The T2Bacteria Assay Is a Sensitive and Rapid Detector of Bacteremia That Can Be Initiated in the Emergency Department and Has Potential to Favorably Influence Subsequent Therapy

BackgroundBacteremia causes a major worldwide burden, in terms of financial and productivity costs, as well the morbidity and mortality it can ultimately cause. Proper treatment of bacteremia is a challenge because of the species-dependent response to antibiotics. The T2Bacteria Panel is a U.S. Food and Drug Administration–cleared and culture-independent assay for detection of bacteremia, including common ESKAPE pathogens—Escherichia coli, Enterococcus faecium, Staphylococcus aureus, Klebsiella pneumoniae, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa—and provides species identification in as little as 3.6 h directly from blood.ObjectiveOur aim was to evaluate the T2Bacteria assay performance and potential to affect patient care in the emergency department (ED).MethodsED patients from a Louisiana and Florida center were enrolled as part of the T2Bacteria Panel clinical study, which was prospective and noninterventional. Blood samples for blood culture (BC) and T2Bacteria were matched in time and anatomic location.ResultsData from 137 ED patients were evaluated. Relative to BC, T2Bacteria showed 100% positive percent agreement and 98.4% negative percent agreement. In addition, for species on the T2Bacteria Panel, the T2Bacteria assay detected 25% more positives associated with infection, and on average identified the infectious species 56.6 h faster. The T2Bacteria assay covered 70.5% of all species detected by BC. Finally, relative to actual care, the T2Bacteria assay could have potentially focused therapy in 8 patients, reduced time to a species-directed therapy in 4 patients, and reduced time to effective therapy in 4 patients.ConclusionsIn this ED population, the T2Bacteria assay was a rapid and sensitive detector of bacteremia from common ESKAPE pathogens and showed the theoretical potential to influence subsequent patient therapy, ranging from antibiotic de-escalation to faster time to effective therapy.     

Translocation between chromosome 5q35 and chromosome 11q13 – an unusual cytogenetic finding in a primary refractory acute myeloid leukemia

Cytogenetic abnormalities are observed in approximately two‐thirds of patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML). Chromosome rearrangements are associated with specific subtypes of AML and associated prognosis. We report a patient with AML, M2, who was primarily refractory to standard induction chemotherapy with idarubicin and cytarabine. Flow cytometry of a bone marrow aspirate showed aberrant expression of B‐cell markers including CD19. Cytogenetic studies disclosed a translocation between 5q35 and 11q13. Fluorescence in situ hybridization analyses demonstrated that neither the NSD1 nor MLL genes were involved in this case. Further study is required to define conclusively the genes involved and their contribution to pathogenesis in this case.     

套式PCR检测细菌16SrRNA基因

目的　应用套式PCR建立快速检查方法来检测血液中是否含有细菌。方法　采用细菌 1 6SrRNA基因通用引物 ,通过套式PCR方法对细菌进行扩增 ,并对其灵敏度、特异性作一评价。结果　临床常见细菌扩增反应为阳性 ,其他病原微生物及人类基因组DNA为阴性。结论　本法具有敏感、快速、特异、准确的优点 ,是一种可靠的实验手段     

Chromosomal Rearrangements in Three Infertile Men

Summary:  Three chromosomal rearrangements: a balanced reciprocal translocation, t(14;10) (q22;q13), a Y-autosome translocation, t(Y;16) (q11;p13) and a deleted Y chromosome, Yq- were detected among 100 infertile men. The autosomal translocation, associated with oligozoospermia was found to be familial with various effects on the female carriers and the proband's father. The patients with the chromosome Y abberations were found to be azoospermic and might have lost the genes necessary for normal sperma-togenesis.
Zusammenfassung:  Unter 100 infertilen Männern wurden drei Chromosomenneuan-ordnungen entdeckt: eine balancierte reziproke Translokation, t(14;10) (q22;q13), eine Y-autosome Translokation, t(Y;16) (q11;p13) und eine Deletion des Y-Chromosoms, Yq-. Die autosomale Translokation bei Oligozoospermie zeigte sich familiär mit verschiedenen Auswirkungen bei den weiblichen Überträgern und dem Vater des Probanden. Die Patien-ten mit chromosomalen Y-Aberrational wiesen eine Azoospermie auf und scheinen die zur normalen Spermatogenese notwendigen Gene verloren zu haben.     

通用引物PCR-SSCP技术分析16Sr RNA基因特征快速鉴定细菌

目的探讨通用引物聚合酶链反应-单链构象多态性(PCR-SSCP)技术在细菌检测中的应用.方法选取9种常见的细菌,采用通用引物对细菌的16SrRNA基因进行PCR扩增,产物进行单链构象多态性分析,并以标准菌株为对照.结果一对引物扩增产物SSCP图谱各细菌之间难以区别;两对引物扩增产物SSCP图谱条带数目、相对迁移率及条带之间的间距存在明显,可相互区别;3种细菌的标准菌株和临床菌株的SSCP图谱完全一致.结论采用针对16SrRNA的通用引物PCR-SSCP技术以标准菌株为对照可方便快捷地检测细菌.     

海口地区2000年临床分离菌耐药性监测

目的：监测海口地区临床分离菌对抗菌药物的耐药状况。方法：采用VITEK微生物自动分析仪测定药敏。结果：2000年共收集临床分离菌1399株，革兰阳性球菌426株（30．5％），革兰阴性杆菌973株（69．5％），以铜绿假单胞菌、大肠杆菌、金黄色葡萄球菌、肺炎克雷伯杆菌最多见，所监测的细菌总体耐药率比国内其他地区偏高，且出现万古霉素耐药的表皮葡萄球菌和粪肠球菌。结论：海口地区的细菌耐药严重，控制细菌耐药成为当务之急。     

Suppurative corneal ulceration in Bangladesh

Suppurative keratitis is an important preventable cause of blindness, particularly in the developing world. This study analyses 142 cases of suppurative keratitis referred to Chittagong Eye Infirmary, Bangladesh. Some 53.5% of cases were bacterial and 35.9% were fungal. The five most common pathogens were: Pseudomonas sp. 24%, Streptococcus pneumoniae 17%, Aspergillus sp. 13%, Fusarium sp. 7% and Curvularia sp. 6%. Gram stain and culture results were consistent in 62.6% of cases. Previous antibiotic treatment was a significant factor for failure of culture isolation and less so for Gram stain failure. On Gram stain, 55.9% of pseudomonal cases were missed, but only 2% of fungal cases were missed. Over all, Gram stain had a sensitivity of 62% and positive predictive value of 84% for bacterial cases, and 98% and 94% for fungal cases, respectively. Fungal ulcers were typically filamentous, but an antecedent history of trauma was not common. The most frequent injury was due to rice grains, but the inoculum appeared to be introduced during eye washing with contaminated water. Pseudomonal ulcers occurred most frequently in the monsoon season, and Fusarium cases were seen only in the hot, dry season.     

重症脑出血微创术后下呼吸道感染病原学分析

目的:重症脑出血微创术后气管切开病人痰培养病原菌分布与耐药情况分析,其院内感染发生的原因、探讨防治对策。方法:应用痰培养检出的病原菌及耐药性分析。结果:重症脑出血微创术后气管切开病人下呼吸道感染41例,其中G-杆菌26例占63.4%,G 球菌15例占36.6%,其中金葡菌11例,药敏仍以敏感菌株为主,但耐药菌株有增多趋势。结论:重症脑出血微创术后气管切开病人下呼吸道感染以G-杆菌为主,G 球菌以金葡菌为主,仍以敏感菌珠为主,耐药有增多趋势。万古霉素对G 球菌,氨曲南对G-杆菌敏感性较敏感,故在培养结果未出来之前经验用药是非常重要的。     

Role of intestinal bifidobacteria in the pathogenesis of gut-derived bacteria/endotoxin translocation and the effect of bifidobacterial supplement on gut barrier function following burns

Early multiple organ dysfunction syndrome appears to be facilitated with bacterial translocation in severely burn injury, yet the mechanisms of bacterial translocation remains in dispute. The aim of this study was to investigate the potential role of intestinal bifidobacteria in the pathogenesis of gut-derived bacteria/endotoxin translocation following burns and the effects of bifidobacterial supplement on gut barrier. Methods: Wistar rats were randomly divided into burn group (Burn, n=60),sham burn group (SB, n=10) in experiment Ⅰ , and burn + saline group (BS, n=30), burn + bifidobacteria group (BB, n=30), and sham-burn + saline group (SS, n= 10) in experiment Ⅱ. Animals in BB group were fed bifidobacterial preparation (5 × 109 CFU/ml) after burns, 1.5ml,twice daily. Animals in BS and SS were fed saline. Samples were taken on days 1, 3, and 5 in burn groups, and on day 3 in sham-burn groups. The incidence of bacteria/endotoxin translocation and counts of Bifidobacterium, Fungi and Escherichia coli in gut mucosa were determined with standard methods. The levels of sIgA in mucus of small intestine were measured by RIA. The positive sIgA expression in lamina propria and ileum mucosal injury was evaluated light microscopically by blinded examiners. Results: Our results showed that the incidence of bacterial translocation was increased after burns, which was accompanied by significant decrease in number of bifidobacteria but significant increase in E. coli and fungi in gut mucosa, and elevation of levels of plasma endotoxin and IL-6 (P<0. 001).The incidence of bacterial translocation was markedly reduced after 3- and 5-day supplementation of bifidobacteria compared with control group (P<0.05). The counts of mucosal bifidobacteria were increased by 4- to 40-fold,while E. coli and fungi were decreased by 2- to 30-fold and 10- to 150-fold, respectively, after bifidobacterial supplementation in contrast to control group. The damage of mucosa tended to be less pronounced after 3-day bifidobacteria-supplemented formula compared with control group [grade 2(0-6) vs. grade 4(3-6), P<0.05]. Moreover, the expression and release of sIgA was markedly augmented after 3-day bifidobacteria-supplementation formula and it returned to normal range on day 5. Conclusion: The decrease in counts and proportion of bifidobacteria in mucous membrane flora may play an important role in the development of bacteria/endotoxin translocation following thermal injury. The supplement of exogenous bifidobacteria could per se improve gut barriers, and attenuate bacteria/endotoxin translocation secondary to major burns.