Burden and risk factors for Pseudomonas aeruginosa community-acquired pneumonia:a Multinational Point Prevalence Study of Hospitalised Patients

Pseudornonas aeruginosa is a challenging bacterium to treat due to its intrinsic resistance to the antibiotics used most frequently in patients with community-acquired pneumonia (CAP). Data about the global burden and risk factors associated with P. aeruginosa-CAP are limited. We assessed the multinational burden and specific risk factors associated with P. aeruginosa-CAP. We enrolled 3193 patients in 54 countries with confirmed diagnosis of CAP who underwent microbiological testing at admission. Prevalence was calculated according to the identification of P. aeruginosa. Logistic regression analysis was used to identify risk factors for antibiotic-susceptible and antibiotic-resistant P. aeruginosa-CAP. The prevalence of P. aeruginosa and antibiotic-resistant P. aeruginosa-CAP was 4.2% and 2.0%, respectively. The rate of P. aeruginosa CAP in patients with prior infection/colonisation due to P. aeruginosa and at least one of the three independently associated chronic lung diseases (i.e. tracheostomy, bronchiectasis and/or very severe chronic obstructive pulmonary disease) was 67%. In contrast, the rate of P. aeruginosa-CAP was 2% in patients without prior P. aeruginosa infection/colonisation and none of the selected chronic lung diseases. The multinational prevalence of P. aeruginosa-CAP is low. The risk factors identified in this study may guide healthcare professionals in deciding empirical antibiotic coverage for CAP patients

Mutagenesis of a conserved loop in the B subunit of cholera toxin Identification of residues essential for toxicity and immunomodulation

SIGLEAvailable from British Library Document Supply Centre-DSC:DXN032969 / BLDSC - British Library Document Supply CentreGBUnited Kingdo

Evaluasi Mikrobiologi dan Sifat Mekanik Kateter Penghisap yang Dipakai Ulang: Perbandingan antara Dua Prosedur Pemrosesan

Latar belakang. Pemakaian ulang kateter penghisap telah biasa dilakukan di Indonesia, namun sejauh ini belum ada penelitian mengenai sterilitas dan keamanannya. Tujuan. Mengevaluasi sterilitas, sifat mekanik, dan permukaan serta kualitas matriks kateter penghisap yang dipakai ulang setelah diproses dengan dua jenis prosedur pengolahan yang berbeda. Metode. Kateter penghisap yang dipakai ulang setelah diproses dan disterilisasi menggunakan gas etilen oksida (EO), atau menggunakan sterilisasi pemanasan kering (kelompok B). Semua sampel dibersihkan dan didesinfeksi dengan prosedur yang hampir sama. Kateter penghisap baru dipakai sebagai standar. Mikroba yang tumbuh pada medium kultur diidentifikasi. Semua sampel menjalani uji tarik dan kompresi. Analisis mikrostruktur dilakukan dengan menggunakan mikroskop elektron (SEM) dan energi-dispersif spektroskopi sinar-X (EDX). Hasil. Kultur positif bakteri komensal pada 6 di antara 15 sampel pada kelompok A, dan 6 dari 17 sampel pada kelompok B. Terdapat perbedaan yang bermakna dari sifat mekanik sampel penelitian (p<0,05). Sampel dari kelompok A memiliki kekuatan yang paling rendah. Sampel dari kedua kelompok penelitian mengalami perubahan kelenturan dan keuletan dibanding standar. Analisis mikrostruktur menggunakan XPS dan EDX pada permukaan dalam ujung kateter penghisap yang dipakai ulang menunjukkan degradasi komponen matriks. Analisis SEM mendeteksi beberapa partikel tambahan dan rekahan. Analisis EDX pada partikel tambahan menunjukkan pengayaan sinyal na+ dan ca++. Secara keseluruhan, didapatkan tanda kontaminasi serta kerusakan material. Kesimpulan. Kedua metode pengolahan ulang kateter penghisap memberikan hasil sterilitas yang sebanding. Sampel yang dipakai ulang mengalami penurunan kekuatan, menjadi lebih lentur, dan tidak ulet. Ditemukan tanda kontaminasi, perubahan sifat permukaan dan kerusakan matriks dari kateter penghisap yang dipakai ulang

Identification of rotavirus strains causing diarrhoea in children under five years of age in Yogyakarta, Indonesia

Background: Rotavirus is an important cause of severe diarrhoea in children. The aims of this study were to identify the rotavirus strains that cause diarrhoea in children in Yogyakarta and to determine the association between rotavirus positivity and its clinical manifestations. Methods: Clinical data and stool samples were collected from children hospitalised at Kodya Yogyakarta Hospital, Indonesia. Rotavirus was detected in stool samples using an enzyme immunoassay (EIA), which was followed by genotyping using reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). Electropherotyping was performed for the rotavirus-positive samples. Results: In total, 104 cases were included in the study, 57 (54.8%) of which were rotavirus-positive. Based on a multiple logistic regression analysis, age group, vomiting and stool mucous were associated with rotavirus positivity. Most of the 56 samples subjected to genotyping were classified as G1 (80.36%) and P[8] (69.64%) genotypes. The genotype combination G1P[8] was identified as the most prevalent strain (66.07%). Of the 19 samples subjected to electropherotyping, 17 G1 isolates and 1 G3 isolate had long patterns, and 1 G1 isolate had a short pattern. Conclusion: G1P[8] was the most dominant strain of rotavirus causing diarrhoea in children in Yogyakarta. Age group, vomiting and stool mucous were associated with rotavirus positivity

Caracterização de variedades de batata doce (Ipomoea batatas L.) através de descritores morfológicos e isoenzimáticos Morphological and isoenzymatic characterization of sweet potato (Ipomoea batatas L.)

Ocorre grande variabilidade no germoplasma de batata-doce disponível no Rio Grande do Sul, mas nem todas populações podem ser caracterizadas através de aspectos morfológicos, havendo necessidade de recorrer a outros métodos, como análise de isoenzimas, para a sua diferenciação. A avaliação de características morfológicas e isoenzimáticas de dez acessos do Banco de Germoplasma de Hortaliças da Embrapa Clima Temperado foi o objetivo deste trabalho. Quatro descritores morfológicos foram utilizados, permitindo distinguir seis variedades. Análises de isoenzimas de peroxidase, aspartato transaminase e esterase foram efetuadas, utilizando-se eletroforese horizontal em gel de poliacrilamida. Foi observada similaridade máxima (1,00) estimada através do coeficiente de Jaccard, com base nesses marcadores, apenas entre as variedades Americana e Morada INTA. A análise de agrupamento permitiu a distinção de dois grupos e quatro subgrupos, utilizando UPGMA (método da média aritmética não ponderada). Os resultados obtidos permitiram a diferenciação dos dez acessos estudados e indicaram que a análise de isoenzimas associada a avaliações morfológicas é de grande valia na caracterização de germoplasma de batata-doce disponível no Rio Grande do Sul.<br>Despite the variability observed in sweet potato germplasm found in the Rio Grande do Sul State, many populations can not be morphologically characterized without the use of additional methods, such as isoenzyme analysis. The aim of this work was to evaluate the morphological and isoenzymatic characteristics of ten accesses of the genetic resources program of Embrapa Clima Temperado. Four morphological descriptors were used, which allowed to distinguish six varieties. Polyacrylamyde electrophoresis was used to analyze peroxidase, aspartate transaminase and esterase isoenzymes. Maximum similarity (1.00), estimated through Jaccard coefficient, was observed only in comparisons between Americana and Morada INTA. Varieties were classified into two groups and four subgroups, using UPGMA (unweighted pair-group method with arithmetic averages). All accesses could be differentiated. The results obtained indicated that isoenzyme analysis, associated to morphological evaluations, can be succesfully used to characterize sweet potato germplasm available in the Rio Grande do Sul