| 1. |
- Berglund, Torsten, et al.
(author)
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One year of Neisseria gonorrhoeae isolates in Sweden : the prevalence study of antibiotic susceptibility shows relation to the geographic area of exposure
- 2002
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In: International Journal of STD and AIDS (London). - : SAGE Publications. - 0956-4624 .- 1758-1052. ; 13:2, s. 109-114
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The aim of this study was to compare epidemiological data with antibiotic susceptibility patterns, so as to characterize the risk of infection with a highly resistant Neisseria gonorrhoeae strain. N. gonorrhoeae strains isolated in Sweden from February 1998 through January 1999 were tested for antibiotic susceptibility. Epidemiological data were received from each clinician reporting a case of gonorrhoea and these data were linked to the N. gonorrhoeae strains. A total of 348 N. gonorrhoeae isolates, representing 89% of all Swedish cases diagnosed during the 12-month period, were tested for antibiotic susceptibility. Of all isolates, 24% were β-lactamase-producing, and 18% had decreased susceptibility to ciprofloxacin (MIC>0.064 mg/l). All isolates were fully susceptible to ceftriaxone and spectinomycin. More than 99% of the isolates were fully susceptible to azithromycin. The antibiotic susceptibility varied with the places where patients were exposed to infection. When exposed in Asia, 63% of the isolates showed reduced susceptibility to ciprofloxacin, compared with 0-8.5% of the isolates from patients exposed in other places (RR=8.5, P<0.001). Ciprofloxacin cannot be recommended as the first choice of treatment if the place of exposure was in Asia.
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| 2. |
- Bäckman, Anders, et al.
(author)
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Complete Sequence of a β-Lactamase-Encoding Plasmid in Neisseria meningitidis
- 2000
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In: Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy. - 0066-4804 .- 1098-6596. ; 44:1, s. 210-212
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Identical β-lactamase-encoding (TEM-1) plasmids were found in two different clinical Neisseria meningitidis strains. They were completely sequenced (5,597 bp) and designated pAB6. The plasmid is almost identical to Neisseria gonorrhoeae plasmid pJD5 (5,599 kb) and may have been picked up from a gonococcus in vivo.
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| 3. |
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| 4. |
- Clarke, S. C., et al.
(author)
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Analysis of PorA variable region 3 in meningococci : implications for vaccine policy?
- 2003
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In: Vaccine. - 0264-410X .- 1873-2518. ; 21:19-20, s. 2468-2473
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Outer membrane protein (OMP) vaccines are being developed against Neisseria meningitidis serogroup B which may provide protection against common circulating serotypes and serosubtypes in some countries. However, limited data is available in Europe from genosubtyping meningococci. We therefore undertook a retrospective analysis of the three main variable regions, VR1, VR2 as well as VR3, of the porA gene from N. meningitidis isolated from different countries, mainly from Scotland and Sweden. Analysis of this gene showed that, amongst 226 strains studied, there were a total of 78 different strains. No new VR1 or VR2 alleles were found but five new VR3 alleles are described. Our data indicates the importance of analysing the VR3 region of PorA in addition to VR1 and VR2 and also highlights, in general terms, the need for genosubtyping meningococci. Such analyses have major implications for the design of new meningococcal vaccines.
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| 5. |
- Dahle, Charlotte, 1956-, et al.
(author)
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Methods of choice for diagnostic antinuclear antibody (ANA) screening : Benefit of adding antigen-specific assays to immunofluorescence microscopy
- 2004
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In: Journal of Autoimmunity. - : Elsevier BV. - 0896-8411 .- 1095-9157. ; 22:3, s. 241-248
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Objectives. To evaluate and compare the performances of three enzyme-immunoassays (EIAs) and a double radial immunodiffusion (DRID) test in addition to immunofluorescence (IF) microscopy for routine laboratory screening of patient sera sent for antinuclear antibody (ANA) analysis. Methods. 3079 consecutive patient sera sent for routine testing of ANA were analysed by IF microscopy on HEp-2 cells (IF-ANA), three different ANA-EIAs, and a DRID test for antibodies against extractable nuclear antigens. The IF-ANA and DRID tests were regarded as reference methods. Results. By IF-ANA and/or DRID, 375 sera (12%) turned out ANA-positive. A further 171 sera (6%) were positive by EIA, but could not be confirmed either by IF microscopy or DRID. 32 of the 375 ANA-positive (9%) sera were negative by IF microscopy, but had precipitating antibodies against Ro/SS-A (52 and/or 60 kD). Conclusions. Different assays for ANA analysis give overlapping results to a certain extent, but are by no means interchangeable. Thus, different ANA tests reflect different aspects of these autoantibodies. The diagnostic utility of ANA testing still mainly refers to IF-microscopy and precipitin tests. IF-ANA should not be abandoned as the golden standard in clinical routine, until diagnostic and classification criteria for systemic lupus erythematosus and other systemic inflammatory autoimmune diseases have been revised. However, in addition we strongly advocate that a specific test for anti-Ro/SS-A antibodies is always included.
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| 6. |
- Falk, Lars, et al.
(author)
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Genotyping of Chlamydia trachomatis would improve contact tracing
- 2003
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In: Sexually Transmitted Diseases. - : Ovid Technologies (Wolters Kluwer Health). - 0148-5717 .- 1537-4521. ; 30:3, s. 205-210
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Background: The reported number of genital Chlamydia trachomatis infections has increased 15% annually since 1997 in Sweden. Inaccurate partner notification might be one reason.Goal: The goals were to determine if genotyping of C trachomatis would improve partner notification and to study the duration of infection.Study Design: Sexual networks were constructed. C trachomatis isolates from 231 individuals attending the Örebro STD clinic during 1 year were typed by sequencing of the omp1 gene.Results: All individuals were traced and diagnoses were established in 30 of 161 networks. More than one genotype was seen in seven networks. The mean duration of C trachomatis infection in each network was calculated to be 23 weeks.Conclusion: Genotyping could be a useful tool in partner notification when there are discrepant or uncommon genotypes. Limited clinic catchment areas create information difficulties that obstruct accurate contact tracing.
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| 7. |
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| 8. |
- Forsum, Urban, 1946-, et al.
(author)
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Methods in molecular biology
- 2004
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Book (other academic/artistic)abstract
- An accessible introduction to how genomics has and will provide novel methods for bacterial investigation and advance our understanding and knowledge of bacterial pathogenicity. The authors critically evaluate the applications of genomics to diagnostic bacteriology, highlighting both current and likely future uses, describing real-time PCR methods, and outlining the promise of microarrays in clinical bacteriology. Their discussion examines in detail genomic approaches to antibacterial discovery, the nature of pathogenicity, the discovery of new pathogens, the exploration of the concept of clonality in bacteria, and bacterial taxonomics.
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| 9. |
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| 10. |
- Garpenholt, Ö., et al.
(author)
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Invasive disease due to Haemophilus influenzae type b during the first six years of general vaccination of Swedish children
- 2000
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In: Acta Paediatrica. - : Wiley. - 0803-5253 .- 1651-2227 .- 0000-0000. ; 89:4, s. 471-474
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Since 1992-93 vaccination against Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib) has been included in the general Swedish childhood vaccination programme. The aim of the present study is to describe the epidemiology, identify and describe vaccine failures and calculate vaccine effectiveness during the first 6 y after introduction of vaccination against Hib. Laboratory reports of blood and cerebrospinal isolates to the Swedish Institute for Infectious Disease Control were used as the source for identifying the patients. Additional information was subsequently obtained from physicians and parents of children who had developed the disease during the study period. Vaccine failures were identified and vaccine effectiveness calculated. During the study period, 152 cases of invasive H. influenzae were identified in the age group 0-14 y. During the 6-y period, 6 true vaccine failures, 6 apparent vaccine failures and 1 possible vaccine failure were found in nearly two million vaccinated child-years. The effectiveness of the Hib vaccination in the birth cohort of children 1993 to 1997 in Sweden was calculated to be 96.1% (95% confidence interval 94.2-97.5). The study supports earlier studies from several countries that conjugated Hib vaccination introduced in general childhood vaccination programs is effective and substantially decreases suffering from invasive Hib diseases.
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