MRSA burden and interventions.

Infections caused by meticillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) remain a major problem worldwide. In England, the Department of Health set a target for decreasing MRSA bloodstream infections throughout the country by 50% by 2008, based on the 2003/2004 national figure. To aid hospitals in achieving their individual targets, guidance was provided in the form of care bundles, which were initially related to infection-control practices.

Polymerase chain reaction detection of Pneumocystis jiroveci: evaluation of 9 assays.

Various polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplification strategies have been described for detecting Pneumocystis jiroveci in clinical specimens. Different combinations of primer/target and platforms have been reported to yield varying PCR detection rates. PCR was evaluated on clinical specimens using internal transcribed spacer regions of the rRNA nested, dihydropteroate synthase single and nested, dihydrofolate reductase nested, major surface glycoprotein heminested, mitochondrial large subunit rRNA (mtLSUrRNA) single and nested, 18S rRNA 1-tube nested, and real-time 5S rRNA PCR.

Genotyping and coalescent phylogenetic analysis of Pneumocystis jiroveci from South Africa.

Sequence analysis of Pneumocystis jiroveci internal transcribed spacer (ITS) regions has become an important epidemiological tool. The objectives of the present study were to investigate sequence variations in the ITS1-5.8S ribosomal DNA (rDNA)-ITS2 regions; determine the P.