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Biomedical subjects

G Chisari

Publications and source records attributed to G Chisari.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2004

Ciprofloxacin as treatment for conjunctivitis.

The authors studied the bactericidal action and therapeutic effectiveness of ciprofloxacin in treating external ocular infections (bacterial conjunctivitis and bacterial blepharoconjunctivitis). 108 ambulatory patients with clinical signs of conjunctivitis and blepharoconjunctivitis were enrolled in the study. All subjects underwent a conjunctival swab before starting therapy and at 10 days, to identify the causative bacteria and their susceptibility to ciprofloxacin, following routine microbiological methods. The reported therapeutic success rate (95%) and bacteriological analysis confirmed the effectiveness of ciprofloxacin in subjects with bacterial conjunctivitis and bacterial blepharoconjunctivitis. In vitro tests conducted 10 days after treatment confirmed the in vivo therapeutic effectiveness, even for those infections characterized by a difficult etiological identification which interferes with specific antibiotic therapy.

Administration, Topical↗
PubMed2004

Presurgical antimicrobial prophylaxis: effect on ocular flora in healthy patients.

OBJECTIVE: Evaluation of presurgical antimicrobial prophylaxis for reduction of ocular flora. SETTING: Ophthalmology Section, Department of Medicine and Surgery, University of Catania, Italy. METHODS: Three days before photorefractive keratectomy (PRK), conjunctiva of 70 healthy patients (100 eyes) were swabbed. After 3 days of instillation of ofloxacin 0.3% (3 times daily), conjunctival swabs were taken again. Bacteria were isolated and identified from each swab. RESULTS: A total of 191 independent isolates were obtained prior to antimicrobial treatment. Bacteria were isolated from all 100 eyes sampled. Gram-positive species predominated, with Staphylococcus epidermidis and Staphylococcus aureus cultured from 69% and 25% of eyes sampled, respectively. Species of the anaerobic genera Peptococcus and Peptostreptococcus were found in 22% and 14% of eyes, respectively. After prophylaxis with ofloxacin, bacteria could be cultured from only 7% of eyes (10 independent isolates). All isolates were sensitive to ofloxacin except 5 strains of S. epidermidis, which displayed intermediate sensitivity. No infections occurred after PRK. CONCLUSION: Prophylaxis by instillation of ofloxacin 0.3% 3 times daily for 3 days substantially reduced the ocular flora of 100 healthy eyes prior to refractive surgery.

Administration, Topical↗
PubMed2002

Effect of aminoglycosides (sub-MICs) on adherence of coagulase-negative Staphylococci to intraocular lens surface.

The authors evaluated the in vitro effects of subinhibitory concentrations (sub-MICs) of aminoglycosides (gentamicin, netilmicin and tobramycin) on the adherence of coagulase-negative staphylococcus to intraocular lens (PMMA, acrylic and heparin) surface. The five strains of coagulase-negative Staphylococcus epidermidis used (S. epidermidis IMe7, IMe11, IMe27, IMe29 and IMe31) were tested for their ability to produce slime. The minimum inhibitory concentrations (MIC) indicated high susceptibility in vitro to the antibiotics and homogeneous values. The adhesion tests without antibiotics (K1, K2 and K3) for every time considered (30 min, 60 min and 180 min) and for all examined strains showed more constant adhesive activity on the surface of acrylic intraocular lens (IOLs) than on the surface of heparin IOLs. The aminoglycosides tested were able to reduce adhesivity by coagulase-negative S. epidermidis slime to the IOL surfaces, even at sub-MICs. The documentation obtained by scanning electron microscope shows the growth of a strain of S. epidermidis IMe11 after 180 minutes of contact which remains adherent to the surface of the acrylic IOLs.

Anti-Bacterial Agents↗
PubMed1999

Sub-MIC ciprofloxacin effect on fimbrial production by uropathogenic Escherichia coli strains.

The urine from 210 patients with acute urinary tract infection (UTI) was examined to study the in vitro effect of ciprofloxacin on fimbriae production by uropathogenic Escherichia coli isolates. Forty-nine bacterial samples of density 10(5) CFU/ml were not considered. From the resulting 161 samples, E. coli was the major strain found, present in 54 samples. Other microoganisms found were: Enterococcus sp. (34 samples), Staphylococcus epidermis (22), yeasts (11), Proteus sp. (11), Pseudomonas sp. (11), Klebsiella sp. (8), Enterobacter sp. (6), Citrobacter sp. (3), and Acinetobacter sp. (1). The uropathogenic E. coli strains found were P-fimbriated, as demonstrated by hemoagglutination activity against human erythrocytes with and without mannose, SDS-PAGE of fimbrial proteins and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). All E. coli strains found were exposed in vitro to sub-inhibitory concentrations of ciprofloxacin (1/8 MIC). Our results showed that: 1) P-fimbriated E. coli is the most prevalent microorganism in acute UTI (34%); 2) exposure to sub-MICs of ciprofloxacin inhibits fimbrial production in 79% of E. coli strains; 3) the pattern of SDS-PAGE fimbrial proteins is modified after exposure; in particular, the most affected synthesis involves the protein at 18 kD known as P-fimbriae.

Anti-Infective Agents↗
PubMed1995

The in vitro activity of trospectomycin against anaerobic bacteria.

The authors evaluated the activity of trospectomycin, a new aminocyclitol which is characterized by good antibacterial and broad spectrum activity, in comparison with clindamycin and ampicillin on a sample of recent isolates: Bacteroides fragilis (15 strains), Bacteroides urealyticus (5 strains), Bacteroides vulgatus (5 strains), Bacteroides spp. (15 strains), Prevotella melaninogenica (6 strains), Porphyromonas asaccharolytica (7 strains), Mobiluncus spp. (3 strains), Peptococcus niger (3 strains), Peptococcus variabilis (9 strains), Peptococcus spp (30 strains), Peptostreptococcus anaerobius (5 strains), Peptostreptococcus asaccharolyticus (3 strains), Peptostreptococcus spp. (25 strains) and Propionibacterium spp. (7 strains). The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) were determined for all strains by microtiter serial dilutions in Wilkins-Chalgren broth in an anaerobic chamber in an atmosphere of 10% H2, 10% CO2, 80% N2. All the drugs tested exert their activity against Gram-positive and Gram-negative anaerobic isolates. In particular, trospectomycin is quite active against Gram-positive cocci (MIC 90 = 4 - 8 mg/l), Gram-negative rods (MIC 90 = 8 - 16 mg/l), Gram-positive rods (MIC 90 = 4 mg/l) and Mobiluncus spp. (MIC 90 = 0.5 mg/l).

Ampicillin↗
PubMed1993

Efficacy of azithromycin compared with spiramycin in the treatment of odontogenic infections.

Sixty patients with acute odontogenic infections were randomly allocated to oral treatment with azithromycin 500 mg/day once-daily for three days (n = 30) or spiramycin 3,000,000 units three-times daily for seven days (n = 30). Baseline and post-treatment oral specimens were collected from patients to test for pathogenic bacteria. Aerobic bacteria were tested using the Kirby-Bauer disc diffusion method, and anaerobic bacteria with a broth microdilution method, for their susceptibility to azithromycin and spiramycin. A greater incidence of resistance was found in the spiramycin group than in the azithromycin group. The bacteriological assessment showed that the normal balance of microflora was re-established in 67% of patients treated with azithromycin vs 53% in the group treated with spiramycin. Clinical cure was higher in the azithromycin treatment group (97%) compared with the spiramycin group (73%). These results indicate that three-day azithromycin, possibly because of its unusual pharmacokinetics, is more effective than seven-day spiramycin in the treatment of odontogenic infections.

Azithromycin↗
PubMed1992

Increased rate of survival in Streptococcus pneumoniae-infected rats treated with the new immunomodulator Pidotimod.

Wistar rats infected with Streptococcus pneumoniae (type III ATCC) rapidly develop an acute form of experimental lobar pneumonia (ELP) with death of 80-90% of the animals by 6 days after the infection. Prophylactic treatment of these animals with the novel immunomodulator Pidotimod, at the dose of 25 mg/kg bw, significantly increased their rate of survival as compared to the control group (50 vs. 90% respectively). Recovery from the infection appeared definitive since all the Pidotimod-treated survivors were alive and in good condition at the end of the observation period (45 days post infection). Prophylactic treatment with higher or lower doses of the drug was ineffective. Therapy with Pidotimod was not effective. This preliminary study suggests that Pidotimod may have contributed to activation of specific and non-specific immune effectors involved in the host response to S. pneumoniae infection.

Adjuvants, Immunologic↗
PubMed1992

[The effect of Lactobacillus acidophilus and Bifidobacterium bifidum on the intestinal ecosystem of the elderly patient].

The authors have tested the therapeutic efficacy of a multibacterial combination consisting of Lactobacillus acidophilus (10(9)) and Bifidobacterium bifidum (10(9)) in elderly patients with bowel disorders. Bacteriological and histopathologic investigation showed this combination to yield excellent biologic results with restoration of duodenal bacterial flora and subsidence of clinical symptoms. The function of the muciparous glands was restored and the duodenal mucosa was normalized.

Aged↗
PubMed1991

[Study on the activity of a therapeutic bacterial combination in intestinal motility disorders in the aged].

The possible beneficial effects and changes in the histology of the duodenojejunal and colonic mucosa brought about by oral bacterial therapy were studied in 60 elderly patients (mean age +/- SD: 76.6 +/- 5.3 years) with bowel disorders mainly represented by diarrhea accompanied by abdominal pain and meteorism. All patients were submitted to a 7-day washout followed by treatment with 6 capsules daily, each capsule containing live, lyophilized Lactobacillus acidophilus (10(9) CFU/ml). The clinical course was observed in 50 patients while the remaining 10 were hospitalized and submitted to esophago-gastro-duodenoscopy and colonoscopy both before and after treatment for withdrawal of duodenal secretion and fragments of duodenojejunal and colonic mucosa biopsies. Duodenal secretion was examined bacteriologically, and after treatment an increase of the anaerobic flora at the expense of the aerobic one was found together with improved quality of the former. Histologic examination showed reduction of the inflammatory infiltration by lymphocytes and plasma cells and increased muciparous activity of the glands. Clinically, a marked improvement of the symptoms was observed in all 60 patients.

Age Factors↗
PubMed1991

In vitro activity against aerobes and anaerobes of trospectomycin versus spectinomycin.

The general antibacterial properties of trospectomycin (TRO) were compared with those of spectinomycin (SPEC) in an in vitro study using a collection of recent clinical isolates: 50 Gram-positive and 25 Gram-negative aerobes and 30 Gram-positive and 15 Gram-negative anaerobes. Minimum inhibitory concentrations (MIC) and minimum bactericidal concentrations (MBC) were determined for all strains by microtitre using serial dilutions in Mueller-Hinton broth for aerobes and Brucella broth for anaerobes. The final inoculum in each well was 10(5) cfu/ml. This study shows that none of the Gram-negative organisms was sensitive to TRO; the most sensitive were streptococci aerobic strains; TRO exhibited antibiotic activity against all anaerobes tested, which was not seen with SPEC, and also exhibited bactericidal activity. The MICs of Staphylococcus epidermidis and Bacteroides fragilis tested with TRO and SPEC were not significantly affected by the size of bacterial inoculum tested, and the nature of the growth medium did not alter the susceptibility tests.

Anti-Bacterial Agents↗
PubMed1991

[The interference of miocamycin on the adhesiveness and coaggregation of the bacteria responsible for periodontopathies].

The authors studied the effect miocamycin has on the adherence and coaggregation of pathogenic bacteria in periodontopathy. The data obtained by optic microscopy, after treatment of the strains with doses of miocamycin equal to 1/4 and 1/8 of the MIC after 3 and 6 hours, shows the interference effect on the coaggregation and adhesivity of the antibiotic. These results have been confirmed by the observations obtained by scanning electron microscope (SEM).

Bacteria↗
PubMed1991

Effect of ampicillin and sulbactam/ampicillin on the immune system.

An investigation was carried out into the possible effects of ampicillin and a sulbactam/ampicillin combination on the immune system of healthy subjects. The following immunological variables were compared before and after antibiotic therapy: proliferation response of peripheral mononuclear cells to phytohaemagglutinin; variation of T- and B-lymphocytes; dosage of interleukin-2; and production of immunoglobulin A. The data obtained did not demonstrate any immunodepressive activity by either ampicillin or the sulbactam/ampicillin combination.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1990

[Competitive activity of a bacterial preparation on colonization and pathogenicity of C. pylori. A clinical study].

The authors studied the ability of a live polymicrobial formulation containing Lactobacillus acidophilus 10(9) and Bifidobacterium bifidum 10(9) to act as an "ecological" therapy for gastritis and duodenitis. The study was carried out in volunteers suffering from these disorders which nowadays are attributed to C. pylori. The results obtained confirm previous findings in experimental animals. The polymicrobial formulation was found to be able to compete effectively with the microorganism responsible for the disorders and to improve the results obtained by traditional therapy.

Adult↗
PubMed1990

Microbiological study of Enterococcus faecium SF68: post-antibiotic effect and growth curves.

We studied the microbiological characteristics of Enterococcus faecium SF 68 (an oral vaccine) assessing post-antibiotic effect of ampicillin and growth curves in different media. Results showed a good resistance of the microorganism tested which has important implications in clinical practice. The growth ability of Enterococcus faecium SF 68 was similar on all media tested.

Ampicillin↗
PubMed1990

Effect of clindamycin on adherence of coagulase-negative Staphylococcus to surgical nets.

The authors studied the effect that a subinhibitory concentration of Clindamycin has on adherence of coagulase negative S. epidermidis to surgical nets. Clindamycin, as expected, interferes with the adhesivity to the nets of coagulase-negative S. epidermidis slime producing when sub-MICs are used. The documentation obtained by scanning electron microscope, after treatment of the strains with doses of Clindamycin equal to 1/6 of the MIC after 3 and 6 hours, confirms the anti-adherent effect of the antibiotic.

Bacterial Adhesion↗