Study of the formation of a biofilm by clinical strains of Staphylococcus aureus.

A study on biofilm formation was carried out using five methicillin-sensitive [MSSA] and five methicillin-resistant [MRSA] strains of S. aureus. In each group, there were four strains isolated from patients from Kinshasa (Democratic Republic of Congo, DRC) and one reference strain.

Interaction between tobramycin and CSA-13 on clinical isolates of Pseudomonas aeruginosa in a model of young and mature biofilms.

The bactericidal activity of a cholic acid antimicrobial derivative, CSA-13, was tested against eight strains of Pseudomonas aeruginosa (both reference and clinical strains) and compared with the response to tobramycin. In planktonic cultures, the minimal inhibitory and minimal bactericidal concentrations of CSA-13 and tobramycin were in the 1-25 mg/L range except for one mucoid clinical strain which was much less sensitive to tobramycin (minimal bactericidal concentration, 65-125 mg/L). In young (24 h) biofilms, the sensitivity to CSA-13 was reduced (half-maximal concentration CSA-13 averaged 88 mg/L) and varied among the eight strains.

Erythrocyte indices in the assessment of iron status in dialysis-dependent patients with end-stage renal disease on continuous erythropoietin receptor activator versus epoetin beta therapy.

Background: European guidelines stress that iron status should be regularly assessed for the optimal management of renal anemia. These guidelines include the hemoglobin content of reticulocytes and the percentage of hypochromic RBC as markers for functional iron deficiency. Recently, equivalents of these indices have become available on the automated hematology analyzer Sysmex XE-2100, these being reticulocyte hemoglobin equivalent (Ret-He) and DF-HYPO XE, respectively.

Study of the initial phase of biofilm formation using a biofomic approach.

Aims: The purpose of this work was to study the initial steps of formation of a biofilm using the BioFilm Ring Test and the Crystal violet staining technique.

Methods And Results: Eight strains of Pseudomonas aeruginosa were studied. The two methods revealed that four strains formed a rapid biofilm.

Evaluation of long-term co-administration of tobramycin and clarithromycin in a mature biofilm model of cystic fibrosis clinical isolates of Pseudomonas aeruginosa.

Pseudomonas aeruginosa colonisation and chronic lung infection associated with biofilm formation is a major cause of morbidity and mortality in cystic fibrosis (CF) patients. There is thus an urgent need to develop alternative ways to treat biofilm-associated clinical infections. A kinetic study of twice-daily co-administration of the antibiotics tobramycin and clarithromycin was performed over 28 days on 12-day-old mature P.