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M Altwegg

Publications and source records attributed to M Altwegg.

130 records · Page 8Linked to original sources
PubMedDate not supplied

Differentiation of Kluyvera cryocrescens from Kluyvera ascorbata by irgasan susceptibility testing.

From the faeces of a diarrhoeic patient, we isolated a strain of Kluyvera ascorbata on cefsulodin-irgasan-novobiocin (CIN) agar, a highly selective medium used for Yersinia enterocolitica. Since no selective media have been described for Kluyvera spp., we tested 5 strains each of K. ascorbata and K. cryocrescens for their ability to grow on CIN agar. K. ascorbata exhibited an inhibition on CIN of less than 10% CFU compared to blood agar, whereas K. cryocrescens did not grow at all even with inocula as high as 10(5) CFU per plate. This phenomenon correlated very well with MIC values to irgasan, which were greater than 128 mg/l for K. ascorbata and less than or equal to 0.25 mg/l for K. cryocrescens. No significant differences between the two species were observed for the other two antibiotics contained in CIN. This phenotypic character has been used to differentiate 18 strains belonging to either species on the basis of a simple disk test: with disks containing 5, 25, or 125 micrograms irgasan, K. ascorbata never showed zones of inhibition, whereas K. cryocrescens produced zones of greater than or equal to 15, greater than or equal to 21.5 and greater than or equal to 25.0 mm in diameter, respectively.

Anti-Bacterial Agents↗
PubMedDate not supplied

The diagnostic yield of vitrectomy specimen analysis in chronic idiopathic endogenous uveitis.

PURPOSE: The low diagnostic yield of vitrectomy specimen analysis in chronic idiopathic uveitis (CIU) has been related to the complex nature of the underlying disease and to methodologic and tissue immanent factors in older studies. In an attempt to evaluate the impact of recently acquired analytic methods, the authors assessed the current diagnostic yield in CIU. METHODS: Retrospective analysis of consecutive vitrectomy specimens from patients with chronic endogenous uveitis (n = 56) in whom extensive systemic workup had not revealed a specific diagnosis (idiopathic) and medical treatment had not resulted in a satisfying clinical situation. Patients with acute postoperative endophthalmitis served a basis for methodologic comparison (Group 2; n = 21). RESULTS: In CIU, a specific diagnosis provided in 17.9% and a specific diagnosis excluded in 21.4%. In 60.7% the laboratory investigations were inconclusive. In postoperative endophthalmitis, microbiological culture established the infectious agent in 47.6%. In six of eight randomly selected cases, eubacterial PCR identified bacterial DNA confirming the culture results in three, remaining negative in two with a positive culture and being positive in three no growth specimens. A double negative result never occurred, suggesting a very high detection rate, when both tests were applied. CONCLUSIONS: The diagnostic yield of vitrectomy specimen analysis has not been improved by currently routinely applied methods in recent years in contrast to the significantly improved sensitivity of combined standardized culture and PCR analysis in endophthalmitis. Consequently, the low diagnostic yield in CIU has to be attributed to insufficient understanding of the underlying pathophysiologic mechanisms.

Adolescent↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Emergence of related nontoxigenic Corynebacterium diphtheriae biotype mitis strains in Western Europe.

We report on 17 isolates of Corynebacterium diphtheriae biotype mitis with related ribotypes from Switzerland, Germany, and France. Isolates came from skin and subcutaneous infections of injecting drug users, homeless persons, prisoners, and elderly orthopedic patients with joint prostheses or primary joint infections. Such isolates had only been observed in Switzerland.

Adult↗