Differences in Virulence Factors and Antimicrobial Susceptibility of Uropathogenic Enterococcus spp. Strains in a Rural Area of Uganda and a Spanish Secondary Hospital.

Enterococcus faecalis and Enterococcus faecium have become two of the most important agents of nosocomial diseases due to their constantly growing resistance. Enterococcal infections are associated with biofilms, which are intrinsically sensitive to antimicrobials. The main goal of this study was to compare and relate their capacity to form biofilm and their antimicrobial sensitivity, as well as their virulence factors and their implicated genes, of strains isolated from patients with urinary tract infection (UTI) in a rural hospital in Uganda and a secondary hospital in Spain. A prospective study was conducted with 104 strains of E. faecalis and E. faecium isolated from patients with suspected UTI and who presented leukocyturia at the Saint Joseph Kitgum hospital (Uganda) and at the Hospital Universitario Principe de Asturias (Spain). All microorganisms were identified in Spain by MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry. Antimicrobial susceptibility studies were carried out using the Vitek® 2 system (Biomériux, France). The biofilm formation capacity was studied by photospectrometry. Phenotypic and genotypic virulence factors were studied in all cases by PCR or expression techniques. In Uganda, we found a higher incidence of E. faecium (65.3%, n = 32), contrary to the situation found in Spain where most of the bacteria found belonged to E. faecalis (92.7%, n = 51). All E. faecalis strains were found to have very low levels of resistance to ampicillin, imipenem, and nitrofurantoin. However, E. faecium exhibited more than 25% resistance to these antibiotics. Although the esp gene has been shown in the results obtained to be an important initial agent in biofilm formation, we have also demonstrated in this study the intervention of other genes when esp is not present, such as the ace1 gene. No statistically significant relationships were found between the presence of agg and gelE genes and increased biofilm formation. The significant difference between the incidence of E. faecalis and E. faecium and biofilm formation, between samples from Spain and Uganda, shows us very different profiles between countries.

Urinary Tract Infection and Antimicrobial Susceptibility of Bacterial Isolates in Saint Joseph Kitgum Hospital, Kitgum, Uganda.

A cross-sectional study of microorganisms isolated from mid-stream urine samples obtained from 139 patients with suspected urinary tract infection (UTI) who presented leukocyturia was conducted from April to June 2019 at Saint Joseph Kitgum Hospital (Uganda). All microorganisms were identified by MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry in a laboratory in Spain. Antimicrobial susceptibility was determined on site using the disc diffusion method (Kirby-Bauer test) and these results were subsequently compared with those obtained in Spain using the Becton Dickinson Phoenix M50 device. The overall prevalence of UTI with bacterial growth was 64.0% (n = 89) (95% CI, 56.1-72.0), and 11 presented mixed infection. As a result, 100 microorganisms were isolated. The most common uropathogens were Enterococcus spp. (57%) and Escherichia coli (28%). Nitrofurantoin was the most effective drug (81.7% in Gram-positive and 87.3% in Gram-negative bacteria), followed by imipenem (94.2% and 74.5%, respectively). The highest resistance rates were observed for amoxicillin and ciprofloxacin (66.2% and 44.6%, respectively). Given the increasing trend toward antibiotic resistance, there is a need for bacteriological cultures and continuous surveillance of uropathogen antibiotic susceptibility. Use of amoxicillin and ciprofloxacin as empirical treatments for UTIs should be discontinued in Uganda. The findings of this study may be useful for clinicians, as they may improve empirical treatment.

Detection, treatment and prevention programs for gestational diabetes mellitus: The St Carlos experience / Programas de detección, tratamiento y prevención de la diabetes mellitus gestacional: la experiencia de San Carlos

Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) increases the risk of adverse events in pregnancy and jeopardizes long-term health of the mother and offspring. There is currently no consensus as to what screening strategies improve the efficiency of GDM diagnosis. Which criteria should be used? Is the one-step or two-step procedure better? There is no agreement as to what the best dietary approach in the treatment of GDM is. In addition, different nutritional interventions have been studied in the prevention of GDM. The Mediterranean diet seems to be effective in preventing GDM and other maternofoetal outcomes. We review herein our experience using the one-step criteria for GDM screening; the treatment and prevention strategies used; and the overall impact of nutrition on maternofoetal health

La diabetes gestacional (DG) incrementa el riesgo de tener eventos adversos durante el embarazo, y también afecta a la salud materna y de la descendencia a largo plazo. En la actualidad no existe un consenso sobre qué estrategia de cribado es más eficaz para el diagnóstico de la DG. ¿Qué criterios se deberían utilizar? ¿Es mejor hacerlo en un solo paso o en 2? Tampoco existe un acuerdo universal sobre cuál es el mejor tratamiento nutricional ni qué intervención nutricional es la más adecuada para su prevención. La dieta mediterránea parece ser las más efectiva en la prevención no solo de la DG, sino que también de otros eventos adversos materno-fetales. En este artículo revisamos la experiencia de nuestro grupo en la aplicación de los criterios diagnósticos de un solo paso para la DG; las estrategias empleadas en el tratamiento y prevención de la DG, y del impacto global que tiene la alimentación sobre la salud materno-fetal

Detection, treatment and prevention programs for gestational diabetes mellitus: The St Carlos experience.

Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) increases the risk of adverse events in pregnancy and jeopardizes long-term health of the mother and offspring. There is currently no consensus as to what screening strategies improve the efficiency of GDM diagnosis. Which criteria should be used? Is the one-step or two-step procedure better? There is no agreement as to what the best dietary approach in the treatment of GDM is. In addition, different nutritional interventions have been studied in the prevention of GDM. The Mediterranean diet seems to be effective in preventing GDM and other maternofoetal outcomes. We review herein our experience using the one-step criteria for GDM screening; the treatment and prevention strategies used; and the overall impact of nutrition on maternofoetal health.