| 1. |
- Magnusson, Cecilia, et al.
(författare)
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Ribotyping of Clostridium difficile strains associated with nosocomial transmission and relapses in a Swedish County
- 2013
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Ingår i: APMIS : acta pathologica, microbiologica, et immunologica Scandinavica. - : Wiley. - 1600-0463. ; 121:2, s. 153-157
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Clostridium difficile is an emerging threat in hospital environments. To analyse possible transmission and to distinguish between relapse and reinfection a collection of C. difficile isolates, sampled from 162 consecutive episodes of C. difficile infection, were PCR ribotyped. Two ribotypes (001 and 012) were prone to cause nosocomial acquisition. Moreover, ribotype 001 had a tendency to cause relapses as almost one in two patients with this ribotype had one or more relapses. By using PCR ribotyping strains inclined to cause relapses and strains associated with hospital transmission might be detected. This enables optimized hygiene measures and may improve the choice of treatment regimen.
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| 2. |
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| 3. |
- Burova, Larissa, et al.
(författare)
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Experimental poststreptococcal glomerulonephritis elicited by IgG Fc-binding M family proteins and blocked by IgG Fc fragment.
- 2012
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Ingår i: APMIS : acta pathologica, microbiologica, et immunologica Scandinavica. - : Wiley. - 1600-0463. ; 120:3, s. 221-230
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Burova L, Pigarevsky P, Seliverstova V, Gupalova T, Schalén C, Totolian A. Experimental poststreptococcal glomerulonephritis elicited by IgG Fc-binding M family proteins and blocked by IgG Fc fragment. APMIS 2012; 120: 221-30. The pathogenesis of acute poststreptococcal glomerulonephritis (APSGN), a major nonsuppurative complication of group A streptococcal (GAS) throat or skin disease, remains unclear. During the years, various theories based on certain streptococcal extracellular factors, as well as immunological mimicry between streptococci and renal tissue, have been forwarded. We earlier reported that many clinical GAS isolates with documented nephritogenic capacity show non-immune binding of monomeric or aggregated IgG. Moreover, in a rabbit model of APSGN we obtained evidence for an important role of streptococcal IgG Fc binding proteins (IgGFcBPs) belonging to the M family surface proteins; thus, hyperimmunization by whole IgGFcBP-positive streptococci was shown to induce renal glomerular changes with deposition of IgG and complement C3, resembling the picture recorded in human APSGN. These typical renal changes were always preceded by the appearance of circulating anti-IgG antibodies. In the present work, using the same rabbit model, each of two purified IgGFcBPs, isolated from type M22 GAS, were found to elicit glomerular degenerative damage comparable to that caused by whole bacteria, as well as formation of anti-IgG. In addition, the induction by whole streptococci (type M1) of experimental APSGN was inhibited by the i.v. administration of purified human or rabbit IgG Fc, but not Fab, fragment, supporting the importance of Fc-mediated mechanisms in causation of glomerulonephritis. We propose that anti-IgG antibody, induced by streptococcal IgGFcBP, facilitated renal accumulation of IgG-containing complexes, which in turn triggered complement deposition and proinflammatory cascades. Further studies on the possible beneficial effect of IgG Fc fragment in APSGN should be of interest.
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| 4. |
- Vinner, Lasse, et al.
(författare)
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Sequence analysis of HIV-1 isolates from Guinea-Bissau: selection of vaccine epitopes relevant in both West African and European countries.
- 2011
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Ingår i: APMIS : acta pathologica, microbiologica, et immunologica Scandinavica. - : Wiley. - 1600-0463. ; 119:8, s. 487-497
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- For a CD8 epitope-based vaccine to match different geographic locations, the targeted epitopes for cytotoxic T-lymphocytes (CTLs) must be present in the local circulating HIV-1 strains. Secondly, the vaccine epitopes should match the host population HLA types. We characterized two new HIV-1 isolates from Guinea-Bissau. Also, we have identified 15 subdominant CD8 epitopes representing common HLA super-types theoretically covering most HLA alleles in any population. Herein we demonstrate that the selected vaccine epitopes are well conserved and simultaneously present in sequences from West Africa and Denmark. Use of the selected epitopes will likely ensure 10 immune targets in the majority of candidates for experimental therapeutic vaccination in both geographic regions. Our results warrant testing of the selected vaccine epitopes in both geographic locations.
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| 5. |
- Albertsson, Per, 1964, et al.
(författare)
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Low-dosage metronomic chemotherapy and angiogenesis: topoisomerase inhibitors irinotecan and mitoxantrone stimulate VEGF-A-mediated angiogenesis.
- 2012
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Ingår i: APMIS : acta pathologica, microbiologica, et immunologica Scandinavica. - : Wiley. - 1600-0463. ; 120:2, s. 147-56
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Metronomic chemotherapy with cytotoxic agents has been shown to inhibit angiogenesis and, consequently, tumor growth by targeting vascular endothelial cells (ECs). In these regimens, anti-tumor activities additional to anti-angiogenesis may operate. Moreover, chemotherapy typically generates reactive oxygen species in targeted ECs, which can affect angiogenesis. The aim of the present study was to assess the systemic effect of low-dosage metronomic treatment with either irinotecan or mitoxantrone on angiogenesis induced by VEGF-A. Angiogenesis was induced in normal adult rat mesentery by intraperitoneal injection of a low dosage of VEGF-A. Thereafter, irinotecan and mitoxantrone were infused separately continuously at minimally toxic dosages for 14 consecutive days via a subcutaneous osmotic minipump. Angiogenesis was assessed in terms of objective and quantitative variables using morphologic and computerized image analyses. Irinotecan or mitoxantrone significantly stimulated angiogenesis, with ironotecan increasing angiogenesis by 104%, when compared with the vehicle-treated animals. Low-dosage metronomic chemotherapy with irinotecan or mitoxantrone stimulates angiogenesis in the normal mesentery of rats, probably by inducing low-level oxidative stress in the targeted ECs. Whether or not this pertains to tumor angiogenesis may be difficult to confirm, as several anti-tumor modes may operate during low-dosage metronomic chemotherapy.
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| 6. |
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| 7. |
- Lundström, Claes, et al.
(författare)
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State-of-the-art of visualization in post-mortem imaging
- 2012
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Ingår i: Acta Pathologica, Microbiologica et Immunologica Scandinavica (APMIS). - : Wiley-Blackwell. - 0903-4641 .- 1600-0463. ; 120:4, s. 316-326
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Forskningsöversikt (refereegranskat)abstract
- Autopsies constitute a valuable feedback to the healthcare chain to achieve improvements in quality of care and cost effectiveness. This review describes post-mortem imaging, which has emerged as an important part of the pathology toolbox. A broad range of visualization aspects within post-mortem imaging are covered. General state-of-the-art overviews of the components in the visualization pipeline are complemented by in-depth descriptions of methods developed by the authors and our collaborators. The forensic field is represented and related to, as it is spearheading much development in postmortem imaging. Other topics are workflow, imaging data acquisition, and visualization rendering technology. All in all, this review shows the mature state of visual analysis for a non-or minimal-invasive investigation of the deceased patient.
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| 8. |
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| 9. |
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| 10. |
- Bjørkeng, Eva, et al.
(författare)
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Clustering of polyclonal VanB-type vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus faecium in a low-endemic area was associated with CC17-genogroup strains harbouring transferable vanB2-Tn5382 and pRUM-like repA containing plasmids with axe-txe plasmid addiction systems
- 2011
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Ingår i: Acta Pathologica, Microbiologica et Immunologica Scandinavica (APMIS). - : Wiley-Blackwell. - 0903-4641 .- 1600-0463. ; 119:4-5, s. 247-258
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- VanB-type vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus faecium isolates (n = 17) from 15 patients at the Örebro University hospital in Sweden during a span of 18 months was characterized. All patients had underlying disorders and received broad-spectrum antimicrobial therapy. Pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) grouped 14 isolates in three PFGE types and three isolates in unique PFGE patterns. All isolates had multi-locus sequence types [ST17 (n = 5); ST18 (n = 3); ST125 (n = 7); ST262 (n = 1); ST460 (n = 1)] belonging to the successful hospital-adapted clonal complex 17 (CC17), harboured CC17-associated virulence genes, were vanB2-positive and expressed diverse vancomycin minimum inhibitory concentration (MICs; 8 to > 256 mg/L). Isolate 1 had a unique PFGE type and a chromosomal transferable vanB2-Tn5382 element. Interestingly, the other five PFGE types had Tn5382 located on plasmids containing pRUM-like repA and a plasmid addiction system (axe-txe) shown by co-hybridization analysis of PFGE-separated S1-nuclease digested total DNA. The resistance plasmids were mainly of 120-kb and supported intraspecies vanB transfer. Two strains were isolated from patient 6 and we observed a possible transfer of the vanB2-resistance genes from PFGE type III ST460 to a more successful PFGE type I ST125. This latter PFGE type I ST125 became the predominant type afterwards. Our observations support the notion that vanB-type vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus faecium can persist in a low-endemic area through successful clones and plasmids with stability functions in hospital patients with known risk factors.
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| 11. |
- Bronner, Ulf, et al.
(författare)
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Evaluation of rapid diagnostic tests for malaria in Swedish travellers
- 2011
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Ingår i: Acta Pathologica, Microbiologica et Immunologica Scandinavica (APMIS). - : Wiley. - 0903-4641 .- 1600-0463. ; 119:2, s. 88-92
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Rapid diagnostic tests (RDTs) for malaria have become valuable tools for the diagnosis of malaria in both endemic and non-endemic areas. During a 7-year period, first the MalaQuick rapid test and then the NOW Malaria test, were evaluated by well-trained laboratory technicians in a university hospital laboratory of parasitology. A total of 635 blood samples were selected from 4731 blood specimens obtained from travellers at the emergency department, at wards and at out-patient clinics. The samples were analysed by microscopy and RDT. Malaria parasites were detected in the blood films of 134 (21%) samples. The sensitivity of the RDT for Plasmodium falciparum was 97.7% (84 of 86 samples) with a negative predictive value of 99.6%. The two false-negative results were associated with low levels of parasitaemia. For non-falciparum species the sensitivity was only 58.3% (28 of 48 samples). Based on the excellent ability of the RDTs to detect P. falciparum infections, we recommend the use of the NOW Malaria test as a complement to microscopy in the laboratory.
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| 12. |
- Carlson, Marie, et al.
(författare)
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C3b-induced eosinophil degranulation involves PI3-kinases and is inhibited by protein kinase C activity
- 2011
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Ingår i: Acta Pathologica, Microbiologica et Immunologica Scandinavica (APMIS). - : Wiley. - 0903-4641 .- 1600-0463. ; 119:2, s. 119-126
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Selective release of individual eosinophil granule proteins has been demonstrated in eosinophilic conditions and in vitro using different stimuli. The aim of this study was to investigate if selective release of eosinophil cationic protein (ECP), eosinophil protein X/eosinophil derived-neurotoxin (EPX/EDN) and eosinophil peroxidase (EPO) could be due to the involvement of different signal transduction pathways. Peripheral blood granulocytes from healthy donors were incubated with Wortmannin, LY294002, Genistein, Staurosporine, GÖ6976 or PD98059 prior to the induction of degranulation by C3b. The released amounts of ECP, EPO and EPX/EDN were determined by immunoassays, and related to the total cell content of respective protein. Wortmannin caused a significant, dose-dependent inhibition of all three granule proteins. LY294002 (10(-6) M) also inhibited the release of all proteins. Genistein (10(-6) M) inhibited the release of ECP, whereas the release of EPO was increased. However, there was a tendency towards similar concentration-dependent patterns of release of all three proteins. Staurosporine (10(-7) M), GÖ6976 (10(-6) M) and PD98059 (10(-5) M) caused an increased release of the three proteins. PI3-kinases play an important role in the C3b-induced release of ECP, EPO and EPX/EDN, whereas protein kinase C seems to have inhibitory effects on C3b-induced degranulation.
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| 13. |
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| 14. |
- Claesson, Rolf, et al.
(författare)
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A new cleavage site for elastase within the complement component 3
- 2010
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Ingår i: Acta Pathologica, Microbiologica et Immunologica Scandinavica (APMIS). - : Wiley. - 0903-4641 .- 1600-0463. ; 118:10, s. 765-768
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The lysosomal enzyme elastase was earlier shown to cleave the complement molecule C3. During somepreliminary experiments on the interactions of certain pathogenic bacteria with the innate defencemechanisms, we observed C3 cleavage, in the presence of elastase, to fragments not previouslydescribed. To elucidate this proteolytic reaction, the present study was conducted. Degradation of C3in mixtures with elastase or cathepsin G was detected by an immunoblot procedure using anti-C3c andanti-C3d antibodies after separating the proteins by SDS-PAGE. Certain C3 fragments were analysedfor amino acid sequence. The results revealed the existence of a cleavage site for elastase at the positionalanine1350 ⁄ lysine1351 of the C3 molecule, which has not been previously described. The fragmentresulted from this cleavage has a size of about 39 kDa and it contains a part or the whole of C3d. Thiscleavage was distinct from the one previously described at position 987 ⁄ 988, which gives a 34 kDaC3d-containing fragment.
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| 15. |
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| 16. |
- Demirel, Isak, et al.
(författare)
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Expression of suppressor of cytokine signalling 3 (SOCS3) in human bladder epithelial cells infected with uropathogenic Escherichia coli
- 2013
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Ingår i: Acta Pathologica, Microbiologica et Immunologica Scandinavica (APMIS). - : Wiley. - 0903-4641 .- 1600-0463. ; 121:2, s. 158-167
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Suppressor of cytokine signalling (SOCS) proteins inhibit pro-inflammatory signalling mediated by Janus-activated kinase (JAK)-signal transducer and activator of transcription (STAT) pathways. To evade the immune response some pathogens appear to modify the host SOCS proteins. Uropathogenic Escherichia coli (UPEC) are able to subvert the host response evoked by bladder epithelial cells, but the mechanisms are not fully understood. The objective of this study was to investigate whether UPEC can modify the host SOCS and STAT3 response. Real time RT-PCR studies demonstrated an increased SOCS1 and SOCS3 expression in the isolated human bladder epithelial cell lines (RT-4 and 5637) in response to cytokines. UPEC strain IA2 increased SOCS3, but not SOCS1, mRNA levels with a peak at 6h after infection. The increase of SOCS3 was confirmed at the protein level by Western blotting. The UPEC strain IA2 caused a time-dependent decrease in the phosphorylation of STAT3. This study demonstrates that UPEC are able to affect SOCS3 and STAT3 signalling in human uroepithelial cells. The finding that UPEC are able to induce mediators involved in suppression of host cytokine signalling may help to elucidate how UPEC may circumvent the host response during urinary tract infection.
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| 17. |
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| 18. |
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| 19. |
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| 20. |
- Eriksson, Catharina, 1955-, et al.
(författare)
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T-cell expression of CD91 : a marker of unresponsiveness to anti-TNF therapy in rheumatoid arthritis
- 2010
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Ingår i: Acta Pathologica, Microbiologica et Immunologica Scandinavica (APMIS). - : Wiley. - 0903-4641 .- 1600-0463. ; 118:11, s. 837-845
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The aim of this study was to investigate the expression of thrombospondin-1 (TSP-1) and its receptors, lipoprotein receptor-related protein/cluster of differentiation (CD)91, calreticulin (CRT), and CD47, on T cells and monocytes from patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) treated with anti-tumor necrosis factor (TNF) therapy. The surface expression of CD91 and associated components on CD3- and CD14-positive cells was examined using flow cytometry in 12 patients with established RA before and after beginning therapy and compared with that of 9 healthy controls and 12 patients with early RA treated with conventional therapies. CD3-positive cells from anti-TNF non-responders showed significantly greater expression of CD91 expression than those from responders (p<0.05) after 6 weeks and when all measurements were pooled (p<0.001). CD91 expression on CD3-positive cells from non-responders to other therapies was at the same level as in healthy controls. In contrast, CD14-positive cells showed no differences in CD91 expression between patients and controls or between responders and non-responders to anti-TNF therapy. The expression of TSP-1, CRT, and CD47 showed no differences between responders and non-responders. The results suggest T-lymphocyte expression of CD91 to be a biomarker that signifies unresponsiveness to anti-TNF therapy in patients with RA and may be used to identify potential responders and non-responders.
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| 21. |
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| 22. |
- Eriksson, Katarina, et al.
(författare)
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The prevalence of BV in the population on the Åland Islands during a 15-year period
- 2010
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Ingår i: Acta Pathologica, Microbiologica et Immunologica Scandinavica (APMIS). - Malden, USA : John Wiley & Sons. - 0903-4641 .- 1600-0463. ; 118:11, s. 903-908
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The aim of the study was to describe the prevalence and age distribution of bacterial vaginosis (BV) during an observation period of 15 years in a population study with cross-sectional samples of adult women living on the Åland Islands. The Åland Islands form an archipelago in the Baltic Sea and are a province of Finland. Every fifth year, specific age groups in the adult female population are invited to participate in a screening program for early diagnosis of cervical cancer using a papanicolaou (PAP)-stained vaginal smear. Women in the age groups of 20, 25, 30, 35, 40, 45, 50, 55, and 60 years are called each year. BV diagnosis of the PAP-stained smears uses the classification according to Nugent. The PAP-stained smears from the screening program of cervical cancer 1993, 1998, 2003, and 2008 were used in this study. A total of 3456 slides were investigated and 271 women could be followed for the 15-year observation period. The prevalence of BV declined from 15.6% in 1993 to 8.6% in 2008. The highest prevalence occurred among the age groups of 35 and 50 years. Among the 271 women who could be followed for the 15-year observation period, two-third showed normal/intermediate flora and one-third were infected with BV at least once. As this is a cross-sectional population study spanning 15 years, the prevalence of BV in the female adult population of the Åland Islands can be estimated. The prevalence has declined between 1993 and 2008 from 15.6% to 8.6%.
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| 23. |
- Eriksson, Katarina, et al.
(författare)
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Vaginal retention of locally administered clindamycin
- 2011
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Ingår i: Acta Pathologica, Microbiologica et Immunologica Scandinavica (APMIS). - : John Wiley & Sons. - 0903-4641 .- 1600-0463. ; 119:6, s. 373-376
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Since bacterial vaginosis (BV) is characterized by a lack of, or very few, lactobacilli and high numbers of small, mostly anaerobic bacteria, an obvious treatment modality would be eradication of the BV-associated bacterial flora followed by reintroduction of lactobacilli vaginally. As probiotic treatment with lactobacilli is one tool for improving the cure rate when treating BV, it is necessary to know the length of time after treatment that clindamycin can be found in the vagina and if this could interfere with the growth of the probiotic lactobacilli. We evaluated the vaginal concentration of clindamycin in 12 women for 8 days to obtain data on the concentration of clindamycin in the vagina after intravaginal treatment with the drug. The participants were examined five times between two menstrual periods: before treatment, the day after treatment was finished, and 3, 5 and 8 days post-treatment. The first day post-treatment clindamycin 0.46 x 10-3 to 8.4 x 10-3 g/g vaginal fluid (median 2.87 x 10-3) was found. Thereafter, the concentration of clindamycin decreased rapidly. In 10 patients clindamycin was found after 3 days. A very low concentration was still present 5 days after treatment in four patients. After 8 days no clindamycin was found. Clindamycin is rapidly eliminated from the vagina, within 3-8 days, after local administration. Our results indicate that treatment with probiotic lactobacilli could be problematic if carried out within 5 days after cessation of clindamycin treatment.
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| 24. |
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| 25. |
- Glazkova, Slavyana, et al.
(författare)
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Antimicrobial susceptibility/resistance and molecular epidemiological characteristics of Neisseria gonorrhoeae in 2009 in Belarus
- 2011
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Ingår i: Acta Pathologica, Microbiologica et Immunologica Scandinavica (APMIS). - : Wiley. - 0903-4641 .- 1600-0463. ; 119:8, s. 537-542
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Increased antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in Neisseria gonorrhoeae is a global concern, and ultimately gonorrhoea may become untreatable. Nonetheless, AMR data from East-Europe are scarce beyond Russia, and no AMR data or other characteristics of gonococci have been reported from Belarus for more than 20 years. The aim was to describe the prevalence of AMR, and report molecular epidemiological characteristics of gonococci circulating in 2009 in Belarus. In a sample of 80 isolates, resistance prevalences to antimicrobials used for gonorrhoea treatment in Belarus were: Ceftriaxone 0%, spectinomycin 0%, azithromycin 17.3%, tetracycline 25.9%, ciprofloxacin 34.6% and erythromycin 59.2%. The isolates displayed no penA mosaic alleles, 38 porB gene sequences and 35 N. gonorrhoeae multiantigen sequence types, of which 20 have not been described before worldwide. Due to the high levels of antimicrobial resistance, only ceftriaxone and spectinomycin can be recommended for empirical treatment of gonorrhoea in Belarus according to WHO recommendations. Continuous gonococcal AMR surveillance in Eastern Europe is crucial. This is now initiated in Belarus using WHO protocols.
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