bDuring the past 5 years, matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization-time of flight (MALDI-TOF) mass spectrometry (MS) has become a powerful tool for routine identification in many clinical laboratories. We analyzed our 11-year experience in routine identification of clinical isolates (40 months using MALDI-TOF MS and 91 months using conventional phenotypic identification [CPI]). Among the 286,842 clonal isolates, 284,899 isolates of 459 species were identified. The remaining 1,951 isolates were misidentified and required confirmation using a second phenotypic identification for 670 isolates and using a molecular technique for 1,273 isolates of 339 species. MALDI-TOF MS annually identified 112 species, i.e., 36 species/10,000 isolates, compared to 44 species, i.e., 19 species/10,000 isolates, for CPI. Only 50 isolates required second phenotypic identifications during the MALDI-TOF MS period (i.e., 4.5 reidentifications/10,000 isolates) compared with 620 isolates during the CPI period (i.e., 35.2/10,000 isolates). We identified 128 bacterial species rarely reported as human pathogens, including 48 using phenotypic techniques (22 using CPI and 37 using MALDI-TOF MS). Another 75 rare species were identified using molecular methods. MALDI-TOF MS reduced the time required for identification by 55-fold and 169-fold and the cost by 5-fold and 96-fold compared with CPI and gene sequencing, respectively. MALDI-TOF MS was a powerful tool not only for routine bacterial identification but also for identification of rare bacterial species implicated in human infectious diseases. The ability to rapidly identify bacterial species rarely described as pathogens in specific clinical specimens will help us to study the clinical burden resulting from the emergence of these species as human pathogens, and MALDI-TOF MS may be considered an alternative to molecular methods in clinical laboratories.

For several years, alarmist articles both in mass media and in the scientific community have reported an increase in antibiotic resistance, even citing an inability to treat patients infected with multidrug-resistant bacteria (MDR) responsible for high mortality worldwide. In this review we summarize and discuss the key points associated with the reality of (i) the existence of pandrug-resistant bacteria, (ii) the increase of resistance worldwide, (iii) the link between resistance and death, and (iv) the need to develop new antibiotics. Data on antibiotic resistance in Europe for the main bacteria associated with invasive infections apparently demonstrate that apart from Klebsiella pneumoniae, which is resistant to carbapenems in three countries (Romania, Italy and Greece), the level of resistance to three or more classes of antibiotics (defined as MDR phenotype) has remained low and stable over the last 5 years and that therapeutic options exist both for reference antibiotics and for old antibiotics. The clinical outcome of patients infected by MDR bacteria remains controversial and death rates attributable to MDR bacteria versus non-MDR bacteria are still debated. The arsenal of antibiotics currently available (including 'old antibiotics') suffices for facing the waves of emergence of new bacterial resistance and should be considered as a World Heritage. This heritage should be managed in a non-profit model with international regulatory approval.

We implemented a laboratory data–based syndromic surveillance system that can be rapidly applied and used as a first tool.

There is currently a wealth of available data on infections, which has been growing with the recent emergence of new technologies. Concurrently with the expansion of computer resources and networks, these data will allow the optimization of real-time detection and notification of infections.

This study describes, for the first time, the genetic and phenotypic diversity among 93 Streptococcus agalactiae (group B Streptococcus, GBS) isolates collected from Guelma, Algeria and Marseille, France. All strains were identified by matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS). The molecular support of antibiotic resistance and serotyping were investigated by polymerase chain reaction (PCR). The phylogenetic lineage of each GBS isolate was determined by multilocus sequence typing (MLST) and grouped into clonal complexes (CCs) using eBURST. The isolates represented 37 sequence types (STs), 16 of which were novel, grouped into five CCs, and belonging to seven serotypes. Serotype V was the most prevalent serotype in our collection (44.1%). GBS isolates of each serotype were distributed among multiple CCs, including cps III/CC19, cps V/CC1, cps Ia/CC23, cps II/CC10, and cps III/CC17. All isolates presented susceptibility to penicillin, whereas resistance to erythromycin was detected in 40% and tetracycline in 82.2% of isolates. Of the 37 erythromycin-resistant isolates, 75.7% showed the macrolide-lincosamide-streptogramin B (MLSB)-resistant phenotype and 24.3% exhibited the macrolide (M)-resistant phenotype. Constitutive MLSB resistance (46%) mediated by the ermB gene was significantly associated with the Guelma isolates, whereas the M resistance phenotype (24.3%) mediated by the mefA/E gene dominated among the Marseille isolates and belonged to ST-23. Tetracycline resistance was predominantly due to tetM, which was detected alone (95.1%) or associated with tetO (3.7%). These results provide epidemiological data in these regions that establish a basis for monitoring increased resistance to erythromycin and also provide insight into correlations among clones, serotypes, and resistance genes.

Given the proliferation of cataclysmic predictions about antibiotic resistance, cases of which are estimated to amount to 12500 per year in France, we herein decided to compare the empirical clinical microbiology data from our institution with estimates and predictions from 10 major international scientific articles and reports. The analysis of 7 years of antibiotic resistance data from 10 bacterial species and genera of clinical interest from our institution identified no deaths that were directly attributable to extremely drug-resistant bacteria. By comparing our observations to the 10 articles and reports studied herein, we concluded that their results lack empirical data. Interventions are urgently needed to significantly reduce both mortality and the healthcare costs associated with bacterial infections, including the implementation of local and national laboratory data-based surveillance systems for the routine surveillance of antibiotic resistance that would be helpful for a better understanding of how to manage antibiotic-resistant bacteria in the future.

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