Insights into cell wall synthesis and cell division in Staphylococcus aureus

Dissertation presented to obtain the Ph.D degree in Biology

BRAIN ABSCESS DUE TO Staphylococcus aureus OF CRYPTOGENIC SOURCE IN AN HIV-1 INFECTED PATIENT IN USE OF ANTIRETROVIRAL THERAPY

The spectrum of neurological complications associated with human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) infection is broad. The most frequent etiologies include primary diseases (caused by HIV itself) or secondary diseases (opportunistic infections or neoplasms). Despite these conditions, HIV-infected patients are susceptible to other infections observed in patients without HIV infection. Here we report a rare case of a brain abscess caused by Staphylococcus aureus in an HIV-infected patient. After drainage of the abscess and treatment with oxacilin, the patient had a favorable outcome. This case reinforces the importance of a timely neurosurgical procedure that supported adequate management of an unusual cause of expansive brain lesions in HIV-1 infected patients.

Endemic Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus: Nurses' Risk Perceptions and Attitudes

Dissemination of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) remains one of the most difficult challenges for prevention, control, and treatment of health care-associated infections. A survey and interviews were conducted on nurses from a hospital center. We found that most nurses' perceived risk of acquiring MRSA related to themselves (72%), other nurses (88.5%), and patients (97.8%). This perception influences attitudes, leading to compliance with the existing recommendations.

Cell division and chromosome segregation in Staphylococcus aureus

Disserta����o para a obten����o do grau de doutor em Biologia pelo Instituto de Tecnologia Qu��mica e Biol��gica. Universidade Nova de Lisboa

Peptidoglycan assembly machines: The Staphylococcus aureus Penicillin-Binding Proteins

Dissertation presented to obtain the Ph.D degree in Biology

Estudo longitudinal sobre portador s��o de Staphylococcus aureus em alunos de um curso de auxiliar de enfermagem

Este trabalho objetivou conhecer o grau de coloniza����o pelo Staphylococcus aureus e a evolu����o do estado de portador s��o em alunos de um curso de Auxiliar de Enfermagem, durante a forma����o profissional. Participaram 42 alunos, dos quais foram colhidas amostras da cavidade nasal e m��os (direita e esquerda) em seis diferentes momentos da forma����o. Do total de alunos, 19 (45,2%) comportaram-se como portadores ocasionais, 12 (28,6%) como intermitentes, 6 (14,3%) como persistentes e 5 (11,9%) como n��o portadores, demonstrando que a coloniza����o n��o aumentou com o decorrer do curso. Dos alunos, 24 (57,1%) referiram n��o terem desenvolvido atividades relacionadas �� enfermagem antes e/ou durante o curso e 18 (42,9%) referiram exerc��-las como atendentes.

O papel de determinantes plasm��dicos na resist��ncia a compostos antimicrobianos em Staphylococcus aureus

Disserta����o para obten����o do Grau de Mestre em Microbiologia m��dica

Regulation and function of the cell wall polymer lipoteichoic acid in staphylococcus aureus

A thesis submitted for the Degree of Master in Medical microbiology

Avalia����o da presen��a de Staphylococcus aureus nos leitos do Centro de Terapia Intensiva do Hospital Escola da Faculdade de Medicina do Tri��ngulo Mineiro, em rela����o �� posi����o no colch��o antes e ap��s a limpeza

Atrav��s de meios de cultura, foi pesquisada a posi����o de col��nias de Staphylococcus aureus em colch��es, visando avaliar a efic��cia do procedimento de limpeza e desinfec����o dos leitos do Hospital Escola da Faculdade de Medicina do Tri��ngulo Mineiro (Uberaba). Foram analisadas amostras de 50 colch��es no per��odo de 22 de outubro de 2000 a 16 de janeiro de 2001. As amostras foram coletadas e semeadas, pela t��cnica de esgotamento, em dois meios de cultivo (��gar sangue e manitol) com posterior realiza����o de provas de catalase e coagulase . Na an��lise estat��stica, foram utilizados os testes n��o param��tricos Mann-Whitney, Kruswkal- Wallis e Wilcoxon Matched Pairs Test com n��vel de signific��ncia p < 0,05. Foram utilizadas 600 placas de meio de cultivo. Houve crescimento em 94 (15,6%), sendo 82 (87,2%) antes e 12 (12,8%) ap��s a limpeza e desinfec����o. Em rela����o �� posi����o no leito, as amostras semeadas no meio de cultivo com manitol mostraram que n��o houve redu����o significativa na posi����o inferior do leito (p&gt;0,05). Os resultados apontam e alertam para falhas no procedimento de limpeza e desinfec����o dos leitos hospitalares por n��s estudados.

Preliminary study of community-acquired Staphylococcus aureus infection in Manaus Hospital, Amazonia Region, Brazil

Methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus is considered a public health problem with a strong potential for dissemination and high rates of morbidity and mortality. In this study we describe bacteriological and epidemiological characteristics of Staphylococcus aureus in Manaus (Amazon region). During the one-year study period (2000-2001), sixteen cases of acute pyogenic multiple abscess were evaluated. Community-acquired S. aureus was identified as causative agent in 10 (62.5%) patients. The strains tested with antimicrobials by discs diffusion method, exhibited a high rate of sensitivity to cephalexin (100%), erythromycin (90%). Oxacillin-susceptible Staphylococcus aureus was 90%. No isolate was resistant to Vancomycin. To our knowledge, no series of community-acquired Staphylococcus aureus in Manaus hospital has been published. Our partial results showed a high rate of antimicrobial sensitivity among community-acquired Staphylococcus aureus in the hospital of Tropical Medicine Institute of Manaus, Amazon Region.

Amidation of peptidoglycan in Staphylococcus aureus

Staphylococcus aureus is one of the most important contemporary human pathogens. The evolutionary ���success��� of this species is closely related to its remarkably capacity to acquire antibiotic resistance traits. In this perspective, it is important to extend our knowledge concerning the mechanisms of antibiotic resistance in S. aureus and to identify new antimicrobials targets.(...)

Determina����o da resist��ncia antimicrobiana associada em isolados cl��nicos de Staphylococcus aureus e Pseudomonas aeruginosa em um hospital p��blico de Goi��nia, Estado de Goi��s

Este estudo avaliou a resist��ncia antimicrobiana associada de Pseudomonas aeruginosa e Staphylococcus aureus a um agente antimicrobiano com outras drogas. A resist��ncia antimicrobiana associada foi calculada atrav��s do risco relativo. Houve uma rela����o ��bvia entre resist��ncia �� oxacilina e a outros agentes antimicrobianos entre os isolados de Staphylococcus aureus resistentes �� oxacilina (68,5%) superior a 32%, com exce����o da linezolida (6,7%). Resist��ncia associada pronunciada entre drogas foi observada para isolados de Pseudomonas aeruginosa, particularmente entre ciprofloxacina e os carbapenens (59,6% a 60,7%), entre aminoglicos��deos e carbapenens (66,3% a 67,7%) e os demais &#946;-lact��micos (52,3% a 85,8%). O presente trabalho enfatiza a import��ncia da cultura diagn��stica e do teste de suscetibilidade na sele����o de um correto agente antimicrobiano com rela����o ao impacto cl��nico no aumento da multirresist��ncia e na sele����o de resist��ncia antimicrobiana associada.

Pneumonia necrotizante por Staphylococcus aureus resistente �� meticilina

O objetivo desse estudo foi descrever um caso de pneumonia necrotizante por Staphylococcus aureus resistente a meticilina. A amostra foi isolada em hemocultura coletada menos de 48 horas da admiss��o hospitalar. A paciente era previamente h��gida quando do in��cio do processo infeccioso. O isolado possu��a o gene mecA, com "staphylococcal cassette chromosome mec" tipo IVa". A presen��a de Staphylococcus aureus carreando esse determinante gen��tico em nosso meio deve ser considerada em pneumonias comunit��rias graves.

Community-associated methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (CA-MRSA) in Portugal:

Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), a human pathogen confined to hospitals (HAMRSA) for over 30 years have been emerging worldwide in the last two decades as a leading cause of severe infections in healthy individuals in the community (CA-MRSA). Despite its clinical significance, in the beginning of our studies no information existed on the prevalence, and population structure of CA-MRSA in Portugal. Moreover, it remained to be clarified how CA-MRSA emerged in our country. In particular, it was not known if CA-MRSA emerged locally by acquisition of the staphylococcal cassette chromosome mec (SCCmec) by established methicillin-susceptible S. aureus (MSSA) in the community, if they were imported from abroad or have escaped from the hospital.(...)