Prevalence of methicillin-resistant staphylococci isolated from different biological samples at Policlinico Umberto I of Rome: correlation with vancomycin susceptibility

The methicillin-resistance is increasing all over the world in the last decade. It is more frequent among coagulase-negative staphylococci (MRCoNS); infact the 52% of S. epidermidis strains results to be resistant to methicillin.The methicillin-resistant strains also show a reduced sensitivity towards the first-line agents such as glycopeptides and other antibiotics commonly used in therapy such as trimethoprim-sulphamethoxazole, imipenem, gentamycin, fosfomycin and chlarytromicin. Unlike MRSA (Methicillin-resistant S. aureus), MRCoNS resistance to glycopeptides generally concerns teicoplanin. Although vancomycin resistance is rare in Staphylococcus isolates, the detected shift towards higher values of MICs might affect patient's clinical outcome

Chemical ear peeling: a simple technique for the treatment of chronic external otitis: how we do it

[NFew conditions encountered by otolaryngologists are as frustrating as chronic otitis externa and recurrent exacerbation presents a special challenge for the attending physician. The disease may be extremely therapy-resistant: a great many patients report chronic suffering from otitis externa with inadequate and inefficacious treatment attempts.1 Current medical treatment is based on topical application of steroids, antibiotics and external auditory canal cleansing.2 Moreover, there are no long-term outcome data on medical management.3 In this study we present, showing the short- and longterm clinical outcomes, a new, safe and simple therapeutic technique for the management of chronic otitis externa: chemical ear peeling (CEP).o abstract available

Abnormal "low grade" transformation zone: current diagnostic gold standard

The aim of this work was to examine different methods of investigation in the diagnosis of the abnormal "low grade" transformation zone of the portio. Over a period of one year 41 patients subjected to colposcopic examination underwent exo-endocervical sampling for oncologic evaluation and for detection of viral and bacterial infections (HPV, HSV. adenovirus, mycoplasmas and chlamydia trachomatis), as well as portio biopsy. A 65.8% correlation was found between cytology and the HPV-DNA test results. while histology and the presence of the HPV virus agreed in 51.4% of cases. In those cases in which minimal histological alterations were found (koilocytosis) a high percentage of HPV negativity was found. In discordant negative cytologic tests that were however positive for HPV by PCR. the genotypes identified were always 6 and 11

Complications post renal transplantation: literature focus on BK virus nephropathy and diagnostic tools actually available

Clinical diagnosis of kidney transplants related illnesses is not a simple task. Several studies were conducted to define diseases and complications after renal transplantation, but there are no comprehensive guidelines about diagnostic tools for their prevention and detection

Listeria Monocytogenes in a Young Patient with Non Hodgkin's Lymphoma: Case Report

Listeria monocytogenes is an intracellular food-borne pathogen, widely distributed in the environment, which rarely causes clinical infection in healthy people, but may cause severe disease in immunocompromised patients. A case of listeriosis is certified in an immunocompromised patient, thus confirming this microorganism to be an opportunistic human pathogen

Mudança tecnológica: retrato da inovação na indústria metal-mecânica do Rio Grande do Sul, em 2005-08

Starting from the hypotheses that the strategies of companies focusing on technological innovation are the core of the behavior of competitive firms and that technological progress constitutes an active element in the growth of a particular industry, this article analyzes the innovative technological behavior of a sample of 50 companies in the metal mechanical sector of Rio Grande do Sul between 2005 to 2008. The concept adopted as innovative activity was the introduction of new products into a market, changes in production process and organizational innovations. Key words: technological innovation; investment in innovation; metal mechanical sector. Artigo recebido em 03 fev. 2011.Partindo-se das hipóteses de que as estratégias das empresas centradas na inovação tecnológica são o cerne do comportamento de empresas competitivas e de que o progresso tecnológico se constitui em um elemento ativo no crescimento de um determinado setor, no presente artigo, analisa-se o comportamento inovativo tecnológico de uma amostra de 50 empresas do setor metal-mecânico do Rio Grande do Sul no período 2005-08. Foi considerada como atividade inovativa a introdução de novos produtos no mercado, as mudanças no processo produtivo e as inovações organizacionais

Epidemiology of Herpes Simplex Virus Infection in Pregnancy: A Pilot Study:

Herpes simplex virus (HSV) infection is one of the most common sexually transmitted viral diseases worldwide. HSV type 2 causes most genital herpes and HSV type 1 is usually transmitted via non-sexual contacts. We studied 109 pregnant women between January 2007 and December 2008, in relation to their age, condom use, number of sexual partners, age at first intercourse, parity and smoking habits. The aim of this study is to evaluate the prevalence of HSV cervical infection and HSV co-infection with other genital microorganisms associated with poor neonatal outcome. Our results show that of the 109 outpatients enrolled, 30% were HSV1 and/or HSV2 positive, of whom 30% were infected with both HSV1 and HSV2, 18% were infected with HSV1 alone and 52% with HSV2 alone. A significant association between HSV1 and HSV2 infection was found, and the prevalence of HSV2 infection in women infected with HSV1 was 63%. The prevalence of HSV1/2 varied in the presence of other vaginal microorganisms but a statistical significant association was not found. This pilot study is probably too small to obtain statistically significant results. Nevertheless, using these observed results, we calculated that about 530 patients with comparable features should be enrolled to detect an increase of 50% in HSV infection due to the presence of other genital infections and potential risk factors

Cutaneous cryptococcosis in a patient affected by chronic lymphocytic leukaemia: a case report.

Cryptococcosis is an opportunistic infection, the incidence of which is increased in the immunocompromised patients. Cryptococcus neoformans is an encapsulated fungus that mainly infects the lungs and the central nervous system, possibly involving different organs. Cutaneous cryptococcosis is classified into localized infection, usually occurring after traumatic inoculation (primary cutaneous cryptococcosis) and cutaneous manifestation due to hematogenous dissemination (secondary cutaneous cryptococcosis), mostly in patients with underlying immunosuppression. We report a case of cutaneous cryptococcosis in a patient affected by chronic lymphocytic leukaemia

Human Papillomaviruses and genital co-infections in gynaecological outpatients

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>High grade HPV infections and persistence are the strongest risk factors for cervical cancer. Nevertheless other genital microorganisms may be involved in the progression of HPV associated lesions.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Cervical samples were collected to search for human Papillomavirus (HPV), bacteria and yeast infections in gynaecologic outpatients. HPV typing was carried out by PCR and sequencing on cervical brush specimens. <it>Chlamydia trachomatis </it>was identified by strand displacement amplification (SDA) and the other microorganisms were detected by conventional methods.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>In this cross-sectional study on 857 enrolled outpatients, statistical analyses revealed a significant association of HPV with <it>C. trachomatis </it>and <it>Ureaplasma urealyticum (</it>at high density) detection, whereas no correlation was found between HPV infection and bacterial vaginosis, <it>Streptococcus agalactiae</it>, yeasts, <it>Trichomonas vaginalis </it>and <it>U. urealyticum</it>. <it>Mycoplasma hominis </it>was isolated only in a few cases both in HPV positive and negative women and no patient was infected with <it>Neisseria gonorrhoeae</it>.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Although bacterial vaginosis was not significantly associated with HPV, it was more common among the HPV positive women. A significant association between HPV and <it>C. trachomatis </it>was found and interestingly also with <it>U. urealyticum </it>but only at a high colonization rate. These data suggest that it may be important to screen for the simultaneous presence of different microorganisms which may have synergistic pathological effects.</p

MST: Infezioni e coinfezioni.

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