[Exotic pets as a potential source of Salmonella]. / Exotickí domáci milácikovia ako potenciálny zdroj salmonel.

STUDY AIM: To clarify the source of infection with the exotic serovar Salmonella Urbana and the route of transmission in a 2-year-old child. MATERIAL AND METHODS: To identify the source of infection and the route of transmission, we used epidemiological investigation of the case of salmonellosis and microbiological methods for the detection of Salmonella from biological specimens, epidemiologically suspected food, turtle tank water and feed, and serotyping of isolated strains of Salmonella. RESULTS: Salmonella Urbana was confirmed in a rectal swab of the infected child and in a sample of turtle tank water. Laboratory analyses of farm eggs eaten by the investigated family, of rectal swabs of the other family members and of a turtle feed sample did not reveal the presence of salmonellae. CONCLUSION: The confirmed source of Salmonella infection caused by the exotic serovar Salmonella Urbana in a two-year-old child were pet water turtles. In the case of the isolation of exotic serovars of Salmonella, the epidemiological and laboratory investigation needs to be aimed at the contact with pet animals, especially reptiles. It is desirable to raise the awareness of both the public and health professionals of this issue.

Four years of monitoring antibiotic resistance in microorganisms from bacteremic patients.

From the second semester of 2002 to the end of the first semester of 2005, a total of 2544 bacterial strains were isolated from the blood stream of patients with clinical sepsis and bacteremia hospitalized in six University Hospitals in the Slovak Republic. Almost 30% of strains were coagulase-negative staphylococci (CONS), about 14% were Staphylococcus aureus and, of the Gram-negative bacteria, up to 9% were Klebsiella pneumoniae. All CONS, S. aureus and Enterococcus spp. strains were found to be still susceptible to vancomycin, but the resistance of CONS and/or S. aureus to macrolides and fluoroquinolones dramatically increased during the period of this study. Among Gram-negative bacteria, increasing levels of resistance to higher generation cephalosporins, to fluoroquinolones resistance in Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Acinetobacter spp. to meropenem was recorded, which is alarming. The results were periodically submitted to cooperating hospitals with proposals for rationalizing the prophylactic and general use of indicated antibiotics as well as for improving hospital hygiene measures and anti-epidemic practices.

Antibody formation against beta-tubulin class III in response to brain trauma.

Brain trauma typically leads to neuronal damage and loss. Assuming a transient autoimmune response to debris of the damaged neurones, we have monitored serum titres of IgG and IgM antibodies to beta-tubulin class III (betaTcIII), which is almost exclusively found in neuronal cytoskeletons. In 15 out of 18 patients, the peak of the IgG or IgM antibody titre appeared in the serum within 3 weeks of a brain trauma.

Monitoring of antibiotic resistance in bacterial isolates from bacteremic patients.

The aim of the study was to monitor the prevalence of pathogens and development of resistance in bacteria isolated from bacteremic patients. Five University Clinics and/or Regional Hospitals in the Slovak Republic participated in the study and a total of 421 isolates were collected in the second half of the year 2002. The most prevalent organisms were coagulase-negative staphylococci (CONS) (19%), Staphylococcus aureus (18.3%), among Gram-negative bacteria Escherichia coli (13.3%), Klebsiella pneumoniae (11.4%) and Pseudomonas aeruginosa (7.8%) followed by enterococci, Acinetobacter baumannii and Enterobacter sp. All CONS and S. aureus were susceptible to vancomycin; resistance to oxacillin was observed for 55% of the CONS and only for 4% of S. aureus isolates. A higher prevalence of resistance to erythromycin, clindamycin, gentamicin and ofloxacin was found in CONS in comparison to S. aureus. Enterococcus sp. isolates were fully susceptible to vancomycin and teicoplanin. Gentamicin, amoxicillin/clavulanate, third generation cephalosporins and ciprofloxacin showed good activity against E. coli. Although 17% of K. pneumoniae isolates were resistant to ciprofloxacin, it was the most effective drug against K. pneumoniae; the prevalence of resistance to other antibiotics was rather higher. Gentamicin and ciprofloxacin were the most active against Enterobacter sp. isolates and ceftazidime and meropenem against P. aeruginosa.

[Cerebrospinal fluid cytology in retinoblastoma--possibility of early detection of tumor dissemination into the CNS]. / Cytologie mozkomísního moku u retinoblastomu--moznost vcasného záchytu diseminace nádoru do CNS.

Retinoblastoma is a malignant tumourous which occurs in childhood. The most important factors which influence possible cure of patients with a retinoblastoma are early detection of the disease, correct diagnosis and adequate therapy. In the submitted case-record the authors provide evidence of the importance of cytological examination of cerebrospinal fluid which is important in retinoblastoma in particular for the follow-up of treatment. Cytological examination of cerebrospinal fluid in this type of tumour is very reliable and can reveal infiltration of tumour cells into the CNS much sooner than imaging methods.