Heterogeneity of sensitization profiles and clinical phenotypes among patients with seasonal allergic rhinitis in Southern European countries-The @IT.2020 multicenter study.

BACKGROUND: Pollen allergy poses a significant health and economic burden in Europe. Disease patterns are relatively homogeneous within Central and Northern European countries. However, no study broadly assessed the features of seasonal allergic rhinitis (SAR) across different Southern European countries with a standardized approach. OBJECTIVE: To describe sensitization profiles and clinical phenotypes of pollen allergic patients in nine Southern European cities with a uniform methodological approach. METHODS: Within the @IT.2020 multicenter observational study, pediatric and adult patients suffering from SAR were recruited in nine urban study centers located in seven countries. Clinical questionnaires, skin prick tests (SPT) and specific IgE (sIgE) tests with a customized multiplex assay (Euroimmun Labordiagnostika, Lübeck, Germany) were performed. RESULTS: Three hundred forty-eight children (mean age 13.1 years, SD: 2.4 years) and 467 adults (mean age 35.7 years SD: 10.0 years) with a predominantly moderate to severe, persistent phenotype of SAR were recruited. Grass pollen major allergenic molecules (Phl p 1 and/or Phl p 5) ranged among the top three sensitizers in all study centers. Sensitization profiles were very heterogeneous, considering that patients in Rome were highly poly-sensitized (sIgE to 3.8 major allergenic molecules per patient), while mono-sensitization was prominent and heterogeneous in other cities, such as Marseille (sIgE to Cup a 1: n = 55/80, 68.8%) and Messina (sIgE to Par j 2: n = 47/82, 57.3%). Co-sensitization to perennial allergens, as well as allergic comorbidities also broadly varied between study centers. CONCLUSIONS: In Southern European countries, pollen allergy is heterogeneous in terms of sensitization profiles and clinical manifestations. Despite the complexity, a unique molecular, multiplex, and customized in-vitro IgE test detected relevant sensitization in all study centers. Nevertheless, this geographical diversity in pollen allergic patients imposes localized clinical guidelines and study protocols for clinical trials of SAR in this climatically complex region.

[Aetiology and antibiotic sensitivity of the most frequent outpatient infections]. / Etiología y sensibilidad antibiótica de las infecciones extrahospitalarias más frecuentes.

The diffusion of the outlines of antibiotic sensitivity is a practice that is recommended for improving the prescription of antibiotics and for controlling the appearance and spread of resistances. During the years 2003 and 2004, data was gathered on the sensitivity to antibiotics of the main bacteria isolated in outpatient urine cultures, coprocultures, faringoamygdal and otic smears in the Pamplona health area, which attends to a population of approximately 400,000 inhabitants. Of the 9,495 uropathogens isolated, 90% were sensitive to amoxicillin-clavulanate, 96.4% to 2nd generation cephalosporins, 95.3% to phosphomycin and 97.7% to nitrofurantoin. One point eight percent (1.8%) of the strains of Escherichia coli isolated in urine were producers of extended spectrum b-lactamases, while 0.5% of the urinary isolations of Klebsiella pneumoniae were producers of this type of b-lactamases. Ninety-six point five percent of the 797 isolations of Salmonella serotipo Enteritidis were sensitive to cotrimoxazol, and 97.5% of the 1,057 isolations of Campylobacter jejuni were sensitive to eritromycine. Of the 319 bacteria isolated in otitis media, 96.5% were sensitive to amoxyline. The Gram negative bacillae producers of otitis externa showed a sensitivity above 90% to ciprofloxacin, gentamycin and polimixin B. Twenty-nine point seven percent of the isolations of Streptococcus pyogenes were resistant to eritromycine. Fourteen point three percent and 17.4% of the Staphylococcus aureus isolated in the years 2003 and 2004 respectively were resistant to methicillin. Knowledge of the map of antibiotic sensitivity of the microorganisms in circulation in each geographical area is information that is necessary for the empirical choice of antibiotic treatment.

Etiología y sensibilidad antibiótica de las infecciones extrahospitalarias más frecuentes / Aetiology and antibiotic sensitivity of the most frequent outpatient infections

La difusión de los perfiles de sensibilidad antibiótica es una práctica recomendada para mejorar la prescripción de antibióticos y controlar la aparición y diseminación de resistencias. Durante los años 2003 y 2004, se recogieron los datos de sensibilidad a antibióticos de las principales bacterias aisladas de urocultivos, coprocultivos, frotis faringoamigdalares y óticos extrahospitalarios, en el área de salud de Pamplona que atiende a una población aproximada de 400.000 habitantes. De los 9.495 uropatógenos aislados, el 90% fueron sensibles a amoxicilina-clavulánico, el 96,4% a cefalosporinas de 2ª generación, el 95,3% a fosfomicina y el 97,7% a nitrofurantoína. El 1,8% de las cepas de Escherichia coli aisladas en orina fueron productores de b-lactamasas de espectro extendido, mientras que el 0,5% de los aislamientos urinarios de Klebsiella pneumoniae fueron productores de este tipo de b-lactamasas. El 96,5% de los 797 aislamientos de Salmonella serotipo Enteritidis fueron sensibles a cotrimoxazol y el 97,5% de los 1057 aislamientos de Campylobacter jejuni fueron sensibles a eritromicina. De las 319 bacterias aisladas en otitis media, el 96,5% fueron sensibles a amoxicilina. Los bacilos Gram negativos productores de otitis externa presentaron una sensibilidad superior al 90% para ciprofloxacino, gentamicina y polimixina B. El 29,7% de los aislamientos de Streptococcus pyogenes fueron resistentes a la eritromicina. El 14,3% y el 17.4% de los Staphylococcus aureus aislados durante los años 2003 y 2004 respectivamente fueron resistentes a la meticilina.El conocimiento del mapa de sensibilidad antibiótica de los microorganismos circulantes en cada área geográfica es una información necesaria para la elección empírica del tratamiento antibiótico

The diffusion of the outlines of antibiotic sensitivity is a practice that is recommended for improving the prescription of antibiotics and for controlling the appearance and spread of resistances. During the years 2003 and 2004, data was gathered on the sensitivity to antibiotics of the main bacteria isolated in outpatient urine cultures, coprocultures, faringoamygdal and otic smears in the Pamplona health area, which attends to a population of approximately 400,000 inhabitants. Of the 9,495 uropathogens isolated, 90% were sensitive to amoxicillin-clavulanate, 96.4% to 2nd generation cephalosporins, 95.3% to phosphomycin and 97.7% to nitrofurantoin. One point eight percent (1.8%) of the strains of Escherichia coli isolated in urine were producers of extended spectrum b-lactamases, while 0.5% of the urinary isolations of Klebsiella pneumoniae were producers of this type of b-lactamases. Ninety-six point five percent of the 797 isolations of Salmonella serotipo Enteritidis were sensitive to cotrimoxazol, and 97.5% of the 1,057 isolations of Campylobacter jejuni were sensitive to eritromycine. Of the 319 bacteria isolated in otitis media, 96.5% were sensitive to amoxyline. The Gram negative bacillae producers of otitis externa showed a sensitivity above 90% to ciprofloxacin, gentamycin and polimixin B. Twenty-nine point seven percent of the isolations of Streptococcus pyogenes were resistant to eritromycine. Fourteen point three percent and 17.4% of the Staphylococcus aureus isolated in the years 2003 and 2004 respectively were resistant to methicillin. Knowledge of the map of antibiotic sensitivity of the microorganisms in circulation in each geographical area is information that is necessary for the empirical choice of antibiotic treatment

A short-term in vitro gill culture system to study the effects of toxic (copper) and non-toxic (cortisol) stressors on the rainbow trout, Oncorhynchus mykiss (Walbaum).

A short-term (24 h) method of gill filament culture system was developed to predict the effects of environmental contamination and stress in fish. Gill culture system containing two or three rainbow trout gill filaments in sterile glutamine supplemented Leibovitz 15 (L-15) media was submitted for 24 h to six different treatments: (i) CONT (control, medium only); (ii) CORT (cortisol, 0.28 microM cortisol); (iii) BLOCK (glucocorticoid receptor blocker, 14 microM RU 486); (iv) CORT+BLOCK (cortisol and blocker, 0.28 microM cortisol+14 microM RU 486); (v) CORT+CU (cortisol and copper, 100 microM CuSO4+0.28 microM cortisol); (vi) CU (copper, 100 microM CuSO4). After 24 h, the overall gill structure and cellular components resembled those of salmonids in vivo. Lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) activity in the culture media increased in the CORT+CU and CU groups but was significantly lower in the CORT+CU compared to CU group. Apoptotic cells increased in the CORT and CORT+BLOCK. The numbers of glucocorticoid (GR) receptor-positive cells were lower in the CU group. This short-term culture system seems to be suitable for studying the effects of both external and internal stress effectors (toxicants and hormones respectively), as it contains all cell types found in the gills and the cells give similar biological response as in vivo.

[Antibiotic sensitivity and treatment recommendations for Streptococcus pneumoniae]. / Sensibilidad antibiótica y recomendaciones de tratamiento para Streptococcus pneumoniae.

The aims of present paper were to determine the susceptibility of the strains to the most usual antibiotics in clinical practice and to review the current recommendations to guide the most appropriate treatment. During the period october 2000 to september 2002, the patient's data (age and sex), source of the sample, diagnosis and antibiotic susceptibility were collected on Streptococcus pneumoniae isolates from microbiology laboratories in the Navarra region (555.829 inhabitants). Four hundred and sixty five isolates were identified (166 from invasive infections). Generally, isolates from ear swabs were the most resistant to the antimicrobials tested, while those from blood culture were the most susceptible. Of the Streptococcus pneumoniae tested, 43% were resistant to penicillin, 6.1% to amoxicillin and 6.6% to cefotaxime. Of the 36.3% of Streptococcus pneumoniae isolates that were resistant to erythromycin, 85.45% exhibited the MLSB phenotype while the remaining 14.55% presented with the M phenotype. Multiple-resistance was detected in 32.3% of the strains. The antibiotic resistance rates to beta-lactams (specially penicillin, amoxicillin and cefotaxime/ceftrixone) in Streptococcus pneumoniae don't prevent its clinical use for the most of Streptococcus pneumoniae isolated in our area, except for pneumococcal meningitis.