Journal of clinical microbiology
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J. Clin. Microbiol. · Apr 2015
Case ReportsStreptococcus gallolyticus subsp. pasteurianus infection in twin infants.
Streptococcus gallolyticus subsp. pasteurianus, previously known as Streptococcus bovis biotype II.2, is an uncommon pathogen in neonates. Nevertheless, it can cause severe neonatal sepsis and meningitis often clinically indistinguishable from those caused by group B streptococci and has been associated with considerable morbidity. We report the first known cases of S. gallolyticus subsp. pasteurianus infection in twin infants.
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J. Clin. Microbiol. · Apr 2015
Evaluation of Ebola virus inactivation procedures for Plasmodium falciparum malaria diagnostics.
Plasmodium falciparum malaria is highly endemic in the three most affected countries in the current epidemic of Ebola virus disease (EVD) in West Africa. As EVD and malaria are clinically indistinguishable, both remain part of the differential diagnosis of ill travelers from returning from areas of EVD transmission. We compared the performances of a rapid diagnostic test (BinaxNOW) and real-time PCR with P. falciparum-positive specimens before and after heat and Triton X-100 inactivation, and we documented no loss of sensitivity.
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J. Clin. Microbiol. · Apr 2015
Utility of sequencing the erm(41) gene in isolates of Mycobacterium abscessus subsp. abscessus with low and intermediate clarithromycin MICs.
The erm(41) gene confers inducible macrolide resistance in Mycobacterium abscessus subsp. abscessus, calling into question the usefulness of macrolides for treating M. abscessus subsp. abscessus infections. With an extended incubation (14 days), isolates with MICs of ≥8 μg/ml are considered macrolide resistant by current CLSI guidelines. Our goals were to determine the incidence of macrolide susceptibility in U. ⋯ Our studies suggest that macrolides are useful for treating approximately 20% of U. S. isolates of M. abscessus subsp. abscessus. Sequencing of the erm gene of M. abscessus subsp. abscessus will predict inducible macrolide susceptibility.
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J. Clin. Microbiol. · Apr 2015
Diagnostic accuracy of presepsin (sCD14-ST) for prediction of bacterial infection in cerebrospinal fluid samples from children with suspected bacterial meningitis or ventriculitis.
Children with temporary external ventricular drains (EVD) are prone to nosocomial infections. Diagnosis of bacterial meningitis and ventriculitis in these children is challenging due to frequent blood contamination of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and the presence of chemical ventriculitis. The aim of this study was to compare diagnostic accuracy of presepsin (sCD14-ST), a novel biomarker of bacterial infection in CSF, to predict bacterial infection in comparison to the accuracy of established biomarkers like those demonstrated in biochemical analysis of CSF. ⋯ It was found that presepsin was present at a significantly higher level in children with clinically proven ventriculitis than in those without meningitis or ventriculitis. Diagnostic accuracies of presepsin were superior to those of leukocytes or proteins in CSF. Presepsin-guided 16S rRNA gene PCR could be used in everyday clinical practice to improve etiological diagnosis of meningitis and ventriculitis and to prescribe more appropriate antibiotics.