Interhospital transmission of vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus faecium in Aomori, Japan.

Background: Spread of vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus (VRE) is a global concern as a significant cause of healthcare-associated infections. A series of VRE faecium (VREf) outbreaks caused by clonal propagation due to interhospital transmission occurred in six general hospitals in Aomori prefecture, Japan.

Methods: The number of patients with VREf was obtained from thirty seven hospitals participating in the local network of Aomori prefecture.

Impact of polymorphisms of pharmacokinetics-related genes and the inflammatory response on the metabolism of voriconazole.

The effects of inflammatory responses and polymorphisms of the genes encoding cytochrome P450 (CYP) (CYP2C19 and CYP3A5), flavin-containing monooxygenase 3 (FMO3), pregnane X receptor (NR1I2), constitutive androstane receptor (NR1I3), and CYP oxidoreductase (POR) on the ratio of voriconazole (VRCZ) N-oxide to VRCZ (VNO/VRCZ) and steady-state trough concentrations (C ) of VRCZ were investigated. A total of 56 blood samples were collected from 36 Japanese patients. Results of multiple linear regression analyses demonstrated that the presence of the extensive metabolizer CYP2C19 genotype, the dose per administration, and the presence of the NR1I2 rs3814057 C/C genotype were independent factors influencing the VNO/VRCZ ratio in patients with CRP levels of less than 40 mg/L (standardized regression coefficients (SRC) = 0.

Serum 3-Hydroxybutyrate in Patients with Psychogenic Somatoform Symptoms May Be a Predictor of the Effectiveness of Sertraline and Venlafaxine.

Background: Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) and serotonin-noradrenaline reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs) are often used to treat outpatients with psychogenic somatoform symptoms but prove ineffective in some cases. The metabolite 3-hydroxybutyrate (3HB) is currently attracting attention as a marker of the severity of depression. We investigated whether serum 3HB levels in patients with psychogenic somatoform symptoms can predict the effectiveness of sertraline and venlafaxine.

Clinical relevance of procalcitonin values in bacteremia.

Introduction: The aim of this study was to investigate procalcitonin levels according to the causative pathogens of bacteremia. The relationships between the clinical outcomes and procalcitonin levels were also studied.

Methods: From among 452 patients, 507 cases of positive blood culture were included in the present study.

Nationwide surveillance of bacterial respiratory pathogens conducted by the surveillance committee of japanese society of chemotherapy, the japanese association for infectious diseases, and the japanese society for clinical microbiology in 2016: General view of the pathogens' antibacterial susceptibility.

The nationwide surveillance on antimicrobial susceptibility of bacterial respiratory pathogens from the patients in Japan was conducted by the Japanese Society of Chemotherapy, the Japanese Association for Infectious Diseases, and the Japanese Society for Clinical Microbiology in 2016. The isolates were collected from clinical specimens obtained from well-diagnosed adult patients with respiratory tract infections during the period between February 2016 and August 2016 by three societies. Antimicrobial susceptibility testing was conducted at the central reference laboratory according to the method recommended by Clinical Laboratory Standards Institute.

Impact of Geographical Variations on the Prevalence of Multidrug-Resistant Organisms in Japan.

Emergence and spread of multidrug-resistant organisms (MDRO) is an urgent social and public health problem. Here, we carried out an epidemiological survey to clarify the geographical characteristics and factors influencing the prevalence of MDRO. Data on the prevalence of MDRO in 47 prefectures in Japan were extracted from the Japanese Nosocomial Infection Surveillance, a nationwide database for infection control.

Impact on Antifungal Susceptibility Patterns of Previous vs. Revised Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute Breakpoints for Candida Species Isolated from Candidemia: Experience of Two Tertiary Care Institutions in Japan.

Background: Candidemia has a high mortality rate. Identifying prognostic factors of candidemia, based on each regional data, is essential for better management. The Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute (CLSI) recently revised Candida species-specific breakpoints (R-BP) for antifungal agents.

Anti-E Detected in a 7-Month-Old Infant with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia after Transfusion.

Background: Only a few cases of infantile anti-red blood cell alloantibody production have been reported.

Methods: A 7-month-old girl with acute lymphoid leukemia developed anti-E alloantibody 13 days after transfusion of E-positive red blood cells. Antibody screening was performed before and at 2, 6, 13, 18, 27, 34, and 49 days after red blood cell transfusion.

Epidemiology, practice patterns, and prognostic factors for candidemia; and characteristics of fourteen patients with breakthrough bloodstream infections: a single tertiary hospital experience in Japan.

Background: Candidemia is associated with high mortality, and its prognostic factors need to be examined in more detail in order to improve its management. A case of breakthrough (BT) candidemia is defined as the development of candidemia during antifungal therapy. The microbiological characteristics of and appropriate clinical practices for BT candidemia remain unclear.

Evaluating effectiveness of infection control efforts in hospitals using information in microbiological laboratory databases.

Purpose: To analyze the quality of infection control activities, bacteriological data relevant to infection control was evaluated through the microbiological data warehouse networking hospitals in two medical regions.

Methods: Data regarding bacterial test results of 19 hospitals were extracted from two microbiological laboratory information data bases. The rate of MRSA among total was used as a general indicator of infection control activities.

Intracellular Storage of Duffy Antigen-Binding Chemokines by Duffy-Positive Red Blood Cells.

Background: Duffy antigen/chemokine receptor (DARC) is a non-signaling receptor for multiple chemokines. The role of DARC on red blood cells (RBCs) has remained elusive. The purpose of this study was to analyze selective storage of DARC-binding chemokines in RBCs.

Spurious Thrombocytosis Caused by Tumor Cell Lysis in a Patient with Acute Monocytic Leukemia.

Background: Tumor lysis syndrome can occur after treatment of fast-growing cancers. Early detection of tumor lysis is crucial to minimize the toxic effects on organs and potentially life-threatening complications.

Methods: A patient with acute monocytic leukemia presented with spurious thrombocytosis.

Influence of Media on Seasonal Influenza Epidemic Curves.

Back Ground: Theoretical investigations predicting the epidemic curves of seasonal influenza have been demonstrated so far; however, there is little empirical research using ever accumulated epidemic curves. The effects of vaccine coverage and information distribution on influenza epidemics were evaluated.

Materials And Methods: Four indices for epidemics (i.

[Increase in Bacillus spp.-positive Blood Culture Specimens Linked to Inadequate Linen Management].

Bacillus cereus is a gram-positive rod-type bacterium that forms endospores and is distributed throughout various environments. It rarely causes disease in humans except for cases of food poisoning. However, infection with B.

Correction: Functional Analysis of Free Fatty Acid Receptor GPR120 in Human Eosinophils: Implications in Metabolic Homeostasis.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.

Influence of Average Income on Epidemics of Seasonal Influenza.

Understanding the local factors influencing the transmission of communicable diseases is important to minimize social damage. The aim of this study was to investigate local factors influencing seasonal influenza epidemics in Aomori prefecture consisting of 6 regions, i.e.

Possible involvement of reusable towels in the high rate of Bacillus species-positive blood cultures in Japanese hospitals.

Background: A number of outbreaks caused by Bacillus species have been reported to date. Outbreaks reported in the last decade have predominantly arisen in Japanese hospitals.

Aim: To elucidate factors contributing to these real or pseudo outbreaks by Bacillus species, and to evaluate the rate of Bacillus species-positive blood culture samples in Japan.

Sepsis caused by Listeria monocytogenes during chemotherapy for small cell carcinoma of the thymus.

Background: Listeria monocytogenes is a facultative intracellular parasitic bacterium that is Gram positive, catalase positive, oxidase negative, and a facultative anaerobe. It is known to infect humans through food. It is a bacillus with low virulence, but can cause meningitis and sepsis in infants and immunocompromised patients.

Cough variant asthma patients are more depressed and anxious than classic asthma patients.

Objective: Many recent studies have indicated that depression and anxiety are more common in asthmatic patients than in the general population and psychological stress can lead to asthma exacerbations, but no study specifically targets cough variant asthma (CVA) patients. The purpose of this study was to evaluate depression and anxiety levels in CVA patients compared with classic asthma patients and to identify the psychological features of CVA patients.

Methods: Fifty-nine outpatients with CVA and 128 outpatients with classic asthma were interviewed about psychosomatic and psychiatric symptoms, and they underwent three psychological tests: Self-rating Depression Scale (SDS), State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI), and Comprehensive Asthma Inventory (CAI).

G-protein-coupled estrogen receptor agonist suppresses airway inflammation in a mouse model of asthma through IL-10.

Estrogen influences the disease severity and sexual dimorphism in asthma, which is caused by complex mechanisms. Besides classical nuclear estrogen receptors (ERαβ), G-protein-coupled estrogen receptor (GPER) was recently established as an estrogen receptor on the cell membrane. Although GPER is associated with immunoregulatory functions of estrogen, the pathophysiological role of GPER in allergic inflammatory lung disease has not been examined.