scholarly journals Epidemiological Study of Hospital-Acquired Bacterial Conjunctivitis in a Level III Neonatal Unit

2013 ◽  
Vol 2013 ◽  
pp. 1-5 ◽  
Author(s):  
Catarina Dias ◽  
Márcia Gonçalves ◽  
Anabela João

Background. Conjunctivitis is one of the most frequently occurring hospital-acquired infections among neonates, although it is less studied than potentially life-threatening infections, such as sepsis and pneumonia.Objectives. The aims of our work were to identify epidemiologic characteristics, pathogens, and susceptibility patterns of bacterial hospital-acquired conjunctivitis (HAC) in a level III neonatal unit.Materials and Methods. Data were collected retrospectively from patient charts and laboratory databases. Hospital-acquired conjunctivitis was defined in accordance with the Centers for Disease Control/National Healthcare Safety Network (CDC/NHSN) diagnostic criteria.Results. One or more episodes of HAC were diagnosed in 4,0% () of 1492 neonates admitted during the study period. Most of the episodes involved premature (75,4%) and low birth weight (75,4%) neonates. Infection rates were higher among patients undergoing noninvasive mechanical ventilation (46,7%), parenteral nutrition (13,6%), and phototherapy (6,8%). Predominant pathogens includedSerratia marcescens(27,9%),Escherichia coli(23%), andPseudomonas aeruginosa(18%). Susceptibility patterns revealed bacterial resistances to several antibiotic classes. Gentamicin remains the adequate choice for empirical treatment of HAC in our NICU.Conclusion. It is important to know the local patterns of the disease in order to adjust prevention strategies. Our work contributes to the epidemiological characterization of a sometimes overlooked disease.

2021 ◽  
pp. 104063872110655
Author(s):  
Stephen D. Cole ◽  
Shelley C. Rankin

Globally, carbapenemase-producing Enterobacterales (CPE) cause life-threatening, hospital-acquired infections in people, and have been reported recently among veterinary patients. Organisms that produce a Klebsiella pneumoniae carbapenemase (KPC) are one of the most common CPE isolated from people but have been reported only rarely in animals. We characterized 2 KPC-producing Enterobacterales isolated from companion animal rectal swabs during the response to an outbreak caused by a strain of blaNDM-5 Escherichia coli. Both isolates were characterized by whole-genome sequencing (WGS) and analysis. The first isolate (case A) was from an immunosuppressed 6-y-old Yorkshire Terrier and was identified as E. coli (ST372) with a blaKPC-18 gene and an IncFII plasmid. The second isolate (case B) was from a 3-y-old Labrador Retriever with acute diarrhea and was identified as Citrobacter koseri with a blaKPC-2 gene, multiple plasmids (ColRNAI, pKPC-CAV1193), and a putative enterotoxin gene ( senB). Further research is needed to determine what role animals might play in the epidemiology of CPE in communities. It is imperative that all CPE isolated from companion animals be fully characterized by WGS and the associated case examined. All veterinary isolates should be sequenced and shared for surveillance, monitoring, and investigation purposes.


2020 ◽  
Vol 2 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Nchowela Guido

Introduction: Syphilis is one of several diseases that can be transmitted during pregnancy and childbirth, which can lead to complications during pregnancy and in the newborn. This is especially so when the pregnant woman is not diagnosed or treated properly and in a timely manner. Methodology: Data from 262 pregnant women prospectively included, aged 18-41years, attended at the Ponta Gêa Health Centre for antenatal clinics has been analyzed from January to September of 2016. In the prospective study, a rapid treponemal and a non-treponemal test were performed. A structured questionnaire was used to collect socio demographic and clinical variables, which was developed from the literature review. Results: The prevalence of active syphilis was 11.8%; the majority of reactive pregnant women were aged 18-25years (55.4%), (61.3%) of pregnant women were treated with doses below those recommended; only a small number of the partners were treated successfully. The highest seroprevalence of syphilis was found in housewives (77%), in those who attended primary education (71.6%) in those who had a monthly income of 1000- 3000 MZN (70.3%), in those with two or more pregnancies (55.7%) and living with someone has husband and wife (63.5%). The syphilis/HIV co-infection rate was high. Conclusion: According to the results obtained in this study, urgent measures are needed to assess the problems encountered and to improve the screening approach, treatment and monitoring of syphilis during pregnancy in order to prevent the cases of congenital syphilis.


2001 ◽  
Vol 71 (3) ◽  
pp. 342-349
Author(s):  
Lucian Eva ◽  
Letitia Doina Duceac ◽  
Liviu Stafie ◽  
Constantin Marcu ◽  
Geta Mitrea ◽  
...  

The fourth generation cephalosporin antibacterial agent, cefepime, was loaded into layered double hydroxides for enhancing antibiotic efficiency, reducing side effects, as well as achieving the sustained release property. The intercalation of antibiotic into the inter-gallery of ZnAl-layered double hydroxide (LDH) was carried out using ion exchange method, by this constituting a nano-sized organic-inorganic hybrid material for a controlled release novel formulation. Although cefepime is a broad spectrum antibiotic, it has various adverse effects and a significant degradation rate. Thus, the preparation and physico-chemical characterization of nanomaterials able to intercalate this drug is an important study for medical and pharmaceutical field. The antibiotic inclusion into LDHs nanostructure was confirmed by advanced characterization techniques and the release profile of cefepime was analysed with the respect to pH of the simulated media.


Pathogens ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (8) ◽  
pp. 927
Author(s):  
Louise Kristine Vigsnaes ◽  
Jonas Ghyselinck ◽  
Pieter Van den Van den Abbeele ◽  
Bruce McConnell ◽  
Frédéric Moens ◽  
...  

Clostridioides difficile (formerly Clostridium difficile) infection (CDI) is one of the most common hospital-acquired infections, which is often triggered by a dysbiosed indigenous gut microbiota (e.g., upon antibiotic therapy). Symptoms can be as severe as life-threatening colitis. The current study assessed the antipathogenic potential of human milk oligosaccharides (HMOs), i.e., 2′-O-fucosyllactose (2′FL), lacto-N-neotetraose (LNnT), and a combination thereof (MIX), against C. difficile ATCC 9689 using in vitro gut models that allowed the evaluation of both direct and, upon microbiota modulation, indirect effects. During a first 48 h fecal batch study, dysbiosis and CDI were induced by dilution of the fecal inoculum. For each of the three donors tested, C. difficile levels strongly decreased (with >4 log CFU/mL) upon treatment with 2′FL, LNnT and MIX versus untreated blanks, coinciding with increased acetate/Bifidobacteriaceae levels. Interindividual differences among donors at an intermediate time point suggested that the antimicrobial effect was microbiota-mediated rather than being a direct effect of the HMOs. During a subsequent 11 week study with the PathogutTM model (specific application of the Simulator of the Human Intestinal Microbial Ecosystem (SHIME®)), dysbiosis and CDI were induced by clindamycin (CLI) treatment. Vancomycin (VNC) treatment cured CDI, but the further dysbiosis of the indigenous microbiota likely contributed to CDI recurrence. Upon co-supplementation with VNC, both 2′FL and MIX boosted microbial activity (acetate and to lesser extent propionate/butyrate). Moreover, 2′FL avoided CDI recurrence, potentially because of increased secondary bile acid production. Overall, while not elucidating the exact antipathogenic mechanisms-of-action, the current study highlights the potential of HMOs to combat CDI recurrence, help the gut microbial community recover after antibiotic treatment, and hence counteract the adverse effects of antibiotic therapies.


2018 ◽  
Vol 66 (2) ◽  
pp. 153-158
Author(s):  
Karen Sarmiento ◽  
Ivonne Torres ◽  
Mariana Guerra ◽  
Carolina Ríos ◽  
Carlos Zapata ◽  
...  

Introducción. En Colombia se presentan 5 000 casos de ofidismo anuales, un problema de salud pública que por manejo inadecuado provoca mortalidad en el 8% de los casos y discapacidad en el 10%.Objetivo. Describir las características clínicoepidemiológicas de los pacientes diagnosticados con accidente ofídico en un hospital de tercer nivel en Colombia.Materiales y métodos. Se realizó una revisión de las historias clínicas con diagnóstico de ofidismo del Hospital Universitario De La Samaritana Empresa Social del Estado, en el período 2004-2014, analizando la frecuencia en las variables asociadas a la mordedura de serpiente, el tratamiento previo y el manejo intrahospitalario.Resultados. Se revisaron 42 historias clínicas. Predominó el ofidismo en hombres agricultores, con mordedura en miembros inferiores y asistidos inicialmente por curanderos. 90% de los pacientes presentó sobreinfección, 30% tuvo cultivo de la herida, 74% recibió antibiótico, al 50% se les realizó fasciotomía y al 95.2% se le suministró antiveneno.Conclusiones. Se evidenció variabilidad en el manejo de los pacientes y discrepancia en la dosis de antiveneno y la clasificación de severidad del envenenamiento, alta incidencia de infecciones a pesar del esquema antibiótico y procedimientos quirúrgicos reevaluados en ofidismo. El manejo médico del accidente ofídico debe estar en continua actualización para disminuir discapacidad y mortalidad en los pacientes.


1994 ◽  
Vol 113 (1) ◽  
pp. 75-81 ◽  
Author(s):  
F. M. Khambaty ◽  
R. W. Bennett ◽  
D. B. Shah

SUMMARYAn outbreak of food intoxication involving over 265 cases in western United States occurred in October 1991.Staphylococcus intermediuswas implicated as the aetiologic agent. Representative outbreak isolates (five clinical and ten from foods) produced type A enterotoxin. DNA fragments generated by four restriction endonucleases and analysed by pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) provided definitive evidence that all isolates from nine different counties in California and Nevada were derived from a single strain. The PFGE pattern of these outbreak isolates was distinct from those of a heterogeneous collection of sevenS. intermediusstrains of veterinary origin and five unrelatedS. aureuslaboratory strains. The data show a significant PFGE pattern heterogeneity not only among members of differentStaphylococcusspecies but also within members of the same species and even the same enterotoxin type. The results indicate that PFGE is a valuable strain-specific discriminator for the epidemiological characterization ofS. intermedius. To our knowledge, this represents the first documented foodborne outbreak caused byS. intermedius. These findings suggest that the presence ofS. intermediusand other species such asS. hyicusin food should be reason for concern.


2009 ◽  
Vol 2009 ◽  
pp. 1-6 ◽  
Author(s):  
Pejvak Khaki ◽  
Preena Bhalla ◽  
Ahmad Mir Fayaz ◽  
Sohiela Moradi Bidhendi ◽  
Majid Esmailzadeh ◽  
...  

Control and preventive measures for gonococcal infections are based on precise epidemiological characteristics ofN. gonorrhoeaeisolates. In the present study the potential utility of opa-typing and ribotyping for molecular epidemiological study of consecutive gonococcal strains was determined. Sixty gonococcal isolates were subjected to ribotyping with two restriction enzymes,AvaII andHincII, and opa-typing withTaqI andHpaII for epidemiological characterization of gonococcal population. Ribotyping withAvaII yielded 6 ribotype patterns while twelve RFLP patterns were observed withHincII. Opa-typing of the 60 isolates revealed a total 54 opa-types, which 48 were unique and 6 formed clusters. Fifty-two opa-types were observed withTaqI-digested PCR product while opa-typing withHpaII demonstrated 54 opa-types. The opa-types from isolates that were epidemiologically unrelated were distinct, whereas those from the sexual contacts were identical. The results showed that opa-typing is highly useful for characterizing gonococcal strains from sexual contacts and has more discriminatory than ribotyping that could differentiate between gonococci of the same ribotype. The technique even with a single restriction enzyme has a high level of discrimination (99.9%) between epidemiologically unrelated isolates. In conclusion, the molecular methods such as opa-typing and ribotyping can be used for epidemiological characterization of gonococcal strains.


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