Comparisons between geographically diverse samples of carried Staphylococcus aureus.

Approximately one-third of the human population is asymptomatically colonized by Staphylococcus aureus. However, much of the global diversity within the carriage populations remains uncharacterized, and it is unclear to what degree the variation is geographically partitioned. We isolated 300 carriage isolates from 1,531 adults contemporaneously in four countries: France, Algeria, Moldova, and Cambodia. All strains were characterized by multilocus sequence typing. Six clonal complexes (CCs) were present in all four samples (CC30, -45, -121, -15, -5, and -8). Analyses based on the genotype frequencies revealed the French and Algerian samples to be most similar and the Cambodian sample to be most distinct. While this pattern is consistent with likely rates of human migration and geographic distance, stochastic clonal expansion also contributes to regional differences. Phylogenetic analysis revealed a highly divergent and uncharacterized genotype (ST1223) within Cambodia. This lineage is related to CC75, which has previously been observed only in remote aboriginal populations in northern Australia.

Diversity of staphylococcal cassette chromosome mec structures in methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus epidermidis and Staphylococcus haemolyticus strains among outpatients from four countries.

In staphylococci, methicillin (meticillin) resistance (MR) is mediated by the acquisition of the mecA gene, which is carried on the size and composition variable staphylococcal cassette chromosome mec (SCCmec). MR has been extensively studied in Staphylococcus aureus, but little is known about MR coagulase-negative staphylococci (MR-CoNS). Here, we describe the diversity of SCCmec structures in MR-CoNS from outpatients living in countries with contrasting environments: Algeria, Mali, Moldova, and Cambodia. Their MR-CoNS nasal carriage rates were 29, 17, 11, and 31%, respectively. Ninety-six MR-CoNS strains, comprising 75 (78%) Staphylococcus epidermidis strains, 19 (20%) Staphylococcus haemolyticus strains, 1 (1%) Staphylococcus hominis strain, and 1 (1%) Staphylococcus cohnii strain, were analyzed. Eighteen different SCCmec types were observed, with 28 identified as type IV (29%), 25 as type V (26%), and 1 as type III (1%). Fifteen strains (44%) were untypeable for their SCCmec. Thirty-four percent of MR-CoNS strains contained multiple ccr copies. Type IV and V SCCmec were preferentially associated with S. epidermidis and S. haemolyticus, respectively. MR-CoNS constitute a widespread and highly diversified MR reservoir in the community.

A reliable diagnosis of human rabies based on analysis of skin biopsy specimens.

BACKGROUND: The number of human deaths due to rabies is currently underestimated to be 55,000 deaths per year. Biological diagnostic methods for confirmation of rabies remain limited, because testing on postmortem cerebral samples is the reference method, and in many countries, sampling brain tissue is rarely practiced. There is a need for a reliable method based on a simple collection of nonneural specimens. METHODS: A new reverse-transcription, heminested polymerase chain reaction (RT-hnPCR) protocol was standardized at 3 participating centers in Cambodia, Madagascar, and France. Fifty-one patients from Cambodia, Madagascar, Senegal, and France were prospectively enrolled in the study; 43 (84%) were ultimately confirmed as having rabies. A total of 425 samples were collected from these patients during hospitalization. We studied the accuracy of the diagnosis by comparing the results obtained with use of biological fluid specimens (saliva and urine) and skin biopsy specimens with the results obtained with use of the standard rabies diagnostic procedure performed with a postmortem brain biopsy specimen. RESULTS: The data obtained indicate a high specificity (100%) of RT-hnPCR and a higher sensitivity (>/=98%) when the RT-hnPCR was performed with skin biopsy specimens than when the test was performed with fluid specimens, irrespective of the time of collection (i.e., 1 day after the onset of symptoms or just after death). Also, a sensitivity of 100% was obtained with the saliva sample when we analyzed at least 3 successive samples per patient. CONCLUSIONS: Skin biopsy specimens should be systematically collected in cases of encephalitis of unknown origin. These samples should be tested by RT-hnPCR immediately to confirm rabies; if the technique is not readily available locally, the samples should be tested retrospectively for epidemiological purposes.

Influenza A/H5N1 virus infection in humans in Cambodia.

BACKGROUND: Between January 2005 and April 2006, six patients of influenza A/H5N1 virus infection were reported in Cambodia, all with fatal outcome. OBJECTIVES: We describe the virological findings of these six H5N1 patients in association with clinical and epidemiologic findings. STUDY DESIGN: Broncho-alveolar lavage, nasopharyngeal, throat and rectal swabs and sera were cultured for virus isolation and viral load quantified in clinical specimens by real-time RT-PCR. We compared sequences obtained from different body sites within the same patient to detect viral quasi-species. RESULTS: H5N1 virus strains isolated in Cambodia belong to genotype Z, clade 1 viruses. H5N1 viruses were isolated from serum and rectal swab specimens in two patients. The haemagglutinin gene sequences of the virus in different body sites did not differ. Amino acid substitutions known to be associated with a change in virus binding were not observed. CONCLUSION: The high frequency of virus isolation from serum and faecal swabs highlights that H5N1 is likely to be a disseminated infection in humans and this has implications for antiviral treatment, biosafety in clinical laboratories and on risks for nosocomial and human-to-human transmission. There were no tissue-specific adaptive mutations in the HA gene from viruses isolated from different organs.

Terrorist attacks in Paris: Surgical trauma experience in a referral center.

BACKGROUND: On November 13th, 2015, terrorist bomb explosions and gunshots occurred in Paris, France, with 129 people immediately killed, and more than 300 being injured. This article describes the staff organization, surgical management, and patterns of injuries in casualties who were referred to the Teaching European Hospital Georges Pompidou. METHODS: This study is a retrospective analysis of the pre-hospital response and the in-hospital response in our referral trauma center. Data for patient flow, resource use, patterns of injuries and outcomes were obtained by the review of electronic hospital records. RESULTS: Forty-one patients were referred to our center, and 22 requiring surgery were hospitalized for>24h. From November 14th at 0:41 A.M. to November 15th at 1:10 A.M., 23 surgical interventions were performed on 22 casualties. Gunshot injuries and/or shrapnel wounds were found in 45%, fractures in 45%, head trauma in 4.5%, and abdominal injuries in 14%. Soft-tissue and musculoskeletal injuries predominated in 77% of cases, peripheral nerve injury was identified in 30%. The mortality rate was 0% at last follow up. CONCLUSION: Rapid staff and logistical response, immediate access to operating rooms, and multidisciplinary surgical care delivery led to excellent short-term outcomes, with no in-hospital death and only one patient being still hospitalized 45days after the initial event.

Low frequency of poultry-to-human H5NI virus transmission, southern Cambodia, 2005.

To understand transmission of avian influenza A (H5N1) virus, we conducted a retrospective survey of poultry deaths and a seroepidemiologic investigation in a Cambodian village where a 28-year-old man was infected with H5N1 virus in March 2005. Poultry surveys were conducted within a 1-km radius of the patient's household. Forty-two household flocks were considered likely to have been infected from January through March 2005 because >60% of the flock died, case-fatality ratio was 100%, and both young and mature birds died within 1 to 2 days. Two sick chickens from a property adjacent to the patient's house tested positive for H5N1 on reverse transcription-PCR. Villagers were asked about poultry exposures in the past year and tested for H5N1 antibodies. Despite frequent, direct contact with poultry suspected of having H5N1 virus infection, none of 351 participants from 93 households had neutralizing antibodies to H5N1. H5N1 virus transmission from poultry to humans remains low in this setting.