Mecillinam susceptibility as an indicator of β-lactamase production in Staphylococcus aureus

The use of direct susceptibility testing from specimens has led to the fortuitous observation that penicillin-susceptible strains have larger inhibition zones for mecillinam than do β -lactamase producers. The current study was, therefore, undertaken to test 179 Staphylococcus aureus isolates for mecillinam susceptibility by Rosco Neo-Sensitabs and to compare the results with commonly used tests for β -lactamase production, i.e. size and character of penicillin inhibition zones, chromogenic cephalosporin (nitrocefin) tests and clover leaf assays. Agreement between methods was reached for 175 of 179 strains when disregarding the results of the nitrocefin tests, 88 isolates being found susceptible and 87 being found to be β -lactamase producers. All 88 susceptible isolates had mecillinam zones of >22 mm, with the great majority being >25 mm; double zones did, however, occur. The 87 β -lactamase producers had zones <14 mm or no zones. Four isolates presenting problems in had mecillinam zones of ≤20 mm and were without tapering growth at the penicillin inhibition zone edge. In conclusion, the size of the mecillinam inhibition zone is found to be a useful supplementary test in the clinically important distinction between β -lactamase-producing and non-producing isolates of S. aureus .     

Efficacy and functionality of silver-coated textiles in patients with atopic eczema

BACKGROUND: Microbial skin colonization with Staphylococcus aureus is known to play an important role in atopic eczema (AE). Recently, an antibacterial effect of silver-coated textiles on S. aureus colonization has been demonstrated. OBJECTIVES: To investigate clinical efficacy and functionality of silver-coated textiles in AE, a multicentre, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial was conducted. PATIENTS/METHODS: From November 2001 to August 2002, 68 consecutive outpatients clinically diagnosed with generalized AE were included in the study. Inclusion criteria were the clinical diagnosis of AE with a moderate severity as measured by the scoring of atopic dermatitis (SCORAD) index with at least 20. Patients were instructed to wear either silver-coated (verum, 35 patients + 2 dropouts) or cotton garments (placebo, 22 patients + 9 dropouts) directly on the skin for 2 weeks. Only basic skin care and ongoing therapy with topical steroids or oral antihistamines was permitted. Clinical severity was assessed using the 'SCORAD' before, during and at the end of study. Quality of life (QOL), wearing comfort (WC) and functionality (FU) of study clothes were measured in parallel. Patients documented their subjective and objective symptoms daily. RESULTS: In the verum group, eczema improved significantly after 1 week with further enhancement until the end of study (P = 0.03 and P < 0.001). Silver-coated textiles were comparable to cotton in WC and FU. Pruritus and self-assigned skin condition improved significantly more than with placebo (P < 0.001 and P = 0.003). CONCLUSIONS: In conclusion, silver-coated textiles are able to improve objective and subjective symptoms of AE significantly within 2 weeks, showing a good wearing comfort and functionality comparable to cotton.     

医院内感染病原菌及其对抗生素的耐药状况

调查1988年3月～5月我院591例住院病例,发生96例次院内感染,总发病率16.2％。院内感染病原菌中,革蓝氏阴性杆菌占72.9％,革蓝氏阳性球菌占12.9％,念珠菌属占14.1％。院内感染病原菌的耐药性明显高于院外菌株。绿脓杆菌对庆大霉素和羧苄青霉素的耐药率分别为63.6％和54.5％。其它革蓝氏阴性杆菌院内株对常用抗生素如氨苄青霉素、羧苄青霉素、庆大霉素和妥布拉霉素的耐药率分别为82.5％、 67.5％、47.5％和45％。革蓝氏阳性球菌院内株的耐药性也很严重,表葡菌对多种半合成青霉素类、红霉素、复方新诺明甚至万古霉素的耐药率达60％以上。同时分离出耐甲氧西林金葡菌。     

消毒剂敌菲特的研究

经全面考察研究,敌菲特缓释消毒灭菌剂具有良好的消毒灭菌效果,对细菌繁殖体、病毒和细菌芽孢均可完全灭活;即使在—20℃低温条件下,对枯黑变种芽孢仍具很好的杀灭效果。此外,该消毒剂基本克服了氯制剂对金属腐蚀性的缺陷;原药性能基本稳定。     

左氧沙星与磷霉素联用对金黄色葡萄球菌的体外杀菌活性研究

目的：评价左氧沙星与磷霉素联用对金黄色葡萄球菌的联合抗菌效应。了解左氧沙星单用及与磷霉素联用的杀菌曲线特点。方法：选取3株MSSAATCC29213、临床分离菌SA99、SARN450（实验室菌株）和1株临床分离的MRS-AB6177,采用菌落计数法对不同浓度的左氧沙星或磷霉素单用及两药联合对3株MSSA和1株MRSA进行体外杀菌实验。结果：左氧沙星的杀菌曲线表现出浓度依赖性,磷霉素的杀菌曲线表现出非浓度依赖性。两药1/4MIC浓度单用时虽然均无法抑制MSSA的生长,而两药亚抑菌浓度联合使用后即表现出协同效应和杀菌效应。两药4MIC、8MIC联合时对MRSA表现出杀菌效应。结论：亚抑菌浓度的左氧沙星与磷霉素联合对MSSA即可出现协同杀菌效应。左氧沙星联合磷霉素对MRSA也表现出显著的杀菌活性。     

葡萄球菌的分离鉴定及药敏分析

目的：了解不同种类葡萄球菌在本院临床标本中的感染情况及耐药性，为临床治疗和控制此类感染提供参考。方法：采用VITEK-AMS GPI卡进行鉴定，纸片扩散法(NCCLS)及GPS卡进行药敏实验、β内酰胺酶测定和MRS检测，并结合临床资料进行分析。结果：总共3753株感染菌中822株为葡萄球菌(21．90％)，其中金黄色葡萄球菌(SA)322株(39．17％)，凝固酶阴性葡萄球菌(CNS)500株(60．83％)。SA中293株(90．99％)产生β内酰胺酶，苯唑西林耐药者(MRSA)183株(56．83％)；CNS中450株(90．00％)产生β内酰胺酶，苯唑西林耐药的凝固酶阴性葡萄球菌(MRCNS)350株(70．00％)。结论：葡萄球菌特别是凝固酶阴性葡萄球菌是临床感染的主要致病菌之一；万古霉素是有效治疗苯唑西林耐药的葡萄球菌(MRS)的唯一可选药物；合理使用抗生素对治疗和控制感染至关重要。     

Clinical index to predict bacteraemia caused by staphylococci

Abstract. Objectives. To define risk factors associated with bacteraemia caused by Staphylococcus aureus or coagulase-negative staphylococci; and to use them to define patients in need of empiric anti-staphylococcal antibiotic treatment. Design, Derivation set: observational, prospective study; validation set: retrospective analysis of a prospectively collected database. Setting. Derivation set: Beilinson Medical Centre, Petah Tiqva, Israel—a 900-bed university hospital. Validation set: St Thomas's Hospital, London, UK—an 800-bed teaching hospital. Subjects. All episodes of bacteraemia detected at Beilinson Medical Centre between March 1988 and September 1990 (derivation set, n = 1410), and at St Thomas's Hospital during 1987–1990 (validation set, n = 1040). Interventions. None. Main outcome measures. Percentage of staphylococcal bacteraemia in groups of patients defined by the models. Results. The following factors were associated with Staphylococcus aureus bacteraemia: focus of infection (whether high or low risk), haemodialysis, intravenous drug abuse and infection acquired in the orthopaedic ward. A logistic model was used to divide the derivation set into three groups with percentages of Staphylococcus aureus bacteraemia of 1.8%, 13.2% and 33.7% (P < 0.0001); and the validation group 2.5%, 18.2% and 53.2% (P < 0.0001). Factors associated with coagulase-negative staphylococcal bacteraemia were: central or peripheral intravenous catheter as the focus of infection, a preterm neonate, the presence of a central intravenous catheter, low temperature, and a low white blood cell count. A second model including those factors was used to divide the derivation set into three groups with percentages of coagulase-negative staphylococcal bacteraemia of 1.9%, 22.8%, and 43% (P < 0.0001). In the validation set, the percentages were 2.9%, 22.4% and 31.0% (P < 0.001). Conclusions. The present study defines groups at high risk for staphylococcal bloodstream infection, in which empiric treatment should include an anti-staphylococcal drug.     

Macrolide–lincosamide–streptogramin B resistance phenotypes and genotypes among Staphylococcus aureus clinical isolates in Japan

In total, 269 methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and 434 methicillin-susceptible S. aureus (MSSA) isolates were investigated to determine their macrolide-lincosamide-streptogramin B (MLS(B)) resistance phenotypes and genotypes. The constitutive phenotype (61.3% in MRSA, 1.3% in MSSA) and erm(A) gene predominated among the 261 erythromycin-resistant MRSA isolates, while the inducible phenotype (38.7% in MRSA, 94.0% in MSSA) and erm(C) gene were more prevalent among the 150 erythromycin-resistant MSSA isolates. There was a higher incidence of the MLS(B) inducible phenotype compared with other countries, perhaps because MLS(B) antibiotics are not recommended as first-line agents against S. aureus in Japan.