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P S Mitchell

Publications and source records attributed to P S Mitchell.

24 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

Stomatococcus mucilaginosus bacteremias. Typical case presentations, simplified diagnostic criteria, and a literature review.

Even though Stomatococcus mucilaginosus is considered indigenous oral-pharyngeal flora, cited literature and case reports indicate that it can be the cause of infectious conditions. Tested strains were isolated from blood, the oral region, and wound sources. The organism was routinely misidentified or not identified by conventional or commercial systems (Vitek, STAPH-Trac). Four antimicrobial diagnostic disks for example, bacitracin (0.04 units; Taxo A), furazolidone (100 micrograms), novobiocin (5 micrograms), and polymyxin B (300 units), were evaluated as possible addition to previously applied biochemical characteristics that differentiate between S. mucilaginosus, Micrococcus sp., and coagulase-negative staphylococci. Consistent antimicrobial susceptibility patterns among our isolates to the diagnostic disks produced applicable characteristics for discriminating S. mucilaginosus from similar microorganisms. However, therapeutic choices of antimicrobial agents should be guided by individual organism susceptibility test results because of variable, often resistant patterns to beta-lactams, aminoglycosides, macrolides, new fluoroquinolones, and sulfonamides.

Adult↗

Prevalence and outcome of hepatitis C infection among heart transplant recipients.

BACKGROUND: Hepatitis C virus infection is common in organ transplant recipients, and can be associated with significant morbidity and mortality. A unique feature of this infection among immunosuppressed patients is that it can progress without the development of hepatitis C virus antibodies. METHODS: To define the prevalence of hepatitis C virus infection in patients undergoing heart transplantation and identify clinical syndromes associated with hepatitis C virus infection in heart transplant recipients, we collected sera from 59 consecutive heart transplant recipients and their donors. Samples were tested before and after transplantation for hepatitis C virus antibodies with the use of a second-generation recombinant immunoblot assay and for hepatitis C virus RNA by means of reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction. RESULTS: Four of 59 patients (7%) had hepatitis C virus-RNA detected in posttransplantation serum samples; but only one of these was anti-hepatitis C virus antibody positive. Two of the four patients with hepatitis C virus RNA detected after transplantation received organs from donors who were positive for hepatitis C virus RNA/anti-hepatitis C virus. One of these two recipients tested positive for hepatitis C virus antibody and hepatitis C virus RNA before transplantation. The other two patients received organs from hepatitis C virus negative donors and possibly acquired infection after transplantation from blood or immunoglobulin preparations. One patient was anti-hepatitis C virus positive before transplantation but had no detectable hepatitis C virus RNA, and hepatitis C virus infection did not develop after transplantation. Progressive hepatitis C virus-induced cholestatic liver disease that led to hepatic failure and death after heart transplantation occurred in one of the four patients. CONCLUSION: Hepatitis C virus infection may occur after heart transplantation in the absence of anti-hepatitis C virus antibodies, and a syndrome of severe cholestatic liver disease may complicate heart transplantation in the presence of hepatitis C virus infection.

Adult↗