There is an increasing need for alternative agents in endocarditis, especially with the increasing incidence of vancomycin-intermediate Staphylococcus aureus (VISA). We evaluated the in vitro activity of daptomycin and several comparator agents against 33 non-duplicate clinical Staphylococcus aureus isolates from intravenous drug users with right endocarditis. Wider microdilution panels were us...

We appreciate the interest of Nastro et al. in our recent article (1); their comments (2) offer an opportunity to discuss the work further. Our study was undertaken with a collection of Acinetobacter baumannii and Klebsiella pneumoniae clinical isolates for which colistin (Cst) MICs were elevated. It was observed that among the commercial methods for Cst susceptibility testing (ST), gradient di...

The biochemical characteristics of 172 clinical isolates of group A, C, F, or G or "nongroupable" beta-hemolytic streptococci were examined. Among these isolates, 91 were identified as beta-hemolytic strains of Streptococcus milleri. The remaining isolates included 20 Streptococcus pyogenes, 21 Streptococcus equisimilis, 37 large-colony group G streptococci, and 3 unidentified nongroupable isol...

The study aimed to characterize the role of heavy metal micronutrients in swine feed in emergence of heavy-metal-tolerant and multidrug-resistant Salmonella organisms. We conducted a longitudinal study in 36 swine barns over a 2-year period. The feed and fecal levels of Cu(2+) and Zn(2+) were measured. Salmonella was isolated at early and late finishing. MICs of copper sulfate and zinc chloride...

We have used the technique of ribonuclease protection to define genomic variation among circulating isolates of subgroup A respiratory syncytial (RS) virus. RNAs extracted from HEp-2 cells infected with strains to be analyzed were hybridized with a 32P-labeled RNA probe corresponding to the RS virus G glycoprotein (A2 strain). Areas of nonhomology were detected by cleavage with ribonuclease A. ...

Extended-spectrum β-lactamase (ESBL)-producing Enterobacteria has become a considerable global concern because of their potential dissemination in humans, in domestic animals, wildlife and the environment. The present study aimed to explore the ESBL producing  enterobacteria in aquatic sources of Bangladesh as the water may be the potential source of dissemination of this alarming ant...

We appreciate the interest of Nastro et al. in our recent article (1); their comments (2) offer an opportunity to discuss the work further. Our study was undertaken with a collection of Acinetobacter baumannii and Klebsiella pneumoniae clinical isolates for which colistin (Cst) MICs were elevated. It was observed that among the commercial methods for Cst susceptibility testing (ST), gradient di...

Brucellosis is a widespread zoonotic disease causing considerable economic and public health problems. Despite animal vaccination, brucellosis remains endemic in some areas such as Iran, especially in the western Iranian province of Hamadan. We sought to detect some of the most common virulence-associated genes in Brucella isolated from human blood cultures to determine the prevalence of some v...

Cefepime, a fourth-generation, extended-spectrum cephalosporin, is often used to treat Enterobacteriaceae infections (1). Concentrations of cefepime above the MIC of the infecting organism for at least 60% to 70% of the dosing interval are recommended to obtain maximal bactericidal effects (2, 3). Doses of 1 to 2 g every 12 h may not achieve adequate concentrations to treat infections when the ...

Enterococci are Gram positive and catalase- negative cocci that are found in the gastrointestinal tract of mammals and birds, and are readily isolated from soil, surface and waters. The aim of this study was to discriminate between Enterococcus isolates based on repetitive element sequence based –PCR (Rep-PCR) with the BOXA2R primer and their antibiotics profile. Enterococci isolates were obtai...