52 research outputs found
Identification and Antimicrobial Resistance of Campylobacter Species Isolated from Animal Sources
Background:
Campylobacter spp. are together with Salmonella spp. the leading causes of human bacterial gastroenteritis worldwide. The most commonly isolated species in humans are Campylobacter jejuni and C. coli. The isolation, identification, and antimicrobial resistance of Campylobacter spp. from poultry and raw meat from slaughterhouses, has been investigated for the first time in Greece. During the period from August 2005 to November 2008 a total of 1080 samples were collected: (a) 830 fecal samples from five poultry farms, (b) 150 cecal samples from chicken carcasses in a slaughterhouse, and (c) 100 fecal samples from one pig farm near the region of Attica. The identification of the isolates was performed with conventional (sodium hippurate hydrolysis and commercial identification system (Api CAMPY system, bioMerieux, France), as well as with and molecular methods based on 16S rRNA species specific gene amplification by PCR and subsequent sequence analysis of the PCR products. Results: Sixteen Campylobacter strains were isolated, all collected from the poultry farms. None of the strains was identified as C. jejuni. Antimicrobial susceptibility to six antimicrobials was performed and all the strains were susceptible to ciprofloxacin, amoxicillin–clavulanic acid, and gentamicin. Thirteen out of 14 C. coli were resistant to erythromycin and all C. coli strains were resistant to ampicillin. Conclusion: Our results emphasize the need for a surveillance and monitoring system with respect to the prevalence and antimicrobial resistance of Campylobacter in poultry, as well as for the use of antimicrobials in veterinary medicine in Greece
Incidence and antimicrobial susceptibilities of genital mycoplasmas in outpatient women with clinical vaginitis in Athens, Greece
Objectives: The incidence and antimicrobial susceptibilities of
Ureaplasma urealyticum and Mycoplasma hominis, isolated from vaginal and
endocervical swabs collected from 369 outpatient women, were determined.
Methods: Isolation, identification and typing of the pathogens were
performed by means of conventional methods. The antimicrobial
susceptibilities of the genital mycoplasmas were determined with
commercially available kits and evaluated according to the CLSI.
Results and conclusions: In 65 (47.44%) out of the 137 positive
specimens, U. urealyticum was grown as a single pathogen, in 0.72% M.
hominis was grown as a single pathogen and in 2.92% both urogenital
mycoplasmas were grown. In the remaining specimens (48.90%), there was
a mixed growth with other microbes. Of the isolated U. urealyticum
strains, 87.4% and 98.2% were susceptible to tetracycline and
doxycycline, respectively, 79.2% were susceptible to josamycin, 48.6%
were susceptible to clarithromycin and 91.8% were susceptible to
pristinamycin, while erythromycin, azithromycin, ciprofloxacin and
ofloxacin proved to be inactive against most of the strains. M. hominis
isolates were 100% susceptible to tetracycline, doxycycline and
pristinamycin, while susceptibilities to the other antimicrobial agents
varied mainly in the range of ‘intermediate’ or ‘resistant’. As results
originating from similar studies from various countries are very
controversial, the simplest way to avoid therapeutic failures would be
the implementation of rational treatment regimens based on culture
isolation and the in vitro determination of the antimicrobial
susceptibility of genital mycoplasmas in each clinical case
The Telomere/Telomerase System in Chronic Inflammatory Diseases. Cause or Effect?
Telomeres are specialized nucleoprotein structures located at the end of
linear chromosomes and telomerase is the enzyme responsible for telomere
elongation. Telomerase activity is a key component of many cancer cells
responsible for rapid cell division but it has also been found by many
laboratories around the world that telomere/telomerase biology is
dysfunctional in many other chronic conditions as well. These conditions
are characterized by chronic inflammation, a situation mostly overlooked
by physicians regarding patient treatment. Among others, these
conditions include diabetes, renal failure, chronic obstructive
pulmonary disease, etc. Since researchers have in many cases identified
the association between telomerase and inflammation but there are still
many missing links regarding this correlation, the latest findings about
this phenomenon will be discussed by reviewing the literature. Our focus
will be describing telomere/telomerase status in chronic diseases under
the prism of inflammation, reporting molecular findings where available
and proposing possible future approaches
The Telomere/Telomerase System in Chronic Inflammatory Diseases. Cause or Effect?
Telomeres are specialized nucleoprotein structures located at the end of linear chromosomes and telomerase is the enzyme responsible for telomere elongation. Telomerase activity is a key component of many cancer cells responsible for rapid cell division but it has also been found by many laboratories around the world that telomere/telomerase biology is dysfunctional in many other chronic conditions as well. These conditions are characterized by chronic inflammation, a situation mostly overlooked by physicians regarding patient treatment. Among others, these conditions include diabetes, renal failure, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, etc. Since researchers have in many cases identified the association between telomerase and inflammation but there are still many missing links regarding this correlation, the latest findings about this phenomenon will be discussed by reviewing the literature. Our focus will be describing telomere/telomerase status in chronic diseases under the prism of inflammation, reporting molecular findings where available and proposing possible future approaches
Inquiring into the Gaps of Campylobacter Surveillance Methods
Campylobacter is one of the most common pathogen-related causes of diarrheal illnesses globally and has been recognized as a significant factor of human disease for more than three decades. Molecular typing techniques and their combinations have allowed for species identification among members of the Campylobacter genus with good resolution, but the same tools usually fail to proceed to subtyping of closely related species due to high sequence similarity. This problem is exacerbated by the demanding conditions for isolation and detection from the human, animal or water samples as well as due to the difficulties during laboratory maintenance and long-term storage of the isolates. In an effort to define the ideal typing tool, we underline the strengths and limitations of the typing methodologies currently used to map the broad epidemiologic profile of campylobacteriosis in public health and outbreak investigations. The application of both the old and the new molecular typing tools is discussed and an indirect comparison is presented among the preferred techniques used in current research methodolog
Incidence and antimicrobial resistance of pathogenic bacteria isolated from children with acute otitis media in Athens, Greece, during the periods 2003-2004 and 2005-2007
The first database comprised of flagellin gene (flaA) types of Campylobacter jejuni human clinical isolates from Greece
Flagellin subunit A gene (flaA) typing of Campylobacter has been
recognized by several groups as a relatively simple and quick genotyping
method. The present study aimed to create, for the first time in Greece,
a database with flaA restriction patterns, which could be used for
future epidemiological and clinical studies. A total of 207 C. jejuni
clinical isolates of known serotype were collected from 5 general
hospitals of the area of Attica, during the period 2000-2003.
The RFLP profiles of each strain were matched in 44 bins of 0 or 1.
Thirty nine different flaA types, designated as flaA 1 GR to flaA 39 GR
(GR: Greece) were found. There was no significant association of certain
genotypes with certain serotypes. However flaA typing showed a
remarkable discriminatory ability inside the non-typable (NT) group.
Evaluating our results we observed (i) that there was no clonality of a
certain flaA type among the strains and the serotypes examined and (ii)
that the discriminatory ability of flaA typing was much better than that
of serotyping. Giving a simple and detailed description of the data
analysis, we are the first who publish the bin patterns for the flaA
genotypes found
Acute Bacterial Meningitis Cases Diagnosed by Culture and PCR in a Children's Hospital Throughout a 9-Year Period (2000-2008) in Athens, Greece
Background and Objectives: Acute bacterial meningitis is one of the most
severe infectious diseases, affecting mainly infants and, secondarily,
older children and adolescents. Diagnosis in the early stages is often
difficult and despite treatment with appropriate antibiotic therapy, the
case fatality rate remains high. In the present study, the incidence of
bacterial meningitis was registered in a general pediatric hospital in
Athens, Greece, during a 9-year period (2000-2008), and the use of
molecular methods in the diagnosis of bacterial meningitis versus the
conventional cultural methods was evaluated. The impact of vaccination
against meningitis-causing bacteria on the incidence of bacterial
meningitis was also assessed.
Methods: From a total of 1833 children hospitalized with suspected
clinical symptoms and signs of meningitis, all cerebrospinal fluid (CSF)
and blood samples were analyzed by white blood cell (WBC) count,
measurement of glucose, protein, and C-reactive protein (CRP) levels, as
well as by conventional bacteriologic culture methods. If samples showed
altered CSF markers that were consistent with meningitis in general,
they were further investigated by PCR for bacterial pathogens.
Results: Of the 1833 patients, 289 (15.76%) were found to be positive
for meningitis after CSF examination, based on white blood cell count
and differentiation, glucose, protein, and CRP. Fifty-six of the 289
(19.37%) had confirmed bacterial meningitis, as diagnosed by either
culture and/or PCR. Of these 56 cases, 44(78.6%) were detected only by
PCR, and 12 cases (21.4%) were confirmed by PCR and culture. The
predominant microorganism was Neisseria meningitidis serogroup B (n =
40; 71.4%), followed by Streptococcus pneumoniae not typed [NT] (n =
7; 12.5%), Streptococcus spp. (n = 4; 7.1%), Haemophilus influenzae NT
(n = 2; 3.6%), and S. pneumoniae serotype 3, Streptococcus group B, and
S. pneumoniae serotype 18C (each n = 1; 1.8%).
Conclusion: In Greece, according to data from the National Meningitis
Reference Laboratory, vaccination against N. meningitidis serogroup C
since 2001 led to a 10-fold decrease in the incidence of meningitis
cases, vaccination against S. pneumoniae serotypes included in the
heptavalent conjugate vaccine since 2005 led to a 3.4-fold incidence
decrease, and vaccination against H. influenzae type b since 1992 led
almost to an absence of cases. In the population of the present study,
none of the cases were caused by the above-mentioned vaccine pathogens,
except for one S. pneumoniae serotype 18C case with no history of past
vaccination.
The introduction of vaccination against meningitis-causing bacteria has
drastically decreased the emergence of the infection. The improved
molecular amplification assays proved to be superior to conventional
bacteriologic methods and should be introduced into routine diagnosis,
as well as the epidemiologic surveillance of bacterial meningitis
C-reactive protein level in dialysis patients: Weak genetic influence and nonspecific clinical meaning
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