IntroductionAtopic dermatitis (AD) is an inflammatory disease characterised by chronic and recurrent course. Its predominant symptom is skin pruritus. Therefore, many AD patients have recurrent skin infections and are susceptible to the colonisation of apparently healthy skin and nasal vestibule by Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus). Some S. aureus strains are capable of producing exotoxins.AimTo assess the relation between the total IgE (tIgE) and asIgE targeted against SEA (SEA-sIgE) and SEB (SEB-sIgE), as indicators of the severity of the course of AD, and the presence of S. aureus on apparently healthy skin, in skin lesions and in the nasal vestibule.Material and methodsThe research was performed in a population of 134 AD patients (61 men and 73 women) aged 2–86 years. Three smears were collected for microbiological investigations: from the nasal vestibule, from the skin where lesions appeared at the moment of investigations and from the skin which was free from the eczema. On collection the material was cultured on solid and broth mediums. After incubation each medium was thoroughly analysed for the presence of S. aureus.ResultsThere was a statistically significant correlation between healthy skin colonisation by S. aureus and increased SEA-sIgE. The same correlation was proved between healthy skin colonisation by S. aureus and increased SEB-sIgE. There was a statistically significant correlation between colonisation of the nasal vestibule by S. aureus and the SEA-sIgE and SEB-sIgE serum concentration.ConclusionsIt seems that the colonisation of the lesioned skin, healthy skin and the anterior nares by S. aureus is related with higher tIgE serum concentration, which translates to more severe course of the disease. Significantly increased SEA-IgE and SEB-IgE concentrations were observed in the patients whose tIgE serum concentration was statistically higher.
The SARS-CoV-2 pandemic affected the entire world and contributed to severe health and economic consequences. A safe and effective vaccine is a tool allowing the pandemic to be controlled. Hence, we aimed to conduct a survey on vaccinations against seasonal influenza and COVID-19 in Poland, Lithuania, and Ukraine. We also evaluated societal attitudes towards influenza and COVID-19 vaccinations. Materials and methods: We conducted the study between December 2020 and May 2021. At the time, the countries subject to the research were between the second and third waves of the COVID-19 pandemic. We used an anonymous and self-designed questionnaire comprised of eleven closed-ended questions and a short socio-demographic section. The questionnaire was administered by direct contact or mainly (due to the COVID-19 pandemic) by e-mail or Facebook. Finally, we included 2753 answers from Poland, 1852 from Ukraine, and 213 from Lithuania. Results: Between 61% (Poland) and 72.9% (Ukraine) of the study participants have never been vaccinated against influenza (p < 0.05). Totals of 67.6% of the respondents in Poland, 73.71% in Lithuania, and 29.5% in Ukraine responded that they want to be vaccinated against COVID-19 (p < 0.05). Vaccine hesitancy was mainly related to worries about its side effects. There were also vaccine non-adopters in the study. In Ukraine, 67% of the respondents were clearly opposed to mandatory COVID-19 vaccines, compared to 41.7% in Poland and 30.99% in Lithuania (p < 0.05). Conclusions: There are still many people who present vaccine hesitancy or are opposed to vaccines. Thus, societal education about vaccination and the pandemic is crucial. Vaccine hesitancy or refusal might be related to vaccine origin. Shortages of influenza vaccines made it impossible to vaccinate those who were determined to be vaccinated. There is room for discussion of mandatory COVID-19 vaccinations.
Introduction. Atopic dermatitis (AD) is a chronic and recurrent disease with an inflammatory background. Genetic and environmental factors are responsible for the occurrence and development of this dermatosis. Objective. The aim of the study was to assess the frequency of colonisation of the nasal vestibule and apparently healthy skin by S. aureus, and to assess dermal lesions for superinfection with S. aureus in AD patients. Materials and method. The research was performed on a population of 100 AD patients. Three smears were collected for microbiological investigations: from the anterior nares, from apparently healthy skin and from lesioned skin. On collection, the material was cultured on mediums provided by the bioMerieux and Argenta companies. The strains were identified and their sensitivity to antibiotics assessed by means of the Vitek2 system (bioMerieux). Results. S. aureus was present in at least one location in 90%. 44% presented S. aureus colonization of apparently healthy skin and within skin lesions. In the case of 23%, this particular pathogen was detected only in skin lesions, whereas 6% had a positive result within the area of apparently healthy skin. In total, S. aureus was detected in the skin of 73%. In 61%, apparently healthy skin had been colonized with S. aureus, whereas in 81% colonization was proved within the skin lesions. S. aureus was detected in the nasal vestibule of 85%. Among the group with S. aureus in their anterior nares, the pathogen was also found on the skin surface of 77%. Conclusions. S. aureus colonises skin in most AD patients. Most AD patients carry S. aureus in their nasal vestibules. S. aureus does not seem to colonise healthy skin as often as skin lesions in young people. The vast majority of S. aureus strains were sensitive to local antibiotics. Most S. aureus strains produced penicillinase.
Background Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) colonization has been recognized as a significant problem among hospitalized patients. Available data about prevalence of MRSA among children with congenital heart disease (CHD) are minimal. The aim of the study was to determine the prevalence of MRSA colonization and to identify risk factors for MRSA colonization among children <19 years old with CHD admitted to a pediatric intensive care unit (PICU). Methods Admission and weekly MRSA nasal surveillance testing was performed, and patients were stratified into six risk groups based on the Risk Adjustment for Congenital Heart Surgery-1 Method. The MRSA-colonized children were compared to the MRSA noncolonized children. Results During the 3-year study period, there were 372 admissions of children with CHD to the PICU. Of the 372, 72 (19.4%) had no surveillance cultures performed or had no prior history of MRSA and were excluded from further analysis. Of the remaining 300 admissions, 29 (9.7%) (263 individual children) were found to be colonized. The mean age of the 263 children when first admitted to the PICU was 3.29 years (range 0.03–18.30, median 0.66). Age distribution was not significantly different between the colonized and noncolonized groups (P = .236). Gender (P = .667), race (P = .837), and CHD complexity (P = .395) were not significantly associated with colonization. The odds of being colonized if previously hospitalized were 4.42 times greater than if not previously hospitalized (95% confidence interval 1.89, 10.34). Conclusion Routine MRSA surveillance should be performed in patients with CHD to identify colonized patients.
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