Perigestational exposure of a combination of a high-fat diet and pesticide impacts the metabolic and microbiotic status of dams and pups; a preventive strategy based on prebiotics

PURPOSE

Metabolic changes during the perinatal period are known to promote obesity and type-2 diabetes in adulthood via perturbation of the microbiota. The risk factors for metabolic disorders include a high-fat diet (HFD) and exposure to pesticide residues. The objective of the present study was to evaluate the effects of perigestational exposure to a HFD and chlorpyrifos (CPF) on glycemia, lipid profiles, and microbial populations in Wistar dams and their female offspring. We also tested a preventive strategy based on treatment with the prebiotic inulin.

METHODS

From 4 months before gestation to the end of the lactation period, six groups of dams were exposed to either a standard diet, a HFD alone, CPF alone, a combination of a HFD and CPF, and/or inulin supplementation. All female offspring were fed a standard diet from weaning to adulthood. We measured the impacts of these exposures on glycemia, the lipid profile, and the microbiota (composition, metabolite production, and translocation into tissues).

RESULTS

HFD exposure and CPF + HFD co-exposure induced dysmetabolism and an imbalance in the gut flora in both the dams and the female offspring. Inulin mitigated the impact of exposure to a HFD alone but not that of CPF + HFD co-exposure.

CONCLUSION

Our results provide a better understanding of the complex interactions between environmental pollutants and diet in early life, including in the context of metabolic diseases.

Use of molecular typing to investigate bacterial translocation from the intestinal tract of chlorpyrifos-exposed rats

BACKGROUND

Human are confronted on a daily basis with contaminant pesticide residues in food, water and other components of the environment. Although the digestive system is the first organ to come into contact with food contaminants, very few data are available on the impact of low-dose pesticide exposure during the in utero and postnatal periods on intestinal bacterial translocation (BT). Previous studies have revealed that chlorpyrifos (CPF) exposure is associated with intestinal dysbiosis and the contamination of sterile organs. Here, molecular typing was used to investigate intestinal bacterial translocation in rats exposed to chlorpyrifos in utero and during lactation. The translocated bacteria were profiled, and CPF tolerance and antibiotic resistance traits were determined.

METHODS

A total of 72 intestinal segments and extra-intestinal organs were obtained from 14 CPF-exposed rats. The samples were cultured to isolate bacterial strains that had tolerated treatment with 1 or 5 mg CPF/kg bodyweight/day in vivo. Strains were identified using matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization (MALDI) Biotyper. The disk diffusion method was used to determine the antibiotic susceptibility. The isolates were genotyped with PCR assays for the enterobacterial repetitive intergenic consensus sequence and random amplification polymorphic DNA.

RESULTS

Bacterial translocation was confirmed for 7 of the 31 strains (22.6 %) isolated from extra-intestinal sites. Overall, the most prevalent bacteria were Staphylococcus aureus (55.5 % of the 72 intestinal and extra-intestinal isolates), Enterococcus faecalis (27.7 %) and Bacillus cereus (9.8 %). 5 % of the S. aureus isolates displayed methicillin resistance. Seventy two strains were identified phenotypically, and seven translocated strains (mainly S. aureus) were identified by genotyping. Genotypically confirmed translocation was mainly observed found in pesticide-exposed groups (6 out of 7).

CONCLUSION

BT from the intestinal tract colonized normally sterile extra-intestinal organs in CPF-exposed rats. Our findings validate the use of molecular typing for the assessment of intestinal BT in CPF-exposed rats during critical periods of development.

Community-Acquired Infection With Healthcare-Associated Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus: The Role of Home Nursing Care

Objective.

To better understand the role of indirect transmission in community-acquired infection with methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA).

Design.

Prospective case-control study.

Setting.

A French teaching hospital.

Patients.

A total of 198 case patients and 198 control patients with MRSA or methicillin-susceptible S. aureus infection diagnosed between April 2002 and July 2003.

Results.

Multivariate analysis showed a highly significant independent link between MRSA infection at admission and prior receipt of home nursing care (odds ratio [OR], 3.7; P<.001). Other independent risk factors were prior hospitalization (OR, 3.8; P<.001), transfer from another institution (OR, 2.3; P = .008), and age older than 65 years (OR, 1.6; P = .04). Prior home nursing care showed a frequency dose-response relationship. Eleven MRSA-infected patients had had home nursing procedures but no hospital stay in the previous 3 years. These patients' MRSA strains were related to the prevalent MRSA clone currently spreading in French hospitals.

Conclusion.

Home nursing care appears to be an independent risk factor for MRSA acquisition in the community. The reservoir probably consists of MRSA carriers discharged from the hospital. Community nurses seem to be a potential vector.

[Stenotrophomonas maltophilia and Pseudomonas aeruginosa water-associated microbiologic risk assessment in Amiens' University Hospital Centre]

BACKGROUND

Pseudomonas aeruginosa (Psa) and Stenotrophomonas maltophilia (Smalto) are major opportunistic waterborne pathogens causing hospital-acquired infections. This study aimed to assess the biocontamination level of cold water used in Amiens' university hospital wards, from March to June 2008.

METHODS

We cultivated 122 pairs of cold water first jet and taps cotton-swabs on Cetrimide agar for Psa, on Stenotrophomonas maltophilia selective medium with coloured indicator (SM2i) for Smalto, on Mueller Hinton agar used as isolation medium reference for both, 48h at 30 degrees C. Data analysed with Epi-Info 6.04dFr were compared with chi(2) test, significant at p<.05.

RESULTS

Psa and Smalto were isolated in 26.2 and 14.8% of water samples and in 21.3 and 10.7% of swab samples respectively. They were associated in 11.5% of water samples and 5% of swab samples. Psa was alone in 13.1% of water samples and 7.4% of swab samples whereas Smalto was found in 6.6% of water and 2.5% of swabs. Psa and Smalto were isolated from 14.8% of water samples and 8.2% of swab samples of the same tap. Finally, respectively 35.2 and 17.2% of the cold water taps were biocontaminated by Psa and Smalto. In fact, microbiologic water taps contamination risk was two-fold higher for Psa than for Smalto, p<.001, without variation between wards.

CONCLUSION

Sm2i and Cetrimide are suited and efficient medium respectively for Smalto and Psa isolation. Cold-water samples are sufficient for waterborne pathogens biocontamination risk appraisal. Our results urged healthcare workers on efficient water fittings microbiologic risk control to prevent healthcare associated waterborne infections, notably due to Psa and Smalto.

[Streptococcus pneumoniae meningitis in Amiens Hospital between 1990 and 2005. Bacteriological characteristics of strains isolated]

Streptococcus pneumoniae is actually the first most likely organism to cause meningitis in children 2 months to 2 years old and in adults older than 65 years. From January 1990 to December 2005, 72 cases of S. pneumoniae-positive cerebrospinal fluid culture were indexed in our hospital. Among the 72 cases, 25 came from children, and 60% of these came from children under two years of age and 47 came from adults whose the mean age was 55 years. The first penicillin-resistant S. pneumoniae (PNSP) meningitis was identified in 1993. The susceptibility to penicillin of pneumococcal isolates causing meningitis varied according to time; until 1995, 25% of the strains were PNSP, then from 1996 to 2005, 50% of strains were PNSP. The overall prevalence of non-susceptible was 34.7% (25/72). Among the 25 PNSP, 21 were intermediate to penicillin G and four of them were resistant. Among children, seven PNSP meningitis were indexed and one of them was resistant. The antimicrobial MICs of amoxicillin and cefotaxim varied from 0.064 to 1 mg/l and from 0.016 to 0.5 mg/l respectively. Among adults, 18 PNSP meningitis were indexed. Three strains were penicillin-resistant. The antimicrobial MICs of amoxicillin varied from 0.064 to 2 mg/l. Nine strains of 18 PNSP had cefotaxim MIC>/=0.5 mg/l and, four of them had MIC 1 mg/l. None amoxicillin and cefotaxim-resistant strain was isolated. Serotyping of all strains was performed in the Reference Center. Serotypes 6B, 9V and 19 were the most frequent in child and serotypes 6B, 23F, 19, 9, 4 were the most frequent in adult. So, all serotypes were represented.

[Extended-spectrum betalactamases producing Escherichia coli: a new health-care associated infection threat?]

OBJECTIVES

Study the health-care associated infection risk due to Extended-Spectrum Betalactamases Producing Escherichia coli (ESBL Esc) isolated from diagnostic samples.

METHODS

Descriptive, longitudinal and prospective study of 104 diagnostic isolates of ESBL Esc, one per patient, identified in Amiens university hospital between February 1999 and December 2005. Patients (sex, age, contamination risk factor, antecedent hospitalization) and microbiological data were progressively collected, entered into EPI INFO 6.04dFr software (ENSP, France) database, and compared using the chi-square test and Wilcoxon rank sum test, as appropriate. A p value of less than 0.05 was considered significant.

RESULTS

Diagnostic ESBL Esc isolates raised, per 1000 isolates of Esc, from 1.2 in 1999 to 6 in 2005. Global and acquired isolates number of ESBL Esc varied from 7 and 3 in 2002 to 25 and 19 in 2003 (P=0.22). ESBL Esc global and acquired incidence per 10(5) patient-days were, 0.8 and 0.6 in 1999 and 4.99 and 3.4 in 2005 (P<10(-6)), but rose from 0.6 acquired isolate in 2002 to 3.9 in 2003 (P=0.002). ESBL Esc, isolated from urines, stools, pulmonary, blood and surgical site samples of patients of>/=65 years aged (68.3%), were imipenem and latamoxef sensitive. Their acquisition risk factors found were hospitalization during the last 6 month period (40/104) and transfer from other institutions (20/104).

CONCLUSION

ESBL Esc isolates, among ESBL-producing Enterobacteriaceae, constitute an escalating health-care associated risk in our institution. The research at admission time of ESBL-producing Enterobacteriaceae, mainly in acute geriatric wards, strict isolation precaution and hand hygiene observance, rational antibiotic usage, are the key actions to control their cross transmission. Nonetheless, other studies are needed to determine whether we are in front of an ESBL Esc new clone emergence.

[Performance of different methods of oxacillin resistance detection in atypic strains of Staphylococcus aureus]

Seventy-three of aminoglycoside-susceptible methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (AS-MRSA) and 12 kanamycin-tobramycin-resistant methicillin-susceptible S. aureus (KTR-MSSA) isolates were phenotypically and genotypically examined for methicillin susceptibility. The AS-MRSA profile represents 8.3% of MRSA strains and the KTR-MSSA profile represents 1.38% of MSSA strains. The diffusion method using the 5 microg oxacillin and 30 microg cefoxitin discs on Mueller-Hinton Agar (MHA) with and without NaCl, the incubation at 35 degrees C or 30 degrees C for 24 or 48 hours respectively, and the determining oxacillin MICs by E-test (AES, Combourg, France) were performed and used as phenotypic methods. We also used the mecA gene PCR which was considered as the "gold standard" for methicillin resistance detection, and the Slidex MRSA Detection (bioMérieux) that detect the presence of mecA gene product (PBP 2a). To increase the level of PBP 2a expression, the 30 microg cefoxitin disc was used as an inducer. All the AS-MRSA strains (100%) were detected by the cefoxitin disc in all conditions and by the oxacillin disc on MHA with 2% of NaCl at 35 degrees C. Without NaCl, the sensitivity fell to 97,2% by oxacillin disc. The oxacillin MICs for these isolates ranged from 2 to 128 mg/l. The mecA gene determinant and its product PBP 2a were detected in all AS-MRSA strains. All KTR-MSSA strains were phenotypically methicillin-susceptible and oxacillin MICs were below or borderline of breakpoint (< or =2 mg/l). The mecA gene determinant and its product were detected in one strain which was considered to be the most heterogeneous of those tested.

Detection of Methicillin/Oxacillin Resistance and Typing in Aminoglycoside-Susceptible Methicillin-Resistant and Kanamycin-Tobramycin-Resistant Methicillin-SusceptibleStaphylococcus aureus

Eighty-five atypical isolates of Staphylococcus aureus divided into 73 aminoglycoside-susceptible methicillinresistant (AS-MRSA) and 12 kanamycin-tobramycin-resistant methicillin-susceptible (KTR-MSSA) were phenotypically and genotypically examined for methicillin resistance. Among these tests, the diffusion method using the oxacillin and cefoxitin disks on Mueller-Hinton agar with and without NaCl, the incubation at 35 degrees C or 30 degrees C for 24 or 48 hr, respectively, and the determination of oxacillin MICs by E-test were performed. We also examined the presence of the mecA gene by PCR and its product PBP 2a by the Slidex MRSA Detection test after induction by cefoxitin disk. All of the AS-MRSA strains (100%) were detected by the cefoxitin disk in all conditions and by the oxacillin disk on Mueller-Hinton agar with 2% of NaCl at 35 degrees C. Without NaCl, the sensitivity fell to 97.2% by oxacillin disk. The oxacillin MICs for these isolates ranged from 2 to 128 mg/L. The mecA gene determinant and its product PBP 2a were detected in all AS-MRSA strains. All KTR-MSSA strains were phenotypically methicillin-susceptible and oxacillin MICs were below or borderline of breakpoint (< or =2 mg/L). The mecA gene determinant and its product were detected in one strain. Pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) was applied and revealed the presence of two major patterns A (36.9%) and B (46.2%) in AS-MRSA isolates and seven patterns in the KTR-MSSA strains.

Molecular characterisation and mechanisms of resistance of multidrug-resistant human Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium isolated in Amiens (France)

Antimicrobial resistance patterns of Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium isolates obtained during the study period were examined. The molecular epidemiology and the mechanisms of resistance to ampicillin, chloramphenicol and tetracycline were investigated. Resistance to ampicillin increased from 59% between 1996 and 1999 to 62.5% in 2000 and to 66.6% in 2001. Of 51 S. Typhimurium isolates studied, 100% were resistant to ampicillin (minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC)>256 mg/L) and sulphonamide (MIC range, 128 to >256 mg/L). Ninety-eight percent of isolates were resistant to streptomycin (MIC range, 48-256 mg/L), 92.2% to tetracycline (MIC range, 32 to >256 mg/L), 88.2% to chloramphenicol (MIC>256 mg/L), 21.5% to sulphamethoxazole/trimethoprim (MIC>32 mg/L), 5.8% to amoxicillin/clavulanic acid (MIC, 32 mg/L) and 1.9% to cefalothin (MIC, 64mg/L). Six resistance phenotypes were found (a-f), with phenotypes a (47%) and b (27.5%) being predominant. Twenty-five (49%) of 51 isolates produced a single beta-lactamase, among which 48% produced PSE-1, 44% produced TEM-1 and 8% produced OXA-1. Among 26 of the 51 isolates, 10 produced PSE-1+OXA-1, 7 produced TEM-1+PSE-1+OXA-1, 6 produced TEM-1+PSE-1, and 3 produced TEM-1+OXA-1. Forty-eight (94.1%) of the 51 isolates had the plasmid-mediated resistance gene flo(ST) to chloramphenicol and tetracycline. Combining enterobacterial repetitive intergenic consensus polymerase chain reaction (ERIC-PCR) and pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE), 16 distinct patterns were identified, among which patterns IA (35.3%) and IF (27.4%) were considered as epidemic patterns. The dendrogram obtained from S. Typhimurium pulsotypes allowed five clones (S1-S5) to be identified, with two prevalent clones comprising 47.8% (S2) and 27.3% (S4) of the isolates.

Molecular diversity of Proteus mirabilis isolates producing extended-spectrum β-lactamases in a French university hospital

Between February 1997 and December 2002, 3340 hospitalised patients yielded samples positive for Proteus mirabilis, of whom 45 (1.3%) were colonised/infected by P. mirabilis producing extended-spectrum beta-lactamases (ESBLs). The gross incidence of patients colonised/infected by ESBL-producing P. mirabilis was 1.61/10(5) days of hospitalisation, with 20% of isolates being collected from patients in urology wards, most frequently (53.3%) from urine samples. Seventeen (37.7%) of the 43 isolates were obtained from samples collected within 48 h of hospitalisation, indicating that they were community-acquired. Isoelectric focusing assays and sequencing identified the TEM-24, TEM-92 and TEM-52 ESBLs. Pulsed-field gel electrophoresis revealed eight pulsotypes (I-VIII), with the two most common pulsotypes, IV and VI, comprising ten (23.3%) and 12 (26.6%) isolates, respectively. These pulsotypes were considered to represent epidemic strains and spread in various wards of the hospital.

Étude cas-témoins d’une épidémie à Serratia marcescens dans un service de réanimation pédiatrique

OBJECTIVES

To identify patient-related risk factors of infection and ways of transmission of extended-spectrum betalactamase (ESBL) producing Serratia marcescens in the paediatric intensive care unit (PICU) of Amiens university hospital (France) between June and July 2002.

METHODS

Five cases (four pulmonary infected and one stool contaminated symptom-free neonates) and 35 controls, admitted in the PICU, are included. S. marcescens ESBL analysed are isolated from respiratory tract and faecal samples for cases and urine and pus samples from two non-paediatric other patients. Univariate and multivariate analysis are performed on EPI INFO 6.04 dFr and SPSS 11.0.1.

RESULTS

S. marcescens ESBL infections or colonisations rate is 12.5% [4.7-27.6]. The incidence is 8.8 [6.7-11.6] per 1000 hospital-stay days. By univariate analysis, cases and controls don't differ with respect of age, sex, and weight at admission or preterm delivery. Cases don't have more often invasive nursing care than controls. But, they were intubated (P <0.03) and hospitalised (P <0.03) for a longer time than controls. Linear regression analysis showed that duration of intubation was independent predictor of acquisition of S. marcescens ESBL (P <0.008). S. marcescens ESBL strains implicated in pulmonary infections, showed the same pattern of multidrug resistant and ERIC-PCR profile. This clone differs from others isolated from stool or other samples from other hospital wards.

CONCLUSION

As S. marcescens cross-colonization appears to be due to lake of hand hygiene and asepsis during invasive nursing care, reinforcing hygiene measures permit to contain the outbreak.

Molecular epidemiology of ampicillin-resistant clinical isolates of Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium

Thirty-nine multiresistant Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium (S. Typhimurium) isolates were obtained from 33 children and 6 adults hospitalized from 1996 to 1999 in the University Hospital of Amiens (France). S. Typhimurium was cultured from stools (n=36), blood samples (n=2) and peritoneal fluid (n=1). These isolates were characterized by biotyping, antibiotic susceptibility test, RAPD-PCR, and PFGE typing. Emergence of pentaresistant S. Typhimurium isolates (phenotype ACSSuTe) was observed, and five of them were resistant to nalidixic acid and of intermediate susceptibility to pefloxacin. Genotypic analysis of both RAPD and PFGE results showed that there were 7 different patterns. Thirty-three isolates gave an identical pattern (AI) and were considered as epidemic isolates; the six remaining patterns (each containing one isolate) corresponded to sporadic cases. Antibiotic susceptibility patterns, RAPD and PFGE patterns subdivided the 39 isolates into 9 clonally related groups. One of them (pattern AI and R-pattern a) was implicated in 74% of the cases.

Regional dissemination of Salmonella enterica serovar Enteritidis is season dependent

OBJECTIVE

To carry out epidemiological typing of clinical isolates of Salmonella enterica serovar Enteritidis by pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE), random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) and analysis of their antibiotic resistance.

METHODS

Over a 12-month period, 44 Salmonella Enteritidis isolates, recovered from 40 patients admitted to the University Hospital Center of Amiens, France and from three outpatients, were characterized by the analysis of phenotypic and genotypic traits and clinical data from medical reports.

RESULTS

Forty nontyphoidal salmonellosis episodes were diagnosed in hospitalized patients (34 episodes of gastroenteritis, two episodes of bacteremia not affecting other organs, one episodes of bacteremia plus urinary infection, one episodes of bacteremia plus gastroenteritis, one episodes of chronic colitis plus gastroenteritis and one episode of peritonitis), and three carriers were observed in outpatients. By means of PFGE, RAPD and antibiotic susceptibility patterns 44 isolates were subdivided into 16 clonally related groups. Two of them were predominantly implicated in the course of these infections, being responsible for two successive waves of infection, while the others were encountered sporadically.

[Evaluation of the efficacy of a multiresistant bacteria control programme in a teaching hospital, studying the evolution of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus incidence]

Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) constitute the most important multiresistant bacteria (MRB) recovered in French hospitals. Our objective was to measure these MRSA diffusion in our hospital to evaluate the MRB control programme which had been implemented in the beginning of 1999. This study was conducted in a teaching hospital containing 1800 beds, from February 1999 to January 2001. All MRSA isolated in clinical samples were included. Duplicates (same bacteria in the same patient) were excluded. The detection of methicillin-resistance was performed at 30 degrees C, by disk diffusion method. Incidence densities were determined with their 95% confidence interval (CI 95%). Their evolution by four-month period was evaluated with the chi-square test for trend. During the two-year period, 866 MRSA were isolated. The global incidence was 0,88 per 1000 patient-days (PD) (IC 95% = left open bracket 0,83-0,93 right open bracket ). For cases acquired in our hospital the incidence was 0,66 per 1000 PD, whereas it was 0,26 per 1000 PD for imported cases. Concerning the evolution of incidences, no significant trend was observed for global incidence. The incidence of acquired MRSA decreased during the first year, but increased thereafter. The incidence of imported MRSA increased with a significant trend (p < 10(-5)). The number of these imported MRSA isolated in our hospital was twice fold higher in 2000. This study emphasizes an important actual problem : the increase of patient colonization pressure at the time of admission in hospitals. This increase, which can be due in part to a community transmission, is responsible for a reduction of the efficacy of MRSA control programmes.

[Spread of Enterobacteriaceae producing broad-spectrum beta-lactamase and the development of their incidence over a 16-month period in a university hospital center]

Enterobacteriaceae producing extended-spectrum beta-lactamases (ESBLE) constitute with methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus the main multiresistant bacteria recovered in French hospitals. Our objectives were to evaluate these ESBLE diffusion in our teaching hospital and to follow their incidence during a 16-month period, whereas a control programme (barrier precautions) had been implemented in the beginning of 1999. This study was conducted in a teaching hospital containing 1800 beds, from February 1999 to May 2000. All ESBLE isolated in clinical or screening samples were included. Duplicates (same bacteria in the same patient) were excluded. The detection of the ESBL was performed with the double-disk diffusion test. Incidence densities were determined with their 95% confidence interval (CI95%). Their evolution by four-month period was evaluated with the chi-square test for trend. During the 16-month period, 229 ESBLE were isolated. The incidence was 0.35 per 1000 patient-days (PD) (CI95% = [0.30-0.40]) for the whole hospital. It was 0.47/1000 PD (CI95% = [0.38-0.56]) in medical wards, 0.29/1000 PD (CI95% = [0.20-0.38]) in surgical wards and 1.32/1000 PD (CI95% = [0.90-1.74]) in intensive care units. Enterobacter aerogenes strains represented more than 75% of all ESBLE, whereas Klebsiella pneumoniae stains represented only 8.6%. During the study, the incidence of ESBLE and the proportion of strains acquired in our hospital decreased significantly (p < 0.0001 and p < 0.001 respectively). Indeed, between the first eight-month period and the last one, the incidence of ESBLE acquired in our hospital decreased by 55%, whereas the incidence of imported strains increased slightly. This study shows that the diffusion of ESBLE concerns the entire hospital. The implementation of a control programme of the spread of multiresistant bacteria allowed us to reduce significantly the incidence of ESBLE. This incidence seemed to be stable for several months. The implementation of a policy which restricts antimicrobial use would allow us to complete the the efficacy of barrier precautions.

Evaluation of the contribution of isolation precautions in prevention and control of multi-resistant bacteria in a teaching hospital

From February 1999 to January 2000, a control programme to prevent the spread multi-resistant bacteria (MRB) was implemented in a French teaching hospital. This programme focused on methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and Enterobacteriaceae producing extended-spectrum beta-lactamases (ESBL), and was based on the application of barrier precautions (washing hands with antiseptic soaps, wearing disposable gloves and gowns, identifying MRB carriers). No changes in antibiotic policy occurred during the year. Our aim was to conduct an evaluation of this programme by measuring incidence rates. Concurrently, the effect of barrier precautions was estimated in an indirect way, by documenting the availability of barrier precautions in MRB carriers' rooms and by analysing the monthly correlation between the supply of such material and the theoretical cumulated length of MRB carriers' isolation in six randomized wards. All MRB isolated in hospitalized patients were recorded, and differentiated between acquisition in our hospital or from elsewhere. For the analysis of trends, the year was divided in three periods of four months. Over the year, the global MRB incidence was 1.26 per 1000 patient-days (PD) [95% confidence interval (95%CI)=1.16-1.36]. The MRSA incidence was 0.89 per 1000 PD (95%CI=0.81- 0.97) and the ESBL incidence was 0.38 per 1000 PD (95% CI=0.33-0.43). The MRB incidence decreased significantly in all types of specialties except for surgical wards. The incidence decreased by 17.9% for MRSA, 54.9% for ESBL and 34.8% for both MRB. Concurrently, the proportion of strains acquired in our hospital decreased for MRSA (P for trend > or = 0.05) and ESBL (P for trend > or = 0.01), whereas the incidence of imported strains increased slightly. The proportion of multiresistant strains in S. aureus (36.8%) and Enterobacter aerogenes (37.0%) remained similar throughout the year. Thus, the decrease of the incidence concerned both resistant and susceptible strains. The availability of antiseptic soaps increased significantly (P for trend > or = 0.01). The amount of antiseptic soap ordered and the theoretical lengths of isolation were correlated on a monthly basis (Spearman coefficient = 0.72; P > or = 0.02). These results shows the efficacy of such a programme of MRB containment in a large hospital, provided barrier nursing is instigated, together with the availability of such material as antiseptic soap, to allow implementation.

Epidemiological study of an Acinetobacter baumannii outbreak by using a combination of antibiotyping and ribotyping

From June to November 1994 (period 1) and from February to June 1995 (period 2), multiresistant Acinetobacter baumannii strains were isolated in intensive care units and surgical wards of the Amiens Teaching Hospital Center (Amiens, France). Eighteen isolates were obtained from 17 (1%) of 1,706 patients admitted during both of these periods, giving an incidence rate of nosocomial infection per 1,000 patient days of 0.6%. Of 17 infected patients, 9 had pneumonia, 3 had urinary tract infection, 2 had peritonitis, 1 had septicemia, 1 had a catheter infection, and 1 had pneumonia and urinary tract infection. According to typing results, four antibiotic resistance profiles were detected: a, b, c, and d; seven ribotypes were distinguished by both restriction enzymes EcoRI and SalI (A, B, C, D, E, F, and G). By combining antibiotyping and ribotyping, we obtained eight groups of strains (groups I to VIII). Group I contained five strains (strains 4, 5, 7, 8, and 9) which had antibiogram pattern a and ribopattern A and constituted the outbreak strains. The strains of group II (strains 3, 10, 11, 13, and 14) were closely related to outbreak strain A and appeared to be variants of ribotype A (A2 [strain 3]; A4 [strain 10]; A5 [strains 11, 13, and 14]). Groups III, IV, V, VI, VII, and VIII included strains which were epidemiologically unrelated to the strains of group I and were considered nonoutbreak strains.

[Prevalence of anti-Chlamydia pneumoniae antibodies in preadolescent children in Congo]

Chlamydia pneumoniae (CPn) is recognised as a common cause of both upper and lower respiratory tract infections. Seroepidemiological studies seem to indicate a world-wide distribution of this organism. In order to evaluate the prevalence of antibodies to CPn in a healthy pediatric population, we measured anti-C. pneumoniae antibodies in a group of 253 infants without respiratory tract infections, aged from 1 to 12 years. Sera were obtained from children seen at immunization clinics and schools in Lubumbashi (Congo). Antibodies to CPn were evaluated using micro-immunofluorescence assay. IgG antibody to CPn in a titre 16 was considered as positive. The antibody prevalence was found to be 25.7%. This prevalence was 6.2% in children aged from 1 to 6 years, and 37.8% in children aged from 7 to 12 years. It was less than 10% under five years, increasing to 50% at 12 years. The progressive increasing of seropositivity related to age suggests that reinfections may be frequent. This study shows an important spread of this bacteria in the preadolescent population of an African country.

Limits of the microimmunofluorescence test and advantages of immunoblotting in the diagnosis of chlamydiosis

The Western blot (immunoblot) patterns of 56 serum specimens, all examined previously by the microimmunofluorescence (MIF) test for species-specific Chlamydia antibodies, were analyzed. Predominant specific-antibody activity was directed to the 170-, 155-, 145-, 120-, 115-, 100-, 57-, and 38-kDa proteins of Chlamydia trachomatis and to the 175-, 130-, 110-, 98-, and 30-kDa proteins of Chlamydia pneumoniae. All of these antigens appeared to be species specific. The reactivity with 90-, 80-, 75-, 62- or 60-, and 55-kDa proteins and the major outer membrane protein appeared to be genus specific. Fourteen serum samples which had identical titers of immunoglobulin G as determined by the MIF test were investigated by Western blotting. We found that nine serum samples had anti-C. trachomatis protein profiles and two had anti-C. pneumoniae protein profiles. The double seropositivity observed by MIF corresponded with cross-reactivity to genus-specific antibodies. As for the three remaining serum specimens, we observed identical protein profiles for C. trachomatis and C. pneumoniae, confirming the double seropositivity experienced with the MIF test. Western blotting can differentiate between specific reactions and interfering noise from other, partly cross-reacting chlamydial species.

[The prevalence of anti-Chlamydia trachomatis and anti-Chlamydia pneumoniae antibodies in Brazzaville]

The prevalence study of antibodies to Chlamydia trachomatis and Chlamydia pneumoniae in Brazzaville were screened from 108 women (56 pregnant women, 18 infertile women and 34 women affected with genital tract infections) and 108 blood donors (control subjects) by indirect microimmunofluorescent assay. 57.4% of studied women were carrying Chlamydia trachomatis antibodies, and 51.8% had C. pneumoniae antibodies. Prevalence of Chlamydia antibodies by women group studied was estimated to be: in pregnancy women group 51.7% of C. trachomatis antibodies and 62.5% of C. pneumoniae antibodies; in infertile women group 61.1% of C. trachomatis antibodies and 33.3% of C. pneumoniae antibodies; in women affected with genital tract infections group: 64.7% of C. trachomatis antibodies and 44.1% of C. pneumoniae antibodies. In blood donors group, the prevalence of IgG antibodies against Chlamydia trachomatis is 27.7% and 37% for IgG antibodies against C. pneumoniae.

[Prospective study of rheumatic manifestations in human immunodeficiency virus infection. Apropos of 26 cases in Congo]

A 12-month prospective study of the osteo-articular complaints in HIV infected patients was carried out in the Department of Rheumatology, Brazzaville, Congo. Positivity of the HIV serology was systematically researched. And so the authors have observed rheumatic disorders in 26 patients, 12 males, 14 females, with a mean age of 36 years (ranged from 13 to 78). These disorders are as follow: linked to HIV oligo or polyarthritis, 18 cases; septic arthritis 3 cases; destructive spondylodiscitis 2 cases; bilateral sciatica with paralysis 3 cases; tropical myositis 2 cases. Contamination was heterosexual in 23 patients, iatrogenic in 3 other ones. HIV infection was at the CDC stades II (7 patients) or IV (19 patients). The prevalence of osteo-articular manifestations in HIV infected patients who are admitted in the hospital of Brazzaville, Congo is evaluated at only 4%.