6% of patients were Italian. MSM accounted for 34.3%, MSW for 29.6%, bisexual men for 5.8% and females for 30.3%. A total of 44.5% of patients had a high education level, 42.5% reported irregular use of condoms, 20.7% reported having had 5-10 partners in the six months prior to the visit and 32.9% were HIV-positive. HPV infection and syphilis were the most prevalent STIs. Conclusions: The most common profile of patients attending our clinic was that of an adult, Italian man with a high level of education, poor use of condoms and a high number of partners. MSM had the highest sex-behavior-related risk for STIs. In addition, our results suggest that all STD teams need to implement counselling topics and recommendations to share with patients, as well as tips on how to approach sexual health education/counselling, thereby promoting patient-centered approaches and educational programs.


Assuntos
Infecções por HIV , Infecções por Mycoplasma , Mycoplasma genitalium , Minorias Sexuais e de Gênero , Infecções Sexualmente Transmissíveis , Adulto , Demografia , Feminino , Homossexualidade Masculina , Hospitais , Humanos , Masculino , Estudos Retrospectivos , Fatores de Risco , Comportamento Sexual , Parceiros Sexuais , Infecções Sexualmente Transmissíveis/epidemiologia , Sicília
11.
Ann Clin Lab Sci ; 50(5): 657-664, 2020 Sep.
Artigo em Inglês | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-33067212

RESUMO

Microsatellite analysis identifies specific genotypes and the genetic relationship between strains. Our objective was to analyze the genotypes of C. parapsilosis strains isolated on different wards of a Tertiary-Referral University Center. We evaluated 70 C. parapsilosis strains in total, isolated from samples of patients admitted to five different wards over two years (January 2015-December 2016). Eight microsatellite markers were selected, and two multiplex PCR assays were set up for microsatellite analysis. The 70 strains, examined at eight microsatellite loci, showed 46 different multilocus genotypes profiles. A total of 74 alleles were detected, with an average of 9.25 alleles per locus. The most variable loci were CP6 and CP4, with 20 and 15 alleles, respectively. Four clusters were detected in four out of five wards. A significant cluster that involved 16 patients in the General Surgery department was also found in two patients who had been transferred to the General Medicine ward. Two multiplex PCRs allowed us to minimize costs, define genotypes and study the isolates' genetic diversity with extreme accuracy, demonstrating the high discriminative power of the microsatellite markers. Molecular epidemiology constitutes an appropriate tool for evaluating horizontal transmission of C. parapsilosis in different clinical settings. Microsatellite genotyping and the utilization of Bruvo's genetic distance are suitable for detecting and appraising nosocomial fungal infections.


Assuntos
Candida parapsilosis/genética , Candidíase/epidemiologia , Candidíase/genética , Candida/genética , Candida/patogenicidade , Candida parapsilosis/patogenicidade , Candidíase/diagnóstico , Infecção Hospitalar/epidemiologia , Infecção Hospitalar/genética , Infecção Hospitalar/microbiologia , Surtos de Doenças , Variação Genética/genética , Genótipo , Técnicas de Genotipagem/métodos , Humanos , Doença Iatrogênica/epidemiologia , Itália/epidemiologia , Repetições de Microssatélites/genética , Epidemiologia Molecular/métodos
12.
Mater Sci Eng C Mater Biol Appl ; 117: 111308, 2020 Dec.
Artigo em Inglês | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-32919669

RESUMO

Hematogenous spread of infections from colonized central intravenous catheters or central lines is a long-recognized problem with infection rates of 2 and 6.8 per 1000 days, respectively. Besides, removal of severe microbial colonization of implanted biomaterials is still a challenge and usually requires invasive operations. Hence, on demand self-sterilizing materials are required to avoid explant of colonized biomaterials and improve patient compliance. Moreover, photoluminescence is needed to make trackable biomaterials, which can be easily monitored upon implanting them in the body. Here, we propose the incorporation of near infrared (NIR) sensitive red-emitting carbon nanodot (CDs) into a polymeric matrix to give rise to innovative biomaterials with self-tracking and photothermal antimicrobial abilities. We obtain a material which can be processed to obtain medical devices using different techniques, among which, for instance, electrospinning. Herein, a proof-of-concept preparation of electrospun scaffolds is reported as it is highly desired in biomedical applications. Beside to confer imaging properties to the scaffold, that would allow an easy control over the in vivo positioning of implanted biomaterials as well as its degradation state and grade of integration with the surrounding native tissues, thanks to the capability to convert NIR light into local heat CDs can be exploited to exert broad-spectrum antimicrobial effect toward several pathogens. The rise in temperature can be easily modulated by controlling the irradiation time to achieve both an in vitro self-sterilization of the device and eventually in vivo destabilization of the microbial colonization. This innovative biomaterial could successfully inhibit biofilm formation and might be used as a powerful tool to treat antibiotic-resistant nature of biofilm-related infections in implanted medical devices.


Assuntos
Anti-Infecciosos , Nanocompostos , Materiais Biocompatíveis/farmacologia , Biofilmes , Humanos , Esterilização
13.
Artigo em Inglês | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-31212678

RESUMO

BACKGROUND: Legionella pneumophila (Lp) is the most common etiologic agent causing Legionnaires' Disease (LD). Water systems offer the best growth conditions for Lp and support its spread by producing aerosols. From 2015 to 2017, the Regional Reference Laboratory of Clinical and Environmental Surveillance of Legionellosis of Palermo monitored the presence of Lp in nine prisons in Western Sicily. During this investigation, we compared Lp isolates from environmental samples in a prison located in Palermo with isolates from two prisoners in the same prison. METHODS: We collected 93 water samples from nine Sicilian prisons and the bronchoalveolar lavages (BALs) of two prisoners considered cases of LD. These samples were processed following the procedures described in the Italian Guidelines for the Prevention and Control of Legionellosis of 2015. Then, genotyping was performed on 19 Lp colonies (17 from water samples and 2 from clinical samples) using the Sequence-Based Typing (SBT) method, according to European Study Group for Legionella Infections (ESGLI) protocols. RESULTS: Lp serogroup (sg) 6 was the most prevalent serogroup isolated from the prisons analyzed (40%), followed by Lp sg 1 (16%). Most of all, in four penitentiary institutions, we detected a high concentration of Lp >104 Colony Forming Unit/Liter (CFU/L). The environmental molecular investigation found the following Sequence Types (STs) in Lp sg 6: ST 93, ST 292, ST 461, ST 728, ST 1317 and ST 1362, while most of the isolates in sg 1 belonged to ST 1. We also found a new ST that has since been assigned the number 2451 in the ESGLI-SBT database. From the several Lp sg 1 colonies isolated from the two BALs, we identified ST 2451. CONCLUSIONS: In this article, we described the results obtained from environmental and epidemiological investigations of Lp isolated from prisons in Western Sicily. Furthermore, we reported the first cluster of Legionnaires' in an Italian prison and the molecular typing of Lp sg 1 from one prison's water system and two BALs, identified the source of the contamination, and discovered a new ST.


Assuntos
Legionella pneumophila/patogenicidade , Prisões/estatística & dados numéricos , Microbiologia da Água/normas , Análise por Conglomerados , Monitoramento Ambiental , Humanos , Itália/epidemiologia , Legionella pneumophila/isolamento & purificação , Doença dos Legionários/epidemiologia , Prevalência
14.
Adv Exp Med Biol ; 973: 81-88, 2017.
Artigo em Inglês | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-28213808

RESUMO

In August 2015, Dipodascus capitatus was isolated from two patients admitted to the neonatal intensive care unit. Nosocomial acquisition of the fungus was suspected and epidemiological studies were undertaken. The patients were simultaneously hospitalized, and the comparison of the two isolates by two independent molecular typing methods have confirmed clonal dissemination of a single strain of D. capitatus. Antimicrobial susceptibility testing was useful for identifying the appropriated antifungal therapy in micafungin. To our knowledge these are the first described cases of neonatal D. capitatus infection and also the first report of successful treatment by micafungin.


Assuntos
Infecção Hospitalar/microbiologia , Dipodascus/efeitos dos fármacos , Dipodascus/isolamento & purificação , Micoses/microbiologia , Dipodascus/genética , Dipodascus/imunologia , Feminino , Genótipo , Hospitais/estatística & dados numéricos , Humanos , Lactente , Recém-Nascido , Unidades de Terapia Intensiva Neonatal/estatística & dados numéricos , Masculino , Sicília
15.
mSphere ; 2(1)2017.
Artigo em Inglês | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-28124025

RESUMO

Multidrug-resistant (MDR) Gram-negative organisms are a burden on the global health care system. The Tigecycline Evaluation and Surveillance Trial (TEST) is an ongoing global study designed to monitor the in vitro activities of tigecycline and a panel of marketed antimicrobials against a range of clinically significant pathogens. In this study, in vitro data are presented for MDR Acinetobacter baumannii, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Klebsiella oxytoca, Enterobacter aerogenes, and Enterobacter cloacae isolates collected from 2004 to 2014. In total, 13% (21,967/170,759) of isolates displayed multidrug resistance globally, with the highest rates recorded among A. baumannii (overall rate, 44% [8,294/18,741], increasing from 23% [309/1,323] in 2004 to 63% [447/712] in 2014). Other multidrug resistance rates ranged from 2.5% for K. oxytoca (203/8,000) to 12% for P. aeruginosa and K. pneumoniae (3,951/32,786 and 3,895/32,888, respectively), and rates among these pathogens remained stable during the study period. Against MDR E. coli, Klebsiella spp., and E. aerogenes, the lowest rates of resistance were to tigecycline (0.2%, 6%, and 12%, respectively), and the lowest MIC90 value against A. baumannii was observed for tigecycline (2 mg/liter; MIC range, ≤0.008 to ≥32 mg/liter). The only significant change in resistance to tigecycline during the study period was for MDR E. coli (P < 0.01), among which eight resistant isolates were identified globally from 2009 to 2013. In summary, these results show that tigecycline retained in vitro activity against the majority of MDR Gram-negative organisms presented here, but the rising rates of MDR A. baumannii highlight the need for the continued monitoring of global multidrug resistance. IMPORTANCE Multidrug resistance among bacterial pathogens is an ongoing global problem and renders antimicrobial agents ineffective at treating bacterial infections. In the health care setting, infections caused by multidrug-resistant (MDR) Gram-negative bacteria can cause increased mortality, longer hospital stays, and higher treatments costs. The aim of the Tigecycline Evaluation and Surveillance Trial (TEST) is to assess the in vitro antimicrobial activities of tigecycline and other contemporary agents against clinically relevant pathogens. This paper presents antimicrobial activity data from the TEST study between 2004 and 2014 and examines global rates of MDR Gram-negative isolates, including Acinetobacter baumannii, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and members of the Enterobacteriaceae, during this time. Our results show that tigecycline retained in vitro activity against many MDR Gram-negative pathogens over the study period, while rates of MDR A. baumannii increased globally. Using these findings, we hope to highlight the current status of multidrug resistance in medical facilities worldwide.

16.
Microbes Infect ; 18(4): 270-6, 2016 Apr.
Artigo em Inglês | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-26706819

RESUMO

The purpose of this investigation was to study the viral aetiology of influenza-like illness (ILI) and acute respiratory tract infection (ARTI) among patients requiring intensive care unit admission. A cross-sectional retrospective study was carried out in Sicily over a 4-year period. A total of 233 respiratory samples of patients with ILI/ARTI admitted to intensive care units were molecularly analyzed for the detection of a comprehensive panel of aetiologic agents of viral respiratory infections. About 45% of patients was positive for at least one pathogen. Single aetiology occurred in 75.2% of infected patients, while polymicrobial infection was found in 24.8% of positive subjects. Influenza was the most common aetiologic agent (55.7%), especially among adults. Most of patients with multiple aetiology (76.9%) were adults and elderly. Mortality rates among patients with negative or positive aetiology did not significantly differ (52.4% and 47.6%, respectively). Highly transmissible respiratory pathogens are frequently detected among patients with ILI/ARTI admitted in intensive care units, showing the occurrence of concurrent infections by different viruses. The knowledge of the circulation of several types of microorganisms is of crucial importance in terms of appropriateness of therapies, but also for the implication in prevention strategies and hospital epidemiology.


Assuntos
Infecções Respiratórias/epidemiologia , Infecções Respiratórias/etiologia , Viroses/epidemiologia , Viroses/etiologia , Adolescente , Adulto , Fatores Etários , Idoso de 80 Anos ou mais , Criança , Pré-Escolar , Coinfecção/epidemiologia , Coinfecção/etiologia , Estudos Transversais , Feminino , Humanos , Lactente , Recém-Nascido , Unidades de Terapia Intensiva , Masculino , Pessoa de Meia-Idade , Estudos Retrospectivos , Sicília/epidemiologia , Análise de Sobrevida , Adulto Jovem
17.
New Microbiol ; 38(4): 521-9, 2015 Oct.
Artigo em Inglês | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-26485010

RESUMO

A major virulence factor of Staphylococcus epidermidis is its ability to form biofilms, permitting it to adhere to a surface and, in turn, to form a mucoid layer on polymer surfaces. Multiple factors have been found to influence bacterial attachment. Currently, this bacterium is commonly associated with hospital infections as a consequence of its ability to colonize, albeit accidentally, medical devices. This study investigated the genetic and phenotypic formation of biofilm in 105 S. epidermidis strains isolated from the skin of hospitalized patients. Fifty-eight of these patients were positive for the mecA gene (MRSE) and 47 were found to be negative (MSSE). Genetic characterizations were performed for the detection of the mecA, icaADBC, atlE, aap, bhp, IS256 and agr groups by PCR. Biofilm production was examined by culturing the strains in TBS medium and TBS with 0.5 and 1% respectively of glucose, and a semiquantitative assay on tissue culture plates was used. Although a molecular analysis estimate of detailed biofilm formation is costly in terms of time and complexity, a semiquantitative assay can be proposed as a rapid and cheap diagnostic method for initial screening to discover virulent strains. We confirmed a close correlation between genetic and phenotypic characteristics, highlighting the fact that, when S. epidermidis isolates were cultured in TSB with 1% of glucose, an increase in biofilm production was observed, as confirmed by positivity for the ica locus by molecular analysis.


Assuntos
Biofilmes , Infecção Hospitalar/microbiologia , Pele/microbiologia , Infecções Estafilocócicas/microbiologia , Staphylococcus epidermidis/genética , Proteínas de Bactérias/genética , Genótipo , Hospitalização , Humanos , Fenótipo , Staphylococcus epidermidis/isolamento & purificação , Staphylococcus epidermidis/fisiologia
18.
J Med Microbiol ; 64(11): 1408-1414, 2015 Nov.
Artigo em Inglês | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-26338221

RESUMO

The resistance of Helicobacter pylori strains to clarithromycin is increasing in several developed countries and their association with a genetic pattern circulation has been variously explained as related to different geographical areas. In this study we have reported: the prevalence of the resistance of H. pylori, isolated in Sicily, to clarithromycin; the principal point of mutation associated with this resistance; and the more frequent association between resistance to clarithromycin and cagA, the EPIYA motif, and the vacA and oipA genes. Resistance to clarithromycin was detected in 25% of cases, the main genetic mutation involved being A2143G. The cagA gene was present in 48% of cases and the distribution of the EPIYA motif was: ABC in 35 cases; ABCC in 8 cases; ABCCC in 2 cases; ABC-ABCC in 2 cases; and ABC-ABCC-ABCCC in 1 case. Regarding the vacA allele, an s1i1m1 combination was detected in 35% of cases, s1i1m2 in 12 %, s1i2m2 in 12%, s2i2m2 in 40%, and a double s1m1-m2 mosaic in 1% of cases. The status of the oipA gene was 'off' in 45% of cases and 'on' in 55%. Resistance to clarithromycin was found to be high in Sicily, but no correlation was found among resistance to clarithromycin, the vacA gene and oipA status; a higher correlation was observed between resistant strains and cagA-negative strains.


Assuntos
Antibacterianos/farmacologia , Claritromicina/farmacologia , Farmacorresistência Bacteriana , Infecções por Helicobacter/microbiologia , Helicobacter pylori/efeitos dos fármacos , Helicobacter pylori/isolamento & purificação , Proteínas de Bactérias/genética , Proteínas de Bactérias/metabolismo , Helicobacter pylori/classificação , Helicobacter pylori/genética , Humanos , Dados de Sequência Molecular , Prevalência , Sicília , Fatores de Virulência/genética , Fatores de Virulência/metabolismo
19.
Microbiol Immunol ; 57(5): 391-5, 2013 May.
Artigo em Inglês | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-23668612

RESUMO

Cephalosporin-resistant Escherichia coli has been increasingly reported worldwide. In this study, 32 cephalosporin resistant E. coli isolates identified from cancer patients in Cairo, Egypt in 2009-2010 were analyzed. Twenty-three were of phylogenetic group D, seven A and one each B1 and B2. By rep-PCR 15 phylogroup D isolates were grouped in four clusters, one with sequence type (ST) 405 and three ST68. Seventeen isolates showed single patterns. blaCTX-M-15 and aac(6')-Ib-cr were the most common resistance determinants. blaOXA-48 and blaVIM were also detected. Multidrug resistant E. coli seriously affects healthcare, especially in immunocompromised hosts, such as cancer patients.


Assuntos
Antibacterianos/farmacologia , Cefalosporinas/farmacologia , Infecções por Escherichia coli/microbiologia , Escherichia coli/efeitos dos fármacos , Neoplasias/complicações , Resistência beta-Lactâmica , Adulto , Criança , Pré-Escolar , Análise por Conglomerados , DNA Bacteriano/genética , Egito , Escherichia coli/classificação , Escherichia coli/genética , Escherichia coli/isolamento & purificação , Genes Bacterianos , Genótipo , Humanos , Tipagem Molecular , Reação em Cadeia da Polimerase , Estudos Retrospectivos , beta-Lactamases/genética
20.
New Microbiol ; 36(1): 49-55, 2013 Jan.
Artigo em Inglês | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-23435815

RESUMO

Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is a major antimicrobial drug-resistant pathogen causing serious infections. It was first detected in healthcare settings, but in recent years it has also become disseminated in the community. Children and young adults are most susceptible to infection by community-acquired (CA) MRSA strains. In this study 25 MRSA isolates implicated in infections of neonates and children admitted to an Algiers hospital during an 18 month period were characterized by molecular methods including staphylococcal cassette chromosome (SCC) mec typing, PCR amplification of pvl genes, pulsed field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) and multilocus sequence typing (MLST). Fifteen out of 25 isolates were from hospital-acquired infections. Twenty-four isolates carried SCCmec type IVc and belonged to the sequence type (ST) 80, one isolate carried SCCmec type II and was ST 39. Twenty-two out of 24 ST80-MRSA-IVc isolates carried pvl genes. Our results suggest that the Panton-Valentine leukocidin positive ST80- MRSA-IVc is the dominant MRSA clone causing disease in neonates and children in Algiers.


Assuntos
Toxinas Bacterianas/genética , Exotoxinas/genética , Leucocidinas/genética , Staphylococcus aureus Resistente à Meticilina/genética , Infecções Estafilocócicas/genética , Adolescente , Argélia , Toxinas Bacterianas/isolamento & purificação , Técnicas de Tipagem Bacteriana , Criança , Pré-Escolar , Infecções Comunitárias Adquiridas/tratamento farmacológico , Infecções Comunitárias Adquiridas/microbiologia , Infecção Hospitalar/tratamento farmacológico , Infecção Hospitalar/microbiologia , Eletroforese em Gel de Campo Pulsado , Exotoxinas/isolamento & purificação , Humanos , Lactente , Leucocidinas/isolamento & purificação , Staphylococcus aureus Resistente à Meticilina/isolamento & purificação , Testes de Sensibilidade Microbiana , Epidemiologia Molecular , Tipagem de Sequências Multilocus , Reação em Cadeia da Polimerase , Infecções Estafilocócicas/microbiologia
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