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Epidemiological Study Of Asymptomatic Bacteriuria Among Nursery School Children In Ahvaz, Iran

M Jalali, T Asteraki, E Emami-Moghadam, E Kalantar

 

Abstract

This study was undertaken to determine the prevalence of asymptomatic bateriuria in preschool children of different age and sex groups and to isolate the organisms responsible for asymptomatic bacteriuria and determine their antimicrobial susceptibility pattern. A total of 475 children from 17 nurseries in Ahvaz city, Iran were screened by collecting mid-stream urine samples for the presence of causative organisms. Asymptomatic bacteriuria was observed in 16 cases (3.36%). The isolated pathogens included Escherichia coli (50 %), Proteus mirabilis (25 %) and coagulase negative staphylococcus (25 %). The antibiograms indicated that Gentamicin (100 %), Nalidixic acid (100 %), Amikacin (75%), Kanamycin (75 %), Nitrofurantoin ( 62.5 %), Tobramycin ( 62.5 %), Tetracycline ( 50 %) and Chloramphenicol (37.5%), were in that order the most effective of the antibiotics tested against E. coli isolates. Proteus mirabilis showed 100% sensitivity to Amikacin, Gentamicin, Kanamycin, Nalidixic acid and Tobramycin followed by Nitrofurantoin (75%), Cephalotin (50%) and Chloramphenicol (50%). Similarly, antibiogram of coagulase negative staphylococcus showed 75% sensitivity to both Nalidixic acid and Kanamycin. This result indicated a significant rise in the frequency of Escherichia coli in asymptomatic bacteriuria.
Key words: Asymptomatic bacteriuria, children, urinary tract infections

Afr. J. Clin. Exper. Microbiol. 2005; 6(2): 159-161

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Characteristics of Nosocomial MRSA in Assir Central Hospital, Abha, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

T Al-Azraqi, CSS Bello

 

Abstract

The objective of this study is to determine the characteristics of nosocomial methicillin-resistant and sensitive Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA & MSSA) and their minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) to vancomycin and oxacillin. Over a six-month period a study of Staphylococcus aureusisolates from clinical specimens of patients with nosocomial infections in Assir Central Hospital (ACH), Abha, Saudi Arabia, between September 2003 and February 2004, was carried out. Isolation and identification of Staphylococcus aureus was performed using standard microbiological methods. MIC to vancomycin and oxacillin was carried out using the E-test strips. Eighty-five Staphylococcus aureus isolates were identified. These were made up of 39 (45.9%) MRSA and 46 (54.1%) MSSA. The MIC to oxacillin showed that 37/39 (94.9%) MRSA had MIC >256 µg/ml and only 2/39 (5.1%) had MIC of 4 and 32 µg/ml. Thirty of forty six (65.2%) of the MSSA had MIC < 0.50 µg/ml and 16/46 (34.8%) had MIC of between 0.50 -2 µg/ml. All the 85 isolates were fully sensitive to vancomycin (MIC breakpoint < 4 µg/ml). There is even distribution of sensitivity pattern to vancomycin among MRSA and MSSA isolates. 31/39 (79.5%) of MRSA had MIC of 2 µg/ml while 34/46(74.0%) of MSSA had MIC of 2 µg/ml. The prevalence of MRSA in nosocomial infections in ACH is 45.9%. Thirty-seven out of thirty-nine (94.9%) of the MRSA strains show high resistance to oxacillin (MIC > 256 µg/ml). The use of oxacillin-related drugs to treat nosocomial Staphylococcal infections in ACH should be reviewed and infection control practices should be intensified so as to stem any future increase in MRSA prevalence in the hospital.
Key words: MRSA, Characteristics, MICs, Vancomycin, Oxacillin.Afr. J. Clin. Exper. Microbiol. 2005; 6(2): 163-166

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Mycobacterium africanum – A Review

AO Onipede, B de Jong, RA Adegbola

 

Abstract

Tuberculosis, a curable infectious disease, remains the leading cause of adult death. The HIV/AIDS epidemic has greatly exacerbated the already grave situation in the developing world by creating a deadly synergy each worsening the course of the other. Mycobacterium africanumis a subspecies of Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex (MBC) and is isolated from tuberculous patients in certain parts of Africa. Genotypically, members of the MBC are closely related, exhibiting 99.9% similarity at the nucleotide level and identical 16s RNA gene (rDNA) and 16s-23s rDNA spacer sequences. However, identification and discrimination between members of the MBC are important for epidemiological purposes. This paper reviewed current knowledge about this subspecies.

Afr. J. Clin. Exper. Microbiol. 2005; 6(2): 167-175