A case of Manila type Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection in Japan.

A 76-year-old Japanese woman contracted a Mycobacterium tuberculosis (TB, Manila type) infection in Japan, despite never having traveled. However, her son was treated for TB in the Philippines 3 years before he stayed at her house. Spoligotyping allows us to identify the TB genotype and identify the route of infection.

Lessons learned from earthquake-related tuberculosis exposures in a community shelter, Japan, 2011.

Background: Refugees and displaced populations after natural disasters have been vulnerable to tuberculosis. We report an active pulmonary tuberculosis case at a shelter and the subsequent contact investigation and review lessons learned from the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake.

Methods: The contact investigation was conducted to identify latent tuberculosis infection among a total of 95 contact persons, including 78 evacuees at the shelter, who were exposed to the index tuberculosis patient.

Influence of prior pandemic A(H1N1)2009 virus infection on invasion of MDCK cells by community-associated methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus.

Secondary bacterial pneumonia due to community-associated methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (CA-MRSA) has become a highly publicized cause of death associated with influenza. In this study, we performed the gentamicin-killing assay using Madin-Darby canine kidney (MDCK) cells and MRSA strains to investigate whether prior infection from pandemic A(H1N1)2009 virus (A[H1N1]pdm09) lead to increased invasion of MDCK cells by MRSA. We found that the invasion rate of two MRSA strains (ATCC BAA-1680 [USA 300] and ATCC BAA-1699 [USA 100]) into intact MDCK cell monolayers was 0.

Molecular characteristics of extended-spectrum β-lactamases in clinical isolates from Escherichia coli at a Japanese tertiary hospital.

The prevalence of ESBL has been increasing worldwide. In this study, we investigated the molecular characteristics of ESBL among clinical isolates of Escherichia coli from a Japanese tertiary hospital. A total of 71 consecutive and nonduplicate clinical isolates of ESBL-positive E.

Tuberculosis exposure among evacuees at a shelter after earthquake, Japan, 2011.

Tuberculosis was diagnosed in a person who had stayed in a shelter after the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake. A contact investigation showed that the prevalence of latent tuberculosis infection among other evacuees at the shelter was 20%. Our report underscores the importance of tuberculosis prevention and control after natural disasters.

Identification of Actinomyces meyeri actinomycosis in middle ear and mastoid by 16S rRNA analysis.

Actinomycosis of the middle ear and mastoid is extremely rare. Here, we report a unique case of actinomycosis of the middle ear and mastoid caused by Actinomyces meyeri diagnosed by 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis.

Characteristics of infectious diseases in hospitalized patients during the early phase after the 2011 great East Japan earthquake: pneumonia as a significant reason for hospital care.

Background: Natural catastrophes increase infectious disease morbidity rates. On March 11, 2011, a 9.0-magnitude earthquake and associated Pacific coast tsunami struck East Japan.

Molecular characteristics of extended-spectrum β-lactamase-producing Escherichia coli in Japan: emergence of CTX-M-15-producing E. coli ST131.

We investigated the molecular characteristics of ESBL-producing Escherichia coli in Japan. A total of 101 clinical isolates of ESBL-positive E. coli collected in Japan between June 2008 and November 2009 were studied.

Molecular characteristics of extended-spectrum beta-lactamases and qnr determinants in Enterobacter species from Japan.

The incidence of extended-spectrum β-lactamases (ESBLs) has been increasing worldwide, but screening criteria for detection of ESBLs are not standardized for AmpC-producing Enterobacteriaceae such as Enterobacter species. In this study, we investigated the prevalence of ESBLs and/or AmpC β-lactamases in Japanese clinical isolates of Enterobacter spp. and the association of plasmid-mediated quinolone resistance (PMQR) determinants with ESBL producers.

Molecular epidemiology of carbapenem-non-susceptible Acinetobacter baumannii in Japan.

Objectives: Acinetobacter baumannii presents a clinical challenge when it is non-susceptible to carbapenems. The prevalence of carbapenem-non-susceptible A. baumannii in Japan is unclear, as previous studies have been limited in scope.

A possible relationship of natural killer T cells with humoral immune response to 23-valent pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccine in clinical settings.

Pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccine (PPV), a type-2 thymus-independent antigen, induces the activation of B cells by directly triggering their antigen receptors. Although this type of antigen generally does not undergo class switching from IgM to IgG, PPV has been known to induce IgG2 in vaccinated subjects, which suggests the possible involvement of certain innate immune lymphocytes supporting the activation of B cells and their class switching. In the present study, we addressed the possibility that natural killer (NK) T cells are involved in Ab production caused by PPV.

Bactericidal effects of antimicrobial agents on epithelial cell-associated Pseudomonas aeruginosa.

It is not clear whether antipseudomonal agents can kill cell-associated bacteria within a short time. Madin-Darby canine kidney (MDCK) and A549 cells were infected with Pseudomonas aeruginosa ATCC 27853 and PAO1 and the bactericidal activity of ceftazidime, imipenem, meropenem, gentamicin, and ciprofloxacin against the organisms was investigated. In both MDCK and A549 cells, β-lactams could not kill epithelial cell-associated bacteria within 2 h.

Post-tsunami outbreaks of influenza in evacuation centers in Miyagi Prefecture, Japan.

We describe 2 post-tsunami outbreaks of influenza A in evacuation centers in Miyagi Prefecture, Japan, in 2011. Although containment of the outbreak was challenging in the evacuation settings, prompt implementation of a systemic approach with a bundle of control measures was important to control the influenza outbreaks.

[Acinetobacter spp. infections].

Acinetobacter, which is Gram-negative non-fermentated bacilli, is isolated from natural environment and human body, including skin and gastrointestional tracts of both healthy persons and immunocompromised patients. Acinetobacter can cause bacterial infections, such as blood stream infections and health care-associated pneumonia. The definition of multi-drug resistant (MDR) of Acinetobacter has not been internationally harmonized, however, it is defined when MICs of imipenem, amikacin and ciprofloxacin are 16 microg/ml, 32 microg/ml and 4 microg/ml or higher, respectively, in Japan.

Molecular characteristics of extended-spectrum β-lactamases in clinical isolates of Enterobacteriaceae from the Philippines.

β-Lactamases, including extended-spectrum β-lactamases (ESBLs) and AmpC β-lactamases, are major resistance mechanisms of Enterobacteriaceae. Emergence of plasmid-mediated quinolone resistance (PMQR) determinants in ESBL-producing isolates poses a global threat. The molecular characterisitcs of ESBL and PMQR determinants in the Philippines are not well characterized.

High prevalence of extended-spectrum β-lactamases and qnr determinants in Citrobacter species from Japan: dissemination of CTX-M-2.

Objectives: Extended-spectrum β-lactamases (ESBLs) have become a problem among AmpC-producing Enterobacteriaceae and the emergence of concomitant quinolone resistance in β-lactamase-producing isolates poses a global threat. In this study we investigated the prevalence and regional variation of ESBLs in Japanese clinical isolates of Citrobacter spp. and analysed plasmid-mediated quinolone resistance (PMQR) determinants in ESBL-producing Citrobacter spp.

Activation of pulmonary invariant NKT cells leads to exacerbation of acute lung injury caused by LPS through local production of IFN-γ and TNF-α by Gr-1+ monocytes.

Invariant NK T (iNKT) cells are known to play a critical role in the regulation of inflammatory responses in various clinical settings. In the present study, we assessed the contribution of iNKT cells to the development of acute lung injury (ALI), which was caused by intra-tracheal administration of LPS. Jα18 gene-disrupted mice lacking these cells underwent neutrophilic inflammatory responses in lungs at an equivalent level as control mice.

Emergence of fluoroquinolone-resistant Streptococcus pyogenes in Japan by a point mutation leading to a new amino acid substitution.

Objectives: Streptococcus pyogenes causes various diseases in humans. While the prevalence of fluoroquinolone-resistant S. pyogenes isolates has been increasing since 2000 in the USA and Europe, it has remained very low in Japan.