Clinical outbreak of linezolid-resistant Staphylococcus aureus in an intensive care unit.

Context: Linezolid resistance is extremely uncommon in Staphylococcus aureus.

Objective: To report an outbreak with linezolid and methicillin-resistant S. aureus (LRSA) in an intensive care department and the effective control measures taken.

Resistance to linezolid is mediated by the cfr gene in the first report of an outbreak of linezolid-resistant Staphylococcus aureus.

Background: From April through June 2008, we identified 12 patients in the intensive care unit and 3 patients on other wards infected with methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus that was also resistant to linezolid. We investigated the mechanism of resistance--point mutations in domain V of 23S ribosomal RNA (rRNA) or presence of the cfr gene--involved in the outbreak.

Methods: Strains for the study were obtained in the intensive care unit and other wards.

Cell organization of the rat pars tuberalis. Evidence for open communication between pars tuberalis cells, cerebrospinal fluid and tanycytes.

The pars tuberalis (PT) is the only pituitary region in close contact with the medial-basal hypothalamus and bathed by cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). Although PT has long been recognized as an endocrine gland, certain aspects of its structure remain obscure. The present investigation has been designed to gain information concerning (1) the cellular organization of PT, (2) the PT/median eminence spatial relationship and (3) the exposure of various cell compartments of PT to CSF.