Susceptibility testing challenges with ceftaroline, MRSA and a 1 mg/L breakpoint.

Objectives: A 1 mg/L susceptibility breakpoint for ceftaroline and staphylococci is universally agreed; EUCAST counts MIC >1 mg/L as resistant whereas CLSI and FDA count 2 mg/L as intermediate and >2 mg/L as resistant. We investigated whether routine diagnostic tests reliably distinguish MICs of 1 versus 2 mg/L.

Methods: Thirty-five UK laboratories collected Staphylococcus aureus isolates and performed tests with 5 μg (as EUCAST) or 30 μg (as CLSI) discs and either confluent growth on Mueller-Hinton agar (as EUCAST and CLSI) or semi-confluent growth on Iso-Sensitest agar (as BSAC).

Pathogens of skin and skin-structure infections in the UK and their susceptibility to antibiotics, including ceftaroline.

Objectives: Bacterial skin and skin-structure infections (SSSIs) are frequent settings for antibiotic use. We surveyed their UK aetiology and pathogen susceptibility, including susceptibility to ceftaroline.

Methods: Consecutive SSSI isolates were collected at 35 UK hospitals, to a maximum of 60/site, together with 15 'supplementary' MRSA/site.

Evaluation of an academic service partnership using a strategic alliance framework.

Strategic alliances involve the sharing of resources to achieve mutually relevant benefits and they are flexible ways to access resources outside of one's own institution. The recent landmark report from the Institute of Medicine, The Future of Nursing: Leading Change, Advancing Health, called for academic and health care organizations to strategically align around the future registered nurse workforce to improve the quality and safety of patient care. The dedicated education unit (DEU) is one practical way for 2 entities to align so that students can learn to administer safe, quality care.

Population structure and antibiotic resistance of Acinetobacter DNA group 2 and 13TU isolates from hospitals in the UK.

A total of 287 Acinetobacter isolates belonging to DNA groups 2 (A. baumannii) and 13TU was collected consecutively from 46 hospitals and typed by randomly amplified polymorphic DNA fingerprinting with primers DAF-4 and ERIC-2. With a similarity coefficient of >/=72% as a cut-off value, 37 clusters of genotypically similar isolates (genotypes) were recognised.

Trends in fluoroquinolone (ciprofloxacin) resistance in enterobacteriaceae from bacteremias, England and Wales, 1990-1999.

The Public Health Laboratory Service receives antibiotic susceptibility data for bacteria from bloodstream infections from most hospitals in England and Wales. These data were used to ascertain resistance trends to ciprofloxacin from 1990 through 1999 for the most prevalent gram-negative agents: Escherichia coli, Klebsiella spp., Enterobacter spp.

Antibiotic resistance among clinical isolates of Acinetobacter in the UK, and in vitro evaluation of tigecycline (GAR-936).

A survey was conducted of the antimicrobial susceptibilities of 595 Acinetobacter spp. isolated from routine clinical specimens in 54 sentinel laboratories throughout the UK during 2000. Isolates of the Acinetobacter baumannii complex (genomic groups 2, 3 and 13TU; n = 443) were distinguished from other genomic groups (n = 152) by PCR fingerprinting of tDNA spacer regions.