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L Torroba

Publications and source records attributed to L Torroba.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2004

Evaluation of the MB/BacT system compared with Middlebrook 7H11 and Lowenstein-Jensen media for detection and recovery of mycobacteria from clinical specimens.

MB/BacT vials (an automated system), Middlebrook 7H11 agar plates with the microcolony method for growth detection, and conventional Lowenstein-Jensen egg-based medium were assessed for their rates of recovery, time to detection and ease in aiding the identification of mycobacterial isolates. Of the 2101 consecutive, non-selected specimens for tuberculosis analysed in the laboratory, 158 (7.5%) yielded growth of 159 mycobacteria on at least one of the three media, comprising 111 Mycobacterium tuberculosis and 48 non-tuberculous mycobacteria. Of the 111 specimens positive for M. tuberculosis, 100 isolates were recovered from MB/BacT vials, 99 from M7H11 agar plates, and 86 from Lowenstein-Jensen tubes. The combination of MB/BacT and M7H11 recovered 110 isolates of M. tuberculosis, 107 from M7H11 and Lowenstein-Jensen, and 105 from MB/BacT plus Lowenstein-Jensen. The average time to detection of M. tuberculosis was 11 days with M7H11 using the microcolony method, 16 days with MB/BacT, and 19.5 days with the conventional Lowenstein-Jensen method. The MB/BacT vials recovered greater numbers of non-tuberculous mycobacteria than either of the other two media, but these were considered mostly to be saprophytes. It was concluded that a combination of media was better than a single medium. None of the media combinations showed statistical differences. Use of M7H11 with the microcolony method, which shortens the detection time for mycobacteria and facilitates the detection of mixed cultures, together with the Lowenstein-Jensen tube, was a useful combination.

Culture Media↗
PubMed1996

[Hemorrhagic colitis caused by verotoxigenic Escherichia coli. Presentation of 9 cases].

OBJECTIVE: To describe the clinical and epidemiological characteristics of nine patients with enteritis caused by verocytotoxin-producing E. coli O157. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Clinical data of patients was collected retrospectively, the isolated strains were tested for verotoxin production (VT) using Vero cell culture line, and presence of VT1 and VT2 gene sequences was detected using amplification techniques (PCR), biotype was also determined using twelve biochemical tests, and genomic macrorestriction profile (PFGE). RESULTS: The patients' age ranged from 11 months to 70 years. The mean duration of diarrhea was 4.7 days. All patients but one had abdominal cramps, seven of nine reported hemorrhagic stools and six had fever. Three patients were affected of haematologycal neoplasia and two of them developed hemolytic-uremic syndrome as a complication. All strains produced VT2 and two of them also produced VT1. Epidemiological link between patients has not been established. Three different biotypes had been distinguished between the nine isolated strains. All but two had different macrorestriction profiles. DISCUSSION: The results obtained showed that clinical manifestations are rather inespecific, including fever (6/9 patients) and there is high association of severe complications. The heterogeneity in PFGE results obtained confirms that the cases are not related.

Adult↗
PubMed1989

[Evaluation of the treatment with oral ciprofloxacin: experience with 24 patients].

We have evaluated the clinical effectiveness and possible side effects of oral ciprofloxacin therapy in 24 patients (11 females and 13 males). Two episodes from overall 25 infections were excluded of clinical and microbiological evaluation but were assessed regarding possible side effects. In most patients, the clinical condition was stable at the beginning of therapy. Only 3 patients had nonfatal diseases. Seventeen episodes were urinary tract infections (four of them with concomitant bacteremia), four chronic osteomyelitis, and two severe soft tissue infections; 21 episodes were monomicrobial, and two polymicrobial. The isolated organisms were mostly aerobic gram negative bacilli or facultative anaerobes: E. coli (9), Pseudomonas aeruginosa (5), Proteus mirabilis (5), Serratia marcescens (1), Klebsiella pneumoniae (1), Pseudomonas stutzeri (1), and Acinetobacter calcoaceticus (1). There were only two gram positive isolates: Staphylococcus aureus (1) and Staphylococcus epidermidis (1). The overall clinical response rate was 91%. Gastrointestinal tolerance was excellent. Colonization by Candida or Enterococcus developed in 3 cases (13%), and only one of them developed superinfection. Four patients developed several nervous system abnormalities, two increased transaminase activity and one drug exanthema. Ciprofloxacin appears as an effective drug for the monotherapy of several bacterial infections, including severe enterobacteriaceae and Pseudomonas infections.

Administration, Oral↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Acute fever due to rats].

The bite of a rat can transmit diverse micro-organisms; however, the development of health measures and the improved conditions of habitability of homes have meant that the infectious diseases transmitted by the aggressions of these animals are infrequent in industrialised countries. In occasional circumstances this type of aggression can still take place, especially in depressed areas on the periphery of big cities and in uninhabited premises, this being a possibility that it is advisable to bear in mind. The case is presented of fever due to a rat bite in a patient who was attacked while cleaning an industrial premise. The evolution of the clinical picture was typical, with Streptobacillus moniliformis isolated as the causal agent, and the picture was controlled with doxicycline without complications arising.

English Abstract↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Antibiotic sensitivity and treatment recommendations for Streptococcus pneumoniae].

The aims of present paper were to determine the susceptibility of the strains to the most usual antibiotics in clinical practice and to review the current recommendations to guide the most appropriate treatment. During the period october 2000 to september 2002, the patient's data (age and sex), source of the sample, diagnosis and antibiotic susceptibility were collected on Streptococcus pneumoniae isolates from microbiology laboratories in the Navarra region (555.829 inhabitants). Four hundred and sixty five isolates were identified (166 from invasive infections). Generally, isolates from ear swabs were the most resistant to the antimicrobials tested, while those from blood culture were the most susceptible. Of the Streptococcus pneumoniae tested, 43% were resistant to penicillin, 6.1% to amoxicillin and 6.6% to cefotaxime. Of the 36.3% of Streptococcus pneumoniae isolates that were resistant to erythromycin, 85.45% exhibited the MLSB phenotype while the remaining 14.55% presented with the M phenotype. Multiple-resistance was detected in 32.3% of the strains. The antibiotic resistance rates to beta-lactams (specially penicillin, amoxicillin and cefotaxime/ceftrixone) in Streptococcus pneumoniae don't prevent its clinical use for the most of Streptococcus pneumoniae isolated in our area, except for pneumococcal meningitis.

Anti-Bacterial Agents↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Evolution of the epidemiological characteristics of tuberculosis in Navarra (1994-2003)].

AIM: To describe the changes in the incidence and the epidemiological profile of tuberculosis in Navarra. METHODS: The cases of tuberculosis in the 1994-2003 period were analysed. Cases reported to the system of obligatory notifiable diseases, completed with the microbiological diagnoses and the cases collected in other health registers. RESULTS: The incidence of tuberculosis fell from 21 per 100,000 inhabitants in the five-year period 1994-1998 to 16 per 100,000 in 1999-2003. In both periods the number of cases in men doubled that in women, and the maximum incidence occurred in the age groups from 25 to 44 and over 65 years of age. The diagnoses of tuberculosis in persons with HIV infection fell from 15.1% to 6.6% and those in immigrants rose from 2.2% to 21.3%. Somewhat over 3% of the cases had received prior anti-tuberculosis treatment and about 6% showed resistance to some medicine, without significant differences between periods. The proportion of potentially transmissible tuberculosis (73%) underwent no significant changes, nor did that of those with positive sputum bacilloscopy. The number of outbreaks (groupings of two or more cases) rose from 18 to 26 and the percentage of cases secondary to another recent case rose from 3.6% to 10.1% (p<0,001). In the 1999-2003 period, pulmonary localisation occurred in isolated form in 67.7% of the patients, and in combination with other localisations in another 5.1%. The isolated pleural form appeared in 9.9% and the meningeal form in 1.5%. CONCLUSION: There has been an advance in the control of tuberculosis although its incidence is still high with respect to other European countries. Control of imported cases is one of the challenges to be faced in coming years, without neglecting control measures in the autochthonous population.

Adolescent↗