Risk Factors and Outcomes for Intestinal Carriage of AmpC-Hyperproducing Enterobacteriaceae in Intensive Care Unit Patients.

In a cohort of 1,209 intensive care unit (ICU) patients, the prevalence of intestinal colonization with high-level expressed AmpC cephalosporinase-producing Enterobacteriaceae (HLAC-PE) rose steadily from 2% at admission to 30% in patients with lengths of stay (LOS) exceeding 4 weeks. In multivariate analysis, LOS was the main predictor of carriage acquisition after adjustment on antimicrobial exposure. HLAC-PE infection occurred in 15% of carriers.

Prepartum vaginal/anorectal Group B Streptococcus screening: improvement of the enrichment step by the broth additive RambaQUICK StrepB.

We used RambaQUICK StrepB in enrichment broth with samples taken from 31 pregnant women and compared its performance to that of standard enrichment media. RambaQUICK StrepB shortened the required incubation time and raised the sensitivity of streptococcal screening by 1.6 fold.

Evaluation of CHROMagar™ StrepB agar, an aerobic chromogenic medium for prepartum vaginal/rectal Group B Streptococcus screening.

An aerobic chromogenic medium, CHROMagar™ StrepB agar, designed for isolation of group B Streptococci, was evaluated on 285 prepartum vaginal/rectal swabs from pregnant women. After overnight enrichment in Todd-Hewitt broth containing 15μg/ml nalidixic acid and 10μg/ml colistin, sensitivities were respectively 79% on day 1 and 92% on day 2, and significantly higher than those achieved by blood agar (40% and 58%) and colimycin-nalidixic-acid agar (82% on day 2).

Evaluation of CHROMagar StrepB: a new chromogenic agar medium for aerobic detection of Group B Streptococci in perinatal samples.

A selective and chromogenic medium, the CHROMagar StrepB agar (CHROM-B) designed for aerobic isolation of Group B Streptococci (GBS) in pregnancy-related specimens, was evaluated in a two-Phase study. CHROM-B was evaluated against CPS3 during the first Phase and against Granada afterwards. It was compared to blood agar plates (COH) and to colimycin nalidixic agar plates (CNA) over both Phases.

Septic arthritis caused by Erysipelothrix rhusiopathiae in a prosthetic knee joint.

We describe the third case of prosthetic infection due to Erysipelothrix rhusiopathiae. The patient, a 68-year-old woman, had had total knee arthroplasty 12 months before diagnosis. She had been in contact with swine at home.

Crucial role of TNF receptors 1 and 2 in the control of polymicrobial sepsis.

Sepsis is still a major cause of mortality in the intensive critical care unit and results from an overwhelming immune response to the infection. TNF signaling pathway plays a central role in the activation of innate immunity in response to pathogens. Using a model of polymicrobial sepsis by i.