Systemic complement activation and complement gene analysis in enterohaemorrhagic Escherichia coli-associated paediatric haemolytic uraemic syndrome.

Background: In contrast to atypical haemolytic uraemic syndrome (aHUS), only single case reports and limited data have been published on systemic activation of the complement system and mutations in complement genes in paediatric enterohaemorrhagic Escherichia coli-induced HUS (EHEC-HUS).

Methods: Complement activation (CH50, APH50, C3d, sC5b-9) was analysed at four timepoints (Week 1, Week 2, Month 3 and Month 6 after primary diagnosis of HUS) in 25 children with EHEC-HUS. Seven patients received the complement C5 inhibitor eculizumab.

Eculizumab in Typical Hemolytic Uremic Syndrome (HUS) With Neurological Involvement.

In typical hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS) approximately 25% of patients show central nervous system (CNS) involvement often leading to serious long-term disabilities. We used the C5-complement inhibitor Eculizumab as rescue therapy. From 2011 to 2014, 11 children (median age 22 months, range 11-175) with enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli-positive HUS requiring dialysis who had seizures (11/11) and/or were in a stupor or coma (10/11) were treated with Eculizumab.

Nitrite impacts the survival of Mycobacterium tuberculosis in response to isoniazid and hydrogen peroxide.

When access to molecular oxygen is restricted, Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) can respire an alternative electron acceptor, nitrate. We found that Mtb within infected primary human macrophages in vitro at physiologic tissue oxygen tensions respired nitrate, generating copious nitrite. A strain of Mtb lacking a functioning nitrate reductase was more susceptible than wild-type Mtb to treatment with isoniazid during infection of macrophages.

Duration of fecal shedding of Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli O104:H4 in patients infected during the 2011 outbreak in Germany: a multicenter study.

Background: In May-July 2011, Germany experienced a large food-borne outbreak of Shiga toxin 2-producing Escherichia coli (STEC O104:H4) with 3842 cases, including 855 cases with hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS) and 53 deaths.

Methods: A multicenter study was initiated in 5 university hospitals to determine pathogen shedding duration. Diagnostics comprised culture on selective media, toxin enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, and polymerase chain reaction.

Cathepsin G and neutrophil elastase contribute to lung-protective immunity against mycobacterial infections in mice.

The neutrophil serine proteases cathepsin G (CG) and neutrophil elastase (NE) are involved in immune-regulatory processes and exert antibacterial activity against various pathogens. To date, their role and their therapeutic potential in pulmonary host defense against mycobacterial infections are poorly defined. In this work, we studied the roles of CG and NE in the pulmonary resistance against Mycobacterium bovis bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG).

Preventing the spread of multidrug-resistant gram-negative pathogens: recommendations of an expert panel of the German Society For Hygiene and Microbiology.

Background: Infections with multidrug-resistant gram-negative bacteria are hard to treat and cause high morbidity and mortality. The direct transmission of such pathogens is well documented, and measures to protect other patients would seem indicated. Nonetheless, evidence-based recommendations are not yet available because of insufficient data from clinical trials.

Efficacy profiles of daptomycin for treatment of invasive and noninvasive pulmonary infections with Streptococcus pneumoniae.

Daptomycin is a novel lipopeptide antibiotic with excellent activity against Gram-positive bacterial pathogens, but its therapeutic value for the treatment of invasive pneumococcal disease compared to that for the treatment of pneumococcal pneumonia is incompletely defined. We investigated the efficacy of daptomycin in two models of Streptococcus pneumoniae-induced lung infection, i.e.