Case report of Curtobacterium isolated from a catheter tip sample misidentified as Cronobacter.

The Curtobacterium genus is a member of the family Microbacteriaceae, and Curtobacterium species are recognized as plant pathogens. The aim of this study was to investigate a dubious result of species identification for an infection located on a catheter tip of a patient with Covid-19. A strain isolated from a catheter tip sample, identified by VITEK® 2 as Cronobacter spp., was submitted to polyphasic analysis: Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption Ionization-Time of Flight Mass Spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS) using VITEK® MS, real-time polymerase chain reaction targeting dnaG gene, and 16S rRNA full gene Sanger sequencing analysis for confirmation. The strain presented negative result using qPCR and could not identified by MALDI-TOF MS. 16S rRNA full gene Sanger sequencing analysis identified the strain as Curtobacterium spp. The Gram-variable characteristic (Gram-negative instead of Gram-positive) of the isolated strain was the responsible for the misidentification by VITEK® 2 and VITEK® MS did not identify the strain. 16S rRNA full gene sequencing analysis identified the strain as Curtobacterium genus, but other complementary techniques are necessary to identify at species level.

Incidence and antimicrobial resistance of enteropathogens isolated from an integrated aquaculture system.

AIMS: To evaluate an integrated aquaculture system, microbiological analyses of water used in this system were carried out and the incidence and antimicrobial resistance of enteropathogens were determined in the related ecosystem. METHODS AND RESULTS: Microbiological analysis was undertaken for Salmonella sp., Shigella sp., Vibrio sp. and Aeromonas sp. The disc-diffusion method was performed according to the Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute. Water samples tested had 32.9% of faecal coliform rates (≤1600 per 100 ml) in accordance with WHO for pisciculture in wastewater. Salmonella spp. were detected in 14.5% of the samples. From a total of 33 strains, 15.1% were resistant to one or two antimicrobial drugs tested and multidrug resistance was not observed. Aeromonas spp. were identified in 91.6% of the samples. From a total of 416 strains, resistance to one antimicrobial class was observed in 66.3% and multidrug resistance in 37.7%. CONCLUSIONS: This system reflects the community profile, drawing attention to the circulation of pathogens, because the genes coding for resistance to classical antibiotics and broad spectrum are a public health problem. SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY: The reuse of water resources requires continuous monitoring as the system is subject to treatment failure, which can result in the spread of bacterial pathogens.

Microbiologic profile of intra-abdominal infections at Belo Horizonte, Brazil.

Intra-abdominal infections (IAIs) represent one of the most common clinical problems in hospital practice, especially in surgical areas and centers of intensive care. The treatment of IAIs generally involves the draining of abscesses and empirical antimicrobial therapy. In this study, among 150 patients suffering from IAI, 106 (70.7%) yielded samples that presented microbial growth. Polyinfection was detected in 51.9% of the cases and varied from 2 to 9 distinct microbes per specimen. The overall mean number of micro-organisms isolated per patient was 2.17. Aerobic bacteria (as strict aerobes and facultative anaerobes), strict anaerobic bacteria, and fungi of the genus Candida represented 93.4%, 30.2%, and 13.2% of the cases positive for micro-organisms, respectively. The most common aerobic bacteria were those of the genera Staphylococcus, Escherichia, Proteus, and Streptococcus. Despite the frequent prior use (52%) with antimicrobials of recognized action against strict anaerobes, these micro-organisms constituted 30.9% of the total isolates, and the most frequently found were of the Bacteroides fragilis group and Prevotella species. The high prevalence of anaerobes in the specimens obtained from IAI demonstrates the need to give greater importance to these micro-organisms by making available material and human resources to carry out culture of the anaerobes as part of routine hospital procedures.

Chronic carriers of hepatitis B surface antigen in an endemic area for shistosomiasis mansoni in Brazil

Data on the association of schistosomiasis and hepatitis B in field-based studies are scarce. Two areas have been selected for this study: i) Queixadinha, endemic for shistosomiasis, with a population of 693 individuals, and ii) Capäo, a control non-endemic area, with 515 inhabitants. Sera of all individuals in both areas were tested for hepatitis B infection, yearly, from 1994 to 1997. In the first area hepatitis B was found in 32.1 per cent of children up to one year old and reached a peak of 68.7 per cent in the age range of 15 to 19 years. In the control area the prevalence of hepatitis B was under 5 per cent up to 19 years of age and the highest prevalence was observed in adults over 45. HBsAg was detected in 9.4 per cent of the individuals living in the endemic area for shistosomiasis and in 1.4 per cent of the controls (OR=4.98; 95 per centCI=3.7-6.7). The index of chronicity of HBsAg was not statistically different in the studied areas (8.1 per cent x 7.3 per cent; OR=1.09; 95 per cent CI=0.42-3.03) nor was it different for people with and without schistosomiasis in Queixadinha (8.7 per cent x 7.0 per cent). We conclude that the Schistosoma mansoni infection has not altered the course of hepatitis B in the studied area.

Atividade antiinflamatória, antiúlcera gástrica e toxicidade subcrônica do extrato etanólico de própolis / Anti-inflammatory activity, gastric antiulcer and subchronic toxicity of the ethanol extract of propolis

Avaliou-se a atividade antiinflamatória do extrato etanólico de própolis - EEP, . sobre o edema desencadeado por carragenina, dextrana e histamina. O EEP apresentou dose eficaz (DE50) de 650 mg/kg (v.o), inibindo significativamente o processo inflamatório desencadeado pela carragenina, mas não inibiu o produzido por dextrana. O EEP antagonizou ainda o efeito edematogênico produzido por histamina. Nas úlceras produzidas por estresse, o EPP inibiu de forma significativa a geração dos diversos tipos classificados. Em todos os parâmetros analisados no estudo da toxicidade em fase de tratamento subcrônico , (hematológicos, bioquímicos e histopatológicos), o grupo tratado com o EEP não apresentou diferença significativa em relação ao grupo controle. Desta forma, sugere-se que na dose de 650 mg/kg (dose eficaz) não existe a presença de efeitos tóxicos que possam comprometer a utilização deste extrato.

The antlinflammatory activity of Ethanolic Extract of Propolis - EEP was evaluated on edema induced by carrageenan, dextran and hystamine. The inflammatory process induced by carrageenan was significantly reduced by the treatment with EEP (650 mg/kg, p.o), while it did not interfere in the response induced by dextran. The EEP antagonized the edematous effect produced by hystamine. The EEP promoted a significant inhibition in the generation of the ulcers induced by stress (p < 0.05). The hematological, biochemical and histopathological parameters presented no differences between treated and control groups. Therefore it can be concluded that the effective dose of 650 mg/kg of the EEP has no toxic effect which may compromise the use of this extract.