Emergence of new Salmonella Enteritidis phage types in Europe? Surveillance of infections in returning travellers

BACKGROUND: Among human Salmonella Enteritidis infections, phage type 4 has been the dominant phage type in most countries in Western Europe during the last years. This is reflected in Salmonella infections among Swedish travellers returning from abroad. However, there are differences in phage type distribution between the countries, and this has also changed over time. METHODS: We used data from the Swedish infectious disease register and the national reference laboratory to describe phage type distribution of Salmonella Enteritidis infections in Swedish travellers from 1997 to 2002, and have compared this with national studies conducted in the countries visited. RESULTS: Infections among Swedish travellers correlate well with national studies conducted in the countries visited. In 2001 a change in phage type distribution in S. Enteritidis infections among Swedish travellers returning from some countries in southern Europe was observed, and a previously rare phage type (PT 14b) became one of the most commonly diagnosed that year, continuing into 2002 and 2003. CONCLUSIONS: Surveillance of infections among returning travellers can be helpful in detecting emerging infections and outbreaks in tourist destinations. The information needs to be communicated rapidly to all affected countries in order to expedite the implementation of appropriate investigations and preventive measures

HpSA fecoprevalence in patients suspected to have Helicobacter pylori infection in Istanbul, Turkey

Objective: This study aims to investigate the Helicobacter pylori antigen in the stool samples of patients suspected to have H. pylori infection. It also aims to determine the fecoprevalence in different age groups and to took for the relationship between the clinical symptoms seen in patients and the existence of H. pylori. Current information in Turkey is insufficient

Relationship between ciprofloxacin resistance and extended-spectrum beta-lactamase production in Escherichia coli and Klebsiella pneumoniae strains

Resistance to fluoroquinolones has increased markedly since their introduction. Mechanisms of resistance to any antibiotic class might play a role in resistance to an unrelated antibiotic class. This study evaluated the relationship between extended-spectrum beta-lactamase (ESBL) production and ciprofloxacin resistance in Escherichia coli and Klebsiella pneumoniae strains isolated as causative agents of urinary tract infection. ESBL-producing strains were significantly more frequent among ciprofloxacin-resistant E. coli strains than among ciprofloxacin-susceptible E. coli strains (p = 0.015), but the difference was not significant among K. pneumoniae strains (p = 0.276)

Effect of some antibiotics on pigmentation in Serratia marcescens

Serratia marcescens is characterized by its ability to produce a red pigment called prodigiosin. It is well known that there are some substances affecting pigmentation in bacteria. Cefoxitin, erythromycin, tobramycin, co-trimoxazole, imipenem and nitrofurantoin were found to have an inhibitory effect on pigmentation in a S. marcescens strain isolated from urine. it was also shown that the LD50 dose determined by inoculation of eight-week-old BALB/c mice with serial dilutions of overnight cultures of pigmented and nonpigmented variants was lower (LD50 = 300 X 10(3.94)) in the nonpigmented variant than in the pigmented one (LD50 = 300 x 10(5.58)). In addition, the Sereny test showed that in contrast to the pigmented variant, the nonpigmented variant caused keratitis in guinea pig eye

Phage types, antibiotic susceptibilities and plasmid profiles of Salmonella typhimurium and Salmonella enteritidis strains isolated in Istanbul, Turkey

Objective To examine 13 Salmonella typhimurium and 22 S, enteritidis strains isolated from individual cases of gastroenteritis for their phage types, antibiotic susceptibilities and plasmid profiles

Phage types, antibiotic susceptibilities and plasmid profiles of Salmonella typhimurium and Salmonella enteritidis strains isolated in Istanbul, Turkey

Objective To examine 13 Salmonella typhimurium and 22 S, enteritidis strains isolated from individual cases of gastroenteritis for their phage types, antibiotic susceptibilities and plasmid profiles