Contribution of microbiology in the diagnosis of tuberculosis in Castile and León (Spain): Findings of the GRUMICALE 2013 study. / Contribución de la microbiología al diagnóstico de la tuberculosis en Castilla y León: conclusiones del estudio GRUMICALE 2013.

INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVES: A retrospective study was conducted by collecting microbiological tuberculosis (TB) data in Castile and León during the year 2013 in order to determine the incidence and distribution of TB, and resistance to the tuberculostatic drug, and compare them with the epidemiological data provided by the Department of Epidemiological Surveillance (SIVE). MATERIAL AND METHODS: Microbiologists of the 14 hospitals of the Castile and León public health network (GRUMICALE) collected epidemiological, microbiological, and management data from the Microbiology laboratories in the community during the year 2013. A single isolate of Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex (MTC) per patient was considered. RESULTS: The study included a total of 270 MTC isolates (an incidence rate of 11.63 cases/100,000 inhab./year). A total of 288 cases of TB (11.43 cases/100,000 inhab. year) were recovered using epidemiological data, which included 243 confirmed, 29 suspected, and 16 as probable cases. Pulmonary TB was predominant, followed a long way off by the pleural TB and the remaining locations. A total of 27,620 samples were processed for mycobacterial detection. Mycobacterial growth was observed in 3.46% of automated fluid cultures, and 50.37% were positive by direct staining of the smear. Resistance to one tuberculostatic drug, mostly to isoniazid, was observed in 16 (5.92%) isolates of Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MT). The province with greater incidence and number of isolates was León (24.23 cases/100,000 inhab./year), with the highest being observed in El Bierzo health area (30.46 cases/100,000 inhab./year). CONCLUSIONS: An adequate collection of microbiological information is essential to determine the epidemiology of TB in our region.

[Study of antibiotic multiresistance of Escherichia coli from urine cultures]. / Estudio de multirresistencia antibiótica de Escherichia coli en urocultivos.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: The appearance of resistance in urinary tract infections caused by Escherichia coli constitutes an important therapeutic problem that requires the study of its evolution throughout time in order to establish a suitable empirical treatment. Our objective was to test the antimicrobial sensitivity of E. coli isolations in urine cultures performed in our area. MATERIAL AND METHOD: 5,247 isolates of E. coli from hospital and ambulatory urine cultures of patients in the area of Segovia were retrospectively analyzed. The antibiotic sensitivity of these isolations was studied for 4 years (2000-2005). Moreover, 6 phenotype patterns of resistance to betalactams were analyzed: natural, penicillinase, increased penicillinase, IRT, increased AMPc and BLEE and the difference in sensitivity between BLEE producing and non-producing stocks regarding nitrofurantoin, phosphomicin, ciprofloxacin, gentamicin, and trimetoprim-sulfametoxazol. RESULTS: 57% of isolates were resistant to ampicillin, 23% to ciprofloxacin and 31% to trimetroprim-sulfametoxazol. 48% were penicillinase producer, 6.6% increased penicillinase producer, 1.2% IRT producer, 1.1% AMPc producer and 2.2% were BLEE producer. As far as the origin of the sample is concerned, significant differences were not found. The percentages of co-resistance to ciprofloxacin and trimetoprim-sulfametoxazol were greater in BLEE producer stocks than in non-producers ones. We observed a gradual increase in the expression of this resistance mechanism throughout the studied period. CONCLUSIONS: Ampicillin, ciprofloxacin and trimetoprim-sulfametoxazol are not suitable for the empirical treatment of uncomplicated urinary infections. Research on sensitivity is essential in order to establish correct empirical treatments.