"Toxoplasma gondii" and women of reproductive age : an analysis of data from the Chair of Microbiology, Jagiellonian University Medical College in Cracow

The aim of the study is to determine the seroprevalence and risk factors for Toxoplasma gondii infection in women of reproductive age within the Małopolska province who were examined in the Laboratory of Microbiological Diagnostics, Chair of Microbiology in Cracow in 2013–2014. Seventy-eight questionnaires completed by women of reproductive age (mean age 29.91±6.56) were analysed. In total, 82% of respondents signed up for serological testing while already pregnant (33 patients in the age group 18–29 years and 30 patients in the age group 30–39 years). Twentyseven percent had no previous contact with the parasite. A statistically significant (chi-square=7.722, p=0.005) correlation between permanent residence in the countryside and the presence of anti-T. gondii antibodies was found. A significant correlation was shown in the studied group between a lack of contact with soil and negative results of serological tests for toxoplasmosis (chi-square=4.116, p=0.042). The majority of the surveyed women had already encountered this parasite. It seems that special attention should be given to rural women. Implementation of more precise testing in the diagnosis of toxoplasmosis is also essential

Demographic characteristics of patients and their assessment of selected hygienic practices of hospital personnel in the context of safety climate of hospitalization

BackgroundHand hygiene (HH) is a key factor in hospital infection prevention and patient safety. The objectives of this article were to examine patients' observations concerning compliance with selected procedures for hospital hygiene among medical personnel and assess the correlation between patients' key demographic characteristics and their awareness and sense of safety associated with hospitalization.MethodsThe study was conducted in January 2012 on a sample of 491 subjects by means of a standardized 10-minute computer-assisted telephone interview survey.ResultsThere was a statistically significant correlation between the sense of safety associated with hospitalization declared by patients and their observation of HH practices among health care personnel. A positive correlation was also found between the respondents experiencing personal complications in the form of health care–associated infections themselves or among their family members and the sense of safety associated with hospital treatment.ConclusionsPerforming HH among hospital staff is one of the factors affecting patients' increased sense of safety during their hospitalization; therefore, HH contributes to the perception of good quality of service provided. Knowledge of the risk of HH does not affect the patients' sense of safety, in contrast with their real-life experiences

The usefulness of the basophil activation test in monitoring specific immunotherapy with house dust mite allergens

Introduction: In clinical practice, reliable tools for monitoring specific immunotherapy (SIT) are of utmost importance. Aim: To assess the usefulness of the basophil activation test (BAT) in monitoring SIT in paediatric patients with allergy to house dust mites (HDM). Material and methods: Thirty-one children qualified for SIT with HD,, of whom 21 completed the SIT during the observation period. The BAT was carried out prior to commencing the SIT (time point BAT1) and upon finishing the initial pack of allergy vaccine (cumulative dose of allergen 12487.5 PNU, BAT2), as well as after the second vaccine pack (cumulative dose of allergen 23750.0 PNU; BAT3). Peripheral blood of the patients was stimulated with allergen solutions in five concentrations from 0.00225 ng/ml to 22.5 ng/ml. Basophil activation was measured by CD63 expression in flow cytometry. Results: For the allergen concentration of 0.225 ng/ml, a statistically significant decrease in median basophil activation was observed, from 51.29% at BAT1 to 8.48% at BAT2 (\rho = 0.004) and 4.21% at BAT3 (\rho < 0.001). For the allergen concentration of 0.0225 ng/ml, a statistically significant decrease was seen between BAT1 (1.72%) and BAT3 (0.21%, \rho = 0.01). Median CD-sens index decreased significantly from 1099.02 at BAT1 to 179.31 at BAT2 (\rho < 0.002) and 168.04 at BAT3 (\rho < 0.001). Conclusions: There is a significant decrease in BAT results in the course of specific immunotherapy with HDM allergens in children, with the optimum allergen concentration for monitoring basophil response at 0.225 ng/ml. The CD-sens index seems to be a better monitoring parameter than the plain percentage of CD63-expressing basophils

The dynamics of vaginal and rectal Lactobacillus spp. flora in subsequent trimesters of pregnancy in healthy Polish women, assessed using the Sanger sequencing method

Background Lactobacilli play an important role in maintaining vaginal health and protection against bacterial infections in the genital tract. The aim of this study is to show the dynamics of changes of the vaginal and rectal Lactobacillus flora during pregnancy by using the Sanger sequencing method. Method The study included 31 healthy pregnant women without clinical signs of genitourinary infections. The material was taken in the three trimesters of pregnancy by vaginal and rectal swabs and grown on the MRS agar quantitatively to estimate the number of Lactobacillus spp. [CFU/ml]. Afterwards, 3 to 8 morphologically different lactobacilli colonies were taken for identification. Bacterial species identification was performed by 16 s rDNA sequence fragment analyses using the Sanger method. Results Among the patients tested, the most common species colonizing the vagina in the first trimester were: L. crispatus 29%, L. gasseri 19.4% and L. rhamnosus 16.1%, in the second trimester: L. crispatus 51.6%, L. gasseri 25.8%, L. rhamnosus 19.4% and L. amylovorus 16.1%, and in the third trimester the most common Lactobacillus species were: L. crispatus 25.8%, L. gasseri 25.8% and L. johnsonii 19.4%. In rectal species, the number decreased in the second and third trimesters in comparison to the first trimester (p = 0.003). An analysis of rectal dynamics showed that in the first trimester, the most common species were: L. johnsonii 19.4%, and L. plantarum 9.7%, in the second trimester: L. crispatus 9.7% and L. mucosae 6.5%, and in the third trimester: L. casei 9.7% and L. rhamnosus 9.7%. Individual dynamics of the Lactobacillus species composition showed variability, characterized by continuous, intermittent, or periodic colonization. The patients examined were mostly colonized by three Lactobacillus species in vagina (32.3%), whereas for the rectum, one Lactobacillus species during the whole pregnancy duration was common (32.3%). Conclusion This study showed that in the examined group of healthy, pregnant Polish women, the vaginal Lactobacillus flora, both qualitative and quantitative, was stable during the three subsequent trimesters. In contrast, the number of rectal Lactobacillus species dramatically decreased after the first trimester

Susceptibility to tigecycline of Acinetobacter baumannii strains isolated from intensive care unit patients

Background: Infections caused by Acinetobacter baumannii are difficult to cure due to the acquisition of resistance by these bacteria and lead to an increase in the general costs of hospitalization. The aim of this study was to determine tigecycline susceptibility of Acinetobacter baumannii strains isolated from intensive care unit and non-intensive care unit patients with skin and soft tissue infections. Methods: MICs were tested by Etest among 70 Acinetobacter baumannii isolates. Results: The MIC range was from 0.5 to 8.0 mg L-1. For ESBL-producing Acinetobacter baumannii, as well as for strains without carbapenemases, the highest MIC to tigecycline value was 8.0 mg L-1. For AmpC-producing Acinetobacter baumannii, the highest MIC to tigecycline value was 6.0 mg L-1 and, for MBL-producing strains, 2.0 mg L-1. Conclusions: The majority of Acinetobacter baumannii strains isolated from ICU and non-ICU patients demonstrated high values of MIC range, MIC50 and MIC90 to tigecycline