Multiresistant coagulase-negative staphylococci disseminate frequently between intubated patients in a multidisciplinary intensive care unit

INTRODUCTION: The intensive care unit is burdened with a high frequency of nosocomial infections often caused by multiresistant nosocomial pathogens. Coagulase-negative staphylococci (CoNS) are reported to be the third causative agent of nosocomial infections and the most frequent cause of nosocomial bloodstream infections. CoNS are a part of the normal microflora of skin but can also colonize the nasal mucosa, the lower airways and invasive devices. The main aim of the present study was to investigate colonization and the rate of cross-transmissions of CoNS between intubated patients in a multidisciplinary intensive care unit. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Twenty consecutive patients, ventilated for at least 3 days, were included. Samples were collected from the upper and lower airways. All samples were cultured quantitatively and CoNS were identified by morphology and biochemical tests. A total of 199 CoNS isolates from 17 patients were genetically fingerprinted by pulsed-field gel electrophoresis in order to identify clones and to monitor dissemination within and between patients. RESULTS: An unexpected high number of transmission events were detected. Five genotypes were each isolated from two or more patients, and 14/20 patients were involved in at least one and up to eight probable transmission events. CONCLUSIONS: A frequent transmission of CoNS was found between patients in the intensive care unit. Although transmission of bacteria does not necessarily lead to infection, it is nevertheless an indication that infection control measures can be improved

Bloodstream Isolates of Enterococcus faecium Enriched with the Enterococcal Surface Protein Gene, esp, Show Increased Adhesion to Eukaryotic Cells

Infection-derived Enterococcus faecium strains enriched with esp had increased ability to adhere to Caco-2 cells (P < 0.05) and were less genetically diverse than esp-negative isolates. esp-negative E. faecium fecal isolates from healthy individuals adhered significantly better than esp-negative infection isolates (P < 0.05), indicating additional factors of importance to adhesion

Föräldrastilars betydelse för svenska gymnasieungdomars empatiska förmåga

Föräldrar kan ha olika typer av uppfostringsstil gentemot sina barn: auktoritär, auktoritativ och släpphänt. Den auktoritativa föräldrastilen har enligt tidigare forskning visat sig påverka sannolikheten för hög empati hos barnen. Syftet med denna studie var att undersöka betydelsen av olika föräldrastilar för individens empatiska förmåga. En enkätstudie utfördes med en kombination av ett mätinstrument för föräldrastilar, Parental Styles Dimensions Questionnaire (PSDQ) samt en för empati, A Questionnaire Measure of Emotional Empathy (QMEE). Deltagarna var 191 gymnasiestudenter från tre olika skolor i Mellansverige. Resultatet visade att föräldrastil har betydelse för empati, men endast den auktoritativa föräldrastilen visade sig ha ett signifikant samband med empati, särskilt hos män. Detta tolkades som att ju mer auktoritativa föräldrarna är desto mer sannolikt är det att barn har en hög nivå av empati

Inducible Metronidazole Resistance and nim Genes in Clinical Bacteroides fragilis Group Isolates

Nitroimidazole resistance (nim) genes were detected in 2% of 1,502 clinical Bacteroides fragilis group strains isolated from 19 European countries, and a novel nim gene was identified. High metronidazole resistance could be induced in nim-positive strains, which emphasizes the importance of acknowledging metronidazole resistance in the clinical setting