This study was performed to analyze 6 day-term variations in bacterial communities contaminating the floor of two dry saunas that were operated at 64degrees C (low temp) and 76degrees C (high temp). Bacteria were sampled daily from the saunas for 6 days from Monday to Saturday. Genomic DNA was isolated directly from bacteria-collected cotton swabs. The diversity of the bacterial communities collected from the saunas was analyzed using thermal gradient gel electrophoresis (TGGE). The total numbers of DNA bands separated by TGGE for bacteria collected from the low temp and high temp sauna were 20 and 18, respectively, during the 6 days. Seven of 20 bacteria in the low temp sauna and eight of 18 bacteria in the high temp sauna were detected more than three times over the 6 experimental days. Twelve of the 26 bacterial genera contaminating the saunas were cross detected. Bacteria belonging to the genera Moraxella and Acinetobacter were selectively detected in the low temp sauna, whereas those belonging to Aquaspirillum, Chromobacterium, Aquabacterium, Gulbenkiania, Pelomonas, and Aquitalea were selectively detected in the high temp sauna. Three species of bacteria contaminating both the low and high temp saunas were thermophile or thermoduric. The results indicate that the sauna-contaminating bacteria may have been transferred from outside the saunas by user traffic but did not inhabit the saunas.
Acinetobacter ; Bacteria ; Chromobacterium ; DNA ; Electrophoresis ; Floors and Floorcoverings ; Moraxella ; Steam Bath

Moraxella is an aerobic, Gram-negative coccobacillus, which is rarely associated with serious and invasive infections. Because of its rarity, the clinical significance and appropriate therapy for infections due to Moraxella are not well understood. We report a case of meningoencephalitis caused by Moraxella. The patient presented with fever and confusion and was successfully treated with beta-lactam and aminoglycoside antibiotics. We also review 8 previously published cases of Moraxella meningitis or meningoencephalitis.
Anti-Bacterial Agents ; Fever ; Humans ; Meningitis ; Meningoencephalitis ; Moraxella

Moraxella lacunata is part of the normal flora of the mucosal surface and skin. It is considered to have low pathogenic potential and has been known to cause eye infection but rarely systemic infection. We experienced a case of septicemia due to M. lacunata in a 28-year-old man who was admitted to our hospital due to high fever. He had been well untill 3 weeks earlier when he experienced fever. Physical examination revealed no audible heart murmur and echocardiogram revealed no remarkable abnormalities. Culture of blood revealed M. lacunata. The patient expired due to subdural hemorrhage, 12th days after admission. We report the case with a brief review of related literature.
Adult ; Eye Infections ; Fever ; Heart Murmurs ; Hematoma, Subdural ; Humans ; Moraxella* ; Physical Examination ; Sepsis* ; Skin

Eight distinct bacteria were isolated form diseased mycelia of the edible mushroom, Pleurotus eryngii. 16S rDNA sequence analysis showed that the isolates belonged to a variety of bacterial genera including Bacillus (LBS5), Enterobacter (LBS1), Sphingomonas (LBS8 and LBS10), Staphylococcus (LBS3, LBS4 and LBS9) and Moraxella (LBS6). Among them, 4 bacterial isolates including LBS1, LBS4, LBS5, and LBS9 evidenced growth inhibitory activity on the mushroom mycelia. The inhibitory activity on the growth of the mushroom fruiting bodies was evaluated by the treatment of the bacterial culture broth or the heat-treated cell-free supernatant of the broth. The treatment of the culture broths or the cell-free supernatants of LBS4 or LBS9 completely inhibited the formation of the fruiting body, thereby suggesting that the inhibitory agent is a heat-stable compound. In the case of LBS5, only the bacterial cell-containing culture broth was capable of inhibiting the formation of the fruiting body, whereas the cell-free supernatant did not, which suggests that an inhibitory agent generated by LBS5 is a protein or a heat-labile chemical compound, potentially a fungal cell wall-degrading enzyme. The culture broth of LBS1 was not inhibitory. However, its cell-free supernatant was capable of inhibiting the formation of fruiting bodies. This indicates that LBS1 may produce an inhibitory heat-stable chemical compound which is readily degraded by its own secreted enzyme.
Agaricales ; Bacillus ; Bacteria ; DNA, Ribosomal ; Enterobacter ; Fruit ; Moraxella ; Ostreidae ; Pleurotus ; Sequence Analysis ; Sphingomonas ; Staphylococcus

BACKGROUND: Nasopharyngeal bacterial flora can cause respiratory tract diseases as well as invasive bacterial diseases. Moraxella catarrhalis colonizing in the nasopharynx is considered an important potential pathogen with an increasing production of beta-lactamase. This study examined the nasopharyngeal colonization rate of M. catarrhalis and the antibiotic susceptibility of M. catarrhalis. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Healthy children who visited one of the three University hospitals in the Republic of Korea or attended a day-care center around the participating hospitals were enrolled in this study. The nasopharyngeal samples were obtained by nasopharyngeal washing with normal saline and M. catarrhalis was isolated. The nasopharyngeal colonization rate of M. catarrhalis was investigated and the minimal inhibitory concentrations (MICs) were measured for commonly used oral antibiotics (amoxicillin, amoxicillin/clavulanate, cefaclor, cefixime, cefdinir, cefditoren, erythromycin and trimethoprim). RESULTS: Three hundred and seventy-nine children aged between 6 months and 5 years were enrolled, and the nasopharyngeal colonization rate of M. catarrhalis was 33% (124 children). All isolated M. catarrhalis produced beta-lactamase. The MIC90 of the antibiotics were as follows: amoxicillin, >16 mg/L; amoxicillin/clavulanate, 0.5 mg/L; cefaclor, 8 mg/L ; cefixime, 0.125 mg/L; cefdinir, 0.25 mg/L; cefditoren, 0.25 mg/L; erythromycin, 0.5 mg/L; and trimethoprim, >16 mg/L. CONCLUSIONS: M. catarrhalis was colonized in 33% of the children aged 6 months to 5 years, and showed low MICs for amoxicillin/clavulanate and oral 2nd and 3rd generation cephalosporins.
Aged ; Amoxicillin ; Anti-Bacterial Agents ; beta-Lactamases ; Cefaclor ; Cefixime ; Cephalosporins ; Child ; Colon ; Drug Resistance ; Erythromycin ; Hospitals, University ; Humans ; Moraxella ; Moraxella (Branhamella) catarrhalis ; Nasopharynx ; Republic of Korea ; Respiratory Tract Diseases ; Trimethoprim

A Gram-negative, catalase- and oxidase-positive, coccus-shaped bacterium was isolated from a rabbit with keratoconjunctivitis. Colonies of the isolate were round, smooth, and exhibited hemolytic activity on 5% sheep blood agar. Scanning electron microscopy revealed 0.4 to 0.5 µm diameter oval cocci. Partial 16S rRNA gene (1446 bp) sequence analysis demonstrated the isolate had significant homology with the Moraxella cuniculi CCUG2154 strain isolated from a rabbit in Germany in 1973. Our isolate was designated as APQAB1701. Antibiotic susceptibility tests demonstrated that APQAB1701 was sensitive to 24 antibiotics; 3 of the antibiotics (nalidixic acid, spectinomycin, and colistin) had minimal inhibitory concentrations ≥ 32 µg/mL against the isolate.
Agar ; Anti-Bacterial Agents ; Genes, rRNA ; Germany ; Keratoconjunctivitis* ; Microscopy, Electron, Scanning ; Moraxella* ; Rabbits ; Sequence Analysis ; Sheep ; Spectinomycin

BACKGROUND: Cefditoren is an oral cephalosporin with excellent activity against Haemophilus influenzae, Streptococcus pneumoniae, and Moraxella catarrhalis, which are the predominant bacterial causes of community-acquired respiratory tract infections. The current study attempted to determine the antibacterial activity of cefditoren against the major clinical isolates. METHODS: According to the NCCLS recommendations, antibacterial activities of cefditoren were measured against total 504 major clinical isolates. MICs were determined by the agar dilution method, a series of doubling dilutions from 128 to 0.03 microgram/mL, on E. coli, K. pneumoniae, E. cloacae, C. freundii, S. marcescens, P. mirabilis, and Staphylococcus spp. In case of H. influenzae, S. pneumoniae, and M. catarrhalis, broth microdilution method, a series of doubling dilutions from 16 to 0.015 microgram/mL, was performed. RESULTS: Cefditoren had variable activity against Enterobacteriaceae. MIC cumulative curves showed that cefditoren had low MIC distributions against E. coli and P. mirabilis, and MIC90 were 8 and 0.5 microgram/mL, respectively. Against K. pneumoniae, E. cloacae, C. freundii, and S. marcescens, cefditoren's MIC90 values ranged from 32 to >128 microgram/mL. For clinical isolates of methicillin-susceptible S. aureus and methicillin-susceptible S. epidermidis, cefditoren had MIC90 values of 1 microgram/mL and 0.5 microgram/mL, respectively. Cefditoren had MIC90 values of 1 microgram/mL for penicillin-susceptible and penicillin-not-susceptible strains of S. pneumoniae. Cefditoren had MIC90 values of 0.03 microgram/mL and 0.5microgram/mL against H. influenzae and M. catarrhalis, respectively. CONCLUSION: Cefditoren had excellent activity against S. pneumoniae, H. influenzae, and M. catarrhalis. Cefditoren had variable activity against Enterobacteriaceae. The results of this study confirm the excellent activity of cefditoren against the major respiratory tract pathogens and suggest that cefditoren could be a good antibiotic for empiric oral treatment of community-acquired respiratory tract infections.
Agar ; Cloaca ; Enterobacteriaceae ; Haemophilus influenzae ; Influenza, Human ; Mirabilis ; Moraxella (Branhamella) catarrhalis ; Pneumonia ; Respiratory System ; Respiratory Tract Infections ; Staphylococcus ; Streptococcus pneumoniae

BACKGROUND: Cefditoren is an oral cephalosporin with excellent activity against Haemophilus influenzae, Streptococcus pneumoniae, and Moraxella catarrhalis, which are the predominant bacterial causes of community-acquired respiratory tract infections. The current study attempted to determine the antibacterial activity of cefditoren against the major clinical isolates. METHODS: According to the NCCLS recommendations, antibacterial activities of cefditoren were measured against total 504 major clinical isolates. MICs were determined by the agar dilution method, a series of doubling dilutions from 128 to 0.03 microgram/mL, on E. coli, K. pneumoniae, E. cloacae, C. freundii, S. marcescens, P. mirabilis, and Staphylococcus spp. In case of H. influenzae, S. pneumoniae, and M. catarrhalis, broth microdilution method, a series of doubling dilutions from 16 to 0.015 microgram/mL, was performed. RESULTS: Cefditoren had variable activity against Enterobacteriaceae. MIC cumulative curves showed that cefditoren had low MIC distributions against E. coli and P. mirabilis, and MIC90 were 8 and 0.5 microgram/mL, respectively. Against K. pneumoniae, E. cloacae, C. freundii, and S. marcescens, cefditoren's MIC90 values ranged from 32 to >128 microgram/mL. For clinical isolates of methicillin-susceptible S. aureus and methicillin-susceptible S. epidermidis, cefditoren had MIC90 values of 1 microgram/mL and 0.5 microgram/mL, respectively. Cefditoren had MIC90 values of 1 microgram/mL for penicillin-susceptible and penicillin-not-susceptible strains of S. pneumoniae. Cefditoren had MIC90 values of 0.03 microgram/mL and 0.5microgram/mL against H. influenzae and M. catarrhalis, respectively. CONCLUSION: Cefditoren had excellent activity against S. pneumoniae, H. influenzae, and M. catarrhalis. Cefditoren had variable activity against Enterobacteriaceae. The results of this study confirm the excellent activity of cefditoren against the major respiratory tract pathogens and suggest that cefditoren could be a good antibiotic for empiric oral treatment of community-acquired respiratory tract infections.
Agar ; Cloaca ; Enterobacteriaceae ; Haemophilus influenzae ; Influenza, Human ; Mirabilis ; Moraxella (Branhamella) catarrhalis ; Pneumonia ; Respiratory System ; Respiratory Tract Infections ; Staphylococcus ; Streptococcus pneumoniae

BACKGROUND: Amoxicillin/clavulanate (A/C) is a combination of a broad spectrum -lactam antibiotic amoxicillin and the potent -lactamase inhibitor clavulanate. A/C 7:1 combination is known to be equal in its clinical efficacy and to have less gastrointestinal adverse effects compared to conventional A/C 4:1 combination. We estimated in vitro antimicrobial activities of the 7:1 combination (AMOCLA Duo) and the conventional 4:1 combination against clinical bacterial isolates known to be the major causes of acute otitis media or sinusitis. METHODS: Total 183 strains isolated from clinical specimens of patients at Seoul National University Hospital were tested for minimal inhibitory concentraion (MIC). Streptococcus pneumoniae and Haemophilus influenzae were tested by microdilution broth method and other bacterial species by agar dilution method according to the recommendations of National Committee for Clinical Laboratory Standards (NCCLS). RESULTS: AMOCLA Duo was compared with the 4:1 combination in respect to MIC50, MIC90 and MIC range. For total 183 strains (30 methicillin-susceptible Staphylococcus aureus, 30 methicillin-sus-ceptible Staphylococcus epidermidis, 25 penicillin-susceptible S. pneumoniae, 42 penicillin-resistant S. pneumoniae, 33 H. influenzae and 23 Moraxella catarrhalis), mean MICs did not show statistically significant difference between the 2 combinations but they did for H. influenzae and M. catarrhalis. CONCLUSIONS: As for the total test strains, in vitro antimicrobial activity of AMOCLA Duo was equal to that of the conventional 4:1 combination. For each species, H. influenzae and M. catarrhalis showed significant difference between mean MICs of the 2 combinations but other species did not. We do not suppose, however, that in case of H. influenzae this difference is of practical and clinical significance according to the NCCLS interpretive criteria for MIC. Although M. catarrhalis showed statistically very significant difference of MICs, this difference can be clinically solved due to the higher dose of amoxicillin in AMOCLA Duo.
Agar ; Amoxicillin* ; Bacteria* ; Clavulanic Acid* ; Haemophilus influenzae ; Humans ; Influenza, Human ; Moraxella ; Otitis Media ; Pneumonia ; Seoul ; Sinusitis ; Staphylococcus aureus ; Staphylococcus epidermidis ; Streptococcus pneumoniae

PURPOSE: Pneumonia is rather common and benign disease in children but its course is various. Many clinicians used the empirical antibiotics to treat pneumonia without identification of causative organism. This study was performed to find the pathogenic organism from the fluid culture by bronchoscopy with BAL (bronchoalveolar lavage) in severe pneumonia patients. METHODS: We studied 21 cases (male 15, female 6) who were admitted with severe pneumonia in the Department of Pediatrics, Sunlin Hospital from March to October in 1999. These patients had no underlying disease such as immunologic deficiency. We took laboratory tests including CBC, CRP, ESR, PB smear, mycoplasmal antibody and blood culture at admission day. We performed bronchoscopy with BAL, and wet smear and culture of that fluid. RESULTS: Organisms were cultured in nineteen cases out of 21 cases. Seven cases of Streptococcus mitis, five of Stenotrphomonas maltophilia, five cases of Streptococcus oralis, two of Moraxella species, two of Acinetobacter junii, one of Acinetobacter spesies, one Staphylococcus hominus, one alpha-h-Streptococcus, one Klebsiella pneumoniae, one Pseudomonas aeruginosa, one Enterobacter cloacae. Two organisms were cultured in nine cases. CONCLUSION: The positive rate of BALF culture was very high (90.5%). But, further studies are necessary for the patients with severe pneumonia preceded the use of antibiotics.
Acinetobacter ; Anti-Bacterial Agents ; Bronchoalveolar Lavage* ; Bronchoscopy ; Child ; Enterobacter cloacae ; Female ; Humans ; Klebsiella pneumoniae ; Moraxella ; Pediatrics ; Pneumonia* ; Pseudomonas aeruginosa ; Staphylococcus ; Streptococcus mitis ; Streptococcus oralis