MsrR, a factor contributing to methicillin resistance in Staphylococcus aureus, belongs to the LytR-CpsA-Psr family of cell envelope-associated proteins. Deletion of msrR increased cell size and aggregation, and altered envelope properties, leading to a temporary reduction in cell surface hydrophobicity, diminished colony-spreading ability, and an increased susceptibility to Congo red. The reduced phosphorus content of purified cell walls of the msrR mutant suggested a reduction in wall teichoic acids, which may explain some of the observed phenotypes. Microarray analysis of the msrR deletion mutant revealed only minor changes in the global transcriptome, suggesting that MsrR has structural rather than regulatory functions. Importantly, virulence of the msrR mutant was decreased in a nematode-killing assay as well as in rat experimental endocarditis. MsrR is therefore likely to play a role in cell envelope maintenance, cell separation, and pathogenicity of S. aureus.

A novel staphylococcal cassette chromosome (SCC) mec from a clinical methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus isolate (ST100/CC5) had a mosaic structure, composed of SCC DNA from several different backgrounds. It harbored two complete ccr loci and a new variant of mec complex B, with ⌬mecR1 interrupted by the aminoglycoside resistance transposon Tn4001.

In a randomized double-blind study, Swiss adults traveling to tropical countries for 12 to 28 days took a solid formulation of bismuth subsalicylate (1.05 or 2.1 g/day on a twice-daily regimen) or placebo. Efficacy was evaluated in 231 volunteers. Diarrheal incidence was reduced by 41% in persons taking the high dose (P = 0.007) and by 35% in those taking the low dose (P = 0.03) with excellent compliance. No serious adverse reactions occurred, but objectionable taste, constipation, and nausea were seen more frequently with active medication (P = 0.04). Twenty patients provided stool samples: no bacteria were detected in the 8 volunteers who were on active medication, but various bacteria were found in 5 of the 12 patients who had taken placebo (P = 0.04).

BackgroundThe Swiss Federal Office of Public Health has recommended vaccination against human papillomavirus (HPV) to prevent cervical cancer since 2008. To establish monitoring of the future public health impact of vaccination, baseline population-based data are required. The objectives of this study were to examine the distribution of oncogenic HPV genotypes in biopsies with cervical intraepithelial neoplasia stage 3 or more severe lesions (CIN3+) at the beginning of HPV vaccination programmes and to compare sociodemographic and behavioural factors of women with CIN3+ with women in the Swiss general population.MethodsWe conducted a retrospective and prospective cross-sectional study with women diagnosed with CIN3+ in Switzerland. Ten pathology institutes from six cantons and three language regions participated. We conducted HPV typing on formaldehyde fixed-paraffin embedded specimens from 2014 and 2015. Women enrolled in 2015 were asked to complete a questionnaire. We described frequencies of HPV types. We also compared demographic characteristics and socioeconomic status in the CIN3 + plus group with the Swiss National Cohort in 2014 and compared risk factors for HPV infection with the Swiss Health Survey in 2012.ResultsWe included 768 biopsies from 767 women. Four hundred and seventy-five (61.8%) biopsies were positive for HPV 16 and/or 18, 687 (89.5%) were positive for oncogenic HPV genotypes 16, 18, 31, 33, 45, 52, and/or 58 and five (0.7%) were HPV negative. Twenty-eight (10.3%) of the 273 women who completed the patient questionnaire reported having received at least one dose of an HPV vaccine. When compared with Swiss women in the six study cantons, fewer women in the CIN3+ plus study group were of Swiss nationality, more were born abroad and more were single. The study group also had a higher proportion of women with ≥2 partners in the last year, current smokers and was younger at age of first sexual intercourse.ConclusionsIntroduction of the nonavalent vaccine could cover approximately 90% of CIN3+ lesions in Swiss women compared with around 60% with the quadrivalent vaccine. Surveillance of HPV genotype distribution in CIN3+, together with information about vaccination and CIN3+ incidence will allow monitoring of the public health impact of vaccination programmes.Trial RegistrationClinicalTrials.gov, NCT02323997. Registered 24 December 2014.Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (10.1186/s12885-018-5248-y) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Hintergrund Immer mehr Personen erkranken an Krebs. Deren Überlebenschancen nehmen aufgrund verbesserter Diagnostik und Therapie zu. Die betroffenen Personen haben besondere Bedürfnisse, die sich weit über den Abschluss der Therapie hinaus erstrecken. In der Folge wird die Nachsorge der sog. "cancer survivors" wichtiger. Die Krebsregistrierung liefert die Datengrundlage für evidenzbasierte Entscheide in der onkologischen Versorgung. Methoden Basierend auf den Ergebnissen des Schweizerischen Krebsberichts 2015 wird die Entwicklung von Krebs in der Schweiz (Prävalenz, Inzidenz, Mortalität, Überleben) beschrieben. Daraus abgeleitet werden neue Anforderungen an die Ärzteschaft skizziert und Neuerungen in der schweizerischen Krebsregistrierung erläutert. Ergebnisse Die Krebsinzidenz nahm in der Schweiz über die letzten 30 Jahre stetig zu, aktuell erkranken jährlich um die 42.000 Personen. Die Krebssterblichkeit sank im gleichen Zeitraum um 36 % (Männer) bzw. 27 % (Frauen). Momentan leben in der Schweiz rund 320.000 Personen mit einer Krebserkrankung, darunter viele Langzeitüberlebende. Viele davon haben physische, psychische und soziale Bedürfnisse, die bis anhin wenig beachtet wurden. Die Krebsregistrierung in der Schweiz wird durch ein neues Bundesgesetz modernisiert und internationalen Standards angepasst und kann durch die Untersuchung der Behandlungs-und Versorgungsqualität einen wichtigen Beitrag zur besseren Versorgung von Krebspatienten leisten. Fazit Eine umfassende, koordinierte und nachhaltige Versorgung von Krebspatienten ist notwendig und bedarf neben entsprechenden Angeboten in der Versorgung auch Weiterentwicklungen in der Krebsregistrierung.