0000000000322089

AUTHOR

Di Carlo Paola

The microbiota of the bilio-pancreatic system: a cohort, STROBE-compliant study.

Background: The gut microbiota play an essential role in protecting the host against pathogenic microorganisms by modulating immunity and regulating metabolic processes. In response to environmental factors, microbes can hugely alter their metabolism. These factors can substantially impact the host and have potential pathologic implications.  Particularly pathogenic microorganisms colonizing pancreas and biliary tract tissues may be involved in chronic inflammation and cancer evolution. Purpose: To evaluate the effect of bile microbiota on survival in patients with pancreas and biliary tract disease (PBD). Patients and Methods: We investigated 152 Italian patients with cholelithiasis (CHL),…

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Visiting Friends and Relatives (VFRs) travelers and imported malaria in the Palermo district (Sicily).

Abstract Introduction. Although Italy has been malaria-free since 1970, the infection is commonly introduced into the country by travelers and immigrants from endemic areas. The term VFRs refers to immigrants from malaria-endemic countries who are regularly resident in a malaria-free area, and who travel to their countries of origin to visit friends and relatives (VFRs). This group is at special risk of malaria as they are unaware of having lost their transitory immunity to the disease. Methods. We conducted a retrospective study at the International Travelers Department of Palermo (Italy), examining records of malaria cases (67) reported over the period from 1998 to 2013. Results. VFRs rep…

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Intra-abdominal

Aims To evaluate the contribution of light microscopy to detecting Candida spp infection in patients with complicated intra-abdominal infections (IAIs) admitted for acute abdomen to a quality assurance (QA)-certified surgical emergency ward. Methods We conducted a retrospective study (2008–2012) of 809 abdominal intraoperative or biopsy tissue specimens obtained from patients admitted with acute abdomen and microbiological samples positive for Candida spp. Demographic data, mortality, comorbidities, specimen type, microscopy results, special histological staining performed, antimicrobial therapy were collected and analysed. Any comments at the multidisciplinary team meeting was recorded in …

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Draft Genome Sequence and Biofilm Production of a Carbapenemase-Producing

Rapid identification and characterization of multidrug-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae strains is essential to diagnose severe infections in patients. In clinical routine practice, K. pneumoniae is frequently identified and characterized for outbreak investigation. Pulsed-field gel electrophoresis or multilocus sequence typing could be used, but, unfortunately, these methods are time-consuming, laborious, expensive, and do not provide any information about the presence of resistance and virulence genes. In recent years, the decreasing cost of next-generation sequencing and its easy use have led to it being considered a useful method, not only for outbreak surveillance but also for rapid ide…

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