Antibiotic administration in targeted nanoparticles protects the faecal microbiota of mice.

Antibiotic therapy comes with disturbances on human microbiota, resulting in changes of bacterial communities and thus leading to well-established health problems. In this study, we demonstrated that targeted teicoplanin administration maintains the faecal microbiota composition undisturbed in a mouse model while reaching therapeutic improvements for S. aureus infection.

Seroprevalence of Bordetella pertussis immunoglobulin G antibodies among children in Samsun, Turkey.

In this study, we aimed to investigate anti-pertussis immunoglobulin (Ig) G antibodies in the serum of children in our region vaccinated against pertussis with four doses. Between August 2008-2009, antibody levels to Bordetella pertussis (B. pertussis) antigens were studied in 385 serum samples from healthy children aged 1.5-18 years (y) vaccinated against pertussis in Samsun, Turkey. The study population was divided into six groups according to ages: 1.5-3 y; 4-5 y; 6-8 y; 10-12 y; 13-15 y; and 16-18 y. IgG antibodies to B. pertussis antigens were measured with a commercial ELISA kit. Mean age of the children was 9.6 +/- 5.3 y. Anti-pertussis IgG titers were positive in 48.3% of the cases. The lowest positivity rate was determined in the 4-5 y age group (28.1%) and the highest rate in the 16-18 y age group (64.2%). Geometric mean titer of anti-pertussis antibodies was 39.2 IU/ml, and again the lowest value was obtained in the 4-5 y age group (23.3 IU/ml) and the highest in the 16-18 y age group (51.4 IU/ml). The antibody levels to B. pertussis antigens significantly decrease 4-6 years after vaccination and again increase in school children, possibly due to natural infection.

Comparison of nosocomial candidemia of pediatric and adult cases in 2-years period at a Turkish university hospital.

OBJECTIVE: Although there are limited numerous reports of candidemia in adults, data on paediatrics are stil limeted. The aim of the present study was to compare the aetiology and risk factors of nosocomial candidemia among the paediatric and adults in our hospital. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This study includes the patients hospitalised and diagnosed as fungemia at Ondokuz Mayis University Hospital between June 30, 2007 and June 30, 2009 whose blood cultures sent to our microbiology laboratory. After fungal growth was observed in blood cultures, the yeast cells were inoculated onto Saboraud glucose agar. The colonies were identified by conventional yeast identification methods and ID 32C yeast identification system according to the manifacturer's instructions. RESULTS: During this period 51 paediatric and 69 adults were studied. The most common yeast form was Candida albicans (43.3%) followed by C. parapsilosis (25.0%) and C. tropicalis (17.5%). Although the non-albicans Candida species represent more than half (56.7%) of all candidemic cases C. albicans was the most common frequent etiologic agent. There was no statistically significant difference between patient age (paediatric and adult) and distribution of Candida species (p>0.05) Neoplasia (in adults) and prematurity (in paediatrics) were the main underlying diseases. Predisposing factors and mortality rates were not different among paediatrics and adults. CONCLUSION: We reinforce the necessity of continous epidomiologic surveillance to follow the dynamics of candidemia.

[Phospholipase activity of Candida species isolated from different clinical samples]. / Degisik klinik orneklerden izole edilen Candida türlerinde fosfolipaz aktivitesinin arastirilmasi.

In this study, the phospholipase activity that was suggested to be important in the pathogenesis of Candida infections, has been investigated. A total of 109 Candida strains (80 Candida albicans, 10 C. tropicalis, 6 C. glabrata, 6 C. guilliermondii, 4 C. parapsilosis, 2 C. krusei, 1 C. kefyr) which were isolated from various clinical specimens (blood, cerebrospinal fluid, parasynthesis specimens, catheter samples, bronchoalveolar lavage fluid, tracheal aspirate, liver abscess) have been included in the study. Phospholipase activities were evaluated by modified plate method. Phospholipase activity (Pz) was determined as the ratio of colony diameter to the diameter of precipitation zone with the colony. While 61.3% (49/80) of C. albicans strains were found to be positive for phospholipase activity, none of the non-albicans Candida isolates exhibited phospholipase activity. The mean Pz coefficient value of phospholipase secreting isolates was calculated as 0.805 +/- 0.08. There was no statistically significant difference between the phospholipase activity of the isolates according to their isolation sites (chi2 = 5.5; p = 0.137).