Group A Streptococcus invasive infection in children: Epidemiologic changes and implications. Revista espanola de quimioterapia : publicacion oficial de la Sociedad Espanola de Quimioterapia Group A Streptococcus (GAS) can cause a broad array of clinical manifestations and complications. Recently, in post COVID-19 postpandemic months, there has been an increased incidence and severity of invasive infections in the pediatric age group in Spain and other European countries with high morbidity, affecting mostly to young children, associated with seasonal peaks in incidence of viral respiratory pathogens. The increased in incidence and severity has not been associated with predominant GAS strains, but rather to the lack of immunity to both GAS and common viral respiratory infections due to isolation measures to prevent COVID-19. Due to the nonspecific initial clinical manifestations a high index of suspicion is necessary in order to initiate a prompt medical and surgical treatment when necessary to improve the outcome. Prevention strategies are needed as well as continuous microbiological surveillance of iGAS strains. 10.37201/req/s01.09.2023

Antimicrobial susceptibility of clinical isolates of Bacteroides fragilis group organisms recovered from 2009 to 2012 in a Korean hospital. Yim Jisook,Lee Yangsoon,Kim Myungsook,Seo Young Hee,Kim Wan Hee,Yong Dongeun,Jeong Seok Hoon,Lee Kyungwon,Chong Yunsop Annals of laboratory medicine BACKGROUND:Periodic monitoring of antimicrobial resistance trends of clinically important anaerobic bacteria such as Bacteroides fragilis group organisms is required. We determined the antimicrobial susceptibilities of clinical isolates of B. fragilis group organisms recovered from 2009 to 2012 in a tertiary-care hospital in Korea. METHODS:A total of 180 nonduplicate clinical isolates of B. fragilis group organisms were collected in a tertiary care hospital. The species were identified by conventional methods: the ATB 32A rapid identification system (bioMérieux, France) and the Vitek MS matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (bioMérieux). Antimicrobial susceptibility was determined by the CLSI agar dilution method. RESULTS:Imipenem and meropenem resistance rates were 0-6% for B. fragilis group isolates. The rate of resistance to piperacillin-tazobactam was 2% for B. fragilis and 0% for other Bacteroides species, but 17% for B. thetaiotaomicron isolates. High resistance rates to piperacillin (72% and 69%), cefotetan (89% and 58%), and clindamycin (83% and 69%) were observed for B. thetaiotaomicron and other Bacteroides spp. The moxifloxacin resistance rate was 27% for other Bacteroides spp. The MIC50 and MIC90 of tigecycline were 2-4 µg/mL and 8-16 µg/mL, respectively. No isolates were resistant to chloramphenicol or metronidazole. CONCLUSIONS:Imipenem, meropenem, chloramphenicol, and metronidazole remain active against B. fragilis group isolates. Moxifloxacin and tigecycline resistance rates are 2-27% and 8-15% for B. fragilis group isolates, respectively. 10.3343/alm.2015.35.1.94

Antimicrobial susceptibility testing: a review of general principles and contemporary practices. Jorgensen James H,Ferraro Mary Jane Clinical infectious diseases : an official publication of the Infectious Diseases Society of America An important task of the clinical microbiology laboratory is the performance of antimicrobial susceptibility testing of significant bacterial isolates. The goals of testing are to detect possible drug resistance in common pathogens and to assure susceptibility to drugs of choice for particular infections. The most widely used testing methods include broth microdilution or rapid automated instrument methods that use commercially marketed materials and devices. Manual methods that provide flexibility and possible cost savings include the disk diffusion and gradient diffusion methods. Each method has strengths and weaknesses, including organisms that may be accurately tested by the method. Some methods provide quantitative results (eg, minimum inhibitory concentration), and all provide qualitative assessments using the categories susceptible, intermediate, or resistant. In general, current testing methods provide accurate detection of common antimicrobial resistance mechanisms. However, newer or emerging mechanisms of resistance require constant vigilance regarding the ability of each test method to accurately detect resistance. 10.1086/647952