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direct and indirect antimicrobial activities of neuropeptides and their therapeutic potential.as global resistance to conventional antibiotics rises we need to develop new strategies to develop future novel therapeutics. in our quest to design novel anti-infectives and antimicrobials it is of interest to investigate host-pathogen interactions and learn from the complexity of host defense strategies that have evolved over millennia. a myriad of host defense molecules are now known to play a role in protection against human infection. however, the interaction between host and pathogen is r ...201223305360
rhinovirus infection induces degradation of antimicrobial peptides and secondary bacterial infection in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (copd) exacerbations are associated with virus (mostly rhinovirus) and bacterial infections, but it is not known whether rhinovirus infections precipitate secondary bacterial infections.201223024024
carriage of neisseria lactamica in 1- to 29-year-old people in burkina faso: epidemiology and molecular characterization.neisseria lactamica is a true commensal bacterium occupying the same ecological niche as the pathogenic neisseria meningitidis, which is responsible for outbreaks and large epidemics, especially in sub-saharan africa. to better understand the epidemiology of n. lactamica in africa and its relationship to n. meningitidis, we studied n. lactamica carriage in 1- to 29-year-old people living in three districts of burkina faso from 2009 to 2011. n. lactamica was detected in 18.2% of 45,847 oropharyng ...201223035186
alternative sampling methods for detecting bacterial pathogens in children with upper respiratory tract infections.nasopharyngeal sampling is used for detecting bacteria commonly involved in upper respiratory tract infections, but it requires training and may not always be well tolerated. we sampled children (n = 66) of ages 0 to 4 years, with rhinorrhea, by using a nasopharyngeal swab, a nasal swab, and nose blowing/wiping into a paper tissue. streptococcus pneumoniae, haemophilus influenzae, moraxella catarrhalis, and staphylococcus aureus were cultured at similar rates across methods with high concordance ...201223052306
pneumococci can persistently colonize adult patients with chronic respiratory disease.streptococcus pneumoniae plays an important role in causing acute exacerbations in patients with chronic respiratory disease. however, few data are available regarding pneumococcal persistence in adult patients with chronic respiratory diseases. fifty pneumococci recovered from sputum samples (1995 to 2010) from 13 adult patients with ≥ 3 episodes of acute exacerbation or pneumonia, with the same serotype and pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (pfge) pattern, were studied. multilocus sequence typi ...201223052300
coinfection with staphylococcus aureus increases risk of severe coagulopathy in critically ill children with influenza a (h1n1) virus infection.h1n1 influenza with coinfections has been implicated to have high morbidity and mortality. we hypothesized that critically ill children with 2009 h1n1 and coinfections are at a higher risk of developing disseminated intravascular coagulation.201222971587
viral-bacterial interactions in acute otitis media.acute otitis media (aom) is a polymicrobial disease, which usually occurs as a complication of viral upper respiratory tract infection (uri). while respiratory viruses alone may cause viral aom, they increase the risk of bacterial middle ear infection and worsen clinical outcomes of bacterial aom. uri viruses alter eustachian tube (et) function via decreased mucociliary action, altered mucus secretion and increased expression of inflammatory mediators among other mechanisms. transient reduction ...201222968233
regulation of frontline antibody responses by innate immune signals.mature b cells generate protective immunity by undergoing immunoglobulin (ig) class switching and somatic hypermutation, two ig gene-diversifying processes that usually require cognate interactions with t cells that express cd40 ligand. this t-cell-dependent pathway provides immunological memory but is relatively slow to occur. thus, it must be integrated with a faster, t-cell-independent pathway for b-cell activation through cd40 ligand-like molecules that are released by innate immune cells in ...201222477522
macrophage/epithelial cell ccl2 contributes to rhinovirus-induced hyperresponsiveness and inflammation in a mouse model of allergic airways disease.human rhinovirus (hrv) infections lead to exacerbations of lower airways disease in asthmatic patients but not in healthy individuals. however, underlying mechanisms remain to be completely elucidated. we hypothesized that the th2-driven allergic environment enhances hrv-induced cc chemokine production, leading to asthma exacerbations. ovalbumin (ova)-sensitized and -challenged mice inoculated with hrv showed significant increases in the expression of lung cc chemokine ligand (ccl)-2/monocyte ch ...201223204071
macrophage/epithelial cell ccl2 contributes to rhinovirus-induced hyperresponsiveness and inflammation in a mouse model of allergic airways disease.human rhinovirus (hrv) infections lead to exacerbations of lower airways disease in asthmatic patients but not in healthy individuals. however, underlying mechanisms remain to be completely elucidated. we hypothesized that the th2-driven allergic environment enhances hrv-induced cc chemokine production, leading to asthma exacerbations. ovalbumin (ova)-sensitized and -challenged mice inoculated with hrv showed significant increases in the expression of lung cc chemokine ligand (ccl)-2/monocyte ch ...201223204071
preliminary pediatric clinical evaluation of the oral probiotic streptococcus salivarius k12 in preventing recurrent pharyngitis and/or tonsillitis caused by streptococcus pyogenes and recurrent acute otitis media.the oral probiotic streptococcus salivarius k12 has been shown clearly to antagonize the growth of streptococcus pyogenes, the most important bacterial cause of pharyngeal infections in humans, by releasing two bacteriocins named salivaricin a2 and salivaricin b. unpublished observations indicate that it can also antagonize the growth of other bacteria involved in acute otitis media. because of its ability to colonize the oral cavity and its safety profile, we have tested its efficacy in reducin ...201223233809
multiple facets of camp signalling and physiological impact: camp compartmentalization in the lung.therapies involving elevation of the endogenous suppressor cyclic amp (camp) are currently used in the treatment of several chronic inflammatory disorders, including chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (copd). characteristics of copd are airway obstruction, airway inflammation and airway remodelling, processes encompassed by increased airway smooth muscle mass, epithelial changes, goblet cell and submucosal gland hyperplasia. in addition to inflammatory cells, airway smooth muscle cells and (m ...201224281338
innate immune dysfunction is associated with enhanced disease severity in infants with severe respiratory syncytial virus bronchiolitis.most patients with respiratory syncytial virus (rsv) bronchiolitis requiring admission to the pediatric intensive care unit (picu) have no risk factors for severe disease. we sought to investigate the relationship between serum cytokine concentrations, innate immune responsiveness, and rsv disease severity.201223204162
innate immune dysfunction is associated with enhanced disease severity in infants with severe respiratory syncytial virus bronchiolitis.most patients with respiratory syncytial virus (rsv) bronchiolitis requiring admission to the pediatric intensive care unit (picu) have no risk factors for severe disease. we sought to investigate the relationship between serum cytokine concentrations, innate immune responsiveness, and rsv disease severity.201223204162
pathogen diversity and hidden regimes of apparent competition.competition through cross-reacting host immune responses, a form of apparent competition, is a major driver of pathogen evolution and diversity. most models of pathogens have focused on intraspecific interactions to explain observed patterns. two recent experiments suggested that haemophilus influenzae, a common nasopharyngeal colonizer of humans, might alter the immune environment in a way that favors otherwise less fit serotypes of another common pathogen, pneumococcus. using a computational m ...201223234842
pathogen diversity and hidden regimes of apparent competition.competition through cross-reacting host immune responses, a form of apparent competition, is a major driver of pathogen evolution and diversity. most models of pathogens have focused on intraspecific interactions to explain observed patterns. two recent experiments suggested that haemophilus influenzae, a common nasopharyngeal colonizer of humans, might alter the immune environment in a way that favors otherwise less fit serotypes of another common pathogen, pneumococcus. using a computational m ...201223234842
is 'gold' standard for the management of copd in clinical practice? 201224432032
identification and characterization of the bacterial etiology of clinically problematic acute otitis media after tympanocentesis or spontaneous otorrhea in german children.acute otitis media (aom) is an important and common disease of childhood. bacteria isolated from cases of clinically problematic aom in german children were identified and characterized.201223167692
ataa, a new member of the trimeric autotransporter adhesins from acinetobacter sp. tol 5 mediating high adhesiveness to various abiotic surfaces.acinetobacter sp. tol 5 exhibits an autoagglutinating nature and noteworthy adhesiveness to various abiotic surfaces from hydrophobic plastics to hydrophilic glass and stainless steel. although previous studies have suggested that bacterionanofibers on tol 5 cells are involved in the adhesive phenotype of tol 5, the fiber that directly mediates tol 5 adhesion has remained unknown. here, we present a new member of trimeric autotransporter adhesins designated ataa, which we discovered by analyzing ...201223155410
antibacterial activity of the human host defence peptide ll-37 and selected synthetic cationic lipids against bacteria associated with oral and upper respiratory tract infections.we aim to develop antibacterial peptide mimics resistant to protease degradation, with broad-spectrum activity at sites of infection.201223134677
antibacterial activity of the human host defence peptide ll-37 and selected synthetic cationic lipids against bacteria associated with oral and upper respiratory tract infections.we aim to develop antibacterial peptide mimics resistant to protease degradation, with broad-spectrum activity at sites of infection.201223134677
pneumonia after earthquake, japan, 2011. 201223092559
nasopharyngeal bacterial interactions in children.antimicrobial treatments and vaccines can alter bacterial interactions in the nasopharynx, thereby altering disease processes. to better understand these interactions, we examined colonization rates of 3 respiratory bacterial pathogens among 320 children when healthy and at onset of acute otitis media (aom). bacterial interactions were analyzed with a repeated measures logistic regression model. among healthy children, streptococcus pneumoniae and moraxella catarrhalis were synergistically (posi ...201223092680
effects of the 10-valent pneumococcal nontypeable haemophilus influenzae protein d-conjugate vaccine on nasopharyngeal bacterial colonization in young children: a randomized controlled trial.this study evaluated the effects of the 10-valent pneumococcal nontypeable haemophilus influenzae protein d-conjugate vaccine (phid-cv) on nasopharyngeal bacterial colonization compared with the 7-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (7vcrm) in young children.201223118268
effects of the 10-valent pneumococcal nontypeable haemophilus influenzae protein d-conjugate vaccine on nasopharyngeal bacterial colonization in young children: a randomized controlled trial.this study evaluated the effects of the 10-valent pneumococcal nontypeable haemophilus influenzae protein d-conjugate vaccine (phid-cv) on nasopharyngeal bacterial colonization compared with the 7-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (7vcrm) in young children.201223118268
pge2 induces interleukin-8 derepression in human astrocytoma through coordinated dna demethylation and histone hyperacetylation.we have recently reported that in astrocytoma cells the expression of interleukin-8 (il-8) is upregulated by prostaglandin e2 (pge2). unfortunately, the exact mechanism by which this happens has not been clarified yet. here, we have investigated whether il-8 activation by pge2 involves changes in dna methylation and/or histone modifications in 46 astrocytoma specimens, two astrocytoma cell lines and normal astrocytic cells. the dna methylation status of the il-8 promoter was analyzed by bisulphi ...201223051921
microbiome diversity in the bronchial tracts of patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.culture of bacteria from bronchial secretions in respiratory patients has low sensitivity and does not allow for complete assessment of microbial diversity across different bronchial compartments. in addition, a significant number of clinical studies are based on sputum samples, and it is not known to what extent they describe the real diversity of the mucosa. in order to identify previously unrecognized lower airway bacteria and to investigate the complexity and distribution of microbiota in pa ...201222915614
deciphering the importance of host and environmental factors that influence the genesis of asthma during childhood. 201223014673
comparison of the etiology of viral respiratory illnesses in inner-city and suburban infants.the risk of developing childhood asthma has been linked to the severity and etiology of viral respiratory illnesses in early childhood. since inner-city infants have unique environmental exposures, we hypothesized that patterns of respiratory viral infections would also be distinct.201223014674
infections and foreign bodies in ent.infections play a major role in the practice of ent. microbial penetration into tissues of the head and neck can initiate a focal reaction causing superficial self-resolving infections. however, some of these have the potential to develop into life-threatening disease. we provide an overview of the most common ent infections with focus on the presentation, diagnosis and management. foreign bodies of the ear, nose and throat are a common presentation to primary and emergency care. most commonly t ...201227057069
the microbiology of tonsils in khamis civil hospital, saudi arabia.objectives. tonsillitis is a common infection in all age groups, especially under the age of five. organisms causing this condition vary from place to place. our aim is to find out the main causative agents of this condition in our hospital. patients and methods. fifty-two consenting patients who needed tonsillectomy in khamis civil hospital, kingdom of saudi arabia, between september 2006 and april 2007, were enrolled for the study. swabs were taken from their inner surfaces and cultured for an ...201223762620
moraxella osloensis: an unusual cause of central venous catheter infection in a cancer patient.moraxella osloensis is a rare causative organism of infections in humans, with most cases reported in cancer patients. we report the case of a 67-year-old japanese man with advanced cancer of the pancreatic head and multiple liver metastases who developed fever with chills. blood culture was found to be positive for gram-negative bacilli that were aerobic, oxidase-positive, and catalase-positive. m. osloensis was identified by 16 rrna gene sequencing. prompt control of the infection was achieved ...201223109812
associations between pathogens in the upper respiratory tract of young children: interplay between viruses and bacteria.high rates of potentially pathogenic bacteria and respiratory viruses can be detected in the upper respiratory tract of healthy children. investigating presence of and associations between these pathogens in healthy individuals is still a rather unexplored field of research, but may have implications for interpreting findings during disease.201223082199
the lung microbiome in moderate and severe chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (copd) is an inflammatory disorder characterized by incompletely reversible airflow obstruction. bacterial infection of the lower respiratory tract contributes to approximately 50% of copd exacerbations. even during periods of stable lung function, the lung harbors a community of bacteria, termed the microbiome. the role of the lung microbiome in the pathogenesis of copd remains unknown. the copd lung microbiome, like the healthy lung microbiome, appears to ...201223071781
the clinical relevance of microbiology specimens in orofacial abscesses of dental origin.it is common surgical practice to take a specimen for microbial culture and susceptibility (mc&s) when draining an orofacial abscess. the aim of this study was to determine if routine mc&s has any therapeutic value in the care of these patients.201223031767
nlpi facilitates deposition of c4bp on escherichia coli by blocking classical complement-mediated killing, which results in high-level bacteremia.neonatal meningitis escherichia coli (nmec) is the most common gram-negative organism that is associated with neonatal meningitis, which usually develops as a result of hematogenous spread of the bacteria. there are two key pathogenesis processes for nmec to penetrate into the brain, the essential step for the development of e. coli meningitis: a high-level bacteremia and traversal of the blood-brain barrier (bbb). our previous study has shown that the bacterial outer membrane protein nlpi contr ...201222802341
ciprofloxacin dry powder for inhalation in non-cystic fibrosis bronchiectasis: a phase ii randomised study.this phase ii, randomised, double-blind, multicentre study (nct00930982) investigated the safety and efficacy of ciprofloxacin dry powder for inhalation (dpi) in patients with non-cystic fibrosis bronchiectasis. adults who were culture positive for pre-defined potential respiratory pathogens (including pseudomonas aeruginosa and haemophilus influenzae) were randomised to ciprofloxacin dpi 32.5 mg or placebo administered twice daily for 28 days (with 56 days of follow-up). bacterial density in sp ...201223018904
ciprofloxacin dry powder for inhalation in non-cystic fibrosis bronchiectasis: a phase ii randomised study.this phase ii, randomised, double-blind, multicentre study (nct00930982) investigated the safety and efficacy of ciprofloxacin dry powder for inhalation (dpi) in patients with non-cystic fibrosis bronchiectasis. adults who were culture positive for pre-defined potential respiratory pathogens (including pseudomonas aeruginosa and haemophilus influenzae) were randomised to ciprofloxacin dpi 32.5 mg or placebo administered twice daily for 28 days (with 56 days of follow-up). bacterial density in sp ...201223018904
antibacterial screening of secreted compounds produced by the phase i variant of photorhabdus luminescens.in this study, antibacterial activity of metabolites secreted by the phase i variant of photorhabdus luminescens was investigated. bioactivity of these metabolites was screened against 28 different bacterial species and strains. bacterial sensitivity was determined by a modified-version of the kirby-bauer disk diffusion susceptibility method, whereas the phase i variant's culture permeate was utilized as the "antibacterial" agent. this investigation demonstrates that 11 of the 28 bacterial speci ...201224293735
description and outcome of a cohort of 8 patients with whim syndrome from the french severe chronic neutropenia registry.whim syndrome (ws), a rare congenital neutropenia due to mutations of the cxcr4 chemokine receptor, is associated with human papillomavirus (hpv)-induced warts, hypogammaglobulinemia, bacterial infections and myelokathexis. the long term follow up of eight patients highlights the clinical heterogeneity of this disease as well as the main therapeutic approaches and remaining challenges in the light of the recent development of new cxcr4 inhibitors.201223009155
a novel group of moraxella catarrhalis uspa proteins mediates cellular adhesion via ceacams and vitronectin.moraxella catarrhalis (mx) is a common cause of otitis media and exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, an increasing worldwide problem. surface proteins uspa1 and uspa2 of mx bind to a number of human receptors and may function in pathogenesis. genetic recombination events in the pathogen can generate hybrid proteins termed uspa2h. however, whether certain key functions (e.g. uspa1-specific ceacam binding) can be exchanged between these adhesin families remains unknown. in this ...201223049802
opc expression, lps immunotype switch and pilin conversion contribute to serum resistance of unencapsulated meningococci.neisseria meningitidis employs polysaccharides and outer membrane proteins to cope with human serum complement attack. to screen for factors influencing serum resistance, an assay was developed based on a colorimetric serum bactericidal assay. the screening used a genetically modified sequence type (st)-41/44 clonal complex (cc) strain lacking lps sialylation, polysaccharide capsule, the factor h binding protein (fhbp) and muts, a protein of the dna repair mechanism. after killing of >99.9% of t ...201223028802
grappling with proteus: population level approaches to understanding microbial diversity.the emerging fields of microbial population genetics and genomics provide an avenue to study the ecological rules that govern how communities form, function, and evolve. our struggle to understand the causes and consequences of microbial diversity stems from our inability to define ecologically and evolutionarily meaningful units of diversity. the 16s rrna-based tools that have been so useful in charting microbial diversity may lack sufficient sensitivity to answer many questions about the ecolo ...201223024645
pneumococcal carbohydrate transport: food for thought.streptococcus pneumoniae relies exclusively on carbohydrates as a carbon source and devotes 30% of all transport mechanisms to carbohydrate import. pneumococci utilize at least 32 carbohydrates in vitro. however, some proposed substrates are not human-derived, so it is unclear where they are encountered in the host niche, and other substrates remain unidentified. the majority of transporter loci are conserved, arguing against redundancy and instead for distinct roles during pathogenesis. despite ...201222959614
a five-year review on the etiology and antimicrobial susceptibility pattern of otitis media pathogens in jordanian children.this study aimed to identify the bacteriological agents of otitis media in jordanian children and to assess the in vitro susceptibility of these isolates to commonly used antibiotics.201223074544
the antibiotic resistance arrow of time: efflux pump induction is a general first step in the evolution of mycobacterial drug resistance.we hypothesize that low-level efflux pump expression is the first step in the development of high-level drug resistance in mycobacteria. we performed 28-day azithromycin dose-effect and dose-scheduling studies in our hollow-fiber model of disseminated mycobacterium avium-m. intracellulare complex. both microbial kill and resistance emergence were most closely linked to the within-macrophage area under the concentration-time curve (auc)/mic ratio. quantitative pcr revealed that subtherapeutic azi ...201222751536
upper respiratory tract microbial communities, acute otitis media pathogens, and antibiotic use in healthy and sick children.the composition of the upper respiratory tract microbial community may influence the risk for colonization by the acute otitis media (aom) pathogens streptococcus pneumoniae, haemophilus influenzae, and moraxella catarrhalis. we used culture-independent methods to describe upper respiratory tract microbial communities in healthy children and children with upper respiratory tract infection with and without concurrent aom. nasal swabs and data were collected in a cross-sectional study of 240 child ...201222752171
antibiotics for bronchiectasis exacerbations in children: rationale and study protocol for a randomised placebo-controlled trial.despite bronchiectasis being increasingly recognised as an important cause of chronic respiratory morbidity in both indigenous and non-indigenous settings globally, high quality evidence to inform management is scarce. it is assumed that antibiotics are efficacious for all bronchiectasis exacerbations, but not all practitioners agree. inadequately treated exacerbations may risk lung function deterioration. our study tests the hypothesis that both oral azithromycin and amoxicillin-clavulanic acid ...201222937736
lung microbiology and exacerbations in copd.chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (copd) is the most common chronic respiratory condition in adults and is characterized by progressive airflow limitation that is not fully reversible. the main etiological agents linked with copd are cigarette smoking and biomass exposure but respiratory infection is believed to play a major role in the pathogenesis of both stable copd and in acute exacerbations. acute exacerbations are associated with more rapid decline in lung function and impaired quality ...201222969296
early-onset ventilator-associated pneumonia in adults randomized clinical trial: comparison of 8 versus 15 days of antibiotic treatment.the optimal treatment duration for ventilator-associated pneumonia is based on one study dealing with late-onset of the condition. shortening the length of antibiotic treatment remains a major prevention factor for the emergence of multiresistant bacteria.201222952580
in vitrostreptococcus pneumoniae biofilm formation and in vivo middle ear mucosal biofilm in a rat model of acute otitis induced by s. pneumoniae.streptococcus pneumoniae is one of the most common pathogens of otitis media (om) that exists in biofilm, which enhances the resistance of bacteria against antibiotic killing and diagnosis, compared to the free-floating (planktonic) form. this study evaluated biofilm formation by s. pneumoniae on an abiotic surface and in the middle ear cavity in a rat model of om.201222977710
prevention of infection in immunosuppressive patients with autoimmune nephrosis by using an immunostimulating bacterial lysate broncho-vaxom.the utilization of immunosuppressive agents presents patients with autoimmune nephrosis at a high risk of infection. the present trial was to investigate the efficacy and safety of broncho-vaxom on preventing infection in immunosuppressive patients with autoimmune nephrosis.201222922768
oxidized phospholipids impair pulmonary antibacterial defenses: evidence in mice exposed to cigarette smoke.patients with copd are associated with poor pulmonary anti-bacterial innate defenses, which increase the risk for frequent acute exacerbations caused by bacterial infection. despite elevated numbers of phagocytes (macrophages and neutrophils), airways of patients with copd show stable bacterial colonization. a defect in the phagocytic ability of alveolar macrophages (ams) is one of the primary reasons for failure to clear the invading bacteria in airways of smokers and copd patients and also in ...201222935414
azithromycin for indigenous children with bronchiectasis: study protocol for a multi-centre randomized controlled trial.the prevalence of chronic suppurative lung disease (csld) and bronchiectasis unrelated to cystic fibrosis (cf) among indigenous children in australia, new zealand and alaska is very high. antibiotics are a major component of treatment and are used both on a short or long-term basis. one aim of long-term or maintenance antibiotics is to reduce the frequency of acute pulmonary exacerbations and symptoms. however, there are few studies investigating the efficacy of long-term antibiotic use for csld ...201222891748
clinical and antimicrobial susceptibility data of 140 streptococcus pseudopneumoniae isolates in france.we report retrospective analysis of the clinical and antimicrobial susceptibility data of 140 streptococcus pseudopneumoniae isolates. strains were isolated mostly from respiratory tract samples from patients with underlying diseases. in the case of infection, pneumonia, mainly aspiration pneumonia, was the most frequent (27.1% of the patients). we documented high rates of decreased susceptibilities and resistance to erythromycin and tetracycline (57% and 43% of the isolates, respectively), as w ...201222644030
rapid detection of streptococcus pyogenes in pleural fluid samples from pediatric patients with empyema.a total of 120 pleural fluid specimens from 113 pediatric patients were tested using two rapid antigen detection assays for streptococcus pyogenes. results were compared to culture, gram stain, and pcr results. each rapid antigen assay detected 9 out of 10 (90%) pcr-positive samples, with 100% specificity. these antigen detection assays are useful to provide microbiological diagnosis of empyema caused by s. pyogenes.201222622442
bacterium-generated nitric oxide hijacks host tumor necrosis factor alpha signaling and modulates the host cell cycle in vitro.in mammalian cells, nitric oxide (no·) is an important signal molecule with concentration-dependent and often controversial functions of promoting cell survival and inducing cell death. an inducible nitric oxide synthase (inos) in various mammalian cells produces higher levels of no· from l-arginine upon infections to eliminate pathogens. in this study, we reveal novel pathogenic roles of no· generated by bacteria in bacterium-host cell cocultures using moraxella catarrhalis, a respiratory tract ...201222636782
response to infections in patients with asthma and atopic disease: an epiphenomenon or reflection of host susceptibility?associations between respiratory tract infections and asthma inception and exacerbations are well established. infant respiratory syncytial virus and rhinovirus infections are known to be associated with an increased risk of asthma development, and among children with prevalent asthma, 85% of asthma exacerbations are associated with viral infections. however, the exact nature of this relationship remains unclear. is the increase in severity of infections an epiphenomenon, meaning respiratory tra ...201222846746
nontypeable haemophilus influenzae biofilms: role in chronic airway infections.like many pathogens inhabiting mucosal surfaces, nontypeable haemophilus influenzae (nthi) forms multicellular biofilm communities both in vitro and in various infection models. in the past 15 years much has been learned about determinants of biofilm formation by this organism and potential roles in bacterial virulence, especially in the context of chronic and recurrent infections. however, this concept has not been without some degree of controversy, and in the past some have expressed doubts a ...201222919686
minor criteria of infectious disease society of america/american thoracic society for severe community-acquired pneumonia can predict delayed treatment response.the purpose of this study was to investigate the clinical aspects of patients satisfying the infectious disease society of america/american thoracic society (idsa/ats) minor severity criteria, focusing on their treatment response to empirical antibiotics. in total, 381 community-acquired pneumonia (cap) patients who did not require mechanical ventilation or vasopressors at admission were enrolled, and 50 (13.1%) satisfied the minor severity criteria (i.e. , minor severe cap [minor-scap]). the ra ...201222876058
korean clinical practice guidelines: otitis media in children.acute otitis media (aom) and otitis media with effusion (ome) are common infections in children, and their diagnosis and treatment have significant impacts on the health of children and the costs of providing national medical care. in 2009, the korean otologic society organized a committee composed of experts in the field of otolaryngology, pediatrics, and family medicine to develop korean clinical practice guidelines (cpg) for otitis media in children with the goal of meeting regional medical a ...201222876048
acute submandibular sialadenitis-a case report.many conditions affect the salivary glands. acute sialadenitis is infectious or inflammatory disorders of the salivary glands. the exact frequency of submandibular sialadenitis is unclear. the acute conditions more typically involve the parotid and submandibular glands. during an acute inflammatory process, there is swelling of the affected gland, overlying pain, gland tenderness, fever, and on occasion difficulty in opening the mouth. initial treatment should include rehydration oral antistaphy ...201222888457
human metapneumovirus infections on the icu: a report of three cases.although human metapneumovirus (hmpv) is primarily known as a causative agent of respiratory tract infections in children, the virus also can cause respiratory infections in adults. hmpv infections tend to be mild and are self-limiting, but the infections can be severe in the elderly and immunocompromised patients. because hmpv infection is quite common, it should be considered in every patient with respiratory failure in the intensive care unit (icu). we describe three adult patients, including ...201222812412
quorum signaling and sensing by nontypeable haemophilus influenzae.quorum signals are diffusible factors produced by bacteria that coordinate communal responses. for nontypeable haemophilus influenzae (nthi), a series of recent papers indicate that production and sensing of quorum signals are determinants of biofilm formation/maturation and persistence in vivo. in this mini-review i will summarize the current knowledge about quorum signaling/sensing by this organism, and identify specific topics for additional study.201222919689
relationship between periodontitis-related antibody and frequent exacerbations in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.to identify patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (copd) who are susceptible to frequent exacerbations is important. although periodontitis aggravated by poor oral hygiene might increase the risk of lower respiratory tract infection, the relationship between periodontitis and copd exacerbations remains unknown. this prospective cohort study investigates the relationship between periodontitis-related antibody and exacerbation frequency over a one-year period.201222792372
modified lipooligosaccharide structure protects nontypeable haemophilus influenzae from igm-mediated complement killing in experimental otitis media.nontypeable haemophilus influenzae (nthi) is a gram-negative, human-restricted pathogen. although this bacterium typically colonizes the nasopharynx in the absence of clinical symptoms, it is also one of the major pathogens causing otitis media (om) in children. complement represents an important aspect of the host defense against nthi. in general, nthi is efficiently killed by complement-mediated killing; however, various resistance mechanisms have also evolved. we measured the complement resis ...201222761391
an investigation of the frequency of bacteraemia following dental extraction, tooth brushing and chewing.we conducted a study to determine the frequency of bacteraemias following dental extraction and common oral procedures, namely tooth brushing and chewing, and the relationship between bacteraemia and oral health in black patients. positive blood cultures were detected in 29.6% of patients after dental extraction, in 10.8% of patients after tooth brushing and in no patients after chewing. no relationship between the state of oral health, which was assessed using the plaque and gingival indices, a ...201222836157
autosomal dominant stat3 deficiency and hyper-ige syndrome: molecular, cellular, and clinical features from a french national survey.autosomal dominant deficiency of signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (stat3) is the main genetic etiology of hyper-immunoglobulin (ig) e syndrome. we documented the molecular, cellular, and clinical features of 60 patients with heterozygous stat3 mutations from 47 kindreds followed in france. we identified 11 known and 13 new mutations of stat3. low levels of interleukin (il)-6-dependent phosphorylation and nuclear translocation (or accumulation) of stat3 were observed in epstein- ...201222751495
sequetyping: serotyping streptococcus pneumoniae by a single pcr sequencing strategy.the introduction of pneumococcal conjugate vaccines necessitates continued monitoring of circulating strains to assess vaccine efficacy and replacement serotypes. conventional serological methods are costly, labor-intensive, and prone to misidentification, while current dna-based methods have limited serotype coverage requiring multiple pcr primers. in this study, a computer algorithm was developed to interrogate the capsulation locus (cps) of vaccine serotypes to locate primer pairs in conserve ...201222553238
prevalence of and risk factors for human rhinovirus infection in healthy aboriginal and non-aboriginal western australian children.human rhinovirus (hrv) species c (hrv-c) have been associated with frequent and severe acute lower respiratory infections and asthma in hospitalized children. the prevalence of hrv-c among healthy children and whether this varies with ethnicity is unknown.201222481423
respiratory syncytial virus promotes moraxella catarrhalis-induced ascending experimental otitis media.otitis media (om) is a polymicrobial disease wherein prior or concurrent infection with an upper respiratory tract virus plays an essential role, predisposing the middle ear to bacterial invasion. in episodes of acute bacterial om, respiratory syncytial virus (rsv) is the most commonly isolated virus and thus serves as an important co-pathogen. of the predominant bacterial agents of om, the pathogenesis of disease due to moraxella catarrhalis is the least well understood. rigorous study of m. ca ...201222768228
extracellular igc2 constant domains of ceacams mediate pi3k sensitivity during uptake of pathogens.several pathogenic bacteria utilize receptors of the ceacam family to attach to human cells. binding to different members of this receptor family can result in uptake of the bacteria. uptake of neisseria gonorrhoeae, a gram-negative human pathogen, via ceacams found on epithelial cells, such as ceacam1, cea or ceacam6, differs mechanistically from phagocytosis mediated by ceacam3, a ceacam family member expressed selectively by human granulocytes.201222768164
one third of middle ear effusions from children undergoing tympanostomy tube placement had multiple bacterial pathogens.because previous studies have indicated that otitis media may be a polymicrobial disease, we prospectively analyzed middle ear effusions of children undergoing tympanostomy tube placement with multiplex polymerase chain reaction for four otopathogens.201222741759
pleural effusion: diagnosis, treatment, and management.a pleural effusion is an excessive accumulation of fluid in the pleural space. it can pose a diagnostic dilemma to the treating physician because it may be related to disorders of the lung or pleura, or to a systemic disorder. patients most commonly present with dyspnea, initially on exertion, predominantly dry cough, and pleuritic chest pain. to treat pleural effusion appropriately, it is important to determine its etiology. however, the etiology of pleural effusion remains unclear in nearly 20 ...201227147861
in young children, persistent wheezing is associated with bronchial bacterial infection: a retrospective analysis.young children with persistent wheezing pose a diagnostic and therapeutical challenge to the pediatrician.we aimed to evaluate bacterial bronchial infection as a possible reason for non response to conventional asthma therapy, and to identify and characterise the predominant pathogens involved.201222726254
assessment of some inflammatory biomarkers as predictors of outcome of acute respiratory failure on top of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and evaluation of the role of bacteria.objective. to study the value of the inflammatory markers (interleukin-6 (il-6), interleukin-8 (il-8), and c-reactive protein (crp)) in predicting the outcome of noninvasive ventilation (niv) in the management of acute respiratory failure (arf) on top of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (copd) and the role of bacteria in the systemic inflammation. methods. thirty three patients were subjected to standard treatment plus niv, and accordingly, they were classified into responders and nonrespon ...201223724320
composition of the adult digestive tract bacterial microbiome based on seven mouth surfaces, tonsils, throat and stool samples.to understand the relationship between our bacterial microbiome and health, it is essential to define the microbiome in the absence of disease. the digestive tract includes diverse habitats and hosts the human body's greatest bacterial density. we describe the bacterial community composition of ten digestive tract sites from more than 200 normal adults enrolled in the human microbiome project, and metagenomically determined metabolic potentials of four representative sites.201222698087
concurrent assay for four bacterial species including alloiococcus otitidis in middle ear, nasopharynx and tonsils of children with otitis media with effusion: a preliminary report.to detect the prevalences of alloiococcus otitidis, as well as haemophilus influenzae, streptococcus pneumoniae, and moraxella catarrhalis in children with chronic otitis media with effusion (ome) and to simultaneously investigate the colonization of these bacteria in the nasopharynx and palatine tonsils of these patients.201222737288
pneumococcal conjugate vaccines and otitis media: an appraisal of the clinical trials.streptococcus pneumoniae is the predominant otitis media pathogen and its prevention through effective vaccination could diminish childhood illness and antibiotic use. this paper reviews 5 pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (pcv) trials that used otitis media as an endpoint: northern california kaiser permanente (nckp; vaccine, 7-valent pcv [pcv7]-crm); finnish otitis media (finom; vaccines, pcv7-crm or pcv7-ompc); native american trial (vaccine, pcv7-crm); pneumococcal otitis efficacy trial (poet; ...201222701486
can urinary nitrite results be used to conduct antimicrobial option for urinary tract infection in children?this study was performed to determine the relationship between urinary nitrite results and bacterial resistance to antimicrobial drugs in urinary tract infection of children.201223056892
restoring functional status: a long-term case report of severe lung and ventilatory muscle pump dysfunction involving recurrent bacterial pneumonias.prolonged mechanical ventilation contributes to immobility and deconditioning making efforts to safely discontinue ventilator support desirable. this case report documents how implementing physical therapy treatment interventions, based on the guide to physical therapist practice, can help to restore a person's functional status even after multiple years of mechanical ventilation dependency.201222833704
simultaneous identification of 29 prevalent invasive pneumococcal serotypes or pairs of serotypes by hybridization-ligation pcr.a hybridization-ligation pcr assay was developed for the simultaneous detection and identification of 21 pneumococcal serotypes and 8 pairs of serotypes in the same serogroup: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6a, 6b, 6c-6d, 7f-7a, 8, 9a-9v, 9n-9l, 11a, 14, 15b-15c, 16f, 17f, 18b-18c, 19a, 19f, 20, 21, 22a-22f, 23a, 23b, 23f, 28a-28f, 35b and 38. this novel assay was validated with 185 serotyped pneumococcal invasive clinical isolates and 57 culture-negative pleural fluids previously typed by real-time pcr.201222422847
summary of ceftaroline activity against pathogens in the united states, 2010: report from the assessing worldwide antimicrobial resistance evaluation (aware) surveillance program.the assessing worldwide antimicrobial resistance evaluation (aware) surveillance program is a sentinel resistance monitoring system designed to track the activity of ceftaroline and comparator agents. in the united states, a total of 8,434 isolates were collected during the 2010 surveillance program from 65 medical centers distributed across the nine census regions (5 to 10 medical centers per region). all organisms were isolated from documented infections, including 3,055 (36.2%) bloodstream in ...201222470115
genome sequence of kingella kingae septic arthritis isolate pykk081.kingella kingae is a human oral bacterium that can cause infections of the skeletal system in children. the bacterium is also a cardiovascular pathogen causing infective endocarditis in children and adults. we report herein the draft genome sequence of septic arthritis k. kingae strain pykk081.201222582375
comparative analysis of the humoral immune response to moraxella catarrhalis and streptococcus pneumoniae surface antigens in children suffering from recurrent acute otitis media and chronic otitis media with effusion.a prospective clinical cohort study was established to investigate the humoral immune response in middle ear fluids (mef) and serum against bacterial surface proteins in children suffering from recurrent acute otitis media (raom) and chronic otitis media with effusion (come), using luminex xmap technology. the association between the humoral immune response and the presence of moraxella catarrhalis and streptococcus pneumoniae in the nasopharynx and middle ear was also studied. the levels of ant ...201222539468
when co-colonizing the nasopharynx haemophilus influenzae predominates over streptococcus pneumoniae except serotype 19a strains to cause acute otitis media.of 368 acute otitis media (aom) cases among 7-valent pneumococcal conjugate-vaccinated children, 43.5% were colonized by multiple otopathogens in the nasopharynx but only 7.1% experienced polymicrobial aom. when co-colonization occurred, haemophilus influenzae predominated over all streptococcus pneumoniae strains except 19a strains to cause aom. haemophilus influenzae and streptococcus pneumoniae both predominated over moraxella catarrhalis to cause aom.201222301480
bacterial biofilms in the upper airway - evidence for role in pathology and implications for treatment of otitis media.understanding the nature of the biofilm component in the pathogenesis of otitis media [om] will likely have a meaningful influence on the development of novel strategies to prevent and/or treat this highly prevalent pediatric disease. the design of vaccine candidates for om that currently focus on preventing colonization are predicated on the assumption that by reducing the burden of bacteria present in the pediatric nasopharynx, one could reduce or eliminate the likelihood of retrograde ascensi ...201222726871
bacterial rna mediates activation of caspase-1 and il-1β release independently of tlrs 3, 7, 9 and trif but is dependent on unc93b.recognition of foreign nucleic acids is important for the induction of an innate immune response against invading pathogens. although the pathways involved in sensing bacterial dna and viral rna are now well established, only limited knowledge is available on mechanisms underlying recognition of bacterial rna. it has been reported that intracellular delivery of escherichia coli rna activates the nlrp3 inflammasome, but whether this is a general property of bacterial rna remains unclear as are th ...201222634614
microbiological study of patients hospitalized for acute exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (ae-copd) and the usefulness of analytical and clinical parameters in its identification (virae study).respiratory infection is the most common cause for acute exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (ae-copd). the aim of this work was to study the etiology of the respiratory infection in order to assess the usefulness of the clinical and analytical parameters used for copd identification.201222745532
the antibiotic cj-15,801 is an antimetabolite that hijacks and then inhibits coa biosynthesis.the natural product cj-15,801 is an inhibitor of staphylococcus aureus, but not other bacteria. its close structural resemblance to pantothenic acid, the vitamin precursor of coenzyme a (coa), and its michael acceptor moiety suggest that it irreversibly inhibits an enzyme involved in coa biosynthesis or utilization. however, its mode of action and the basis for its specificity have not been elucidated to date. we demonstrate that cj-15,801 is transformed by the uniquely selective s. aureus panto ...201222633408
moraxella catarrhalis activates murine macrophages through multiple toll like receptors and has reduced clearance in lungs from tlr4 mutant mice.moraxella catarrhalis is a gram negative bacterium and a leading causative agent of otitis media (om) in children. several recent reports have provided strong evidence for an association between toll like receptors and om. it has been found that both streptococcus pneumoniae and nontypeable haemophilus influenzae activate host protective immune responses through toll like receptors (tlrs), however, the precise mechanism by which moraxella catarrhalis initiates the host immune response is current ...201222662179
role of c-jun n-terminal protein kinase 1/2 (jnk1/2) in macrophage-mediated mmp-9 production in response to moraxella catarrhalis lipooligosaccharide (los).moraxella catarrhalis is a gram negative bacterium and a leading causative agent of otitis media (om) in children. recent reports have provided strong evidence for the presence of high levels of matrix metalloproteinase (mmps) in effusion fluids from children suffering with om, however, the precise mechanisms by which mmps are generated are currently unknown. we hypothesized that mmps are secreted from macrophages in the presence of m. catarrhalis lipooligosaccharide (los). in this report, we de ...201222655080
update on the clinical utility and optimal use of cefditoren.this article reviews and updates published data on cefditoren. the in vitro activity of cefditoren and its potential pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic adequacy to cover emerging resistance phenotypes in the present decade is reviewed. cefditoren's in vitro activity against most prevalent bacterial respiratory pathogens in the community and its pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic profile suggests a significant role for cefditoren in the treatment of respiratory tract infections. clinical trials (in acu ...201222675264
modulation of bacterial pathogenesis by oppressive aging factors: insights into host-pneumococcal interaction strategies.streptococcus pneumonia, (spn, the pneumococcus), is the leading cause of community-acquired pneumonia (cap) and is responsible for 15-40% deaths in the elderly worldwide. a primed inflammatory status is a significant risk factor for the increased severity of infectious diseases among the elderly (≥65 years of age). studies have shown that expression of host receptors that the pneumococci bind to invade the tissues are increased thereby increasing the susceptibility to pneumococcal challenge in ...201224049644
il1rl1 gene variants and nasopharyngeal il1rl-a levels are associated with severe rsv bronchiolitis: a multicenter cohort study.targets for intervention are required for respiratory syncytial virus (rsv) bronchiolitis, a common disease during infancy for which no effective treatment exists. clinical and genetic studies indicate that il1rl1 plays an important role in the development and exacerbations of asthma. human il1rl1 encodes three isoforms, including soluble il1rl1-a, that can influence il33 signalling by modifying inflammatory responses to epithelial damage. we hypothesized that il1rl1 gene variants and soluble il ...201222574108
dps promotes survival of nontypeable haemophilus influenzae in biofilm communities in vitro and resistance to clearance in vivo.nontypeable haemophilus influenzae (nthi) is a common airway commensal and opportunistic pathogen that persists within surface-attached biofilm communities. in this study, we tested the hypothesis that bacterial stress-responses are activated within biofilms. transcripts for several factors associated with bacterial resistance to environmental stress were increased in biofilm cultures as compared to planktonic cultures. among these, a homolog of the dna-binding protein from starved cells (dps) w ...201222919649
innate immune properties of selected human neuropeptides against moraxella catarrhalis and nontypeable haemophilus influenzae.considerable evidence supports the concept of active communication between the nervous and immune systems. one class of such communicators are the neuropeptides (nps). recent reports have highlighted the antimicrobial activity of neuropeptides, placing them among the integral components of innate immune defense. this study examined the action of four human neuropeptides: calcitonin gene-related peptide (cgrp), neuropeptide y (npy), substance p (sp) and somatostatin (som), which are accessible in ...201222551165
altered regulation of toll-like receptor responses impairs antibacterial immunity in the allergic lung.the lung is colonized by commensal bacteria, some of which are associated with asthma exacerbations. using the intranasal house-dust mite-sensitized mouse model of allergic airway disease, we show an imbalance in novel antibacterial pathways that culminates in a reduction in neutrophil recruitment to the airspaces and leads to bacterial invasion and dissemination. the expression of trem (triggering receptor expressed on myeloid cells)-1 that amplifies toll-like receptor (tlr) signaling and trem- ...201222549744
regulation of bacterial trafficking in the nasopharynx.bacterial 'colonisation' of the nasopharynx by potential bacterial pathogens is frequent in early childhood and is frequent as part of a dynamic process in which the microbiota of the oral and nasopharynx are established. new understanding recognizes this process is evolving and that competition and likely regulation occurs among potential pathogens as well as between pathogens and commensals. such events elicit host responses that either results in clearance or persistence within the nasal and ...201222726870
experimental therapeutics of nrf2 as a target for prevention of bacterial exacerbations in copd.a growing body of evidence indicates that oxidative stress plays a central role in the progression of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (copd). chronic oxidative stress caused by cigarette smoke generates damage-associated molecular patterns (damps), such as oxidatively or nitrosatively modified proteins and extracellular matrix fragments, which induce abnormal airway inflammation by activating innate and adaptive immune responses. furthermore, oxidative stress-induced histone deacetylase 2 ...201222550241
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