Sanja Pleško

Unusually low prevalence of Mycoplasma genitalium in urine samples from infertile men and healthy controls: a prevalence study

Objective To detect Mycoplasma genitalium in urine samples of infertile men and men without any signs of infection in order to investigate whether M. genitalium and other genital mycoplasmas (Mycoplasma hominis and Ureaplasma spp) are found more often in urine samples of infertile men than in asymptomatic controls and to determine resistance to macrolides. Methods The study included first void urine samples taken from 145 infertile men and 49 men with no symptoms of urethritis. M. genitalium, Chlamydia trachomatis and Neisseria gonorrhoeae were detected by commercial PCR. Trichomonas vaginalis was detected by microscopy and culture. M. hominis and Ureaplasma spp were detected by culture. M. genitalium was detected by in-house conventional and real-time PCR. Results Two M. genitalium positive samples were found among samples obtained from infertile men. All asymptomatic men were M. genitalium negative. Macrolide resistance was not found in either of the two positive samples. Conclusions In comparison with reported data, an unusually low prevalence of M. genitalium was found in infertile men. The reasons for this unexpected result are not known; possibly, local demographic and social characteristics of the population influenced the result. Further studies to investigate M. genitalium in infertile and other groups of patients are needed.

Antimicrobial efficacy of photodynamic therapy, Nd:YAG laser and QMiX solution against Enterococcus faecalis biofilm

BACKGROUND Lasers have been recommended in final root canal disinfection protocol, however, there is no clear evidence about their efficacy against bacteria in biofilms. The aim of the study was to evaluate and compare the disinfection effect of antimicrobial photodynamic therapy (aPDT), Nd:YAG laser and QMiX solution against Enterococcus faecalis biofilm. METHODS The study sample consisted of 65 dentine slices, which were inoculated with E. faecalis and incubated anaerobically for three weeks. The dentine discs were randomly allocated to one of the following experimental groups: aPDT (100 mW, 10 mg/ml phenothiazinium chloride, 1 min), Nd:YAG laser (2 W, 15 Hz, 4×5 s), QMiX solution (1 min). Positive controls did not receive any treatment and negative controls were treated with 5.25% NaOCl. To harvest surviving adherent cells, each dentine sample was transffered to a test tube containing of TSB, serial ten-fold dilutions were made and aliquot of 1 ml was plated onto blood agar plates and incubated for 48 h. Colony forming units grown were counted and transformed into actual counts based on the dilution factor. The remaining viable cells after each protocol were analysed by FISH. RESULTS The aPDT and the QMiX solution were equally effective, with the reduction rate of E. faecalis CFUs of 98.8% and 99.3% respectively (p=1.107). The Nd:YAG laser caused 96% reduction of E. faecalis (P<0.001). CONCLUSION The aPDT and the QMiX solution showed similar antibacterial efficacy against old E. faecalis biofilm, followed by Nd:YAG irradiation.

Epidemiology and fungal infection risk factors in patients hospitalized in neonatal and paediatric intensive care units – a multicentre pilot study

Invasive fungal infections are associated with very high mortality and morbidity. Candida sp. is a leading etiological cause of invasive fungal infections (IFI). The aim of this study was to investigate the epidemiology of FI in patients admitted to neonatal and paediatric ICU (NICU and PICU) to investigate risk factors that may contribute to FI development. In this retrospective epidemiologic multicentre pilot study five neonatal and five paediatric intensive care units were included. The data about epidemiology, patient significant clinical data, chronic metabolic disease, surgery, mechanical ventilation, dialysis, central venous catheter, urinary catheter, arterial catheter, total parenteral nutrition, leucopenia, neutropenia, previous antimicrobial therapy or prophylaxis were collected. In this study 25 NICU and 40 PICU patients treated with antifungal drugs during 2014 were enrolled. Among patients with fungal infection from the NICU the most often diagnosis and reason for NICU hospitalization was prematurity. In four NICUs C. albicans was the most common clinically significant fungal isolate. In one NICU C. parapsilosis was the most frequently isolated yeast. From the urine of one NICU patient with urogenital disease C. krusei was isolated. In four of five PICUs C. albicans was the most common cause of fungal infections. C. glabrata and C. krusei were also recorded in PICUs. In one PICU patients with clinically important moulds were recorded – patients with haematological malignancy (Fusarium sp.) and solid organ transplantation (Aspergillus spp). Thus, surveillance of epidemiology, fungal susceptibility and risk factors associated with fungal infection in a prospective multicentre study could be of great value in the future.