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Introduction: Surgical site infection (SSI) following hydrocelectomy is relatively uncommon, but it is one of the main post-operative problems. We aimed to describe the prevalence of SSI following hydrocelectomy among adult patients, and to assess predisposing risk factors for infection. Methodology: This retrospective cohort study was carried out at a university hospital and included hydrocelectomies performed between January 2007 and December 2014. Diagnosis of SSI was performed according to the Center for Diseases Control (CDC) guidelines. Multivariable logistic regression analysis was used to identify independent risk factors. Results: A total of 196 patients were included in the analysis. Overall, 30 patients were diagnosed with SSI (15.3%) and of these, 63.3% (19/30) were classified as having superficial SSI, while 36.7% (11/30) had deep SSI. The main signs and symptoms of infection were the presence of surgical wound secretion (70%) and inflammatory superficial signs such as hyperemia, edema and pain (60%). Among the 53 patients presenting chronic smoking habits, 26.4% (14/53) developed SSI, which was associated with a higher risk for SSI (odds ratio [OR] = 2.84, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.27 to 6.35, p < 0.01) in the univariate analysis. In the adjusted multivariable analysis, smoking habits were also statistically associated with SSI after hydrocelectomy (odds ratio [OR] = 2.84, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.30 to 6.24, p = 0.01). No pre-, intra-, or post-operative variable analyzed showed an independent association to SSI following hydrocelectomy. Conclusions: Smoking was the only independent modifiable risk factor for SSI in the multivariate analysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Pseudomonas aeruginosa (P. aeruginosa) modulates the expression of a myriad of virulence factors via two complicated hierarchical quorum-sensing (QS) cascade. This study shed light on the interrelation between P. aeruginosa QS systems and pyocyanin production. Methodology: Transcription analysis of lasR, rhlR, rhlI and phz genes using quantitative real time-reverse transcriptase PCR (qRT-PCR) assay, followed by sequencing of the autoinducer synthase (lasI gene) were applied for 15 P. aeruginosa strains recovered from diverse animal clinical sources. Results: Expression studies revealed that most P. aeruginosa strains demonstrated statistically significant differences (p < 0.05) with a very wide range of transcript levels of QS and phz genes in comparison to P. aeruginosa ATCC 27853. We have identified significant positive correlations (r = 0.3) between the expressions of QS and phz genes in eleven analyzed strains, whereas pyocyanin production positively correlated with the expression of lasR only in three strains (r = 0.6). We further found that there was a negative correlation between the transcript levels of QS and phz genes in one bacterial strain. Analysis of lasI sequences showed point mutations explaining the alterations in pyocyanin expression. The deficiencies of lasI, lasR and rhlI with rhlR-dependent expression of phz in one strain were also recorded. Conclusions: These results provided new insights to the pivotal role of QS signal molecules on pyocyanin production presenting the las system as the dominant regulator. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Human enteroviruses are single stranded RNA viruses associated with many serious diseases such as encephalitis and myocarditis. They consist of up to 100 immunologically and genetically distinct types. Three enteroviral isolates, 2104, 3936 and 3988, were previously isolated from patients with neurological disorders or sepsis-like illness. In this study, the molecular characterization of the isolates was investigated. Methodology: A full genome sequencing was performed by Sanger method, followed by phylogenetic and bootscanning analyses. A detailed analysis of genetic differences between the clinical and prototype isolates were investigated by mapping polymorphisms at nucleotide and amino acid levels, and by comparing RNA secondary structure in the noncoding regions. Results: Based on the phylogenetic analysis of the VP1 gene and complete genome, 2104 was typed as coxsackievirus B1, 3936 as coxsackievirus B5, and 3988 as echovirus 7. Similarity and bootscan plots provided support for intra- and intertypic recombination with crossover points occurring mainly along the nonstructural coding regions of the isolates. A sequence divergence of 12 to 14% was detected in the 5'-noncoding region between the clinical isolates and their corresponding prototype strains. Synonymous and nonsynonymous substitutions could be also mapped to different coding regions of the isolates, including those coding for the Puff, Knob and the hydrophobic pocket of the capsid. Examination of relative frequencies of synonymous and nonsynonymous substitutions in different coding regions of enteroviral isolates showed no evidence for selective pressure. Conclusion: The results provided a better understanding of the genetic variations, evolution and adaptation of enteroviruses in Kuwait. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: The exposure of nervous tissue samples to high temperatures affects the sensitivity of rabies virus diagnostic tests, causing degradation of the viral structure. This study evaluated reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) for the diagnosis and molecular characterization of brain tissue samples in an advanced state of decomposition and poorly conserved viral isolates by comparing it with routine diagnostic tests. Methodology: A panel of three canine brain samples exposed to controlled decomposition for 7, 15, 30, and 120 days were evaluated using fluorescence antibody test (FAT), mouse inoculation test (MIT), and RT-PCR. In addition, 14 isolates of rabies variants, representing the largest circulation in Argentina, preserved in inadequate cooling for six to eight years were analyzed. Molecular typing of strains was performed using a 159-nucleotide region corresponding to the nucleoprotein gene. Results: The three samples analyzed were positive by RT-PCR at all the decomposition times evaluated, in contrast to results observed with FAT and MIT, which rapidly became negative. In addition, 100% of the inadequately preserved samples were characterized molecularly. The limit of detection of RT-PCR was 0.5 MICDL50/0.03 mL. Conclusion: RT-PCR can be useful for rabies diagnosis and typing of putrefying samples or rabies isolates stored in inadequate conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: This study aimed to investigate Salmonella Enteritidis strains isolated from human and food sources in the north of Morocco by means of phenotypic and genotypic methods. Methodology: Fifteen isolates from humans and food were submitted to phage typing, XbaI-macrorestriction (pulsed field gel electrophoresis [PFGE]), enterobacterial repetitive intergenic consensus (ERIC-PCR), antimicrobial susceptibility testing, and PCR assay targeting the spvR and invA genes. Results: Six fingerprinting profiles were obtained with the ERIC-PCR method, four with PFGE profiling, five with antimicrobial resistance, three with phage typing, and only one with plasmid profiling. spvR gene was detected in six strains, which did not harbour plasmids of 90 kb. Conclusions: The conclusions of this study are drawn from a limited number of isolates. It would be desirable to investigate a greater and more diverse population of Salmonella isolates. S. Enteritidis was genotyped and showed four different patterns by PFGE and six by ERIC-PCR. Accordingly, high genetic similarity and limited genetic diversity were found for these strains from north of Morocco. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Salmonella spp. are recognized as some of the most common causes of enteritis worldwide. This study aimed to identify clinically isolated S. Typhimurium in western Kenya and to assess antimicrobial resistance profiles and strain inter-relatedness. Methods: The study was performed in rural Maseno, Nyanza province in Kenya, between February 2004 and June 2005. Sixty-three patients with diarrhoea and fever were recruited. S. Typhimurium isolates were confirmed using serotyping, biochemical testing, and 16S rRNA sequencing. Susceptibility to 20 antimicrobials was determined and specific resistance genes were identified by polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Strain diversity was further analyzed using pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE), fluorescence amplified fragment length polymorphism (fAFLP), and multi-locus-variable-number-tandem regions (MLVNTR). Results: Twenty S. Typhimurium strains were isolated in the course of the study and their identity was confirmed by 16S rRNA gene sequencing. All 20 S. Typhimurium strains were resistant to ampicillin, streptomycin and sulfamethoxazole; ciprofloxacin resistance and phage DT104 were not detected. PFGE, plasmid profiling, and analysis of selected VNTR loci revealed further heterogeneity among the strains in the study. Conclusion: S. Typhimurium was commonly isolated from patients with diarrhoea and fever in Maseno. Considerable phenotypic and genotypic diversity was observed among isolates, suggesting that strains belonging to multiple lineages are responsible for disease in the study region. Multiple resistance was common and mediated by a variety of resistance genes but not by phage DT104. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]