Prevalence Of Staphylococci Research Articles

Potential for Biofilm Formation and Antibiotic Resistance of Staphylococci Isolated from Bulk Tank Milk Samples

The prevalence of staphylococci in the environment of humans, including food, may lead to the production of toxins and food poisoning in consumers. Additionally, staphylococci constitute a reservoir of genes determining antibiotic resistance. The study aimed to compare the antibiotic resistance and biofilm-forming ability of staphylococci isolated from bulk tank milk and assess the occurrence of animal-associated methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus. The study consisted of isolation of strains from cow milk, confirming their belonging to Staphylococcus sp. and S. aureus, investigation of the presence of a gene determining the production of coagulase, and genes determining resistance to β-lactams, tetracyclines, vancomycin, natural penicillins, and aminopenicillins, as well as virulence genes determining biofilm production. There were 56 bacterial strains isolated, which belong to Staphylococcus spp. All isolates showed resistance to amoxicillin, erythromycin, and tetracycline. The lowest resistance was demonstrated for vancomycin (48.2%). The mecA gene was not detected in any of the isolates and there was no positive reaction to the PB2 protein, which indicates that none of the isolated strains was methicillin resistant. Only 26.8% of isolated strains did not show the ability to produce biofilm. Special attention should be paid to the health of dairy cows and the supervision of the use of antibiotics in the dairy herd environment because, even in milk from healthy cows, there is a real risk of the occurrence of multi-drug resistant bacteria.

Detection of Staphylococci from nasal samples from healthy and sick dogs in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

Staphylococci are one of the most commonly found opportunistic bacteria in animals and human. The objective of this study was to determine the prevalence of Staphylococcus spp. isolated from healthy and sick dogs visiting veterinary clinics in Ho Chi Minh city, Vietnam from January 2022 to December 2022. A total of 123 nasal swab samples were collected, including 40 samples from healthy dogs and 83 samples from dogs with respiratory symptoms. Staphylococcus spp. were isolated from 47.5% of healthy animals and 60.24% of dogs showing respiratory symptoms. The study showed that isolation rates from confined, semi-confined and free-ranging dogs were 75.86%, 54.84% and 40.63%, respectively. Furthermore, the prevalence was higher in dogs over one year old compared to younger dogs (64.10% and 42.22%, respectively). Several subspecies of Staphylococci, including S. aureus, S. pseudintermedius and S. epidermidis were identified, in which S. pseudintermedius accounted for the highest proportion (48.28%). The prevalence of S. pseudintermedius also varied across different age groups. Coagulase activity of the isolated Staphylococcus strains was also determined and indicated that coagulase-positive Staphylococci constituted 80.46% of the isolates. This study represents the first report on the prevalence of Staphylococci in dogs in Vietnam and reemphasizes the zoonotic significance of Staphylococcus at the interface between dogs and humans.

Prevalence and antibacterial resistance patterns of uropathogenic staphylococci in Casablanca, Morocco.

The purpose of this research is to evaluate the resistance profile of uropathogenic staphylococci bacteria in Casablanca, Morocco. In this retrospective cross-sectional research carried out from January 2017 to December 2020, isolation and identification were carried out according to the usual techniques in medical microbiology. Staphylococcus aureus isolates were confirmed by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplification of the nuc gene, and the antibiogram was performed according to the guidelines of the Antibiogram Committee of the French Society of Microbiology (CA-SFM 2021). The susceptibility of uropathogenic staphylococci to vancomycin was determined with broth microdilution following the recommendations of the Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute. The mecA gene was tested on phenotypically cefoxitin-resistant S. aureus isolates by PCR. The prevalence of urinary tract infections (UTIs) was 18% (772/4374). UTIs were more common in females (n = 483, 63%) than males (n = 289, 37%). Among the Gram-positive bacteria isolated (198, 25.65%), the prevalence of staphylococci was (130/198, 65.66%). Among staphylococcal species identified, coagulase-negative staphylococci (CoNS) were more prevalent (112/130, 86.15%), and Staphylococcus saprophyticus was the most frequently isolated CoNS (46/112, 41.07%). Additionally, there were several S. aureus strains (18/130, 13.85%). Forty-four percent of S. aureus isolates (n = 8) were resistant to cefoxitin and also harboured the mecA gene. All S. aureus isolates were susceptible to linezolid, cotrimoxazole and vancomycin. The prevalence and antibacterial resistance patterns of uropathogenic staphylococci in this study, with a high percentage of methicillin resistance, require careful consideration of antimicrobial therapy for staphylococcal UTIs.

Synergistic Microbicidal Effect of AUR and PEITC Against Staphylococcus aureus Skin Infection

Given the increasing prevalence of Staphylococcus aureus antibiotic resistance, there is an urgent need to repurpose approved drugs with known pharmacology and toxicology as an alternative therapeutic strategy. We have reported that the sustained monotherapy of auranofin (AUR) inevitably resulted in reduced susceptibility or even the emergence of resistance to AUR in S. aureus. However, whether drug combination could increase antibacterial activity while preventing AUR resistance is still unknown. Here, we focused on the important role of AUR combined with phenethyl isothiocyanate (PEITC) in skin infection and determined the synergistic antimicrobial effect on S. aureus by using checkerboard assays and time-kill kinetics analysis. This synergistic antimicrobial activity correlated with increased reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation, disruption of bacterial cell structure, and inhibition of biofilm formation. We also showed that AUR synergized with PEITC effectively restored the susceptibility to AUR via regulating thioredoxin reductase (TrxR) and rescued mice from subcutaneous abscesses through eliminating S. aureus pathogens, including methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA). Collectively, our study indicated that the AUR and PEITC combination had a synergistic antimicrobial impact on S. aureus in vitro and in vivo. These results suggest that AUR and PEITC treatment may be a promising option for S. aureus infection.

Prevalence of Staphylococci in Environmental Surfaces and Characterization of Isolates by Antibiotic Susceptibility

Objectives: The purpose of the study was to determine the extent of staphylococcal contamination in various environmental sites and to characterize the isolates by antibiotic susceptibility. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted and 123 samples were collected from 9 different sites around Kathmandu valley. Isolation of S. aureus was done through cultural and biochemical analysis. Kirby-Bauer disc diffusion test was employed to test the susceptibility of isolates to antibiotics. Results: A total of 25 S. aureus (20.33%) were isolated; among which 12 isolates exhibited methicillin resistance i.e. 48% (MRSA) and 13 isolates were methicillin susceptible, 52% (MSSA). Similarly, 53 Coagulase Negative Staphylococci (CoNS) were isolated; among which 17(32.07%) were resistant to methicillin. The antibiotic resistance patterns of MRSA were reported as: erythromycin(n=2;16.6%.), clindamycin (n=2;16.6%), cotrimoxazole (n=2;16.6%), ciprofloxacin (n=2;16.6%) and gentamicin (n = 1;8.3%). MRCoNS showed high resistance to erythromycin (n=6; 35.2%), followed by co-trimoxazole (n=4; 23.5%), novobiocin (n=4; 23.5%) and ciprofloxacin (n=3; 17.6%). All MRSA and MRCoNS isolates were susceptible to linezolid and clindamycin. Conclusion: This study reports relatively high prevalence of MRSA on environmental surfaces, pre-dominating in areas having heavy crowds. There may be a likely connection between humans and the environment to share MRSA and MSSA.

Fish-borne methicillin resistant Staphylococcus haemolyticus carrying atypical staphylococcal cassette chromosome mec (SCCmec) elements

Prevalence of staphylococci in fish and fish products pose high risk of foodborne diseases. As far as Staphylococcus haemolyticus as a reservoir of methicillin resistance is considered, main objective of the present study was to surveil the incidence of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus haemolyticus (MRSH) in fishes and its genotypic characterization. 79 fish samples were collected from retail markets in three pre-decided sites in Assam. The collected fish samples were subjected to microbial analysis and as result 13 MRSH could be isolated. Susceptibility of the isolates towards various classes of antibiotics was assessed by employing BD Phoenix M50 system. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was performed for the molecular detection of methicillin-resistance determinant. Molecular typing of the isolates was attempted by recruiting staphylococcal cassette chromosome mec (SCCmec) and pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE). Out of 79 fish samples collected from retail markets in Assam, 13 tested positive for MRSH. These isolates showed varying levels of resistance to different classes of antibiotics such as cephalosporin (100%), lincosamide (30.76%), macrolides (30.76%), aminoglycoside (53.85%), quinolones (38.46%) and sulfonamides (61.54%). BD Phoenix M50 instrument recognized a few isolates as inducible macrolide-lincosamide-streptogramin B (iMLSb) phenotype (30.76%). Remarkably, all the isolates were reported as multi-drug resistant (MDR) as they showed resistant to ≥3 classes of antibiotics. All the studied isolates were positive for mecA gene and carrying multiple SCCmec elements. PFGE cluster analysis grouped the isolates into two major clusters and seven individual lineages. In short, the current study documented the incidence of multi-drug resistant, multiple SCCmec elements carrying S. haemolyticus in fishes. Considering the fact that S. haemolyticus contributes greatly in the dissemination of methicillin resistance owing to their extreme genome plasticity, the present study admonition the necessity of continuous monitoring the S. haemolyticus contamination in food. The study also discussed role of prudent hygienic practices in flattening the AMR curves.

Prevalence of Subclinical Mastitis in Small Ruminants and Role of Staphylococcus Species in Such Infection

The current study was carried out on a number of sheep and goats farms during the period extended from January 2016 till the end of December 2017 in order to estimate the prevalence of subclinical mastitis in small ruminants and highlight the role of Staphylococcus species in inducing such infection. For this aim, about 940 milk samples collected from sheep and goats' farms (455 samples/ sheep and 485 samples/ goats) were subjected to California Mastitis test (CMT) to detect the prevalence of subclinical mastitis, then positive CMT samples in addition to; 100 bedding samples (50 samples / each species) collected from different sites of animal's yards particularly from wetted areas with high moisture and organic matter load and 100 water samples collected from different sites of animal's yards (50 samples / each species) were subjected to the ordinary bacterial culturing steps for isolation and identification of Staphylococcus species. The results revealed prevalence of subclinical mastitis estimated by 32.96% and 30.92% in sheep and Goat farms, respectively. The total prevalence of Staphylococci in Sheep farms was 27.2% where S. aureus accounted for 12.4% and Coagulase Negative Staphylococci (CNS) represented the highest percentage (14.8%). The highest isolation rate recorded in bedding samples (34.0%) followed by milk samples (26.0%) and water samples (24.0%), while in goats farms the prevalence of Staphylococci species was 32.0% (16.8% S. aureus and 15.2% CNS) with highest rate of isolation from bedding samples (36.0%) followed by milk samples (34.0%) then water samples (22.0%). In addition, the isolated Staphylococcus strains where tested for their sensitivity to certain commercial antibiotics using disc diffusion method. The results revealed complete resistant of isolated S. aureus to Enrofloxacin (5 µg) and Oxytetracycline (30 µg) and moderate sensitivity to Amoxicillin (10 µg) and Erythromycin (15 µg). While CNS showed complete resistant to Flumequine (30 µg), Doxycycline (30 µg) and Sulpha.-Trimethoprim (25 µg), in contrary, they were highly sensitive to Amoxicillin (10 µg) and Erythromycin (15 µg) antibiotics. At last, molecular detection of clfA gene specific for coagulase positive Staphylococci were performed.

Prevalence of Staphylococci in Meat Products with Special Reference to Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus (MRSA) at Kaliobia Governorate

The study was carried out on 120 random samples of meat products viz: Minced meat; beef kofta; sausage and beef burger (30 for each) collected from different supermarkets at Kaliobia Governorate to determine their contamination with certain bacteria, specially S. aureus and MRSA. The bacteriological examination of examined meat samples revealed that, the mean value of S. aureus counts in minced meat beef kofta, sausage and beef burger samples were 1.58×102±0.10 ×102; 1.41×102 ±0.09×102; 1 0.95×102±0.16×102 and 0.83×102±0.22×102, respectively. A total of 70 (58.3%) isolates of Staphylococcus species were recovered, includes 24 S. aureus (20.0%). The isolated S. aureus were highly resistant for methicillin and oxacillin. Meanwhile, they were highly sensitive to norfloxacin. Moreover, the PCR results cleared that, the mecA gene was amplified in 6 out of 8 studied S. aureus strains.

Staphylococcus aureus in the nose and throat of Iowan families.

The study objective was to determine the prevalence of Staphylococcus aureus colonisation in the nares and oropharynx of healthy persons and identify any risk factors associated with such S. aureus colonisation. In total 263 participants (177 adults and 86 minors) comprising 95 families were enrolled in a year-long prospective cohort study from one urban and one rural county in eastern Iowa, USA, through local newspaper advertisements and email lists and through the Keokuk Rural Health Study. Potential risk factors including demographic factors, medical history, farming and healthcare exposure were assessed. Among the participants, 25.4% of adults and 36.1% minors carried S. aureus in their nares and 37.9% of adults carried it in their oropharynx. The overall prevalence was 44.1% among adults and 36.1% for minors. Having at least one positive environmental site for S. aureus in the family home was associated with colonisation (prevalence ratio: 1.34, 95% CI: 1.07-1.66). The sensitivity of the oropharyngeal cultures was greater than that of the nares cultures (86.1% compared with 58.2%, respectively). In conclusion, the nares and oropharynx are both important colonisation sites for healthy community members and the presence of S. aureus in the home environment is associated with an increased probability of colonisation.

Cross-sectional study to identify staphylococcal species isolated from teat and inguinal skin of different-aged dairy heifers

The purpose of this study was to describe the prevalence and distribution of staphylococcal species on the teat and inguinal skin of dairy heifers across the various stages of the heifer life cycle. The cross-sectional study included 106 Holstein heifers with an age range of 0 d to 27 mo that were selected from 11 different groups, based on housing type and age, on a single dairy operation. A composite swabbing sample including all 4 teats and a second composite sample including both inguinal regions of each heifer were collected using gas-sterilized electrostatic dusters (Swiffers; Procter and Gamble, Cincinnati, OH). Swabbing samples were mixed with 10 mL of sterile saline, agitated, and cultured on mannitol salt agar plates. At 24 h, plates were read and up to 10 staphylococcal colonies were saved for further analysis. Staphylococcal isolates were speciated using matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry or PCR amplification and partial sequencing of rpoB or tuf. The prevalence of staphylococci was compared between the inguinal and teat regions using the chi-squared or Fisher's exact test, as applicable. Logistic regression models were used to investigate the relationship between a heifer's age (treated as a quantitative continuous variable) and the probability of isolating a given staphylococcal species from a given body site (inguinal region or teats). Overall, the most common species identified were Staphylococcus haemolyticus followed by Staphylococcus chromogenes, Staphylococcus xylosus, Staphylococcus devriesei, and Staphylococcus sciuri. Staphylococcus aureus was more prevalent on the teat than in the inguinal region, whereas Staphylococcus arlettae was more prevalent in the inguinal region than on the teat. All other staphylococcal species were as likely to be found on the teat skin as the inguinal region skin. Isolation from the inguinal and teat skin was associated with age for Staphylococcus agnetis, S. chromogenes, S. devriesei, Staphylococcus equorum, S. haemolyticus, Staphylococcus lentus, S. sciuri, Staphylococcus vitulinus, and S. xylosus. The probability of finding S. chromogenes and S. agnetis on the teat and inguinal region increased with age, whereas the probability of S. devriesei and S. haemolyticus decreased with age. This study provides further insight into the ecology of staphylococcal species involved in heifer mastitis.

Identification and Antimicrobial Resistance Pattern of Staphylococci Isolated From Cottage Cheese (Ayib) and Yoghurt (Ergo) in Selected Districts of Jimma Zone, Ethiopia

Background: Staphylococci related illness is among serious public-health problems and the second most expensive diseases to treat in developing country. According to WHO estimation, staphylococcal related food borne disease are the second most common food borne disease next to salmonella. Although staphylococci related illness is affecting the majority of Ethiopian, much is not known about the extents of Staphylococcus species and their antimicrobial resistance pattern in cottage cheese (Ayib) and yoghurt (Ergo). Objectives: To investigate the occurrence of Staphylococcus, determine the prevalence of Staphylococcus and evaluate the antimicrobial resistance pattern of the isolates from cottage cheese (Ayib) and yoghurt (Ergo) collected from selected districts of Jimma Zone, Ethiopia. Methods: Identification of staphylococci was undertaken using Gram's staining, catalase, sugar fermentation and coagulase tests on cottage cheese (n=200) and yoghurt (n=200) samples collected randomly. The data were analyzed using SPSS version 20.0. Results: The overall prevalence of Staphylococcus in this study was found to be 14.3% with a specific prevalence of 22% in cottage cheese and 6.5% in yoghurt. The difference on the prevalence of staphylococci between cottage cheese and yoghurt was found to be statistically significant (P<0.05). The prevalence of Staphylococcus species was confirmed to be 5%, 3.5%, 3.3% and 5.8% for S. aureus, S. intermedius, S. hyicus and coagulase negative staphylococci (CNS) respectively. The specific prevalence in cheese and yoghurt for each species respectively were 7% and 3% (S. aureus), 5.5% and 1.5% (S. intermedius), 4% and 2.5% (S. hyicus), and 9.5% and 2% (CNS). The contamination of cottage cheese with staphylococcus was more likely to occur than yoghurt (OR=4.1, 95%, CI=2.1-7.8). The disc diffusion assay of 70 isolates against five biogram revealed the highest resistance to penicillin G (65.7%) followed by tetracycline (41.4%), streptomycin (37.1%), gentamycin (35.7%) and kanamycin (28.6%). Conclusion: The high prevalence of Staphylococcus and their high antimicrobial resistance pattern in cottage cheese and yoghurt in this study represent a poor keeping quality and indiscriminate use of drugs at the study area. This suggests the need to implement sanitary measures and awareness creations to improve the hygienic conditions of cheese and yoghurt from farm-to-table continuum as well as proper use of antimicrobials in order to guarantee the quality of these highly popular products and to safeguard the health of the consumers.

Etiology and in vitro antimicrobial susceptibility profile of strains isolated from bovine mastitis in dairy herds from the midwest region of Santa Catarina state, Brazil

Dairy farming is an important social and economic activity in the Midwest region of Santa Catarina State, Brazil. However, despite technological advances in the productive chain, mastitis is still considered the main disease of dairy herds, due its high economic impact. Bacterial pathogens are the main cause of this disease and failures in the treatment of clinical cases are attributed in part to the antimicrobial resistance of these pathogens. As an alternative, in vitro antimicrobial susceptibility tests of strains isolated from bovine mastitis cases have been carried out; the information generated contributes to strategic treatment measures, and also to the control of microorganism resistance. Therefore, the aims of the present study were to evaluate the etiology and in vitro antimicrobial susceptibility profiles of bacterial strains isolated from cases of bovine mastitis in dairy herds from the Midwest region of Santa Catarina State, Brazil. For this purpose, 345 milk samples were collected from 70 herds located in 16 different municipalities. The main pathogens isolated were: staphylococci (55.9%), streptococci (34.8%), Corynebacterium spp. (7.8%) and Escherichia coli (1.4%). The resistance rates of staphylococcus strains to ampicillin and to gentamicin were lower (24.9%) and higher (33%), respectively, than those obtained in other Brazilian studies. The resistance profiles of streptococcus strains were similar to those described in the literature, while Corynebacterium spp., showed high resistance rates to tetracycline (85.2%). Moreover, a considerable prevalence of staphylococcus (27.5%) and streptococcus (11.7%) multiresistant strains was verified. These data reinforce the need for regional characterization of microorganisms, and also the importance of prophylactic and control measures against bovine mastitis pathogens.

Prevalence of Staphylococci in commercially processed food products in Karachi-Pakistan

Prevalence of Staphylococci in commercially processed food products in Karachi-Pakistan

Telomere length and dynamics of spotless starling nestlings depend on nest-building materials used by parents

Nest materials used by animals can have profound effects on developing offspring. They can modify the bacterial and parasitic environment of the nest, and can influence parental investment through sexual signalling processes. In spotless starlings, Sturnus unicolor, green plants and feathers are known nest materials with such functions. The aim of our study was to experimentally assess their influence on nestlings' telomere length and attrition, which are good predictors of their survival prospects. In a full-factorial experiment, we explored these effects in two different populations, together with the potential effects of hatching date, ectoparasitism, bacterial environment and nestling growth. Telomere length and attrition largely depended on population identity and hatching date. After correcting for these effects, the addition of feathers resulted in higher rates of telomere attrition. The addition of plants did not affect nestling telomeres in general, but did in interaction with location: in Hueneja, the experimental addition of green plants resulted in longer telomeres. Feather pigmentation also did not affect telomere length or attrition in general, but did in interaction with location: in Hueneja, the experimental addition of unpigmented feathers resulted in nestlings with longer telomeres and lower attrition rates. Moreover, prevalence of staphylococci on the skin of 8-day-old nestlings was negatively related to telomere lengths of fledglings. Taken together, these results suggest a direct link between nest material composition and nestling telomere length and dynamics. This relationship could be partially mediated by the antimicrobial and/or antiparasitic properties of nest materials or by sexual signalling processes. We discuss possible roles of maternal effects, parasites, immunity and nestling growth in explaining these experimental effects.

Occurrence of Staphylococcus aureus in cattle, sheep, goat, and pig rearing in the Czech Republic

The study focused on the prevalence ofStaphylococcus aureusand resistant strains in livestock. In this study, 114 different samples from three cattle farms (84 from two farms of dairy cows and 30 from one farm of suckler cows), 132 samples from one sheep farm, 120 samples from one goat farm, and 82 samples from three pig farms were examined. Strains identified asStaphylococcus aureuswere further analysed by the polymerase chain reaction method for detection of themecA gene and for confirmation of the sequence type 398. Positive incidence ofStaphylococcus aureuswas confirmed in farms of suckler cows, sheep, goats and pigs. The incidence of methicilin-resistantStaphylococcus aureuswas confirmed at a goat farm, with all strains belonging to the sequence type 398. Repetitive element palindromic-polymerase chain reaction analysis was performed to compare the relatedness of selected human and animalS. aureusstrains at the goat and sheep farms. The obtained data from repetitive element-polymerase chain reaction analysis showed significant clonal similarity among the tested isolates and indicated the possibility of mutual transmission between animals or animal and human and possible transfer in the food chain.

Staphylococcus aureusextracellular vesicles (EVs): surface-binding antagonists of biofilm formation

The prevalence of Staphylococcus aureus worldwide as a nosocomial infectious agent is recognized but the reason behind the spread of this bacterium has remained elusive. Here, we hypothesized that the communication of S. aureus might benefit from it blocking other bacteria from establishing themselves on the surface. This was found to be the case for several pathogens as the S. aureus supernatant curtailed their ability to form biofilms. Subsequent analyses using Acinetobacter baumannii as a model found this effect is primarily mediated by S. aureus' extracellular vesicles (EVs), which bound to the polystyrene surface. We found the EV-treated surfaces were significantly more hydrophilic after EV treatment, a condition that made it difficult for A. baumannii to initially adhere to the polystyrene surface and reduced its resulting biofilm by up to 93%. Subsequent tests found this also extended to several other bacterial pathogens, with a 40-70% decrease in their biofilm mass. The S. aureus EVs and their activity still remained after the surface was washed with 10% bleach, while the use of ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA) removed both the EVs from the surface and their activity.

Antibiotic susceptibility of respiratory isolates among HIV-positive children in Kyrgyzstan is higher compared to those Cambodia: Is outpatients status important

Introduction: The aim of the study was to compare resistance rate against anti-retrovirals in two cohorts of children with HIV one perinatally infected from Cambodia and the other nosocomially infected in Kyrgyzstan. Patients and Methods: Two groups of HIV positive children were compared: Vertically infected Khmer children in Cambodia and nosocomially infected children in 3 hospitals in Kyrgyzstan. Results: Prevalence of S. aureus and other oral cavity comensual was much lower in Kyrgyz children in comparison to Khmer children in Original Articles 36 Clinical Social Work and Health Intervention Clinical Social Work and Health Intervention Vol. 7 No. 3 2016 Introduction Viral, parasitic, bacterial and fungal co-infections are very frequently present among HIV positive children and such conditions often require administration of antibiotics during their therapy (1-2). The spectrum of infections occurring in HIV positive children is wide and use of antibiotic prophylaxis can stimulate development of resistance (3-4). We aimed to evaluate the spectrum of infections among pediatric HIV patients receiving HAART (Highly Active Retroviral Therapy) and to assess resistance rates of those microorganisms in the two groups of children with HIV. Methods Samples obtained from 51 HIV-positive children from Osh, Bishkek, Jalal-Abad, Kara-Suu and Nookatsk, Kyrgyz Provinces who have been receiving HAART for 3 years, were included. During their previous hospital stays, children were frequently treated with ampicillin. Cultivations from samples were performed and antibiotic profiles were assessed. A group of 51 children from Kyrgyzstan was compared to 141 children from Phnom Penh and Sihanoukville. Cambodia has a 15 year follow-up program in HIV. Tab. 1 Spectrum of microorganisms colonizing the respiratory tract in Kyrgyz versus Cambodian children with HIV on HAART Species Kyrgyz children Khmer children P Neisseria catarrhalis 20.48% 51% p˂0,01 Moraxella catarrhalis AMP-R 7.23% 6.2% NS Streptococcus viridans PEN-R 20.48% 5.1% p˂0,01 Streptococcus pneumoniae PEN-R 9.64% 5.1% NS MSSA 10.84% 10.1% NS MRSA 2.41% 45.2% p˂0,001 CoNS Staphylococcus spp 8.43% 10.1% NS Candida albicans FLU-R 15.66% 10.1% NS Others* 4.82% 4.0% NS Notes: MSSA – methicillin-susceptible S. aureus MRSA – methicillin-resistant S. aureus Other: CoNS coagulase-negative staphylococci, *Escherichia coli (1), Proteus mirablis (1), Pseudomonas aeruginosa (1), Enterococcus faecalis (1) Cambodia due to type of treatment with HAART (inpatients versus outpatients). Conclusion: In inpatient setting of HIV positive children, ATB resistance is lower. 37 Original Articles Clinical Social Work and Health Intervention Vol. 7 No. 3 2016 Results and Discussion In 51 HIV positive children we found out Neisseria catarrhalis (20.48%), Streptococcus viridans (20.48%) and Candida albicans (15.66%) being the most frequent microorganisms. Interestingly, prevalence of staphylococci was not very high (1821.69%), and surprisingly, only 2 cases (2.41%) of MRSA were noticed (P˂0,01 – 0,001) Tab.1. Also, resistance rate among bacteria was really low, with clindamycin resistance acting as the most prevalent (5.6% of bacteria isolates), followed by ampicillin and erythromycin (4.9% and 2.8%, respectively). Resistance to 5-fluorocytosine was noted in one C. albicans isolate, with the rest of candida isolates being fully susceptible to all antifungals tested. Co-infection with 2 or 3 microorganisms was identified in 20 patients (39.22%).In Cambodian children, isolation of MRSA was significantly higher (P˂0.01 – 0,001) (Tab. 1) (6-7).

Randomized Controlled Trial of the Safety and Efficacy of Daptomycin versus Standard-of-Care Therapy for Management of Patients with Osteomyelitis Associated with Prosthetic Devices Undergoing Two-Stage Revision Arthroplasty

The prevalence of Staphylococcus aureus causing prosthetic joint infection (PJI) supports investigation of higher doses of daptomycin in the management of PJI. This was a prospective, randomized controlled trial studying safety and efficacy of daptomycin (6 and 8 mg/kg of body weight) compared with standard-of-care therapy for PJI. This open-label study randomized 75 patients undergoing 2-stage revision arthroplasty to daptomycin at 6 or 8 mg/kg or a comparator (vancomycin, teicoplanin, or semisynthetic penicillin). After prosthesis removal, patients received 6 weeks of antibiotic treatment and a 2- to 6-week antibiotic-free period before implantation of a new prosthesis. Test of cure (TOC) was within 1 to 2 weeks after reimplantation. The primary objective was evaluation of creatine phosphokinase (CPK) levels. Secondary objectives were clinical efficacy and microbiological assessments. Of 73 CPK safety population patients, CPK elevation of >500 U/liter occurred in 4 of 25 (16.0%) (daptomycin, 6 mg/kg) and 5 of 23 (21.7%) (daptomycin, 8 mg/kg) daptomycin-treated patients and 2 of 25 (8.0%) comparator patients. Adverse-event rates were similar among daptomycin and comparator groups. Among modified intent-to-treat patients at TOC, clinical success rates were 14 of 24 (58.3%) for 6 mg/kg daptomycin, 14 of 23 (60.9%) for 8 mg/kg daptomycin, and 8 of 21 (38.1%) for the comparator. Overall microbiological success at TOC was 12 of 24 (50.0%) for 6 mg/kg daptomycin, 12 of 23 (52.2%) for 8 mg/kg daptomycin, and 8 of 21 (38.1%) for comparator patients. In conclusion, daptomycin at 6 and 8 mg/kg given for up to 6 weeks was safe and appeared to be effective in managing staphylococcal PJI using a 2-stage revision arthroplasty technique in a total of 49 patients.

Prevalence of intramammary infection in Dutch dairy herds

A survey was carried out in 2003 in 49 dairy herds to determine the overall and pathogen-specific prevalence of intramammary infection (IMI) in Dutch dairy herds, and to compare the distribution with four studies performed from 1973 to 1985 in The Netherlands. Herds were randomly selected stratified over the 12 Dutch provinces, had at least 40 lactating cows and participated in the Dutch milk recording system. Quarter milk samples were collected from all 408 cows with a somatic cell count (SCC) >or=250,000 cells/ml and 145 heifers with SCC >or=150,000 cells/ml at the last milk test before the farm visit. Additionally, samples were collected from 519 (approximately 25%) of the remaining low-SCC cows and heifers with a SCC at the last milk test before the farm visit of <250 000 and <150 000 cells/ml, respectively. Bacterial growth occurred in 37.3% of milk samples of high-SCC cows and in 21.1% of low-SCC cows. Coagulase-negative staphylococci (CNS) were the most frequently isolated group of bacteria (10.8% of quarters) and were found in all herds. Prevalence of Staphylococcus aureus IMI was lower in 2003 than in 1973, respectively 1.8% and 6.2% of quarters. Prevalence of Streptococcus uberis and Str. dysgalactiae IMI was almost the same in the five samplings during the 30-year period, at 1.1-1.7 and 0.9-1.5%, respectively. Str. agalactiae was not found in this study. Prevalence of CNS IMI was higher in lactating heifers, while prevalence of Str. uberis, Str. dysgalactiae and penicillin-resistant Staph. aureus IMI was higher in older cows. Because distribution of pathogens changes over time, herd-level samples for bacteriological culturing must be taken regularly to monitor udder health. Additionally, national mastitis prevalence studies give important information through monitoring the national udder health status.

Isolation and Characterization of Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus Strains from Louisiana Retail Meats

We investigated the prevalence of Staphylococcus aureus and methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA) in 120 retail meat samples from 30 grocery stores in Baton Rouge, LA. S. aureus strains were recovered from 45.6% of pork samples and 20% of beef samples, whereas MRSA strains were isolated from six meat samples (five pork samples and one beef sample). The MRSA isolates were of two strain types (clones), one harboring Panton-Valentine leucocidin and belonging to pulsed-field gel electrophoresis type USA300 and the other one belonging to USA100.