Hippokratia
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The recent advent of high-throughput sequencing methods enabled the study of the composition of the upper respiratory tract (URT) microbial ecosystem and its relationship with health and disease in immense detail. The aim of the present study was the characterization of the human pharyngeal microbiome of healthy individuals in Greece. ⋯ The URT is colonized by a variety of protective and potentially pathogenic bacteria. This microbiome system is highly diverse and varies significantly between individuals. Geographic location and ethnicity are considered to be a strong determinants and factors affecting the diversity and abundance of the URT microbiome. Although some of the most abundant families are common irrespective of these factors, the dominance patterns are usually different between the study subjects and between the studies from other geographic locations. Unique differentially abundant families, genera and species were identified, and further studies are needed to elucidate their role. Further studies should focus on the investigation of the URT microbiome dynamics and the interaction with the host in health and disease. HIPPOKRATIA 2018, 22(1): 29-36.
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Gram-negative bacteria as emerging pathogens affecting mortality in skin and soft tissue infections.
Skin and soft tissue infections (SSTIs) are commonly encountered in clinical practice and mainly caused by gram-positive cocci such as S.aureus and β-hemolytic streptococci. Complicated SSTIs involving deeper tissues often necessitate surgical intervention and occur in patients with significant comorbidities such as diabetes or immunocompromising conditions. ⋯ This study denotes the role of gram-negative bacteria in SSTI epidemiology. Therapeutic protocols regarding the empiric treatment of SSTIs should necessarily take into account the local epidemiology of isolated pathogens and antimicrobial resistance. HIPPOKRATIA 2018, 22(1): 23-28.