ABSTRACT
Aspergillus pathogens usually infect immunocompromised patients with lethal outcome. We report a multiplex PCR assay for the discrimination of the most frequent Aspergillus pathogens, A. fumigatus, A. flavus, A. niger and A. terreus, through distinct amplicons of 250 bp, 200 bp, 150 bp and 450 bp respectively, derived from the rDNA gene of A. terreus and the aspergillopepsin genes of the remaining species.
Subject(s)
Aspergillosis/diagnosis , Aspergillosis/microbiology , Aspergillus flavus/isolation & purification , Aspergillus fumigatus/isolation & purification , Aspergillus niger/isolation & purification , DNA, Fungal/genetics , DNA, Fungal/isolation & purification , Mycological Typing Techniques , Polymerase Chain Reaction/methods , Aspergillus flavus/genetics , Aspergillus fumigatus/genetics , Aspergillus niger/genetics , DNA Primers , Humans , Sensitivity and SpecificityABSTRACT
The antimicrobial susceptibility of 129 Campylobacter jejuni strains, isolated from hospitalized children with gastroenteritis, to five antimicrobials, including nalidixic acid, ciprofloxacin, erythromycin, ampicillin and co-amoxiclav, was determined. Isolates belonged to two time periods: group A contained strains isolated in 1987-1988; and group B 1998-2000. Antimicrobial susceptibility patterns differed significantly between the two groups with respect to quinolones, with an increase in the percentage of resistant strains in group B (30.6% versus 0% in group A), whereas erythromycin, ampicillin and co-amoxiclav were effective drugs in both groups.
Subject(s)
Anti-Bacterial Agents/pharmacology , Campylobacter Infections/microbiology , Campylobacter jejuni/drug effects , Child , Feces/microbiology , Gastroenteritis/microbiology , Greece , Hospitalization , Humans , Microbial Sensitivity TestsABSTRACT
The concentrations of nitrate, nitrite, N-nitroso compounds and bacteria were measured in 96 samples of fasting gastric juice, pH 0.90-8.50, obtained from 56 individuals just before or at various times (8 days - 1 year) after gastric operation. The mean pH of the post-operative samples [4.66 +/- 0.39 (SEM)] was significantly higher than that of the pre-operative ones [3.29 +/- 0.33 (SEM)]. A positive correlation with pH was observed for the concentrations of total and nitrate-reducing bacteria (median values 5.0 X 10(5) organisms/ml and 9.2 X 10(4) organisms/ml, respectively, for samples with pH greater than or equal to 1.2 X 10(3) organisms/ml and 0 organisms/ml, respectively, for samples with pH less than or equal to 2.5) and nitrite [mean values 22.5 +/- 3.1 (SEM) microM and 3.20 +/- 0.5 (SEM) microM for samples with pH greater than or equal to 6.5 and pH less than or equal to 2.5, respectively]. No correlation with pH was seen for the concentrations of nitrate [mean value 0.48 +/- 0.06 (SEM) mM] or N-nitroso compounds [mean value 0.30 +/- 0.06 (SEM) microM]. The concentrations of bacteria and nitrite, although increased in hypochlorhydric individuals, were lower than those reported for corresponding individuals in other, primarily British, studies. It is suggested that the relatively low concentrations of nitrite observed in our hypochlorhydric population may account for the absence of elevated concentrations of N-nitroso compounds and that the latter phenomenon may be related to the relatively low frequency of gastric cancer in Greece.
