Non-lipophilic mycobiota of human skin

The human skin is inhabited by many species of bacteria and fungi, which are its natural microbiota. Fungi colonizing the skin, including those causing disease, characterized by great variety and variability, can be influenced by various factors. The purpose of this study was to investigate the composition of the non-lipid-dependent fungal microbiota of skin, including the presence of species potentially pathogenic for humans. Fifty-six volunteers of both sexes aged 22–78 were subjected to the study. Swabs were taken from the face, chest, back and interdigital spaces of hands. Mycobiota isolated proved to vary both in terms of the location of occurrence and gender of patients. Interdigital spaces of hands, dominated by yeasts, constitute a location on human skin most contaminated with fungi. Molds were more often isolated from the face and chest. The back was the least contaminated location. There was no difference in fungal incidence in relation to sex

Susceptibility to tigecycline of Acinetobacter baumannii strains isolated from intensive care unit patients

Background: Infections caused by Acinetobacter baumannii are difficult to cure due to the acquisition of resistance by these bacteria and lead to an increase in the general costs of hospitalization. The aim of this study was to determine tigecycline susceptibility of Acinetobacter baumannii strains isolated from intensive care unit and non-intensive care unit patients with skin and soft tissue infections. Methods: MICs were tested by Etest among 70 Acinetobacter baumannii isolates. Results: The MIC range was from 0.5 to 8.0 mg L-1. For ESBL-producing Acinetobacter baumannii, as well as for strains without carbapenemases, the highest MIC to tigecycline value was 8.0 mg L-1. For AmpC-producing Acinetobacter baumannii, the highest MIC to tigecycline value was 6.0 mg L-1 and, for MBL-producing strains, 2.0 mg L-1. Conclusions: The majority of Acinetobacter baumannii strains isolated from ICU and non-ICU patients demonstrated high values of MIC range, MIC50 and MIC90 to tigecycline

Non-lipophilic mycobiota of human skin

The human skin is inhabited by many species of bacteria and fungi, which are its natural microbiota. Fungi colonizing the skin, including those causing disease, characterized by great variety and variability, can be influenced by various factors. The purpose of this study was to investigate the composition of the non-lipid-dependent fungal microbiota of skin, including the presence of species potentially pathogenic for humans. Fifty-six volunteers of both sexes aged 22–78 were subjected to the study. Swabs were taken from the face, chest, back and interdigital spaces of hands. Mycobiota isolated proved to vary both in terms of the location of occurrence and gender of patients. Interdigital spaces of hands, dominated by yeasts, constitute a location on human skin most contaminated with fungi. Molds were more often isolated from the face and chest. The back was the least contaminated location. There was no difference in fungal incidence in relation to sex

Zastosowanie hodowli i multiplex PCR w diagnostyce drobnoustrojów wywołujących zapalenie pochwy u kobiet z rakiem szyjki macicy

Background: Bacterial vaginosis (BV) and vaginitis in cervical cancer patients might becaused by mixed aerobic, anaerobic, and atypical bacteria. Since genital tract infections can be complicated, early and accurate identification of causal pathogens is vital. Objectives:The purpose of this study was i) to determinate if currently used aerobic culture methods are sufficiently sensitive to identify pathogens that can appear in the cervix of women after cancer treatment; ii) to investigate if molecular methods can improve the diagnostic process of BV and vaginitis, as well as broaden the range of detectable pathogens that would otherwise be difficult to cultivate. Methods: A one-year hospital-based study was conducted in 2011/2012. Cervical swabs from 130 patients were examined by microbiological culture and multiplex PCR. Results: Swab samples were positive for 107 and 93 women by microbiological culture and multiplex PCR, respectively. The most common bacteria isolated from culture were: Escherichia coli, Enterococcus faecalis, Streptococcus agalactiae, and Staphylococcus aureus, and using the molecular technique were: Gardnerella vaginalis, Bacteroides fragilis, Ureoplasma ureoliticum/parvum, Mobiluncus curtisii and Atopobium vaginae. Conclusions: Multiplex PCR might contribute to the diagnosis of genital tract infections and it broadens the number of detectable microorganisms responsible for BV. Combination of these two methods may become the basis for standardized diagnosis of BV and vaginitis.Bakteryjne zapalenie pochwy u pacjentów chorych na raka szyjki macicy może być spowodowane przez bakterie beztlenowe, tlenowe i atypowe. Ponieważ infekcje narządów płciowych mogą doprowadzić do poważnych komplikacji, wczesna i odpowiednia identyfikacja źródła infekcji jest bardzo ważna. Cel pracy: 1) określenie, czy obecnie używane metody hodowli tlenowej w pracowni mikrobiologicznej są wystarczające do identyfikacji patogenów, które mogą pojawić się w szyjce macicy po leczeniu nowotworowym; 2) zbadanie, czy molekularne metody mogą polepszyć diagnostykę bakteryjnych zapaleń pochwy i zwiększyć zakres wykrywanych patogenów o te, które są trudne w hodowli. Metodyka: Materiałem do badań były wymazy z szyjki macicy, pobrane od 130 kobiet z nowotworem szyjki macicy hospitalizowanych w Wielkopolskim Centrum Onkologii w latach 2011-2012. Identyfikacji mikroorganizmów dokonano tradycyjną metodą hodowlaną i metodą molekularną- multiplex PCR. Wyniki: Hodowla mikrobiologiczna zdiagnozowała 107 pozytywnych przypadków, zaś multiplex PCR- 93. Najczęściej izolowanymi patogenami metodą mikrobiologiczną były: Escherichia coli, Enterococcus faecalis, Streptococcus agalactiae i Staphylococcus aureus, a techniką molekularną: Gardnerella vaginalis, Bacteroides fragilis, Ureoplasma ureoliticum/parvum, Mobiluncus curtisii i Atopobium vaginae. Wnioski: Multiplex PCR mógłby pomóc w diagnostyce infekcji narządów płciowych i powiększyć zakres wykrywanych mikroorganizmów. Połączenie tych dwóch technik może stanowić podstawę standaryzacji diagnostyki zapalenia dróg rodnych kobiet

Investigation of "Acinetobacter baumannii" activity in vascular surgery units through epidemiological management based on the analysis of antimicrobial resistance, biofilm formation and genotyping

Background/Objectives: The genus Acinetobacter demonstrates resistance to antibiotics and has been shown to spread in the hospital environment causing epidemic outbreaks among hospitalized patients. The objectives of the present study was to investigate the antibiotic resistance, biofilm formation, and clonality among Acinetobacter baumannii strains. Materials and Methods: The study involved 6 (I Outbreak) and 3 (II Outbreak) A. baumannii strains isolated from patients hospitalized in vascular surgery unit. Results: All tested A. baumannii strains were extensively drug resistant (XDR) and all the isolates were carbapenem-resistant and among them, all carried the blaOXA-51 gene, the blaOXA-24 gene, as well as the blaOXA-23 gene. All of the investigated strains had the ability to form a biofilm, but all of them produced less biofilm than the reference strain. Multi-locus sequence typing (MLST) showed that all strains belonged to the ST2 clone. Pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) divided the tested outbreak strains into two clones (A and B). Conclusion: This study shows a nosocomial spread of XDR A. baumannii ST2 having the blaOXA-51 gene, the blaOXA-24 gene, as well as the blaOXA-23 gene, low biofilm formers, that was prevalent in the vascular surgery unit. To identify the current situation of vascular surgery departments targeted epidemiological investigation was needed. Effective implementation of infection control prevented the spread of the epidemic outbreaks

Haematological side effects in patients with chronic viral hepatitis C during treatment with alpha interferon and ribavirin

Wstęp: Współczesna terapia przeciwwirusowa w leczeniu przewlekłego wirusowego zapalenia wątroby typu C (PZW C) cechuje się wysokim kosztem, licznymi działaniami ubocznymi oraz skutecznością sięgającą 50%. Poznanie patogenezy działań niepożądanych interferonu alfa (IFN) i rybawiryny (RBV) umożliwi zwiększenie bezpieczeństwa i skuteczności terapii. Zaburzenia hematologiczne występujące u leczonych IFN i RBV są najczęstszą przyczyną zmniejszenia dawki leku lub przerwania terapii. Cel pracy: Celem pracy była ocena zmian hematologicznych w trakcie terapii IFN i RBV oraz próba identyfikacji czynników kształtujących te zaburzenia. Materiał i metody: Badaniem objęto 46 chorych z PZW C leczonych pegylowanym IFN alfa 2a i RBV. Oceniano elementy morfotyczne krwi w kolejnych miesiącach leczenia oraz takie czynniki, jak: stopień włóknienia miąższu wątroby, genotyp wirusa i wiremia, wiek, płeć oraz wskaźnik masy ciała. Wyniki: Nie potwierdzono istotnego wpływu czynników charakteryzujących badaną grupę na zmiany w układzie elementów morfotycznych krwi obwodowej. Wyniki wskazują, że pod wpływem leczenia IFN następuje zróżnicowane hamowanie krwiotworzenia układu białokrwinkowego, z największą supresją eozynofili i neutrofili, przy mniejszym oddziaływaniu na linie limfocytów i monocytów. Nie stwierdzono istotnych klinicznie powikłań związanych z neutropenią i małopłytkowością. U chorych leczonych IFN i RBV zaobserwowano niedokrwistość hemolityczną z odczynem megaloblastycznym. Profil zmian leukocytów, erytrocytów i płytek krwi obserwowany w przeprowadzonym badaniu był podobny do publikowanych przez innych autorów. Wnioski: Neutropenia ze względną limfocytozą i brak powikłań klinicznych u chorych leczonych IFN z RBV sugeruje możliwość zmiany dotychczas zalecanych progów redukcji dawki IFN. Poznanie patogenezy niedokrwistości hemolitycznej z odczynem megaloblastycznym może ułatwić zapobieganie jej występowaniu i zwiększyć skuteczność terapii.Introduction: Current antiviral treatment of chronic viral hepatitis type C is expensive, effective in approximately 50% of cases and has many side effects. Knowledge about pathogenesis of side effects of alpha interferon (IFN) and ribavirin (RBV) is needed to increase safety of this therapy. Haematological complications in patients treated with IFN and RBV are the most frequent reasons for dose reduction or discontinuation of therapy. The aim of the study was to evaluate haematological disturbances as well as factors influencing risk of developing them during treatment with IFN and RBV. Material and methods: 46 patients with chronic viral hepatitis type C treated with pegylated alpha 2a IFN and RBV were studied. We evaluated blood cell counts every month of treatment, and also severity of liver fibrosis, genotype HCV, viral load, age, sex and body mass index. Results: No significant relationship between all studied factors and changes in blood cell count was shown. It was found that treatment with IFN has various inhibitory effects on different leukocyte populations with inhibition of eosinophils and neutrophils, whereas lymphocytes and monocytes were less affected. No clinically significant complications related to neutropenia or thrombocytopenia were noted. In patients treated with IFN and RBV haemolytic megaloblastic anaemia was observed. Changes in leukocyte, erythrocyte and platelet counts reported in this study confirmed the previously published data. Conclusions: Lack of clinical complications, despite observed neutropenia with relative lymphocytosis in studied patients, suggests a change in currently recommended IFN dose reduction. Further studies on pathogenesis of haemolytic anaemia with megaloblastic reaction are needed; they may enable development of its prophylaxis and increase treatment efficac