Faecal microbiota transplantation for multidrug-resistant organism decolonization in spinal cord injury patients: a case series.

Introduction: The increase of multidrug-resistant (MDR) bacteria in healthcare settings is a worldwide concern. Isolation precautions must be implemented to control the significant risk of transmitting these pathogens among patients. Antibiotic decolonization is not recommended because of the threat of increasing antibiotic resistance.

Direct detection of ESKAPEc pathogens from whole blood using the T2Bacteria Panel allows early antimicrobial stewardship intervention in patients with sepsis.

In the microbiological diagnosis of bloodstream infections (BSI), blood culture (BC) is considered the gold standard test despite its limitations such as low sensitivity and slow turnaround time. A new FDA-cleared and CE-marked platform utilizing magnetic resonance to detect amplified DNA of the six most common and/or problematic BSI pathogens (Enterococcus faecium, Staphylococcus aureus, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Acinetobacter baumannii, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Escherichia coli; referred to as ESKAPEc) is available and may shorten the time to diagnosis and potentially improve antimicrobial utilization. Whole blood samples from hospitalized patients with clinical signs of sepsis were analyzed using the T2Bacteria Panel (T2Biosystems) and compared to simultaneously collected BC.

Limited diagnostic possibilities for bloodstream infections with broad-range methods: A promising PCR/electrospray ionization-mass spectrometry platform is no longer available.

Fast and accurate detection of causative agents of bloodstream infections remains a challenge of today's microbiology. We compared the performance of cutting-edge technology based on polymerase chain reaction coupled with electrospray ionization-mass spectrometry (PCR/ESI-MS) with that of conventional broad-range 16S rRNA PCR and blood culture to address the current diagnostic possibilities for bloodstream infections. Of 160 blood samples tested, PCR/ESI-MS revealed clinically meaningful microbiological agents in 47 samples that were missed by conventional diagnostic approaches (29.

Clostridium difficile ribotype 078 cultured from post-surgical non-healing wound in a patient carrying ribotype 014 in the intestinal tract.

Extra-intestinal infections caused by Clostridium difficile are rare. The risk of extra-intestinal infections associated with C. difficile may be particularly relevant in environments contaminated with C.

Post-mortem analysis of Candida albicans breakthrough infection during echinocandin treatment in haematopoietic stem cell transplant recipient.

We present case of a girl deceased due to Candida albicans breakthrough invasive infection during the echinocandin treatment after undergoing allogeneic haematopoietic stem cell transplant for relaps of acute myeloid leukaemia. Candida albicans generally susceptible to all antifungal drugs wasn't considered for potential resistance and conventional blood culture positivity was too late to reveal the resistance to echinocandins. Due to severe organ toxicities (liver, kidneys) she received echinocandin as an antifungal prophylaxis, no change was made for the treatment of Candida albicans infection.

[Invasive mucormycosis in pediatric hematology patients--single-center experience from 2005-2010].

Background: Mucormycosis is an invasive fungal disease severely complicating treatment of patients with hematologic diseases. Effective therapy is represented by the combination of surgery and amphotericin B administration and early initiation of the therapy is necessary for favorable outcome. The first clinical symptoms are usually non-specific and this can lead to late therapy onset.

[Prevalence of ESBL-positive strains of Klebsiella pneumoniae in the Czech Republic and their molecular biology analysis].

Background: One of the problems of contemporary medicine is an increasing number of bacterial strains with hazardous phenotypes of resistance. The feared bacterial pathogens include Klebsiella pneumoniae strains producing AmpA extended-spectrum beta-lactamases. The study focused on the molecular biological characteristics of ESBL-positive strains of Klebsiella pneumoniae collected in the Czech Republic.

[Microbiological identification of coagulase-negative staphylococci and the present status of their sensitivity to antibiotics].

Reliable laboratory diagnosis of coagulase-negative staphylococci and subsequent assessment of the MIC of these strains is part of the essential routine work of clinical laboratories with regard to the rising incidence of nosocomial coagulase-negative staphylococci infections, in particular in specialized departments concerned with important clinical issues.

[Actinomyces viscosus in subdural empyema].

The authors describe the finding of Actinomyces viscosus in pus from a subdural empyema in a child patient. When searching for the probable primary source of this uncommon infection of the central nervous system the authors identified by cultivation the same bacterial strain in a periapical dental granuloma. Bacterial diagnosis and radical surgical and antimicrobial therapy led to normalization of a clinical condition with an initially unfavourable prognosis.

[Immunologic cross reactivity of beta-lactam antibiotics].

The authors investigated the antibody response against beta-lactam antibiotics (penicillins, cephalosporins, monolactams, carbapenes) in conjugation with allergic reactions after penicillin administration. The results revealed a high percentage of positive antibody responses against penicillin and high percentage of crossed immunological reactivity between penicillin and the other investigated preparations.

[Immunologic reactivity of tylosin and erythromycin].

The authors investigated the antibody response to erythromycin and tylosine in experiments and in a clinical investigation. The results proved in 90-100% a crossed immunological reactivity of the two macrolid antimicrobial preparations. In view of the wide use of tylosine in veterinary practice and its presence in residues of slaughter animals as well as in serological tests, it is very probable that this preparation participates in a major way in the increased incidence of allergic reactions against erythromycin in humans.

[Immunologic aspects of macrolide antibiotics].

The authors investigated in an experimental and clinical study the part played by the macrolide antibiotic, tylosine, in the elevated immunological reactivity of the present population to Erythromycin. The first assembled results justify the statement that tylosine used in veterinary practice (sometimes without control) may indice acrossed immunological reactivity against Erythromycin. The authors discuss also other undesirable manifestations after Erythromycin administration.