Journal of clinical microbiology
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J. Clin. Microbiol. · Jul 2009
Comparative StudyEvaluation of CHROMagar Acinetobacter for detection of enteric carriage of multidrug-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii in samples from critically ill patients.
CHROMagar Acinetobacter was used to screen stool and perineal swabs for enteric carriage of multidrug-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii in samples from critically ill patients. Results were compared with a molecular assay resulting in sensitivity and specificity of culture compared to PCR of 91.7% and 89.6%, respectively.
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J. Clin. Microbiol. · Jun 2009
Comparative StudyEvaluation of self-collected glans and rectal swabs from men who have sex with men for detection of Chlamydia trachomatis and Neisseria gonorrhoeae by use of nucleic acid amplification tests.
Self-collected glans and rectal swab specimens from men who have sex with men (MSM) may be appropriate, convenient specimens for testing. We evaluated the use of self-collected swabs for the detection of Chlamydia trachomatis and Neisseria gonorrhoeae by a transcription-mediated amplification test (AC2; Aptima Combo 2; Gen-Probe Inc.) and a strand displacement amplification test (SDA; ProbeTec; Becton Dickinson Co.) in MSM seen at the city sexually transmitted disease clinic in San Francisco, CA. For the glans swab specimen, subjects enrolled early in the study rolled a Dacron swab across the meatus three times (method 1). ⋯ While we found self-collected rectal swabs from MSM to be valid specimens for testing, the sensitivities of the tests with glans swab specimens were disappointing except for those from patients with symptomatic N. gonorrhoeae infections. Self-collected glans swab specimens may not be appropriate for the detection of C. trachomatis or for the detection of N. gonorrhoeae in low-risk or asymptomatic patients by AC2 and SDA, and we would not recommend their use on the basis of our results. Further studies are needed.
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J. Clin. Microbiol. · Jun 2009
Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus in Spain: molecular epidemiology and utility of different typing methods.
In a point-prevalence study performed in 145 Spanish hospitals in 2006, we collected 463 isolates of Staphylococcus aureus in a single day. Of these, 135 (29.2%) were methicillin (meticillin)-resistant S. aureus (MRSA) isolates. Susceptibility testing was performed by a microdilution method, and mecA was detected by PCR. ⋯ The isolates presented agr type 2 (82.2%), type 1 (14.8%), and type 3 (3.0%). spa typing revealed 32 different types, the predominant ones being t067 (48.9%) and t002 (14.8%), as well as clonal complex 067 (78%) by BURP analysis. The MRSA clone of sequence type 125 and SCCmec type IV was the most prevalent throughout Spain. In our experience, PFGE, spa typing, SCCmec typing, and MLST presented good correlations for the majority of the MRSA strains; we suggest the use of spa typing and PFGE typing for epidemiological surveillance, since this combination is useful for both long-term and short-term studies.
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J. Clin. Microbiol. · Apr 2009
Evaluation of phenotypic tests for detection of metallo-beta-lactamase-producing Pseudomonas aeruginosa strains in China.
A total of 264 nonduplicate strains of imipenem (IPM)-nonsusceptible Pseudomonas aeruginosa were isolated from hospitals in 16 different regions throughout China. These 264 IPM-nonsusceptible clinical isolates of P. aeruginosa were examined by PCR, a metallo-beta-lactamase (MBL) Etest, a double-disk synergy test (DDST), and a test using combined IPM disks supplemented with various amounts of EDTA. A total of 24 strains positive for MBLs were confirmed by PCR and DNA sequence analysis: 10 strains positive for the bla(VIM-2) gene, 13 strains positive for the bla(IMP-9) gene, and 1 strain positive for the bla(IMP-1) gene. ⋯ The sensitivities, specificities, and positive and negative predictive values for the MBL Etest, the DDST, and the combined disk (CD) assay were evaluated. The best method for screening for MBL production in P. aeruginosa strains from China was the CD assay (IMP-EDTA) using 750 microg of EDTA/disk with a breakpoint of >or=6 mm. In the CD assay (IPM-EDTA) with 290 microg and 750 microg EDTA, the zone diameter increases for VIM-2-producing P. aeruginosa isolates were greater than those for IMP-9-producing P. aeruginosa isolates (P = 0.00).