[Resistance to linezolid in Staphylococcus aureus before its release]. / Résistance au linézolide de Staphylococcus aureus avant inscription au livret du médicament.

UNLABELLED: Resistance to antibiotics is a global problem in geriatric centres. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to determine the frequency of the resistance to linezolid in Staphylococcus aureus strains before its release in a geriatric centre. METHOD: From 03-01-01 to 03-04-30 linezolid was included in the panel of antibiotics tested in S. aureus strains. The susceptibilities were estimated by the disk diffusion test in routine clinical microbiology practice. RESULTS: A total of 213 strains of S. aureus was analysed. All of them were susceptible to the following antibiotics: linezolid, cotrimoxazol, fosfomycin, and glycopeptides. The meticillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA) represented 67.1% (60.3-73.3) strains. The resistance to pefloxacin, tobramycin and erythromycin concerned 92.3% (86.3-95.9), 73.4% (65.3-80.3) and 31.5% (24.1-39.8) of MRSA strains respectively. The MRSA strains were less resistant to the following antimicrobial drugs: gentamicin 7.0% (3.6-12.8), fusidic acid 2.1% (0.5-6.5) and rifampicin 1.4% (0.2-5.5). The resistance concerning at the same time gentamicin, pefloxacin and fucidic acid represented 2.1% (0.5-6.5) of SARM strains, rifampicin was not interested. CONCLUSION: Linezolid was effective in vitro in S. aureus strains regardless their susceptibilities in meticillin. According to its effectiveness in vivo, linezolid may be of use for the treatment of infections due to MRSA. However, there has been two reports of resistance of MRSA in clinical infections. The use of linezolid has to follow the instructions and it should be carefully monitored.

Ante-mortem detection of PSE and DFD by infrared thermography of pigs before stunning.

Using water-holding capacity and colour measurements (L and b values) as objective quality parameters, we have observed an increasing incidence of meat quality defects with the increasing skin surface temperature of pigs by infrared thermography prior to stunning. Below 32·2°C, 50% of the 32 pigs measured had normal meat while the other half showed meat quality defects. Above 32·2°C, however, 71% of the 49 pigs showed meat quality problems classified as moderate PSE (6%), PSE (30%), moderate DFD (22%) and DFD (37%). At this temperature level, meat quality of the remaining pigs was normal and decreased to 29%. Although infrared thermography of live animals cannot predict whether the meat will be PSE or DFD, it seems to be a practical and rapid method to detect pigs who will yield a significant proportion of meat quality defects. An early post-mortem identification of meat quality could supply the missing information.

[The contamination of a hospital with Bacillus cereus without an indication of cases of infection]. / Kontamination eines Krankenhauses mit Bacillus cereus ohne Hinweis auf Infektionsfälle.

A hygienic investigation of a hospital revealed B. cereus in 60.5% (66 out of 109) of swab specimens taken from walls, apparatuses, airing devices and bedclothes. These findings were not associated with evidence of human infection caused by the organism within the hospital. In a similar investigation three weeks later, only 22.5% of the environmental specimens were positive for B. cereus. The hospital contamination with B. cereus has thus been virtually temporary and epidemiologically silent. Considering the potential pathogenicity of the organism however, its presence in the hospital environment cannot be approved of.