The changing epidemiology of tuberculosis in a Spanish tertiary hospital (1995-2013).

Important epidemiological changes and improvement of new diagnostic approaches, mainly molecular tools, might have impacted the management and outcome of tuberculosis (TB) in the last years in industrialized countries. In order to describe the epidemiological trends, and changes in clinical, diagnostic, and therapeutic aspects in patients with TB, an observational study was performed in a tertiary hospital in Western Europe (Madrid, Spain).All adult patients (>16 years) with a diagnosis of TB in the period 1995 to 2013 were included in the study.

Microbiological diagnostic procedures for respiratory cystic fibrosis samples in Spain: towards standard of care practices.

Background: The microbiological procedures for cystic fibrosis (CF) samples of 17 participating Spanish centers were examined to verify their compliance with current international and national guidelines and to implement the best standards of care for microbiology practices. A 47-item questionnaire covering different CF microbiology aspects was sent to participant laboratories. Telephone interviews were performed when necessary.

The geographic diversity of nontuberculous mycobacteria isolated from pulmonary samples: an NTM-NET collaborative study.

A significant knowledge gap exists concerning the geographical distribution of nontuberculous mycobacteria (NTM) isolation worldwide. To provide a snapshot of NTM species distribution, global partners in the NTM-Network European Trials Group (NET) framework (www.ntm-net.

Changes in the epidemiology of tuberculosis: the influence of international migration flows.

Introduction: The epidemiological characteristics of patients with tuberculosis (TB) in European hospitals have changed in recent years.

Methods: A prospective study of patients with culture-proven pulmonary TB admitted to our institution from 1997 to 2008 is shown.

Results: We analyzed 661 patients with pulmonary TB.

[Current panorama of the teaching of microbiology and parasitology in Spain].

The training program of residents in microbiology and parasitology in Spain includes clinical skills, ranging from the diagnostic approach to the patient and adequate sample collection for diagnosis of infectious diseases to antimicrobial therapy and infection control measures. Training also includes new challenges in clinical microbiology that ensure residents' participation in infection control programs of health-care associated infections, training in the resolution of public health problems, and application of new molecular microbiology methods. Specialization in clinical microbiology may be undertaken by graduates in Medicine, Biology, Biochemistry and Chemistry.

Testicular tumor like by "Corynebacterium thommsenii".

Objective: To report the first case described of genitourinary infection by Corynebacterium Thommsenii in a man.

Methods: Descriptive study of a testicular infection by an atypical unknown germ in a patient, which was identified and diagnosed thank to the use of Polymerase chain reaction (PCR). We performed a bibliographic search of similar cases.

Tuberculous orchiepididymitis during 1978-2003 period: review of 34 cases and role of 16S rRNA amplification.

Genitourinary tuberculosis was diagnosed in 543 patients in Spanish hospital from 1978 through 2003. Of the 371 male 34 (9.2%) had orchiepididymitis.

Tuberculosis complicating hepatitis C treatment in HIV-infected patients.

Tuberculosis characteristics and incidence were assessed among patients with concurrent human immunodeficiency virus infection and chronic hepatitis C virus infection who were receiving interferon-based therapy at 3 hospitals in Spain. Four of 570 patients (0.7 cases per 100 person-years; 95% confidence interval, 0.

Genetic diversity of Mycobacterium avium isolates recovered from clinical samples and from the environment: molecular characterization for diagnostic purposes.

Isolation of Mycobacterium avium complex (MAC) organisms from clinical samples may occur in patients without clinical disease, making the interpretation of results difficult. The clinical relevance of MAC isolates from different types of clinical samples (n = 47) from 39 patients in different sections of a hospital was assessed by comparison with environmental isolates (n = 17) from the hospital. Various methods for identification and typing (commercial probes, phenotypic characteristics, PCR for detection of IS1245 and IS901, sequencing of the hsp65 gene, and pulsed-field gel electrophoresis) were evaluated.

Drug susceptibility of Spanish Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex isolates from animals.

Mycobacterium bovis and Mycobacterium caprae are zoonotic bacteria that cause tuberculosis with several clinical manifestations. We have evaluated the susceptibility to anti-tuberculosis drugs of a panel of Spanish isolates of animal origin. The analysis of the sequence of the main genes involved in resistance was performed in 41 M.

Sputum conversion among patients with pulmonary tuberculosis: are there implications for removal of respiratory isolation?

Background: Limited data are available to predict the length of time required for a patient to achieve sputum culture conversion after starting therapy for pulmonary tuberculosis.

Methods: Rates of sputum smear and culture conversion were determined at weeks 2, 4, 8 and 16 after initiating therapy in patients admitted to our Respiratory Isolation Unit from January 1997 to December 2003.

Results: For the 184 patients included in the analysis, the mean time from the initiation of appropriate therapy to sputum culture and smear conversion were 34 +/- 26 and 38 +/- 32 days (mean +/- SD) respectively.

Molecular epidemiology of multidrug-resistant Mycobacterium bovis isolates with the same spoligotyping profile as isolates from animals.

PCR-based characterization techniques have been adopted in most laboratories for Mycobacterium bovis typing. We report a molecular characterization of human multidrug-resistant M. bovis isolates and three bovine isolates that share the spoligotyping profile.

Linezolid for the treatment of multidrug-resistant tuberculosis.

Objectives: In vitro studies have shown good activity of linezolid against Mycobacterium tuberculosis, including multidrug-resistant strains. However, clinical experience with linezolid in tuberculosis is scarce.

Methods: We report our clinical experience with five consecutive patients with multidrug-resistant tuberculosis infection treated with combination regimens that included linezolid.

Geranylgeraniol regulates negatively caspase-1 autoprocessing: implication in the Th1 response against Mycobacterium tuberculosis.

Caspase-1 is a cysteine protease composed by two 20-kDa and two 10-kDa subunits that processes pro-IL-1beta and pro-IL-18 to their mature forms. This enzyme is present in cells as a latent zymogen that becomes active through a tightly regulated proteolytic cascade. Activation is initiated by the oligomerization of an adaptor molecule, or by the formation of a multiprotein complex named inflammasome.