High Diagnostic Accuracy of Nitrite Test Paired with Urine Sediment can Reduce Unnecessary Antibiotic Therapy.

Background: Urinary tract infections (UTIs) are common bacterial infections dominated by lower UTI in women (LUTIW). Symptoms only are insufficient for diagnosis and accordingly, near patient diagnostic tests confidently confirming significant bacteriuria are desirable. The nitrite test (NIT) has low sensitivity, while bacterial and leukocyte counts disjunctively paired in urine sediment microscopy (SED) have high sensitivity.

High Cytokine Levels in Tonsillitis Secretions Regardless of Presence of Beta-Hemolytic Streptococci.

Acute pharyngotonsillitis denotes tonsillar inflammation caused by bacteria or viruses. Here, we investigated if beta-hemolytic streptococci (β-HS) tonsillitis would differ in inflammatory mediator response from tonsillitis of other causes. Tonsillar secretions were obtained from 36 acute pharyngotonsillitis patients and 16 controls.

Mecillinam resistance and outcome of pivmecillinam treatment in uncomplicated lower urinary tract infection in women.

Pivmecillinam (PIV) is a first-line antimicrobial for treatment of lower urinary tract infection in women (LUTIW). Mecillinam, the active substance of PIV, is bactericidal mainly against gram-negative uropathogens, whereas gram-positive species are considered intrinsically resistant. However, successful treatment of LUTIW caused by Staphylococcus saprophyticus has been reported, but more rarely for other gram-positive species.

Characteristics of Escherichia coli causing persistence or relapse of urinary tract infections: phylogenetic groups, virulence factors and biofilm formation.

Recurrent urinary tract infections (RUTIs) pose a major problem but little is known about characteristics of Escherichia coli associated with RUTI. This study includes E. coli from 155 women with community-acquired lower urinary tract infections (UTIs) randomized to one of three dosing regiments of pivmecillinam and aimed to identify associations between the presence of 29 virulence factor genes (VFGs), phylogenetic groups and biofilm formation and the course of infection during follow-up visits at 8-10 and 35-49 days post-inclusion, respectively.

Clinical and bacteriological outcome of different doses and duration of pivmecillinam compared with placebo therapy of uncomplicated lower urinary tract infection in women: the LUTIW project.

Objective: To analyse associations between symptoms and bacteriuria in uncomplicated lower urinary tract infection in women (LUTIW) and to evaluate outcome of therapy with three different regimens of pivmecillinam or placebo.

Design: Prospective, multicentre, randomized, double-blind, and placebo-controlled therapy study. Symptoms registered at inclusion, during therapy and at follow-up visits after 8-10 and 35-49 days.

The natural course of uncomplicated lower urinary tract infection in women illustrated by a randomized placebo controlled study.

This prospective, multicentre, randomized, double-blind and placebo controlled study was performed to describe the natural course of uncomplicated lower urinary tract infection (UTI). A total of 1143 women 18 y and above, consulting at 18 primary health care centres in northern Sweden for symptoms suggestive of UTI were included. The symptoms urgency, dysuria, suprapubic pain and loin pain were registered, and urine cultures performed at inclusion and follow-up visits 8-10 d and 5-7 weeks later.

Is hydrogen peroxide responsible for the inhibitory activity of alpha-haemolytic streptococci sampled from the nasopharynx?

Objective: The inhibitory effect of alpha-haemolytic Streptococci (AHS) in vitro on the three commonest otitis media pathogens, Streptococcus pneumoniae, Haemophilus influenzae and Moraxella catarrhalis, was previously investigated. The aim of this study was to determine the mechanism of this inhibitory activity.

Material And Methods/results: When fractions of AHS filtrate were assayed to determine their inhibitory activity after size-exclusion chromatography, the inhibitory activity was found in the fractions with a low molecular weight.

Bacterial interference between pathogens in otitis media and alpha-haemolytic Streptococci analysed in an in vitro model.

Bacterial interference studied by means of agar methods has shown a decreased number of inhibitory alpha-haemolytic Streptococci among otitis-prone children. Additional information was gained regarding the interplay between alpha-haemolytic Streptococci (AHS) and otitis media (OM) pathogens by comparing the bacterial interference in broth with the interference activity studied using agar overlay methods. We found, that non-typeable Haemophilus influenzae (NTHI) and Moraxella catarrhalis are readily inhibited by AHS in broth.

A nasal spray with alpha-haemolytic streptococci as long term prophylaxis against recurrent otitis media.

Previous studies have shown that children with recurrent acute otitis media (rAOM) have significantly lower quantities of alpha-haemolytic streptococci (AHS) in the nasopharynx than healthy children. Furthermore children with otitis media have AHS with lower inhibitory activity in vitro on Streptococcus pneumoniae and non-typable Haemophilus influenzae compared with healthy children. A randomised, placebo controlled and double blind clinical study among children with rAOM was designed to determine whether or not a nasal spray, containing AHS with very good inhibitory activity on the three most common OM pathogens, could be an alternative to tympanostomy tube insertion.

Stomatococcus mucilaginosus septicemia in leukemic patients.

OBJECTIVE: To report an unexpectedly high number of cases of septicemia with Stomatococcus mucilaginosus, and try to identify predisposing factors. METHODS: All blood cultures obtained during 1991--93 from patients treated at the hematologic ward were bacteriologically identified. The medical records of patients with S.