[Cavernous Nontuberculous Mycobacterial Lung Infection in an HIV-positive Patient].

Since we first described Mycobacterium heckeshornense, a rare species of mycobacteria in 2000, only 21 cases of infection with this mycobacterium have been described in humans. We relate the diagnosis and therapy of another case of this uncommon nontuberculous mycobacterium in an immune-suppressed patient.

Long Persistence of a 23F Clone in a Cystic Fibrosis Patient.

isolates of serotype 23F with intermediate penicillin resistance were recovered on seven occasions over a period of 37 months from a cystic fibrosis patient in Berlin. All isolates expressed the same multilocus sequence type (ST), ST10523. The genome sequences of the first and last isolates, D122 and D141, revealed the absence of two phage-related gene clusters compared to the genome of another ST10523 strain, D219, isolated earlier at a different place in Germany.

Neuroleptic drugs in the treatment of tuberculosis: Minimal inhibitory concentrations of different phenothiazines against Mycobacterium tuberculosis.

Due to an increase of drug resistant TB, alternative drugs that are not currently listed in the WHO guidelines on MDR TB treatment are currently being evaluated. Our group tested 100 susceptible, 20 MDR and 2 XDR Mtb strains against the phenothiazine derivatives thioridazine, trifluoperazine and triflupromazine. MIC testing was performed on Middlebrook 7H10 agar and was defined as the lowest drug concentration that inhibits ≥99% of the bacterial population.

Minimal inhibitory concentrations of first-line drugs of multidrug-resistant tuberculosis isolates.

Context: The treatment of multidrug-resistant (MDR) and extensively drug-resistant (XDR) tuberculosis (TB) is consistently difficult. Besides resistances, drug availability can be problematic and costs for therapy are high.

Aims: Our aim was to evaluate alternatives in treatment of MDR and XDR TB other than using second-line drugs.

The use of interferon gamma release assays in the diagnosis of active tuberculosis.

Interferon gamma release assays (IGRAs) are in vitro immunologic diagnostic tests used to identify Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection. They cannot differentiate between latent and active infections. The cutoff suggested by the manufacturer is 0.

Early bactericidal activity of moxifloxacin in treatment of pulmonary tuberculosis: a prospective, randomized study.

Moxifloxacin is the most active fluoroquinolone against Mycobacterium tuberculosis in vitro. However, data about the efficacy in patients are not available. We enrolled 17 patients with tuberculosis in a prospective, randomized study.

Optimizing ceftazidime pharmacodynamics in patients with acute exacerbation of severe chronic bronchitis.

Objectives: Implementation of current pharmacodynamic knowledge could enhance clinical results, avoid resistance development and reduce treatment costs. In this open, randomized, multicentre study, we evaluated the clinical and bacteriological outcome and pharmacokinetic as well as pharmacodynamic parameters of two ceftazidime therapy regimens in patients with acute exacerbation of severe chronic bronchitis (AECB).

Methods: Eighty-one patients (56 males, 25 females, age 65.

Phylogeny of the genus Nocardia based on reassessed 16S rRNA gene sequences reveals underspeciation and division of strains classified as Nocardia asteroides into three established species and two unnamed taxons.

Conventional identification of Nocardia in the routine laboratory remains problematic due to a paucity of reliable phenotypic tests and due to the yet-unresolved taxonomy of strains classified as belonging to the species Nocardia asteroides, which comprises the type strain and isolates with drug pattern types II and VI. The 16S rRNA gene of 74 representative strains of the genus Nocardia, encompassing 25 established species, was sequenced in order to provide a molecular basis for accurate species identification and with the aim of reassessing the phylogeny of taxons assigned to the species N. asteroides.

Nosocomial pneumonia: epidemiology, pathogenesis, diagnosis, treatment and prevention.

Nosocomial pneumonia is the second most common nosocomial infection and the leading cause of death from hospital-acquired infection. Supine body position in mechanically ventilated patients, and cardiopulmonary resuscitation and continuous sedation are significant risk factors for developing nosocomial pneumonia. During the past 2 years some new therapeutic approaches for nosocomial pneumonia and modifications to established therapies have been described, such as optimal pharmacodynamic evaluations, monotherapy versus combination therapy, computer-assisted management programmes and antibiotic rotations.

Differentiation between Mycobacterium farcinogenes and Mycobacterium senegalense strains based on 16S-23S ribosomal DNA internal transcribed spacer sequences.

16S ribosomal DNA (rDNA) and 16S-23S internal transcribed spacer rDNA sequence analyses were performed on Mycobacterium farcinogenes and M. senegalense strains and 26 strains of other rapidly growing mycobacteria to investigate the phylogenetic structure of bovine farcy mycobacteria within the M. fortuitum complex.

Diagnosis of acute respiratory tract infections: serology and new methods.

No test is available that can identify all potential pathogens in acute respiratory tract infections. Each diagnostic test is associated with limitations with respect to sensitivity and/or specificity and/or speed, and thus a combination of tests has to be used. Even so, no etiologic agent is found in 30--60% of cases.