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Biomedical subjects

E de la Torre

Publications and source records attributed to E de la Torre.

11 recordsLinked to original sources

Use of biochemical kinetic data to determine strain relatedness among Salmonella enterica subsp. enterica isolates.

Classical biotyping characterizes strains by creating biotype profiles that consider only positive and negative results for a predefined set of biochemical tests. This method allows Salmonella subspecies to be distinguished but does not allow serotypes and phage types to be distinguished. The objective of this study was to determine the relatedness of isolates belonging to distinct Salmonella enterica subsp. enterica serotypes by using a refined biotyping process that considers the kinetics at which biochemical reactions take place. Using a Vitek GNI+ card for the identification of gram-negative organisms, we determined the biochemical kinetic reactions (28 biochemical tests) of 135 Salmonella enterica subsp. enterica strains of pig origin collected in Spain from 1997 to 2002 (59 Salmonella serotype Typhimurium strains, 25 Salmonella serotype Typhimurium monophasic variant strains, 25 Salmonella serotype Anatum strains, 12 Salmonella serotype Tilburg strains, 7 Salmonella serotype Virchow strains, 6 Salmonella serotype Choleraesuis strains, and 1 Salmonella enterica serotype 4,5,12:-:- strain). The results were expressed as the colorimetric and turbidimetric changes (in percent) and were used to enhance the classical biotype profile by adding kinetic categories. A hierarchical cluster analysis was performed by using the enhanced profiles and resulted in 14 clusters. Six major clusters grouped 94% of all isolates with a similarity of > or =95% within any given cluster, and eight clusters contained a single isolate. The six major clusters grouped not only serotypes of the same type but also phenotypic serotype variations into individual clusters. This suggests that metabolic kinetic reaction data from the biochemical tests commonly used for classic Salmonella enterica subsp. enterica biotyping can possibly be used to determine the relatedness between isolates in an easy and timely manner.

Animals↗

Several Salmonella enterica subsp. enterica serotype 4,5,12:i:- phage types isolated from swine samples originate from serotype typhimurium DT U302.

Pulsed-field gel electrophoresis, plasmid profiling, and phage typing were used to characterize and determine possible genetic relationships between 48 Salmonella enterica subsp. enterica isolates of pig origin collected in Catalonia, Spain, from 1998 to 2000. The strains were grouped into 23 multidrug-resistant fljB-lacking S. enterica serovar 4,5,12:i:- isolates, 24 S. enterica serovar Typhimurium isolates, and 1 S. enterica serovar 4,5,12:-:- isolate. After combining the XbaI and BlnI macrorestriction profiles (XB profile), we observed 29 distinct subtypes which were grouped into seven main patterns. All 23 of the 4,5,12:i:- serovar strains and 10 serovar Typhimurium isolates were found to have pattern AR, and similarities of >78% were detected among the subtypes. Three of the serovar Typhimurium DT U302 strains (strains T3, T4, and T8) were included in the same 4,5,12:i:- serovar cluster and shared a plasmid profile (profile I) and a pattern of multidrug resistance (resistance to ampicillin, chloramphenicol, streptomycin, sulfonamide, tetracycline, gentamicin, and trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole) commonly found in monophasic isolates. This led us to the conclusion that strains of the S. enterica 4,5,12:i:- serovar might have originated from an S. enterica serovar Typhimurium DT U302 strain.

Animals↗

An international study of patient compliance with hemodialysis.

CONTEXT: International differences in compliance of patients undergoing hemodialysis are poorly characterized and could contribute to international survival differences. OBJECTIVE: To compare international differences in patient compliance with hemodialysis treatments. DESIGN: A prospective observational study of patients undergoing hemodialysis in 1995 and a cross-sectional survey of health care professionals caring for hemodialyzed patients in 1996. SETTING AND PATIENTS: Four dialysis centers in the southeastern United States with 415 patients undergoing hemodialysis, 1 center in Sweden with 84 patients, and 4 centers in Japan with 194 patients participated in the prospective observational study. In the cross-sectional survey, nurses and nephrologists from the United States (n = 49), Japan (n = 21), and Sweden (n = 16) responded to questions regarding the compliance of their patients undergoing hemodialysis. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Percentage of patients who miss a dialysis treatment and number of missed dialysis treatments. RESULTS: Of 415 US patients, 147 missed 699 treatments over a 6-month period (28.1 missed treatments per 100 patient-months or 2.3% of all prescribed treatments). During a 3-month period, there were 0 missed treatments per 100 patient-months for patients from Japan and 0 missed treatments per 100 patient-months for patients from Sweden (P<.001). In the cross-sectional survey, the mean (SD) estimated percentage of patients missing a treatment per month was 4% (3%) for the United States, 0% for Japan, and 0.1% (3%) for Sweden (P<.001). CONCLUSIONS: Noncompliance is much more common in US patients undergoing hemodialysis than Swedish and Japanese patients. The implications of these results for international differences in survival deserve further study.

Cross-Sectional Studies↗

A case control study of proximal calciphylaxis.

The purpose of this investigation was to describe the clinical presentation of nine patients with calciphylaxis involving the proximal lower extremities or trunk and to compare the clinical characteristics of these patients with those of 347 hemodialysis patients from the same geographic area. Patients were identified primarily through a computer search of pathology records, identifying patients with the term "calciphylaxis" in the biopsy report. All patients had pathologic specimens consistent with calciphylaxis. All the calciphylaxis patients were white and were markedly obese. While two patients had markedly elevated parathyroid hormone levels, most patients did not show severe derangements of calcium phosphate metabolism compared with other dialysis patients. A logistic regression model identified body mass index and low serum albumin 3 months before diagnosis as being highly associated with a diagnosis of calciphylaxis. Diabetes mellitus and parameters of calcium-phosphate metabolism were not significantly associated with proximal calciphylaxis. These findings suggest that white race, morbid obesity, and poor nutritional status are associated with proximal calciphylaxis in dialysis patients.

Aged↗

Partial splenectomy in children with sickle cell disease and repeated episodes of splenic sequestration.

Twenty-five children with sickle cell disease and repeated episodes of splenic sequestration crises underwent partial splenectomy. They have been followed for 12 to 75 months (median 48 months) after surgery. During this period we have not observed any episode of splenic sequestration and the need for hospitalization and transfusions has been greatly reduced. We believe this is a useful and safe procedure for treating patients with this condition.

Anemia, Sickle Cell↗

[Variations in the excretion of N-acetyl-glucosaminidase in the first year of life].

We have studied 122 patients, all younger than 12 months of age, to whom we check the N-acetylglucosaminidase/creatinine (NAG/creatinine) ratio in the first morning urine. The NAG/creatinine values were decreasing with age increase of the patients, being significantly different (p less than 0.001) in the younger 3 months of age comparative with the older than six months of age. The NAG/creatinine values were inversely correlated with age, height and weight. We have made normal values percentils of the NAG/creatinine ratio for each age group.

Acetylglucosaminidase↗

Erythrocyte PK deficiency: biochemical characterization of a patient with haemolytic anemia.

Erythrocyte pyruvate kinase deficiency was detected in a Cuban girl with congenital nonspherocytic haemolytic anemia. Kinetic and immunochemical studies showed that the case was different from those hitherto reported. The variant(s) was tentatively designated PK "Alquizar", following the recommendations of the International Committee for Standardization in Hematology.

Adenosine Diphosphate↗

[Incidence of urocystographic abnormalities in urinary infection in the neonatal period].

Fifty-six children with ages between 3 hours and 45 days of life (median age 13.9 days), 39 of which were males and 17 females, have been studied. Urinary tract infection was diagnosed after two consecutive urine cultures with more than 100,000 colonies of the same pathogen obtained by sterile plastic bag. Whole urocystographic study was practised to every one of them, finding abnormalities in 17 of the patients (30.35%). Pathologic findings in 8 of them were considered important abnormalities (ureterohydronephrosis and/or vesicoureteral reflux grade IV) which makes 14.28% of the total. From their sample authors conclude that it is mandatory to practice whole urocystographic study to all children diagnosed of urinary tract infection in the neonatal period.

Bacteria↗

Heterogeneity of hereditary methaemoglobinaemia: a study of 4 Cuban families with NADH-Methaemoglobin reductase deficiency including a new variant (Santiago de Cuba variant).

NADH-methaemoglobin reductase deficiency has been found in 4 Cuban families; 3 subjects carried the mild form of the deficiency while in 2 sibs of the fourth family the deficiency was associated with neurological involvement. The parents in this family were consanguinous and the sibs were shown to be homozygous for a new fast electrophoretic variant. It was named Diaphorase Santiago de Cuba.

Adolescent↗