Improved Genomic Prediction of Staphylococcus epidermidis Isolation Sources with a Novel Polygenic Score.

Staphylococcus epidermidis infections can be challenging to diagnose due to the species frequent contamination of clinical specimens and indolent course of infection. Nevertheless, S. epidermidis is the major cause of late-onset sepsis among premature infants and of intravascular infection in all age groups.

Do Staphylococcus epidermidis Genetic Clusters Predict Isolation Sources?

Staphylococcus epidermidis is a ubiquitous colonizer of human skin and a common cause of medical device-associated infections. The extent to which the population genetic structure of S. epidermidis distinguishes commensal from pathogenic isolates is unclear.

Multilocus sequence typing and further genetic characterization of the enigmatic pathogen, Staphylococcus hominis.

Staphylococcus hominis is a commensal resident of human skin and an opportunistic pathogen. The species is subdivided into two subspecies, S. hominis subsp.

Thoracic vertebral osteomyelitis with paraspinous mass and intraspinal extension: an atypical presentation of cat-scratch disease.

Children with cat-scratch disease (CSD) commonly present with fever and tender lymphadenopathy. The disease is mild and manifestations of infection resolve spontaneously within several weeks. However, some children with CSD have unusual features that present diagnostic challenges.

Exposure of Thomsen-Friedenreich antigen in Streptococcus pneumoniae infection is dependent on pneumococcal neuraminidase A.

Pneumococcal hemolytic uremic syndrome is recognized in a small portion of otherwise healthy children who have or have recently had Streptococcus pneumoniae infections, including severe pneumonia, meningitis, and bacteremia. As in other types of hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS), pneumococcal HUS is characterized by microangiopathic hemolytic anemia, and thrombocytopenia, usually with extensive kidney damage. Although not demonstrated in vivo, the pathogenesis of pneumococcal HUS has been attributed to the action pneumococcal neuraminidase exposing the usually cryptic Thomsen-Friedenreich antigen (T-antigen) on red blood cells (RBC), and kidney glomeruli.

Simultaneous carriage of multiple genotypes of Staphylococcus aureus in children.

The co-existence of multiple genotypes in colonization by Staphylococcus aureus has not been fully investigated. The aim of this study was to evaluate the heterogeneity of S. aureus carriage in children.

Molecular surveillance of Staphylococcus aureus colonization in a neonatal intensive care unit.

In a survey of staphylococcal colonization, Staphylococcus aureus was detected in 7 of 67 infants (10%). Two of the infants (3%) carried methicillin-resistant S aureus (MRSA), revealing an unsuspected transmission of MRSA within the neonatal intensive care unit. Molecular surveillance of S aureus provided useful information to improve infection control practices.

Acquisition of high-level mupirocin resistance and its fitness cost among methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus strains with low-level mupirocin resistance.

We investigated whether methicillin (meticillin)-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) isolates with low-level mupirocin resistance can serve as recipients of a pSK41-like plasmid conferring high-level mupirocin resistance without substantial fitness cost. Our results suggest that acquisition of the plasmid conferring high-level mupirocin resistance was not necessarily associated with fitness cost in some MRSA recipients with low-level mupirocin resistance.

Epidemiology of community-onset Staphylococcus aureus infections in pediatric patients: an experience at a Children's Hospital in central Illinois.

Background: The nation-wide concern over methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) has prompted many clinicians to use vancomycin when approaching patients with suspected staphylococcal infections. We sought to characterize the epidemiology of community-onset S. aureus infections in hospitalized children to assist local clinicians in providing appropriate empiric antimicrobial therapy.

A prospective study of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus colonization in children scheduled for elective surgery.

Background: Staphylococcus aureus is a major cause of surgical wound infections. To obtain contemporary data on S aureus, we performed a prospective study of colonization and infection in children scheduled for elective surgical procedures.

Methods: A nasal swab and clinical information were obtained at the presurgical outpatient visit.

Ventriculitis and choroid plexitis caused by multidrug-resistant Nocardia pseudobrasiliensis.

We describe a case of ventriculitis and choroid plexitis caused by a multidrug-resistant Nocardia pseudobrasiliensis in an immunocompetent child. Difficulties establishing an etiologic diagnosis, inconsistencies of antibiotic susceptibility testing, and the side effects of various antimicrobials presented challenges to her treatment and eventual favorable outcome.

Primary care spirometry: test quality and the feasibility and usefulness of specialist reporting.

Background: Provision of spirometry for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a new requirement in primary care. Effective spirometry requires that tests and interpretations meet international criteria.

Aim: To assess the feasibility and usefulness of remote specialist reporting of primary care spirometry.

Community pulmonary rehabilitation after hospitalisation for acute exacerbations of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: randomised controlled study.

Objective: To evaluate the effects of an early community based pulmonary rehabilitation programme after hospitalisation for acute exacerbations of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).

Design: A single centre, randomised controlled trial.

Setting: An inner city, secondary and tertiary care hospital in London.

Level of maternal IgG anti-group B streptococcus type III antibody correlated with protection of neonates against early-onset disease caused by this pathogen.

The present study estimates the level of maternal immunoglobulin (Ig) G anti-group B streptococcus (GBS) type III required to protect neonates against early-onset disease (EOD) caused by this pathogen. Levels of maternal serum IgG anti-GBS type III, measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, in 26 case patients (neonates with EOD caused by GBS type III) and 143 matched control subjects (neonates colonized by GBS type III who did not develop EOD) of > or = 34 weeks gestation were compared. The probability of EOD decreased with increasing levels of maternal IgG anti-GBS type III (P = .

Aortitis in a child with Abiotrophia defectiva endocarditis.

Abiotrophia defectiva, one of several nutritionally variant Streptococcus species, is an uncommon but important cause of endocarditis in children. We describe an unusual case complicated by extensive aortitis with pits in the ascending aorta and the proximal aortic arch.

Symptoms and quadriceps fatigability after walking and cycling in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

Patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) may stop cycling due to leg effort rather than breathlessness. However, cycling is not relevant to many patients, although walking may be more familiar. A total of 84 patients with COPD were asked to name the predominant symptom limiting incremental shuttle walking, endurance shuttle walking, incremental cycle ergometry, and endurance cycle ergometry, performed to exhaustion on four separate days.