Tatjana Babic

Enteritis caused by Campylobacter jejuni followed by acute motor axonal neuropathy: a case report

IntroductionCampylobacter species represent the main cause of bacterial diarrhea in developed countries and one of the most frequent causes of enterocolitis in developing ones. In some patients, Campylobacter jejuni infection of the gastrointestinal tract has been observed as an antecedent illness of acute motor axonal neuropathy, a variant of Guillain-Barré syndrome.Case presentationWe present a case of acute motor axonal neuropathy following infection with Campylobacter jejuni subspecies jejuni, biotype II, heat stable serotype O:19. A 46-year-old Caucasian man developed acute motor neuropathy 10 days after mild intestinal infection. The proximal and distal muscle weakness of his upper and lower extremities was associated with serum antibodies to Campylobacter jejuni and antibodies to ganglioside GM1. The electromyographic signs of neuropathic muscle action potentials with almost normal nerve conduction velocities indicated axonal neuropathy. Our patients clinical and electrophysiological features fulfilled criteria for the diagnosis of an acute motor axonal neuropathy, a subtype of Guillain-Barré syndrome.ConclusionAs this is the first case of acute motor axonal neuropathy following infection with Campylobacter jejuni subspecies jejuni reported from the Balkan area, the present findings indicate the need for systematic studies and further clinical, epidemiological and microbiological investigations on the prevalence of Campylobacter jejuni and its heat stable serotypes in the etiology of Guillain-Barré syndrome and other post-infectious sequelae.

Asymptomatic carriers of clostridium difficile in serbian population

The aim of the research was to determine the intestinal carriers of C. difficile in different human population groups in Serbia. The research enrolled 877 persons with formed stools: (newborn children in maternity hospitals for up to two weeks old) (23), group A; children aged from two weeks to two years (121), group B; children aged two to 10 years (54), group C, healthy individuals aged 10 and over (516), group D; patients hospitalized for at least 48 hours (100), group E; staff of the Clinical Center in Nis, Serbia, (63), group F. The toxins A and B of C. difficile were detected by ELISA-ridascreen Clostridium difficile Toxin A/B (R — Biopharm AG, Darmstadt, Germany). The toxin A of C. difficile was detected using ColorPAC Toxin A test (BectonDickinson, New Jersey, USA). Out of the total number of persons (877), the carriers of certain types of toxin-producing strains of C. difficile were distributed as: 6.04% (A−/B−), 1.83% (A+/B+) and 0.11% (A−/B+). In most groups (5/6), the dominance of non-toxigenic (A−/B−) isolates was established, with the rate of carriers 1.75 – 30.43% depending on the group. Toxigenic isolates were prevalent only in the group F in relation to non — toxigenic (7.94% versus 4.76% of persons). In other groups, the carriers of toxigenic strains ranged from 0.00 – 17.45%. The presence of asymptomatic intestinal carriers of C. difficile in the human population, indicate the possible reservoirs and sources of infection.

Staphylococcus aureus: Immunopathogenesis and Human Immunity

Summary Considering a large number of pathogen factors that enable high virulence of a microorganism such as Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus), it is essential to see them through the continuous adaptation to the newly acquired mechanisms of the host immune response and efforts to overcome these, allowing the bacteria a perfect ecological niche for growth, reproduction, and location of new hosts. Past efforts to create a vaccine that would provide effective protection against infections caused by S. aureus remained without success. The reasons for this stem from the outstanding adaptability skills of this microorganism to almost all environmental conditions, the existence of a numerous virulence factors whose mechanisms of action are not well known, as well as insufficient knowledge of the immune response to S. aureus infections. This review article deals with this issue from another perspective and emphasizes actual knowledge on virulence factors and immune response to S. aureus. Sažetak Brojni su faktori patogenosti koji omogućavaju visok stepen virulencije mikroorganizmu poput Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus). Posebno je važno sagledati faktore sposobnosti stalne adaptacije na mehanizme imunskog odgovora domaćina, što bakteriji omogućava idealnu ekološku nišu za rast, razmnožavanje i širenje. Dosadašnji napori da se dođe do vakcine koja bi omogućila efikasnu zaštitu od infekcija izazvanih S. aureusom ostali su bez uspeha. Razlozi za ovakvu situaciju se nalaze u izraženoj adaptaciji ovog mikroorganizma na gotovo sve uslove spoljašnje sredine, u postojanju velikog broja faktora virulencije čiji mehanizmi delovanja nisu dovoljno poznati, kao i nedovoljnog poznavanja imunskog odgovora na infekciju S. aureus. Svrha ovog rada je da se sa novijih aspekata sagleda navedena problematika i istaknu savremena saznanja o faktorima virulencije i imunskom odgovoru na S. aureusu.

Detection of Helicobacter pylori in gastric biopsy and resection specimens

AIM To compare the sensitivity of detecting H. pylori in gastric biopsy and resection specimens using modified Giemsa stain and immunohistochemistry, using a commercially available anti-H. pylori antibody (Dako, Denmark). METHODS Gastric antral biopsy specimens showing chronic gastritis (28 cases) together with tissue blocks from gastrectomy specimens for duodenal ulcer (2 cases) were stained with modified Giemsa and immunoenzymatic alkaline phosphatase - anti-alkaline phosphatase (APAAP) method, and were carefully examined for the presence of H. pylori. RESULTS Using a modified Giemsa stain, the spiral shaped bacteria of H. pylori stained blue, were attached to the brush border of the gastric foveolar epithelial cells. However, the specificity of modified Giemsa stain depended on the morphological appearance of H. pylori. The specificity of immunostaining permitted detection of low numbers or even single organisms. In all cases bacteria were more prominent and easier to detect in immunostained preparations. H. pylori was identified in 22 (73.3%) of 30 sections stained with modified Giemsa stain, but it could be identified with greater frequency in sections stained with APAAP, in 27 (90%) of 30 sections. CONCLUSION Immunohistochemical identification of H. pylori was better than Giemsa stain for detecting that organism.