Significant variations of dangerous exposures during COVID-19 pandemic in Italy: a possible association with the containment measures implemented to reduce the virus transmission.

Background: In response to the COVID-19 health emergency, mass media widely spread guidelines to stop the virus transmission, leading to an excessive and unaware use of detergents and disinfectants. In Italy and in other countries this tendency caused a significant increase of exposures to these products in 2020. Evaluating data collected by the Italian Pavia Poison Centre (PPC), this study intends to examine the relationship between the COVID-19 lockdown and the variations of exposures to specific product categories possibly associated to the containment measures implemented.

Adhesion and biofilm formation by Staphylococcus aureus clinical isolates under conditions relevant to the host: relationship with macrolide resistance and clonal lineages.

Purpose: Staphylococcus aureus isolates, collected from various clinical samples, were analysed to evaluate the contribution of the genetic background of both erythromycin-resistant (ERSA) and -susceptible (ESSA) S. aureus strains to biofilm formation.

Methods: A total of 66 ESSA and 43 ERSA clinical isolates were studied for adhesiveness and biofilm formation under different atmospheres.

Neonatal Group B Streptococcus Infections: Prevention Strategies, Clinical and Microbiologic Characteristics in 7 Years of Surveillance.

Background: The characteristics of group B streptococcus (GBS) neonatal disease in a period of 7 years are reported.

Methods: The estimation of the neonatal GBS disease risk and prevention strategies adopted at delivery in absence of national guidelines was evaluated by the analysis of 3501 questionnaires. Notification of 194 neonatal GBS infections was recorded.

The Protective Value of Maternal Group B Streptococcus Antibodies: Quantitative and Functional Analysis of Naturally Acquired Responses to Capsular Polysaccharides and Pilus Proteins in European Maternal Sera.

Background: Group B Streptococcus (GBS) is a major cause of neonatal sepsis and meningitis. A vaccine targeting pregnant women could protect infants through placentally transferred antibodies. The association between GBS maternal antibody concentrations and the risk of neonatal infection has been investigated in US and African populations.

A new genotyping scheme based on MLVA for inter-laboratory surveillance of Streptococcus pyogenes.

A newly developed MLVA seven-loci scheme for Streptococcus pyogenes is described. The method can be successfully applied by using both agarose gel with visual inspections of bands and Lab on Chip technology. The potential of the present MLVA has been tested on a collection of 100 clinical GAS strains representing the most common emm types found in high-income countries plus 18 published gap-free genomes, in comparison to PFGE and MLST.

Mutations upstream of fabI in triclosan resistant Staphylococcus aureus strains are associated with elevated fabI gene expression.

Background: The enoyl-acyl carrier protein (ACP) reductase enzyme (FabI) is the target for a series of antimicrobial agents including novel compounds in clinical trial and the biocide triclosan. Mutations in fabI and heterodiploidy for fabI have been shown to confer resistance in S. aureus strains in a previous study.

Characterization of Streptococcus pneumoniae clones from paediatric patients with cystic fibrosis.

The role of Streptococcus pneumoniae in cystic fibrosis (CF) is poorly understood. The pneumococcal population has changed over time after the introduction of the heptavalent conjugate vaccine (PCV7) and, more recently, the 13-valent conjugate vaccine (PCV13). Although serotypes and clones causing invasive pneumococcal disease or colonizing healthy children have been extensively analysed, little is known so far on the serotypes and clones of pneumococci in CF patients.

Characteristics of neonatal GBS disease during a multicentre study (2007-2010) and in the year 2012.

Introduction: The characteristics of Group B Streptococcal (GBS) early onset (EOD) and late onset (LOD) neonatal infections in Italy were analyzed. Two periods were considered, a first 3-years period (2007-2010), when notification of GBS infections was enforced under the auspices of the Italian Ministry of Health, and a second 1 year period (2012) when reporting on neonatal GBS disease continued on voluntary basis.

Methods: A standardized form was used to collect data on cases of neonatal GBS disease.

Genetic diversity and virulence properties of Streptococcus dysgalactiae subsp. equisimilis from different sources.

A recent increase in virulence of pathogenic Streptococcus dysgalactiae subsp. equisimilis (SDSE) has been widely proposed. Such an increase may be partly explained by the acquisition of new virulence traits by horizontal gene transfer from related streptococci such as Streptococcus pyogenes (GAS) and Streptococcus agalactiae (GBS).

Impact of perinatal practices for early-onset group B Streptococcal disease prevention.

Background: Prevention of residual cases of neonatal group B streptococcus (GBS) early-onset disease (EOGBS) has become a goal in the past decade. This study is aimed at evaluating changes in the incidence of EOGBS over a 9-year period after the implementation of a screening-based approach and comparing 2 different protocols for managing healthy-appearing at-risk newborns (ARNs).

Methods: A screening-based strategy was introduced in Emilia-Romagna (Italy) in 2003.

Capsular gene typing of Streptococcus agalactiae compared to serotyping by latex agglutination.

We evaluated three different PCR-based capsular gene typing methods applied to 312 human and bovine Streptococcus agalactiae (group B Streptococcus [GBS]) isolates and compared the results to serotyping results obtained by latex agglutination. Among 281 human isolates 27% could not be typed by latex agglutination. All 312 isolates except 5 could be typed by the three PCR methods combined.

Interspecies mobilization of an ermT-carrying plasmid of Streptococcus dysgalactiae subsp. equisimilis by a coresident ICE of the ICESa2603 family.

Objectives: The recently documented presence of almost identical, small, non-self-transmissible, erm(T)-carrying plasmids in clonally unrelated erythromycin-resistant isolates of Streptococcus pyogenes and Streptococcus agalactiae suggests that these plasmids somehow circulate in the streptococcal population. The objective of this study was to characterize the erm(T)-carrying genetic element in a clinical isolate of Streptococcus dysgalactiae subsp. equisimilis (Sde5580) and to provide a possible explanation for the spread of erm(T)-carrying plasmids in streptococci.

A novel resistance mechanism to triclosan that suggests horizontal gene transfer and demonstrates a potential selective pressure for reduced biocide susceptibility in clinical strains of Staphylococcus aureus.

The widely used biocide triclosan selectively targets FabI, the NADH-dependent trans-2-enoyl-acyl carrier protein reductase, which is an important target for narrow-spectrum antimicrobial drug development. In relation to the growing concern about biocide resistance, we compared in vitro mutants and clinical isolates of Staphylococcus aureus with reduced triclosan susceptibility. Clinical isolates of S.

Methods of preparation of multifunctional microbubbles and their in vitro / in vivo assessment of stability, functional and structural properties.

Microbubbles (MBs) are ultrasound responsive colloidal particles with a strong potential to become theranostic agents, combining the contrast agent activity with therapeutic functionality. In the last decades, MBs have played a significant role as ultrasound contrast agents in diagnostic imaging. MBs have also shown great potential in applications such as molecular imaging, drug delivery, gene therapy and sonothrombolysis.

Central venous catheter infections and antibiotic therapy during long-term home parenteral nutrition: an 11-year follow-up study.

Background: Catheter-related bloodstream infections are a serious and common complication in patients receiving home parenteral nutrition (HPN).

Methods: Prevalence of infections, type of agents, and effectiveness of antibiotic therapy were evaluated in 296 patients (133 males, 163 females; mean age 58.2 +/- 13.

A multiplex PCR assay for the direct identification of the capsular type (Ia to IX) of Streptococcus agalactiae.

A multiplex PCR assay for the identification of serotypes Ia to IX of Streptococcus agalactiae was developed. By using a single PCR reaction containing a mix of 19 primers the assay identified each serotype by the analysis of the unique two or three bands pattern on agarose gel.

Panton-Valentine leukocidin gene detected in Staphylococcus aureus strain isolated from a knee arthroprosthesis infection.

This report focuses on the molecular characterization of a Staphylococcus aureus strain isolated from a knee arthroprosthesis infection and recognized retrospectively as a carrier of the Panton-Valentine leukocidin gene. The stored microbiological isolate, which belonged to the strain collection of the Research Unit on Implant Infections of the Rizzoli Orthopaedic Institute, was retrieved for molecular analysis. Genotyping was carried out, revealing an interesting profile.

Surface protein EF3314 contributes to virulence properties of Enterococcus faecalis.

Purpose: Identification of putative new virulence factors as additional targets for therapeutic approaches alternative to antibiotic treatment of multi-resistant enterococcal infections.

Methods: The EF3314 gene, coding for a putative surface-exposed antigen, was identified by the analysis of the Enterococcus faecalis V583 genome for LPXTG-motif cell wall anchor surface protein genes. A non-polar EF3314 gene deletion mutant in the E.

Molecular epidemiology of Staphylococcus aureus from implant orthopaedic infections: ribotypes, agr polymorphism, leukocidal toxins and antibiotic resistance.

Staphylococcus aureus is a leading pathogen of implant-related infections. In the field of biomaterials a variety of alternative approaches are currently proposed for prophylaxis and treatment of implant infections, but little is known on the role of the different pathogenetic mechanisms and spreading strategies that lead selected S. aureus clones to prevail and become epidemic.

The role of osmiophilic bodies and Pfg377 expression in female gametocyte emergence and mosquito infectivity in the human malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum.

Osmiophilic bodies are membrane-bound vesicles, found predominantly in Plasmodium female gametocytes, that become progressively more abundant as the gametocyte reaches full maturity. These vesicles lie beneath the subpellicular membrane of the gametocyte, and the release of their contents into the parasitophorous vacuole has been postulated to aid in the escape of gametocytes from the erythrocyte after ingestion by the mosquito. Currently, the only protein known to be associated with osmiophilic bodies in Plasmodium falciparum is Pfg377, a gametocyte-specific protein expressed at the onset of osmiophilic body development.

Strong biofilm production, antibiotic multi-resistance and high gelE expression in epidemic clones of Enterococcus faecalis from orthopaedic implant infections.

Enterococcus faecalis is an opportunistic pathogen, which today represents one of the leading aetiologic agents of nosocomial infections and, increasingly, of implant infections. Here, in a collection of 43 E. faecalis isolated from implant orthopaedic infections, virulence-related phenotypes (biofilm and gelatinase production) and genotypes (gelE and esp) were studied to characterize epidemic clones identified and grouped by ribotyping.

Molecular epidemiology and distribution of serotypes, surface proteins, and antibiotic resistance among group B streptococci in Italy.

Group B streptococci (GBS) comprising three different sets of isolates (31 invasive, 36 noninvasive, and 24 colonizing isolates) were collected in Italy during the years 2002 to 2005. Clonal groups were established by pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE), and selected isolates were studied by multilocus sequence typing (MLST). GBS isolates were also characterized by classical and molecular techniques for serotyping and protein gene and antibiotic resistance profiling.

The role of Enterococcus faecalis in orthopaedic peri-implant infections demonstrated by automated ribotyping and cluster analysis.

Enterococcus faecalis is an emerging etiologic agent of hospital infections, exhibiting high rates of antibiotic resistances. Here, 43 isolates of E. faecalis, taken from patients with implant orthopaedic infections come at the Rizzoli Orthopaedic Institute from 13 different Italian regions, were genotyped by an automated RiboPrinter and analyzed for antimicrobial susceptibility.

emm Types, virulence factors, and antibiotic resistance of invasive Streptococcus pyogenes isolates from Italy: What has changed in 11 years?

To investigate the epidemiology and characteristics of invasive group A streptococcal (GAS) disease over 11 years in Italy, this study compared the emm types and the superantigen toxin genes speA and speC as well as the erythromycin, clindamycin, and tetracycline susceptibilities of 207 invasive GAS strains collected during two national enhanced surveillance periods (1994 to 1996 and 2003 to 2005) and the time between each set of surveillance periods. The present study demonstrated that emm1 strains were consistently responsible for about 20% of invasive GAS infections, while variations in the frequencies of the other types were noted, although the causes of most cases of invasive infections were restricted to emm1, emm3, emm4, emm6, emm12, and emm18. During the 1994 to 1996 surveillance period, an emm89 epidemic clone spread across the northern part of Italy.