Publications by authors named "Stale Tofteland"

Background: Klebsiella pneumoniae species complex (KpSC) bloodstream infections (BSIs) are associated with considerable morbidity and mortality, particularly in elderly and multimorbid patients. Multidrug-resistant (MDR) strains have been associated with poorer outcome. However, the clinical impact of KpSC phylogenetic lineages on BSI outcome is unclear.

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Background: The clonal diversity underpinning trends in multidrug resistant Escherichia coli causing bloodstream infections remains uncertain. We aimed to determine the contribution of individual clones to resistance over time, using large-scale genomics-based molecular epidemiology.

Methods: This was a longitudinal, E coli population, genomic, cohort study that sampled isolates from 22 512 E coli bloodstream infections included in the Norwegian surveillance programme on resistant microbes (NORM) from 2002 to 2017.

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The aim of this study was to examine the burden of fungal disease in Norway, contributing to a worldwide effort to improve awareness of the needs for better diagnosis and treatment of such infections. We used national registers and actual data from the Departments of Microbiology from 2015 and estimated the incidence and/or prevalence of superficial, allergic and invasive fungal disease using published reports on specific populations at risk. One in 6 Norwegians suffered from fungal disease: Superficial skin infections (14.

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Background: To study the molecular characteristics of a long-term, low frequency outbreak of bla KPC-2 in a low prevalence setting involving the hospital environment.

Methodology/principal Findings: KPC-producing bacteria were screened by selective chromogenic agar and Real-Time PCR. The presence of antibiotic resistance genes was ascribed by PCRs and subsequent sequencing, and the KPC-producing isolates were phylogenetically typed using PFGE and multi-locus sequence typing.

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Background: Enterobacteriaceae exerting a high level of extended-spectrum cephalosporin (ESC) resistance have increased significantly in Norway in the last decade. Various mechanisms acting alone or in concert mediate variable levels of ESC resistance and pose great challenges in the implementation of screening strategies and treatment. This study was undertaken to document the prevalence of underlying mechanisms conferring resistance to ESCs in a nationwide collection of clinical isolates of Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, and Klebsiella oxytoca, before the increase in extended-spectrum β-lactamase (ESBL)-producing strains.

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Skin and soft tissue infections are most often caused by Staphylococcus aureus or various species of streptococcus. This case report summarizes the clinical features, diagnosis, treatment and clinical outcome of a facial infection presenting as multiple abscesses in a young and otherwise healthy girl. Nocardia brasiliensis was recovered from abscess aspiration, and treatment failure was eventually recognized for the recommended empirical antibiotic treatment, broad-spectrum antibiotics and surgery.

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This study was designed to investigate the molecular epidemiology and antibiotic-resistance characteristics of 11 carbapenem-resistant clinical isolates of Acinetobacter baumannii obtained in Norway between 2004 and 2009. Interestingly, all the isolates were linked with recent hospitalization outside Norway. The epidemiological status was investigated by multilocus sequence typing (MLST), multiplex PCR assays for major international clones, typing of blaOXA-51-like variants and PFGE.

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Nationwide, CTX-M-producing clinical Escherichia coli isolates from the Norwegian ESBL study in 2003 (n=45) were characterized on strain and plasmid levels. Bla(CTX-M) allele typing, characterization of the genetic environment, phylogenetic groups, pulsed field gel electrophoresis (PFGE), serotyping and multilocus sequence typing were performed. Plasmid analysis included S1-nuclease-PFGE, polymerase chain reaction-based replicon typing, plasmid transfer and multidrug resistance profiling.

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Background: The class A carbapenemase KPC has disseminated rapidly worldwide, challenging the treatment of Gram-negative infections. This report describes the first KPC-producing Klebsiella pneumoniae isolates identified in Norway (n=6) and the second isolate from Sweden.

Methods: Antimicrobial susceptibility profiles were determined using Etest.

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Consecutive clinical isolates of Escherichia coli (n = 87) and Klebsiella pneumoniae (n = 25) with reduced susceptibilities to oxyimino-cephalosporins (MICs > 1 mg/liter) from 18 Norwegian laboratories during March through October 2003 were examined for bla(TEM/SHV/CTX-M) extended-spectrum-beta-lactamase (ESBL) genes, oxyimino-cephalosporin MIC profiles, ESBL phenotypes (determined by the ESBL Etest and the combined disk and double-disk synergy [DDS] methods), and susceptibility to non-beta-lactam antibiotics. Multidrug-resistant CTX-M-15-like (n = 23) and CTX-M-9-like (n = 15) ESBLs dominated among the 50 ESBL-positive E. coli isolates.

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