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Biomedical subjects

A T Evangelista

Publications and source records attributed to A T Evangelista.

10 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2002

In vitro activity of levofloxacin against contemporary clinical isolates of Legionella pneumophila, Mycoplasma pneumoniae and Chlamydia pneumoniae from North America and Europe.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the activities of levofloxacin and the comparator agents erythromycin, clarithromycin, azithromycin and doxycycline against atypical respiratory pathogens. METHODS: One hundred and forty-six Legionella pneumophila, 41 Mycoplasma pneumoniae and nine Chlamydia pneumoniae isolates were procured from various culture collections in North America and Europe and tested for susceptibility to the above agents by broth microdilution. The isolates came primarily from clinical sources and were collected from patients between 1995 and 1999. RESULTS: Against L. pneumophila, levofloxacin was the most active agent, with an MIC(90) of 0.03 mg/L, twofold more active than clarithromycin (0.06 mg/L), 16-fold more active than erythromycin and azithromycin (0.5 mg/L) and 64-fold more active than doxycycline. Against M. pneumoniae, azithromycin (MIC(90) < or = 0.0005 mg/L) was the most active agent. However, two isolates of M. pneumoniae, one from the USA and one from Finland, were macrolide resistant (MIC > or = 4 mg/L), but levofloxacin susceptible (MIC 0.25 mg/L). The geographic origin of L. pneumophila and M. pneumoniae did not affect the MIC range for any antimicrobial agent tested. Against C. pneumoniae, clarithromycin was the most active agent, with an MIC range of < or =0.008-0.03 mg/L. CONCLUSIONS: Levofloxacin had comparable activity to the other agents tested against the atypical respiratory pathogens, confirming its potential as an alternative for empirical therapy of community-acquired pneumonia.

Anti-Bacterial Agents↗
PubMed1991

Rapid isolation and presumptive diagnosis of uropathogens by using membrane filtration and differential media.

Random urine samples from hospitalized patients (n = 550) and seeded sterile filtered urine samples (n = 730) were used to test a membrane filtration technique, Qualture (Future Medical Technologies International, Inc., West Palm Beach, Fla.), for the detection and identification of uropathogens. Results for each sample were compared with those obtained by the calibrated loop (0.01 ml) method to demonstrate the sensitivity of the method as a screening tool and the specificity of the presumptive diagnosis obtained from the pattern of growth on differential media. The medium was supplied as dehydrated nutrient pads (Sartorius AG, Goettingen, Germany) and was activated by rehydration by the addition of the liquid specimen. With a threshold of 10(4) CFU/ml defining a positive culture, the sensitivity of the Qualture was 100%. At lower levels of bacteriuria, the Qualture was more sensitive than the calibrated loop method. Significant infections were presumptively diagnosed at 4 h by filtration rather than at 24 h on agar medium. The specificity of uropathogen identification ranged from 99% for Enterococcus spp. to 83% for Pseudomonas spp. Citrobacter spp. could not be differentiated from Escherichia coli and Providencia spp. could not be differentiated from Proteus spp., which does not create a therapeutic dilemma. Filtration, isolation, quantitation, and presumptive diagnosis are performed in one step, without subculture. Membrane filtration is a sensitive and rapid technique, with the advantage that it can be used as a collection and transport device without the use of growth inhibitors.

Bacterial Infections↗
PubMed1990

The clinical impact of automated susceptibility reporting using a computer interface.

The rapid automated reporting capability of the Vitek-Sunquest interface was shown to have a direct clinical and monetary impact on patient management. The audit performed on autofiled positive culture results at Cooper Hospital/University Medical Center demonstrated an average savings of $243 per day in antimicrobial utilization. A further enhancement in the computer software for the Vitek and Sunquest systems was the development of the Bidirectional Computer Interface (BCI). The BCI upgrade allows the Microbiology laboratory to utilize both the Sunquest and Vitek IMS programs to generate a wide variety of epidemiology reports with a minimum of keyboard entry time.

Automation↗
PubMed1984

Relationship between group JK corynebacteria and the biotypes of Corynebacterium genitalium and Corynebacterium pseudogenitalium.

Twenty-six strains of group JK corynebacteria had the same colonial morphology and biological reactions as the biotypes of the biovars of Corynebacterium genitalium and C. pseudogenitalium. Therefore, group JK corynebacteria can be assigned to the biovars of C. genitalium or C. pseudogenitalium. Although the strains differed in sensitivity to 16 antibiotics tested by Sensi-Discs or by the Micro-Media technique, they are uniformly sensitive to 4-5 micrograms/mL of vancomycin. Medium containing 10 micrograms vancomycin/mL was bactericidal and the killing time was dependent on the concentration. The rate of mutation to resistance to 10 micrograms vancomycin was greater than 1 in 10(10) corynebacteria. Therefore, vancomycin sensitivity is a stable characteristic of these corynebacteria which also indicates that group JK corynebacteria are strains of either C. genitalium or C. pseudogenitalium. Since group JK corynebacteria are considered pathogens, this finding supports the belief that C. genitalium is a pathogen and suggests that some biotypes of the commensal C. pseudogenitalium may infect compromised hosts.

Anti-Bacterial Agents↗
PubMed1979

Corynebacterium pseudogenitalium sp. nov. Commensals of the human male and female urogenital tracts.

Antisera to Corynebacterium genitalium Types C-1 to C-6 were prepared in rabbits and the titers of complement fixing antibodies to the homologous strains, to the heterologous strains, to C. genitalium Types I to V, and to the reference species Corynebacterium xerosis and Corynebacterium minutissimum ascertained. Five Types stimulated low levels of cross-reacting antibodies to all corynebacteria tested including Type C-3. In contrast the antiserum to Type C-3 had antibodies to only two heterologous strains suggesting that these corynebacteria usually shared more than one minor cell wall antigen. The biologic reactions and serotypes of C. genitalium Types C-1 to C-6 have been compared with those of Types I to V. It is considered that C. genitalium should be retained for corynebacteria having the properties of Types I to V whereas corynebacteria having the characteristics of Types C-1 to C-6 that are commensals of the male and female urogenital tracts should be incorporated in a new species Corynebacteria pseudogenitalium sp. nov. The differences in the biologic characteristics of the two species have been discussed and summarized.

Antibodies, Bacterial↗
PubMed1978

A diagnostic key employing biological reactions for differentiating pathogenic Corynebacterium genitalium (NSU corynebacteria) from commensals of the urogenital tract.

More than 100 strains of Corynebacterium genitalium, probably responsible for coryneform urethritis and other infections, and 600 commensals of the male and female urogenital tracts have been studied and grouped into five pathogenic types numbered I to V and six saprophytic types designated C-1 to C-6 on the basis of eight biological reactions. This preliminary classification has been based on differences in requirements for oxygen, on the fermentation of fructose, dextrose, sucrose, and starch together with the production of the enzymes gelatinase, lipase, and urease. One criterion differentiated the pathogens from the commensals: All pathogens were nonfructose fermenters whereas every commensal fermented this sugar.

Bacteriological Techniques↗
PubMed1976

Infection of a nonspecific urethritis patient and his consort with a pathogenic species of nonspecific urethritis Corynebacteria, Corynebacterium genitalium, N. SP.

A patient with nonspecific urethritis (NSU) and his consort were examined for infection with NSU corynebacteria, mycoplasmas, and gonococci. No classic and T-mycoplasmas or gonococci were cultured, but one species of NSU corynebacteria was isolated not only from the patient's urethral discharge during three episodes of NSU but also from his consort. It was not isolated after successful treatment of the patient with tetracycline and the use of condoms prevented reoccurrence of urethritis. This NSU corynebacterium was isolated previously from one epididymitis patient and two NSU patients but not from any of the normal male and female subjects examined. Therefore, this strain is considered to be one of the etiologic agents of NSU and female subjects are asymptomatic carriers. In consequence, it is suggested that NSU corynebacteria which are commensals and pathogens of the male and female urogenital tracts should be incorporated in a new species, of the Coryneform group, and that this strain should be the type species, Corynebacterium genitalium n. sp.

Adult↗