MedWorm: MRSA

The Epidemiology of Methicillin-susceptible and Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus in a Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, 2000–2007

Medscape Today Headlines — Thu, 18 Mar 2010 11:04:28 +0100

This important study documents the epidemiology of S. aureus (MSSA and MRSA) in the NICU population Journal of Perinatology : Official Journal of the California Perinatal Association (Source: Medscape Today Headlines)

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Antiseptic Cloths Associated With Reduced Rate Of Treatment-Resistant Bacteria In The Trauma Center

Health News from Medical News Today — Thu, 18 Mar 2010 07:00:00 +0100

Bathing trauma patients daily using cloths containing the antiseptic chlorhexidine may be associated with a decreased rate of colonization and infection by methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and other difficult-to-treat bacteria, according to a report in the March issue of Archives of Surgery, one of the JAMA/Archives journals. "Healthcare-associated infections pose a significant burden to patients admitted following major injury," the authors write as background information in the article... (Source: Health News from Medical News Today)

New Policy Statement Describes The Development Of Antibiotics To Protect Our Children And Future Generations As A "Moral Obligation"

MRSA / Drug Resistance News From Medical News Today — Thu, 18 Mar 2010 07:00:00 +0100

As the deaths and suffering caused by antibiotic-resistant bacterial infections continue to rise around the world, the Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA) is urging a global commitment to develop 10 new antibiotics by 2020, known as the 10 x '20 initiative, to address this public health crisis and safeguard patients' health. The plea for U.S... (Source: MRSA / Drug Resistance News From Medical News Today)

Antiseptic Cloths Associated With Reduced Rate Of Treatment-Resistant Bacteria In The Trauma Center

MRSA / Drug Resistance News From Medical News Today — Thu, 18 Mar 2010 07:00:00 +0100

Bathing trauma patients daily using cloths containing the antiseptic chlorhexidine may be associated with a decreased rate of colonization and infection by methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and other difficult-to-treat bacteria, according to a report in the March issue of Archives of Surgery, one of the JAMA/Archives journals... (Source: MRSA / Drug Resistance News From Medical News Today)

France's national program to reduce HAIs reports important successes; uses mandatory reporting

EurekAlert! - Medicine and Health — Thu, 18 Mar 2010 04:00:00 +0100

(Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America) Researchers evaluating France's national infection control program for health-care facilities found significant decreases in the rates of health-care-associated infections (HAIs) since 2004. The drop in HAIs, including MRSA and surgical site infections, could be attributed to important changes in the national infection control system. France's national, regional and local coordinating centers have been reorganized to help facilities throughout the country comply and conform with mandatory public reporting requirements and key program objectives. (Source: EurekAlert! - Medicine and Health)

France's national program to reduce health-care-associated infections reports important successes

ScienceDaily Headlines — Thu, 18 Mar 2010 04:00:00 +0100

Researchers evaluating France's national infection control program for health-care facilities found significant decreases in the rates of health-care-associated infections (HAIs) since 2004. The drop in HAIs, including MRSA and surgical site infections, could be attributed to important changes in the national infection control system. France's national, regional and local coordinating centers have been reorganized to help facilities throughout the country comply and conform with mandatory public reporting requirements and key program objectives. (Source: ScienceDaily Headlines)

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Antiseptic cloths associated with reduced rate of treatment-resistant bacteria in the trauma center

ScienceDaily Headlines — Wed, 17 Mar 2010 12:00:00 +0100

The MRSA Epidemic A Call To Action

Health News from Medical News Today — Wed, 17 Mar 2010 10:00:00 +0100

MRSA Survivors Network, the nonprofit organization, along with other advocates, urgently plead with the CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention), along with the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) to finally acknowledge the public health crisis to the public and take action. MRSA Survivors Network is calling on Dr. Thomas Frieden, Director of the CDC along with Kathleen Sebelius, Secretary of the DHHS to declare MRSA an epidemic and hold a press conference during the Fifth Decennial International Conference on Healthcare- Associated Infections in Atlanta ( Mar... (Source: Health News from Medical News Today)

The MRSA Epidemic A Call To Action

MRSA / Drug Resistance News From Medical News Today — Wed, 17 Mar 2010 10:00:00 +0100

Point of care testing for MRSA is effective

Nursing Times Breaking News — Tue, 16 Mar 2010 23:54:00 +0100

A study has investigated whether a commercial real-time polymerase chain reaction test for MRSA could be used as a point of care test. (Source: Nursing Times Breaking News)

Multifocal community-acquired necrotizing fasciitis caused by a Panton-Valentine leukocidin-producing methicillin-sensitive Staphylococcus aureus

Infection — Tue, 16 Mar 2010 14:49:44 +0100

We describe a rare case of multifocal necrotizing fasciitis (NF) complicating a single vaccine injection. Injection of hepatitis B vaccine of a 16-year-old immunocompetent woman developed into rapidly spreading multifocal NF of the right arm and the thighs, with septic shock. Treatment with antimicrobial therapy and surgical debridements allowed amputation to be avoided with a favourable outcome. The etiological agent was a methicillin-sensitive Staphylococcus aureus (MSSA) isolate harboring the Panton-Valentine leukocidin (PVL) and five enterotoxins. PVL has recently been reported in large series of methicillin-resistant SA cases and has been associated with necrotizing infections. Some strains of MSSA could harbor PVL and enterotoxins. PCR investigation is not frequent but could imp...

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Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus: an ever emerging threat

Future Medicine: Therapy — Tue, 16 Mar 2010 14:33:51 +0100

Therapy , March 2010, Vol. 7, No. 2, Pages 169-178. (Source: Future Medicine: Therapy)

MRSA survivors say 'superbug' an epidemic

Health News - UPI.com — Tue, 16 Mar 2010 05:37:44 +0100

CHICAGO, March 16 (UPI) -- A group of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus survivors said they want U.S. health officials to declare MRSA an epidemic. (Source: Health News - UPI.com)

Antiseptic Cloths Reduce Deadly Bacteria

Medical Headlines From Ivanhoe.com — Tue, 16 Mar 2010 05:00:00 +0100

(Ivanhoe Newswire) -- Bathing trauma patients daily using cloths containing the antiseptic chlorhexidine may be associated with a decreased rate of infection by methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and other difficult-to-treat bacteria. (Source: Medical Headlines From Ivanhoe.com)

Antiseptic Baths Help Fight 'Superbug' Infections

MedlinePlus Health News — Mon, 15 Mar 2010 21:30:14 +0100

Bathing severely injured intensive-care patients with antiseptic-soaked washcloths can cut their risk of developing certain types of infections, and also seems to help keep drug-resistant bacteria at bay, new research shows.Source: Reuters Health Related MedlinePlus Pages: Emergency Medical Services, Infection Control, MRSA (Source: MedlinePlus Health News)

Effect of Chlorhexidine Whole-Body Bathing on Hospital-Acquired Infections Among Trauma Patients [Original Article]

Archives of Surgery — Mon, 15 Mar 2010 19:50:50 +0100

Conclusions Daily bathing of trauma patients with cloths impregnated with 2% chlorhexidine gluconate is associated with a decreased rate of colonization by MRSA and Acinetobacter and lower rates of catheter-related bloodstream infection and MRSA VAP. (Source: Archives of Surgery)

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Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) in Europe: which infection control measures are taken?

Infection — Mon, 15 Mar 2010 17:56:23 +0100

Conclusion The data obtained regarding MRSA prevention measures should stimulate infection control professionals to pursue further initiatives. Particularly, the vigorous MRSA management in countries with decreasing MRSA proportions should encourage hospitals to implement preventive measures in order to reduce the spread of MRSA. Content Type Journal ArticleCategory Clinical and Epidemiological StudyDOI 10.1007/s15010-010-0001-8Authors S. Hansen, Charité–University Medicine Berlin Institute for Hygiene and Environmental Medicine Campus Benjamin Franklin, Hindenburgdamm 27 12203 Berlin GermanyF. Schwab, Charité–University Medicine Berlin Institute for Hygiene and Environmental Medicine Campus Benjamin Franklin, Hindenburgdamm 27 12203 Berlin GermanyA. Asensio, ...

Has Norway Beaten MRSA?

Dr. Weil Q&A — Mon, 15 Mar 2010 16:51:02 +0100

Is it true that Norway has eradicated the superbug¸ MRSA? How did this happen? (Source: Dr. Weil Q&A)

Evidence-Based Management and Treatment of Outpatient Community-Associated MRSA

Medscape Today Headlines — Mon, 15 Mar 2010 10:10:15 +0100

Community-associated methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus prevalence is increasing along with its societal burden, and NPs are positioned to lead prevention and treatment efforts. Journal for Nurse Practitioners (Source: Medscape Today Headlines)

Antiseptic cloths associated with reduced rate of treatment-resistant bacteria in the trauma center

EurekAlert! - Infectious and Emerging Diseases — Mon, 15 Mar 2010 04:00:00 +0100

(JAMA and Archives Journals) Bathing trauma patients daily using cloths containing the antiseptic chlorhexidine may be associated with a decreased rate of colonization and infection by methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and other difficult-to-treat bacteria, according to a report in the March issue of Archives of Surgery, one of the JAMA/Archives journals. (Source: EurekAlert! - Infectious and Emerging Diseases)

Changes in cystic fibrosis sputum microbiology in the United States between 1995 and 2008

Pediatric Pulmonology — Mon, 15 Mar 2010 00:00:00 +0100

This study recruited a contemporary cohort of CF patients meeting similar eligibility criteria as the 520 subjects in the Phase 3 trials of inhaled tobramycin (historical cohort). Subjects submitted a single sputum specimen to a centralized laboratory for culture and susceptibility testing. Data were summarized and cross-sectional prevalence estimates were compared between cohorts. Exploratory analyses examined associations between recent antibiotic exposures and resistance prevalence.Sputum samples from 267 subjects from 33 US CF centers were submitted for testing. A total of 656 Pseudomonas aeruginosa isolates were identified from 253 culture-positive subjects. Comparison between cohorts revealed an increase in the prevalence of subjects with tobramycin resistant (11.8% vs. 30.4%, P < 0....

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Community-acquired, methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus isolated from children with community-onset pneumonia in China

Pediatric Pulmonology — Mon, 15 Mar 2010 00:00:00 +0100

In this study, we characterized the molecular and clinical features of pediatric CA-MRSA pneumonia in China. Between June 2006 and February 2008, 55 previously healthy children confined in eight hospitals countrywide were found to be afflicted with CA-MRSA pneumonia. A total of 55 strains collected from these children were analyzed by multilocus sequence typing (MLST), Staphylococcus cassette chromosome mec (SCCmec) typing, and spa typing. The Panton-Valentine leukocidin (PVL) gene was also detected. Overall, nine STs were obtained, with ST59 (40.4%) established to be the most prevalent type. We first registered the new ST1409 from a child with necrotizing pneumonia. SCCmecIVa was the most predominant type, followed by SCCmec type V. Twelve spa types were identified, of which one new spa t...

Antimicrobial Susceptibilities of Healthcare-Associated and Community-Associated Strains of Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) from Hospitalized Patients in Canada, 1995-2008.

Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy — Mon, 15 Mar 2010 00:00:00 +0100

Authors: Simor AE, Louie L, Watt C, Gravel D, Mulvey MR, Campbell J, McGeer A, Bryce E, Loeb M, Matlow A, We determined the in vitro antimicrobial susceptibilities of 7,942 methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) isolates obtained from patients hospitalized in 48 Canadian hospitals from 1995-2008. Regional variations in susceptibilities were identified. Dissemination of community-associated strains in Canada appears to have contributed to increased susceptibility of MRSA to several non-beta-lactam antimicrobial agents in the past decade. Reduced susceptibility to glycopeptides was not identified. PMID: 20231402 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher] (Source: Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy)

Prevalence and clonality of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) in the Atlantic Azores islands: predominance of SCCmec types IV, V and VI

European Journal of Clinical Microbiology & Infectious Diseases — Sun, 14 Mar 2010 12:25:54 +0100

Abstract In order to obtain insights into the methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) population structure in the Azores archipelago, 106 MRSA isolates were collected from patients attending an Azorean central hospital between January 2007 and February 2008. Antimicrobial resistance was determined for all isolates. Molecular typing was performed by pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE), spa typing, multilocus sequence typing (MLST), staphylococcal chromosome cassette mec (SCCmec) typing and the presence of Panton–Valentine leukocidin (PVL). The majority of the isolates (87%, n = 92) belonged to the EMRSA-15 clone (ST22, SCCmec-IVh), followed by the Pediatric clone (ST5-VI/IVc) (11%, n = 12). The Berlin clone (ST45-IVa) and a new clone (spa type t1839, ST1339...

TaiGen Announces Nemonoxacin (TG-873870) Once-A-Day Oral Dosing In Diabetic Foot Infection Met Primary Endpoints

Health News from Medical News Today — Sat, 13 Mar 2010 09:00:00 +0100

TaiGen Biotechnology Co., Ltd. announced the Phase II trial of nemonoxacin (TG-873870) in Diabetic Foot Infection (DFI) with once-a-day dosing met the primary endpoints and showed promising clinical efficacy and good tolerability. Nemonoxacin is a novel non-fluorinated quinolone that has a broad spectrum of activity against gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria and atypical pathogens. Importantly, nemonoxacin possesses activities against Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and vancomycin-resistant pathogens... (Source: Health News from Medical News Today)

Prevalence of USA300 Strain Type of Methicillin‐Resistant Staphylococcus aureus among Patients with Nasal Colonization Identified with Active Surveillance

Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol Latest Issue — Sat, 13 Mar 2010 08:06:08 +0100

Conclusion. The proportion of MRSA nasally colonized patients with USA300 strains significantly increased during the study, and risks included African American race. Strain type had no significant effect on the proportion of patients who developed infection, and risk factors for infection were similar. (Source: Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol Latest Issue)

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Efficacy of vancomycin and daptomycin against Staphylococcus aureus isolates collected over 29 years

Diagnostic Microbiology and Infectious Disease — Fri, 12 Mar 2010 16:32:52 +0100

Abstract: We investigated vancomycin and daptomycin efficacy for Staphylococcus aureus isolates at our institution by testing 221 methicillin-sensitive and 299 methicillin-resistant isolates recovered from serious infections between 1979 and 2007 using a microdilution method. The MIC90's for vancomycin remained constant at 2 μg/mL for methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA) and methicillin-sensitive S. aureus (MSSA). For MSSA, the geometric mean vancomycin MICs remained at 1.1 μg/mL but varied from 1.1 to 1.7 for MRSA. Tolerance to vancomycin was seen in 6.5% of MRSA and 10.5% of MSSA. Daptomycin MIC90's remained at ≤1 μg/mL, and the daptomycin concentration at which 90% of the strains were killed (MBC90) remained at 2 μg/ml. Over 29 years, no trend was detected in vancomycin or dapto...

Triplex real-time polymerase chain reaction assay for simultaneous detection of Staphylococcus aureus and coagulase-negative staphylococci and determination of methicillin resistance directly from positive blood culture bottles

Diagnostic Microbiology and Infectious Disease — Fri, 12 Mar 2010 16:32:51 +0100

We describe here a 1-step, triplex real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay for the detection and identification of staphylococci directly from signal-positive blood culture bottles containing Gram-positive cocci in clusters (GPCC). The triplex assay targeted and detected tuf, nuc, and mecA genes in a single tube and had a detection limit of 105 CFU/mL for each gene target. A total of 341 GPCC-positive blood culture bottles were collected between November 12, 2008, and August 11, 2009. Among them, 230 methicillin-resistant coagulase-negative staphylococci (CoNS), 54 methicillin-susceptible CoNS, 22 methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, 22 methicillin-susceptible S. aureus, and 13 nonstaphylococci species were identified by conventional methods. The results obtained by triplex...

Staphylococcus aureus with reduced glycopeptide susceptibility in Liverpool, UK

Journal of Antimicrobial Chemotherapy — Fri, 12 Mar 2010 16:27:28 +0100

Conclusions Laboratory strategies to reduce morbidity associated with hGISA should focus on testing for hGISA in bacteraemic (rather than colonizing) MRSA isolates in patients with recurrent S. aureus bacteraemia following glycopeptide exposure. (Source: Journal of Antimicrobial Chemotherapy)

Characterization of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus ST398 from cases of bovine mastitis

Journal of Antimicrobial Chemotherapy — Fri, 12 Mar 2010 16:27:27 +0100

Conclusions As previously described for ST398 from swine, isolates of this sequence type from cases of bovine mastitis also demonstrated a high degree of variability when ApaI PFGE profiles and other genotypic and phenotypic characteristics were compared. A uniform virulence gene pattern appeared to be conserved between ST398 isolates from both animal species. (Source: Journal of Antimicrobial Chemotherapy)

Detection of mutations in the FemXAB protein family in oxacillin-susceptible mecA-positive Staphylococcus aureus clinical isolates

Journal of Antimicrobial Chemotherapy — Fri, 12 Mar 2010 16:27:27 +0100

Conclusions Accumulation of amino acid changes in Fem proteins might affect intact cell wall synthesis, even though not causing reduced viability, thus contributing to atypical oxacillin responsiveness. (Source: Journal of Antimicrobial Chemotherapy)

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Binding of ceftaroline to penicillin-binding proteins of Staphylococcus aureus and Streptococcus pneumoniae

Journal of Antimicrobial Chemotherapy — Fri, 12 Mar 2010 16:27:27 +0100

Conclusions The high affinities of ceftaroline for MRSA PBP2a, MSSA PBPs 1–3 and S. pneumoniae PBP2x/2a/2b support the potential efficacy of ceftaroline in the treatment of infections caused by MRSA and S. pneumoniae. (Source: Journal of Antimicrobial Chemotherapy)

Semi-selective broth improves screening for methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus

Journal of Antimicrobial Chemotherapy — Fri, 12 Mar 2010 16:27:27 +0100

Conclusions TSB-SSI was superior to both NB and direct plating on ChromID MRSA and BA. Despite re-using swabs for the study, we showed that routine diagnostic screening could be significantly improved, using a semi-selective enrichment broth. (Source: Journal of Antimicrobial Chemotherapy)

Postoperative surgical site infection following acetabular fracture fixation

Injury — Fri, 12 Mar 2010 15:06:27 +0100

This study was designed to assess the prevalence of, and to identify the risk factors for, SSI following acetabular fracture open reduction and internal fixation. A total of 326 consecutive patients who underwent acetabular fracture surgery were retrospectively reviewed. There were 17 patients (5.2%) who developed a SSI, including 10 deep infections and 7 superficial infections. Staphylococcus aureus was the most common causative pathogens in 9 patients, and was Methicillin-resistant in 3 patients. Enterococcus faecalis was found in 6 patients, Staphylococcus epidermidis in 3 patients, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa and enterbacter cloacae in 2 patients each. Fourteen of 17 patients developed their infection within 4 weeks after the fixation. Univariate analysis demonstrated that the SSI group...

Device-associated infections in the intensive care units of Cyprus: results of the first national incidence study

Infection — Fri, 12 Mar 2010 06:48:57 +0100

Conclusion In comparison to international benchmarks, the markedly high rate of CL-BSI, the high rate of VAP and the resistance patterns of major infecting pathogens identified in this study emphasize the need to improve current practices for appropriate use and management of invasive devices in Cypriot ICUs. Content Type Journal ArticleCategory Clinical and Epidemiological StudyDOI 10.1007/s15010-010-0007-2Authors A. Gikas, University Hospital of Heraklion Infection Control Unit 1352/71110 Crete GreeceM. Roumbelaki, University Hospital of Heraklion Infection Control Unit 1352/71110 Crete GreeceD. Bagatzouni-Pieridou, Nicosia General Hospital Microbiology Department Nicosia CyprusM. Alexandrou, Limassol General Hospital Microbiology Laboratory Limassol CyprusV. Zini...

Erratum to: Characteristics and Outcomes of Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus Surgical-Site Infections in Patients with Cancer: a Case–Control Study

Annals of Surgical Oncology — Fri, 12 Mar 2010 06:48:06 +0100

Content Type Journal ArticleCategory ErratumDOI 10.1245/s10434-010-0990-7Authors Roy F. Chemaly, The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center Department of Infectious Diseases, Infection Control and Employee Health, Unit 402 Houston TX USARay Y. Hachem, The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center Department of Infectious Diseases, Infection Control and Employee Health, Unit 402 Houston TX USARola N. Husni, The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center Department of Infectious Diseases, Infection Control and Employee Health, Unit 402 Houston TX USABoulos Bahna, The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center Department of Infectious Diseases, Infection Control and Employee Health, Unit 402 Houston TX USAGeorges Abou Rjaili, Staten Island University Hospital ...

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New Rugulosins, Anti-MRSA Antibiotics, Produced by Penicillium radicum FKI-3765-2

Organic Letters — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 17:07:16 +0100

Organic Letters, Volume 0, Issue 0, Articles ASAP (As Soon As Publishable). (Source: Organic Letters)

Accelr8 Announces Acceptance Of Scientific Presentation, And Pilot Results With A New Rapid Test For A Major Emerging Resistance Threat

MRSA / Drug Resistance News From Medical News Today — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 08:00:00 +0100

Accelr8 Technology Corporation (NYSE Amex: AXK) announced that it has received acceptance to present results for a study on 2-hour, culture-free, quantitative pathogen identification. The study was co-authored with principal investigators at the Denver Health Medical Center and the Barnes-Jewish Hospital in St. Louis... (Source: MRSA / Drug Resistance News From Medical News Today)

Superbug MRSA on rise in Canada

CBC | Health — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 16:19:14 +0100

There has been a dramatic increase in the number of cases of Canadians becoming infected or colonized by the superbug MRSA since 1995, both in hospitals and within the community, a study has found. (Source: CBC | Health)

Detection limits of a rapid MRSA detection assay based on multiplex real-time PCR

Journal of Infection and Chemotherapy — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 16:13:45 +0100

Content Type Journal ArticleCategory Letter to the EditorDOI 10.1007/s10156-010-0036-xAuthors Yuko Sumitani, Keio University Laboratory Medicine, School of Medicine 35 Shinano-machi, Shinjuku-ku Tokyo 160-8582 Japan Journal Journal of Infection and ChemotherapyOnline ISSN 1437-7780Print ISSN 1341-321X (Source: Journal of Infection and Chemotherapy)

A staff questionnaire study of MRSA infection on ENT and general surgical wards

European Archives of Oto-Rhino-Laryngology — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 16:10:37 +0100

Abstract Methicillin-resistant Staphyloccocus aureus (MRSA) infection has received much attention in both the medical and non-medical press. However, it is not widely encountered on ENT wards, given the profile of short-stay, relatively well patients, although its impact seems to be increasing. We wished to explore the knowledge and attitudes towards MRSA on general surgical and ENT wards, and see if there were any significant differences between specialties, or between doctors and nurses. A 13-item questionnaire with a Likert scale response with six knowledge questions and seven attitude questions was prepared. It was completed anonymously by all nursing and medical staffs on the ENT and general surgical wards of a large District General Hospital. ENT doctors displayed the...

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Antimicrobial resistance and molecular characterization of Staphylococcus haemolyticus in a Chinese hospital

European Journal of Clinical Microbiology & Infectious Diseases — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 16:01:45 +0100

Abstract The aim of this study was to perform the molecular characterization of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus haemolyticus (MRSH) from clinical specimens of patients in a Chinese hospital. One hundred and thirty-three strains of S. haemolyticus collected from April 2002 to April 2003 were analyzed. Antimicrobial susceptibility to 15 antimicrobial agents was determined by the broth microdilution method. The resistant rates to penicillin G and oxacillin were higher than 90%. There were no isolates resistant to linezolid or vancomycin, and only 6.0% of the strains were resistant to teicoplanin. The positivity rate for mecA genes was 90.2% by polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Ninety MRSH (isolated from inpatients and mecA-gene-positive) were genotyped by pulsed-field gel el...

Superbug MRSA on rise in Canadian hospitals: study

CTV Health — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 13:26:17 +0100

Bleb associated endophthalmitis with methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus

British Journal of Ophthalmology — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 12:49:03 +0100

(Source: British Journal of Ophthalmology)

Methicillin-resistant staphylococci carriage in the oral cavity: a study conducted in Bari (Italy)

Oral Diseases — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 00:00:00 +0100

Conclusions: The results underline the potential role of the oral cavity as a reservoir of staphylococci. (Source: Oral Diseases)

IBD inpatients at increased risk for MRSA infection

MedWire News - Gastroenterology — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 14:46:43 +0100

Hospitalized patients with inflammatory bowel disease are at increased risk for contracting methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus infection compared with non-IBD gastrointestinal and general inpatients, show Canadian researchers. (Source: MedWire News - Gastroenterology)

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MicroPhage Seeks FDA Clearance To Market World's First Test Designed To Rapidly Identify Bacterial Infections And Antibiotic Susceptibility

Health News from Medical News Today — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 12:00:00 +0100

MicroPhage announced that it has submitted human data from a pivotal clinical study of its 'Microphage MRSA/MSSA Blood Culture Test' to support a U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) 510(k) premarket notification process. The first of MicroPhage's instrument-free, rapid tests is based on the Company's patented Bacteriophage Amplification platform technology. MicroPhage further announced that it has already begun OUS commercial shipments of the test... (Source: Health News from Medical News Today)

MicroPhage Seeks FDA Clearance To Market World's First Test Designed To Rapidly Identify Bacterial Infections And Antibiotic Susceptibility

MRSA / Drug Resistance News From Medical News Today — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 12:00:00 +0100

MicroPhage announced that it has submitted human data from a pivotal clinical study of its 'Microphage MRSA/MSSA Blood Culture Test' to support a U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) 510(k) premarket notification process. The first of MicroPhage's instrument-free, rapid tests is based on the Company's patented Bacteriophage Amplification platform technology... (Source: MRSA / Drug Resistance News From Medical News Today)

Synergistic Effects Between Conventional Antibiotics and 2-Aminoimidazole-Derived Antibiofilm Agents.

Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 00:00:00 +0100

Authors: Rogers SA, Huigens RW, Cavanagh J, Melander C 2-Aminoimidazoles are an emerging class of small molecules that possess the ability to inhibit and disperse biofilms across bacterial order, class and phylum. Herein, we report the synergistic effect between a 2-aminoimidazole/triazole conjugate and antibiotics toward dispersing pre-established biofilms, cumulating with a three orders of magnitude increase of biofilm dispersion towards Staphylococcus aureus biofilms. Furthermore, we document that the 2-aminoimidazole/triazole conjugate will also re-sensitize multi-drug resistant strains of bacteria to the effects of conventional antibiotics, including MRSA and multi-drug resistant Acinetobacter baumannii. PMID: 20211901 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher] (Source: Antimicrobial...

Differentiation of CC59 Community-Associated Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus in Western Australia.

Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 00:00:00 +0100

Authors: Coombs GW, Monecke S, Ehricht R, Slickers P, Pearson JC, Tan HL, Christiansen KJ, O'Brien FG Clonal complex (CC) 59 community-associated MRSA (CA-MRSA) were characterized using pulsed-field gel electrophoresis, spa typing, multilocus sequence typing, diagnostic DNA microarrays, and PCRs targeting SCCmec elements and Panton Valentine leukocidin (PVL). Six distinct groups within CC59 were characterized. At least seven different variants of SCCmec elements were identified (IVa [2B], IVb [2B], IVd (2B), IVvariant [2B], IVa [2B&5], Vvariant [5C2] and V [5C2&5]). The first group is similar to the American ST59-MRSA-IV CA-MRSA strain "USA1000". The second group includes, a PVL-negative ST87 strain with a SCCmec element subtype IVb (2B). The third group comprises PVL-variable ...

A Rocking Good Lecture

MRSA / Drug Resistance News From Medical News Today — Sat, 06 Mar 2010 08:00:00 +0100

A University academic who left school early with dreams of being a rock star has been recognised for his internationally outstanding work in microbiology and his studies into the social lifestyle of the opportunistic bacterium Pseudomonas aeruginosa - the leading cause of death in Cystic Fibrosis patients and an important cause of hospital acquired infections... (Source: MRSA / Drug Resistance News From Medical News Today)

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New drug-resistant bacteria emerging in hospitals

NaturalNews.com — Sat, 06 Mar 2010 07:00:00 +0100

(NaturalNews) Researchers from the "Extending the Cure" project in Washington, D.C., have published a report in the journal Infection Control and Hospital Epidemiology about a new drug-resistant bug that is plaguing many hospitals. Called Acinetobacter, this new "superbug" is causing severe bloodstream infection and pneumonia in many hospital patients.The rise of hospital superbugs like Acinetobacter continues to be a problem as these virulent new strains are not being eliminated by even the most powerful antibiotic drugs. Imipenem, an intravenous antibiotic drug that is typically reserved as a last line of defense against severe infection, is not even capable of conquering this new strain of bacteria.Dr. Ramanan Laxminarayan and his colleagues examined data from 300 U.S. hospitals to see ...

Bugs are changing - and we have a fight on our hands

Telegraph Health — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 14:56:02 +0100

Mutating bacteria are a growing threat as the old treatments prove less and less effective. Victoria Lambert looks at the alternatives. (Source: Telegraph Health)

Bacterial colonization of chronic leg ulcers: current results compared with data 5 years ago in a specialized dermatology department

Journal of the European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 00:00:00 +0100

Conclusion The results of our investigation demonstrate the current spectrum of the bacterial colonization in patients with chronic leg ulcers in a university dermatological wound centre in comparison to the last 5 years. In our institution we were able to demonstrate a shift of the detected bacterial species from gram-positive in direction to gram-negative germs. Beside the already known problems with MRSA, in future therapeutic strategies in patients with chronic leg ulcers the increasing amount of gram-negative bacteria and especially of P. aeruginosa should considered. (Source: Journal of the European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology)

Lancet review: Community-associated meticillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus

NeLM - News — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 00:00:00 +0100

Source: Lancet Area: News The authors of this article review the most up-to-date knowledge and provide a perspective for the future prophylaxis or new treatments for community-associated meticillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (CA-MRSA) infections. (Source: NeLM - News)

Molecular characterization of resistance to Rifampicin in an emerging hospital-associated Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus clone ST228, Spain

BMC Microbiology - Latest articles — Thu, 04 Mar 2010 00:00:00 +0100

Conclusions: The emergence of MRSA clone ST228-SCCmecI, related to the Southern Germany clone, involved a therapeutical challenge for treating serious MRSA infections. Decreased susceptibility to rifampicin in MRSA strains of ST228-SCCmecI was associated with one or two specific mutations in the rpoB gene. One fifth of isolates with low-level rifampicin-resistance were missed by the diffusion methods. (Source: BMC Microbiology - Latest articles)

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Sepsis and pneumonia caused by hospital-acquired infections kill 48,000 patients, cost $8.1 billion to treat

ScienceDaily Headlines — Wed, 03 Mar 2010 10:00:00 +0100

Two common conditions caused by hospital-acquired infections killed 48,000 people and ramped up health care costs by $8.1 billion in 2006 alone, according to a new study. This is the largest nationally representative study to date of the toll taken by sepsis and pneumonia, two conditions often caused by deadly microbes, including the antibiotic-resistant bacteria MRSA. Such infections can lead to longer hospital stays, serious complications and even death. (Source: ScienceDaily Headlines)

An aortic root pseudoaneurysm that developed after implantation of a rectus abdominis muscle flap to treat an MRSA mediastinitis: a case report.

Annals of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery — Tue, 02 Mar 2010 19:36:05 +0100

Authors: Fujii T, Watanabe Y, Shiono N, Ozawa T, Hamada S, Masuhara H, Teramoto C, Hara M, Katayanagi T, Sasaki Y, Koyama N The occurrence of mediastinitis following synthetic vascular replacement surgery is still associated with an unfavorable prognosis in the treatment of thoracic aortic diseases. This time we report a Bentall procedure that we reperformed to treat an aortic root pseudoaneurysm, which developed after a postoperative mediastinitis. This followed the first Bentall procedure, which was treated by debridement of the focus of infection, continuous lavage, and a two-step rectus abdominis muscle flap implantation. Implantation of a rectus abdominis muscle flap is effective in controlling infection in the treatment of mediastinitis after heart surgery. However, after synthet...

Overcoming Multidrug Resistance In Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia Cells

MRSA / Drug Resistance News From Medical News Today — Tue, 02 Mar 2010 13:00:00 +0100

Acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) most commonly affects children, in whom there is an overall cure rate of 85%. A strong predictor of poor outcome is resistance to chemotherapy with glucocorticoids. Such resistance is caused, at least in part, by an inability of the leukemic cells to die by a process known as mitochondrial apoptosis... (Source: MRSA / Drug Resistance News From Medical News Today)

Community‐Associated Methicillin‐Resistant Staphylococcus aureus and HIV: Intersecting Epidemics

Clinical Infectious Diseases Latest Issue — Tue, 02 Mar 2010 08:04:45 +0100

Conclusions. HIV‐infected patients are at markedly increased risk for CA‐MRSA infection. This risk may be amplified by overlapping community networks of high‐risk patients that may be targets for prevention efforts. (Source: Clinical Infectious Diseases Latest Issue)

Community-associated methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus and impetigo

British Journal of Dermatology — Tue, 02 Mar 2010 00:00:00 +0100

(Source: British Journal of Dermatology)

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Bactericidal effect of bovine lactoferrin, LFcin, LFampin and LFchimera on antibiotic-resistant Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli.

Biometals — Tue, 02 Mar 2010 00:00:00 +0100

In conclusion, results show that LFchimera, LF and peptides have potential as bactericidal agents in the antibiotic-resistant strains of S. aureus and E. coli and also the work strongly suggest that LFcin17-30 and LFampin265-284 acts synergistically with antibiotics against multidrug resistant EPEC and MRSA in vitro. PMID: 20195887 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher] (Source: Biometals)

Determination of teicoplanin trough concentration target and appropriate total dose during the first 3 days: a retrospective study in patients with MRSA infections

Journal of Infection and Chemotherapy — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 18:08:45 +0100

This study aimed to retrospectively evaluate the pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of teicoplanin to determine the therapeutic target for the teicoplanin trough concentration and an appropriate dosing method during the first 3 days. The mean trough concentrations were 13.2 mg/L for patients with eradication of MRSA. Moreover, logistic regression analysis showed that the teicoplanin trough concentration was 13 mg/L to achieve MRSA eradication with a probability of 89.0%. The rates of achieving ≥13 mg/L in ≤24, 24–36 and ≥36 mg/kg (total dose during the first 3 days) groups were 9.1, 48.4 and 87.5%, respectively. These results suggest that the administration of ≥36 mg/kg during the first 3 days is appropriate to promptly obtain a tr...

The Effect of Rapid Screening for Methicillin‐Resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) on the Identification and Earlier Isolation of MRSA‐Positive Patients •

Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol Latest Issue — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 17:28:46 +0100

Conclusions. Rapid screening with the Xpert MRSA PCR assay facilitated compliance with screening policies and the earlier isolation of MRSA‐positive patients. Discrepant results confirm that PCR testing should be used as a screening tool rather than as a diagnostic tool. (Source: Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol Latest Issue)

Methicillin‐Resistant Staphylococcus aureus Colonization or Infection in Canada: National Surveillance and Changing Epidemiology, 1995–2007 •

Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol Latest Issue — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 17:24:27 +0100

Conclusions. The overall incidence of both MRSA colonization and MRSA infection increased 17‐fold in Canadian hospitals from 1995 to 2007. There has also been a dramatic increase in cases of community‐associated MRSA infection due to the CMRSA‐10 (USA300) clone. Continued surveillance is needed to monitor the ongoing evolution of MRSA colonization or infection in Canada and globally. (Source: Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol Latest Issue)

Excess Costs and Utilization Associated with Methicillin Resistance for Patients with Staphylococcus aureus Infection •

Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol Latest Issue — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 17:21:59 +0100

Conclusions. Resistance to methicillin in S. aureus was independently associated with increased costs. Effective antimicrobial stewardship and infection prevention programs are needed to prevent these costly infections. (Source: Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol Latest Issue)

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Hand Hygiene Noncompliance and the Cost of Hospital‐Acquired Methicillin‐Resistant Staphylococcus aureus Infection •

Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol Latest Issue — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 17:19:40 +0100

Conclusions. Hand hygiene noncompliance is associated with significant attributable hospital costs. Minimal improvements in compliance lead to substantial savings. (Source: Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol Latest Issue)

Importance of Colonization Site in the Current Epidemic of Staphylococcal Skin Abscesses

PEDIATRICS — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 16:02:29 +0100

CONCLUSIONS: Skin and soft-tissue abscesses in the current epidemic of community-associated staphylococcal disease are strongly associated with rectal colonization by PFT USA300. Nasal colonization in children does not seem to be a risk factor. (Source: PEDIATRICS)

IBD inpatients at increased risk for MRSA infection

MedWire News - Gastroenterology — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 15:04:10 +0100

Contribution of Two Molecular Assays as Compared to Selective Culture for MRSA Screening in a Low MRSA Prevalence Population

Infection — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 06:47:42 +0100

Conclusions We conclude that MRSA rapid screening techniques must be interpreted cautiously in a low-prevalence population, as the sensitivity is lower than in selected high-risk populations. MRSA carriers detected with molecular techniques must be confirmed by conventional culture methods for follow-up. The specificity and negative predictive value indicate that molecular rapid methods are worthwhile to be considered in MRSA-preventive strategies. Content Type Journal ArticleCategory Clinical and Epidemiological StudyDOI 10.1007/s15010-009-9117-0Authors E. Nulens, General Hospital Sint-Jan AV Brugge-Oostende Medical Microbiology Ruddershove 10 8000 Brugge BelgiumP. Descheemaeker, General Hospital Sint-Jan AV Brugge-Oostende Medical Microbiology Ruddershove 10 8000...

A Seven-Year Prospective Study on Spondylodiscitis: Epidemiological and Microbiological Features

Infection — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 06:47:41 +0100

Conclusions Infectious spondylodiscitis affects most frequently the elderly population, who are more exposed to healthcare contacts. Consequently, the infection etiology includes a growing proportion of multi-resistant bacteria and fungi. Content Type Journal ArticleCategory Clinical and Epidemiological StudyDOI 10.1007/s15010-009-9340-8Authors C. D’Agostino, University “La Sapienza” Rome Dept. of Infectious Diseases and Tropical Medicine Rome ItalyL. Scorzolini, University “La Sapienza” Rome Dept. of Infectious Diseases and Tropical Medicine Rome ItalyA. P. Massetti, University “La Sapienza” Rome Dept. of Infectious Diseases and Tropical Medicine Rome ItalyM. Carnevalini, University “La Sapienza” Rome Dept. of Infectious Diseases and Tropical Medic...

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Community-associated methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus and impetigo: reply from authors

British Journal of Dermatology — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 00:00:00 +0100

(Source: British Journal of Dermatology)

Critical pneumonia complicating early-stage pregnancy.

Anesthesia and Analgesia — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 00:00:00 +0100

We present a case of community-acquired methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus necrotizing pneumonia, Panton-Valentine leukocidin positive, in a woman at 14 weeks of pregnancy. To our knowledge, this is the first case reporting this critical lung infection occurring during an early phase of pregnancy. This case study alerts physicians to the increasing worldwide spread of these uncommon yet virulent and potentially lethal infections. In our patient, antibiotic therapy with linezolid plus rifampin started at 14 weeks of pregnancy had a successful outcome without inducing toxicity or teratogenesis in the fetus. PMID: 20185661 [PubMed - in process] (Source: Anesthesia and Analgesia)

The use of muscle flaps in the salvage of infected exposed implants for internal fixation.

The Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery. British volume — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 00:00:00 +0100

Authors: Tan KJ, Lim CT, Lim AY The treatment of infected exposed implants which have been used for internal fixation usually involves debridement and removal of the implant. This can result in an unstable fracture or spinal column. Muscle flaps may be used to salvage these implants since they provide soft-tissue cover and fresh vascularity. However, there have been few reports concerning their use and these have concentrated on the eradication of the infection and successful soft-tissue cover as the endpoint. There is no information on the factors which may influence the successful salvage of the implant using muscle flaps. We studied the results and factors affecting outcome in nine pedicled muscle flaps used in the treatment of exposed metal internal fixation with salvage of the imp...

Affinity of Ceftaroline and Other {beta}-Lactams for Penicillin-Binding Proteins from Staphylococcus aureus and Streptococcus pneumoniae.

Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 00:00:00 +0100

Authors: Kosowska-Shick K, McGhee PL, Appelbaum PC We compared the affinity to all penicillin-binding proteins (PBPs) of ceftaroline with those of ceftriaxone and cefotaxime in 6 Staphylococcus aureus and 7 Streptococcus pneumoniae isolates of varying resistance phenotypes. Ceftaroline MICs were </=1 mug/ml against all S. aureus isolates, and were </=0.25 mug/ml for 4 of 7 isolates of S. pneumoniae. Ceftaroline affinities for penicillin-susceptible S. pneumoniae strain were PBP2X, 3 > 1A, 1B, 2A > 2B and ceftaroline had >/=4-fold higher IC50 (0.1-4 mug/ml) for PBP2X, 2A, 2B, and 3 compared to other cephalosporins tested. Among 3 penicillin-resistant S. pneumoniae strains, ceftaroline had high affinity to PBP2X (IC50 0.1-1 mug/ml), a primary target for cephalosporin PBP b...

Community-associated methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus and impetigo.

The British Journal of Dermatology — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 00:00:00 +0100

Authors: Del Giudice P, Hubiche P PMID: 20199556 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher] (Source: The British Journal of Dermatology)

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Community-associated methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus and impetigo: reply from authors.

The British Journal of Dermatology — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 00:00:00 +0100

Authors: Ma L, Liu Y PMID: 20199555 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher] (Source: The British Journal of Dermatology)

Incision and loop drainage: a minimally invasive technique for subcutaneous abscess management in children

Journal of Pediatric Surgery — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 00:00:00 +0100

Conclusion: The use of loop drains proved safe and effective in the treatment of subcutaneous abscesses in children. Eliminating the need for repetitive and cumbersome wound packing simplifies postoperative wound care. Furthermore, there is an expected cost savings with this technique given the decreased need for wound care materials and professional postoperative home health services. We recommend this minimally invasive technique as the treatment of choice for subcutaneous abscesses in children and consider it the standard of care in our facility. (Source: Journal of Pediatric Surgery)

Characterization of the nasal, sublingual, and oropharyngeal mucosa microbiota in cleft lip and palate individuals before and after surgical repair.

The Cleft Palate-Craniofacial Journal — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 00:00:00 +0100

Conclusions: Despite a high prevalence of potential pathogenic and enteric flora preoperatively in primary palate repair, postoperative wound infection is rare in the prospective study population. However, the presence of beta-hemolytic streptococci was associated with a higher risk of repair dehiscence; therefore, screening for Streptococci prior to surgery should be performed routinely. PMID: 20210635 [PubMed - in process] (Source: The Cleft Palate-Craniofacial Journal)

An unusual pathogen for a liver abscess in a human immunodeficiency virus-infected individual.

The American Journal of the Medical Sciences — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 00:00:00 +0100

We describe the second case of a liver abscess in an HIV-positive individual that was caused by methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), most likely due to a partially treated community-acquired MRSA skin abscess. The liver abscess was successfully managed by percutaneous drainage and intravenous antibiotics. This case underlines the ubiquitous nature of community-acquired MRSA and its possible unusual presentations in immunocompromised hosts. PMID: 20220339 [PubMed - in process] (Source: The American Journal of the Medical Sciences)

Resistance to and synthesis of the antibiotic mupirocin

Nature Reviews Microbiology — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 00:00:00 +0100

Authors: Christopher M. Thomas, Joanne Hothersall, Christine L. Willis & Thomas J. Simpson Mupirocin, a polyketide antibiotic produced by Pseudomonas fluorescens, is used to control the carriage of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus on skin and in nasal passages as well as for various skin infections. Low-level resistance to the antibiotic arises by mutation of the mupirocin target, (Source: Nature Reviews Microbiology)

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[Evaluation of pharmacodynamic target attainment with vancomycin treatment of bacteremia due to Staphylococcus aureus methicillin resistant.]

Revista Espanola de Quimioterapia — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 00:00:00 +0100

This study shows that in the population studied to achieve a vancomycin AUC24h/ MIC >/=400 is not always attained with the standard dose. Therefore,one would expect a high probability of suboptimal vancomycin AUC24h/ MIC ratios for patients infected with organisms with vancomycin MICs of >1 mg/ L treated withdoses of 30 mg/ kg/ day. PMID: 20232023 [PubMed - in process] (Source: Revista Espanola de Quimioterapia)

Linezolid more efficacious than vancomycin to eradicate infecting organism in critically ill patients with Gram-positive infections.

Revista Espanola de Quimioterapia — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 00:00:00 +0100

Conclusion: Treatment with linezolid in critically ill patients with Gram-positive infections was equivalent to vancomycin in terms of efficacy and safety, but linezolid was associated to a higher rate of microbiologic eradication of the infecting organism at the seventh day of treatment. PMID: 20232021 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher] (Source: Revista Espanola de Quimioterapia)

Community-acquired methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus: a potential diagnosis for a 16-year-old athlete with knee pain

Journal of Chiropractic Medicine — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 00:00:00 +0100

Conclusion: Doctors of chiropractic must prepare themselves for the unexpected and remain open to diagnostic possibilities outside of the normal scope of practice. Knee pain or cellulitis of any type may require additional diagnostic and patient care protocols to make the correct diagnosis. With the incidence of community-acquired MRSA increasing at an alarming rate, it is certainly a diagnosis doctors of chiropractic should be aware of when treating patients, especially those involved in sports activities. (Source: Journal of Chiropractic Medicine)

Rate of Invasive CA-MRSA Increasing in Children

Hospitalist News — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 00:00:00 +0100

BETHESDA, MD. — Invasive infections in children caused by community-acquired methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus are on the rise. Though still far less common than simple skin and soft tissue CA-MRSA infections, increasing reports of serious infections such as osteomyelitis, bacteremia, and pneumonia have been raising concern in recent years. The increase appears to be related at least in part to the emergence of the “USA300” S. aureus clone containing the Panton-Valentine leukocidin (PVL) genes, Dr. Sheldon L. Kaplan said at the annual conference on antimicrobial resistance sponsored by the National Foundation for Infectious Diseases. (Source: Hospitalist News)

Keep Tabs on CA-MRSA Infection by Obtaining Cultures

Hospitalist News — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 00:00:00 +0100

BETHESDA, MD. — Draining abscesses and obtaining cultures are now more important to the management of pediatric skin and soft tissue infections in the era of community-acquired methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus infections. (Source: Hospitalist News)

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CDC's Advisory Committee On Immunization Practices Recommends Pfizer's Prevnar 13™ Vaccine For The Prevention Of Invasive Pneumococcal Disease

Immune System / Vaccines News From Medical News Today — Sat, 27 Feb 2010 10:00:00 +0100

Pfizer Inc (NYSE:PFE) announced that the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC's) Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) has recommended the use of Prevnar 13™ (Pneumococcal 13-valent Conjugate Vaccine [Diphtheria CRM197 Protein]) for healthy children aged 2 months through 59 months for the prevention of invasive pneumococcal disease... (Source: Immune System / Vaccines News From Medical News Today)

CDC's Advisory Committee On Immunization Practices Recommends Pfizer's Prevnar 13™ Vaccine For The Prevention Of Invasive Pneumococcal Disease

Health News from Medical News Today — Sat, 27 Feb 2010 10:00:00 +0100

Pfizer Inc (NYSE:PFE) announced that the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC's) Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) has recommended the use of Prevnar 13™ (Pneumococcal 13-valent Conjugate Vaccine [Diphtheria CRM197 Protein]) for healthy children aged 2 months through 59 months for the prevention of invasive pneumococcal disease caused by the 13 pneumococcal serotypes included in the vaccine... (Source: Health News from Medical News Today)

Newly engineered enzyme is a powerful staph antibiotic

ScienceDaily Headlines — Sat, 27 Feb 2010 05:00:00 +0100

With their best chemical antibiotics slowly failing, scientists are increasingly looking to nature for a way to control deadly staph bacteria -- the culprit behind most hospital infections. Naturally toxic for bacteria, enzymes called lysins have the promising ability to obliterate staph, but the problem is producing large enough quantities of them to study how they work. Scientists have now overcome this barrier by engineering a lysin that not only kills multidrug-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) in mice, but also works synergistically with traditional antibiotics that have long been shelved due to resistance. (Source: ScienceDaily Headlines)

Rising Threat of Infections Unfazed by Antibiotics

NYT > Health — Sat, 27 Feb 2010 04:57:35 +0100

Some infectious-disease specialists say Gram-negative bacteria could emerge as a bigger threat than MRSA. (Source: NYT > Health)

Livestock-associated Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus Sequence Type 398 in Humans, Canada, G.R. Golding et al.

Emerging Infectious Diseases Journal — Fri, 26 Feb 2010 16:00:00 +0100

(Source: Emerging Infectious Diseases Journal)

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The Effect of Rapid Screening for Methicillin‐Resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) on the Identification and Earlier Isolation of MRSA‐Positive Patients

Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol Latest Issue — Fri, 26 Feb 2010 08:07:46 +0100

Detection of biofilm-producing and methicillin resistance genes in Staphylococcus epidermidis isolated from healthy humans and in blood culture tests

Journal of Infection and Chemotherapy — Fri, 26 Feb 2010 06:45:37 +0100

Abstract The detection of biofilm-producing (ica AB) and methicillin resistance genes (mec A) was investigated in 70 blood culture isolates of Staphylococcus epidermidis and in 66 and 51 isolates from human hands and the vestibules of the nose, respectively, of 77 healthy subjects who gave consent. Of the 70 strains isolated from blood culture testing, both ica AB and mec A were detected in 36 (51.4%), and neither was detected in 4 (5.7%). The mec A gene only was detected in 30 (42.9%), but no isolate from blood culture testing possessed the ica AB gene alone. In contrast, of the 66 isolates from healthy hands, only one isolate (1.5%) possessed both genes, whereas neither was detected in 56 (84.8%), but the mec A gene was detected in 9 (13.6%). Of the 51 isolates from the nasa...

Identification of the biosynthetic gene cluster of 3-methylarginine, a toxin produced by Pseudomonas syringae pv. syringae 22d/93.

Applied and Environmental Microbiology — Fri, 26 Feb 2010 00:00:00 +0100

Authors: Braun SD, Hofmann J, Wensing A, Ullrich MS, Weingart H, Völksch B, Spiteller D The epiphyte Pseudomonas syringae pv. syringae 22d/93 (Pss22d) produces the rare amino acid 3-methylarginine (MeArg) that is highly active against the closely related soybean pathogen Pseudomonas syringae pv. glycinea (Psg). Competing for the same habitat, Pss22d is a promising candidate for biocontrol of Psg. The MeArg biosynthesis gene cluster codes for the S-adenosylmethionine (SAM)-dependent methyltransferase MrsA, the putative aminotransferase MrsB and the amino acid exporter MrsC. Transfer of the whole gene cluster into E. coli resulted in heterologous production of MeArg. The methyltransferase MrsA was overexpressed in E. coli as His-tagged protein and functionally characterized (Km 7 mM...

Synergy of fosfomycin with other antibiotics for Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria

European Journal of Clinical Pharmacology — Thu, 25 Feb 2010 20:26:39 +0100

Conclusions The synergistic combination of fosfomycin with other antibiotics may be a useful alternative treatment option for Gram-negative and Gram-positive infections. Additional studies using more stringent definitions of synergy, and studies reporting on the clinical efficacy of fosfomycin combinations in the current era of high antimicrobial resistance are needed. Content Type Journal ArticleCategory PharmacodynamicsDOI 10.1007/s00228-010-0794-5Authors Antonia C. Kastoris, Alfa Institute of Biomedical Sciences (AIBS) Athens GreecePetros I. Rafailidis, Alfa Institute of Biomedical Sciences (AIBS) Athens GreeceEvridiki K. Vouloumanou, Alfa Institute of Biomedical Sciences (AIBS) Athens GreeceIoannis D. Gkegkes, Alfa Institute of Biomedical Sciences (AIBS) Athens ...

Hand Hygiene Noncompliance and the Cost of Hospital‐Acquired Methicillin‐Resistant Staphylococcus aureus Infection

Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol Latest Issue — Thu, 25 Feb 2010 19:25:00 +0100

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In vitro activity of tigecycline against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, including livestock-associated strains

European Journal of Clinical Microbiology & Infectious Diseases — Thu, 25 Feb 2010 17:55:51 +0100

In conclusion, tigecycline showed good activity against MRSA strains in vitro. Content Type Journal ArticleCategory ArticleDOI 10.1007/s10096-010-0886-2Authors E. J. M. Verkade, Amphia Hospital Laboratory for Microbiology and Infection Control P.O. Box 90158 4800 RK Breda The NetherlandsC. J. M. M. Verhulst, Amphia Hospital Laboratory for Microbiology and Infection Control P.O. Box 90158 4800 RK Breda The NetherlandsX. W. Huijsdens, National Institute for Public Health and the Environment Centre for Infectious Disease Bilthoven The NetherlandsJ. A. J. W. Kluytmans, Amphia Hospital Laboratory for Microbiology and Infection Control P.O. Box 90158 4800 RK Breda The Netherlands Journal European Journal of Clinical Microbiology & Infectious DiseasesOnline ISSN 1435-4373Print IS...

Excess Costs and Utilization Associated with Methicillin Resistance for Patients with Staphylococcus aureus Infection

Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol Latest Issue — Thu, 25 Feb 2010 14:08:36 +0100

FDA Approves Pneumococcal Disease Vaccine With Broader Protection

Health News from Medical News Today — Thu, 25 Feb 2010 11:00:00 +0100

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved Prevnar 13, a pneumococcal 13-valent conjugate vaccine for infants and young children ages 6 weeks through 5 years. Prevnar 13 will be the successor to Prevnar, the pneumococcal 7-valent conjugate vaccine licensed by the FDA in 2000 to prevent invasive pneumococcal disease (IPD) and otitis media. The new vaccine extends the protection to six additional types of the disease-causing bacteria. Prevnar 13 is approved for the prevention of invasive disease caused by 13 different serotypes of the bacterium Streptococcus pneumoniae... (Source: Health News from Medical News Today)

FDA Approves Pneumococcal Disease Vaccine With Broader Protection

Immune System / Vaccines News From Medical News Today — Thu, 25 Feb 2010 11:00:00 +0100

News From The American Journal Of Pathology, March 2010

Health News from Medical News Today — Thu, 25 Feb 2010 08:00:00 +0100

Toxin Does Not Affect MRSA-Induced Pneumonia A group led by Dr. James M. Musser at the Center for Molecular and Translational Human Infectious Diseases Research of The Methodist Hospital Research Institute in Houston, Texas has demonstrated that the cytotoxin Paton-Valentine leukocidin (PVL) does not affect methicillin-resistant Staphlococcus aureus (MRSA)-induced pneumonia. Their report can be found in the March 2010 issue of The American Journal of Pathology. Community-associated-MRSA causes a wide spectrum of infections, ranging from mild skin problems to fatal invasive diseases... (Source: Health News from Medical News Today)

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News From The American Journal Of Pathology, March 2010

Immune System / Vaccines News From Medical News Today — Thu, 25 Feb 2010 08:00:00 +0100

MRSA in dermatology – Prospective epidemiological study in employees and patients of a dermatological department of a university hospital

JDDG — Thu, 25 Feb 2010 00:00:00 +0100

Conclusions: In comparison to international studies, the prevalence of MRSA in the current study is in the lower third. In dermatology, patients with a chronic leg ulcer have an increased risk for MRSA and should be screened at admission. A general screening for MRSA seems to be not reasonable in view of the low MRSA rates in the investigated department. (Source: JDDG)

World MRSA Day 2010 Theme, 'The MRSA Epidemic - A Call To Action'

Public Health News From Medical News Today — Wed, 24 Feb 2010 12:00:00 +0100

MRSA Survivors Network, the nonprofit and official organization for World MRSA Day has announced the theme for 2010: "The MRSA Epidemic- A Call to Action... (Source: Public Health News From Medical News Today)

World MRSA Day 2010 Theme, 'The MRSA Epidemic - A Call To Action'

Health News from Medical News Today — Wed, 24 Feb 2010 12:00:00 +0100

MRSA Survivors Network, the nonprofit and official organization for World MRSA Day has announced the theme for 2010: "The MRSA Epidemic- A Call to Action." This theme was chosen to raise awareness for MRSA and draw attention to the dire need for an immediate response to the growing global threat, Jeanine Thomas, founder states, "For the past year, H1N1 flu along with all the media hype has taken the focus off the true epidemic, MRSA. MRSA is rising at alarming rates in healthcare facilities and in the community: MRSA is the real public health disaster people are dying... (Source: Health News from Medical News Today)

Toxin Does Not Affect MRSA-Induced Pneumonia

ScienceDaily Headlines — Wed, 24 Feb 2010 05:00:00 +0100

Scientists hve demonstrated that the cytotoxin Paton-Valentine leukocidin (PVL) does not affect methicillin-resistant Staphlococcus aureus (MRSA)-induced pneumonia. (Source: ScienceDaily Headlines)

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Remel, Inc - Staphytect Plus - Class 2 Recall

Medical Device Recalls since July 07, 2006 — Wed, 24 Feb 2010 02:00:07 +0100

Staphytect Plus, packaged in 100- and 500-test boxes, Catalog #DR0850M (100 tests) and #DR0850B (500 tests). Oxoid Ltd., Wade Road, Basingstoke, Hants UK. Latex slide agglutination test for the differentiation of staphylococcus aureus by detection of clumping factor, Protein A and certain polysaccarides found in methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA) from those staphylococci that do not possess these properties. (Source: Medical Device Recalls since July 07, 2006)

Remel, Inc - Oxoid dry Spot Staphytect Plus - Class 2 Recall

Medical Device Recalls since July 07, 2006 — Wed, 24 Feb 2010 02:00:07 +0100

Oxoid dry Spot Staphytect Plus, Catalog #DR0100M, 120 tests/kit. Oxoid Ltd., Wade road, Basingstoke, Hants, UK. Latex slide agglutination test for the differentiation of staphylococcus aureus by detection of clumping factor, Protein A and certain polysaccarides found in methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA) from those staphylococci that do not possess these properties. (Source: Medical Device Recalls since July 07, 2006)

An increased incidence of biofilm-producing multidrug-resistant methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus in a tertiary care hospital from India: A 2-year study

American Journal of Infection Control — Tue, 23 Feb 2010 14:37:31 +0100

To the Editor: Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA)-infected and -colonized patients in hospitals mediate the dissemination of MRSA, and hospital staff facilitate further transmission. The development of multidrug resistance and the transmission of pathogens have been recognized as major challenges. Biofilm-producing MRSA is known to be more difficult to control, providing about 1000-fold greater resistance to antibacterial agents than MRSA not embedded in biofilm. Hospital and health care workers colonized with MRSA are the major players in infection transmission. Thus, knowledge of the prevalence, current antibiogram, and relevant phenotypic properties is crucial to determining the appropriate empirical treatment for control of MRSA infections. In a recent study, we found ...

International Nosocomial Infection Control Consortium (INICC) report, data summary for 2003-2008, issued June 2009

American Journal of Infection Control — Tue, 23 Feb 2010 14:37:29 +0100

We report the results of the International Infection Control Consortium (INICC) surveillance study from January 2003 through December 2008 in 173 intensive care units (ICUs) in Latin America, Asia, Africa, and Europe. During the 6-year study, using Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) US National Healthcare Safety Network (NHSN; formerly the National Nosocomial Infection Surveillance system [NNIS]) definitions for device-associated health care-associated infection, we collected prospective data from 155,358 patients hospitalized in the consortium's hospital ICUs for an aggregate of 923,624 days. Although device utilization in the developing countries' ICUs was remarkably similar to that reported from US ICUs in the CDC's NHSN, rates of device-associated nosocomial infection wer...

Genome Study Shows How Strep Throat Germ Circumvents Our Immune System

Immune System / Vaccines News From Medical News Today — Tue, 23 Feb 2010 10:00:00 +0100

Investigators at The Methodist Hospital Research Institute in Houston examined for the first time the long-term response to strep throat on a genome-wide level, shedding light on how group A streptococcus interacts with the patient's immune system and attempts to circumvent it. Results were published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS)... (Source: Immune System / Vaccines News From Medical News Today)

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Genome Study Shows How Strep Throat Germ Circumvents Our Immune System

Health News from Medical News Today — Tue, 23 Feb 2010 10:00:00 +0100

Investigators at The Methodist Hospital Research Institute in Houston examined for the first time the long-term response to strep throat on a genome-wide level, shedding light on how group A streptococcus interacts with the patient's immune system and attempts to circumvent it. Results were published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS). In the United States, the human bacterial pathogen group A streptococcus causes an estimated 30 million cases of strep throat annually and also causes rheumatic fever that damages the heart... (Source: Health News from Medical News Today)

Hospital-Acquired Infections, MRSA, Killed 48,000 Americans In One Year

Health News from Medical News Today — Tue, 23 Feb 2010 10:00:00 +0100

According to a new study, sepsis and pneumonia, two common conditions caused by hospital-aquired infections like MRSA, killed 48,000 Americans in 2006, and cost the nation over 8 billion dollars to treat. A report on what has been described as the largest nationally representative study to date of deaths due to sepsis and pneumonia, appears in the 22 February issue of Archives of Internal Medicine... (Source: Health News from Medical News Today)

Hospital-Acquired Infections, MRSA, Killed 48,000 Americans In One Year

MRSA / Drug Resistance News From Medical News Today — Tue, 23 Feb 2010 10:00:00 +0100

Synthesis and In Vitro Antibacterial Activity of 7-(3-Alkoxyimino-4-methyl-4-methylaminopiperidin-1-yl)-fluoroquinolone Derivatives

Archiv der Pharmazie — Tue, 23 Feb 2010 00:00:00 +0100

A series of novel 7-(3-alkoxyimino-4-methyl-4-methylaminopiperidin-1-yl)fluoroquinolone derivatives were designed, synthesized, and characterized by 1H-NMR, MS, and HRMS. These fluoroquinolones were evaluated for their in-vitro antibacterial activity against representative Gram-positive and Gram-negative strains. Generally, all of the target compounds have considerable antibacterial activity against the tested forty strains, and exhibit exceptional potency in inhibiting the growth of methicillin-sensitive Staphylococcus aureus (MSSA) and methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA) ATCC33591 (MICs: 0.06 to 2 [mu]g/mL). In particular, compounds 14, 19, 28, and 29 are fourfold more potent than ciprofloxacin against MSSA 08-49. Compounds 23, 26, and 27 are twofold more potent than ciprofloxacin aga...

Soil switches on antibiotic genes in bacteria

Chemistry World | Latest News — Mon, 22 Feb 2010 16:33:03 +0100

Production of a new antibiotic active against MRSA can be triggered by soil extracts (Source: Chemistry World | Latest News)

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Patient segregation and aggressive antibiotic eradication therapy can control methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus at large cystic fibrosis centres

Journal of Cystic Fibrosis — Mon, 22 Feb 2010 15:57:51 +0100

Conclusion: Strict infection control procedures can control MRSA infection and keep the prevalence low in CF clinics. Eradication is achievable in the majority of patients even when significant time has lapsed from initial isolation. In some instances, up to 3 courses of antibiotics were required to achieve eradication. (Source: Journal of Cystic Fibrosis)

Recurrent methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus septicaemia and pacemaker-lead-associated endocarditis following diagnostic gastroscopy

Gut — Mon, 22 Feb 2010 10:58:24 +0100

(Source: Gut)

Recurrent methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) septicaemia and pacemaker-lead-associated endocarditis following diagnostic gastroscopy

Gut — Mon, 22 Feb 2010 10:58:24 +0100

(Source: Gut)

New study shows sepsis and pneumonia caused by hospital-acquired infections kill 48,000 patients

EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science — Mon, 22 Feb 2010 05:00:00 +0100

(Burness Communications) Two common conditions caused by hospital-acquired infections killed 48,000 people and ramped up health care costs by $8.1 billion in 2006 alone, according to a study released today in the Archives of Internal Medicine. This is the largest nationally representative study to date of the toll taken by sepsis and pneumonia, two conditions often caused by deadly microbes, including the antibiotic-resistant bacteria MRSA. Such infections can lead to longer hospital stays, serious complications and even death. (Source: EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science)

In Vitro Antibacterial Activities of JNJ-Q2, a New Broad-Spectrum Fluoroquinolone.

Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy — Mon, 22 Feb 2010 00:00:00 +0100

In conclusion, JNJ-Q2 exhibits a range of antibacterial activity in vitro that is supportive of its further evaluation as a potential new agent for the treatment of skin and respiratory tract infections. PMID: 20176911 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher] (Source: Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy)

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Comparative Activity of TR-700 (Torezolid) Against Staphylococcal Blood Isolates Collected in Spain.

Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy — Mon, 22 Feb 2010 00:00:00 +0100

Authors: Betriu C, Morales G, Rodríguez-Avial I, Culebras E, Gómez M, López-Fabal F, Picazo JJ The in vitro activity of TR-700 (torezolid) was evaluated against a collection of 660 staphylococcal blood isolates. TR-700 showed excellent activity against all the staphylococci tested. The MIC50/MIC90 values of TR-700, linezolid, daptomycin, and vancomycin against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) isolates were 0.25/0.5, 2/4, 0.5/0.5, and 1/2 mug/ml, respectively. TR-700 demonstrated greater in vitro potency than linezolid against staphylococci, including linezolid-resistant and vancomycin-nonsusceptible strains and was 32-fold more active than linezolid against the 7 cfr-positive MRSA strains tested. PMID: 20176900 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher] (S...

Rapid change of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus clones in a tertiary care hospital of China over a fifteen-year period.

Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy — Mon, 22 Feb 2010 00:00:00 +0100

Authors: Chen H, Liu Y, Jiang X, Chen M, Wang H The incidence of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) has been increasing yearly at Peking Union Medical College Hospital (PUMCH). In order to understand the molecular evolution of MRSA at PUMCH, a total of 466 nonduplicate S. aureus isolates including 302 MRSA and 164 methicillin susceptible (MSSA) isolates recovered from 1994 to 2008 were characterized by staphylococcal cassette chromosome mec (SCCmec) typing, spa typing, pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE), and multilocus sequence typing (MLST). The 302 MRSA isolates were classified into 12 spa types and 9 STs. During the years of 1994-2000, the most predominant MRSA clone was ST239-MRSA-III-spa t037. Since 2000, ST239-MRSA-III-spa t030 has rapidly replaced t037, and ...

J&J Partner Says EU Rejecting Skin Infection Drug

Drugs.com - Pharma News — Fri, 19 Feb 2010 15:25:16 +0100

From Associated Press (February 19, 2010) BASEL, SWITZERLAND -- Johnson & Johnson ’s Swiss partner in developing a long-awaited drug for MRSA and other dangerous skin infections says European regulators won’t approve it. Basilea... (Source: Drugs.com - Pharma News)

Key To Antibiotic Resistance Is To Leave No Enemies Behind, Says Expert

Health News from Medical News Today — Fri, 19 Feb 2010 10:00:00 +0100

A new paper in the February 17th edition of the journal Molecular Cell describes how exposure to low levels of antibiotics increases mutations in E. coli and Staphylococcus bacteria hundreds of times more than normal, making the creation of drug-resistant strains more likely. This finding adds to concerns about antibiotic resistance brought on by poor prescription practices among doctors, patients who don't take all their medicine and even low doses of antibiotics given to animals to help them grow faster... (Source: Health News from Medical News Today)

Key To Antibiotic Resistance Is To Leave No Enemies Behind, Says Expert

MRSA / Drug Resistance News From Medical News Today — Fri, 19 Feb 2010 10:00:00 +0100

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Vaccine For Diabetes Possible This Decade, Says Report

Health News from Medical News Today — Fri, 19 Feb 2010 09:00:00 +0100

In the not-too-distant future we could see diabetes, the seventh leading cause of death in the U.S., treated with a vaccine. Several vaccine candidates are in the pipeline, creating a possible $2.4 billion market for diabetes vaccine products by 2020, according to healthcare market research publisher Kalorama Information, who recently published a survey of emerging vaccine products titled: "What's Next in Vaccines? HIV, Malaria, Rabies, MRSA, and 30 Other Vaccine Targets in the 2010-2020 Pipeline." Type I diabetes currently afflicts 35,000 people in the U.S... (Source: Health News from Medical News Today)

Video-MRSA: Attacking Implant Infections

Medical Headlines From Ivanhoe.com — Fri, 19 Feb 2010 05:00:00 +0100

(Ivanhoe Newswire) -- Almost 1 million people go under the knife every year for a knee, hip or shoulder replacement. (Source: Medical Headlines From Ivanhoe.com)

Comparison of fluoroquinolone kinetics of kill in susceptible and resistant Gram-positive conjunctival pathogens.

Advances in Therapy — Fri, 19 Feb 2010 00:00:00 +0100

CONCLUSION: Moxifloxacin showed an increased speed of kill against both of the common susceptible Gram-positive conjunctival pathogens, compared with the inconsistency of killing activity of two other fluoroquinolones tested. In addition, at the concentration level achieved in the conjunctiva after the instillation of one drop, moxifloxacin effectively and rapidly killed resistant Gram-positive conjunctival pathogens, while ciprofloxacin and ofloxacin had no effect against these organisms. PMID: 20174904 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher] (Source: Advances in Therapy)

Expanded Clinical Presentation of Community-Acquired MRSA Pneumonia.

Chest — Fri, 19 Feb 2010 00:00:00 +0100

CONCLUSION: CA-MRSA pneumonia is also not necessarily a post influenza infection. Despite necrotizing features in many, the mortality of CA-MRSA pneumonia in our series is lower than previously reported and patients do not routinely require ICU care. Treatment with antibiotics which inhibit exotoxin production and/or nontoxigenic strains may explain this improved outcome. PMID: 20173050 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher] (Source: Chest)

Daptomycin for methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus epidermidis native-valve endocarditis: a case report

Annals of Clinical Microbiology and Antimicrobials — Thu, 18 Feb 2010 00:00:00 +0100

Coagulase-negative staphylococci (CoNS) have been increasing in importance as a cause of native valve endocarditis (NVE). Most cases of NVE caused by CoNS are attributable to Staphylococcus epidermidis. NVE caused by CoNS acquired in a nosocomial setting may differ from cases acquired in the community in several ways. It may be associated with hemodialysis, the presence of a long-term indwelling central catheter or pacemaker, or a recent invasive procedure; nosocomial cases may have a higher rate of methicillin resistance among CoNS isolates, and so be more likely to be treated with vancomycin. Unfortunately, NVE caused by methicillin-resistant CoNS has been associated with significantly higher rates of persistent bacteremia and in-hospital mortality than methicillin-susceptible isolates. ...

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Rapid MRSA test in exposed persons: Costs and savings in hospitals

Journal of Infection — Thu, 18 Feb 2010 00:00:00 +0100

Conclusion: The MRSA Xpert test is easy to perform, has a high negative predictive value, and may be used to control healthcare workers and patients exposed to MRSA. Sampling from multiple anatomical locations is recommended. Still, more then 10% of MRSA positive cases may not be found. (Source: Journal of Infection)

Chemical Found In Feverfew Shuts Down Pro-Survival Signal In Resistant Breast Cancer Cells

MRSA / Drug Resistance News From Medical News Today — Wed, 17 Feb 2010 11:00:00 +0100

Combining tamoxifen, the world's most prescribed breast cancer agent, with a compound found in the flowering plant feverfew may prevent initial or future resistance to the drug, say researchers at Georgetown Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center. The finding, reported online Feb... (Source: MRSA / Drug Resistance News From Medical News Today)

Nanoparticles battle drug-resistant bacteria

Nanotechweb.org journal highlights — Wed, 17 Feb 2010 08:19:37 +0100

Rose Bengal decorated silica nanoparticles photodynamically inactivate Gram-positive bacteria including MRSA with high efficiency (Source: Nanotechweb.org journal highlights)

Tracking MRSA [The World in Medicine]

JAMA — Tue, 16 Feb 2010 20:50:49 +0100

(Source: JAMA)

Antimicrobial Activity and Biocompatibility of Polyurethane--Iodine Complexes

Journal of Bioactive and Compatible Polymers — Tue, 16 Feb 2010 14:08:27 +0100

Polyurethane (PU), one of the most versatile biomedical materials, strongly binds iodine, one of the most effective antiseptics, through the formation of a charge-transfer complex. The PU—Iodine complexes were characterized with UV/Vis study and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) analysis. The new materials evoked potent antimicrobial activity against Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria (including methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus faecium, and bacterial spores), fungi, and viruses, as well as inhibited surface bacterial colonization and biofilm-formation. Based on the Kirby-Bauer test, the antimicrobial effects occurred through the slow release of iodine. The iodine release rate can be controlled by the preparation conditions of t...

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Team Develops New Weapon To Fight Disease-Causing Bacteria, Malaria

MRSA / Drug Resistance News From Medical News Today — Tue, 16 Feb 2010 10:00:00 +0100

Researchers report that they have discovered - and now know how to exploit - an unusual chemical reaction mechanism that allows malaria parasites and many disease-causing bacteria to survive. The research team, from the University of Illinois, also has developed the first potent inhibitor of this chemical reaction. The findings appear in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences... (Source: MRSA / Drug Resistance News From Medical News Today)

Assessing the role of undetected colonization and isolation precautions in reducing Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus transmission in intensive care units.

BMC Infectious Diseases — Tue, 16 Feb 2010 00:00:00 +0100

Conclusions: Screening consistently detected >80% of colonized-patient-days. Estimates of the effectiveness of barrier precautions showed considerable uncertainty, but in all units except burns/general surgery and one cardiac surgery ICU, the best estimates were consistent with reductions in transmission associated with barrier precautions. (Source: BMC Infectious Diseases)

Antistaphylococcal activity of telavancin tested alone and in combination by time-kill assay.

Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy — Tue, 16 Feb 2010 00:00:00 +0100

ANTISTAPHYLOCOCCAL ACTIVITY OF TELAVANCIN TESTED ALONE AND IN COMBINATION BY TIME-KILL ASSAY. Antimicrob Agents Chemother. 2010 Feb 16; Authors: Lin G, Pankuch GA, Ednie LM, Appelbaum PC Synergy time-kill studies against 40 methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) strains of differing resistance phenotypes were conducted. Subinhibitory concentrations of telavancin were combined with subMIC concentrations of other antimicrobial agents that might be used in combination with telavancin to provide Gram-negative coverage. The highest incidence of synergy was found after 24 h with gentamicin (90% of strains), followed by ceftriaxone (88%), rifampin and meropenem (each 65%), cefepime (45%), and ciprofloxacin (38%) for combinations tested at or below the intermediate breakpoi...

Decrease in incidence of surgical site infections in contemporary series of patients with radical cystectomy

Journal of Infection and Chemotherapy — Mon, 15 Feb 2010 18:00:34 +0100

In conclusion, MRSA is still the main isolated pathogen of SSI after radical cystectomy and this clinical problem remains a challenge to urologists. Effective countermeasures are needed for MRSA bacteriuria involved in the development of SSI. Content Type Journal ArticleCategory Original ArticleDOI 10.1007/s10156-010-0032-1Authors Yuuki Kyoda, Sapporo Medical University School of Medicine Department of Urology S. 1, W. 16, Chuo-ku Sapporo 060-8543 JapanSatoshi Takahashi, Sapporo Medical University School of Medicine Department of Urology S. 1, W. 16, Chuo-ku Sapporo 060-8543 JapanKoh Takeyama, Sapporo Medical University School of Medicine Department of Urology S. 1, W. 16, Chuo-ku Sapporo 060-8543 JapanNaoya Masumori, Sapporo Medical University School of Medicine Department of Urolo...

Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus in Canada: a historical perspective and lessons learned

Canadian Journal of Microbiology — Mon, 15 Feb 2010 16:12:22 +0100

Nevio Cimolai - The history of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) in Canada has many similarities to MRSA evolution worldwide, but especially to that in the United States and... (Source: Canadian Journal of Microbiology)

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Community acquired methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus pneumonia leading to rhabdomyolysis: a case report

BioMed Central — Sun, 14 Feb 2010 00:00:00 +0100

Community-acquired methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus (CA-MRSA) is considered an underreported entity in India. In this case report, the authors describe a thirty-five year old immuno-competent male presenting with severe respiratory distress requiring intubation. On further work up, a CT thorax showed features consistent with necrotizing pneumonia. The morphology and sensitivity pattern of the organism found in the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid and blood culture were consistent with MRSA. The patient's stay in the hospital was complicated by acute renal failure due to rhabdomyolysis with CPK levels of 9995 U/L. The patient was started on dialysis and improved there after. This case brings to light that CA-MRSA is becoming a problem in developing nations where antibiotics are frequ...

Antibiotics As Active Mutagens In The Emergence Of Multidrug Resistance

Health News from Medical News Today — Sat, 13 Feb 2010 08:00:00 +0100

Multidrug resistant bacteria such as Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) pose a major problem for patients, doctors, and the pharmaceutical industry. To combat such bacteria, it is critical to understand how resistance is developed in the first place. It is commonly thought that an incomplete course of antibiotics would lead to resistance to that particular antibiotic by allowing the bacteria to make adaptive changes under less stringent conditions... (Source: Health News from Medical News Today)

Antibiotics As Active Mutagens In The Emergence Of Multidrug Resistance

MRSA / Drug Resistance News From Medical News Today — Sat, 13 Feb 2010 08:00:00 +0100

Prevalence and accessory gene regulator (agr) analysis of vancomycin-intermediate Staphylococcus aureus among methicillin-resistant isolates in Taiwan—SMART program, 2003

European Journal of Clinical Microbiology & Infectious Diseases — Sat, 13 Feb 2010 06:48:11 +0100

Abstract The prevalence of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) in nosocomial staphylococcal infections in Taiwan has exceeded 50% since 2000. However, little relevant data has been available concerning vancomycin-intermediate S. aureus (VISA) and heteroresistant VISA (hVISA). We collected 1,000 MRSA isolates from ten medical center hospitals in Taiwan during 2003. All were initially screened for reduced susceptibility to vancomycin on brain heart infusion (BHI) agar containing 5 mg/L vancomycin. Among 34 MRSA isolates that grew on the screening plates, two VISA isolates (0.2%) and seven hVISA isolates (0.7%) were evident. Vancomycin-resistant S. aureus was not detected. The accessory gene regulator (agr) typing of all 1,000 MRSA strains were typed by mult...

Distribution of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus in a low-prevalence area

FEMS Immunology and Medical Microbiology — Sat, 13 Feb 2010 00:00:00 +0100

Investigating circulating methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) strains and identifying their accumulations in society are important in the search for strategies for eradicating the pathogen. The aim of this study was to describe the distribution of MRSA in a low-prevalence area where MRSA could be establishing endemicity. MRSA isolates from 802 patients (803 isolates) were included and placed into a timeline (1991[ndash]2006) under different categories: hospital (n=270), long-term care facility (LTCF) (n=175) and general practitioner (GP) (n=358). MRSA isolates had been characterized using multilocus sequence-typing, staphylococcal cassette chromosome mec-typing and detection of Panton[ndash]Valentine leukocidin-encoding genes (lukS/F-PVL), and were placed in exotoxin-encodin...

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Antibiotics as active mutagens in the emergence of multidrug resistance

ScienceDaily Headlines — Fri, 12 Feb 2010 19:00:00 +0100

Multidrug resistant bacteria such as Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) pose a major problem for patients, doctors, and the pharmaceutical industry. To combat such bacteria, it is critical to understand how resistance is developed in the first place. New research shows that low doses of antibiotics can produce mutant strains that are sensitive to the applied antibiotic but have cross-resistance to other antibiotics. (Source: ScienceDaily Headlines)

Low-Dose Antibiotics May Promote Drug Resistance

MedlinePlus Health News — Fri, 12 Feb 2010 19:00:00 +0100

Finding might alter standard course of treatment, researchers say Source: HealthDay Related MedlinePlus Topics: Antibiotics, MRSA (Source: MedlinePlus Health News)

No magic bullet for MRSA SSIs

Modern Medicine — Fri, 12 Feb 2010 14:31:03 +0100

Reducing the incidence of surgical site infections caused by methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus is good medicine and good business. (Source: Modern Medicine)

Low Levels Of Antibiotics Cause Multidrug Resistance In 'Superbugs'

MRSA / Drug Resistance News From Medical News Today — Fri, 12 Feb 2010 13:00:00 +0100

For years, doctors have warned patients to finish their antibiotic prescriptions or risk a renewed infection by a "superbug" that can mount a more powerful defense against the same drug... (Source: MRSA / Drug Resistance News From Medical News Today)