A survey of laboratory-confirmed isolates of invasive listeriosis in Israel, 1997-2007.

During the 11-year period from 1997 to 2007, 321 isolates of Listeria monocytogenes from sporadic cases of invasive listeriosis were reported to the national reference laboratory in Israel. Of these isolates, 113 (35%) were identified from perinatal cases, and 208 (65%) from non-perinatal cases. The prevalent serovars were 4b, 1/2b, 1/2a and 4c. Serovar 4b was identified in 80.5% of the perinatal isolates (P=0.0162), while the number of 1/2b and 1/2a strains increased in the > or = 60 years old group (P=0.0285). Resistance to tetracycline was found in eight 4b isolates. The seasonal distribution showed that 206 isolates (64.2%) were submitted during the hot season (May-October). The estimated morbidity for the study period was 4.4 per million. The incidence of invasive listeriosis was higher in the perinatal group (5.6/100 000), than in individuals aged > or = 60 years (1.5/100 000).

Extended-spectrum beta-lactamase-producing Shigella strains in Israel, 2000-2004.

Routine susceptibility testing of 5,616 Shigella isolates at the National Shigella Reference Centre in Israel over a 5-year period (2000-2004) revealed resistance to ceftriaxone in one strain of Shigella boydii 2 and in two strains each of Shigella flexneri 2a, S. flexneri 6, and Shigella sonnei. All seven isolates were confirmed as producers of extended-spectrum beta-lactamase (ESBL) by the combination disk method, the Vitek 1 system, and a modification of the double-disk synergy test, which is based on the inhibitory properties of clavulanic acid, tazobactam, and sulbactam. Tazobactam had the strongest effect in all seven strains. Molecular characterization of the ESBLs identified CTX-M-type enzymes, consisting of the CTX-M-9 group (n = 3), CTX-M-3 (n = 2), CTX-M-39 (n = 1), and CTX-M-2 group (n = 1). Three of the strains also carried bla-(OXA) genes and a bla-(TEM) gene. Although the prevalence of ESBLs in this study was low, further research is needed on the spread and transfer of resistance genes, both in hospitals and in the community.

Variability of Shigella flexneri serotypes in Israel during a period of two years: 2000 and 2001.

During a period of 2 years (2000 and 2001) 996 Shigella flexneri strains from sporadic cases in Israel were sent to the National Shigella Reference Centre (NSRC) by hospital and outpatient clinics. The most common serotypes were 2a, 6 and 1b, accounting for 88.4% of all isolates. They were investigated according to the monthly distribution of the strains, and the age and sex of the patients. The severity of the disease was assessed by a hospital/outpatient distribution (H/Od) of the isolates, based on the location of the sending laboratory. The most affected age groups were 0-11 months and 1-4 years, and the prevalent serotype was 2a, while serotype 6 was dominant in the 5-14 years age group. More cases were registered during the hot season, and there were some serotype-related variations. Overall, 62.1% of the samples were from male patients. Serotype 1b was dominant in the male/female ratio, although it was third in general prevalence. According to the H/Od serotype 2a was more common in hospitalized males and serotype 6 in outpatients, both male and female. These variations, as well as changes in serotype prevalence in the past, underscore the importance of serotype monitoring as part of the public health strategies for reducing the burden of Shigella flexneri infections.

Antimicrobial resistance of Shigella flexneri serotypes in Israel during a period of three years: 2000-2002.

This is a surveillance study of the antimicrobial resistance of the S. flexneri group in the context of its serotype diversity. It includes 1422 isolates, which were sent to the National Shigella Reference Centre (NSRC) by hospitals and outpatient clinics in Israel during a 3-year period (2000-2002). The strains were identified and classified according to the prevalence and antigenic structure of their serotypes. All samples were checked for resistance to ampicillin (AMP), trimethoprim-sulphamethoxazole (TMP-SMX), ceftriaxone (CRO), tetracycline (TE), nalidixic acid (NAL), and chloramphenicol (C) by the disk diffusion method of Bauer et al. There were significant differences in their resistance to the individual antimicrobials with resistance to AMP, TE and C being lower among the strains of serotype 6 than among those of serotypes 2a and 1b. The resistant phenotypes were also serotype-specific. The similarities both in individual and in phenotype resistance between the rare and the prevalent serotypes (but not serotype 6) may be attributed to their antigenic relatedness. The serospecificity of the antimicrobial resistance was not affected by external factors such as seasonality and source (hospital or outpatient laboratory) of the isolates, and the age and sex of the patients. The serotype-specific approach can assist in properly assessing the problem of the antimicrobial resistance of the Shigella flexneri group and may prove useful for the empirical therapy of shigellosis. The observed interdependency between resistance and the antigenic specificity and relatedness of the S. flexneri serotypes requires additional investigation.