PubMed · 9798307
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1998-10-16. Methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus.. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/9798307/
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Escherichia coli is the leading cause of Gram-negative neonatal septicemia in the United States. Invasion and passage across the neonatal gut after ingestion of maternal E. coli strains produce bacteremia. In this study, we compared the virulence properties of the neonatal E. coli bacteremia clinical isolate SCB34 with the archetypal neonatal E. coli meningitis strain RS218. Whole-genome sequencing data was used to compare the protein coding sequences among these clinical isolates and 33 other representative E. coli strains. Oral inoculation of newborn animals with either strain produced septicemia, whereas intraperitoneal injection caused septicemia only in pups infected with RS218 but not in those injected with SCB34. In addition to being virulent only through the oral route, SCB34 demonstrated significantly greater invasion and transcytosis of polarized intestinal epithelial cells in vitro as compared to RS218. Protein coding sequences comparisons highlighted the presence of known virulence factors that are shared among several of these isolates, and revealed the existence of proteins exclusively encoded in SCB34, many of which remain uncharacterized. Our study demonstrates that oral acquisition is crucial for the virulence properties of the neonatal bacteremia clinical isolate SCB34. This characteristic, along with its enhanced ability to invade and transcytose intestinal epithelium are likely determined by the specific virulence factors that predominate in this strain.
BACKGROUND: Procedure instruction for physicians-in-training is usually nonstandardized. The authors observed that during insertion of central venous catheters (CVCs), few physicians used full-size sterile drapes (an intervention proven to reduce the risk for CVC-related infection). OBJECTIVE: To improve standardization of infection control practices and techniques during invasive procedures. DESIGN: Nonrandomized pre-post observational trial. SETTING: Six intensive care units and one step-down unit at Wake Forest University Baptist Medical Center, Winston-Salem, North Carolina. PARTICIPANTS: Third-year medical students and physicians completing their first postgraduate year. INTERVENTION: A 1-day course on infection control practices and procedures given in June 1996 and June 1997. MEASUREMENTS: Surveys assessing physician attitudes toward use of sterile techniques during insertion of CVCs were administered during the baseline year and just before, immediately after, and 6 months after the first course. Preintervention and postintervention use of full-size sterile drapes was measured, and surveillance for vascular catheter-related infection was performed. RESULTS: The perceived need for full-size sterile drapes was 22% in the year before the course and 73% 6 months after the course (P < 0.001). The perceived need for small sterile towels at the insertion site decreased reciprocally (P < 0.001). Documented use of full-size sterile drapes increased from 44% to 65% (P < 0.001). The rate of catheter-related infection decreased from 4.51 infections per 1000 patient-days before the first course to 2.92 infections per 1000 patient-days 18 months after the first course (average decrease, 3.23 infections per 1000 patient-days; P < 0.01). The estimated cost savings of this 28% decrease was at least $63000 and may have exceeded $800000. CONCLUSIONS: Standardization of infection control practices through a course is a cost-effective way to decrease related adverse outcomes. If these findings can be reproduced, this approach may serve as a model for physicians-in-training.
Several sets of PCR primers have recently been developed for detection of Burkholderia pseudomallei. In this report, the performance of 16S rRNA gene primers (16S), rRNA spacer gene primers (spacer), and 'LPS' primers (LPS) were compared. All primer sets were tested by PCR amplification of the same DNA samples extracted from blood specimens of 46 patients from northeastern Thailand, of which 29 had melioidosis based on blood culture as a gold standard. The sensitivities were 41, 35.7, and 31% while the specificities were 47, 59, and 100% for the 16S, spacer, and LPS primers, respectively. The positive predictive values were 60, 59, and 100%, while negative predictive values were 35, 34, and 46%, for these primers. The low sensitivity of PCR was suspected to be because of small numbers of bacteria in the samples. In addition, one primer set could not detect all B. pseudomallei strains. To make PCR for melioidosis more practical, bacterial concentration steps must be added. Lastly, mixed infection of patients in endemic areas may be the cause of controversial false positive PCR results, and should be further investigated.