An investigation of vancomycin minimum inhibitory concentration creep among methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus strains isolated from pediatric patients and healthy children in Northern Taiwan.

Background And Purpose: The phenomenon of vancomycin minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) creep is an increasingly serious problem in the treatment of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) infections. In this study, we investigated the vancomycin and daptomycin MIC values of MRSA strains isolated from pediatric patients and MRSA colonized healthy children. Then, we assessed whether there was evidence of clonal dissemination for strains with an MIC to vancomycin of ≥ 1.

Induced pluripotent stem cells without c-Myc reduce airway responsiveness and allergic reaction in sensitized mice.

Background: Allergic disorders have increased substantially in recent years. Asthma is characterized by airway damage and remodeling. Reprogramming induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) from adult somatic cells transfected by Oct-4/Sox-2/Klf-4, but not c-Myc, has shown the potential of embryonic-like cells.

Bacillus cereus septicemia in a patient with acute lymphoblastic leukemia: A case report and review of the literature.

Bacillus cereus is an aerobic Gram-positive, spore-forming, rod-shaped bacterium that is responsible for foodborne illnesses. We report on a 15-year-old girl with B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia, who fell into a somnolent state after presenting with a 12-hour history of fever, muscle soreness, myalgia in both calves, sore throat, and vomiting. Fulminant septicemic syndrome caused by B.

Molecular characterization of Group A streptococcal isolates causing scarlet fever and pharyngitis among young children: a retrospective study from a northern Taiwan medical center.

Background/purpose: Little information is available on the differences in frequency of pyrogenic exotoxin genes between strains of group A streptococci that cause scarlet fever and those that cause pharyngotonsillitis in children in Taiwan. This study retrospectively monitored the presence of pyrogenic exotoxin genes, the emm typing, and the susceptibility of macrolide drugs in Streptococcus pyogenes isolated from children diagnosed with scarlet fever and pharyngotonsillitis in northern Taiwan.

Materials And Methods: Isolates of S.

Effect of oral administration with pravastatin and atorvastatin on airway hyperresponsiveness and allergic reactions in asthmatic mice.

Background: Asthma is characterized by airway hyperresponsiveness and remodeling. Pravastatin and atorvastatin are used clinically as cholesterol-lowering agents but also exhibit anti-inflammatory and immunomodulating properties.

Objective: To investigate the therapeutic effect of oral statins on airway hyperresponsiveness and allergic reaction.

Risk factors and molecular analysis of Panton-Valentine leukocidin-positive methicillin-susceptible Staphylococcus aureus colonization and infection in children.

Background And Purpose: Limited information is available regarding the role Panton-Valentine leukocidin (PVL) plays in methicillin-susceptible Staphylococcus aureus (MSSA). In this study, we compared the frequency of the PVL gene between MSSA strains isolated from patients with MSSA infections and MSSA strains isolated from patients with evidence of MSSA nasal colonization. We also explored the role that the PVL toxin plays in the ability of MSSA to cause disease as well as the phylogenetic relationship between these S aureus strains.

Current status of the immunomodulation and immunomediated therapeutic strategies for multiple sclerosis.

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is an autoimmune disease of the central nervous system, and CD4(+) T cells form the core immunopathogenic cascade leading to chronic inflammation. Traditionally, Th1 cells (interferon-γ-producing CD4(+) T cells) driven by interleukin 12 (IL12) were considered to be the encephalitogenic T cells in MS and experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE), an animal model of MS. Currently, Th17 cells (Il17-producing CD4(+) T cells) are considered to play a fundamental role in the immunopathogenesis of EAE.

Scarlet fever caused by community-associated methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus.

We describe a previously healthy 2.5-year-old boy with staphylococcal scarlet fever associated with acute suppurative otitis media due to community-associated methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus. The patient was successfully treated by spontaneous drainage in combination with trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole therapy.

Sublingual vaccination with sonicated Salmonella proteins and mucosal adjuvant induces mucosal and systemic immunity and protects mice from lethal enteritis.

Salmonella enteritidis is one of the most common pathogens of enteritis. Most experimental vaccines against Salmonella infection have been applied through injections. This is a new trial to explore the effect of sublingual administration of Salmonella vaccines on systemic and mucosal immunity.

Panton-Valentine leukocidin in the pathogenesis of community-associated methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus infection.

Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is an important human pathogen that causes serious infectious diseases and was endemic in hospitals by the late 1960s. Beginning with its first report in the late 1990s, the rapid emergence of community-associated MRSA (CA-MRSA) worldwide responsible for a wide spectrum of diseases ranging from minor skin infections to fatal necrotizing pneumonia has been found in previously healthy individuals without established risk factors for MRSA acquisition. Recently, various virulence determinants unique to CA-MRSA have been uncovered, which explain how the pathogen spreads easily and causes severe CA-MRSA infections among humans.

Changing trends in antimicrobial resistance of major bacterial pathogens, 1985-2005: a study from a medical center in northern Taiwan.

Background: Antimicrobial resistance is a major health problem worldwide. We evaluated the antimicrobial resistance trends of 16 major bacterial pathogens at a tertiary medical center in northern Taiwan.

Methods: We conducted a retrospective review of annual summary documents for antimicrobial susceptibility of clinically isolated gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria from 1985 to 2005.

Changes in the nasal colonization with methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus in children: 2004-2009.

Background: Staphylococcus aureus is an important cause of infection, particularly in persons colonized with this organism. This study compared the annual prevalence and microbiological characteristics of methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA) nasal colonization in Taiwanese children from 2004 through 2009.

Erythropoietin enhances endogenous haem oxygenase-1 and represses immune responses to ameliorate experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis.

Both erythropoietin (EPO) and haem oxygenase-1 (HO-1), an anti-oxidative stress protein, have proven protective roles in experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE), a reliable animal model of multiple sclerosis. In this study, EPO delivered intraperitoneally could reduce disease severity in myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein (MOG)–EAE mice. To assess the effect of EPO on endogenous HO-1 in EAE, we investigated expression of HO-1 mRNA by real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT–PCR), protein expression centrally and peripherally by Western blot and immunohistochemistry and mean fluorescence intensity of splenic HO-1 by flow cytometry.

Antimicrobial susceptibility of Staphylococcus aureus in children with atopic dermatitis.

Background: Skin infection and/or nasal carriage of Staphylococcus aureus in children with atopic dermatitis (AD) is a risk factor for exacerbating disease or subsequent recurrent S. aureus infection. The purpose of the study is to evaluate the antibiotic susceptibilities of S.

The role of antimicrobial therapy for treatment of uncomplicated skin and soft tissue infections from community-acquired methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus in children.

Background And Purpose: Community-acquired methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (CA-MRSA) infections in skin and soft tissues are increasing in children in Taiwan. This study investigated the outcomes of therapy with or without appropriate antibiotics among children with CA-MRSA skin and soft tissue infections (SSTIs), and analyzed the outcomes of management among children with Panton-Valentine leukocidin (PVL)-positive strains and PVL-negative strains.

Methods: In this retrospective study, data for CA-MRSA SSTIs from 107 children younger than 18 years were analyzed.

Decoy receptor 3 ameliorates experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis by directly counteracting local inflammation and downregulating Th17 cells.

To investigate the therapeutic potential of decoy receptor 3 (DcR3) in multiple sclerosis (MS), we used intrathecal (IT) administration of DcR3 into C57/BL6 mice with experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE). DcR3 significantly ameliorated EAE symptoms as shown by a lower clinical score and less inflammation in the spinal cord. The expression of TNF-alpha, IFN-gamma, and IL-17 was lower in the spinal cord in IT DcR3-treated mice.

Panton-Valentine leukocidin is associated with exacerbated skin manifestations and inflammatory response in children with community-associated staphylococcal scarlet fever.

Background: Staphylococcal scarlet fever (SSF), a rare disease, was first described in 1900. The clinical features and outcomes in children with SSF caused by Panton-Valentine leukocidin (PVL)-positive and PVL-negative Staphylococcus aureus strains have not been compared prospectively.

Methods: The demographic data, selected clinical features, laboratory values, and outcomes for 49 consecutive children with community-acquired S.

Parallel gene cloning and protein production in multiple expression systems.

To quickly find an optimal expression system for recombinant protein production, a set of vectors with the same restriction sites were constructed for parallel cloning of a target gene and recombinant protein production in prokaryotic and eukaryotic expression systems, simultaneously. These vectors include nucleotide sequences encoding protein tags and protease recognition sites for tag removal, followed by the cloning sites 5'-EcoRI/3'-XhoI identical in these vectors for ligating with the sticky-end PCR product of a target gene. Our vectors allow parallel gene cloning and protein production in multiple expression systems with minimal cloning effort.

Changing trend in antimicrobial resistance of pediatric uropathogens in Taiwan.

Background: There is growing concern regarding antimicrobial resistance worldwide, particularly of Escherichia coli, and the first choice of an antimicrobial agent for empiric treatment of pediatric urinary tract infection (UTI) is not well established.

Methods: The medical records from January 1991 to December 2005 for all children under 18 years of age admitted to Tri-Service General Hospital, Taipei for their first UTI were reviewed. Two study periods, early (1991-2000) and late (2001-2005), were chosen during the 15 year period for evaluating the trend of antimicrobial resistance.

Risk factors and molecular analysis of panton-valentine leukocidin-positive methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus colonization in healthy children.

Background: Nasal carriage of Panton-Valentine leukocidin (PVL)-positive methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is associated with community associated disease. The risk factors for and characteristics of PVL-positive MRSA colonization in the healthy pediatric population are not well understood.

Methods: Anterior nares cultures were obtained from healthy children < or =14 years of age presenting for health maintenance visits or attending 1 of 8 kindergartens during a 3-year period.

Low rate of nasopharyngeal carriage and high rate of ampicillin resistance for Haemophilus influenzae among healthy children younger than 5 years old in northern Taiwan.

Background And Purpose: Surveillance data of colonization by Haemophilus influenzae in Taiwan are lacking. This study aimed to define the nasopharyngeal carriage rate of H. influenzae among children younger than 5 years in northern Taiwan, and to determine the antibiotic susceptibility, serotype and the clonal relationship of these isolates.

Nasal carriage of a single clone of community-acquired methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus among kindergarten attendees in northern Taiwan.

Background: To evaluate the prevalence and microbiological characterization of community-acquired (CA) methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) nasal carriage in a kindergarten.

Methods: Point prevalence study. Nasal swabs were collected from healthy children younger than 7 years of age who were attending a kindergarten in Taipei, Taiwan.