[Kingella kingae ostemyelitis and septic arthritis in paediatric patients. Six cases from the Department of Pediatrics, National University Hospital of Iceland.].

Kingella kingae (K. kingae) is a gram negative rod most often associated with septic arthritis and osteomyelitis in children. Infections caused by K.

Risk factors associated with onychomycosis.

Objective: To examine possible risk factors related to onychomycosis.

Background: Onychomycosis is a common disease with multifactorial aetiology, but little is known about the risk factors for this disease.

Patients And Methods: Questions related to signs, symptoms and possible risk factors associated with onychomycosis were sent to 3992 persons aged 16 years and older selected randomly from the Icelandic National Registry.

The molecular epidemiology of genital Chlamydia trachomatis in the greater Reykjavik area, Iceland.

Background: The diversity in MOMP (major outer membrane protein) of Chlamydia trachomatis is thought to be necessary for the bacteria to survive in its environment. The rate of change in the omp1 gene (coding for MOMP) is not known. Iceland offers a good opportunity to study the epidemiology of chlamydial infections because the population is small (280,000) and geographically well defined.

Listeriosis in Iceland, 1978-2000: a description of cases and molecular epidemiology.

The purpose of our study was to review all cases of listeriosis in Iceland during the period 1978-2000 and to analyse the genetic relatedness of their isolates. Case records of all patients in Iceland with listeriosis during the period were reviewed and the isolates compared using serotyping and pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) using SmaI, AseI and ApaI restriction enzymes. Forty cases of listeriosis were diagnosed during the period, resulting in a mean annual incidence of 6.

Bactericidal effects of fatty acids and monoglycerides on Helicobacter pylori.

The susceptibility of Salmonella spp., Escherichia coli and Helicobacter pylori to fatty acids and monoglycerides was studied. None of the lipids showed significant antibacterial activity against Salmonella spp.

Killing of Gram-positive cocci by fatty acids and monoglycerides.

The susceptibilities of three Gram-positive cocci to medium-chain saturated and long-chain unsaturated fatty acids and their one-monoglycerides were studied. The bacteria were incubated with equal volumes of lipid solutions for 10 min. Lauric acid, palmitoleic acid and monocaprin reduced the number of CFU by 6.

In vitro killing of Candida albicans by fatty acids and monoglycerides.

The susceptibility of Candida albicans to several fatty acids and their 1-monoglycerides was tested with a short inactivation time, and ultrathin sections were studied by transmission electron microscopy (TEM) after treatment with capric acid. The results show that capric acid, a 10-carbon saturated fatty acid, causes the fastest and most effective killing of all three strains of C. albicans tested, leaving the cytoplasm disorganized and shrunken because of a disrupted or disintegrated plasma membrane.

In vitro susceptibilities of Neisseria gonorrhoeae to fatty acids and monoglycerides.

The susceptibility of Neisseria gonorrhoeae to several medium-chain fatty acids and their 1-monoglycerides was tested at a short inactivation time of 1 min. The results indicate that monocaprin, a monoglyceride of capric acid (10 carbon atoms, no double bonds), causes the fastest and most effective killing of all strains of N. gonorrhoeae tested.

Hydrogels containing monocaprin have potent microbicidal activities against sexually transmitted viruses and bacteria in vitro.

Objective: To investigate the in vitro microbicidal and cytocidal potency of monocaprin dissolved in pharmaceutical hydrogel formulations and to evaluate their potential use as vaginal microbicides against sexually transmitted pathogens such as herpes simplex virus type 2 (HSV-2), human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1), Chlamydia trachomatis, and Neisseria gonorrhoeae.

Methods: Gel formulations were mixed with equal volumes of virus/bacteria suspensions in culture medium and incubated for 1 and 5 minutes. The reduction in virus/bacteria titre was used as a measure of microbicidal activity.

In vitro inactivation of Chlamydia trachomatis by fatty acids and monoglycerides.

The antichlamydial effects of several fatty acids and monoglycerides were studied by incubating Chlamydia trachomatis bacteria with equal volumes of lipid solutions for 10 min and measuring the reduction in infectivity titer compared with that in a control solution without lipid. Caprylic acid (8:0), monocaprylin (8:0), monolaurin (12:0), myristic acid (14:0), palmitoleic acid (16:1), monopalmitolein (16:1), oleic acid (18:1), and monoolein (18:1) at concentrations of 20 mM (final concentration, 10 mM) had negligible effects on C. trachomatis.

Comparison of Roche Cobas Amplicor and Abbott LCx for the rapid detection of Chlamydia trachomatis in specimens from high-risk patients.

Objective: To evaluate two automated amplification systems for the detection of Chlamydia trachomatis in urogenital specimens, the Cobas Amplicor (Roche Diagnostic Systems, Branchburg, NJ) and the LCx (Abbott Laboratories, Abbott Park, IL).

Study Design: The two systems were compared testing specimens from 302 high-risk patients, including 98 female cervical swab specimens and 204 male urine specimens. The patients attended the state STD clinic in Reykjavik, Iceland, either because of symptoms or as a result of contract tracing.

Reduced prevalence of cervical Chlamydia infection among women requesting termination.

Background: The prevalence and pattern of Chlamydia trachomatis infection among women requesting induced abortion in the three year period 1992-95 was evaluated and compared to the results of a previous study in 1982-84, where the prevalence of chlamydial infection had been 13.5%.

Methods: A total of 1995 women requested termination, 1855 (93%) of whom were tested for Chlamydia and were included in the study.

Multicenter comparative evaluation of two rapid immunoassay methods for the detection of Chlamydia trachomatis antigen in endocervical specimens.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate two rapid immunoassay methods, QuickVue-Chlamydia (Quidel Corp., San Diego California) and Kodak SureCell (Kodak Corp., Rochester, NY) for the detection of Chlamydia trachomatis antigen in endocervical swabs from high- and low-risk females.

Kingella kingae infections in paediatric patients: 5 cases of septic arthritis, osteomyelitis and bacteraemia.

Kingella kingae is a Gram-negative rod most often recognized as 1 of the organisms causing septic arthritis and osteomyelitis in children. Infection caused by K. kingae had not been diagnosed in Iceland until 5 cases were diagnosed at the Paediatric Department at the University Hospital of Iceland over a 1 year period.

In vitro susceptibility of Helicobacter pylori to protolichesterinic acid from the lichen Cetraria islandica.

With reference to the traditional use of Cetraria islandica (Iceland moss) for relief of gastric and duodenal ulcer, plant extracts were screened for in vitro activity against Helicobacter pylori. (+)-Protolichesterinic acid, an aliphatic alpha-methylene-gamma-lactone, was identified as an active component. The MIC range of protolichesterinic acid, in free as well as salt form, was 16 to 64 micrograms/ml.

Diagnosis of Chlamydia trachomatis infection in high-risk females with PCR on first void urine.

Recently the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) has been shown to be more sensitive than older methods in detecting Chlamydia trachomatis, when performed on endocervical swabs. A total of 203 high-risk females were enrolled in a comparative study of 3 methods for diagnosing C. trachomatis infections: McCoy cell culture and Amplicor PCR on endocervical swabs, and urine.

[Prevalence of genital chlamydia trachomatis infections in college students.].

Unlabelled: Sexually transmitted Chlamydia infection is the most common venereal disease in Iceland. Although considerable information is available on the epidemiology of these infections, the true prevalence of C. trachomatis infections in Iceland is unknown because all the studies have been conducted on selected populations.

[Lower genital tract infection with chlamydia trachomatis in women requesting induced abortion.].

Postoperative pelvic infection is a serious complication of induced abortion, and may occur in 2-6% of cases. A study of the prevalence and distribution by age and marital status of cervical Chlamydia infection in 1991-93 in women seeking termination of pregnancy is in progress. The data for 1993 are presented and compared to results from a previous study.

[Diagnostic efforts for the detection of chlamydia trachomatis infections in Iceland 1982-1994.].

The results of diagnostic testing for the detection of Chlamydial infections in Iceland during the years 1982 to 1994 were reviewed. During those 13 years 123,461 laboratory tests were performed in 101,574 examinations. These examinations were positive in 14,462 instances.

[Clinical evaluation of two immunoassay methods for the rapid detection of chlamydia trachomatis: antigen in endocervical specimens from high risk female patients.].

Two rapid immunoassay methods, QuickVue-Chlamydia (Quidel Corp., San Diego California) and Kodak Surecell (Kodak Corp. Rochester, N.

[Diagnosis of chlamydia trachomatis infections in women: urinary PCR compared to cervical culture and PCR on cervical swabs in high risk females.].

Diagnosis of Chlamydia trachomatis infections in women has traditionally depended on cell culture or enzyme linked immunoassay. Recently Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) has been shown to be more sensitive than these methods when performed on endocervical swabs. A total of 203 high risk females were enrolled in a comparative study of three methods for diagnosing C.

[Clinical evaluation of a rapid polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay: for the detection of chlamydia trachomatis in specimens from high risk patients.].

A Rapid Polymerase Chain Reaction Assay (Ampli-cor(R)-PCR) was evaluated for the detection of Chlamydia trachomatis in specimens from 179 high risk patients. The results were compared to McCoy cell culture and specimens were retested with Amplicor(R) and primers for the Major Outer Membrane Protein (MOMP) gene when discrepancy occurred. Of 88 females enrolled in the study, 30 were infected (34%).

[Helicobacter pylori infection: the efficacy of a short course of azithromycin and fleroxacin treatment.].

The aim of this open pilot study was to assess the efficacy of a short course of fleroxacin and azithromycin in the treatment of Helicobacter pylori infection. Seventeen patients were included. All had H.

[Clinical chemistry and bacteriological testing in Iceland 1990.].

In this article we present the number and composition of clinical laboratory testing, both haematological, biochemical and bacteriological, performed at hospitals, primary care centers and private clinics in Iceland, in the year 1990. Inquiries were sent to 85 institutions, 52 (61%) responded. The number of assays performed at the laboratories/institutions not responding was estimated.