Serotyping of 80 strains from the WHO multicentre international typing study of Listeria monocytogenes.

Serotyping was carried out on 80 coded strains, distribute to all laboratories taking part in the WHO L. monocytogenes multicenter subtyping study. All six laboratories used the method recommended by their coordinator.

Resistance to cefotaxime and seven other beta-lactams in members of the family Enterobacteriaceae: a 3-year survey in France.

During the second quarter each of 1988, 1989, and 1990, a French collaborative study group, including 12 university hospital laboratories, surveyed the resistance to beta-lactams of clinical isolates from hospitalized patients: consecutively, 10,641, 10,692, and 9,382 isolates were tested. The distribution of bacterial species over time was similar in each laboratory. The susceptibilities of microorganisms to amoxicillin, ticarcillin, cephalothin, cefoxitin, cefotaxime (CTX), ceftazidime (CAZ), aztreonam (ATM), and imipenem (IPM) were measured by the disk diffusion method in accordance with the recommendations of the Antibiogram Committee of the French Society for Microbiology.

[In vitro antibacterial activity of a new fluoroquinolone, temafloxacin, against hospital isolates. Results of a multicenter study].

Minimal inhibitory concentrations (MICs) of temafloxacin (TMF) was determined by agar dilution for 2,510 bacterial strains isolated in 1989 in 9 university hospitals. Activity of TMF against nalidixic acid (NAL) susceptible (S) Enterobacteriaceae was close to that of other fluoroquinolones (FQ) (mode MIC: 0.06 micrograms/l); like for other FQ, this activity was reduced against NAL intermediate (mode 1) and resistant (R) (mode 4) Enterobacteriaceae.

Latest news on listeriosis.

Emphasis is given essentially to the presentation of recent data in terms of our total knowledge of Listeria and human and animal listeriosis. This disease of extremely varied origin can be studied in terms of two groups of subjects: females in gestation and all other categories of individuals. There was initially only a single species of Listeria, but at least five are known today, only two of which are pathogenic.

A collaborative study of French laboratories to assess any evolution of antibiotic resistance within the Bacteroides fragilis group.

Antibiotic susceptibility testing of anaerobes by a same methodology allows the authors to draw up suggestions about the evolution of antibiotic resistance within the B. fragilis group. Cefoxitin resistance rates were stable until 1985 and were slowly increasing later.

Detection of respiratory syncytial virus antigen after seventy-two hours of culture.

Between September, 1987, and April, 1989, three techniques for the detection of respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) were compared: indirect immunofluorescence (IF) on the sample, indirect immunofluorescence after 72 h of MRC-5 cell culture (IF 72h), and detection of the cytopathic effect (CPE) by MRC-5 and HEp-2 cell culture. A study of 383 nasal aspirates from young children admitted to the Centre Hospitalier de Nantes (CHR) showing miscellaneous respiratory symptoms produced the following results: 143 samples (37%) were RSV positive by IF, 119 (31%) were positive by IF 72h, and 117 (31%) showed RSV-induced CPE. In comparison with tissue culture isolation (TC), the sensitivities of IF and IF 72h were 89% and 80% and their specificities 85% and 91%, respectively.

Transferable plasmid-mediated antibiotic resistance in Listeria monocytogenes.

A strain of Listeria monocytogenes, isolated from a patient with meningoencephalitis, was resistant to chloramphenicol, erythromycin, streptomycin, and tetracycline. The genes conferring resistance to these antibiotics were carried by a 37-kb plasmid, pIP811, that was self-transferable to other L monocytogenes cells, to enterococci-streptococci, and to Staphylococcus aureus. The efficacy of transfer and the stability of pIP811 were higher in enterococci-streptococci than in the other gram-positive bacteria.

Isolation of Listeria from French meat products.

One hundred and ten Listeria strains were recovered from 378 meat samples: L. monocytogenes (68 strains), L. innocua (45) and L.

Evolution in antibiotic susceptibility of Bacteroides fragilis group strains in France based on periodic surveys.

Anaerobic antibiotic susceptibility testing with standardized methods enabled the authors to speculate on the evolution of antibiotic resistance within the Bacteroides fragilis group strains. Cefoxitin resistance was stable (0-5%) until 1985 and gradually increased later. Clindamycin resistance emerged in 1980 with a stable 10% resistance rate until 1986.

Pharmacokinetics of fosfomycin in normal and burn patients. Effect of probenecid.

The pharmacokinetics of fosfomycin are modified in burn patients, suggesting a net tubular secretion in such patients. In an attempt to verify this hypothesis, five healthy normal volunteers were studied The pharmacokinetics of fosfomycin were studied with and without probenecid. In the absence of probenecid, the renal clearance of the drug was equal to that of creatinine.

[Determination of the sensitivity of bacteria to antibiotics by an agar diffusion method and use of the API ATB system: a comparative study].

130 bacterial strains were studied for their antibiotics sensitivity by an agar diffusion method and using API ATB System: 50 Enterobacteriaceae, 12 other Gram negative bacilli, 48 Staphylococci and 20 Streptococci. The results concurred in 83 p. cent of the cases.

Rapid identification of Mycobacterium species.

Identification of Mycobacterium species is currently a long and fastidious procedure. We have developed a rapid (5-h) standard method using the API-ZYM system and rapid nitratase, urease and catalase tests. Pigmentation and growth rate were noted (but were only necessary for complete identification of 6% of strains).

An epidemiological survey of human listeriosis in France during 1987, using serotyping and phage typing.

During 1987 the French National Reference Center for Listeria received, from this country, 384 Listeria monocytogenes strains isolated from human listeriosis cases. A constant exchange of information and strains between the Reference Center and the Bacterial Ecology Unit of the Institute Pasteur of Paris allowed complete characterization of these isolates, using serotyping and phage typing. Among the strains studied 22%, 13% and 63%, respectively belonged to serovars 1/2a, 1/2b, and 4b, but this distribution can vary according to place, and time of isolation.

[Sensitivity of Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Klebsiella spp. to ceftazidime. Current status in France].

Ceftazidime was tested against 2,224 strains of Pseudomonas aeruginosa obtained from 17 hospitals in April, May and June, 1986 and against 607 strains of Klebsiella pneumoniae and 234 strains of K. oxytoca obtained from 16 hospitals in October, 1987. The MIC's of ceftazidime against P.

Septicaemia due to Actinobacillus actinomycetemcomitans with endocarditis and spinal epidural abscess.

A case of tricuspid valve endocarditis with spinal epidural abscess caused by Actinobacillus actinomycetemcomitans is reported in a 74-year-old male with an endocardial pacemaker. Despite antibiotic treatment, removal of the endocardial wire was necessary for recovery.

[Prophylactic systemic antibiotherapy with only ceftriaxone in neutropenic patients treated in a protected environment].

Prophylactic systemic antibiotherapy with ceftriaxone (CRO) alone was tested in aplastic patients receiving total gut decontamination and treated in protected environment. To enter the study, the patients had to be afebrile when their polymorphonuclear (PMN) count fell under 500/cumm. Seventy eight therapeutic aplasias (after allogeneic or autologous bone marrow transplant conditioning regimens or high dose chemotherapy) form the basis of this report.

[Bacterial contamination of the inspiratory circuit of artificial ventilation apparatus: influence of the frequency of circuit renewal and the duration of ventilation].

In a study concerning contamination of artificial ventilators (Drager model UV1), the influence of 2 parameters was assessed: the frequency of changing the circuit (2 and 4 days) and the interval between admission of the patient into the intensive care unit and obtaining the sample. As a function of these variables, 4 groups of 15 patients each were constituted. The levels of contamination noted at 4 sites in the inspiratory phase tubing (cascade humidifier, condensate collector, tubing nearest to the patient and tubing nearest to the humidifier) and in the gas flow showed no significant difference between the groups, regardless of whether the circuit was changed after 2 or 4 days, or whether the patient had been recently admitted to the department or had been there for at least 6 days.

[Comparative activity of habekacin and 4 other aminoglycosides against gram-negative bacilli. Evolution of resistance].

The activity of 5 aminoglycosides compounds (habekacin, amikacin, gentamicin, netilmicin and tobramycin) was studied by an agar dilution method, against 235 strains of Enterobacteriaceae and 146 other Gram negative bacilli. 79 to 98% of susceptible strains were observed, according to the aminoglycoside compound. Habekacin and amikacin were the most effective, specially against the more frequently resistant bacteria: Enterobacter, Serratia, Hafnia, Acinetobacter, Pseudomonas aeruginosa.

[Immunologic response in herpes encephalitis: development of the antibody serum/cerebrospinal fluid ratio in 13 cases].

Serological monitoring was performed in 13 cases of herpetic encephalitis (one infant and 12 adults). Samples taken simultaneously from blood and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) were tested before and after initiation of antiviral treatment. Antiherpesvirus (anti-HSV) antibodies were assayed by an ELISA method.

[Comparative study of various API galeries for the identification of gram negative bacteria].

116 strains of Gram negative bacteria were identified with the use of API ATB 32 GN and Rapid 20 E galeries, in order to evaluate their performance as compared with API 20 E or API NE galeries used as reference. The identification concur (bacterial genus and species) in approximately 80 per cent of the cases. There are only 2 major discrepancies with ABT 32 GN galleries and only one with Rapid 20 E.

[Comparison of 2 immunoenzyme methods for the determination of anti-cytomegalovirus IgM].

An antibody capture assay technique using a labeled antigen (Wellcome Laboratories) and an ELISA technique performed after elimination of serum IgG (Behring Laboratories) were assessed for determination of anti-cytomegalovirus IgM. Their specificity and sensitivity were compared in tests on 208 sera, some (60) of which had IgM rheumatoid factor, antinuclear antibodies or anti-Epstein-Barr virus antibodies. The other sera were analyzed relative to diagnosis of a cytomegalovirus infection.