Molecular Characterization of OXA-48-Like-Producing Enterobacteriaceae in the Czech Republic and Evidence for Horizontal Transfer of pOXA-48-Like Plasmids.

The aim of this study was to characterize the first cases and outbreaks of OXA-48-like-producing Enterobacteriaceae recovered from hospital settings in the Czech Republic. From 2013 to 2015, 22 Klebsiella pneumoniae isolates, 3 Escherichia coli isolates, and 1 Enterobacter cloacae isolate producing OXA-48-like carbapenemases were isolated from 20 patients. Four of the patients were colonized or infected by two or three different OXA-48-like producers. The K. pneumoniae isolates were classified into nine sequence types (STs), with ST101 being predominant (n = 8). The E. coli isolates were of different STs, while the E. cloacae isolate belonged to ST109. Twenty-four isolates carried blaOXA-48, while two isolates carried blaOXA-181 or blaOXA-232 Almost all isolates (n = 22) carried blaOXA-48-positive plasmids of a similar size (∼60 kb), except the two isolates producing OXA-181 or OXA-232. In an ST45 K. pneumoniae isolate and an ST38 E. coli isolate, S1 nuclease profiling plus hybridization indicated a chromosomal location of blaOXA-48 Sequencing showed that the majority of blaOXA-48-carrying plasmids exhibited high degrees of identity with the pOXA-48-like plasmid pE71T. Additionally, two novel pE71T derivatives, pOXA-48_30715 and pOXA-48_30891, were observed. The blaOXA-181-carrying plasmid was identical to the IncX3 plasmid pOXA181_EC14828, while the blaOXA-232-carrying plasmid was a ColE2-type plasmid, being a novel derivative of pOXA-232. Finally, sequencing data showed that the ST45 K. pneumoniae and ST38 E. coli isolates harbored the IS1R-based composite transposon Tn6237 containing blaOXA-48 integrated into their chromosomes. These findings underlined that the horizontal transfer of pOXA-48-like plasmids has played a major role in the dissemination of blaOXA-48 in the Czech Republic. In combination with the difficulties with their detection, OXA-48 producers constitute an important public threat.

[The impact of neuroprotection on brain metabolism during carotid endarterectomy]. / Vliv neuroprotekce na mozkové metabolické parametry pri karotické endarterektomii.

BACKGROUND: The primary objective of this study was to evaluate the impact of neuroprotection, administered during carotid endarterectomy, on brain metabolism. The secondary objective was to assess the impact on clinical outcome of the resulting changes to brain metabolism. METHODS: A total of 35 patients underwent carotid endarterectomy with prophylactic combined neuroprotection (Sendai cocktail: Manitol, Phenhydan, Solumedrol, Tokoferol; Cerebrolysin; fraction of inspired oxygen (FiO2) = 1, middle arterial pressure (MAP) = 100 mm Hg, total intravenous anaesthesia--TIVA). The influence of neuroprotection on brain metabolism (S100B, glycaemia, lactate, pH, jugular vein bulb oxygen saturation--SvjO2) was evaluated. Metabolic parameters were acquired from the jugular bulb during surgery, just before unclamping of the vessel. The clinical outcome was evaluated by NIHSS (National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale). There were 35 patients in the control group who where operated on without any neuroprotection. The results from both groups of patients were compared and statistically analyzed. RESULTS: Postoperative NIHSS did not change in any patients in either group. An intraoperative shunt was not inserted in any patients in either group. In the group with neuroprotection there were significantly higher levels of S100B (median 0.117 vs. 0.088; p < 0.0182), lactate (median 1.92 vs. 1.020; p < 0.0006), glycaemia (median 9.5 vs. 8.2; p < 0.0243), and SvjO2 (median 0.79 vs. 0.65; p < 0.0001). There were no postoperative changes to NIHSS in either group. CONCLUSIONS: Neuroprotection administered before carotid endarterectomy influences some parameters of brain metabolism both positively and negatively, but with no impact on clinical outcome.