European Journal of Clinical Microbiology & Infectious Diseases

Castagnola, E.; Viscoli, C.; Di Ponzio, A.; Cacciabue, E.; Giacchino, R.

doi: 10.1007/bf01691971pmid: 8922584

Clad, A.; Naudascher, L.; Flecken, U.; Freidank, H. M.; Petersen, E. E.

doi: 10.1007/bf01691963pmid: 8922576

A total of 276 cervical swabs (241 from first visits and 35 from follow-up visits) from 241 women were tested forChlamydia trachomatis by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and enzyme immunoassay (EIA). Sixty-one smears (53 from first visits and 8 from follow-up visits) from 53 women were stained by direct fluorescent antibody (DFA). Twenty-one (8.7%) women had positive swabs in at least two different tests. All follow-up swabs (collected between 3 days and 3 weeks after the first clinical visit) were positive in at least one test when the woman had been positive at the first visit and no antibiotic treatment had been initiated. Including swabs from follow-up visits and DFA results, the respective sensitivities and specificities of the assays were as follows: PCR, 75.9% and 100%; EIA, 69% and 98.4%. The seven swabs that were false negative by PCR (tested initially after thawing from-20°C) were mailed nonrefrigerated to the assay manufacturer, where they tested true positive. These data point to labile inhibitors of the PCR, predominantly cervical mucus.

Domingo, P.; Rodríguez, P.; López-Contreras, J.; Rebasa, P.; Mota, S.; Matias-Guiu, X.

doi: 10.1007/BF01691960pmid: 8922573

Spontaneous rupture of the spleen is a rare and life-threatening complication of bacterial pneumonia, only six properly documented cases having been reported to date. A case of spontaneous splenic rupture associated with pneumonia caused by Legionella pneumophila is presented, together with a review of the literature. Most of the patients were aged over 50, but none had predisposing conditions. Left lung involvement predominated. Legionellosis and Q fever were the most frequent etiologic diagnoses. Empiric antibiotic therapy was adequate in all but two patients. One patient died; he had not undergone laparotomy. Spontaneous rupture of the spleen is an extremely rare complication of bacterial pneumonia that endangers the patient's life if surgery is not performed immediately. This complication should be borne in mind in patients with atypical pneumonia who have left quadrant pain and a falling hematocrit, even in the absence of prior splenomegaly.

Tayoro, J.; Besnier, J.; Laudat, P.; Cattier, B.; Choutet, P.

doi: 10.1007/BF01691970pmid: 8922583

Sloots, T.; Devine, P.

doi: 10.1007/BF01691968pmid: 8922581

Four commercial enzyme immunoassays (ElAs) for the detection of parvovirus B19-specific immunoglobulin M (IgM) antibodies (Biotrin Parvovirus B19 IgM (Biotrin International, Ireland); Parvoscan B19 IgM (Euro-Diagnostica, Sweden); Parvovirus IgM (Immunobiological Laboratories (IBL), Germany); and human parvovirus B19 IgM (Hillcrest Biologicals, USA)) were compared to indirect immunofluorescence assay (IFA) and polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Using IFA as the reference test, high sensitivities (≥97%) were observed with all four ElAs, though the specificities of the Biotrin and IBL ElAs (99% and 96% respectively) were significantly higher than those of the Hillcrest and Euro-Diagnostica ElAs (81% and 79% respectively).

Jelinek, T.; Peyerl, G.; Löscher, T.; Nothdurft, H. -D.

doi: 10.1007/bf01691966pmid: 8922579

In order to identify the prevalence ofEntamoeba histolytica in tourists with diarrhoea returning from countries of the developing world, sensitivity and specificity of a commercially available enzyme immunoassay (EIA) kit for the detection ofEntamoeba histolytica coproantigen in stool were evaluated. Five hundred seventy-seven specimens from 469 patients were examined by microscopy and EIA. Sixty-two specimens from 49 patients were considered positive forEntamoeba histolytica. Compared with microscopic examination of stool samples, the EIA was found to be slightly more sensitive (90.3% vs. 87.1%) and was 97.7% specific forEntamoeba histolytica.

Clad, A.; Naudascher, L.; Flecken, U.; Freidank, H.; Petersen, E.

doi: 10.1007/BF01691963pmid: 8922576

A total of 276 cervical swabs (241 from first visits and 35 from follow-up visits) from 241 women were tested for Chlamydia trachomatis by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and enzyme immunoassay (EIA). Sixty-one smears (53 from first visits and 8 from follow-up visits) from 53 women were stained by direct fluorescent antibody (DFA). Twenty-one (8.7%) women had positive swabs in at least two different tests. All follow-up swabs (collected between 3 days and 3 weeks after the first clinical visit) were positive in at least one test when the woman had been positive at the first visit and no antibiotic treatment had been initiated. Including swabs from follow-up visits and DFA results, the respective sensitivities and specificities of the assays were as follows: PCR, 75.9% and 100%; EIA, 69% and 98.4%. The seven swabs that were false negative by PCR (tested initially after thawing from-20°C) were mailed nonrefrigerated to the assay manufacturer, where they tested true positive. These data point to labile inhibitors of the PCR, predominantly cervical mucus.

Jelinek, T.; Peyerl, G.; Löscher, T.; Nothdurft, H.

doi: 10.1007/BF01691966pmid: 8922579

In order to identify the prevalence of Entamoeba histolytica in tourists with diarrhoea returning from countries of the developing world, sensitivity and specificity of a commercially available enzyme immunoassay (EIA) kit for the detection of Entamoeba histolytica coproantigen in stool were evaluated. Five hundred seventy-seven specimens from 469 patients were examined by microscopy and EIA. Sixty-two specimens from 49 patients were considered positive for Entamoeba histolytica . Compared with microscopic examination of stool samples, the EIA was found to be slightly more sensitive (90.3% vs. 87.1%) and was 97.7% specific for Entamoeba histolytica .

Zambardi, G.; Fleurette, J.; Schito, G. C.; Auckenthaler, R.; Bergogne-Berezin, E.; Hone, R.; King, A.; Lenz, W.; Lohner, C.; Makristhatis, A.; Marco, F.; Müller-Serieys, C.; Nonhoff, C.; Phillips, I.; Rohner, P.; Rotter, M.;

Soriano, F.; Coronel, P.; Gimeno, M.; Jiménez, M.; García-Corbeira, P.; Fernández-Roblas, R.

doi: 10.1007/BF01691969pmid: 8922582

The inoculum effect on minimum inhibitory and minimum bactericidal concentrations of cefditoren, benzylpenicillin, ampicillin, cefotaxime, ceftriaxone, and meropenem against six clinical isolates each of Streptococcus pneumoniae, Haemophilus influenzae , and Neisseria meningitidis was studied using inocula of approximately 10 4 to 10 5 and 10 7 to 10 8 cfu/ml. Vancomycin was also studied against Streptococcus pneumoniae. The inoculum effect was observed only with benzylpenicillin and ampicillin against five of six strains of Haemophilus influenzae . All antibiotics tested were bactericidal.