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Biomedical subjects

G Sauca

Publications and source records attributed to G Sauca.

17 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2006

Sporadic and epidemic community legionellosis: two faces of the same illness.

The present study compares the risk factors, presentation and outcome of community-acquired Legionella pneumophila pneumonia in 138 sporadic-case patients (1994-2004) and 113 outbreak-case patients (2002) treated in two hospitals in Catalonia (Spain) since urinary antigen assays were adopted. Univariate and multivariate analysis were performed to compare epidemiological and clinical features, blood chemistry values, radiological findings and outcome of sporadic and epidemic legionnaires' disease. Univariate analysis showed that male sex, chronic lung disease, HIV infection and immunosuppressive therapy prevailed in sporadic cases. Presentation with respiratory symptoms, confusion and blood chemistry alterations, such as hyponatraemia, aspartate aminotransferase and blood urea nitrogen elevation, and partial pressure of oxygen P(O)(2) <7.98 KPa (60 mmHg) were also more frequent in sporadic cases, while headache prevailed in outbreak cases. Sporadic cases had a greater delay in treatment, were more severe and had a worse outcome than epidemic cases. Multivariate analysis showed significant differences in sex, chronic lung disease, HIV infection and headache. The clinical and outcome differences between the two groups may be explained by the detection of milder forms of legionnaires' disease, the earlier treatment and the lower severity of underlying disease in the outbreak cases.

Adult↗
PubMed2006

A community outbreak of Legionnaires' disease: evidence of a cooling tower as the source.

A community outbreak of Legionella pneumonia in the district of Cerdanyola, Mataró (Catalonia, Spain) was investigated in an epidemiological, environmental and molecular study. Each patient was interviewed to ascertain personal risk-factors and the clinical and epidemiological data. Isolates of Legionella from patients and water samples were subtyped by pulsed-field gel electrophoresis. Between 7 August and 25 August 2002, 113 cases of Legionella pneumonia fulfilling the outbreak case definition criteria were reported, with 84 (74%) cases being located within a 500-m radius of the suspected cooling tower source. In this area, the relative risk of being infected was 54.6 (95% CI 25.3-118.1) compared with individuals living far from the cooling tower. Considering the population residing in the Cerdanyola district (28,256 inhabitants) as a reference population, the attack rate for the outbreak was 399.9 cases/100,000 inhabitants, and the case fatality rate was 1.8%. A single DNA subtype was observed among the ten clinical isolates, and one of the subtypes from the cooling tower matched exactly with the clinical subtype. Nine days after closing the cooling tower, new cases of pneumonia caused by Legionella ceased to appear. The epidemiological features of the outbreak, and the microbiological and molecular investigations, implicated the cooling tower as the source of infection.

Adult↗
PubMed2005

Isolation of an amikacin-resistant Escherichia coli strain after tobramycin treatment of previous recurrent episodes of respiratory tract infections caused by Pseudomonas aeruginosa.

Amikacin-resistant Escherichia coli strains are isolated rarely from clinical samples. In the present study, investigation of an amikacin-resistant clinical isolate of E. coli demonstrated the presence of two class 1 integrons carrying the aacA4 gene plus the aacA7 gene, and the dfrA17 gene plus the aadA5 gene, respectively. Resistance to amikacin in this E. coli isolate was related to the presence of both aacA4 and aacA7.

Amikacin↗
PubMed2003

Molecular characterization of ciprofloxacin resistance of gonococcal strains in Spain.

BACKGROUND: Over the past several years, the emergence of gonococcal isolates with intermediate or full resistance to fluoroquinolones has become a significant concern in several countries, including Spain. GOAL: The goal was to determine the occurrence of ciprofloxacin resistance among Neisseria gonorrhoeae strains in Spain during 2000 to 2001 and determine the frequency and patterns of mutations at gyrA, gyrB, and parC genes in these isolates. STUDY DESIGN: Eleven ciprofloxacin-resistant strains (with MICs ranging from 1 to 64 micrograms/mL) and two intermediate isolates (with MICs of 0.12 and 0.5 microgram/mL) were found. Mutations were identified by polymerase chain reaction and direct sequencing of the amplified products. RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS: Alterations at Ser-91 and Asp-95 in GyrA were detected in all strains except one, an isolate for which the MIC was 0.12 microgram/mL. Alterations in ParC were more variable, and there was no clear correlation between the number of parC mutations and the level of resistance. No alterations at gyrB gene associated with ciprofloxacin resistance were found. The resistance was distributed among different types of strains, suggesting that the increase in the incidence of ciprofloxacin-resistant strains in Spain was not exclusively due to the appearance of a single-strain outbreak.

Anti-Infective Agents↗
PubMed2002

Comparative, clinico-epidemiologic study of Schistosoma mansoni infections in travellers and immigrants in Spain.

The study presented here aimed to contrast the marked clinical differences in the presentation of Schistosoma mansoni-induced infection between immigrants and travellers entering Spain from endemic regions, and to elucidate the therapeutic implications of these infections. A total of 200 African immigrants and 80 travellers with schistosomiasis were included in the study. Among the immigrants, 25 patients were diagnosed with Schistosoma mansoni infection; 15 presented with nonspecific symptoms, and 10 were asymptomatic. Hepatosplenomegaly was observed in nine. Among the travellers, 14 were diagnosed with Schistosoma mansoni infection; four were asymptomatic, four had Katayama syndrome, four had diarrhoea, and two had prostatitis. All of the patients were treated with praziquantel. Patients diagnosed with Katayama syndrome received praziquantel and dexamethasone for 3 days, with the praziquantel treatment being repeated at 3-4 weeks. The significant differences observed in the clinical presentation of Schistosoma mansoni-induced infection, indicate that a well-differentiated therapeutic strategy is required when this infection is diagnosed in a non-immune (traveller) or a semi-immune (immigrant) patient.

Adult↗
PubMed2000

Epidemiology of community-acquired pneumonia in adults: a population-based study.

In this prospective study, the authors assessed the incidence, aetiology, and outcome of patients with community-acquired pneumonia in the general population. From December 1993 to November 1995, a study was performed in a mixed residential-industrial urban population of the "Maresme" region in Barcelona, Spain. All subjects > or =14 yrs of age (annual average population size 74,368 inhabitants) with clinically suspected community-acquired pneumonia were registered. All cases were re-evaluated by chest radiographs on the 5th day of illness and at monthly intervals until complete recovery. Urine and blood samples were obtained for culture and antigen detection. When lower respiratory tract secretions were obtained, these were also cultured. There were 241 patients with community-acquired pneumonia, with an annual incidence rate of 1.62 cases (95% confidence interval, 1.42-1.82) per 1,000 inhabitants. Incidence rates increased by age groups and were higher in males than in females. Of 232 patients with aetiological data, 104 had an identifiable aetiology. A total of 114 pathogens were found (single pathogen 94, two pathogens 10). There were 81 episodes of bacterial infection and 33 of viral infection. The most common pathogens were Streptococcus pneumoniae, Chlamydia pneumoniae, and influenza A and B viruses. No case of Hantavirus infection was found. The rate of hospital admission was 61.4% with a mean+/-SD length of 11.7+/-10.1 days, a mean period of 23.0+/-14.3 days inactivity, and an overall mortality rate of 5%. The high rate of hospital admission, prolonged stay in hospital, and long period of inactivity all continue to constitute a social and health care burden of community-acquired pneumonia.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1997

[Changes in the sensitivity of Escherichia coli to 6 antimicrobial agents during the last 12 years. Group of Microbiologists of County Hospitals of Catalonia].

OBJECTIVE: To study the current state and development in the sensitivity of Escherichia coli during 12 years, in order to find the use of 6 antimicrobials. DESIGN: A descriptive study of the annual sensitivity percentages of E. coli strains isolated from clinical samples between 1984 and 1995. SETTING: Microbiology Laboratories in 15 County Hospitals in the province of Barcelona. PATIENTS AND PARTICIPANTS: E. coli strains, isolated from clinically significant samples, were studied for sensitivity against antimicrobials. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: Cefuroxime and Gentamicin had in vitro sensibility above 94%. Current sensitivity of E. coli to Norfloxacin was 85%. Amoxicillin-Clavulanic acid maintained its sensitivity at about 80% with few variations. Ampicillin and Co-trimoxazole had steady sensitivity figures, always below 50 and 70%, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Progressive decrease in the sensitivity of E. coli strains to Norfloxacin was observed. There was excellent sensitivity to Cefuroxime and Gentamicin.

Amoxicillin↗
PubMed1991

[Multicenter study of the Rosco-Neisseria system for the identification of pathogenic neisserias and Branhamella catarrhalis].

The commercial Rosco-Neisseria system was evaluated in the identification of 228 oxidase-positive Gram-negative diplococci and it was compared with conventional tests. The procedure detects gamma-glutamyl aminopeptidase, ONPG, tributyrin hydrolysis, and sensitivity to the disk of 10 micrograms of colistin. A correct identification was obtained in the 65 strains of Neisseria gonorrhoeae, the 33 of N. meningitidis, the 12 of N. lactamica, and the 56 of B. catarrhalis. The method was also able to discriminate 54 out of the 62 strains of nonpathogenic Neisseria. However, the 7 strains of Neisseria polysaccharea and one strain of N. subflava biovar perflava were erroneously identified as N. gonorrhoeae. None of the latter was superoxol positive in contrast with the 100% of cases of gonococcal strains. The Rosco-Neisseria system is simple and inexpensive but it should be applied on specimens that grow on selective media for gonococci (such as Thayer-Martin and others) and it should be complemented by superoxol test.

Bacterial Infections↗
PubMed1990

Superoxol and aminopeptidase tests for identification of pathogenic Neisseria species and Moraxella (Branhamella) catarrhalis.

The superoxol test, and prolyl aminopeptidase and gammaglutamyl aminopeptidase tests were evaluated for the detection of pathogenic Neisseria spp. using 317 strains of Neisseria-ceae. The superoxol test was positive for all 116 gonococci and 62 Moraxella (Branhamella) catarrhalis strains, but also for three strains of Neisseria meningitidis, one strain of Neisseria lactamica and eight saprophytic neisseriae. When using strains grown on Thayer-Martin medium, the positive and negative predictive values of the superoxol test for the identification of Neisseria gonorrhoeae were 96.7% and 100% respectively. Meningococci were the only neisseriae growing on Thayer-Martin medium that showed gamma-glutamyl aminopeptidase activity. The prolyl aminopeptidase test showed low specificity.

Aminopeptidases↗