A case of myopericarditis associated to Campylobacter jejuni infection in the Southern Hemisphere

Myopericarditis is an infrequent complication of acute diarrheal illness due to Campylobacter jejuni, and it has been mainly reported in developed nations. The first case detected in Chile – an upper-middle income country –, that is coincidental with the increasing importance of acute gastroenteritis associated to this pathogen, is described. Recognition of this agent in stools requires special laboratory techniques not widely available, and it was suspected when a young patient presented with acute diarrhea, fever, and chest pain combined with electrocardiogram (EKG) abnormalities and elevated myocardial enzymes. C. jejuni myopericarditis can easily be suspected but its detection requires dedicated laboratory techniques.     

Evaluation of Reduced Susceptibility to Quaternary Ammonium Compounds and Bisbiguanides in Clinical Isolates and Laboratory-Generated Mutants of Staphylococcus aureus

The MICs and minimum bactericidal concentrations (MBCs) for the biocides benzalkonium chloride and chlorhexidine were determined against 1,602 clinical isolates of Staphylococcus aureus. Both compounds showed unimodal MIC and MBC distributions (2 and 4 or 8 mg/liter, respectively) with no apparent subpopulation with reduced susceptibility. To investigate further, all isolates were screened for qac genes, and 39 of these also had the promoter region of the NorA multidrug-resistant (MDR) efflux pump sequenced. The presence of qacA, qacB, qacC, and qacG genes increased the mode MIC, but not MBC, to benzalkonium chloride, while only qacA and qacB increased the chlorhexidine mode MIC. Isolates with a wild-type norA promoter or mutations in the norA promoter had similar biocide MIC distributions; notably, not all clinical isolates with norA mutations were resistant to fluoroquinolones. In vitro efflux mutants could be readily selected with ethidium bromide and acriflavine. Multiple passages were necessary to select mutants with biocides, but these mutants showed phenotypes comparable to those of mutants selected by dyes. All mutants showed changes in the promoter region of norA, but these were distinct from this region of the clinical isolates. Still, none of the in vitro mutants displayed fitness defects in a killing assay in Galleria mellonella larvae. In conclusion, our data provide an in-depth comparative overview on efflux in S. aureus mutants and clinical isolates, showing also that plasmid-encoded efflux pumps did not affect bactericidal activity of biocides. In addition, current in vitro tests appear not to be suitable for predicting levels of resistance that are clinically relevant.     

Residual factor VII activity and different hemorrhagic phenotypes in CRM(+) factor VII deficiencies (Gly331Ser and Gly283Ser)

Two cross-reacting material-positive (CRM(+)) factor VII (FVII) mutations, associated with similar reductions in coagulant activity (2.5%) but with mild to asymptomatic (Gly331Ser, c184 [in chymotrypsin numbering]) or severe (Gly283Ser, c140) hemorrhagic phenotypes, were investigated. The affected glycines belong to structurally conserved regions in the c184 through c193 and c140s activation domain loops, respectively. The natural mutants 331Ser-FVII and 283Ser-FVII were expressed, and in addition 331Ala-FVII and 283Ala-FVII were expressed because 3 functional serine-proteases bear alanine at these positions. The 331Ser-FVII, present in several asymptomatic subjects, showed detectable factor Xa generation activity in patient plasma (0.7% +/- 0.2%) and in reconstituted system with the recombinant molecules (2.7% +/- 1.1%). The reduced activity of recombinant 283Ala-FVII (7.2% +/- 2.2%) indicates that the full function of FVII requires glycine at this position, and the undetectable activity of 283Ser-FVII suggests that the oxydrile group of Ser283 participates in causing severe CRM(+) deficiency. Furthermore, in a plasma system with limiting thromboplastin concentration, 283Ser-FVII inhibited wild-type FVIIa activity in a dose-dependent manner.     

Cocaine postmortem distribution in three brain structures: A comparison with whole blood and vitreous humour

The presence of cocaine (COC) in fluids or tissues does not prove that death was due to drug consumption and the interpretation of postmortem concentrations is more complex than attempts at making such correlations in the living. The purpose of this study was to investigate the distribution of cocaine and its metabolite benzoylecgonine in brain and compare with whole blood and vitreous humour. The distribution in three brain structures (prefrontal cortex, basal ganglia and cerebellum) was homogeneous. There is a strong correlation for cocaine concentrations between vitreous humour and brain, vitreous humour and whole blood, and whole blood and brain in overdose cases. In addition, the comparison of COC/benzoylecgonine (BE) ratios in different experimental specimens proved to be more appropriate for evaluating cocaine-related death than individual drug values. These findings suggest that the comparison of cocaine levels in different compartments is essential to assess the cause of death.     

Genetic predisposition for adult lactose intolerance and relation to diet, bone density, and bone fractures.

Evidence that genetic disposition for adult lactose intolerance significantly affects calcium intake, bone density, and fractures in postmenopausal women is presented. PCR-based genotyping of lactase gene polymorphisms may complement diagnostic procedures to identify persons at risk for both lactose malabsorption and osteoporosis. INTRODUCTION: Lactase deficiency is a common autosomal recessive condition resulting in decreased intestinal lactose degradation. A -13910 T/C dimorphism (LCT) near the lactase phlorizin hydrolase gene, reported to be strongly associated with adult lactase nonpersistence, may have an impact on calcium supply, bone density, and osteoporotic fractures in the elderly. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We determined LCT genotypes TT, TC, and CC in 258 postmenopausal women using a polymerase chain reaction-based assay. Genotypes were related to milk intolerance, nutritional calcium intake, intestinal calcium absorption, bone mineral density (BMD), and nonvertebral fractures. RESULTS: Twenty-four percent of all women were found to have CC genotypes and genetic lactase deficiency. Age-adjusted BMD at the hip in CC genotypes and at the spine in CC and TC genotypes was reduced by -7% to -11% depending on the site measured (p = 0.04). LCT(T/C-13910) polymorphisms alone accounted for 2-4% of BMD in a multiple regression model. Bone fracture incidence was significantly associated with CC genotypes (p = 0.001). Milk calcium intake was significantly lower (-55%, p = 0.004) and aversion to milk consumption was significantly higher (+166%, p = 0.01) in women with the CC genotype, but there were no differences in overall dietary calcium intake or in intestinal calcium absorption test values. CONCLUSION: The LCT(T/C-13910) polymorphism is associated with subjective milk intolerance, reduced milk calcium intake, and reduced BMD at the hip and the lumbar spine and may predispose to bone fractures. Genetic testing for lactase deficiency may complement indirect methods in the detection of individuals at risk for both lactose malabsorption and osteoporosis.