Draft genome sequence including the capsule operon of a Bacillus cereus strain isolated from a patient with bacteremia in Japan.

Bacillus cereus, which causes opportunistic infections in hospitals as well as food poisoning, is genetically similar to Bacillus anthracis. We herein report the draft genome including the capsule operon of B. cereus BCER1 isolated from the blood of a hospital patient in Japan.

Comparison of phylogenetic and virulence factors between Escherichia coli isolated from biliary tract infections and uropathogenic Escherichia coli.

Escherichia coli is a gram-negative intestinal commensal that can also cause various infections, including urinary tract infections, biliary tract infections, neonatal meningitis, and septicemia. Although the characteristics of uropathogenic E. coli and the mechanisms of urinary tract infection have been well studied, the genetic distinctions among E. coli isolates from different types of infections have not yet been determined. This study compared the phylogenetic and virulence factors of E. coli isolates from bacteremic biliary tract infections with those from bacteremic urinary tract infections. The phylogenetic B2 group was the most prevalent in both pathogenic groups (68 % in biliary pathogenic isolates and 85 % in uropathogenic isolates), but the frequency pattern of the phylogenetic group was different. Half of the uropathogenic isolates belonged to ST95 and ST131 (51 %). Among the biliary pathogenic isolates, ST131 was the most prevalent, while the remaining half belonged to other STs outside the four major STs. The frequency of some virulence factors, such as papC, papG2, hlyA, tcpC, fyuA, kpsMT2, sat, and traT, was lower in the biliary pathogenic isolates than in the uropathogenic isolates. The frequency of phylogenetic groups and STs in MLST differed between E. coli isolates from bacteremic biliary tract infections and urinary tract infections. Additionally, some virulence factors, including adhesion and toxin gene groups, showed lower frequencies in the biliary pathogenic group than in the uropathogenic group. Studying the differences in E. coli pathovars from different infection sites is important for developing pathovar-specific targeted therapies such as vaccine therapy.

A Cold-Blooded Tiptoer: Nonresolving Cellulitis in an Immunocompromised Patient.

Mycobacterium haemophilum is a nontuberculous mycobacteria (NTM) with a predilection for skin and soft tissue infection (SSTI) in the immunocompromised host. We report a case of disseminated M haemophilum infection initially presenting as a nonresolving subacute cellulitis of bilateral lower extremities. Genetic sequencing was used for final identification, while a commercially available polymerase chain reaction test returned a false-positive result for Mycobacterium intracellulare. Consequently, we highlight the importance of M haemophilum as a major differential diagnosis of SSTI in the immunocompromised host and the need for careful interpretation of rapid diagnostic tests.

The prevalence of the iutA and ibeA genes in Escherichia coli isolates from severe and non-severe patients with bacteremic acute biliary tract infection is significantly different.

BACKGROUND: Although Escherichia coli is the most frequently isolated microorganism in acute biliary tract infections with bacteremia, data regarding its virulence are limited. RESULTS: Information on cases of bacteremia in acute biliary tract infection in a retrospective study was collected from 2013 to 2015 at a tertiary care hospital in Japan. Factors related to the severity of infection were investigated, including patient background, phylogenetic typing, and virulence factors of E. coli, such as adhesion, invasion, toxins, and iron acquisition. In total, 72 E. coli strains were identified in 71 cases, most of which primarily belonged to the B2 phylogroup (68.1%). The presence of the iutA gene (77.3% in the non-severe group, 46.4% in the severe group, P = 0.011) and the ibeA gene (9.1% in the non-severe group, and 35.7% in the severe group, P = 0.012) was significantly associated with the severity of infection. Among the patient characteristics, diabetes mellitus with organ involvement and alkaline phosphatase were different in the severe and non-severe groups. CONCLUSIONS: We showed that bacteremic E. coli strains from acute biliary tract infections belonged to the virulent (B2) phylogroup. The prevalence of the iutA and ibeA genes between the two groups of bacteremia severity was significantly different.

Bilateral Candida endophthalmitis accompanying Candida lusitaniae bloodstream infection: A case report.

Candida lusitaniae is an uncommon cause of candidiasis in humans. Ocular manifestations of C. lusitaniae infection have not been reported. C. lusitaniae is either intrinsically resistant to amphotericin B or can acquire such resistance. We describe a case of bilateral endophthalmitis due to C. lusitaniae bloodstream infection in a liver transplant patient with rectal cancer. The patient suffered fungemia and endophthalmitis and was treated with liposomal amphotericin B. The isolate was identified as C. lusitaniae by matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry, the system based on biochemical tests, and sequencing of the internal transcribed spacer region. The minimal inhibitory concentrations were 0.06 µg/mL for amphotericin B and 2.0 µg/mL for fluconazole. Repeat blood cultures were negative and the endophthalmitis improved following treatment with liposomal amphotericin B. However, the treatment was changed to fluconazole due to nephrotoxicity. No recurrence occurred after completion of treatment.

Antibiotic Susceptibilities of Pseudomonas aeruginosa Isolated from Blood Samples and Antibiotic Utilization in a University Hospital in Japan.

INTRODUCTION: Pseudomonas aeruginosa is one of the most important causes of nosocomial infection. Several reports indicated a correlation of antimicrobial usages and declined susceptibilities. In this report, we evaluated their relation in a tertiary care teaching hospital in Tokyo, Japan for 4 years. METHODS: We evaluated the susceptibilities of 149 strains of P. aeruginosa isolated from blood samples and consumption of anti-pseudomonal antibiotics as antimicrobial use density from 2009 to 2012 in the University of Tokyo Hospital in Tokyo, Japan. RESULTS: Usages of carbapenems and anti-pseudomonal cephalosporins decreased 44% and 31% from 2009 to 2011, and then increased 30% and 24% in 2012, respectively. Usage of piperacillin-tazobactam increased 87% from 2009 to 2012, which was introduced in the hospital in 2008. Consumption of fluoroquinolones and aminoglycoside remained low in those years. Susceptibilities to cephalosporins, carbapenems (except for panipenem-betamipron), penicillins, and fluoroquinolones declined between 22% and 39% in 2010, increased in the range of 16-31% in 2011, and increased by 1-14% in 2012. Susceptibility of panipenem-betamipron ranged between 25% and 32%. Susceptibility to aminoglycoside was more than 90% during this period. No relationship between antimicrobial usages and susceptibilities of P. aeruginosa was observed. CONCLUSION: Susceptibilities of P. aeruginosa did not correlate with the usage of antibiotics in our hospital. Several infection control measures and other factors might contribute to changing the susceptibilities of bacteria.

Two cases of bacteremia caused by Leptotrichia trevisanii in patients with febrile neutropenia.

We present two cases of bacteremia caused by Leptotrichia trevisanii: a 12-year-old girl with recurrent myeloid leukemia of the mandible and a 66-year-old man with esophageal carcinoma. As this filamentous bacillus showed indefinite Gram staining and the identification based on biochemical enzymatic reactions was not definitive, identification required 16s rRNA analysis. For this organism, drug sensitivity testing showed susceptiblity to each ß-lactam antibiotics and clindamycin, but resistance to fluoroquinolone and erythromycin. This filamentous bacillus needs careful identification and appropriate antibiotic treatment.