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Biomedical subjects

Gili Regev-Yochay

Publications and source records attributed to Gili Regev-Yochay.

8 recordsLinked to original sources

Comparison of community-acquired methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus bacteremia to other staphylococcal species in a neonatal intensive care unit.

Hospital acquired infections including staphylococcal species are common in neonatal intensive care units. Community-associated methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (CA-MRSA) was recently observed in our unit. The clinical and laboratory characteristics of all neonates with Staphylococcus aureus bacteremia during an 11-year period were retrospectively reviewed. Three groups of patients were compared: 1. Patients with CA-MRSA defined as MRSA-resistant only to beta-lactams, but sensitive to all other antibiotic groups and carried SCCmec IV. 2. Patients with multi-drug-resistant (MDR)-MRSA and 3. Patients with MSSA (methicillin-sensitive S. aureus). Forty-three neonates with documented S. aureus bacteremia were included. Of these 41 were preterm babies. Eleven infants had CA-MRSA, 20 had MDR-MRSA and 12 had MSSA bacteremia, the Panton-Valentine-Leukocidine gene (pvl-gene) was not present in any of these strains. Risk factors, clinical manifestations and laboratory tests were similar in all three groups studied. Although neonates infected with CA-MRSA were more premature and had more related diseases, the mortality rate was similar in all groups (9.1% in the CA-MRSA group). Skin infections, osteomyelitis or pneumatocele were not observed more frequently in the CA-MRSA group. We did not find significant differences in risk factors or outcomes in neonates in the three groups. One possible explanation for this observation is that the CA-MRSA outbreak strain did not contain the pvl-gene, which has been suggested to be a significant virulence factor.

Anti-Bacterial Agents↗

Interference between Streptococcus pneumoniae and Staphylococcus aureus: In vitro hydrogen peroxide-mediated killing by Streptococcus pneumoniae.

The bactericidal activity of Streptococcus pneumoniae toward Staphylococcus aureus is mediated by hydrogen peroxide. Catalase eliminated this activity. Pneumococci grown anaerobically or genetically lacking pyruvate oxidase (SpxB) were not bactericidal, nor were nonpneumococcal streptococci. These results provide a possible mechanistic explanation for the interspecies interference observed in epidemiologic studies.

Antibiosis↗

Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus in neonatal intensive care unit.

A neonatal intensive care unit outbreak was caused by a strain of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus previously found in the community (ST45-MRSA-IV). Fifteen infected neonates were identified, 2 of whom died. This outbreak illustrates how a rare community pathogen can rapidly spread through nosocomial transmission.

Anti-Bacterial Agents↗

Association between carriage of Streptococcus pneumoniae and Staphylococcus aureus in Children.

CONTEXT: Widespread pneumococcal conjugate vaccination may bring about epidemiologic changes in upper respiratory tract flora of children. Of particular significance may be an interaction between Streptococcus pneumoniae and Staphylococcus aureus, in view of the recent emergence of community-acquired methicillin-resistant S aureus. OBJECTIVE: To examine the prevalence and risk factors of carriage of S pneumoniae and S aureus in the prevaccination era in young children. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PATIENTS: Cross-sectional surveillance study of nasopharyngeal carriage of S pneumoniae and nasal carriage of S aureus by 790 children aged 40 months or younger seen at primary care clinics in central Israel during February 2002. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Carriage rates of S pneumoniae (by serotype) and S aureus; risk factors associated with carriage of each pathogen. RESULTS: Among 790 children screened, 43% carried S pneumoniae and 10% carried S aureus. Staphylococcus aureus carriage among S pneumoniae carriers was 6.5% vs 12.9% in S pneumoniae noncarriers. Streptococcus pneumoniae carriage among S aureus carriers was 27.5% vs 44.8% in S aureus noncarriers. Only 2.8% carried both pathogens concomitantly vs 4.3% expected dual carriage (P =.03). Risk factors for S pneumoniae carriage (attending day care, having young siblings, and age older than 3 months) were negatively associated with S aureus carriage. CONCLUSIONS: Streptococcus pneumoniae carriage, specifically of vaccine-type strains, is negatively associated with S aureus carriage in children. The implications of these findings in the pneumococcal vaccine era require further investigation.

Carrier State↗

Nasopharyngeal carriage of Streptococcus pneumoniae by adults and children in community and family settings.

The rate of Streptococcus pneumoniae carriage among adults was compared with that among children (age, < or =6 years) in the same population. Nasopharyngeal culture results for 1300 adults and 404 children were analyzed. S. pneumoniae was carried by only 4% of the adults, compared with 53% of children in the same community. Young age, day care center attendance, having young siblings, and no antibiotic use during the month before screening were associated with the high carriage rate among children, whereas the only risk factor associated with carriage among adults was the presence of a respiratory infection on the screening day. S. pneumoniae serotype distribution and antibiotic resistance patterns differed between adults and children. Isolates of the same serotype--even of the same clone--differed in their antibiotic susceptibility patterns between children and adults. In a subanalysis of 151 pairs of children and their parents and of 32 pairs of siblings, intrafamilial transmission of S. pneumoniae could not be demonstrated.

Adolescent↗

Independent risk factors for carriage of penicillin-non-susceptible Streptococcus pneumoniae.

Antibiotic treatment, day-care center (DCC) attendance and young age are associated with penicillin-non-susceptible Streptococcus pneumoniae (PNSSp) carriage. Yet, it is unclear whether each is an independent risk factor for the individual. This cross-sectional surveillance study was designed to answer this question. Nasopharyngeal cultures were obtained from 429 children (< 6 y) during a visit to the pediatrician's office. Two risk rates were calculated: the individual's absolute risk to carry PNSSp [simple odds ratio (ORS)] and the risk of an individual who is already a carrier [conditional odds ratio (ORC)]. Streptococcus pneumoniae was isolated from 52.7% of 401 children. PNSSp was detected in 37.1% of carriers. Independent risk factors were: young age [ORS 2.24, 95% confidence interval (95% CI) 1.2-4.2], DCC attendance (ORS 3.8, 95% CI 1.9-7.5), having young siblings (ORS 2.3, 95% CI 0.95-5.57) and each antibiotic treatment during the previous 3 months (ORS 1.5, 95% CI 1.25-1.85). The only significant risk factor among carriers was prior antibiotic treatment (ORC 2.24, 95% CI 1.64-3.05). Young children, who attended DCC and received 1 antibiotic course (9% of the population) had a risk 12.9 times higher than children without these features.

Age Distribution↗