Susceptibility of Campylobacter jejuni and Campylobacter coli isolated from animals and humans to tetracycline

Fifty five thermophilic Campylobacter spp. strains were isolated from cecum of broilers, cecum and colon of pigs and from human feces. The strains were identified as Campylobacter jejuni and Campylobacter coli. The more prevalent species in broilers and humans was C. jejuni and in pigs C. coli. In the framework of this study, sensitivity to tetracycline in isolated strains of C. jejuni and C. coli was tested by E-test. In 16 tested strains isolated from broilers, 56.25% were resistant to tetracycline. Resistance occured more frequent in C. coli strains (66.67%). In 15 strains of termophilic Campylobacter spp. isolated from pigs the percentage of resistant strains was 80%. Resistance was detected more often in C. coli (90.00%) isolates. The percentage of resistant C. jejuni strains from pigs was 60.00%. Resistance to tetracycline occurred in 29.17% of 24 thermophilic Campylobacter spp. strains isolated from humans. Generally, strains of thermophilic campylobacters, especially C. coli isolated in pigs are more frequent resistant to tetracycline than strains isolated in poultry and human. Therefore, attention should be directed to the tetracycline application monitoring in swine farming in order to prevent resistance appearance in animal strains and its subsequent spread to human strains

Characterization of antibiotic resistance phenotypes and resistance genes in enterococcus spp. Isolated from cheeses

Strains of Enterococcus spp. isolated from a collection of 123 artisanal and industrial cheese samples were studied for the phenotypic and genotypic assessment of antibiotic resistance. A total of 226 isolates included 119 E. faecium (52.65%), 40 E. durans (17.7%), 37 E. hirae (16.37%), 29 E. faecalis (12.83%) and 1 E. gallinarum (0.44%). Out of 61 tested strains, 15 (24.59%) strains exhibited resistance to one or more tested antibiotics, as determined by the disc diffusion method. The resistance phenotypes were as follows: gentamicin (45.45%), tetracycline (31.82%), erythromycin (9.09%), vancomycin (9.09%) and penicillin (4.55%). The presence of tetracycline and erythromycin resistance genes [tet(M), tet(L) and erm(B), respectively] and integrase gene (int), associated with Tn916-1545 transposon family, was detected by PCR procedures. The tet(M) gene was determined in all 7 tested strains, but none of the analyzed strains harbored tet(L) determinant. The erm(B) gene was not detected in 9 strains characterized by phenotypic resistance to erythromycin. All 16 strains were positive for the presence of the int gene. The presented results show the presence of antibiotic resistance genes and the transposon integrase gene associated with transferable resistance in enterococci, indicating a potential for gene transfer through the food chain

Campylobacter jejuni infection and IgE sensitization in up to 2-year-old infants

© 2015, Institut za Vojnomedicinske Naucne Informacije/Documentaciju. All rights reserved. Background/Aim. The “hygiene hypothesis” addresses the correlation between the occurrence of atopy and the frequency of infections in the earliest age, explaining an increase in the incidence of atopic diseases by living in good, infection-free, hygienic conditions. The aim of our study was to determine the conection between atopy and Campylobacter infection, and to analyze the association between serum concentrations of total IgE and Campylobacter infection in relation to atopy in children up to two years. Methods. A case control study was conducted with the sample of 98 infants of the average age of 8 months. Total serum IgE and Phadiatop infant multi-test were determined on Immunocap-100 (Phadia AB, Uppsala, Sweden). The presence of atopy was determined by detection of serumspecific IgE ≥ 0.35 kUA/L (Phadiatop infant positive) and serum IgM, IgA, IgG levels against C. jejuni were determined by a quantitative immuno-enzyme test-SERION ELISA classic. Results. Total IgE cut-off values ≥ 15 kU/L point to atopy in infants, and tIgE cut-off values ≥ 8.1 kU/L pointed to a C. jejuni infection in infants. Within the group of atopic children, tIgE levels ≥ 29.8 kU/L point to C. jejuni infection, and within the group of non-atopic children, tIgE levels ≥ 5.9 kU/L point to infection. Enteritis is not a predictor of C. jejuni infection, because of a high frequency of asymptomatic cases of infection. The risk factors for C. jejuni infection are age and tIgE, and the protective factors are breastfeeding and atopy. Conclusion. C. jejuni infection increases the total serum IgE level, which is predictive of infection, regardless of the presence of atopy. The presence of symptomatic C. jejuni infection reduces the risk of atopy in a child of the age of 5–24 months by the factor of 10

Inhibitory effects of different medicinal plants on Candida albicans growth

The objective of this study was to evaluate the in vitro antifungal properties of ethanol extracts and essential oils of medicinal plants from Serbia against Candida albicans (C. albicans) ATCC 10231. Ethanol extracts of fifteen plants were investigated, and their effects were compared with those of three different essential oils. The sensitivity of C. albicans to all plants was tested by the agar dilution method. The assay plates were estimated to contain 300, 150, 75, and 37.5 mu g/ml of active extracts and 100, 50, 25, and 12.5 mu g/ml of active essential oils. Inocula were applied to agar surfaces, giving approximately 10(6) cfu/ml of C. albicans. No inhibitory effects were observed for ethanol extracts of Hypericum perforatum and Salvia officinalis (MIC > 300 mu g/ml). The most effective were the ethanol extract of Aesculus hippocastanum (MIC = 37.5 mu g/ml) and the essential oil of Satureja kitaibelii (MIC = 12.5 mu g/ml). Other plants showed MIC from 25 to 300 mu g/ml. As far as we know, the inhibitory effects of these medicinal plants against the reference strain of C. albicans have not been commonly investigated in our country. Although the essential oil of Satureja kitaibelii shows strong activity against C. albicans, these results need clinical evaluation

Ménétrier's disease associated with ulcerative collitis

In this paper a 21 year old patient was presented with Ménétrier's disease, associated with ulcerative colitis. The first symptoms of ulcerative colitis occured at the age of eleven, since when the patient has been conservatively treated several times because of the exacerbations of the desease. During control examinations presence of polipoid changes in stomach was discovered by upper endoscopy. Gastrectomy was suggested because the patient had excessive anemic syndrome which required weekly substitutional therapy with deplasmatic eritrocytes, as well as hypoproteinemia, while multiple polipoid changes suspect for malignancy were gastroscopically identifided. Patient accepted surgical treatment, and was transfered to the Clinic of Surgery. Total gastrectomy was performed, and patohystological finding confirmed Ménétrier's desease. After two weeks, the patient was released from the hospital in good general condition, with regular clinical and laboratory findings

Purpose: We studied the prognostic value of thymidylate synthase (TS), Epidermal Growth

Growth Factor (VEGF) expression in primar

Erdheim-Chester disease: A case report

Introduction. Erdheim-Chester disease (ECD) is a rare non-Langerhans-cell histiocytosis. About 500 cases are published so far. It is multisystemic disease characterised by bilateral symmetric long bones sclerosis. Main histopathological finding is accumulation of big foamy histiocytes, immunohistochemically positive to CD68, and negative to S-100 and CD1a. There are no guidelines that reliably identify population that requires therapy, but symptomatic ECD, organ failure and central nervous system involvement re-quire treatment. Case report. We described a patient with a multisystemic form of ECD affecting long bones, the hypophysis, abdomen, and the peripheral nerves. Five years after initial symptoms ECD was suspected. Prednison was initiated, 60 mg once a day. After obtaining the diagnosis of ECD, interferon alpha 2A was introduced, but soon after stopped due to severe side effects. Considering that histiocytes were positive to platelet derived growth factor receptor alpha (PDGFR alpha) imatinib mesylate was started, but after two months stopped due to no clinical and radiological improvement. The disease was worsening and the patient died. Conclusion. We described the patient with intraperitoneal form of ECD, without cardiac and pulmonary involvement. There are several important issues: the diagnosis of ECD could be difficult to make, three treatment regimens were included and the patient died nine years after the initial symptoms due to indolent course of the disease and unsuccessful treatment

Intestinal parasitosis in asylum seekers from Middle East and South Asia

Background/Aim. It is estimated that about 230 million refugees and asylum seekers circulates worldwide. Parasitosis are diagnosed in recent years with increasing frequency both in Europe and other developed countries. International migration of population, as an inalienable part and a result of the process of globalization, has an increasing impact on health of the population of countries through which migrants pass or settle. The aim of this study was to determine the incidence of intestinal parasitic diseases in asylum seekers on the territory of Belgrade. Methods. The study group included 97 asylum seekers from the Centre for Asylum seekers in Obrenovac, in the period December 2013– January 2014. Stool samples were taken less than seven days after arriving to the Center and sent to the Laboratory for Parasitological Diagnosis of the Public Health Institute of Belgrade. Detection of parasites in stool samples was performed by a direct native slide made of fresh sample and direct slide made after stool concentration applying "Mini Parasep" technique. Statistical analysis included application of χ2-test of matching and χ2-test of independence. Results. The study showed that the parasites were detected in 9.3% of cases, in the group of 15–24 years of age. Protozoa were found in 6.2% and helminthes in 3.1% of the samples. Conclusion. Most intestinal parasitosis were found in asylum seekers from Bangladesh. All parasitosis were found in males and the most frequently detected parasite was Giardia lamblia

Characterization of antibiotic resistance phenotypes and resistance genes in Enterococcus spp. isolated from cheeses

Abstract- Strains of Enterococcus spp. isolated from a collection of 123 artisanal and industrial cheese samples were stud-ied for the phenotypic and genotypic assessment of antibiotic resistance. A total of 226 isolates included 119 E. faeciu