We sought to determine the prevalence of nasal colonisation with methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus among cattle veterinarians in the UK. There was particular interest in examining the frequency of colonisation with MRSA harbouring mecC, as strains with this mecA homologue were originally identified in bovine milk and may represent a zoonotic risk to those in contact with dairy livesto...

OBJECTIVE A pilot evaluation was performed to assess the effects of Surgihoney, an engineered honey with highly active antimicrobial activity, on bacterial colonisation in long lines in oncology patients. METHOD This prospective service evaluation was conducted at Hampshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust (HHFT) in England, UK, between 2012 and 2013. The study population consisted of oncology ...

The nasopharyngeal commensal bacteria Streptococcus pneumoniae is also a frequent cause of serious infections. Nasopharyngeal colonisation with S. pneumoniae inhibits subsequent re-colonisation by inducing Th17-cell adaptive responses, whereas vaccination prevents invasive infections by inducing antibodies to S. pneumoniae capsular polysaccharides. In contrast, protection against invasive infec...

BACKGROUND Ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) caused by Pseudomonas aeruginosa is usually preceded by colonisation of the respiratory tract. During outbreaks, colonisation with P aeruginosa is mainly derived from exogenous sources. The relative importance of different pathways of colonisation of P aeruginosa has rarely been determined in non-epidemic settings. METHODS In order to determine...

BACKGROUND Aspergillus colonisation is frequently reported after lung transplantation. The question of whether aspergillus colonisation is related to the hospital environment is crucial to prevention. METHOD To elucidate this question, a prospective study of aspergillus colonisation after lung transplantation, along with a mycological survey of the patient environment, was performed. RESULT...

Streptococcus pneumoniae is an important pathogen causing invasive diseases such as sepsis, meningitis, and pneumonia. The burden of disease is highest in the youngest and oldest sections of the population in both more and less developed countries. The treatment of pneumococcal infections is complicated by the worldwide emergence in pneumococci of resistance to penicillin and other antibiotics....

OBJECTIVES To determine risk factors for GBS colonisation in Gambian mothers and in their infants from birth to day 60-89 of age. METHODS Swabs and breastmilk from mothers/infant pairs were collected and cultured on selective agar. Negative samples were analysed for GBS DNA via real-time PCR. Positive isolates were serotyped using multiplex PCR and gel-agarose electrophoresis. RESULTS Seven...

OBJECTIVES Gastric colonisation with intestinal flora (IF) has been shown to promote Helicobacter pylori (Hp)-associated gastric cancer. However, it is unknown if the mechanism involves colonisation with specific or diverse microbiota secondary to gastric atrophy. DESIGN Gastric colonisation with Altered Schaedler's flora (ASF) and Hp were correlated with pathology, immune responses and mRNA ...