bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Clinical Evaluation of the ASTY Colorimetric Microdilution Panel for Antifungal Susceptibility Testing
Authors: Pfaller M. A. , Arikan S. , Lozano-Chiu M. , Chen Y.-S. , Coffman S. , Messer S. A. , Rennie R. , Sand C. , Heffner T. , Rex J. H. , Wang J. , Yamane N. 
Published: December 2019

ABSTRACT

A method using a commercially prepared colorimetric microdilution panel (ASTY; Kyokuto Pharmaceutical Industrial Co., Ltd.) was compared in four different laboratories with the National Committee for Clinical Laboratory Standards (NCCLS) reference microdilution method by testing 802 clinical isolates of
Candida
spp. (
C. albicans
,
C. glabrata
,
C. tropicalis
,
C. parapsilosis
,
C. krusei
,
C. lusitaniae
,
C. guilliermondii
,
C. lipolytica
,
C. rugosa
, and
C. zeylanoides
) against amphotericin B, 5-fluorocytosine (5FC), fluconazole, and itraconazole. Reference MIC endpoints were established after 48 h of incubation, and ASTY endpoints were established after 24 and 48 h of incubation. ASTY endpoints were determined to be the time at which the color of the first well changed from red (indicating growth) to purple (indicating growth inhibition) or blue (indicating no growth). Excellent agreement (within 2 dilutions) between the reference and colorimetric MICs was observed. Overall agreement was 93% at 24 h and 96% at 48 h. Agreement ranged from 90% with itraconazole and 5FC to 96% with amphotericin B at 24 h and from 92% with itraconazole to 99% with amphotericin B and 5FC at 48 h. The ASTY colorimetric microdilution panel method appears to be comparable to the NCCLS reference method for testing the susceptibilities of
Candida
spp. to a variety of antifungal agents.
Sequential Evaluation of Dogs Naturally Infected withEhrlichia canis,Ehrlichia chaffeensis,Ehrlichia equi,Ehrlichia ewingii, orBartonella vinsonii
Authors: Breitschwerdt Edward B. , Hegarty Barbara C. , Hancock Susan I. 
Published: December 2019

ABSTRACTHistorically, disease manifestations in dogs seroreactive toEhrlichia canisantigens by indirect immunofluorescent antibody testing have been attributed to infection with eitherE. canisorEhrlichia ewingii. A 1996 study by Dawson and colleagues provided PCR evidence that healthy dogs from southeastern Virginia could be naturally infected withEhrlichia chaffeensis. This observation stimulated us to determine whichEhrlichiaspp. infected sick dogs that were referred to our hospital from the same region. Based upon PCR amplification with species-specific primers, sick dogs seroreactive toE. canisantigens were determined to be infected with fourEhrlichiaspecies:E. canis,E. chaffeensis,E. equi, andE. ewingii. Coinfection with threeEhrlichiaspecies (E. canis,E. ewingii, andE. equi) was documented for one dog. An additional canine pathogen presumed to be tick transmitted,Bartonella vinsoniisubsp.berkhoffii, was identified in 7 of 12 dogs. Importantly, our results indicate that in naturally infected dogs,E. chaffeensiscan cause severe disease manifestations that are clinically and serologically indistinguishable from disease manifestations ofE. canisorE. ewingii. In addition, our findings support the efficacy of doxycycline for treatment ofE. canis,E. equi, andE. ewingiiinfections but indicate that, based upon the persistence ofE. chaffeensisDNA for 1 year following treatment,E. chaffeensisinfection in dogs may be more refractory to doxycycline treatment. Undetected coinfection withBartonellamay also complicate the evaluation of treatment efficacy while resulting in disease manifestations that mimic ehrlichiosis.
Comparison of the Binax
Legionella
Urinary Antigen Enzyme Immunoassay (EIA) with the Biotest
Legionella
Urin Antigen EIA for Detection of
Legionella
Antigen in both Concentrated and Nonconcentrated Urine Samples
Authors: Domínguez J. A. , Galí N. , Pedroso P. , Fargas A. , Padilla E. , Manterola J. M. , Matas L. 
Published: December 2019

ABSTRACT

We evaluated a newly commercial enzyme immunoassay (EIA) (Biotest
Legionella
Urin Antigen EIA; Biotest AG, Dreieich, Germany) for detection of antigens of all
Legionella pneumophila
serogroups with a relatively wide spectrum of cross-reactivity as well as antigens of other
Legionella
spp. by comparing its sensitivity and specificity with those of an EIA for detection of
L. pneumophila
serogroup 1 antigen (
Legionella
urinary antigen EIA; Binax, Portland, Maine). Both tests were performed with both concentrated and nonconcentrated urine samples. We also evaluated the capabilities of both EIAs to detect extracted soluble antigens of American Type Culture Collection (ATCC)
Legionella
strains (
L. pneumophila
serogroups 1 to 14,
L. bozemanii
, and
L. longbeachae
). The sensitivity of the Biotest EIA was 66.66% in nonconcentrated urine and 86.66% in concentrated urine. The sensitivity of the Binax EIA was 63.76% and 88.88% in nonconcentrated and concentrated urine, respectively. The specificity was 100% in nonconcentrated and concentrated urine for both assays. The Binax EIA and Biotest EIA detected extracted soluble antigens of
L. pneumophila
serogroups 1 to 14 and
L. bozemanii
ATCC strains. The cross-reactions observed with the Binax EIA were probably due to common epitopes directly related to lipopolysaccharide. Further studies are required to determine the usefulness of the Binax EIA for detection of urinary antigens from
Legionella
species and serogroups other than
L. pneumophila
serogroup 1. The Biotest EIA proved to be as rapid, sensitive, and specific as the Binax EIA for the diagnosis of legionellosis. Concentration of antigen present in urine increased the sensitivities of both techniques with no reduction in specificity.
Discrimination of
Burkholderia gladioli
from Other
Burkholderia
Species Detectable in Cystic Fibrosis Patients by PCR
Authors: Bauernfeind Adolf , Schneider Ines , Jungwirth Renate , Roller Carsten 
Published: December 2019

ABSTRACT

A procedure for molecular identification of
Burkholderia gladioli
is described. Specific 16S and 23S rRNA gene signature sequences were defined as primers for PCR. The method allows rapid and specific discrimination of
B. gladioli
from related species (
B. cepacia
,
B. multivorans
,
B. vietnamiensis
,
B. mallei
,
B. pseudomallei
,
Ralstonia pickettii
, and
R. eutropha
) and should contribute to the clarification of its role as a human pathogen, e.g., in cystic fibrosis.
Cord Formation in BACTEC Medium Is a Reliable, Rapid Method for Presumptive Identification of
Mycobacterium tuberculosis
Complex
Authors: McCarter Yvette S. , Ratkiewicz Irene N. , Robinson Ann 
Published: December 2019

ABSTRACT

Serpentine cord formation in BACTEC 12B medium was evaluated as a rapid method for the presumptive identification of
M. tuberculosis
complex. Kinyoun acid-fast stained smears were prepared from 666 positive BACTEC 12B bottles and examined for the presence or absence of serpentine cording. Cord formation had a sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, and negative predictive value of 89.2, 99.2, 98.5, and 94.2%, respectively. The evaluation of the presence of cord formation in BACTEC 12B medium is reliable and permits the rapid presumptive reporting of
M. tuberculosis.
Detection of
Helicobacter pylori
in Stool Specimens by PCR and Antigen Enzyme Immunoassay
Authors: Makristathis Athanasios , Pasching Eva , Schütze Kurt , Wimmer Margit , Rotter Manfred L. , Hirschl Alexander M. 
Published: December 2019

ABSTRACT

A highly sensitive seminested PCR assay to detect
Helicobacter pylori
DNA in feces was developed. PCR with stool specimens and a novel antigen enzyme immunoassay (EIA) for
H. pylori
detection in feces were evaluated as diagnostic tools and in follow-up with samples from 63 infected and 37 noninfected persons. Infected individuals received eradication therapy followed by endoscopic follow-up 35 days after the start of treatment. At that time, a second stool specimen was obtained from 55 of these patients. Before eradication, the sensitivity of PCR was 93.7% and that of EIA 88.9%. Specificities were 100 and 94.6%, respectively. Of the 55 follow-up specimens, 41 originated from patients from whom
H. pylori
had been eradicated. Of these, 21 were still positive by PCR and 13 were positive by EIA, indicating that 1 month may be too short a period for follow-up evaluation of stool specimens by these tests.
Early Detection of
Mycobacterium tuberculosis
in BACTEC Cultures by Ligase Chain Reaction
Authors: Tortoli Enrico , Lavinia Federica , Simonetti M. Tullia 
Published: December 2019

ABSTRACT

The LCx
Mycobacterium tuberculosis
ligase chain reaction system (Abbott Diagnostic Division, Abbott Park, Ill.) was used to detect
M. tuberculosis
in 150 consecutive BACTEC vials on the day on which a positive growth index (GI) was recorded. By LCx,
M. tuberculosis
DNA was detected in BACTEC vials on average 2.6 days before the presence of acid-fast bacilli could be confirmed by microscopic examination. A total of 106 of 108
M. tuberculosis
isolates were detected without centrifugation from bottles presenting very low GIs (average, 70; median, 33). No false-positive result was obtained from nontuberculous mycobacteria or from isolates with contaminants.
Diagnosis of
Penicillium marneffei
Infection by Quantitation of Urinary Antigen by Using an Enzyme Immunoassay
Authors: Desakorn V. , Smith M. D. , Walsh A. L. , Simpson A. J. H. , Sahassananda D. , Rajanuwong A. , Wuthiekanun V. , Howe P. , Angus B. J. , Suntharasamai P. , White N. J. 
Published: December 2019

ABSTRACT

Penicillium marneffei
is a major cause of opportunistic infection in patients with AIDS in north and northeastern Thailand. A method for the quantitation of
P. marneffei
antigen in urine was developed by using fluorescein isothiocyanate-labelled purified rabbit hyperimmune immunoglobulin G in an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. This method was evaluated with 33 patients with culture-proven penicilliosis and 300 controls (52 healthy subjects, 248 hospitalized patients without penicilliosis) from the same area in which penicilliosis is endemic. Urinary antigen was found in all 33 (100%) patients with penicilliosis, with a median titer of 1:20,480. With undiluted samples, 67 (27%) of 248 hospital patients and 3 (6%) of 52 healthy controls were reactive. At a cutoff titer of 1:40, the urine antigen detection assay had a diagnostic sensitivity of 97% and specificity of 98% (positive predictive value, 84%; negative predictive value, 99.7%). This test offers a valuable and rapid method for the diagnosis of penicilliosis in patients with AIDS and could be a useful addition to conventional diagnostic methods in areas in which penicilliosis is endemic.
New York 1 and Sin Nombre Viruses Are Serotypically Distinct Viruses Associated with Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome
Authors: Gavrilovskaya Irina , LaMonica Rachel , Fay Mary-Ellen , Hjelle Brian , Schmaljohn Connie , Shaw Robert , Mackow Erich R. 
Published: December 2019

ABSTRACT

New York 1 virus (NY-1) and Sin Nombre virus (SN) are associated with hantavirus pulmonary syndrome (HPS). NY-1 and SN are derived from unique mammalian hosts and geographic locations but have similar G1 and G2 surface proteins (93 and 97% identical, respectively). Focus reduction neutralization assays were used to define the serotypic relationship between NY-1 and SN. Sera from NY-1-positive
Peromyscus leucopus
neutralized NY-1 and SN at titers of ≥1/3,200 and ≤1/400, respectively (
n
= 12). Conversely, SN-specific rodent sera neutralized NY-1 and SN at titers of <1/400 and 1/6,400, respectively (
n
= 13). Acute-phase serum from a New York HPS patient neutralized NY-1 (1/640) but not SN (<1/20), while sera from HPS patients from the southwestern United States had 4- to >16-fold-lower neutralizing titers to NY-1 than to SN. Reference sera to Hantaan, Seoul, and Prospect Hill viruses also failed to neutralize NY-1. These results indicate that SN and NY-1 define unique hantavirus serotypes and implicate the presence of additional HPS-associated hantavirus serotypes in the Americas.
Performance Characteristics of the BDProbeTec System for Direct Detection of
Mycobacterium tuberculosis
Complex in Respiratory Specimens
Authors: Pfyffer Gaby E. , Funke-Kissling Pascale , Rundler Eva , Weber Rainer 
Published: December 2019

ABSTRACT

Strand displacement amplification (SDA) technology has been established in a fully automated system known as BDProbeTec. Target sequences of the insertion sequence IS
6110
and the 16S rRNA gene are simultaneously amplified, which thus allows the detection of
Mycobacterium tuberculosis
complex and, as an additional option, of most
Mycobacterium
species. Detection occurs via a chemiluminescent microwell assay that employs the simultaneous hybridization and capture of SDA products with a biotinylated capture probe and an alkaline phosphatase detector probe. We have evaluated the performance of the BDProbeTec system in detecting
M. tuberculosis
complex by testing 799 respiratory specimens and comparing the results to those obtained by conventional diagnostic techniques, i.e., microscopy and culture (solid and radiometric media).
M. tuberculosis
was cultivated from 41 specimens, of which 28 (68.4%) were smear positive and 13 (31.6%) were smear negative. The overall sensitivity of the SDA assay was 97.6% (for smear-positive specimens, 100%; for smear-negative specimens, 92.3%), and specificity was 95.0%. After resolution of the discrepancies by studying the patients’ clinical data, sensitivity and specificity were 97.9 and 96.5%, respectively, and positive and negative predictive values were 63.9 and 99.9%, respectively. These preliminary data demonstrate that the BDProbeTec system has promising performance characteristics with respiratory specimens and that it allows the detection of
M. tuberculosis
complex within hours.
Homogeneity of 16S-23S Ribosomal Intergenic Spacer Regions of
Tropheryma whippelii
in Swiss Patients with Whipple’s Disease
Authors: Hinrikson Hans Peter , Dutly Fabrizio , Altwegg Martin 
Published: December 2019

ABSTRACT

The current genetic strategies used to identify
Tropheryma whippelii
, the putative agent of Whipple’s disease, are based on PCR-mediated amplification of a part of its 16S rRNA gene (16S rDNA). Because there is very little intraspecies variation in these molecules, they are not suitable as targets for epidemiologic investigations. However, the intergenic spacer region between the 16S and 23S rDNAs is usually much more variable and has repeatedly been used for epidemiologic purposes. We have therefore amplified the spacer region of
T. whippelii
directly from clinical specimens from nine independent Swiss patients with Whipple’s disease by PCR with primers complementary to the 3′ and 5′ ends of the 16S and 23S rDNAs, respectively. The amplicons were directly sequenced and the sequences were compared to the
T. whippelii
reference sequence in GenBank/EMBL (accession no.
X99636
). Complete sequence homogeneity was found between the samples from our nine patients; the spacer sequence was also identical to the reference sequence. However, the sequences corresponding to the 3′ and 5′ ends of the 16S and the 23S rDNAs of
T. whippelii
, respectively, differed from the respective sequences in GenBank/EMBL. The same sequence found in our patients was then found in a sample from the German patient from which the published sequence had been derived. We conclude that the 16S-23S rDNA spacer region seems to be very conserved in
T. whippelii
and that the respective reference entry in public databases should be revised.
Disseminated Infection Due to
Chrysosporium zonatum
in a Patient with Chronic Granulomatous Disease and Review of Non-
Aspergillus
Fungal Infections in Patients with This Disease
Authors: Roilides Emmanuel , Sigler Lynne , Bibashi Evangelia , Katsifa Helen , Flaris Nicolas , Panteliadis Christos 
Published: December 2019

ABSTRACT

We report the first case of
Chrysosporium zonatum
infection in a 15-year-old male with chronic granulomatous disease who developed a lobar pneumonia and tibia osteomyelitis while on prophylaxis with gamma interferon. The fungus was isolated from sputum and affected bone, and hyphae were observed in the bone by histopathology. Therapy with amphotericin B eradicated the osteomyelitis and pneumonia, but pneumonia recurred in association with pericarditis and pleuritis during therapy with itraconazole. These manifestations subsided, and no recurrences occurred with liposomal amphotericin B therapy. Infections caused by
Chrysosporium
species are very rare, and
C. zonatum
has not previously been reported to cause mycosis in humans. This species, the anamorph of the heterothallic ascomycete
Uncinocarpus orissi
(family Onygenaceae), is distinguished by its thermotolerance, by colonies which darken from yellowish white to buff, and by club-shaped terminal aleurioconidia borne at the ends of short, typically curved stalks. The case isolate produced fertile ascomata in mating tests with representative isolates. The median (range) MICs for our isolate as well as those for two other human isolates and a nonhuman isolate determined by the National Committee for Clinical Laboratory Standards method adapted for moulds were ≤0.06 μg/ml (≤0.06 to 0.25 μg/ml) for amphotericin B, 0.687 μg/ml (0.25 to 2 μg/ml) for itraconazole, >128 μg/ml (>128 μg/ml) for flucytosine, and 48 μg/ml (32 to >128 μg/ml) for fluconazole.
Identification of
Yersinia
Species by the Vitek GNI Card
Authors: Linde Hans-Jörg , Neubauer Heinrich , Meyer Hermann , Aleksic Stojanca , Lehn Norbert 
Published: December 2019

ABSTRACT

The Vitek GNI card was used to identify 212 isolates of 10
Yersinia
species. Identification was correct for 96.3% of the isolates (156 of 162) to the genus level and for 57.4% of the isolates (93 of 162) to the species level for
Yersinia
spp. listed in the Vitek database. We recommend additional identification methods for isolates assigned to the genus
Yersinia
by the Vitek system.
Definition of False-Positive Reactions in Screening for Hepatitis C Virus Antibodies
Authors: Schröter Matthias , Feucht Heinz-Hubert , Schäfer Peter , Zöllner Bernhard , Polywka Susanne , Laufs Rainer 
Published: December 2019

ABSTRACT
The rate of false-positive hepatitis C virus enzyme immunoassay results was determined to be at least 10% among 1,814 reactive serum samples based on (i) negative results in an independent confirmation assay, (ii) negative PCR results, and (iii) no patients developing clinical or biochemical signs of hepatitis during a 1-year follow-up.
Evaluation of the Oxoid Dryspot Streptococcal Grouping Kit for Grouping Beta-Hemolytic Streptococci
Authors: Petts D. N. 
Published: December 2019

ABSTRACT
The latex agglutination kits that are widely used for grouping of beta-hemolytic streptococci in clinical laboratories use liquid latex suspensions. The Oxoid Dryspot kit (Oxoid Ltd., Basingstoke, Hampshire, United Kingdom) uses predispensed latex dried onto reaction cards or cardboard strips. All streptococci of groups A (85 strains), B (87 strains), C (30 strains), D (38 strains), F (23 strains), and G (65 strains) were correctly grouped by using these reagents. The Oxoid Dryspot Streptococcal Grouping kit is a reliable method for grouping of the beta-hemolytic streptococci encountered in clinical laboratories.
Detection of Human Immunodeficiency Virus Type 1 Nucleocapsid Protein p7 In Vitro and In Vivo
Authors: de Baar M. P. , van der Horn K. H. M. , Goudsmit J. , de Ronde A. , de Wolf F. 
Published: December 2019

ABSTRACT

We developed and evaluated an immunoassay for the detection and quantification of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) nucleocapsid protein p7 using electrochemiluminescence technology. The assay had a dynamic range of 50 to 20,000 pg/ml and a lower detection limit equivalent to approximately 10
6.5
HIV-1 RNA copies/ml in culture supernatant. In vitro kinetic replication studies showed that the amount of p7 correlated strongly with the amount of p24 (
R
2
= 0.869;
P
< 0.0001) and viral RNA (
R
2
= 0.858;
P
= 0.0009). On the basis of the p7 and RNA concentrations, we calculated the median p7:RNA ratio to be approximately 1,400 p7 molecules per RNA molecule. HIV-1 p7 could be detected and quantified in culture supernatants of both group M subtype A to E viruses and group O viruses. The presence of p7 in vivo was evaluated in 81 serum samples collected from 62 HIV-1-infected individuals. Five samples were p7 positive, whereas 45 samples were HIV-1 p24 positive. Four of the five p7-positive samples were p24 positive as well. p7 could be detected only when serum HIV-1 RNA levels were greater than 10
6
copies/ml. Anti-p7 antibodies were found in six samples, and all six were p7 negative. In contrast to the in vitro results, it appeared that HIV-1 p7 could not be used as a marker for viral quantification in vivo, since more than 90% of the serum samples were p7 negative. In combination with the low prevalence of anti-p7 antibodies, this may, in turn, be advantageous: the p7 assay may be a good alternative to the p24 assay as the readout system for determination of neutralizing activity against HIV-1 in serum or other fluids containing anti-p24 antibodies.
Incidence of
Prevotella intermedia
and
Prevotella nigrescens
Carriage among Family Members with Subclinical Periodontal Disease
Authors: Fukui Katsuhito , Kato Naoki , Kato Haru , Watanabe Kunitomo , Tatematsu Norichika 
Published: December 2019

ABSTRACT

We established a typing system for
Prevotella intermedia
and
Prevotella nigrescens
using the combination of PCR ribotyping and arbitrarily primed PCR (AP-PCR) fingerprinting and applied this system to the study of intrafamilial incidence of these species in the oral cavity. PCR ribotyping followed by subtyping by AP-PCR fingerprinting was applied to each type strain of
P. intermedia
and
P. nigrescens
and 54 isolates (32 isolates of
P. intermedia
and 24 isolates of
P. nigrescens
) from extraoral infections, resulting in an excellent discriminatory power (discrimination index, 0.99) for both species. A total of 18 subjects from six families, with the subjects from each family comprising the mother, the father, and a child who had subclinical early-stage to moderate adult periodontitis or simple gingivitis and who carried
P. intermedia
or
P. nigrescens
, or both, were enrolled in the study of intrafamilial carriage. When 20 colonies per specimen of subgingival plaque, if available, were picked from primary culture, 115
P. intermedia
and 178
P. nigrescens
isolates were recovered from the 18 subjects. Among the subjects studied, family members shared the same subtype strain(s) but non-family members did not. Multiple subtypes were found in 8 (57%) of the 14
P. nigrescens
-positive subjects but in only 3 (27%) of the 11
P. intermedia
-positive subjects; the difference was, however, not statistically significant (
P
= 0.14). These results suggest that the combination of PCR ribotyping and AP-PCR fingerprinting is well suited for the epidemiological study of
P. intermedia
and
P. nigrescens
and that each family seems to carry a distinct subtype(s) of these species.