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Raul Colodner

Publications and source records attributed to Raul Colodner.

25 records · Page 2Linked to original sources
PubMed2003

Vaginal colonization by orally administered Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG.

BACKGROUND: The lack of lactobacilli in the vagina of postmenopausal women due to estrogen deficiency plays an important role in the development of bacteriuria. In the last few years the use of lactobacilli for the prevention of genitourinary infections has been explored using different probiotic strains. OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the vaginal colonization by Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG in postmenopausal healthy women following oral administration of the bacteria in a yogurt base for 1 month, as a first step in evaluating the potential probiotic role of LGG in the prevention of recurrent urinary tract infections. METHODS: One or two doses per day of yogurt containing 10(9) colony-forming units of LGG were administered orally to 42 postmenopausal healthy women for 1 month. Vaginal and rectal swabs were cultured at the beginning and end of the study. RESULTS: At the end of the study the vaginas of only four women (9.5%) were colonized with LGG, at a very low number of bacteria, despite the fact that the gastrointestinal tracts of 33 women (78.6%) were colonized. There were no significant differences between one or two doses daily. CONCLUSIONS: LGG should not be considered as a probiotic agent in urinary infections since it does not attach well to the vaginal epithelium.

Administration, Oral↗
PubMed2002

Procalcitonin as a marker of acute pyelonephritis in infants and children.

In the absence of specific symptomatology in children, the early diagnosis of acute pyelonephritis is a challenge, particularly during infancy. In an attempt to differentiate acute pyelonephritis from lower urinary tract infection (UTI), we measured serum procalcitonin (PCT) levels and compared these with other commonly used inflammatory markers. We evaluated the ability of serum PCT levels to predict renal involvement, as assessed by dimercaptosuccinic acid (DMSA) scintigraphy. Serum C-reactive protein (CRP), leukocyte counts, and PCT levels were measured in 64 children admitted for suspected UTI. Renal parenchymal involvement was assessed by (99m)Tc-DMSA scintigraphy in the first 7 days after admission. In acute pyelonephritis, the median PCT level was significantly higher than in the lower UTI group (3.41, range 0.36-12.4 microg/l vs. 0.13, range 0.02-2.15 microg/l, P<0.0001). In these two groups, respectively, median CRP levels were 120 (range 62-249 mg/l) and 74.5 (range 14.5-235 mg/l, P=0.012) and leukocyte counts were 15,910/mm(3) (range 10,200-26,900) and 14,600/mm(3) (range 8,190-26,470, P=0.34). For the prediction of acute pyelonephritis, the sensitivity and specificity of PCT were 94.1% and 89.7%, respectively; CRP had a sensitivity of 100%, but a specificity of 18.5%. We conclude that serum PCT may be an accurate marker for early diagnosis of acute pyelonephritis.

Acute Disease↗
PubMed2002

Bacterial colonization of the uterine cervix and success rate in assisted reproduction: results of a prospective survey.

BACKGROUND: Overgrowth of bacteria in the birth canal is associated with an increased risk of late miscarriage, preterm labour, post-partum endometritis and low birthweight. Conception rates in assisted reproduction treatments (ART) remain frustratingly low. We examined whether the nature of bacterial flora, found in the uterine cervical canal at embryo transfer, is associated with the rate of conception in ART. METHODS: We sampled for bacteriological culture the cervical canal of 204 patients who underwent embryo transfer. Of these, 139 (68%) were of fresh embryos, following recent vaginal oocyte retrieval and prophylactic antibiotic therapy, and 65 (32%) of frozen-thawed embryos, without any vaginal intervention in the preceding days. Bacteriological work-up included identification, colony count and antibiotic susceptibility profile. Conception was correlated with bacterial type and colony count. RESULTS: In 75 patients (36.8%) sterile cervical cultures or lactobacillus were recorded. Of these 75 patients, 23 (30.7%) conceived, whereas among the 129 in whom any pathogenic micro-organism was recovered only 21 (16.3%) conceived (P = 0.002). No difference in colonization was found between women who underwent frozen-thawed versus fresh embryo transfer (57 and 67% respectively). Any Gram-negative colonization was associated with no conception. All Gram-positive, and 90% of the Gram-negative bacteria, were sensitive to augmentin. CONCLUSIONS: Failure to conceive in ART is significantly associated with bacterial colonization of the uterine cervix.

Adult↗
PubMed2002

Variations in 10 putative uropathogen virulence genes among urinary, faecal and peri-urethral Escherichia coli.

A total of 868 isolates was screened from seven different collections of organisms from previous studies - pyelonephritis in children aged 1-24 months; first, second and recurring urinary tract infection (UTI) in women aged 18-39 years; UTI in women aged 40-65 years and peri-urethral and faecal isolates from women aged 18-39 years - for the presence of 10 potential Escherichia coli UTI virulence genes. Previously reported differences between the frequency of these genes in UTI compared with faecal isolates were confirmed and extended. A single virulence signature (strains containing aer, kpsMT, ompT, fim and papGAD) occurred in 29% of the pyelonephritic isolates, but in no more than 11% of the other collections. Peri-urethral isolates were found to have frequencies of these 10 genes that differed from those found for both UTI and faecal isolates.

Adolescent↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Staphylococcus aureus carrier state among elderly residents of a long-term care facility.

INTRODUCTION: Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) infections have recently become a major concern in long-term care facilities (LTCF). Patients that have been colonized with MRSA in general hospitals may introduce the organisms into LTCF, and these can become reservoirs for the pathogen. Our objective was to evaluate the rate of colonization by S aureus, especially MRSA, in elderly residents of a large LTCF, and to find factors that predispose to it. METHODS: A nasal culture was obtained from randomly selected patients in an Israeli LTCF. Inclusion criteria were absence of active infection and no antibiotic treatment in the preceding month. The carrier state was defined when two consecutive cultures were positive for S aureus. RESULTS: The study population comprised 270 patients, aged 81 +/- 9.3 years and from all types of wards. Of these, 63 (23.3%) were carriers of S aureus and 17 of those (27%) had MRSA. From univariate analysis, the carrier state was associated with antibiotic treatment or an invasive procedure in the previous 3 months, and with a prior MRSA infection. Subacute LTCF departments had a higher carrier rate than the chronic care wards. CONCLUSIONS: In this large multilevel facility, 6.2% of the patients were MRSA carriers, and came predominantly from the subacute departments, suggesting an influx from general hospitals. This information and the identification of factors associated with MRSA infection permit the development of an institutional infection control program.

Aged↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Mycetoma of the foot caused by Cylindrocarpon lichenicola in an immunocompetent traveler.

Cylindrocarpon is a cosmopolitan soil fungus, which rarely causes human disease. It has infrequently been reported as causing keratitis, mycetoma, osteomyelitis and peritonitis in chronic peritoneal ambulatory dialysis patients and disseminated infection in leukemic neutropenic hosts. This report describes a case of invasive infection caused by Cylindrocarpon lichenicola, localized in the right foot of an otherwise immunocompetent traveler.

Foot Dermatoses↗