Evaluation of the in-vitro cidal activity and toxicity of a novel peroxygen biocide: 2-butanone peroxide

The monomer of 2-butanone peroxide is a novel peroxygen derivative with potential use as biocide in the hospital environment. The aim of this study was to test the biocidal activity of different concentrations of the compound against American Tissue Culture Collection strains from 11 different micro-organisms, including bacteria, mycobacteria, spores, fungi and virus, following the European Standard guidelines. Toxicity tests were also carried out following United States Environmental Protection Agency Standards. 2-Butanone peroxide exhibited biocidal activity at 0.12% against Legionella pneumophila, at 0.5% against Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Enterococcus hirae, and at 1% …

Susceptibility of Pseudomonas aeruginosa isolates to ceftazidime is unrelated to the expression of the outer membrane protein OprC.

Previously, it has been postulated that the porin OprC facilitates the diffusion of ceftazidime through the outer membrane of Pseudomonas aeruginosa. To further investigate this claim, the outer membrane protein (OMP) profiles of 22 ceftazidime-susceptible clinical isolates were analyzed. No correlation was found between MIC values and the level of expression of OprC. Further, OprC was either undetectable or expressed in reduced amounts in 12 isolates. In contrast, OprF and OprE were present in all isolates studied. This study suggests that OprC is dispensable for the permeation of ceftazidime through the outer membrane of P. aeruginosa.

Type-Specific Antibodies to Pneumococcal Capsular Polysaccharide Acquired either Naturally or after Vaccination with Prevenar in Children with Underlying Chronic or Recurrent Lung Diseases

ABSTRACT The antibody response to capsular polysaccharides of pneumococcal serotypes 4, 6B, 9V, 14, 18C, 19F, and 23F elicited either naturally or after vaccination with Prevenar was investigated in a cohort of children ( n = 163) with underlying chronic or recurrent lung diseases at risk of developing pneumococcal pneumonia and ultimately invasive disease. Serum concentrations of serotype-specific antibodies, as measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, in unvaccinated children ( n = 88) were higher in nasopharyngeal carriers ( n = 10) than in noncarriers ( n = 78) both at baseline and during follow-up. However, the antibody levels depended on the serotype and age of the children. Dur…

Influence of Haemophilus influenzae β-lactamase production and/or ftsI gene mutations on in vitro activity of and susceptibility rates to aminopenicillins and second- and third-generation cephalosporins

Meropenem Permeation through the Outer Membrane of <i>Pseudomonas aeruginosa</i> Can Involve Pathways Other than the OprD Porin Channel

The outer membrane protein (OMP) OprD is the major channel through which carbapenems permeate the outer membrane of Pseudomonas aeruginosa. In this study, we analyzed the OMP profiles of several P. aeruginosa clinical isolates showing diminished susceptibility to imipenem while remaining susceptible to meropenem. All these isolates lacked OprD or showed a reduced expression of this porin. Susceptibility to meropenem was thus independent of the level of OprD expression, indicating that the antimicrobial could be taken up via an alternative route. The level of expression of OprC (70 kD) was also unrelated to meropenem susceptibility. Nevertheless, OMPs OprF and OprE were expressed by all isol…