Point-prevalence survey of healthcare facility-onset healthcare-associated Clostridium difficile infection in Greek hospitals outside the intensive care unit: The C. DEFINE study.

Background: The correlation of Clostridium difficile infection (CDI) with in-hospital morbidity is important in hospital settings where broad-spectrum antimicrobial agents are routinely used, such as in Greece. The C. DEFINE study aimed to assess point-prevalence of CDI in Greece during two study periods in 2013.

Polyphasic identification and susceptibility to seven antifungals of 102 Aspergillus isolates recovered from immunocompromised hosts in Greece.

In this study, the first such study in Greece, we used polyphasic identification combined with antifungal susceptibility study to analyze Aspergillus clinical isolates comprising 102 common and rare members of sections Fumigati, Flavi, Terrei, Nidulantes, Nigri, Circumdati, Versicolores, and Usti. High amphotericin B MICs (>2 μg/ml) were found for 17.6% of strains.

Serotyping and antibiotic resistance of Streptococcus pneumoniae isolated from pediatric infections in central Greece.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the distribution of serogroups/serotypes and antibiotic resistance pattern of Streptococcus pneumoniae isolated from pediatric infections in central Greece. METHODS: In total, 306 S. pneumoniae strains isolated from children, aged from 18 days to 14 years (median 18 months), during a 21-month period, from different specimen sources, were studied.

Subconjunctival zoonotic Onchocerca in an Albanian man.

A case of subconjunctival infection with a zoonotic species of Onchocerca is described, in a 16-year-old Albanian man who had immigrated to Greece. This is the first report of human infection with Onchocerca in this tissue location and only the eighth report of zoonotic Onchocerca in man.

Pneumococcal acute otitis media in children.

Objectives: To evaluate the clinical and laboratory findings of Streptococcus pneumoniae acute otitis media in children during a 1 year period.

Methods: From October 1995 to September 1996, 113 children aged 2 months to 14 years (median 18 months), with S. pneumoniae acute otitis media were studied.

Prevalence and patterns of resistance of Streptococcus pneumoniae strains isolated from carriers attending day care centers in the area of Athens.

The prevalence and patterns of Streptococcus pneumoniae resistance to antibiotics was examined in 146 nasopharyngeal carrier strains obtained during April and May, 1997, from 382 healthy children attending eight day care centers (DCCs) in the area of Athens. Reduced susceptibility to at least one antibiotic was found in 32.6% as follows: penicillin 11.

Gradual increase in the minimum inhibitory concentration of penicillin among both susceptible and resistant Streptococcus pneumoniae isolates from Greek children during 1995-1997.

A total of 140 non-replicate Streptococcus pneumoniae community isolates from Greek children collected during the period 1995-1997 were studied. Combined intermediate and high penicillin resistance rates were 23% in 1995, 29% in 1996, and 27% in 1997. The proportion of highly resistant isolates steadily increased from 2% in 1995 to 12% in 1997.

Recent emergence of serogroup C meningococcal disease in Greece.

The number of cases of meningococcal disease reported to the Meningitis Reference Laboratory in Athens rose dramatically in 1996-1997. The aims were (1) to determine if the increase was due to introduction of new strains, (2) to assess the geographic and age distribution of the cases, (3) to compare antibiotic sensitivity patterns of the current isolates with strains from the early 1990s. In 1993-1994, 15/19 (74%) of the cases for which information on age was available were in children < or = 5 years; in 1995-1997, 80/179 (45%) of cases were in children < or = 5 years and 99 (55%) in the older age range (P < 0.

Antibiotic sensitivities of Neisseria meningitidis isolates from patients and carriers in Greece.

Usage of antibiotics in southern Europe is less well regulated than in northern countries. The proportion (48%) of meningococci in Spain insensitive to pencillin (MIC greater than or equal to 0.1 mg/l) prompted this investigation of antibiotic sensitivities of isolates from Greek patients with meningitis (31) and carriers (47 school-children and 472 recruits).