Search

Purpose: In Germany, reliable data about the prevalence of urogenital Chlamydia trachomatis infections, causative genotypes, as well as corresponding clinical, demographic and behavioural information are sparse. We, therefore, performed a prospective prevalence study including 1,003 sexually active volunteers of a Southern German city. Methods: Study participants completed a standardised questionnaire and provided first void urine samples for analysis. Our screening strategy included the performance of two nucleic acid amplification tests with different target genes, enabling the detection of the new Swedish variant of C. trachomatis (nvCT). Direct genotyping of positive specimens was performed by sequence analysis of the ompA gene. Results and Conclusion: The overall prevalence of C. trachomatis infection was 4.2 % in women and 4.6 % in men. A relatively high prevalence of 8.3 % was found in men older than 25 years. Never using condoms was an independent risk factor for infection. The most common symptom was discharge; however, 64.5 % of infected females and all of the infected men were asymptomatic, supporting the need for screening programmes. The most frequently encountered genotypes were E (46.5 %), F (20.9 %) and K (14.0 %). Since the nvCT was detected in one female student, this is one of the rare studies that reports on the molecular identification of nvCT apart from Sweden. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An unusual course of infection with Mycobacterium malmoense is described in a patient receiving chronic but mild immunosuppressive therapy for rheumatoid arthritis. Symptoms mimicking Crohn’s disease deteriorated under intensified immunosuppression and surgery. Judging from the patient’s course under treatment specific for M. malmoense, the gastrointestinal symptoms were rather manifestations of a chronic relapsing mycobacterial infection. Detailed immunological investigation of the patient revealed a severely impaired TH-1 cytokine response as the immunological background for this uncommon course. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to assess the speed and accuracy of a real-time PCR assay targeting the lukS-PV gene of Panton–Valentine leukocidin (PVL)-positive Staphylococcus aureus, 700 S. aureus strains were tested and the results were compared to those achieved with block cycler PCR. Cross-reactivity was tested with 166 other bacterial species. Using this homogeneous real-time PCR assay format, the presence or absence of genetic information for PVL, which is also found in community-associated methicillin-resistant S. aureus, was correctly identified from pure culture and directly in various types of clinical specimens. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In response to several isolations of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus carrying the Panton-Valentine leucocidin gene (PVL-MRSA), the present study was conducted to document the spread of infection in a small region of southeastern Germany. During a 9-month period, two healthcare-associated outbreaks with PVL-MRSA occurred, affecting 83 patients, personnel and contacts of personnel, and 34 additional cases were detected in the community. The clinical spectrum ranged from colonization to skin infection and necrotizing pneumonia. The findings represent the largest number of PVL-MRSA cases detected in Germany so far, and demonstrate the potential of this emerging pathogen to spread within the community and in healthcare institutions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We describe a sensitive and reliable method for detection and differentiation of the five relevant EuropeanBorrelia burgdorferisensu lato species (B. burgdorferisensu stricto,B. afzelii,B. garinii,B. valaisiana,andB. lusitaniae), based on a heminestedospA-PCR followed by restriction enzyme analysis. Sensitivity was one borrelia per PCR except forB. afzelii,where it was five per PCR. None of seven relapsing fever borreliae, eightLeptospiraserovars or twoTreponemaspecies were amplified. ExceptB. garinii, each of the fiveB. burgdorferis.l. species is represented by one or two characteristic restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) patterns. Analysis of the heterogeneous group ofB. gariniiresulted in five different RFLP patterns, corresponding to the OspA types 3-7 associated with this species. In a pilot study on 529Ixodes ricinusticks from three different regions in Southern Germany, all species and OspA types were found exceptB. lusitaniaeandB. gariniiOspA type 7, arguing for a broad distribution of almost all OspA types. A further notable finding was the focal prevalence of OspA type 4, which has rarely been detected in ticks previously. Thus, the developed method provides a fast and simple tool for epidemiological studies on the heterogeneity of species and OspA types in Europe which has important implications for the development of vaccines and (microbiological) test systems for Europe. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to meet the need of many microbiological laboratories for a standardized system for detecting Chlamydia pneumoniae in respiratory specimens, a hybridization probe-based LightCycler (Roche Diagnostics, Germany) PCR assay was developed. The assay's analytical sensitivity and specificity were evaluated according to the recommendations of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (USA) and Laboratory Centre for Disease Control (Canada). Seventy-four bacterial species other than Chlamydia pneumoniae, including strains of Chlamydia trachomatis, Chlamydia psittaci, and Chlamydia pecorum, tested negative. Six of six representative Chlamydia pneumoniae strains tested positive. An analytical sensitivity of 1 inclusion forming unit per ml of bronchoalveolar lavage fluid, corresponding to 0.02 inclusion forming units per PCR reaction, was observed. The assay showed 100% specificity and sensitivity for Chlamydia pneumoniae when testing DNA preparations from 12 specimens of patients with known pulmonary Chlamydia pneumoniae infection and from 78 specimens of patients with respiratory tract disease of other origin. The newly developed LightCycler assay may contribute to the urgently needed standardization of laboratory diagnosis of Chlamydia pneumoniae. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The performance of a commercial line probe assay (LiPA) (Inno-LiPA Mycobacteria; Innogenetics, Belgium) for the detection and identification of Mycobacterium species from liquid and solid culture was evaluated at five routine clinical laboratories. The LiPA method is based on the reverse hybridization principle, in which the mycobacterial 16S-23S ribosomal RNA (rRNA) spacer region is amplified by polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Amplicons are subsequently hybridized with oligonucleotide probes arranged on a membrane strip and detected by a colorimetric system. The test detects the presence of Mycobacterium species and specifically identifies Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex, Mycobacterium kansasii, Mycobacterium xenopi, Mycobacterium gordonae, Mycobacterium avium complex, Mycobacterium avium, Mycobacterium intracellulare, Mycobacterium scrofulaceum, and Mycobacterium chelonae – Mycobacterium abscessus complex. The results of LiPA were compared with the results obtained using traditional biochemical and molecular tests (DNA probe-based techniques, PCR restriction enzyme analysis of the 65 kDa heat-shock protein gene, and sequencing of the 16S rDNA). A total of 669 isolates, 642 of which were identified as Mycobacterium species and 27 as non-Mycobacterium species, were tested by LiPA. After analysis of 14 initially discordant results and exclusion of one isolate, concordant results were obtained for 636 of 641 Mycobacterium isolates (99.2% accuracy). All Mycobacterium species reacted with the MYC (Mycobacterium species) probe (100% sensitivity), and all non-Mycobacterium species were identified as such (100% specificity). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Der Ophthalmologe is the property of Springer Nature and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Der Ophthalmologe is the property of Springer Nature and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

A polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay was applied for the selective amplification of a characteristic sequence within a Salmonella-specific chromosomal fragment. A two-temperature PCR cycle enhanced both the speed and overall sensitivity of the amplification procedure. Twenty-one well-characterized Salmonella strains and a number of non- Salmonella strains were tested. With the exception of the rarely isolated Salmonella arizonae strain, the PCR-based approach enabled the specific identification of Salmonella with a detection limit of 10 organisms. In combination with a nested PCR assay, as few as ten organisms were detectable. Specificity was demonstrated as no distinct amplification products were detectable with any of the tested non-Salmonella strains. With a pre-enrichment step using paramagnetic anti Salmonella beads, an increase in sensitivity was observed in the case of clinical samples while the amplification process was not influenced. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Reports on the evaluation of a certain number of patients in whom Panton-Valentine leukocidin (PVL)-positive methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) was detected in 2004. Collection of clinical and epidemiological data; Polyclonal nature of PVL-positive MRSA strains in a small region in Germany.