A multi-laboratory comparison of two molecular methods for the detection of toxigenic Clostridium difficile.

Introduction: Diarrheal disease due to toxigenic Clostridium difficile (CD) accounts for an increased number of hospitalizations and deaths each year. Published guidelines recommend reflex testing of CD antigen-positive samples to molecular testing or testing samples directly by a molecular assay. This multicenter study was designed to compare the accuracy of two different molecular methods targeting different CD genes: Xpert C.

Controlled clinical comparison of new pediatric medium with adsorbent polymeric beads (PF Plus) versus charcoal-containing PF medium in the BacT/alert blood culture system.

We conducted a controlled clinical comparison of PF Plus, the new pediatric medium with adsorbent polymeric beads, versus the charcoal-containing PF medium in the BacT/Alert blood culture system. A total of 2,381 pediatric cultures were enrolled, and 1,703 (71.5%) were deemed to be compliant and acceptable for analysis.

Klebsiella pneumoniae Carbapenemase-producing Enterobacteriaceae, Northeast Florida.

Background: Since 2001 there have been several reported outbreaks due to carbapenem-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae (Kp), particularly in the northeastern states.

Methods: Carbapenemase-producing Enterobacteriaceae from healthcare facilities in Northeast Florida were phenotypically identified and confirmed using PCR amplification and sequencing of the blaKPC gene.

Results: Results from PFGE analysis of these isolates demonstrated possible horizontal spread from two possible "outbreak" strains during the study period.

Antimicrobial susceptibility among Acinetobacter calcoaceticus-baumannii complex and Enterobacteriaceae collected as part of the Tigecycline Evaluation and Surveillance Trial.

Objective: To measure the in vitro activity of a panel of antimicrobial agents against gram-negative pathogens collected from the nine census regions of the USA.

Methods: Isolates were collected from 76 centers between January 2004 and September 2005. In vitro activity was assessed using CLSI guidelines and CLSI or FDA interpretive criteria.