The first case of Planococcus glaciei found in blood, a report from the Czech Republic.

The isolation of Planococcus glaciei (designed strain CNCTC 7660) from blood of a patient with appendicitis is reported. Species P. glaciei (type strain CGMCC 1.6846 T) was for the first time identified as an environmental bacterium acquired from a glacier in China in 2009. To reveal the identity of the isolate CNCTC 7660, the 16S rDNA sequencing and the whole genome sequencing (Illumina MiSeq, Oxford Nanopore) were performed. The level of 16S rDNA gene sequencing similarity between CNCTC 7660 and CGMCC 1.6846 T was 99.55%. Phylogenetic analysis and average nucleotide analysis (ANI) based on the whole genome sequencing confirmed that the isolate CNCTC 7660 and CGMCC1.6846 T had ANI value above the taxonomic threshold for belonging to the same species (95%). The G + C content of CNCTC 7660 DNA was 46.8% (mol/mol). Except for the growth temperature, strains CGMCC1.6846 T and CNCTC 7660 were distinguished also biochemically. Due to the lack of information about the pathogenicity of P. glaciei, the possibility that it exerts pathogenicity in persons is suggested. But for understanding the nature of this species, further cases are needed.

[Prevalence of ESBL-positive strains of Klebsiella pneumoniae in the Czech Republic and their molecular biology analysis]. / Prevalence ESBL-pozitivních kmenu Klebsiella pneumoniae v Ceské republice a jejich molekulárne-biologická analýza.

BACKGROUND: One of the problems of contemporary medicine is an increasing number of bacterial strains with hazardous phenotypes of resistance. The feared bacterial pathogens include Klebsiella pneumoniae strains producing AmpA extended-spectrum beta-lactamases. The study focused on the molecular biological characteristics of ESBL-positive strains of Klebsiella pneumoniae collected in the Czech Republic. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Clinical material from patients hospitalized in 16 Czech hospitals in September and October 2004 was used to isolate and determine Klebsiella pneumoniae strains by standard identification procedures. Their susceptibility to antibiotics was tested using a dilution micromethod. A Double-Disk Synergy Test was used for phenotype determination of ESBL production. The blaTEM, blaSHV and blaOXA genes coding ESBL production were demonstrated by PCR. Molecular biological characteristics of ESBL-positive strains utilized the genomic DNA isolation, XbaI restrictase digestion and PFGE differentiation. The acquired restriction maps of individual isolates were compared using GelCompar II software and their relationship was determined. RESULTS: During the monitored period, 913 Klebsiella pneumoniae strains causing clinically detectable diseases were isolated. Of these, 234 (25.6 %) were determined as ESBL-positive strains. The prevalence of ESBL-positive strains was 38.5 % in ICUs and 15.8 % in standard wards. More than 50 % of ESBL-positive isolates were effectively treated only with meropenem (98 %), cefoperazone/sulbactam (61 %) and amikacin (54 %). Conversely, ESBL-negative strains showed high susceptibility to all tested antibiotics (76-99 %). The molecular biological analysis identified 18 clonal types containing 2-6 identical strains. 17 clones usually contained isolates from one hospital and only in one clone strains from two hospitals were identified. CONCLUSION: Based on the above mentioned results, the prevalence of ESBL-positive strains of Klebsiella pneumoniae in the Czech Republic can be perceived as relatively high, especially in the ICUs. An extensive spread of epidemic clones within Czech hospitals and, to a limited extent, between them can be demonstrated.