OBJECTIVENanobacteria, a new kind of bacteria found by a Finnish scholar, is considered to relate to many human diseases like nephrolithiasis. However, there are no data available on nanobacteria infection in Chinese people.

METHODSNanobacteria was detected in serum of 336 cases of healthy adults in Southern China by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and immunohistochemistry stain. The monoclonal antibody of nanobacterum was supplied by Kuipio University of Finland.

RESULTSNanobacteria infection rates were 27 (8.0%), 19 (5.7%) in the healthy adults by ELISA and immunohistochemistry stain respectively. No difference was shown between the 2 methods and between male and female, statistically. Age and sex did not seem to be related to the infectious risk of nanobacteria. However, the infectious rate was lower in those below 30-year-old than that of people over 60-year-old (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONNanobacteria was existed in the serum of Chinese healthy people with an infectious rate of 8.0%.

Adult ; Arteriosclerosis ; microbiology ; China ; epidemiology ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ; Female ; Gram-Negative Bacteria ; isolation & purification ; Gram-Negative Bacterial Infections ; blood ; epidemiology ; microbiology ; Humans ; Immunohistochemistry ; Kidney Calculi ; microbiology ; Male

BACKGROUND: Procedures for rapid identification and susceptibility testing by direct inoculation (DI) from positive blood culture bottles into an automated system have not been standardized. This study was purposed to evaluate DI from BACTEC 9240 blood culture system (BD, USA) into MicroScan (Dade Behring, USA) or Phoenix (BD, USA). METHODS: From May to June 2006, bacterial pellets from positive aerobic bottles showing gram-positive cocci (GPC) or gram-negative rods (GNR) of single morphology were directly inoculated to MicroScan PosCombo1A and NegCombo32 and to Phoenix PMIC/ID-107 and NMIC/ID-53. In addition, the automated instruments were also inoculated from subcultures (standard inoculations, SI). Species identification and susceptibilities were compared between DI and SI and between MicroScan and Phoenix. RESULTS: A total of 108, 104, and 78 specimens were tested with MicroScan, Phoenix, and both, respectively. When DI and SI were matched, 94.8% of GPC were correctly identified with MicroScan, compared to 80.7% with Phoenix, and 93.9% of GNR were correctly identified with MicroScan, compared to 95.7% with Phoenix. DI with MicroScan and Phoenix showed correct susceptibilities in 94.6% of 1,150 and 96.5% of 660 tests (with very major error [VME] of 1.1% and 1.1%), respectively, among GPC and in 94.4% of 942 and 96.3% of 781 tests (with VME of 0.6% and 0%), respectively, of GNR. Correlation of identification/susceptibilities between MicroScan and Phoenix using DI were 81.8%/98.0% for Staphylococcus aureus and 100.0%/95.6% for Escherichia coli. CONCLUSIONS: DI warrants a reliable method for identification and susceptibility testing of both GPC and GNR in MicroScan, and those of only GNR in Phoenix.
Automation ; Bacterial Typing Techniques/instrumentation/*methods ; Culture Media ; Gram-Negative Bacteria/*classification/drug effects/isolation & purification ; Gram-Negative Bacterial Infections/blood/*microbiology ; Gram-Positive Bacterial Infections/blood/*microbiology ; Gram-Positive Cocci/*classification/drug effects/isolation & purification ; Humans ; Microbial Sensitivity Tests/instrumentation/*methods ; Reagent Kits, Diagnostic ; Sensitivity and Specificity

OBJECTIVETo observe the differences in the cytokine levels in the serum and ascites caused by Gram-positive or Gram-negative bacterial infection in patients with multiple organ dysfunction syndrome (MODS).

METHODSThe cytokines in the serum and ascites of the patients were examined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay in 27 patients with MODS due to Gram-positive (n=13) or Gram-negative (n=14) bacterial infection at day 1.

RESULTSThe levels of LPS and TNF-a were higher in the patients with Gram-negative bacterial infection than in patients with Gram-positive infection (P<0.05), but the levels of IL-6, IL-8 and IL-10 remained comparable between the two groups (P>0.05).

CONCLUSIONTesting of LPS and TNF-a in the serum and ascites of patients with MODS caused by Gram-positive or -negative bacterial infection may help to identify the pathogens for peritonitis resulting in MODS.

Ascites ; metabolism ; Gram-Negative Bacterial Infections ; blood ; metabolism ; Gram-Positive Bacterial Infections ; blood ; metabolism ; Humans ; Interleukin-10 ; blood ; metabolism ; Interleukin-6 ; blood ; metabolism ; Interleukin-8 ; blood ; metabolism ; Multiple Organ Failure ; blood ; metabolism ; microbiology ; Serum ; metabolism ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha ; blood ; metabolism

BACKGROUND: Stenotrophomonas maltophilia is a gram-negative bacillus that has become increasingly recognized as an important nosocomial pathogen, particularly in individuals with severe debilitation or immunosuppression. S. maltophilia is also characterized by its resistance to multiple antibiotics. S. maltophilia peritonitis in CAPD (continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis) patients is associated with a poor prognosis and loss of CAPD catheter. No report concerning this entity has been presented in Korea. Therefore, we describe and discuss five cases of the S. maltophilia infection associated with CAPD in three patients with peritonitis and two with exit-site infections. METHODS: We performed a retrospective search for episodes of S. maltophilia infections related to CAPD in our renal unit. The baseline levels of hemoglobin, albumin, cholesterol, BUN and creatinine were compared with age, sex and, if possible, the underlying disease-matched controls. RESULTS: All the patients with S. maltophilia peritonitis had diabetes mellitus as the underlying disease. The individual patients also had other significant combined morbidities, such as panhypopituitarism, COPD chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, cerebrovascular accident and myocardial infarction. The level of hemoglobin in these patients was significantly lower than in the controls, and the mean values of serum albumin, creatinine and BUN were also low. CONCLUSION: Immune dysfunction due to uremia, anemia, malnutrition, other comorbidities (e.g. diabetes mellitus), and also, an indwelling peritoneal catheter may be predisposing factors for the S. maltophilia infection in CAPD patients. Once the S. maltophilia infection is diagnosed in CAPD patient, the patient should be treated based on the understanding of this particular organism.
Adult ; Anti-Bacterial Agents/therapeutic use ; Biological Markers/blood ; Diabetes Complications/therapy ; Drug Resistance, Microbial ; Female ; Gram-Negative Bacterial Infections/blood/drug therapy/etiology/*microbiology ; Humans ; Korea ; Male ; Microbial Sensitivity Tests ; Middle Aged ; Peritoneal Dialysis, Continuous Ambulatory/*adverse effects ; Peritonitis/blood/drug therapy/etiology/*microbiology ; Retrospective Studies ; Risk Factors ; *Stenotrophomonas maltophilia ; Treatment Failure

Porcine proliferative enteropathy(PPE) is an enteric disease been caused by Lawsonia intracellularis. It has become one of the critical problems in the pig industry. To investigate the prevalence of PPE in Korea, serum samples of 828 pigs from 65 herds were tested using indirect immunofluorescence antibody technique(IFA). The infection rate in individual pigs varied from 44 to 69%, whereas 100% in pig farms. The infection frequency was 57, 44.9, and 59.4% according to age respectively. Administration of tylosin in feed at a concentration of 110 ppm for 14 days reduced the infection rate of the farms. These data indicated that the high prevalence of PPE may be controlled by tylosin.
Administration, Oral ; Animal Feed ; Animals ; Anti-Bacterial Agents/*therapeutic use ; Antibodies, Bacterial/blood ; Enteritis/epidemiology/prevention&control/*veterinary ; Fluorescent Antibody Technique, Indirect/veterinary ; Gram-Negative Bacterial Infections/prevention&control/*veterinary ; Korea/epidemiology ; *Lawsonia Bacteria/drug effects/growth&development/immunology ; Seroepidemiologic Studies ; Swine ; Swine Diseases/*epidemiology/microbiology/prevention&control ; Tylosin/*therapeutic use