Ribotyping of Clostridium difficile strains associated with nosocomial transmission and relapses in a Swedish County

Clostridium difficile is an emerging threat in hospital environments. To analyse possible transmission and to distinguish between relapse and reinfection a collection of C. difficile isolates, sampled from 162 consecutive episodes of C. difficile infection, were PCR ribotyped. Two ribotypes (001 and 012) were prone to cause nosocomial acquisition. Moreover, ribotype 001 had a tendency to cause relapses as almost one in two patients with this ribotype had one or more relapses. By using PCR ribotyping strains inclined to cause relapses and strains associated with hospital transmission might be detected. This enables optimized hygiene measures and may improve the choice of treatment regimen

Analyzing Multiclonality of Staphylococcus aureus in Clinical Diagnostics Using spa-Based Denaturing Gradient Gel Electrophoresis

We present a novel denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) method which characterizes multiclonal communities of Staphylococcus aureus. The spa PCR-based DGGE method simultaneously separates strains that differ in only one base, thereby revealing multiclonal colonization and infections.Funding Agencies|Swedish Society of Medicine||Futurum||Research Council of South-East Sweden (FORSS)|

Influence of single nucleotide polymorphisms among cigarette smoking and non-smoking patients with coronary artery disease, urinary bladder cancer and lung cancer

Introduction Cigarette smoke is suggested to be a risk factor for coronary artery disease (CAD), urinary bladder cancer (UBCa) or lung cancer (LCa). However, not all heavy smokers develop these diseases and elevated cancer risk among first-degree relatives suggests an important role of genetic factor. Methods Three hundred and ten healthy blood donors (controls), 98 CAD, 74 UBCa and 38 LCa patients were included in this pilot study. The influence of 92 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and impact of cigarette smoking were analysed. Results Out of 92 SNPs tested, differences in distribution of 14 SNPs were detected between controls and patient groups. Only CTLA4 rs3087243 showed difference in both CAD and UBCa patient group compared to control group. Stratified by smoking status, the impact of smoking was associated to frequencies of 8, 3 and 4 SNPs in CAD, UBCa, LCa patients, respectively. None of these 92 SNPs showed a statistically significant difference to more than one type of disease among smoking patients. In non-smoking patients, 7, 3 and 6 SNPs were associated to CAD, UBCa, LCa, respectively. Out of these 92 SNPs, CTLA4 rs3087243 was associated to both non-smoking CAD and UBCa. The XRCC1 rs25487 was associated to both non-smoking UBCa and LCa. Conclusion SNPs might be important risk factors for CAD, UBCa and LCa. Distribution of the SNPs was specific for each patient group, not a random event. Impact of cigarette smoking on the disease was associated to the specific SNP sequences. Thus, smoking individuals with SNPs associated to risk of these serious diseases is an important target group for smoking cessation programs.Funding Agencies|Jonko ping Clinical Cancer Research Foundation [110426-1]; Futurum the Academy for health and care [144631]; Medical Research Council of Southeast Sweden (FORSS) [567001]; Internal research Laboratory Medicine; Swedish Match AB</p