[Carbapenemase producing Enterobacteriaceae in the Netherlands: unnoticed spread to several regions].

- Carbapenemase producing Enterobacteriaceae (CPE), including Klebsiella pneumoniae and Escherichia coli, are only sporadically seen in the Netherlands and then mainly in patients who have been transferred from foreign hospitals.- CPE are resistant to virtually all beta-lactam antibiotics, including carbapenems, e.g.

The aetiology of community-acquired pneumonia and implications for patient management.

Purpose: Understanding which pathogens are associated with clinical manifestation of community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) is important to optimise treatment. We performed a study on the aetiology of CAP and assessed possible implications for patient management in the Netherlands.

Methods: Patients with CAP attending the emergency department of a general hospital were invited to participate in the study.

Dynamics of antiviral-resistant influenza viruses in the Netherlands, 2005-2008.

In the Netherlands, influenza specific antivirals are used for the therapy of influenza in nursing homes and hospitals, for prophylaxis in high risk groups and neuraminidase inhibitors are stockpiled as part of pandemic preparedness plans. To monitor the antiviral susceptibility profile, human influenza virus isolates derived from the Dutch influenza surveillance in 2005-2006 (n=87), 2006-2007 (n=58) and 2007-2008 (n=128) were analyzed with phenotypic assays and sequencing. For adamantanes, a high proportion (>74%) of A(H3N2) viruses had the S31N mutation in M2 protein, while variation in the HA(1) region of adamantane-sensitive viruses suggested that adamantane-sensitive variants were reseeded into the Dutch population and re-emerged as drug-sensitive due to M-segment reassortment.

Chitosan microparticles for mucosal vaccination against diphtheria: oral and nasal efficacy studies in mice.

In this study, the ability of chitosan microparticles to enhance both the systemic and local immune responses against diphtheria toxoid (DT) after oral and nasal administration in mice was investigated.Firstly, DT was associated to chitosan microparticles to determine antigen loading and release. Then DT loaded chitosan microparticles, DT in phosphate buffered saline (PBS) and empty chitosan microparticles (as controls) were fed intragastrically and administered nasally to mice.

Transport of chitosan microparticles for mucosal vaccine delivery in a human intestinal M-cell model.

Uptake of particulate antigen carrier systems by specialized M-cells of the gut-associated lymphoid tissue is still a limiting step in inducing efficient immune responses after oral vaccination. Although transport of soluble drugs over the epithelial barrier of the gut is extensively studied in vitro by using the Caco-2 cell model, this was for long time not possible for particles due to the absence of M-cells. By co-culturing Caco-2 cells with cultured human B-lymphocytes (Raji-cells), cells which are morphologically and functionally similar to M-cells can be induced.