[Antimicrobial susceptibilities of organisms isolated from patients with urinary tract infections in 2002].

Using the agar dilution method, the antibacterial activity of 18 antibiotics inclusive of 4 carbapenems were investigated against 101 strains of urinary pathogens isolated from patients with urinary tract infections who visited the Department of Urology at Kagoshima University Hospital, between January and December 2002. 4 strains of Staphylococcus aureus, 3 strains of Staphylococcus spp. (exclusive of S. aureus), 14 strains of Enterococcus faecalis, 3 strains of Enterococcus spp. (exclusive of E. faecalis), 41 strains of Escherichia coli, 21 strains of Enterobacteriaceae (exclusive of E. coli), 12 strains of Pseudomonas aeruginosa and 3 strains of glucose-nonfermentative Gram-negative rods (exclusive of P. aeruginosa) were examined. 1. Against clinical isolates of Gram-positive bacteria, vancomycin and teicoplanin were active. Additionally, arbekacin was active against S. aureus clinical isolates and ampicillin was active against E. faecalis clinical isolates. Carbapenems were active against clinical isolates of Gram-positive bacteria, except for multi-drug resistant strains of Gram-positive bacteria, such as methicillin-resistant S. aureus. 2. As for clinical isolates of Gram-negative bacteria, meropenem was most active against Enterobacteriaceae among 13 antibiotics tested. Against P. aeruginosa clinical isolates, MIC90 of meropenem was the lowest among 13 antibiotics tested. In addition, resistant rate of meropenem and biapenem against P. aeruginosa clinical isolates was lower than those of the other carbapenems tested. 3. As main urinary pathogens showed no remarkable increase in resistance to carbapenems, it can be stated that carbapenems retain their position as the drug of first choice for severe infection.

Renal silica calculi in an infant.

We report on a rare case of urinary silica calculi in a 10-month-old boy. The boy showed acute pyelonephritis with left hydronephrosis. Ultrasonography and computed tomography revealed a calculus at the left ureteropelvic junction and three additional calculi in the left renal pelvis. Because his acute pyelonephritis was refractory to conventional chemotherapy, the patient underwent successful left percutaneous nephrostomy followed by percutaneous nephrolithotripsy for the renal calculi. All stones disappeared and his postoperative course was uneventful. On infrared spectrophotometry, the wavelength pattern of the stones exhibited two peaks at 1100 and 1650 cm(-1), consistent with the determination that the calculi consisted of a mixture of silicate (78%) and calcium oxalate (22%). We consider that the etiology of the calculi in this child can be ascribed to the silicate-rich water used to dilute milk. In Japan, 46 adult patients with urinary silicate calculi have been reported in the literature; however, there is no report of the disease in an infant in Japan.