Emergence of sequence type 252 Enterobacter cloacae producing GES-5 carbapenemase in a Czech hospital

ST252 Enterobacter cloacae, producing GES-5 carbapenemase, was isolated in a Czech hospital. bla_GES-5 was part of a novel class 1 integron, In1406, which also included a new allele of the aadA15 gene cassette. In1406 was located on a ColE2-like plasmid, pEcl-35771cz (6953 bp).     

A laboratory model of the parasitic system of Lyme disease

A laboratory model of the parasitic system of Lyme borreliosis (LB) with Ixodes persulcatus and Borrelia burgdorferi s.s. underwent 5 epizootic cycles (Cycle I transition of Borreliae by the scheme a tick-->a mouse-->a tick corresponds to the seasonal cycle). A group of 5-6 mice was inoculated with the suspension of infected nymphs by the intracutaneously route and 35-45 days later intact tick larvae or nymphs were fed on them. In the first three cycles, 40-100% of mice in a group (a total of 33 of 59) were susceptible, but 3 of 11 groups of mice were not inoculated. 20-50% of larvae and 75-92% of nymphs were susceptible on the infected mice. The mean geometric abundance of borreliae was 2.8-6.3 cells per 100 fields of vision in the nymphs infected in the larval phase and 16.1-29.5 cells in the image phase. In cycle IV, 2 of 6 groups of mice were unsusceptible to borreliae and 5 of the 17 mice from 4 groups got infected. One mouse died from Lyme borreliosis when larvae were fed on it. The nymphs remolted from underfed larvae were infected in 62.2% of cases, the mean geometric abundance in these nymphs was 5.7% per 100 fields of vision. A total of 3.2-14.7% of the ticks fed on the remaining 4 mice were infected and the abundance of boreliae was 1-2 per 100 fields of vision. In cycle V, one of 12 mice got infected, the infection rate in nymphs was 9.1%, the abundance of borreliae was 1 per 100 fields of vision. Thus, as the number of epizootic cycles increases, the proportion of infected mice, that of ticks infected on these mice on feeding, and the abundance of borreliae in the infected ticks decrease. Moreover, there was a reduction in the length of borreliae reduced from 17-18 mm to 10-11 mm and in the duration of multiplication and preservation of borreliae in the infected ticks and there was concurrently an increase in the duration of development of an infectious process in mice. It is suggested that the population of borreliae consists of 2 morphophysiological groups or more. During cultivation of the laboratory model of the parasitic system of Lyme borreliosis, a group of borrelia that are short and slightly pathogenic for mice had got many points in its favour. A five-fold procedure of artificial election of precisely defining this group set the model on the verge of disappearance. The capacity of the populations of borreliae to alter their properties rapidly and fundamentally suggests that there might be violent annual fluctuations in human morbidity.     

Genetic and metabolomic analysis of AdeD and AdeI mutants of de novo purine biosynthesis: Cellular models of de novo purine biosynthesis deficiency disorders

Purines are molecules essential for many cell processes, including RNA and DNA synthesis, regulation of enzyme activity, protein synthesis and function, energy metabolism and transfer, essential coenzyme function, and cell signaling. Purines are produced via the de novo purine biosynthesis pathway. Mutations in purine biosynthetic genes, for example phosphoribosylaminoimidazole carboxylase/phosphoribosylaminoimidazole succinocarboxamide synthetase (PAICS, E.C. 6.3.2.6/E.C. 4.1.1.21), can lead to developmental anomalies in lower vertebrates. Alterations in PAICS expression in humans have been associated with various types of cancer. Mutations in adenylosuccinate lyase (ADSL, E.C. 4.3.2.2) or 5-aminoimidazole-4-carboxamide ribonucleotide formyltransferase/IMP cyclohydrolase (ATIC, E.C. 2.1.2.3/E.C. 3.5.4.10) lead to inborn errors of metabolism with a range of clinical symptoms, including developmental delay, severe neurological symptoms, and autistic features. The pathogenetic mechanism is unknown for these conditions, and no effective treatments exist. The study of cells carrying mutations in the various de novo purine biosynthesis pathway genes provides one approach to analysis of purine disorders. Here we report the characterization of AdeD Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells, which carry genetic mutations encoding p.E177K and p.W363* variants of PAICS. Both mutations impact PAICS structure and completely abolish its biosynthesis. Additionally, we describe a sensitive and rapid analytical method for detection of purine de novo biosynthesis intermediates based on high performance liquid chromatography with electrochemical detection. Using this technique we detected accumulation of AIR in AdeD cells. In AdeI cells, mutant for the ADSL gene, we detected accumulation of SAICAR and SAMP and, somewhat unexpectedly, accumulation of AIR. This method has great potential for metabolite profiling of de novo purine biosynthesis pathway mutants, identification of novel genetic defects of purine metabolism in humans, and elucidating the regulation of this critical metabolic pathway.     

Evaluation of the occurrence of borreliae in the ticks

The paper shows it necessary to estimate the average number of borreliae in the infected ticks, by using the geometric mean of a sign rather than the arithmetic mean.     

Methods for suppressing the population count of pasture ixodid ticks

The current methods of suppressing the quantity of Ixodes ticks in pasture populations are reviewed. For one- and two-host monoxenous [correction of monogostal] species the methods used were treatment of ticks during their parasitic existence on the cattle (washing in baths, spraying with acaricides, use of ear marks and collars, soaking with acaricides, selection of tick-resistant cattle species, administration of avermectins to the host) and separation of cattle and ticks by changing pastures. For two- and three-host polyxenous [correction of polxgostal] tick species the methods used were treatment of the affected area with acaricides (in the USSR anti-tick area treatments have been practically stopped), separation of cattle and ticks (pasture of cattle on cultural pastures, keeping the cattle in stables), changes of ecological conditions of tick habitation.     

Criminal clozapine intoxications

The paper deals with the topical problem--study criminal clozapine intoxications that have recently ranked first in the total structure of criminal intoxications, by ousting poisoning by clofelin. Thus, in 2004 to 2006, the number of victims taken to the Prof. A. A. Ostroumov Moscow City Hospital No. 33 increased by 1.9 times, by amounting to 1120 cases in 2006. At the same time, its correct prehospital diagnosis was made only in 1.76% of the victims. Abundant clinical material (2720 cases) has been analyzed, by using the currently performed studies. The specific features of the development and clinical manifestations of these intoxications, including those concurrent with alcoholic intoxication, are described in detail. The characteristic manifestations of impaired consciousness, hypersalivation, and myosis in the absence of generally, respiratory failure and hemodynamic disorders, as well as altered clinical and biochemical blood parameters are shown. At the same time there were elevated ammonia levels within the first hours after intoxication, which, in the authors' opinion, may suggest the development of hepatic dysfunction. Emphasis is laid on the fact that the leading component in the complex of medical measures is the administration of central anticholinesterase agents (aminostigmine and galantamine hydrobromide) that may be used as an antidote and for the differential diagnosis of these intoxications.