Phenotypic and Molecular Patterns of Resistance among Campylobacter coli and Campylobacter jejuni Isolates, from Pig Farms.

The purpose of this research was to characterize the antibiotic resistance patterns of Campylobacter spp. isolated from commercial farrow to finish farms in Greece, and analyze the relevant molecular resistance mechanisms among the resistant Campylobacter isolates. Susceptibility testing to five different classes of antibiotics was performed in 100 C. coli and 100 C. jejuni, previously isolated and identified. All isolates were found susceptible to meropenem. Very high rates of resistance were recorded for tetracyclines (84.5%), medium rates of resistance were recorded regarding quinolones (23%), and low and very low rates of resistance were identified for macrolides such as erythromycin and aminoglycosides (12% and 4%, respectively). Only 12.5% of the Campylobacter isolates displayed MDR. Regarding the molecular mechanisms of resistance, all ciprofloxacin resistant isolates hosted the mutant type Thr-86-Ile region of the quinolone resistance-determining region (QRDR) of the gyrA gene. In all erythromycin resistant isolates, the transitional mutations A2075G and A2074C in the 23S rRNA gene were only amplified. Molecular screening of tetracycline resistance genes indicated that the vast majority of Campylobacter isolates (92.3%) were positive for the tet(O) gene. In summary, these findings and especially the very high and medium rates of resistance for tetracyclines and fluroquinolones, respectively recommend that a continuous monitoring of Campylobacter isolates susceptibility in combination with the proper use of antimicrobials in livestock production is of great importance for public health.

Sleep respiratory parameters in children with idiopathic epilepsy: A cross-sectional study.

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study is to explore and compare through polysomnography respiratory sleep parameters between children with idiopathic epilepsy and healthy children. METHODS: Our cross-sectional study included 40 children with idiopathic epilepsy and 27 healthy children, who underwent overnight polysomnography. Data about sleep respiratory parameters were obtained and statistically analyzed. The level of statistical significance was set at 0.05. RESULTS: The prevalence of Obstructive Sleep Apnea Syndrome was significantly higher in the epilepsy group (35% vs 7.4%, p<0.01). Moreover, the odds ratio of an obstructive apnea index ≥1 in the epilepsy group was 10.6 (95% Confidence Intervals: 3.08-37.08) in comparison to the control group. The mean value of the obstructive apnea-hypopnea index was significantly higher in children with epilepsy compared to healthy children (2.46±1.22 vs 1.21±0.83, p=0.027). The mean values of central apnea index and desaturation index were comparable between these two groups. Longest apnea duration was significantly higher in the group of poor seizure control. All other sleep respiratory variables did not differ significantly between children with poor and good seizure control and between children with generalized and focal epilepsy. CONCLUSIONS: Children with epilepsy seem to present more prominent sleep breathing instability in comparison to healthy children, which mainly includes a predisposition to obstructive respiratory events. More studies are needed to investigate the relationship between sleep apneas and seizure control.

Interleukin-6 and interleukin-8 levels in the urine of children with renal scarring.

BACKGROUND: Acute pyelonephritis (APN) is one of the most significant bacterial infections in infancy and early childhood, and can lead to permanent kidney damage and chronic renal failure. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate interleukin-6 (IL-6) and interleukin-8 (IL-8) levels in the urine of children with renal scarring (RS), searching for clinical information about the immuno-inflammatory process that contributes to RS. METHODS: Urine concentrations of IL-6 and IL-8 were evaluated in 50 children, 33 with RS detected after an episode of acute pyelonephritis (group A) and 17 children with a history of acute pyelonephritis, but without RS (group B). These children were divided into four groups: group A(1), 23 children with RS and vesicoureteral reflux (VUR); group A(2), 10 children with RS without VUR; group B(1), 13 children without RS and without VUR; group B(2), 4 children without RS, but with VUR. None of them had had urinary tract infection for a minimum of 6 months. To avoid dilution effects, urinary levels of IL-6 and IL-8 were expressed as the ratio of cytokine to urinary creatinine (pg/mg). RESULTS: Urinary IL-8 levels were below the lower detection limit in all samples. IL-6 was detectable in the majority of children with RS and below the detection limits in the urine samples of children without RS. There were no statistically significant differences between urinary interleukin-6 levels in children with and those without VUR. There was a significant relationship between the grade of renal scars, the time passed since the last episode of acute pyelonephritis and the urinary levels of IL-6 (p < 0.0001 and p < 0.04 respectively). CONCLUSION: Further experimental studies are required to demonstrate the correlation between histopathology and urinary cytokine levels.