Awareness regarding antimicrobial resistance and confidence to prescribe antibiotics in dentistry: a cross-continental student survey.

Background: The antimicrobial resistance (AMR) crisis is a major global threat and one of its biggest drivers is the overuse of antibiotics in humans. Dentists are responsible for 5-10% antibiotic prescriptions worldwide and recent data suggest that knowledge and prescribing practices need improvement.

Methods: A cross-sectional web-survey was sent to dental students from six universities in Norway, Canada, and Brazil.

Antibiotic Stewardship in Premature Infants: A Systematic Review.

Introduction: Antibiotic treatment in premature infants is often empirically prescribed, and practice varies widely among otherwise comparable neonatal intensive care units. Unnecessary and prolonged antibiotic treatment is documented in numerous studies. Recent research shows serious side effects and suggests long-term adverse health effects in prematurely born infants exposed to antibiotics in early life.

Impact of narrow-spectrum penicillin V on the oral and faecal resistome in a young child treated for otitis media.

Objectives: Antibiotic overuse has led to the global emergence of antimicrobial-resistant bacteria, and children are among the most frequent users of antibiotics. Most studies with broad-spectrum antibiotics show a severe impact on resistome development in patients. Although narrow-spectrum antibiotics are believed to have fewer side effects, their impact on the microbiome and resistome is mostly unknown.

Genome-based transmission modelling separates imported tuberculosis from recent transmission within an immigrant population.

In many countries the incidence of tuberculosis (TB) is low and is largely shaped by immigrant populations from high-burden countries. This is the case in Norway, where more than 80 % of TB cases are found among immigrants from high-incidence countries. A variable latent period, low rates of evolution and structured social networks make separating import from within-border transmission a major conundrum to TB control efforts in many low-incidence countries.

Carriage of ESBL/AmpC-producing or ciprofloxacin non-susceptible and spp. in healthy people in Norway.

Background: Asymptomatic carriage has been recognised as an important risk factor for infection caused by antibiotic resistant bacteria. A 14% global prevalence of Extended-Spectrum Beta-lactamase (ESBL) carriage was recently reported, but large intra-and interregional variations were observed. We investigated the faecal carriage rates of ESBL-, AmpC-producing and ciprofloxacin non-susceptible and spp.

Description of the largest cluster of tuberculosis notified in Norway 1997-2011: is the Norwegian tuberculosis control programme serving its purpose for high risk groups?

Background: Approximately 90% of new tuberculosis (TB) cases notified in Norway are asylum seekers and other immigrants from high-incidence countries. Asylum seekers are screened upon arrival at the National Immigration Centre. Other immigrants receive a letter from the Municipal Health Services requesting that they present for screening in their municipality of residence.

Evolution of extensively drug-resistant Mycobacterium tuberculosis from a susceptible ancestor in a single patient.

Background: Mycobacterium tuberculosis is characterized by a low mutation rate and a lack of genetic recombination. Yet, the rise of extensively resistant strains paints a picture of a microbe with an impressive adaptive potential. Here we describe the first documented case of extensively drug-resistant tuberculosis evolved from a susceptible ancestor within a single patient.

Evaluation of the ability of four ESBL-screening media to detect ESBL-producing Salmonella and Shigella.

Background: The aim of this study was to compare the ability of four commercially available media for screening extended-spectrum beta-lactamase (ESBL) to detect and identify ESBL-producing Salmonella and Shigella in fecal samples. A total of 71 Salmonella- and 21 Shigella-isolates producing ESBL(A) and/or AmpC, were received at Norwegian Institute of Public Health between 2005 and 2012. The 92 isolates were mixed with fecal specimens and tested on four ESBL screening media; ChromID ESBL (BioMèrieux), Brilliance ESBL (Oxoid), BLSE agar (AES Chemunex) and CHROMagar ESBL (CHROMagar).

Age-related differences in symptoms, diagnosis and prognosis of bacteremia.

Background: Elderly patients are at particular risk for bacteremia and sepsis. Atypical presentation may complicate the diagnosis. We studied patients with bacteremia, in order to assess possible age-related effects on the clinical presentation and course of severe infections.

Genetic diversity of Mycobacterium tuberculosis Complex in Jos, Nigeria.

Background: Nigeria has a high tuberculosis incidence, and genotyping studies of Mycobacterium tuberculosis Complex (MTC) in the country are necessary in order to improve our understanding of the epidemic.

Methods: Isolates of MTC were isolated from cases of pulmonary tuberculosis in Jos, North Central region of Nigeria during 2006-2008. Drug susceptibility test (DST) was performed on 77 of 111 isolates by proportion method on Lowenstein Jensen (LJ) slope while genotyping of mycobacterial DNA was performed by spoligotyping.

Dominant Mycobacterium tuberculosis lineages in elderly patients born in Norway.

Background: During the previous century Norway had a high incidence of tuberculosis, but no molecular epidemiological studies could be performed and these previously epidemic strains have been disappearing during the last decades. Currently, tuberculosis among native Norwegians is in the elimination phase, and it is still not known what type of M. tuberculosis was so efficiently controlled during the second half of the 20th century.

Impact of immigration on the molecular epidemiology of Mycobacterium tuberculosis in a low-incidence country.

Rationale: Programs to prevent the incidence rate of tuberculosis (TB) from increasing in many low-incidence countries are challenged by international travel and immigration from high-burden countries.

Objectives: The current study aimed to determine the effect of such immigration on the genetic diversity of Mycobacterium tuberculosis isolates in an entire nation's population during 1994-2005.

Methods: A total of 3,131 patients were notified with TB during the 12-year period.

Drug resistance of Mycobacterium tuberculosis in the Sunamganj District of Bangladesh.

Spread of drug-resistant tuberculosis (TB) threatens TB-control programmes, and all countries need to monitor the patterns and trends of anti-TB drug resistance. Such data assess the quality of control programmes and help forecast future trends of drug resistance. It will also help to establish guidelines for TB therapy.

New probes used for IS1245 and IS1311 restriction fragment length polymorphism of Mycobacterium avium subsp. avium and Mycobacterium avium subsp. hominissuis isolates of human and animal origin in Norway.

Background: Mycobacterium avium is an environmental mycobacterium that can be divided into the subspecies avium, hominissuis, paratuberculosis and silvaticum. Some M. avium subspecies are opportunistic pathogens for animals and humans.

A first insight into the genetic diversity of Mycobacterium tuberculosis in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, assessed by spoligotyping.

Background: Tanzania has a high tuberculosis incidence, and genotyping studies of Mycobacterium tuberculosis in the country are necessary in order to improve our understanding of the epidemic. Spoligotyping is a potentially powerful genotyping method due to fast generation of genotyping results, high reproducibility and low operation costs. The recently constructed SpolDB4 database and the model-based program 'Spotclust' can be used to assign isolates to families, subfamilies and variants.