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M Maurin

Publications and source records attributed to M Maurin.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2006

[Adequacy of antibiotic therapy to guidelines for urinary tract infection in hospital].

OBJECTIVE: We estimated the adequacy of antibiotic therapy to guidelines for nosocomial and community-acquired urinary tract infections in hospital. DESIGN: For 4 weeks, all adult patients hospitalized with positive bacteriuria were included in our retrospective study. Data was collected from urine culture results and from patient medical files. Adequacy to guidelines was analyzed by two infectious disease specialists, focusing on the indication, antibiotic choice, dosage, route of administration, and duration of treatment. RESULTS: Overall 202 patients were enrolled in the study (63.9% women). The decision of initiating or not antibiotic therapy was appropriate in 66.8% of cases. Antibiotherapy indication and antibiotic choice were adequate in 94 cases in empiric prescription (50.8%) and in 123 cases (60.9%) after receiving culture antibiogram results. Route of administration was adequate in 94.4% and dosage in 70.8% of prescriptions. This poor compliance with guidelines was mainly due to unnecessary prescriptions in asymptomatic bacteriuria, unnecessary biotherapies and spectrum errors. CONCLUSIONS: It seems important to remind prescribers of recommendations for urinary tract infections.

Adult↗
PubMed2006

The changing pattern of Fusobacterium infections in humans: recent experience with Fusobacterium bacteraemia.

A retrospective study was conducted of 26 adult cases of fusobacterium bacteraemia that occurred between 1998 and 2003 at Center Hospitalier Universitaire de Grenoble, France. Most patients presented with pre-existing adverse medical conditions, including evolving malignant diseases (eight patients), recent surgery (four patients), and chronic organ failure (six patients). Only one patient presented with a classic Lemierre's syndrome. These results suggest an opportunistic pattern of modern fusobacterium infections.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2005

Antibiotic susceptibilities of Legionella pneumophila strain Paris in THP-1 cells as determined by real-time PCR assay.

OBJECTIVES: Legionella species are facultative intracellular bacteria. Evaluation of the activity of antibiotics against intracellular L. pneumophila is more predictive of their in vivo efficacy than MICs as determined in axenic medium. However, current methodologies are based on cfu count determination, and are tedious because of the slow growth of Legionella spp. We investigated antibiotic susceptibilities of L. pneumophila strain Paris in THP-1-derived macrophages, using a real-time PCR assay for evaluation of bacterial growth. METHODS: Intracellular activities of seven antibiotic compounds against two human isolates of L. pneumophila strain Paris were determined in THP-1-derived macrophages in vitro. Bacterial growth was evaluated using either cfu methodology or a real-time PCR protocol targeting the mip gene. RESULTS: Bacterial titres as determined using real-time PCR were well correlated with cfu counts. Antibiotic susceptibilities for the two L. pneumophila isolates tested were comparable when using either of the two techniques. MICs were also similar to those previously reported for other L. pneumophila serogroup 1 strains. In particular, rifampicin and the fluoroquinolones were the most active compounds, both in extracellular medium and in THP-1 cells. Real-time PCR, however, was much less laborious than the traditional cfu method. CONCLUSIONS: Real-time PCR is better adapted than cfu-based methods to evaluating the antibiotic susceptibilities of large series of Legionella strains to newer antibiotic compounds.

Anti-Bacterial Agents↗
PubMed2005

Real-time PCR for detection of Brucella spp. DNA in human serum samples.

Presented here are the results of an evaluation of an in-house real-time PCR assay for the rapid and specific diagnosis of human brucellosis. The assay was based on direct amplification from serum samples of a 169-bp portion of bcsp31, a gene found in all Brucella species and biovars. Species specificity and selectivity of this real-time PCR assay were evaluated using genomic DNA from 15 Brucella strains and 42 non-Brucella strains, and the results were 100%. Among 17 culture-proven brucellosis patients, sera from 11 gave a positive amplification signal, corresponding to a sensitivity of 64.7%. In contrast, negative results were obtained for all sera from 60 control patients, corresponding to a specificity of 100%. The results indicate this test is well adapted for definite confirmation of brucellosis cases, when Brucella cultures remain sterile and serological tests demonstrate the presence of cross-reacting antibodies against Brucella sp. and Yersinia enterocolitica O:9 antigens.

Adult↗
PubMed2005

[Brucellosis at the dawn of the 21st century].

Human brucellosis is now a rare disease in countries where eradication programs (especially vaccination) against brucellosis in cattle, sheep, and goats have been successfully implemented. In France, fewer than 50 brucellosis cases are annually notified to the National Institute for Infection Surveillance. Human brucellosis, however, remains endemic in the Mediterranean basin, Middle East, Western Asia, Africa, and South America. Shortcomings of standard diagnostic methods for brucellosis (variable sensitivity of culture, frequent serological cross reactions) have been only partially resolved by modern molecular biology techniques. There are now 3 new challenges to be faced by the medical and veterinarian community: the expanding wildlife reservoir of brucellosis, with a possible impact on domestic animals; the emergence of Brucella. melitensis infections in cattle, for which prophylactic efficacy of available vaccines has not been established; and recent recognition of a huge animal reservoir of Brucella species in marine mammals, for which the potential virulence in humans remains unknown.

Animals↗
PubMed2004

Guidelines for the diagnosis of tick-borne bacterial diseases in Europe.

Ticks are obligate haematophagous acarines that parasitise every class of vertebrate (including man) and have a worldwide distribution. An increasing awareness of tick-borne diseases among clinicians and scientific researchers has led to the recent description of a number of emerging tick-borne bacterial diseases. Since the identification of Borrelia burgdorferi as the agent of Lyme disease in 1982, 11 tick-borne human bacterial pathogens have been described in Europe. Aetiological diagnosis of tick-transmitted diseases is often difficult and relies on specialised laboratories using very specific tools. Interpretation of laboratory data is very important in order to establish the diagnosis. These guidelines aim to help clinicians and microbiologists in diagnosing infection transmitted by tick bites and to provide the scientific and medical community with a better understanding of these infectious diseases.

Animals↗
PubMed2004

Aminoglycoside nephrotoxicity.

The main constraints to the administration of aminoglycosides (AG) are risks of nephrotoxicity and ototoxicity, which can lead to renal and vestibular failure. AG accumulation in the kidney may be related to the dosing schedule. As a result, administration of larger doses on a less frequent basis may reduce the drug accumulation in the renal cortex. Many methods have been proposed to reduce AG nephrotoxicity. (1) Molecular modeling and analog synthesis could lead to intrinsically less toxic AG but this approach is time consuming and expensive. Protective approaches such as the co-administration of polyaspartic acid or defferoxamine appear to be very promising in clinical practice. (2) Population pharmacokinetic computer programs, used to control AG serum concentrations, are correct predictors of efficacy but the estimated concentrations in the second compartment are not reliable predictors of nephrotoxicity because they do not take into account non-linear processes such as the AG uptake in the renal cortex or the tubuloglomerular feedback. (3) Finally, modelling the AG nephrotoxicity with probabilistic approaches and/or with deterministic approaches seems to be very promising. These two approaches appear to be not competitive but very complementary in clinical practice. The probabilistic model can be used to predict nephrotoxicity at the beginning the treatment. The deterministic model can be used to simulate and control nephrotoxicity when it is already unfolding and the treatment must be given for a long period of time.

Aminoglycosides↗
PubMed2003

Molecular evaluation of antibiotic susceptibility: Tropheryma whipplei paradigm.

Tropheryma whipplei, the agent of Whipple's disease, grows fastidiously only in cell cultures without plaque production, and only three strains have been passaged. The formation of bacterial clumps in the supernatant precludes enumeration of viable bacteria and MIC determination. We evaluated the bacteriostatic effects of fluoroquinolones against two T. whipplei isolates by measuring the inhibition of the DNA copy number increase by real-time quantitative PCR. The analysis of the T. whipplei genome database allowed the identification not only of the gyrA gene but also the parC gene encoding the alpha subunit of the natural fluoroquinolone targets DNA gyrase (GyrA) and topoisomerase IV (ParC), respectively. The parC gene was detected in actinobacteria for the first time. High ciprofloxacin MICs (4 and 8 micro g/ml) were correlated with the presence in T. whipplei GyrA and ParC sequences with an alanine residue at positions 83 and 80 (Escherichia coli numbering), respectively. Alanines at these positions have previously been associated with increased fluoroquinolone resistance in E. coli and mycobacteria. However, the MIC of levofloxacin was low (0.25 micro g/ml). The same T. whipplei GyrA and ParC sequences were found in two other cultured strains and in nine uncultured tissue samples from Whipple's disease patients, allowing one to speculate that T. whipplei is naturally relatively resistant to fluoroquinolones.

Actinobacteria↗
PubMed2002

Antibiotic susceptibilities of Parachlamydia acanthamoeba in amoebae.

Parachlamydia acanthamoeba are intracellular bacteria of amoebae and are considered potential etiological agents of human pneumonia. We have determined the in vitro antibiotic susceptibilities of two strains (strain Bn(9) and Hall's coccus) in Acanthamoeba polyphaga. The two strains were susceptible to tetracyclines, macrolides, and rifampin, but resistant to fluoroquinolones.

Acanthamoeba↗
PubMed2002

Comparison of in-house and commercial slides for detection by immunofluorescence of immunoglobulins G and M against Bartonella henselae and Bartonella quintana.

We compared the sensitivities and specificities of indirect fluorescent antibody tests developed in our laboratory and commercially available from Focus Technologies (FT; formerly MRL Diagnostic) for detection of serum antibodies to Bartonella spp. Serum samples tested were from patients with culture- or PCR-confirmed Bartonella quintana or B. henselae infections causing cat scratch disease (CSD), chronic bacteremia, or endocarditis. At a cutoff titer of 64, the FT test had higher sensitivity than our in-house test in detecting anti-B. henselae immunoglobulin G (IgG) antibodies in CSD patients (91.2 versus 52.9%; P < 0.001). The specificity in serum samples from 85 control patients was, however, lower with the FT test (87%) than with the in-house test (98.8%) (P = 0.002). A cutoff titer of 128 improves the specificity for the FT test but lowers the sensitivity to 85%. For patients infected with B. henselae, our in-house test, but not the FT test, enabled endocarditis to be detected more reliably. With the in-house test, titers of IgG against B. henselae of >/=1,024 were found only in endocarditis patients and not in CSD patients. With the FT test, 19.1% of CSD patients had titers of IgG against B. henselae of >/=1,024 (P < 0.001). Our in-house technique also improved detection of anti-B. quintana antibodies in homeless patients with endocarditis. IgG titers of >/=1,024 were present in 75% of serum samples, but only in 16.7% of serum samples with the FT test (P = 0.004). Since each test has advantages over the other, the serological diagnosis of Bartonella infections would benefit if both tests were used concurrently.

Antibodies, Bacterial↗
PubMed2001

DNA gyrase-mediated natural resistance to fluoroquinolones in Ehrlichia spp.

Fluoroquinolone susceptibility heterogeneity between various Ehrlichia species has been previously demonstrated. In gram-negative bacteria, resistance to fluoroquinolones most often corresponds to specific amino acid variations in a portion of the protein sequence of the A subunit of DNA gyrase (GyrA), referred to as the quinolone resistance-determining region (QRDR). We suspected a similar mechanism to be responsible for natural resistance in some Ehrlichia species. To verify this hypothesis, we sequenced the entire gyrA gene of the quinolone-susceptible species Ehrlichia sennetsu and designed specific primers to amplify and sequence the QRDR of four other Ehrlichia species as well as the closely related species Cowdria ruminantium. We identified in the fluoroquinolone-resistant species Ehrlichia chaffeensis and Ehrlichia canis a specific GyrA QRDR amino acid sequence, also present in C. ruminantium (whose susceptibility to fluoroquinolones remains unknown). These three species belong to a single phylogenetic cluster referred to as the E. canis genogroup. A different GyrA QRDR pattern, shared by the Ehrlichia species representatives of the E. sennetsu and Ehrlichia phagocytophila genogroups, was identified. Three of the four species tested are known to be susceptible to fluoroquinolones. A serine residue in position 83 (Escherichia coli numbering) in the susceptible species is replaced by an alanine residue in fluoroquinolone-resistant species. These results are consistent with the current knowledge on fluoroquinolone resistance in other gram-negative bacteria. They are indicative of a natural gyrase-mediated resistance to fluoroquinolones in the E. canis genogroup.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed2000

Bactericidal effect of antibiotics on Bartonella and Brucella spp.: clinical implications.

The species Bartonella and Brucella are phylogenetically closely related bacteria, both of which can produce chronic infections in humans that are difficult to cure with antibiotics. MICs of antibiotics for both species correlate poorly with the in vivo efficacy of the antibiotics. In this study we have determined MBCs of several antibiotics for this group of pathogens. Only the aminoglycosides were bactericidal, and this correlates well with the usefulness of these antibiotics for the therapy of human brucellosis and chronic Bartonella spp. infections such as endocarditis. Our data indicate that current clinical experience in treating brucellosis may help to define better the optimum antibiotic therapy for Bartonella-related diseases.

Aminoglycosides↗
PubMed2000

Bactericidal activities of antibiotics against intracellular Francisella tularensis.

MICs of many antibiotics for Francisella tularensis are low in axenic medium, whereas only aminoglycosides, tetracyclines, and fluoroquinolones are useful in treating tularemic patients. In an in vitro cell system, only these antibiotics, rifampin, and telithromycin were bactericidal against intracellular F. tularensis. These results correlate better with clinical data than MIC data do.

Animals↗
PubMed2000

In vitro activities of telithromycin (HMR 3647) against Rickettsia rickettsii, Rickettsia conorii, Rickettsia africae, Rickettsia typhi, Rickettsia prowazekii, Coxiella burnetii, Bartonella henselae, Bartonella quintana, Bartonella bacilliformis, and Ehrlichia chaffeensis.

In vitro activities of telithromycin compared to those of erythromycin against Rickettsia spp., Bartonella spp., Coxiella burnetii, and Ehrlichia chaffeensis were determined. Telithromycin was more active than erythromycin against Rickettsia, Bartonella, and Coxiella burnetii, with MICs of 0.5 microg/ml, 0.003 to 0.015 microg/ml, and 1 microg/ml, respectively, but was inactive against Ehrlichia chaffeensis.

Anti-Bacterial Agents↗
PubMed2000

Isolation in endothelial cell cultures of chlamydia trachomatis LGV (Serovar L2) from a lymph node of a patient with suspected cat scratch disease.

An inguinal lymph node, removed from a 21-year-old Romanian man suspected of having cat scratch disease, was sent to our laboratory for Bartonella culture. Lymph node specimens were inoculated on blood-enriched agar and in an endothelial cell culture system using the centrifugation shell vial technique. Bacteria were grown in cell monolayers and detected as positive with an anti-Bartonella henselae rabbit serum. However, such bacteria were identified as Chlamydia trachomatis biovar LGV serovar L2 by PCR sequencing techniques. Pathological examination of tissue biopsies was compatible with either lymphogranuloma venereum or cat scratch disease. The shell vial system is suitable for isolation of intracellular pathogens responsible for chronic lymphadenopathies, including C. trachomatis, Bartonella species, Francisella tularensis, and mycobacteria. However, care should be taken when identifying Chlamydia spp. and Bartonella spp. using polyclonal antibodies, since species of both genera have common antigens which are responsible for cross-reactions.

Adult↗
PubMed1999

In vitro susceptibilities of four Bartonella bacilliformis strains to 30 antibiotic compounds.

We have evaluated for the first time in vitro antibiotic susceptibilities of four human strains of Bartonella bacilliformis, the agent of Carrion's disease. Our results show that B. bacilliformis, like other Bartonella species, is highly susceptible to antibiotics, including most beta-lactams, aminoglycosides, chloramphenicol, rifampin, macrolides, tetracyclines, cotrimoxazole, and fluoroquinolones.

Anti-Bacterial Agents↗