Carbapenem-Resistant KPC- And TEM-Producing Escherichia coli ST131 Isolated from a Hospitalized Patient with Urinary Tract Infection: First Isolation in Molise Region, Central Italy, July 2018

In July 2018, a Klebsiella pneumoniae carbapenemase (KPC)-producing Escherichia coli ST131 was isolated from a patient admitted to the Vascular Surgery Unit of the main hospital of Molise region, Central Italy. Sequencing and alignment with the available sequences revealed that the isolate harbored the KPC-2 variant and TEM-1 beta-lactamase. This observation raises great concerns about the spread of carbapenem resistance in national and local settings with high endemicity level of KPC in K. pneumoniae, and underlines the importance of strengthening a proactive surveillance

Atopobium vaginae: a literature review, on findings and potential clinical implications

Atopobium vaginaeis an anaerobic Gram-positive bacterium. It is recognized as a causal agent of bacterial vaginosis onset and occasionally associated to gynaecologic-obstetric complications (including pelvic inflammatory disease, endometritis, tubo-ovarian abscesses and preterm delivery with neonatal consequences). Additionally, bacteraemia and invasive infections have rarely been reported. The scientific and technological progress allowed an accurate and rapid identification of Atopobium vaginae supporting diagnosis and clinic interventions. In this article, literature has been deeply examined to report the state-of-the-art on Atopobium vaginae, which might be useful in clinical scenarios

Actinobaculum shaalii: a new uropathogen?

Background and Aims. Actinobaculum schaalii is a facultative anaerobic, Gram-positive rod-shaped species phylogenetically related to Actinomyces. A. schaalii is an emerging pathogen causing urinary tract infections (UTI) in both children and adults; although, as part of the human genitourinary tract flora, it is frequently overlooked or considered as a contaminant. While the phenotypic identification of A. schaalii is difficult, the recent Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption/Ionisation Time-Of-Flight-mass spectrometry (MALDI TOF) technology could represent a promising tool for its identification. Materials and Methods. This is a retrospective study including all known cases (n=7) of A. schaalii infections occurred (between July 2013 and November 2013) at the Microbiology Laboratory of the A. Cardarelli Hospital, in Campobasso (Italy). Results. All the 7 A. schaalii collected strains, resulted in vitro susceptible to most of the drugs commonly used for urinary tract infections, but resistant to ciprofloxacin, a first-line antibiotic in the treatment of prostatitis. All isolates were susceptible to amoxicillin, amoxicillin-clavulanic, ampicillin-sulbactam, cefuroxime, gentamicin, piperacillin-tazobactam, vancomicin, tetracycline (no EUCAST breakpoints). All except two isolates were susceptible to cefotaxime; 3/7 and 5/7 strains were clindamicin and levofloxacin resistant, respectively. Conclusions. As most antibiotics empirically prescribed for UTI (mainly fluoroquinolones or trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole) are not effective against A. schaalii, the appropriate onset of treatment was delayed by an average of 2.8 days. The implementation of the newer MALDI TOF technology in routine diagnostic procedures may allow a more reliable and rapid identification of A. schaalii in future

Human Papillomaviruses and cervico vaginal co-infections in a population of Molise

http://api.altmetric.com/v1/ High grade HPV infections and persistence are the strongest risk factors for cervical cancer.Nevertheless other genital microrganism may be involved in the progression of HPV associated lesions. Bacterial vaginosis (BV), an alteration of vaginal flora involving a decrease in Lattobacilli and predominance of anaerobic bacteria, is the most common cause of vaginal complaints for women of childbearing age. Although the specific role of anaerobic bacteria in the pathogenesis of cervical cancer has not been fully elucidated, it has been suggested that HPV infection alone may not be sufficient for full induction of cervical carcinogenesis, and that the simultaneous presence of cervico vaginal bacteria may increase the risk of neoplastic progression. In this cross-sectional study on 356 enrolled outpatients, statistical analyses revealed a significant association of HPV with Ureaplasma urealyticum detection.Although BV was mildly associated with HPV (OR=2.4), it was more common among the HPV positive women. These data confirm that screening for genital infections may be important to reveal the simultaneous presence of different sexually transmitted microrganisms. These results suggest and emphasize the value of the screening for genital infections in HPV positive patients in order to decrease the presence of the other microrganisms and to reduce the probable synergistic effects of coinfections. Prevention is important not only to avoid other sexually transmitted disease and their sequelae, but also to reduce the influence of concomitant microrganisms on HPV infection. </div

Tracking the progressive spread of the SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant in Italy, December 2021 to January 2022

The SARS-CoV-2 variant of concern Omicron was first detected in Italy in November 2021.AimTo comprehensively describe Omicron spread in Italy in the 2 subsequent months and its impact on the overall SARS-CoV-2 circulation at population level.MethodsWe analyse data from four genomic surveys conducted across the country between December 2021 and January 2022. Combining genomic sequencing results with epidemiological records collated by the National Integrated Surveillance System, the Omicron reproductive number and exponential growth rate are estimated, as well as SARS-CoV-2 transmissibility.ResultsOmicron became dominant in Italy less than 1 month after its first detection, representing on 3 January 76.9-80.2% of notified SARS-CoV-2 infections, with a doubling time of 2.7-3.3 days. As of 17 January 2022, Delta variant represented &lt; 6% of cases. During the Omicron expansion in December 2021, the estimated mean net reproduction numbers respectively rose from 1.15 to a maximum of 1.83 for symptomatic cases and from 1.14 to 1.36 for hospitalised cases, while remaining relatively stable, between 0.93 and 1.21, for cases needing intensive care. Despite a reduction in relative proportion, Delta infections increased in absolute terms throughout December contributing to an increase in hospitalisations. A significant reproduction numbers' decline was found after mid-January, with average estimates dropping below 1 between 10 and 16 January 2022.ConclusionEstimates suggest a marked growth advantage of Omicron compared with Delta variant, but lower disease severity at population level possibly due to residual immunity against severe outcomes acquired from vaccination and prior infection