Highlights • The taxonomy, microbiology, and identification of Corynebacterium kroppenstedtii are reviewed and updated. • All published isolations of C. kroppenstedtii are reviewed and analyzed. • A ...comprehensive review of human and animal infections is presented. • The possible role of C. kroppenstedtii in granulomatous mastitis is discussed. • Antibiotic susceptibility data and detected resistance genes are given and reviewed. • Features of all C. kroppenstedtii sequenced genomes are compared..
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GEOZS, IJS, IMTLJ, KILJ, KISLJ, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, UILJ, UL, UM, UPCLJ, UPUK, ZAGLJ, ZRSKP
The emergence of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) in food-producing animals has provoked a great concern in the presence of MRSA in associated foodstuff. In this study, we have ...assessed for the first time the presence of MRSA in food confiscated from non-EU flights. We performed a search for MRSA among 195 food samples confiscated from passengers on flights from twenty-one non-EU countries in 2012 and 2013. One hundred and seventeen meat samples of diverse animal origin (including antelope, beef, chicken, duck, guinea pig, pork, rodents, and turkey), 75 dairy products (74 cheeses and 1 butter) and 3 eggs were analyzed. All S. aureus were studied by pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) and antimicrobial susceptibility testing. MRSA isolates were further characterized by multilocus sequence typing (MLST), SCCmec typing, and tested for the presence of Panton–Valentine leukocidin (PVL) virulence factors. Overall, 66 food samples were positive for S. aureus (33.9%). Six S. aureus strains were MRSA (9.1%), all of them in flights from Bolivia (and 5 from the same passenger). Among methicillin-sensitive S. aureus (MSSA) (60 out of 66S. aureus strains), 44.1% were resistant to penicillin, 10.2% to tetracycline, 8.5% were resistant to aminoglycosides (amikacin and tobramycin) and 3.4% exhibited the M phenotype. MRSA isolates were sensitive to all non-β-lactam antibiotics tested. SmaI-PFGE analysis provided 40 genotypes among the S. aureus isolates (three genotypes among the six MRSA). Five MRSA isolates belonged to ST8 and harboured SCCmec type IVc as well as PVL genes. One isolate belonged to ST1649, harboured SCCmec type IVc and tested negative for the presence of the PVL genes. In conclusion, in this study, we report for the first time the presence of CA-MRSA in food confiscated from non-EU flights: ST8/ST1649-MRSA-IV. These results confirm the illegal entrance of food as a neglected route of transmission as well as the dissemination of successful CA-MRSA lineages among countries via illegal foods. As a result, illegally imported food could play a role in the prevalence and evolution of MRSA clones in the community.
•195 confiscated foods from non-EU countries in 2012 and 2013 were tested for MRSA.•66 samples were positive for S. aureus (33.9%), and 6S. aureus strains were MRSA.•A significant number of strains (23.1%) were resistant to two or more antibiotics.•We report for the first time the presence of CA-MRSA in illegally imported foods: ST8/ST1649-MRSA-IV.•These results confirm the illegal entrance of food as a neglected route of MRSA transmission.
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GEOZS, IJS, IMTLJ, KILJ, KISLJ, NUK, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, UL, UM, UPCLJ, UPUK
The aim of the study was to evaluate the potential role of the illegal entry of food in UE in the Methicillin-resistant
(MRSA) spread. We studied the prevalence and characteristics of
and MRSA ...isolated from foods of animal origin confiscated from passengers on flights from 45 non-EU countries from 2012 to 2015 by the Border Authorities at Bilbao International Airport (Spain) and Vienna International Airport (Austria), as well as foods from open markets close to EU land borders. Of 868 food samples tested (diverse meat samples including antelope, duck, guinea pig, pork, rodents, turkey, dairy products, and eggs), 136 (15.7%) were positive for
and 26 (3.0%) for MRSA. All MRSA strains were
A-positive. The prevalence of
-positive dairy samples among food confiscated at Bilbao International Airport was 64.6%, and this airport also had the highest value (11.8%) for MRSA-positive samples. The predominant sequence type was ST5 (30.8%), followed by ST8, ST1649, ST1, and other lineages were found to a lesser extent (ST7, ST22, ST72, ST97, and ST398). Six isolates tested positive for
-PVL genes (SCC
IV subtypes IVc and IVe). Enterotoxin profiling revealed that 19 MRSA strains were enterotoxigenic, harboring one or more
genes. The MRSA isolates positive for
-PVL genes were not enterotoxigenic, and none of the isolates tested positive for enterotoxin E. We found 14 resistance profiles, and more than 69% of the MRSA isolates were resistant to three or more types of antimicrobial agents. This finding reveals both the wide diversity of the antimicrobial resistance found in the strains and the capacity to resist not only to beta-lactam drugs. One MRSA strain showed unusual characteristics: it was oxacillin-susceptible, harbored SCC
V, and was positive for
, and
but negative for PVL virulence factors. This study shows the presence of enterotoxigenic HA-, CA-, and LA-MRSA in foods illegally entering the EU, and highlights illegal importation of food as route of enterotoxigenic MRSA spread. Uncontrolled entry of food stuffs into the EU can be a relevant neglected route of MRSA dissemination.
In Europe, acute hepatitis caused by the hepatitis E virus (HEV) traditionally was an infection found in people who had travelled to endemic zones, mainly Asia and Africa. However, a growing number ...of sporadic autochthonous cases are now being diagnosed in the Western world.
To analyze the cases of acute HEV hepatitis diagnosed in our setting, with the identification of the clinical-epidemiological characteristics.
We included the cases of acute HEV hepatitis diagnosed (positive anti-HEV IgM and/or HEV RNA present in serum) between January 2008 and December 2014. Different clinical, epidemiological and evolutive parameters were analyzed.
A total of 23 patients were identified, all originating from Spain. Fourteen cases (60.87%) presented jaundice and marked cytolysis at the time of diagnosis (aspartate aminotransferase AST 1,106.91 U/l and alanine aminotransferase ALT 1,407.04 U/l). Twenty-two cases were regarded as autochthonous, and one patient had travelled to China three months before. The mean time to resolution was 11.2 weeks. Some autoimmune markers were positive in 43.5% of the patients. Two subjects were diagnosed with previous chronic liver disease and were classified as "acute-on-chronic liver failure" (ACLF), one died and the other underwent liver transplantation.
Acute HEV hepatitis in our setting is an autochthonous condition that is probably underdiagnosed, manifesting with jaundice and cytolysis. Autoimmune marker positivity is an epiphenomenon, which in some cases complicates the diagnosis.
A collection of 177 Francisella tularensis subsp. holarctica clinical isolates (29 from humans and 148 from animals, mainly hares and voles) was gathered from diverse tularemia outbreaks in the ...Castilla y León region (northwestern Spain) that occurred from the end of the 20th century to the 2020s. Along with four F. tularensis subsp. holarctica reference strains, all of these clinical isolates were tested using a broth microdilution method to determine their susceptibility to 22 antimicrobial agents, including β-lactams, aminoglycosides and one member each of the tetracycline, glycylcycline, quinolone and sulphonamide classes. Many multi-resistance profiles were found among the tested isolates, but especially among those of human origin (all but two isolates showed resistance to at least 13 of 18 antimicrobial agents). Even so, all human isolates were susceptible to gentamicin and tobramycin, while more than 96% of animal isolates were susceptible to these two aminoglycosides. Ciprofloxacin showed activity against more than 92% of animal and human isolates. However, almost 21% of human isolates were resistant to tetracycline, and more than 65% were resistant to tigecycline. Finally, a quite similar activity to other F. tularensis subsp. holarctica isolates collected 20 years earlier in Spain was observed.
To identify the spectrum and susceptibility pattern of isolated microorganisms from conjunctival flora of anophthalmic patients.
A cross-sectional clinical study including 60 patients with unilateral ...anophthalmia. Patients with use of antibiotic drops in their socket during the last month were also included. From each patient, three microbiological samples were taken from the lower conjunctival sac (healthy eye, pre-prosthesis, and retro-prosthesis space of socket). The 180 samples obtained were cultured. Isolates were identified and their antibiotic sensitivities were determined.
A total of 251 isolates were recovered (62 isolates from healthy eye, 93 from pre-prosthesis, and 96 from retro-prosthesis space). The most common organism was
, in both healthy eyes (64.5%) and sockets (45.5%). Altogether, coagulase-positive
, and Gram-negative bacteria accounted for less than 15% of isolates in healthy eyes and more than 35% in sockets. Regarding the antibiotic sensitivities, there were no significant differences between isolates from sockets and healthy eyes. Nine patients recognized the use of self-prescribed antibiotic drops in their socket. In the healthy eyes of these subjects, Gram-positive microorganisms showed significantly greater resistance to aminoglycosides and tetracycline.
Sockets of anophthalmic patients show a greater number of pathogens compared to healthy eyes. The use of antibiotic drops in the socket promotes a resistant flora not only in the socket but also in the healthy eye. Quinolones and macrolides may be better therapeutic options than aminoglycosides for treating conjunctivitis of anophthalmic sockets, since these antibiotics are less active against
.
To investigate the resistance to bacterial adhesion of materials used in oculoplastic surgery, particularly materials used in the manufacture of orbital implants.
Seven organisms of conjunctival ...flora (two strains of
and one strain each of
,
,
,
, and
) were selected. A lactic acid bacterium (
) was also included as positive control because of its well-known adhesion ability. Eight materials used to make oculoplastic prostheses were selected (glass, steel, polytetrafluoroethylene, polymethylmethacrylate, silicone from orbital implants, commercial silicone, porous polyethylene, and semi-smooth polyethylene). Materials surfaces and biofilms developed by strains were observed by scanning electron microscopy. Kinetics of growth and adhesion of bacterial strains were determined by spectrophotometry. Each strain was incubated in contact with plates of the different materials. After growth, attached bacteria were re-suspended and colony-forming units (CFUs) were counted. The number of CFUs per square millimetre of material was statistically analyzed.
A mature biofilm was observed in studied strains except
, which simply produced a microcolony. Materials showed a smooth surface on the microbial scale, although steel exhibited 1.0-µm-diameter grooves. Most organisms showed significant differences in adhesion according to the material. There were also significant differences in the total number of CFUs per square millimetre from each material (
=0.044). CFU counts were significantly higher in porous polyethylene than in silicone from orbital implants (
=0.038).
Silicone orbital implants can resist microbial colonization better than porous polyethylene implants.
Continuous monitoring of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is necessary to understand the clonal evolution of successful lineages. In this study, we identified the MRSA clones ...circulating in a Spanish hospital during a 2-year period, assessed their relationship with antimicrobial resistance profiles, and investigated the presence of the emerging community-associated and livestock-associated MRSA lineages (CA-MRSA, LA-MRSA). CC5-MRSA-IV isolates were the most frequently recovered, which supports the previously reported prevalence of this clone in Spanish hospitals. We observed ST125 isolates that harbored specific cassette chromosome recombinase (ccr) gene elements of the staphylococcal cassette chromosome mec (SCCmec) types IV and VI. That clone, which was first detected only recently, has increased resistance to erythromycin. Furthermore, 94% of the infections were caused by non-multiresistant isolates. Neither CA-MRSA nor LA-MRSA isolates were observed. These findings, along with related events over the last decade, suggest the establishment of a clonal endemic population in the Spanish clinical environment.
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EMUNI, FIS, FZAB, GEOZS, GIS, IJS, IMTLJ, KILJ, KISLJ, MFDPS, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, SBMB, SBNM, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK, VKSCE, ZAGLJ
We report for the first time an oxacillin-susceptible mecA-positive Staphylococcus aureus (OS-MRSA) associated with a processed food product in Europe. One isolate (MRSA-ST5-type V SCCmec) was found ...in cheese among 600 food samples confiscated from air passengers from international flights in Vienna Airport (Austria). Type V SCCmec strains do not harbor functional mecI-mecR1 genes and in such strains mecA expression is regulated by the bla system (blaI-blaR1-blaZ). It has been recently reported that malfunctions in the bla system lead to the constitutive expression of mecA. The OS-MRSA reported in this study harbored the bla system on a plasmid and one deletion occurred in the blaR1 gene causing a frameshift variant that lead to an incomplete BlaR1 protein. This finding highlights the potential role of food as a neglected route of dissemination of emerging MRSA variants.
•First characterization of OS-MRSA associated with processed food products in Europe.•Novel amino acid substitution identified in the transpeptidase domain of PBP2a.•Description of bla system carried on a plasmid.•Deletion in blaR1 gene lead to an incomplete BlaR1 protein.
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GEOZS, IJS, IMTLJ, KILJ, KISLJ, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, UILJ, UL, UM, UPCLJ, UPUK, ZAGLJ, ZRSKP
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