Molecular Investigation of the Fatal Bloodstream Candida orthopsilosis Infection Case following Gastrectomy.

Candida orthopsilosis represents a closely related cryptic genospecies of Candida parapsilosis complex-misidentified in routine diagnostic assays. This is emerging in settings where central venous catheters, invasive medical interventions, and echinocandin treatments are most likely to be used. A 59-year-old, non-neutropenic male patient, was admitted to an intensive care unit (ICU) due to respiratory distress syndrome, following a partial gastrectomy. As a result of duodenal stump leakage, re-laparotomy was required, abdominal drains were provided and central line catheters were exchanged. Multiple isolates of Candida orthopsilosis drawn from consecutive blood cultures were identified, despite ongoing echinocandin therapy and confirmed in vitro echinocandins susceptibility of the isolated strain. Species identification was verified via ITS region sequencing. Herein, we report the well-documented-per clinical data and relevant laboratory diagnosis-first case of a bloodstream infection caused by Candida orthopsilosis in Poland.

The effect of fennel essential oil and trans-anethole on antibacterial activity of mupirocin against Staphylococcus aureus isolated from asymptomatic carriers.

INTRODUCTION: Staphylococcus aureus constitutes the most pathogenic species within the staphylococcal genus. Humans remain the major reservoirs of this pathogen which colonizes mostly anterior nares of healthy individuals. AIM: To investigate the effect of fennel essential oil (FEO) and trans-anethole (tA) on antibacterial activity of mupirocin (MUP) against S. aureus strains isolated from asymptomatic carriers. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The content of the FEO was analysed with use of the GC-MS method. The research done on 43 S. aureus isolates with different resistance patterns, obtained from nasal vestibule. Antibacterial activity of MUP in combination with FEO or tA was examined using the agar dilution method and E-test method. The data analysis was done with the Pearson's χ2 test. RESULTS: The chemical composition of FEO was consistent with the European Pharmacopoeia (EP) for the main constituent - tA (77.9%) according to the EP recommendations. Macrolide-lincosamide-streptogramin B resistance phenotype was prevalent among 39.5% of S. aureus isolates. FEO concentrations of 2.0% and 2.5% revealed antibacterial activity against 76.7% of isolates, whereas tA inhibited S. aureus growth at concentrations > 4.0%. The MIC values for MUP combined with FEO as well as for MUP combined with tA were < 0.064 µg/ml for 79.1% and 86.0% of S. aureus isolates, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Our experiment revealed FEO and tA influence on MUP effectiveness. The combination of MUP with FEO as well as MUP with tA are worth considering to implement in S. aureus eradication procedures. These findings will be useful in designing efficient antistaphylococcal agents which can limit the emergence of antibiotic resistance.

Improved RAPD Method for Candida parapsilosis Fingerprinting.

Recently, methods based on the analysis of arbitrarily amplified target sites of genome microorganisms have been extensively applied in microbiological studies, and especially in epidemiological studies. The range of their application is limited by problems with discrimination and reproducibility resulting from a lack of standardized and reliable methods of optimization. The aim of this study was to obtain optimal parameters of the Random Amplified Polymorphic DNA (RAPD) reaction by using an orthogonal array as per the Taguchi and Wu protocol, modified by Cobb and Clark for Candida parapsilosis isolates. High Simpson's index values and low Dice coefficients obtained in this study indicated a high level of interspecies DNA polymorphism between C. parapsilosis strains, and the optimized RAPD method proved useful in the microbiological and epidemiological study.

Immunoreactivity of Polish Lyme Disease Patient Sera to Specific Borrelia Antigens-Part 1.

The diverse clinical picture and the non-specificity of symptoms in Lyme disease (LD) require the implementation of effective diagnostics, which should take into account the heterogeneity of Borrelia antigens. According to available guidelines, laboratories should use a two-tier serological diagnosis based on the enzyme-linked immunosorbent (ELISA) screening test and confirmation of the immunoblot (IB). The aim of the study was to investigate the immunoreactivity of LD patient sera to Borrelia antigens and to attempt to identify the genospecies responsible for LD using an ELISA-IB assay combination. Eighty patients with suspected LD and 22 healthy people participated in the study. All samples were tested with ELISA and IB assays in both IgM and IgG antibodies. In the case of the ELISA assay, more positive results were obtained in the IgM class than in the IgG class. In the case of the IB assay, positive results dominated in the IgG class. Positive results obtained in the IB assay most often showed IgM antibodies against the OspC and flagellin antigens, whereas the IgG antibodies were against VlsE, BmpA, OspC, p41, and p83 antigens. The IB assay is an important part of LD serodiagnosis and should be mandatory in diagnostic laboratories.

[Anaerobic bacteria of periodontal pockets in course of periodontitis and premature labor]. / Flora beztlenowa kieszonek przyzebnych w zapaleniu przyzebia a poród przedwczesny.

The aim of the study is was to evaluate anaerobic periodontal mikrobes in 120 postpartum mothers. Group I consisted of mothers with a birth weight of less than 2,500g and gestational age < 37 weeks. Group II included mothers with normal birth weight infants. All women in both of groups were subjected to a full-mouth periodontal examination to determine a periodontal status. The microbial investigation for anaerobic bacteria of deepest periodontal pockets was performed in 35 cases of periodontits. A significantly higher incidence of preterm low birth weight cases in patiens with periodontitis was documented. In addition higher variety of anaerobic bacteria of periodontal pockets in mothers with preterm low birth weight infants comparison to control group was observed.

The effect of fennel essential oil in combination with antibiotics on Staphylococcus aureus strains isolated from carriers.

An increase in the number of staphylococcal infections and carriers among medical staff has forced us to seek more and more effective antibacterial agents. Bacteria from the Staphylococcus genus possessing different mechanisms of resistance are the cause of nosocomial infections. The objective of our investigations was susceptibility of S. aureus strains isolated from nasal vestibule of medical students to fennel essential oil. The GC-MS analysis of fennel essential oil revealed eleven constituents among which a majority of trans-anethole (80%) was found. The D-tests showed iMLSB (80%), cMLSB and MSB (10%) resistant phenotypes of S. aureus. The S. aureus isolates were intermediate to mupirocin (45%). Fennel essential oil increased the inhibition zone around cefoxitin, mupirocin, co-trimoxazole and ciprofloxacin with statistical significance. Our research showed that the fennel essential oil in combination with mupirocin may be considered as a natural alternative in eradication of S. aureus with iMLSB, cMLSB, MSB resistant phenotypes and is able to decrease the growth rate of antibiotic resistance.