International spread of major clones of methicillin resistant staphylococcus aureus: nosocomial endemicity of multi locus sequence type 239 in Saudi Arabia and Romania

Phenotypically identified methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) strains from several hospitals in Romania and Saudi Arabia (n = 103 and 68, respectively) were confirmed to be MRSA by mecA PCR and PBP-2' based latex agglutination. Subsequently, strains were differentiated at the sub-species level using pulsed field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) of SmaI DNA macro-restriction fragments. Comparison of the PFGE fingerprints identified major clusters of strains, persistently present in the various hospitals. Endemicity of certain strains was identified, amongst others one due to a particularly methicillin resistant type in the burn wound sector of the Romanian hospital. No PFGE-based overlap was found between the Saudi and Romanian strains. However, multi locus sequence typing (MLST), performed for 20% of all strains, revealed that genuine genetic similarity was obscured by the PFGE analysis. In both the Romanian and Saudi hospitals the renowned sequence type (ST) 239 was very over-represented. This was especially apparent in Saudi Arabia, where all strains except two shared the ST 239 genotype. This clonal type has previously been identified in a variety of other countries. Despite the MLST concordance, PFGE data indicate that ST 239 diversifies while maintaining its core genome intact. ST 80, another previously but less frequently identified clone, was introduced in 2000 in the Romanian institutes and persisted over the past 3 years as a frequent cause of infections in a surgical department. The successful MRSA types can acquire prominent positions in hospitals of previously low-endemicity MRSA status.     

Systematic review of the outcome associated with the different surgical treatment of bowel and rectovaginal endometriosis

Background: Treatment of deep endometriosis involving the bowel is controversial. There is limitation of medical treatment. Several surgical techniques are used. All of them are associated with potential intraoperative complications and long-term hazards for the bladder, bowel and sexual function. Objectives: This study seeks to review systematically different types of surgical treatment of bowel endometriosis which include mucosal skinning (shaving), disc excision, and segmental resection. The review includes the number of participants, histology, symptomatology, preoperative assessment, types and access of surgery, complications, hospital stay, length and way of follow up, symptom improvement, recurrence, and effects on fertility. Study strategy: All published articles on surgical treatment of endometriosis (shaving, rectovaginal endometriosis, disc excision, and segmental resection), identified through MEDLINE, EMBASE, CINAHL, and Cochran library during 1970–2011. Grey literatures were searched as well. Selection criteria: The terms ‘endometriosis’, ‘bowel’, surgical, and complications were used. Articles describing 50 patients or more who had bowel surgery for endometriosis were only included. Data collection and analysis: Data did not permit a meaningful meta-analysis. Main results: We analyzed 36 articles after thorough literature search. It described 2,414 of mucosal skinning/rectovaginal endometriosis, 381 of disc excision, and 2,728 of bowel resection for deep endometriosis involving the bowel. The indication for surgery was stated in most of the studies. Histology was confirmed in the majority; however, completeness of the excision was stated in few articles. There is significant improvement of symptoms with all types of surgery. Complications were higher in segmental resection than conservative surgery (shaving and disc excision) especially leakage and fistula formation. The duration of surgery and hospital stay was shorter in conservative surgery unless there were complications or if associated with other surgeries. Fertility outcome was favourable in all. The recurrence and reoperation rate was higher in one study only in the shaving group, but otherwise was comparable to the resection group. Conclusion: There was no difference in the outcome between different types of surgery which indicates that we should adopt the conservative surgery if possible. The heterogeneity of the studies makes it difficult to do any valuable statistical analysis. There should be standardization in clinical trials evaluating bowel surgery for endometriosis.     

Novel Mutations in the Amyloid Precursor Protein Gene within Moroccan Patients with Alzheimer's Disease

In Morocco, Alzheimer's disease (AD) affects almost 30,000 individuals, and this number could increase to 75,000 by 2020. To our knowledge, the genes predisposing individuals to AD and predicting disease incidence remain elusive. In this study, we aimed to evaluate the genetic contribution of mutations in the amyloid precursor protein (APP) gene exons 16 and 17 to familial and sporadic AD cases. Seventeen sporadic cases and eight family cases were seen at the memory clinic of the University of Casablanca Neurology Department. These patients underwent standard somatic neurological examination, cognitive function assessment, brain imaging, and laboratory tests. Direct sequencing of exons 16 and 17 of the APP gene was performed on genomic DNA of AD patients. In this original Moroccan study, we identified seven novel frameshift mutations in exons 16 and 17 of the APP gene. Interestingly, only one novel splice mutation was detected in a family case. There is a strong correlation between clinical symptoms and genetic factors in Moroccan patients with a family history of AD. Therefore, mutations in APP gene exons 16 and 17 may eventually become genetic markers for AD predisposition.