bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Characterization of a Type-Common Human Recombinant Monoclonal Antibody to Herpes Simplex Virus with High Therapeutic Potential
Authors: De Logu Alessandro , Williamson R. Anthony , Rozenshteyn Roman , Ramiro-Ibañez Fernando , Simpson Cindy D. , Burton Dennis R. , Paolo Sanna Pietro 
Published: December 2019

ABSTRACT
We report the characterization of a type-common human recombinant monoclonal antibody previously isolated by antigen selection from a phage-displayed combinatorial antibody library established from a herpes simplex virus (HSV)-seropositive individual. Competition with well-characterized murine monoclonal antibodies and immunodetection of gD truncations revealed that this antibody recognizes the group Ib antigenic site of glycoprotein D, a highly conserved and protective type-common determinant. To our knowledge, this is the first human group Ib monoclonal antibody ever described. The antibody also displayed first-order neutralization kinetics and a high neutralization rate constant, was capable of completely inhibiting syncytium formation by a fusogenic strain of HSV type 1, and efficiently neutralized low-passage clinical isolates of both HSV serotypes. Taken together with our earlier observations of the in vivo antiviral activities of this human recombinant antibody in animal models of HSV infection, the present results support the high therapeutic potential of this antibody.
Detection of
Ureaplasma urealyticum
by PCR and Biovar Determination by Liquid Hybridization
Authors: Povlsen K. , Jensen J. S. , Lind I. 
Published: December 2019

ABSTRACT

An assay which combines the direct detection of
Ureaplasma urealyticum
with biovar determination was developed and applied to 618 urogenital specimens.
U. urealyticum
was detected by inhibitor-controlled PCR. A 429-bp fragment of the urease gene was amplified. The amplicons were labelled with digoxigenin during PCR. Biovar determination was performed by liquid hybridization with biotin-labelled biovar-specific probes, and the hybrids were detected with peroxidase-conjugated sheep anti-digoxigenin immunoglobulin G Fab fragments. Results of PCR and culture for 453 urogenital specimens from women and 105 urethral specimens from men could be compared. Among the specimens from women, 63% were PCR positive as well as culture positive, 0.9% were positive only by PCR, and 4% were positive only by culture. Among the specimens from men, 15% were PCR positive as well as culture positive, 1% were positive only by PCR, and 9% were positive only by culture. By using culture as the reference method, the PCR had a sensitivity of 94% and a specificity of 98% when applied to specimens from women and a sensitivity of 64% and a specificity of 99% when applied to specimens from men. Overall, 80% of the PCR-positive specimens contained biovar 1,13.5% contained biovar 2, and 6.5% contained both biovars.
Serratia ficaria
: a Misidentified or Unidentified Rare Cause of Human Infections in Fig Tree Culture Zones
Authors: Anahory T. , Darbas H. , Ongaro O. , Jean-Pierre H. , Mion P. 
Published: December 2019

ABSTRACT

Serratia ficaria
, an enterobacterium involved in the fig tree ecosystem, has been isolated from human clinical samples in rare instances, and its role as a pathogen is unclear. In 7 years, we have isolated
S. ficaria
from seven patients; it was the only pathogen in 4 patients, including a patient with septicemia described previously and three patients with gallbladder empyemas described in the present report. From March 1995 to July 1997, the incidence of biliary infections due to
S. ficaria
was 0.7%. We discuss the digestive carriage of this bacterium and its epidemiology with respect to the fig tree life cycle. Since fig trees grow around the Mediterranean as well as in the United States (California, Louisiana, Hawaii),
S. ficaria
should be more frequently isolated. In our experience, various strains have been misidentified or unidentified by commercial systems. Incorrect identification could be an additional explanation for the paucity of reported cases.
S. ficaria
produces nonpigmented, lactose-negative colonies which give off a potatolike odor. This odor is the primary feature of
S. ficaria
and must prompt reexamination of the identifications proposed by commercial systems. We tested 42 novel strains using three commercial systems: Vitek gram-negative identification (GNI) cards and API 20E and ID 32E strips (bioMérieux, Marcy-l’Etoile, France). The percentages of positivity that we have obtained were lower than those published previously for the following characteristics: lipase, gelatinase, DNase, and rhamnose. The best system for the recognition of
S. ficaria
is ID 32E, which correctly identified 27 of 42 strains. The API 20E system gave correct identifications for only two strains.
S. ficaria
was not present in the Vitek GNI card system database.
Comparison of Genomic Methods for Differentiating Strains of
Enterococcus faecium
: Assessment Using Clinical Epidemiologic Data
Authors: Savor Connie , Pfaller Michael A. , Kruszynski Julie A. , Hollis Richard J. , Noskin Gary A. , Peterson Lance R. 
Published: December 2019

ABSTRACT

Genomic DNA extracted from 45 vancomycin-resistant
Enterococcus faecium
(VRE) isolates was cleaved with
Hin
dIII and
Hae
III and subjected to agarose gel electrophoresis. The ability of this method (restriction endonuclease analysis [REA]) to distinguish strains at the subspecies level was compared with results previously determined by pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE). Chart reviews were performed to provide a clinical correlation of possible epidemiologic relatedness. A likely clinical association was found for 29 patients as part of two outbreaks. REA found 21 of 21 isolates were the same type in the first outbreak, with PFGE calling 19 strains the same type. In the second outbreak with eight patient isolates,
Hin
dIII found six were the same type and two were unique types.
Hae
III found three strains were the same type, two strains were a separate type, and three more strains were unique types, while PFGE found three were the same type and five were unique types. No single “ideal” method can be used without clinical epidemiologic investigation, but any of these techniques is helpful in providing focus to infection control practitioners assessing possible outbreaks of nosocomial infection.
Two-Color Hybridization Assay for Simultaneous Detection of
Bordetella bronchiseptica
and Toxigenic
Pasteurella multocida
from Swine
Authors: Register Karen B. , Lee Ruby M. , Thomson Cindy 
Published: December 2019

ABSTRACT

Bordetella bronchiseptica
and toxigenic
Pasteurella multocida
are the etiologic agents of swine atrophic rhinitis. Methods currently used for their identification are time-consuming and suffer from a lack of sensitivity. We describe a colony lift-hybridization assay for detection of
B. bronchiseptica
and toxigenic
P. multocida
that can be performed with a single colony lift derived from a primary isolation plate without the need for pure subcultures of suspect bacteria. Membranes are hybridized simultaneously to probes derived from the
B. bronchiseptica alcA
gene and the
P. multocida toxA
gene. A multicolor development procedure permits sequential detection of bound probes. The assay was tested with 84 primary isolation plates generated from nasal swabs from swine with clinical signs of atrophic rhinitis. Comparison of the results from the colony lift-hybridization assay with those from conventional testing, based on a combination of colony morphology, biochemical reactions, mouse lethality, and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, indicated that the colony lift assay has superior sensitivity and comparable specificity. This technique has wide application for diagnostic and experimental studies.
Evaluation of Strategies for Molecular Fingerprinting for Use in the Routine Work of a Mycobacterium Reference Unit
Authors: Wilson Stuart M. , Goss Stephen , Drobniewski Francis 
Published: December 2019

ABSTRACT

We have investigated the role of two rapid PCR-based typing methods, IS
6110
-based PCR and spacer-oligonucleotide typing, within a national tuberculosis reference service. The validity of clusters with IS
6110
restriction fragment length polymorphism fingerprints with less than 6 bands was also investigated in the context of referred isolates.
First Isolation of
Trichophyton fischeri
in the United States
Authors: Rosenthal S. A. , Scott J. S. , Summerbell R. C. , Kane J. 
Published: December 2019

ABSTRACT

A 49-year-old male with
Pneumocystis carinii
pneumonia was seen at Bellevue Hospital in New York, N.Y. Sputum samples yielded cultures of
Candida lusitaniae
,
Mycobacterium avium
, and a filamentous fungus,
Trichophyton fischeri. T. fischeri
is a nonpathogenic fungus which resembles the dermatophyte
Trichophyton rubrum
. This is the first record of the species from U.S. sources. This case exemplifies the ecological differences between
T. fischeri
and
T. rubrum
and illustrates how correct identification of the former species can minimize diagnostic confusion. The two species are distinguished from each other by the type of growth on Casamino Acids-erythritol-albumin agar and by micromorphological differences.
Enhancement of the AMPLICOR Enterovirus PCR Test with a Coprecipitant
Authors: Taggart E. William , Byington Carrie L. , Hillyard David R. , Robison John E. , Carroll Karen C. 
Published: December 2019

ABSTRACT
The incorporation of a commercially available coprecipitant into the AMPLICOR enterovirus PCR test specimen preparation enhanced the sensitivity and reproducibility of this assay. Fifty-five previously tested archived cerebrospinal fluids (CSF) specimens were tested in a blind study in duplicate with and without Pellet Paint coprecipitant (Novagen, Inc., Madison, Wis.). Of these specimens, 26 had previously been determined to be positive and 29 had previously been determined to be negative. All previously positive CSF specimens were positive when Pellet Paint was used and only 18 were positive without Pellet Paint. No previously negative specimens were positive on repeat testing with or without Pellet Paint. The background signal was not affected by the addition of Pellet Paint. These data support the utility of a coprecipitant in minimizing false-negative results.
Evaluation of a Leukocyte Stabilization Reagent for Use in the Cytomegalovirus pp65 Antigenemia Assay
Authors: Bush Charlene E. , Sluchak-Carlsen Julia A. 
Published: December 2019

ABSTRACT
New erythrocyte lysis and leukocyte stabilization reagents (Streck Laboratories, Inc.) were tested in the cytomegalovirus pp65 antigenemia assay, to determine if whole-blood processing time could be delayed to 24 h postdraw. The combination of these reagents gave results comparable to those for patient samples processed immediately after blood draw.
Correlation between Presence of Viable Bacteria and Presence of Endotoxin in Middle-Ear Effusions
Authors: Dingman Jeffrey R. , Rayner Mark G. , Mishra Suman , Zhang Yingze , Ehrlich Miles D. , Post J. Christopher , Ehrlich Garth D. 
Published: December 2019

ABSTRACT

The presence of endotoxin (detected by the
Limulus
amebocyte lysate assay) was compared to the presence of viable
Haemophilus influenzae
and
Moraxella catarrhalis
(detected by PCR) in 106 middle-ear effusions from pediatric patients with chronic otitis media. Endotoxin was found in 81 of the 106 specimens. Of these 81 specimens, 66 (81.5%) also tested positive for one or both of the gram-negative bacteria
H. influenzae
and
M. catarrhalis
. The data suggest that viable gram-negative bacteria, detectable by PCR but often undetectable by culture, may be the source of endotoxin in middle-ear effusions.
Fluconazole Disk Diffusion Susceptibility Testing of
Candida
Species
Authors: Kirkpatrick William R. , Turner Thomas M. , Fothergill Annette W. , McCarthy Dora I. , Redding Spencer W. , Rinaldi Michael G. , Patterson Thomas F. 
Published: December 2019

ABSTRACT

We describe a simple procedure for detecting fluconazole-resistant yeasts by a disk diffusion method. Forty clinical
Candida
sp. isolates were tested on RPMI-glucose agar with either 25- or 50-μg fluconazole disks. With 25-μg disks, zones of inhibition of ≥20 mm at 24 h accurately identified 29 of 29 isolates for which MICs were ≤8 μg/ml, and with 50-μg disks, zones of ≥27 mm identified 28 of 29 such isolates. All 11 isolates for which MICs were >8 μg/ml were identified by using either disk. Disk diffusion may be a useful screening method for clinical microbiology laboratories.
Constant Low Rate of Fungemia in Norway, 1991 to 1996
Authors: Sandven Per , Bevanger Lars , Digranes Asbjørn , Gaustad Peter , Haukland Hanne H. , Steinbakk Martin ,   The Norwegian Yeast Study Group
Published: December 2019

ABSTRACT

Since 1991 information on yeast isolates from blood cultures has been recorded prospectively from all microbiological laboratories (5 university and 16 county or local hospital laboratories) in Norway (population, 4.3 million). From 1991 to 1996 a total of 571 episodes of fungemia in 552 patients occurred (1991, 109 episodes; 1992, 81 episodes; 1993, 93 episodes; 1994, 89 episodes; 1995, 98 episodes; and 1996, 101 episodes). The fungemia rates per 10,000 patient days were 0.29 in 1991 and 0.27 in 1996. The average rates for the years 1991 to 1996 were 0.37 for the university laboratories and 0.20 for the other laboratories. These rates are low compared to the rate (0.76) in five Dutch university hospitals in 1995 and the rate (2.0) in Iowa in 1991. The four most frequently isolated species were
Candida albicans
(66%),
Candida glabrata
(12.5%),
Candida parapsilosis
(7.6%), and
Candida tropicalis
(6.4%). The incidences of both
C. albicans
(range, 63 to 73%) and
C. glabrata
(range, 8.4 to 15.7%) varied somewhat throughout this period, but no significant increase or decrease was noted. MICs of amphotericin B, flucytosine, and fluconazole were determined for 89% of the isolates. All were susceptible to amphotericin B, and only 29 (5.6%) strains had decreased susceptibility to flucytosine. All
C. albicans
isolates were susceptible to fluconazole. The percentage of yeast isolates with decreased susceptibility to fluconazole (MICs, ≥16 μg/ml) did increase, from 9.6% in 1991 and 1992 to 12.2% in 1994, 16.1% in 1995, and 18.6% in 1996. This was largely due to increases in the percentages of resistant
C. glabrata
and
Candida krusei
strains in the last 2 years. Compared to the incidence in other countries, it is remarkable that Norway has such a low and constant incidence of fungemia. A possible reason for this difference might be a restricted antibiotic use policy in Norway.
Evaluation of the Abbott LCx Assay for Detection of
Neisseria gonorrhoeae
in Endocervical Swab Specimens from Females
Authors: Kehl Sue C. , Georgakas Kristina , Swain Geoffrey R. , Sedmak Gerald , Gradus Stephen , Singh Ajaib , Foldy Seth 
Published: December 2019

ABSTRACT

The Abbott LCx
Neisseria gonorrhoeae
assay (Abbott Laboratories, Abbott Park, Ill.) uses a ligase chain reaction (LCR) amplification in the LCx probe system for detection of a specific nucleotide sequence in the Opa-encoding gene of
N. gonorrhoeae
. We evaluated the LCx assay in a comparison with conventional culture employing modified Thayer-Martin media for the detection of
N. gonorrhoeae
from female endocervical specimens obtained from patients attending a sexually transmitted disease clinic. Discordantly LCR-positive and culture-negative specimens were further evaluated by testing with another LCR assay which used an
N. gonorrhoeae
-specific pilin probe. Specimens positive by both LCR assays were considered confirmed LCx-positive specimens. A specimen was considered to contain
N. gonorrhoeae
when it was either culture positive or culture negative and confirmed LCx positive. A total of 403 female endocervical specimens were evaluated. The prevalence of
N. gonorrhoeae
in this population was 8.7%. The sensitivity and specificity of the LCx assay were 94.3 and 99.4%, and those of culture were 77.1 and 100%, respectively. The Abbott LCx assay is a rapid, sensitive method for detection of
N. gonorrhoeae
in female endocervical specimens.
In Vitro Comparison of NALC-NaOH, Tween 80, and C
18
-Carboxypropylbetaine for Processing of Specimens for Recovery of Mycobacteria
Authors: Thornton Charles G. , MacLellan Kerry M. , Brink Thomas L. , Passen Selvin 
Published: December 2019

ABSTRACT

A recent article (C. G. Thornton et al., J. Clin. Microbiol. 36:1996–2003, 1998) reported a new specimen-processing method for improved recovery of mycobacteria. This method used C
18
-carboxypropylbetaine (CB-18) and increased both smear and culture sensitivity. The companion article (C. G. Thornton et al., J. Clin. Microbiol. 36:2004–2013, 1998) described initial improvements to this method. Additional significant parameters of the CB-18 processing method are identified herein. First, eliminating the incubation step was shown to further improve culture sensitivity. Subsequently, recovery of several mycobacterial isolates by the CB-18 method was compared to a contemporary processing method that combines NALC and NaOH (NALC-NaOH) and a Tween 80-based method. Recovery of the tuberculous isolates following NALC-NaOH processing averaged 20% and ranged from 1.6 to 45%, whereas recovery of the nontuberculous isolates averaged 11% and ranged from 0.1 to 55%. Recovery of the tuberculous and nontuberculous isolates by the Tween 80-based method ranged from 22 to 92% and 27 to 93%, respectively, with averages of 58 and 65%, respectively. Recovery of the tuberculous and nontuberculous mycobacteria following CB-18 processing averaged 86 and 73%, respectively, with ranges from 61 to over 100% and from 43 to over 100%, respectively. Other parameters of the CB-18 method were also examined, including recovery versus CB-18 concentration and the relationship between CB-18 concentration and the tuberculocidal effect. The tuberculocidal effect was time dependent but independent of concentration, whereas recovery was directly proportional to concentration. Increasing the CB-18 concentration to 4 mM provided quantitative recovery on solid medium; however, higher concentrations of CB-18 were not compatible with liquid culture. Examination of the relationship between increasing CB-18 and lecithin concentrations suggested that lecithin could not overcome the deleterious effects of CB-18 in liquid culture at these higher concentrations.
PCR-Enzyme Immunoassay for Detection of
Streptococcus pneumoniae
DNA in Cerebrospinal Fluid Samples from Patients With Culture-Negative Meningitis
Authors: Cherian Thomas , Lalitha M. K. , Manoharan Anand , Thomas Kurien , Yolken Robert H. , Steinhoff Mark C. 
Published: December 2019

ABSTRACT

A PCR-based assay was developed to amplify a conserved region of the pneumococcal autolysin gene. The amplified product was labelled with digoxigenin-labelled dUTP and was detected with a biotin-labelled probe in an enzyme immunoassay (EIA). The assay was initially tested with suspensions of various serotypes of
Streptococcus pneumoniae
and other gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria and was then applied to cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) specimens from patients with meningitis and those with other neurological disorders. The assay detected all the serotypes of
S. pneumoniae
tested, whereas all the other bacterial strains tested were negative. Seven of the 8 CSF specimens positive for pneumococcus by culture or latex agglutination (LA) were positive by PCR-EIA, whereas all 10 specimens positive for other organisms were negative. Among 11 patients with clinically diagnosed meningitis but with negative culture and LA results, 5 were positive by PCR-EIA. The assay was negative for all but one patient without meningitis; it was positive with the CSF from a child with immunodeficiency and pneumococcal abscesses on the scalp. PCR-EIA is a useful tool for the diagnosis of meningitis, especially when culture and LA are negative because of prior antibiotic treatment.
Nasal Carriage of
Staphylococcus aureus
and Epidemiology of Surgical-Site Infections in a Sudanese University Hospital
Authors: Ahmed Abdalla O. A. , van Belkum Alex , Fahal Ahmed H. , Elnor A. E. Abu , Abougroun El Sir A. M. , VandenBergh Marjolein F. Q. , Zijlstra Ed E. , Verbrugh Henri A. 
Published: December 2019

ABSTRACT

Surgical site infections (SSI) due to
Staphylococcus aureus
among 256 male and 158 female patients (mean age, 28 years) undergoing elective surgery at the Soba University Hospital (Khartoum, Sudan) were studied. During an 11-month study period all patients were analyzed for nasal carriage of
S. aureus
at the time of admission. Follow-up of the development of SSI proceeded until 4 weeks after the operations. In addition, nasal swabs were obtained periodically during the same period from 82 members of the staff. In order to discriminate autoinfection from cross infection, bacterial isolates were typed by random amplification of polymorphic DNA (RAPD), pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) of DNA macrorestriction fragments, and restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis of the protein A and coagulase genes. Preoperative cultures revealed the presence of
S. aureus
in the noses of 98 patients (24%). The overall number of postsurgical wound infections in the entire group was 57 (14%), 24 of which were due to
S. aureus
. Only 6 of the 98 nasal
S. aureus
carriers suffered from wound infections by the same species. In these six cases the infecting strain could not be genetically discriminated from the nasal inhabitant, substantiating autoinfection. However, nasal carriage of
S. aureus
is not a significant risk factor for the development of SSI in this setting (6 of 98 patients with autoinfection versus 18 of 316 patients [414 − 98 patients] with cross infection;
P
= 0.81), most probably due to the fact that noncarriers are at a significant and relatively large risk for acquiring an independent
S. aureus
SSI. The other
S. aureus
strains causing SSI showed a high degree of genetic heterogeneity, demonstrating that it is not an epidemic strain that is causing the SSI. Among the staff personnel screened, 47.4% did not carry
S. aureus
in the nose at any time during the study period, whereas 13.2% persistently carried a single strain in the nose. Another 39.5% could be classified as intermittent carriers. When strains derived from staff personnel were genetically typed, it was demonstrated that most of the strains represented genetic variants clearly differing from the isolates causing SSI. On the other hand, possible cross colonization among staff personnel and even cross infection from staff personnel to patients or from patient to patient were demonstrated in some cases, but epidemic spread of a single strain or a few clonally related strains of
S. aureus
could be excluded.
Corynebacterium macginleyi
Has to Date Been Isolated Exclusively from Conjunctival Swabs
Authors: Funke Guido , Pagano-Niederer Maja , Bernauer Wolfgang 
Published: December 2019

ABSTRACT

Fifteen strains of
Corynebacterium macginleyi
were exclusively isolated from conjunctival swabs of patients with either conjunctivitis or corneal ulcers. Up to now, only three
C. macginleyi
strains had been described in the literature. The characteristics of the 15 patients from whom
C. macginleyi
was isolated are outlined, characteristics useful for the identification of
C. macginleyi
are described, and the antimicrobial susceptibility pattern of the species is provided.
C. macginleyi
is uniformly susceptible to penicillins, quinolones, and aminoglycosides. Although considered to be of rather low pathogenicity
C. macginleyi
seems to have the potential to cause superinfections in selected patients with ocular surface problems.