We have searched for sulfate-reducing bacteria in the feces of 41 healthy individuals and 110 patients from a Hepato-Gastro-Enterology Unit using a specific liquid medium (Test-kit Labège, Compagnie Française de Géothermie, Orléans, France). The 110 patients were separated in 22 patients presenting with inflammatory bowel diseases and 88 patients hospitalized for other lower (n=30) or upper (n=58) digestive tract diseases. Sulfate-reducing bacteria were isolated from 10 healthy individuals (24%), 15 patients presenting with inflammatory bowel diseases (68%), and 33 patients with other symptoms (37%). A multiplex PCR was devised for the identification of Desulfovibrio piger (formerly Desulfomonas pigra), Desulfovibrio fairfieldensis and Desulfovibrio desulfuricans, and applied to the above isolates. The strains of sulfate-reducing bacteria consisted of D. piger (39 isolates), D. fairfieldensis (19 isolates) and D. desulfuricans (one isolate). The prevalence of D. piger was significantly higher in inflammatory bowel disease patients (55%) as compared to healthy individuals (12%) or patients with other symptoms (25%) (P<0.05).
Eight isolates of Desulfovibrio spp. have been obtained over 5 years from abdominal or brain abscesses or blood. In seven patients these strains were part of a mixed flora. One strain was isolated in pure culture from the blood of a patient with peritonitis of appendicular origin. According to the 16S rRNA gene sequences, this strain was close to Desulfovibrio fairfieldensis. The present report describes the fourth isolate of this recently described species to be isolated in pure culture or as a predominant part of the flora and to be associated with infectious processes. Thus, D. fairfieldensis may possess a higher pathogenic potential than other Desulfovibrio species.
Severe invasive group A streptococcal diseases have re-emerged during the past 10-20 years. In order to provide a better insight into the current epidemiological situation in France, we analysed the questionnaires regarding all invasive strains received at the National Reference Center for Streptococci (CNR-Strep) between 2006 and 2010 from patients aged ≥ 18 and characterized them by emm typing, spe gene detection and antibiotic resistance. Among the 1542 invasive GAS strains studied, 78% (n=1206) were from blood cultures, and a streptococcal toxic shock syndrome (STSS) was described in 22% (n=340) of cases, mainly associated with necrotizing fasciitis (NF) and pleuro-pulmonary infections (p<0.001). The in-hospital fatality rate was 15%. A total of 83 different emm types were recovered but the three predominant emm types, representing almost 60% of the isolates, were emm1 (24%), emm28 (17%) and emm89 (15%). The preponderance of each emm type varied according to the year, with a significant constant increase of emm28 strains, whereas emm1 strains, representing approximately 32% of GAS invasive isolates in 2007 and 2008, dropped to <15% in 2010 (p<0.001). The distribution of phage-associated superantigen genes (speA, speC and ssa) was linked to certain emm types. Between 2006 and 2010, the percentage that was macrolide-resistant decreased from 11% to 5%, confirming the trend observed in 2007. Fortunately, emm1 strains associated with the most life-threatening clinical manifestations remain susceptible to all anti-streptococcal antibiotics.
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