Enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli (ETEC) causes neonatal and post-weaning diarrhea in pigs. In order to determine the risk factors, rectal/fecal swabs and visceral organs obtained from pig farms in two regions of South Africa were analyzed microbiologically against risk variables. Seventy-two percent of young pigs were found to be positive for ETEC toxin genes; estB (38.9%), estB/STAP (25%), and estB/LT (13.9%) were dominant. Risk factors for ETEC-diarrhea in pigs include: leaving sick piglets in a pen with healthy piglets [odds ratio (OR) = 33.52; P < 0.0001]; water spillage in pen (OR = 42.87; P < 0.0001); hypothermic piglets (OR = 7.29; P < 0.0001); runt piglets in pen with healthy littermates (OR = 3.65; P < 0.0001); and prolonged use of antibiotics (OR = 3.05; P = 0.05).
Animals ; Animals, Newborn ; Diarrhea ; epidemiology ; microbiology ; Escherichia coli ; genetics ; isolation & purification ; Escherichia coli Infections ; epidemiology ; microbiology ; veterinary ; Genes, Bacterial ; Prevalence ; Rectum ; microbiology ; Risk Factors ; South Africa ; Swine ; Swine Diseases ; epidemiology ; microbiology ; Weaning

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the effect of oral administration of probiotics on intestinal colonization with drug-resistant bacteria among preterm infants in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU).

METHODSA double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trial was carried out in the preterm infants who were transferred to the NICU immediately after birth. These infants were stratified by whether they were breastfed and then randomized into test group and control group. The test group was given probiotics from the day when enteral feeding began, while the control group was treated conventionally without probiotics. The two groups were compared in terms of the colonization with extended-spectrum beta-lactamase-producing bacteria, as assessed by rectal swabs on days 1, 3, 7, and 14 after birth, and the incidence of diseases.

RESULTSRectal colonization with drug-resistant bacteria was found in the test group (n=119) and control group (n=138) on days 1, 3, 7, and 14 after birth. There were no significant differences in the incidence of late-onset sepsis and necrotizing enterocolitis between the two groups (P>0.05). Among non-breastfed infants, the test group had significantly decreased rectal colonization with drug-resistant bacteria compared with the control group on day 14 after birth (71.1% vs 88.9%; P=0.04). No probiotic-related adverse events were observed in the study.

CONCLUSIONSOral administration of probiotics may reduce rectal colonization with drug-resistant bacteria in preterm infants under certain conditions and shows good safety.

Administration, Oral ; Bacteria ; isolation & purification ; Breast Feeding ; Double-Blind Method ; Drug Resistance, Bacterial ; Female ; Humans ; Infant, Newborn ; Infant, Premature ; Male ; Probiotics ; administration & dosage ; Rectum ; microbiology

INTRODUCTIONSevere perianal sepsis is often difficult to manage after surgical debridement due to faecal contamination. Diversion of the faecal stream has been attempted with faecal pouches and rectal tubes, and in some cases, a diverting stoma is created. However, reversal of the stoma may be delayed due to prolonged sepsis and this is not without risks. Herein, we review the use of a flexible faecal management system in patients with severe perianal sepsis.

METHODSWe retrospectively evaluated 15 patients who made use of the ConvaTec Flexi-Seal® Fecal Management System (FMS) between 1 January 2007 and 31 December 2010. The demographics and comorbidities of the patients, as well as the treatment received, were recorded and reviewed.

RESULTSNone of the patients required the creation of a stoma to divert the faecal stream. Nursing requirements and wound care were found to be improved with the use of the Flexi-Seal® FMS (fewer changes were needed). No severe complications were observed in our series. Two deaths were encountered, but the cause of death was not directly due to the initial perianal sepsis. Overall, the wound healing rate was 80.0%, with one graft failure (11.1%).

CONCLUSIONThe use of the Flexi-Seal® FMS in patients with perianal sepsis following extensive debridement is feasible and can be considered before stoma creation.

Adult ; Aged ; Anti-Bacterial Agents ; Bacterial Proteins ; isolation & purification ; Catheters, Indwelling ; Debridement ; Enterococcus ; isolation & purification ; Fasciitis, Necrotizing ; microbiology ; surgery ; Feces ; Female ; Fournier Gangrene ; microbiology ; Hemolysin Proteins ; isolation & purification ; Humans ; Klebsiella ; isolation & purification ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Perineum ; microbiology ; Rectum ; microbiology ; Retrospective Studies ; Sepsis ; diagnosis ; drug therapy ; microbiology ; therapy ; Singapore ; Surgical Stomas ; Treatment Outcome ; Wound Healing

BACKGROUND: Active screening for vancomycin-resistant enterococci (VRE) using rectal specimens is recommended to limit the spread of antimicrobial resistance within certain high-risk populations. We evaluated the diagnostic performance of Vancomycin Resistance 3 Multiplexed Tandem PCR assay (AusDiagnostics, Australia), a rapid multiplex real-time PCR assay that detects vanA and/or vanB. METHODS: Two-hundred-and-eleven rectal swabs from Hematology and Oncology unit were submitted for VRE surveillance via direct detection of vanA and/or vanB by culture and by using Vancomycin Resistance 3 Multiplexed Tandem PCR assay. Enterococci were identified to the species level by using standard biochemical tests and BD Phoenix Automated Microbiology System (BD Diagnostic Systems, USA). Vancomycin susceptibility of enterococci was determined using Etest (BioMerieux, France). RESULTS: Compared to the culture method, Vancomycin Resistance 3 Multiplexed Tandem PCR assay had a sensitivity of 84.0%, specificity of 98.8%, positive predictive value (PPV) of 91.3%, and negative predictive value (NPV) of 97.6%. The assay failed to detect 18 (8.5%) specimens because of the presence of PCR inhibitors; of the remaining 193 specimens, 25 (12.9%) were positive, 23 for vanA, and 2 for vanB. Although both sensitivity and specificity for vanA VRE was 100% compared to the culture method, all vanB-positive specimens tested negative by VRE culture. CONCLUSIONS: Vancomycin Resistance 3 Multiplexed Tandem PCR assay is a rapid and laborsaving option for VRE surveillance for direct use on rectal swabs. However, the high rate of PCR failure owing to the inhibitors in the specimens and the low specificity for vanB should be considered when interpreting the results.
Bacterial Proteins/genetics ; Carbon-Oxygen Ligases/genetics ; DNA, Bacterial/*analysis ; Enterococcus/*drug effects/*genetics/growth & development/metabolism ; Humans ; *Multiplex Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Reagent Kits, Diagnostic ; Rectum/*microbiology ; Sensitivity and Specificity ; Vancomycin/*pharmacology ; Vancomycin Resistance/*genetics

BACKGROUND: Group B streptococcus (GBS) infection is a leading cause of neonatal morbidity and mortality worldwide. Here, we present the analytical and diagnostic usefulness of a new real-time PCR-based assay (Xpert GBS; Cepheid, USA) for rapid and accurate prenatal GBS screening. METHODS: We enrolled 175 pregnant women who were between 35 and 39 weeks of gestation. The analytical performance of the Xpert GBS assay was first tested using a reference GBS strain. Next, to test diagnostic performance, rectovaginal swabs were obtained from pregnant women who visited the hospital for regular antenatal screening after 34 weeks of gestation. The results of the Xpert GBS assay were compared to those of standard culture for the detection of prenatal GBS colonization. RESULTS: When any positive result from Xpert GBS or culture was considered a true positive, the sensitivity of the Xpert GBS assay and culture were 91% (20/22; 95% CI [confidence interval], 72-98) and 68% (15/22; 95% CI, 47-84), respectively. The specificity of both methods was 100% (153/153; 95% CI, 97-100). The sensitivity and specificity of the Xpert GBS assay, using the culture results as a reference, were 86.7% and 95.6%, respectively. In the Xpert GBS assay, the median threshold cycle of vaginally colonized samples was significantly lower than rectally colonized samples (P<0.01). CONCLUSIONS: The Xpert GBS assay is an accurate, rapid, easy-to-use test for the detection of maternal GBS colonization in prenatal screening that might be especially useful in clinical settings where standard culture is not feasible.
DNA, Bacterial/*analysis ; Female ; Gestational Age ; Humans ; Pregnancy ; Pregnancy Complications, Infectious/*diagnosis/microbiology ; Prenatal Diagnosis ; Reagent Kits, Diagnostic ; Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Rectum/microbiology ; Sensitivity and Specificity ; Streptococcal Infections/*diagnosis/microbiology ; Streptococcus agalactiae/*genetics/isolation & purification ; Vagina/microbiology

This study aimed to investigate whether CHROMagar Acinetobacter medium (CHROMagar, France) in combination with an antimicrobial supplement (modified CHROMagar Acinetobacter; CHROMagar, France) can be used for detecting and isolating multidrug-resistant Acinetobacter species (MRA) in nasal and rectal surveillance cultures. Nasal and rectal swab samples were collected from patients in an intensive care unit at a teaching hospital. The samples were used to inoculate modified CHROMagar Acinetobacter plates, which were examined after 24 and 48 hr of incubation at 37degrees C. Their susceptibility against the antimicrobial agents meropenem, imipenem, ciprofloxacin, and amikacin was analyzed using the Etest (bioMerieux, France). A total of 406 paired samples (406 nasal swabs and 406 rectal swabs) were obtained from 226 patients, and 120 samples (28 nasal and 28 rectal cultures, 47 nasal cultures only, and 17 rectal cultures only) yielded MRA. Seventy-five MRA isolates (18.5%) were recovered from the 406 nasal samples, and 45 MRA isolates (11.1%) were recovered from the 406 rectal samples. Of the 120 MRA isolates, 3 (2.5%) were detected only after 48 hr of incubation. The use of modified CHROMagar Acinetobacter together with nasal and rectal swabs and 1-day incubation is an effective surveillance tool for detecting MRA colonization.
Acinetobacter/drug effects/*isolation & purification ; Acinetobacter Infections/diagnosis/microbiology ; Anti-Bacterial Agents/pharmacology ; *Drug Resistance, Multiple, Bacterial/drug effects ; Humans ; Intensive Care Units ; Microbial Sensitivity Tests ; Nose/*microbiology ; Reagent Kits, Diagnostic ; Rectum/*microbiology

This study aimed to investigate whether CHROMagar Acinetobacter medium (CHROMagar, France) in combination with an antimicrobial supplement (modified CHROMagar Acinetobacter; CHROMagar, France) can be used for detecting and isolating multidrug-resistant Acinetobacter species (MRA) in nasal and rectal surveillance cultures. Nasal and rectal swab samples were collected from patients in an intensive care unit at a teaching hospital. The samples were used to inoculate modified CHROMagar Acinetobacter plates, which were examined after 24 and 48 hr of incubation at 37degrees C. Their susceptibility against the antimicrobial agents meropenem, imipenem, ciprofloxacin, and amikacin was analyzed using the Etest (bioMerieux, France). A total of 406 paired samples (406 nasal swabs and 406 rectal swabs) were obtained from 226 patients, and 120 samples (28 nasal and 28 rectal cultures, 47 nasal cultures only, and 17 rectal cultures only) yielded MRA. Seventy-five MRA isolates (18.5%) were recovered from the 406 nasal samples, and 45 MRA isolates (11.1%) were recovered from the 406 rectal samples. Of the 120 MRA isolates, 3 (2.5%) were detected only after 48 hr of incubation. The use of modified CHROMagar Acinetobacter together with nasal and rectal swabs and 1-day incubation is an effective surveillance tool for detecting MRA colonization.
Acinetobacter/drug effects/*isolation & purification ; Acinetobacter Infections/diagnosis/microbiology ; Anti-Bacterial Agents/pharmacology ; *Drug Resistance, Multiple, Bacterial/drug effects ; Humans ; Intensive Care Units ; Microbial Sensitivity Tests ; Nose/*microbiology ; Reagent Kits, Diagnostic ; Rectum/*microbiology

OBJECTIVES: In July 2 2010, a diarrhea outbreak occurred among the workers in a company in Gyeungju city, Korea. An epidemiological investigation was performed to clarify the cause and transmission route of the outbreak. METHODS: We conducted a questionnaire survey among 193 persons, and we examined 21 rectal swabs and 6 environmental specimens. We also delegated the Daegu Bukgu public health center to examine 3 food service employees and 5 environmental specimens from the P buffet which served a buffet on June 30. The patient case was defined as a worker of L Corporation and who participated in the company meal service and who had diarrhea more than one time. We also collected the underground water filter of the company on July 23. RESULTS: The attack rate of diarrhea among the employees was 20.3%. The epidemic curve showed that a single exposure peaked on July 1. The relative risk of attendance and non-attendance by date was highest for the lunch of June 30 (35.62; 95% CI, 2.25 to 574.79). There was no specific food that was statistically regarded as the source of the outbreak. Bacillus cereus was cultured from two of the rectal swabs, two of the preserved foods and the underground water filter. We thought the exposure date was lunch of June 30 according the latency period of B. cereus. CONCLUSIONS: We concluded the route of transmission was infection of dishes, spoons and chopsticks in the lunch buffet of June 30 by the underground water. At the lunch buffet, 50 dishes, 40 spoons, and chopsticks were served as cleaned and wiped with a dishcloth. We thought the underground water contaminated the dishes, spoons, chopsticks and the dishcloth. Those contaminated materials became the cause of this outbreak.
Adult ; Aged ; Bacillus cereus/*isolation & purification ; Diarrhea/etiology ; *Disease Outbreaks ; Female ; Foodborne Diseases/*epidemiology/microbiology ; Fresh Water/microbiology ; Gram-Positive Bacterial Infections/*epidemiology/microbiology ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Questionnaires ; Rectum/microbiology

This study was conducted to investigate the presence of Escherichia (E.) coli O157 and E. coli O157:H7 and stx1 and stx2 genes on cattle carcasses and in rectal samples collected from Samsun Province of Turkey. A total of 200 samples collected from cattle carcasses and the rectal contents of 100 slaughtered cattle from two commercial abattoirs were tested using the immunomagnetic separation technique and multiplex PCR methods. E. coli O157 and E. coli O157:H7 were detected in 52 of the 200 samples (26%) tested. Of the positive samples, 49 were E. coli O157 and three were E. coli O157:H7. The E. coli O157 strain was isolated from 24 carcasses and 25 rectal samples, while E. coli O157:H7 was isolated from two carcasses and one rectal sample. Of the 49 samples positive for E. coli O157, 32 were from the rectal and carcass samples of the same animal, while two E. coli O157:H7 isolates were obtained from rectal swabs and carcasses of the same animal. The stx1 and stx2 genes were both detected in 35 E. coli O157 isolates and one E. coli O157:H7 isolate, but the stx2 gene was only detected alone in two E. coli O157 isolates. Overall, 16 carcasses tested positive for E. coli O157 and one carcass tested positive for E. coli O157:H7 based on both carcass and rectal samples. Overall, the results of this study indicate that cattle carcasses pose a potential risk to human health due to contamination by E. coli O157 and E. coli O157:H7 in the feces.
Abattoirs ; Animals ; Cattle ; Escherichia coli O157/*genetics/isolation & purification ; *Immunomagnetic Separation ; Meat/microbiology ; *Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Rectum/microbiology ; Shiga Toxin 1/*genetics ; Shiga Toxin 2/*genetics ; Turkey

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) transmission route is not yet clearly understood. Isolating H. pylori from stool, saliva, and vomitus is very difficult. However, H. pylori could be cultured from feces in the setting of rapid gastrointestinal tract transit. The aim of this study was to isolate H. pylori by culture and PCR in the rectum and terminal ileum during colonoscopy. METHODS: Twenty subjects with positive UBT (urea breath test) were included. We performed polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test and culture of H. pylori with the rectal fluid and terminal ileal fluid during colonoscopy. RESULTS: H. pylori was cultured with rectal fluid from 9 (45.0%) of 20 subjects and with ileal fluid from 11 (55.0%) of 20 subjects. H. pylori was a little more frequently cultured from the terminal ileal fluid than the rectal fluid without statistical significance (p>0.05). PCR test detected flaA (16/20, 80.0% and 17/20, 85.0%), 16S rRNA gene (16/20, 80.0% and 17/20, 85.0%), cagA (10/20, 50.0% and 12/20, 60.0%), and ureC (9/20, 45% and 11/20, 54.5%) from the rectal fluid and the terminal ileal fluid, respectively. The specificity and sensitivity of ureC were 100%. CONCLUSIONS: H. pylori could be cultured from the rectal fluid and terminal ileal fluid in the setting of rapid gastrointestinal tract transit. These results suggest of fecal-oral transmission of H. pylori.
Adult ; Antigens, Bacterial/genetics ; Bacterial Proteins/genetics ; Breath Tests ; Electrolytes/administration & dosage ; Feces/microbiology ; Female ; Helicobacter Infections/*diagnosis/transmission ; Helicobacter pylori/genetics/*isolation & purification ; Humans ; Ileum/*microbiology ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Polyethylene Glycols/administration & dosage ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; RNA, Ribosomal, 16S/genetics ; Rectum/*microbiology ; Sensitivity and Specificity ; Urea/analysis ; Urease/genetics