Emergence of VIM-12 in Enterobacter cloacae.

Detection of the bla(VIM-12) gene within the originally described Inh12 integron in a clinical isolate of Enterobacter cloacae is reported for the first time worldwide. Integron Inh12 was carried on a conjugative plasmid of approximately 85 kb which also conferred resistance to aztreonam, likely due to AmpC production.

Antimicrobial susceptibility of pediatric uropathogens in Thrace, Greece.

The aim of this study was to investigate the bacterial pathogens involved in pediatric urinary tract infections (UTIs) in a tertiary general hospital located in the Thrace province of Northern Greece over a 69-month period (1/2003 to 9/2008), and their antibiotic susceptibility patterns. A total of 622 episodes of UTIs in 508 children were identified. Median age of all children was 16 months (range 1 month to 14 years).

A newly described vancomycin-resistant ST412 Enterococcus faecium predominant in Greek hospitals.

A total of 359 vancomycin-resistant enterococci (344 Enterococcus faecium and 15 E. faecalis) collected during 2007 from eight tertiary-care hospitals in Greece were analysed for genotypic characteristics. Four common clones, ST412, ST203, ST16 and ST17, were identified among E.

In vitro activity of daptomycin against Gram-positive cocci: the first multicentre study in Greece.

A total of 10420 Gram-positive cocci (including staphylococci, enterococci and various groups of streptococci) collected from clinically significant specimens in ten Greek hospitals during 2006--2007 were tested for their susceptibility to daptomycin. The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) was determined by the broth microdilution method. Daptomycin demonstrated very high activity against Enterococcus faecalis (MIC at which 50% of the isolates were inhibited (MIC50) = 1mg/L and MIC at which 90% of the isolates were inhibited (MIC90) = 1.

De-escalation therapy rates are significantly higher by bronchoalveolar lavage than by tracheal aspirate.

Objective: To assess outcomes with de-escalation therapy in ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP).

Design: Prospective observational study.

Setting: Multidisciplinary intensive care unit.

Both early-onset and late-onset ventilator-associated pneumonia are caused mainly by potentially multiresistant bacteria.

Objective: To compare the causative pathogens of early-onset and late-onset ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) diagnosed by bronchoalveolar lavage quantitative cultures. Most previous reports have been based on endotracheal aspirate cultures and gave uncertain findings.

Design: Prospective evaluation of consecutive patients with clinical suspicion for VAP.