Uropathogenic Escherichia coli virulence characteristics and antimicrobial resistance amongst pediatric urinary tract infections.

Uropathogenic Escherichia coli (UPEC) harbors virulence factors responsible for bacterial adhesion and invasion. In addition, the bacterium is accountable for the occurrence of pediatric urinary tract infections globally and is becoming problematic due to the emergence of antimicrobial resistance. The current research investigated UPEC prevalence, virulence characteristics, and antimicrobial resistance in pediatric urinary tract infection (UTI). 200 urine specimens were taken from hospitalized pediatric patients who suffered from UTIs. E. coli was recovered from urine specimens using the microbial culture. Disc diffusion method was used to assess antimicrobial resistance and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) to assess the virulence factors distribution amongst the UPEC bacteria. Seventy-five out of 250 (30.00%) urine samples were positive for the UPEC bacteria. The UPEC prevalence amongst pediatric patients was 25.83% and 33.84%, respectively. UPEC bacteria harbored the maximum resistance toward gentamicin (45.33%), ampicillin (44.00%), and ciprofloxacin (40.00%). Cytotoxic necrotizing factor 1 (Cnf1) (53.33%) and pyelonephritis-associated pil (pap) (42.66%) were the most frequently identified virulence factors amongst the UPEC bacteria. The high prevalence of UPEC isolates harboring antimicrobial resistance and virulence factors suggest that diseases caused by them need more expansive healthcare monitoring with essential demand for novel antimicrobials.

Patients with cancer at the margins of reproductive age had reduced levels of anti-Müllerian hormone compared with patients experiencing infertility.

OBJECTIVE: To compare the ovarian reserves between female patients with cancer and patients experiencing infertility. METHODS: A retrospective age-matched observational study was performed at Rotunda Hospital, Dublin. The study group included data from all female oncology patients attending for oocyte or embryo cryopreservation between January 1, 2009 and December 31, 2013. Anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH) levels were recorded at patients' initial visits before beginning chemotherapy or radiotherapy. The control group included patients without cancer who had their AMH levels recorded to investigate fertility or as a baseline level prior to beginning assisted reproductive treatment. RESULTS: The records of 118 oncology and 5231 control patients from the study period were identified. There was no difference in AMH levels between patients in the oncology and control groups aged 30-38years; however, significantly lower AMH levels were observed in patients in the oncology group aged 29years and younger (17.89pmol/L vs 23.35pmol/L; P=0.015), or at least 39years (2.65pmol/L vs 5.87pmol/L; P=0.028). CONCLUSION: Before commencing chemotherapy or radiotherapy, patients in the oncology group at the margins of reproductive age had a diminished ovarian reserve compared with the control group. This should be considered when planning optimal doses of follicular stimulating hormone as part of controlled ovarian-stimulation regimes performed for embryo or oocyte cryopreservation prior to chemotherapy or radiotherapy.