Antimicrobial resistance and molecular epidemiology of Panton-Valentine leukocidin-positive community-associated methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus from Gran Canaria (Canary Islands, Spain).

Among 3967 Staphylococcus aureus recovered from a Gran Canaria hospital (2003-2010), 28 strains were Panton-Valentine leukocidin-positive community-associated methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus and were included in this study. Most isolates (89.3%) caused skin and skin-structure infections.

[Epidemiological features of invasive pneumococcal disease before and after the introduction of pneumococcal conjugate vaccine in Gran Canaria (Canary Islands)].

Introduction: The introduction of pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV-7) has modified the epidemiology of invasive pneumococcal disease (IPD). Our aim was to investigate the epidemiological features of IPD before and after implementing the use of PCV-7.

Methods: All invasive Streptococcus pneumoniae strains isolated in our hospital from 2000 to 2006 were included.

[Value of the polymerase chain reaction in the diagnosis of herpes infections of the nervous system].

Objective: To assess the performance of a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) method in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) for the diagnosis of nervous system infections caused by herpesvirus, and to estimate the incidence of encephalitis due to herpes simplex virus type 1 in the adult population of the island of Gran Canaria.

Methods: We studied 330 CSF specimens from 312 patients (281 HIV-negative and 31 HIV-positive) remitted to investigate clinically suspected encephalitis or meningitis, or to study neuropathy or demyelinating disease. A multiplex PCR technique was used to detect herpes simplex virus types 1 and 2 (HSV-1 and HSV-2), varicella-zoster virus (VZV), human cytomegalovirus (CMV), Epstein-Barr virus and human herpesvirus type 6.

[Epidemic outbreak of meningitis due to Echovirus type 13 on the island of Gran Canaria (Spain)].

Introduction: Since the implementation of routine vaccination against mumps, enteroviruses have become the commonest cause of viral meningitis. In Spain the most frequently isolated echoviruses are serotypes 30, 9, 6 and 4.Objectives.

Epidemiology of tuberculosis on Gran Canaria: a 4 year population study using traditional and molecular approaches.

Background: In recent years several population based studies using restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) analysis have shown a higher rate of recent transmission of tuberculosis than previously thought. This study was undertaken to determine the transmission patterns of tuberculosis and the potential causes of recent transmission on the island of Gran Canaria (Spain).

Methods: The strains of all patients diagnosed with tuberculosis confirmed by culture between 1 January 1993 and 31 December 1996 were typed by RFLP using the insertion sequence IS6110.

[Clinical evaluation of the Amplified Mycobacterium Tuberculosis Direct 2 test].

Objective: To evaluate the performance of the Amplified Mycobacterium tuberculosis Direct Test 2- Gen Probe (AMTD- 2) for direct detection of Mycobacterium tuberculosis in smear-negative samples.

Patients And Methods: From January to December 1999, 683 specimens, 333 respiratory and 350 non-respiratory ones collected from 457 patients, were included in the study. All the samples of HIV-positive patients, the respiratory samples from patients suspected of having pulmonary tuberculosis (at least two by patient) and all non-respiratory samples were included.

[Epidemiologic study of infection by hepatitis C virus in a hemodialysis unit].

Objective: To analyze the prevalence of infection, the frequency of HCV genotypes and the epidemiology characteristics among the patients in hemodialysis treatment in one 25 years old hospital hemodialysis center and one 15 years old secondary unit by a transversal cross-section study in 1998.

Patients And Methods: 171 hemodialyzed-patients were studied. Patients sera were analyzed by the presence of HCV antibodies anti-VHC by a enzymoimmunoassay (Abbott Cientifica) and the presence of antibodies was confirmed by a line immunoassay (Inno-LIA HCV AbIII) and by the presence of VHC-RNA by reverse transcriptase PCR (Cobas Amplicor HCV).

[Usefulness of detecting Mycobacterium tuberculosis by genome amplification in the diagnosis of childhood pulmonary tuberculosis].

Objective: To evaluate the polymerase chain reaction in the diagnosis of pulmonary tuberculosis in children.

Patients And Methods: 135 samples (68 sputum and 67 gastric aspirates) of 72 patients under 15 years old with suspected tuberculosis and a negative acid-fast stain were included in the study. In all the samples an acid-fast stain and culture in Lowestein-Jensen with and without piruvate were performed.

[The importance of polymerase chain reaction in the diagnosis of enterovirus infections of the central nervous system in children. Clinico-epidemiologic characteristics].

Background: To compare the diagnosis utility of a reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) for detection of enteroviral RNA in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) in comparison to viral culture for central nervous system infections in pediatric population and to know the clinic epidemiological characteristics of this infection.

Methods: From June to December of 1997, 116 CSF samples of children were included in the study. The samples were inoculated in MRC-5 and HEP-2 and the enterovirus RNA was detected with AMPLICOR-Enterovirus (Roche Diagnostic System).

[Prevalence of hepatitis C virus genotypes: epidemiology and histologic characteristics].

Objective: To analyse the prevalence of HCV genotypes among patients from Gran Canaria and the relation with the routes of viral transmission, date of primoinfection and severity of hepatic lesion.

Patients And Methods: 179 patients were studied. In 61 patients the date of exposure was determinate.

[Usefulness of determining low-avidity IgG antibodies in the diagnosis of primary rubella infection in pregnant women].

Background: It is necessary to have an easy and quickly test to distinguish "false positive" rubella IgM results and residual antibodies from the antibodies produced in the primary infection, in pregnant women. The avidity of IgG antibodies test seems to differentiate between primary rubella infection and past infections, reinfections or postvaccination, showing its utility in the diagnosis of primary infection in other infectious diseases.

Method: For 30 months, 178 sera from 157 patients with clinical and/or epidemiological rubella suspicion or with a positive rubella IgM result as result of an accidental serological finding, were remitted to our laboratory for a serological follow up.

[Outbreak of schistosomiasis in a group a travellers returning from Burkina Faso].

Background: Schistosomiasis in Spain is always an imported disease mainly presented in travellers from endemic areas with a history of having bathed in fresh water and in immigrants from these areas. A group of travellers presenting infection by schistosomes following an 8-day journey to Burkina Faso.

Patients And Methods: The travellers, residents of Gran Canaria (Spain), who had bathed in fresh water were studied by schistosomiasis serology and parasitologic examination in stools and urine.

[The experience of the search for Lyme disease in the eastern Canary Islands].

Background: The eastern region of Canary Islands presents certain climatic and atmospheric conditions which differentiate it from the accepted parameters in cases of Lyme disease. We present a serologic study of patients with clinical syndrome which is potentially compatible with Lyme disease, in an effort to clarify the presence of this disorder region.

Material And Methods: We assayed type IgG and IgM antibodies against the flagellin antigen of the native Borrelia burgdorferii using indirect enzymeimmunoassay (EIA) as a screening technique.

[Performance of the IgG avidity test in patients with cytomegalovirus disease].

Background: IgG antibodies produced early in infection has a low avidity to their respective epitopes, so that an assay to detect those antibodies could be easily used to diagnose a recent primary infection. A prospective study of anti-CMV IgG avidity test in patients with microbiological evidence of active CMV infection was made.

Methods: One hundred thirty-five patients were studied.

[Clinical characteristics and epidemiologic study of a listeriosis outbreak in Grand Canary].

Background And Methods: Human infections caused by Listeria monocytogenes often present as sporadic cases without any epidemiological relationship among them; however they also appear as outbreaks that are usually detected by an increase in the number of cases diagnosed by hospitals of the geographic area. Between December 1991 and May 1993, twenty four cases of listeriosis were detected in three hospitals of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria; and they were classified as an outbreak. Our report describes its clinical, epidemiological and microbiological aspects.

[Microbiological study of vulvovaginitis in premenarcheal girls].

Background: A prospective microbiological study of the vaginal swab specimens from premenarcheal girls with clinical diagnosis of vulvovaginitis was done from the 1st of September 1991 to the 31st of August 1994.

Patients And Methods: Vaginal secretions from premenarcheal girls with clinical findings were examined. Most important pathogenic agents were investigated and if there was an inflammatory reaction in the Gram stain and a heavy growth on culture, other potentially pathogenic agents were considered also.

[Comparative study of the serologic response of IgA and IgM type in the diagnosis of acute toxoplasmosis].

Background: IgM serologic response in the diagnosis of acute toxoplasmosis presents interpretation problems. A comparative study with IgA detection of antibodies was performed.

Methods: A parallel serologic study was carried out with IgM and IgA enzymoimmunoassay enhancement techniques in the sera of patients suspected of having toxoplasmosis.