Publications

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 ...	2012	23018904
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 ...	2012	23018904
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 ...	2012	24293735
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.	2012	23009155
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 ...	2012	23049802
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 ...	2012	23028802
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 ...	2012	23024645
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 ...	2012	22959614
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.	2012	23074544
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 ...	2012	22751536
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 ...	2012	22752171
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 ...	2012	22937736
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 ...	2012	22969296
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.	2012	22952580
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.	2012	22977710
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.	2012	22922768
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 ...	2012	22935414
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 ...	2012	22891748
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 ...	2012	22644030
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.	2012	22622442
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 ...	2012	22636782
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 ...	2012	22846746
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 ...	2012	22919686
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 ...	2012	22876058
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 ...	2012	22876048
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 ...	2012	22888457
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 ...	2012	22812412
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.	2012	22919689
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.	2012	22792372
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 ...	2012	22761391
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 ...	2012	22836157
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- ...	2012	22751495
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 ...	2012	22553238
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.	2012	22481423
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 ...	2012	22768228
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.	2012	22768164
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.	2012	22741759
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 ...	2012	27147861
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.	2012	22726254
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 ...	2012	23724320
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.	2012	22698087
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.	2012	22737288
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; ...	2012	22701486
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.	2012	23056892
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.	2012	22833704
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.	2012	22422847
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 ...	2012	22470115
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.	2012	22582375
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 ...	2012	22539468
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.	2012	22301480
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 ...	2012	22726871
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 ...	2012	22634614
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.	2012	22745532
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 ...	2012	22633408
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 ...	2012	22662179
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 ...	2012	22655080
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 ...	2012	22675264
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 ...	2012	24049644
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 ...	2012	22574108
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 ...	2012	22919649
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 ...	2012	22551165
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- ...	2012	22549744
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 ...	2012	22726870
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 ...	2012	22550241
microbiological aetiology, epidemiology, and clinical profile of prosthetic joint infections: are current antibiotic prophylaxis guidelines effective?	prosthetic joint infections remain a major complication of arthroplasty. at present, local and international guidelines recommend cefazolin as a surgical antibiotic prophylaxis at the time of arthroplasty. this retrospective cohort study conducted across 10 hospitals over a 3-year period (january 2006 to december 2008) investigated the epidemiology and microbiological etiology of prosthetic joint infections. there were 163 cases of prosthetic joint infection identified. from a review of the micr ...	2012	22314530
microbiological analysis of a prospective, randomized, double-blind trial comparing moxifloxacin and clindamycin in the treatment of odontogenic infiltrates and abscesses.	the objective of this study was to identify the oral pathogens found in odontogenic infections, to determine their susceptibilities to amoxicillin-clavulanic acid (amc), clindamycin (cli), doxycycline (dox), levofloxacin (lvx), moxifloxacin (mxf), and penicillin (pen), and to search for associations between specific pathogens and types of infection. swabs from patients enrolled in a randomized, double-blind phase ii trial comparing mxf with cli for the treatment of odontogenic abscesses or infla ...	2012	22354306
the role of allergy in severe asthma.	the classification of asthma to identify forms which have different contributing causes is useful for all cases in which the disease requires regular treatment, but it is essential for the management of severe asthma. many forms of the disease can occur, and complex mixtures are not uncommon; here we artificially separated the cases into four groups: (i) inhalant allergy, (ii) fungal sensitization with or without colonization (including abpa); (iii) severe sinusitis with or without aspirin-exace ...	2012	22515388
otitis media in a new mouse model for charge syndrome with a deletion in the chd7 gene.	otitis media is a middle ear disease common in children under three years old. otitis media can occur in normal individuals with no other symptoms or syndromes, but it is often seen in individuals clinically diagnosed with genetic diseases such as charge syndrome, a complex genetic disease caused by mutation in the chd7 gene and characterized by multiple birth defects. although otitis media is common in human charge syndrome patients, it has not been reported in mouse models of charge syndrome. ...	2012	22539951
the prevalence and identity of chlamydia-specific ige in children with asthma and other chronic respiratory symptoms.	recent studies have confirmed the presence of viable chlamydia in the bronchoalveolar lavage (bal) fluid of pediatric patients with airway hyperresponsiveness. while specific igg and igm responses to c. pneumoniae are well described, the response and potential contribution of ag-specific ige are not known. the current study sought to determine if infection with chlamydia triggers the production of pathogen-specific ige in children with chronic respiratory diseases which might contribute to infla ...	2012	22512977
bacteria in sputum of stable severe asthma and increased airway wall thickness.	patients with chronic asthma have thicker intrapulmonary airways measured on high resolution computed tomography (hrct). we determined whether the presence of lower airway bacteria was associated with increased airway wall thickness.	2012	22513083
chronic lung disease in adolescents with delayed diagnosis of vertically acquired hiv infection.	long-term survivors of vertically acquired human immunodeficiency virus (hiv) infection are reaching adolescence in large numbers in africa and are at high risk of delayed diagnosis and chronic complications of untreated hiv infection. chronic respiratory symptoms are more common than would be anticipated based on the hiv literature.	2012	22474177
cough: neurophysiology, methods of research, pharmacological therapy and phonoaudiology.	the cough is the more common respiratory symptom in children and adults.	2012	25991944
presence of viral nucleic acids in the middle ear: acute otitis media pathogen or bystander?	viruses play an important role in acute otitis media (aom) pathogenesis, and live viruses may cause aom in the absence of pathogenic bacteria. detection of aom pathogens generally relies on bacterial culture of middle ear fluid. when viral culture is used and live viruses are detected in the middle ear fluid of children with aom, the viruses are generally accepted as aom pathogens. because viral culture is not sensitive and does not detect the comprehensive spectrum of respiratory viruses, polym ...	2012	22173136
mutational analyses reveal overall topology and functional regions of nilb, a bacterial outer membrane protein required for host association in a model of animal-microbe mutualism.	the gammaproteobacterium xenorhabdus nematophila is a mutualistic symbiont that colonizes the intestine of the nematode steinernema carpocapsae. nilb (nematode intestine localization) is essential for x. nematophila colonization of nematodes and is predicted to encode an integral outer membrane beta-barrel protein, but evidence supporting this prediction has not been reported. the function of nilb is not known, but when expressed with two other factors encoded by nila and nilc, it confers upon n ...	2012	22287518
global transcriptional control by nsrr in bacillus subtilis.	the no-sensitive nsrr repressor of bacillus subtilis, which carries a [4fe-4s] cluster, controls transcription of nasd and hmp (class i regulation) under anaerobic conditions. here, we describe another class of nsrr regulation (class ii regulation) that controls a more diverse collection of genes. base substitution analysis showed that [4fe-4s]-nsrr recognizes a partial dyad symmetry within the class i cis-acting sites, whereas no-insensitive interaction of nsrr with an a+t-rich class ii regulat ...	2012	22287527
aspergillus arthritis and organ transplantation.	we report a case of a kidney and pancreas transplanted patient, hospitalized for septic hip arthritis. the whole diagnostic work-up including synovial and bone biopsies remained negative. after inefficient empirical anti-bacterial antibiotic treatment, femoral head resection was performed and tissue analysis revealed aspergillus fumigatus hyphae. treatment with voriconazole along with hip replacement led to complete recovery. however, drug interaction between immunosuppressive and anti-fungal dr ...	2012	26069774
molecular surveillance of true nontypeable haemophilus influenzae: an evaluation of pcr screening assays.	unambiguous identification of nontypeable haemophilus influenzae (nthi) is not possible by conventional microbiology. molecular characterisation of phenotypically defined nthi isolates suggests that up to 40% are haemophilus haemolyticus (hh); however, the genetic similarity of nthi and hh limits the power of simple molecular techniques such as pcr for species discrimination.	2012	22470516
improved detection of bifidobacteria with optimised 16s rrna-gene based pyrosequencing.	the 16s rrna gene is conserved across all bacteria and as such is routinely targeted in pcr surveys of bacterial diversity. pcr primer design aims to amplify as many different 16s rrna gene sequences from as wide a range of organisms as possible, though there are no suitable 100% conserved regions of the gene, leading to bias. in the gastrointestinal tract, bifidobacteria are a key genus, but are often under-represented in 16s rrna surveys of diversity. we have designed modified, 'bifidobacteria ...	2012	22470420
critical appraisal of ceftaroline in the management of community-acquired bacterial pneumonia and skin infections.	ceftaroline is a novel broad-spectrum cephalosporin β-lactam antibiotic with activity against methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus (mrsa) as well as multidrug-resistant streptococcus pneumoniae among other routine gram positive and gram negative organisms. it has been approved by the us food and drug administration for treatment of community-acquired bacterial pneumonia and acute bacterial skin and skin structure infections (absssis). ceftaroline is approved for treatment of absssi due to ...	2012	22547933
a questionnaire-based survey of indian ent surgeons to estimate clinic prevalence of acute otitis media, diagnostic practices, and management strategies.	acute otitis media (aom) is common in indian children, but there is limited published information on its clinic prevalence, clinicians' diagnostic practices, and their management strategies. we approached 649 ear-nose-throat (ent) surgeons to assess these aspects of aom. we conducted the survey between may 2010 and february 2011 with the same set of ent surgeons practising across india, once each during summer, monsoon and winter, using a validated 36-item questionnaire to record their reflectiv ...	2012	24427717
a questionnaire-based survey of indian ent surgeons to estimate clinic prevalence of acute otitis media, diagnostic practices, and management strategies.	acute otitis media (aom) is common in indian children, but there is limited published information on its clinic prevalence, clinicians' diagnostic practices, and their management strategies. we approached 649 ear-nose-throat (ent) surgeons to assess these aspects of aom. we conducted the survey between may 2010 and february 2011 with the same set of ent surgeons practising across india, once each during summer, monsoon and winter, using a validated 36-item questionnaire to record their reflectiv ...	2012	24427717
rate of isolation and trends of antimicrobial resistance of multidrug resistant pseudomonas aeruginosa from otorrhea in chronic suppurative otitis media.	to assess the rate of isolation of pseudomonas aeruginosa (pa) and multidrug-resistant pa (mdr-pa) from patients with chronic suppurative otitis media (csom) otorrhea and the annual trend of antibiotic-resistance.	2012	22468197
automated counting of bacterial colony forming units on agar plates.	manual counting of bacterial colony forming units (cfus) on agar plates is laborious and error-prone. we therefore implemented a colony counting system with a novel segmentation algorithm to discriminate bacterial colonies from blood and other agar plates.a colony counter hardware was designed and a novel segmentation algorithm was written in matlab. in brief, pre-processing with top-hat-filtering to obtain a uniform background was followed by the segmentation step, during which the colony image ...	2012	22448267
evaluation of a rapid immunochromatographic odk-0901 test for detection of pneumococcal antigen in middle ear fluids and nasopharyngeal secretions.	since the incidence of penicillin-resistant streptococcus pneumoniae has been increasing at an astonishing rate throughout the world, the need for accurate and rapid identification of pneumococci has become increasingly important to determine the appropriate antimicrobial treatment. we have evaluated an immunochromatographic test (odk-0901) that detects pneumococcal antigens using 264 middle ear fluids (mefs) and 268 nasopharyngeal secretions (npss). a sample was defined to contain s. pneumoniae ...	2012	22448257
the adaptor molecule nck localizes the wave complex to promote actin polymerization during ceacam3-mediated phagocytosis of bacteria.	ceacam3 is a granulocyte receptor mediating the opsonin-independent recognition and phagocytosis of human-restricted ceacam-binding bacteria. ceacam3 function depends on an intracellular immunoreceptor tyrosine-based activation motif (itam)-like sequence that is tyrosine phosphorylated by src family kinases upon receptor engagement. the phosphorylated itam-like sequence triggers gtp-loading of rac by directly associating with the guanine nucleotide exchange factor (gef) vav. rac stimulation in t ...	2012	22448228
value of microbiology study in congenital nasolacrimal duct obstruction.	evaluation of the effect of different microorganisms on congenital nasolacrimal duct obstruction (cnldo) tightness and whether probing or silastic intubation is likely to fail in a particular microorganism infection.	2012	23960996
nasopharyngeal flora in children with acute otitis media before and after implementation of 7 valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine in france.	several studies have investigated the impact of 7-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (pcv7) on pneumococcal (sp) and staphylococcal (sa) nasopharyngeal (np) carriage. few have investigated the impact on haemophilus influenzae (hi) and moraxella catarrhalis (mc) carriage. we aimed to compare the np carriage rates in young children with acute otitis media (aom) before and after pcv7 implementation in france.	2012	22397629
bacteriology of deep carious lesions underneath amalgam restorations with different pulp-capping materials--an in vivo analysis.	microorganisms remaining in dentin following cavity preparation may induce pulp damage, requiring the use of pulp-capping agents with antimicrobial activity underneath permanent restorations.	2012	22666827
hiv infections in otolaryngology.	hiv (human immunodeficiency virus) infection may produce no clinical symptoms for 10 years on average. however, after many years of infection most people develop symptoms that indicate progression of the disease. there are no regular characteristic symptoms or early stage, and no logical sequence of aids indicator disorders has been observed. people who are not aware of the infection are referred to physicians of various specializations, including otolaryngologists. it is on their knowledge abou ...	2012	22367140
the randomized comparative pediatric critical illness stress-induced immune suppression (crisis) prevention trial.	nosocomial infection/sepsis occurs in up to 40% of children requiring long-term intensive care. zinc, selenium, glutamine, metoclopramide (a prolactin secretalogue), and/or whey protein supplementation have been effective in reducing infection and sepsis in other populations. we evaluated whether daily nutriceutical supplementation with zinc, selenium, glutamine, and metoclopramide, compared to whey protein, would reduce the occurrence of nosocomial infection/sepsis in this at-risk population.	2012	22079954
human l-ficolin (ficolin-2) and its clinical significance.	human l-ficolin (p35, ficolin-2) is synthesised in the liver and secreted into the bloodstream where it is one of the major pattern recognition molecules of plasma/serum. like other ficolins, it consists of a collagen-like tail region linked to a fibrinogen-related globular head; a basic triplet subunit arises via a collagen-like triple helix, and this then forms higher multimers (typically a 12-mer, mr 400k). unlike other ficolins, it has a complex set of binding sites arranged within an intern ...	2012	22500076
utility of serum procalcitonin values in patients with acute exacerbations of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: a cautionary note.	serum procalcitonin levels have been used as a biomarker of invasive bacterial infection and recently have been advocated to guide antibiotic therapy in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (copd). however, rigorous studies correlating procalcitonin levels with microbiologic data are lacking. acute exacerbations of copd (aecopd) have been linked to viral and bacterial infection as well as noninfectious causes. therefore, we evaluated procalcitonin as a predictor of viral versus ba ...	2012	22399852
divergent pro-inflammatory profile of human dendritic cells in response to commensal and pathogenic bacteria associated with the airway microbiota.	recent studies using culture-independent methods have characterized the human airway microbiota and report microbial communities distinct from other body sites. changes in these airway bacterial communities appear to be associated with inflammatory lung disease, yet the pro-inflammatory properties of individual bacterial species are unknown. in this study, we compared the immune stimulatory capacity on human monocyte-derived dendritic cells (dcs) of selected airway commensal and pathogenic bacte ...	2012	22363778
bacterial conjunctivitis.	most cases of conjunctivitis in adults are probably due to viral infection, but children are more likely to develop bacterial conjunctivitis than they are viral forms. the main bacterial pathogens are haemophilus influenzae and streptococcus pneumoniae in adults and children, and moraxella catarrhalis in children. contact lens wearers may be more likely to develop gram-negative infections. bacterial keratitis occurs in up to 30 per 100,000 contact lens wearers.	2012	22348418
interleukin 6, lipopolysaccharide-binding protein and interleukin 10 in the prediction of risk and etiologic patterns in patients with community-acquired pneumonia: results from the german competence network capnetz.	the aim of our study was to investigate the predictive value of the biomarkers interleukin 6 (il-6), interleukin 10 (il-10) and lipopolysaccharide-binding protein (lbp) compared with clinical crb and crb-65 severity scores in patients with community-acquired pneumonia (cap).	2012	22348735
antioxidant pharmacological therapies for copd.	increased oxidative stress occurs in the lungs and systemically in copd, which plays a role in many of the pathogenic mechanisms in copd. hence, targeting local lung and systemic oxidative stress with agents that modulate the antioxidants/redox system or boost endogenous antioxidants would be a useful therapeutic approach in copd. thiol antioxidants (n-acetyl-l-cysteine [nac] and n-acystelyn, carbocysteine, erdosteine, and fudosteine) have been used to increase lung thiol content. modulation of ...	2012	22349417
development of 4h-pyridopyrimidines: a class of selective bacterial protein synthesis inhibitors.	we have identified a series of compounds that inhibit protein synthesis in bacteria. initial ic50's in aminoacylation/translation (a/t) assays ranged from 3 to14 μm. this series of compounds are variations on a 5,6,7,8-tetrahydropyrido[4,3-d]pyrimidin-4-ol scaffold (e.g., 4h-pyridopyrimidine).	2012	22373064
non-capsulated and capsulated haemophilus influenzae in children with acute otitis media in venezuela: a prospective epidemiological study.	non-typeable haemophilus influenzae (nthi) and streptococcus pneumoniae are major causes of bacterial acute otitis media (aom). data regarding aom are limited in latin america. this is the first active surveillance in a private setting in venezuela to characterize the bacterial etiology of aom in children < 5 years of age.	2012	22335965
exacerbations of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.	epidemiologic data indicate that chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (copd) is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality. patients with poorly managed copd are likely to experience exacerbations that require emergency department visits or hospitalization-two important drivers contributing to escalating healthcare resource use and costs associated with the disease. exacerbations also contribute to worsening lung function and negative outcomes in copd. the aim of this review is to present the p ...	2012	22393337
defining the "core microbiome" of the microbial communities in the tonsils of healthy pigs.	porcine tonsils are the colonization site for many pathogenic as well as commensal microorganisms and are the primary lymphoid tissue encountered by organisms entering through the mouth or nares. the goal of this study was to provide an in-depth characterization of the composition and structure of the tonsillar microbial communities and to define the core microbiome in the tonsils of healthy pigs, using high throughput bar-coded 454-flx pyrosequencing.	2012	22313693