Mustafa Zahir Bakici

Antibiotic susceptibility patterns among respiratory isolates of Gram-negative bacilli in a Turkish university hospital

BackgroundGram-negative bacteria cause most nosocomial respiratory infections. At the University of Cumhuriyet, we examined 328 respiratory isolates of Enterobacteriaceae and Acinetobacter baumanii organisms in Sivas, Turkey over 3 years. We used disk diffusion or standardized microdilution to test the isolates against 18 antibiotics.ResultsWe cultured organisms from sputum (54%), tracheal aspirate (25%), and bronchial lavage fluid (21%). The most common organisms were Klebsiella spp (35%), A. baumanii (27%), and Escherichia coli (15%). Imipenem was the most active agent, inhibiting 90% of Enterobacteriaceae and A. baumanii organisms. We considered approximately 12% of Klebsiella pneumoniae and 21% of E. coli isolates to be possible producers of extended-spectrum beta-lactamase. K. pneumoniae isolates of the extended-spectrum beta-lactamase phenotype were more resistant to imipenem, ciprofloxacin, and tetracycline in our study than they are in other regions of the world.ConclusionsOur results suggest that imipenem resistance in our region is growing.

Intravenous Immunoglobulin in the Treatment of Salmonella Typhimurium Infections in Preterm Neonates

The purpose of this study was to determine the role of intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) administration in preterm neonates with S. typhimurium infection. A randomized trial of 47 preterm neonates with intestinal or extraintestinal S. tymphimurium infection was performed. Neonates were randomly divided into two groups: 22 neonates were only given cefoperazone (group 1); 25 neonates were given cefoperazone plus IVIG (group 2). IVIG was given at a dose of 500 mg/kg on days 1, 2, 3, and 8 after entry into the study. Following treatment, bacteremia, complications, mortality rate, recovery time, and duration of antimicrobial therapy were evaluated in two groups. Bacteremia was found in 31.4% in group 1 and 8% in group 2 (P<.05); complications developed in 81.8% in group 1 and 16% in group 2 (P<0.01); mortality was 40.9% in group 1 and 12% in group 2 (P<.05). Recovery took 15 days in group 1 and 8 days in group 2 (P < .01). The duration of antimicrobial therapy was 20 days in group 1 and 14 days in group 2 (P<.01). We conclude that IVIG treatment in combination with antibiotics in preterm neonates with S. typhimurium infection reduces the complications, mortality rate, and duration of therapy.

Retrospective analysis of antibiotic susceptibility patterns of respiratory isolates of Pseudomonas aeruginosa in a Turkish University Hospital

BackgroundLower respiratory tract infections due to Pseudomonas aeruginosa have a high mortality rate. Antibacterial activity of various antibiotics against P. aeruginosa isolated from each hospital depends on the variety or amount of antibiotics used in each hospital.MethodA total of 249 respiratory isolates of Pseudomonas aeruginosa in Sivas (Turkey) were included between January-1999 and January-2002. Isolates were tested against 14 different antibiotics by a disc diffusion method or standardized microdilution technique.ResultsOrganisms were cultured from the following specimens: sputum (31.3%), transtracheal/endotracheal aspirates (37.8%), and bronchial lavage (30.9%). Isolates in bronchial lavage were highly susceptible to cefoperazone and aminoglycosides. Resistance to ampicillin/sulbactam was 98.8%, ticarcillin 40.1%, ticarcillin/clavulanic acid 11.2%, piperacillin 21.8%, aztreonam 66.6%, cefotaxim 75.4%, ceftriaxone 84.2%, cefoperazone 39.0%, ceftazidime 50.8%, gentamicin 57.5%, tobramycin 58.4%, amikacin 25.4%, ciprofloxacin 16.1%, and imipenem/cilastatin 21.6%. The term multidrug-resistant P. aeruginosa covered resistance to imipenem, ciprofloxacin, ceftazidime, gentamicin, and piperacillin. 1.2% of isolates were multidrug-resistant.ConclusionsThese findings suggest that amikacin resistance increases progressively in Turkey. Piperacillin and ticarcillin/clavulanate were the most active agents against both imipenem- and ciprofloxacin-resistant isolates in our region.

Antimicrobial Susceptibility of Bacillus anthracis in an Endemic Area

We aimed to test the antimicrobial susceptibility of 28 Bacillus anthracis strains isolated from cutaneous anthrax cases to various antimicrobial agents using the Sceptor automatic system in an anthrax endemic area. All strains tested were susceptible to penicillin (MIC ≤⃒ 0.03 μg/ml). Piperacillin-tazobactam and carbapenems showed good activity towards all strains. Trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole and cefepime had no activity. Strains were also tested with other antimicrobials.

Community-acquired CTX-M-15-type ESBL-producing Escherichia coli meningitis: a case report and literature review.

In this report, a case of community-acquired acute bacterial meningitis (CA-ABM) caused by CTX-M-15-producing Escherichia coli in an elderly male patient was presented in the light of literature. Cultures of cerebrospinal fluid, blood, ear discharge, and stool samples yielded CTX-M-15-producing E. coli in-vitro, which was resistant to the extended-spectrum cephalosporins and ciprofloxacin and susceptible to imipenem, meropenem and amikacin. Meningitis was treated with parenteral meropenem plus parenteral and intraventricular amikacin administration. Since bacterial meningitis is a life-threatening infection, empiric antibiotic therapy with carbapenem can be started before the culture results are obtained, mainly in areas where the ESBL epidemiology is well known.

A case of chronic suppurative otitis media caused by Kerstersia gyiorum.

Chronic suppurative otitis media is inflammation of the middle ear and mastoid that involves discharge and hearing loss. Kerstersia gyiorum is a member of the Alcaligenaceae family that who could not be treated with classical treatments such as patients with chronic otitis media, neck abscesses. K. gyiorum strain isolated from a patient with chronic suppurative otitis media.

Production, purification, and characterization of metalloprotease from Candida kefyr 41 PSB

A thermostable metalloprotease, produced from an environmental strain of Candida kefyr 41 PSB, was purified 16 fold with a 60% yield by cold ethanol precipitation and affinity chromatography (bentonite-acrylamide-cysteine microcomposite). The purified enzyme appeared as a single protein band at 43kDa. Its optimum pH and temperature points were found to be 7.0 and 105°C, respectively. Km and Vmax values of the enzyme were determined to be 3.5mg/mL and 4.4μmolmL-1min-1, 1.65mg/mL and 6.1μmolmL-1min-1, using casein and gelatine as the substrates, respectively. The activity was inhibited by using ethylenediamine tetraacetic acid (EDTA), indicating that the enzyme was a metalloprotease. Stability of the enzyme was investigated by using thermodynamic and kinetic parameters. The thermal inactivation profile of the enzyme conformed to the first order kinetics. The half life of the enzyme at 95, 105, 115, 125 and 135°C was 1310, 610, 220, 150, and 86min, respectively.

Rotavirus and adenovirus gastroenteritis: time series analysis

This study investigated the effects of changes in weather conditions (monthly average temperature, monthly minimum temperature, monthly average humidity) on rotavirus and adenovirus gastroenteritis frequency and whether there was a seasonal correlation.

Tuberculous Pericarditis: A Report of Three Cases

SUMMARY Three cases with the rare condition of tuberculous pericarditis are reported.

A Rare Seen Pathogen in Complicated Skin-Soft Tissue Infection: Pasteurella bettyae

Department of Infectious Disease and Clinical Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, Cumhuriyet University, Sivas, Turkey Department of Medical Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, Cumhuriyet University, Sivas, Turkey Corresponding author: Seyit Ali Büyüktuna, Department of Infectious Disease and Clinical Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, Cumhuriyet University, Sivas, Turkey E-mail: alibuyuktuna@gmail.com Received/Accepted: October 14, 2017 / November 06, 2017 Conflict of interest: There is not a conflict of interest.