Colonization and infection by multidrug-resistant gram-negative bacilli (MDR GNB) in neonatal intensive care units (NICUs) are increasingly reported.We conducted a 5-year prospective cohort surveillance study in a tertiary NICU of the hospital "Paolo Giaccone," Palermo, Italy. Our objectives were to describe incidence and trends of MDR GNB colonization and the characteristics of the most preval...

The anterior nares are a primary ecologic niche for Staphylococcus aureus, and nasal colonization by this opportunistic pathogen increases the risk of development of S. aureus infection. Clearance of S. aureus nasal colonization greatly reduces this risk. Mupirocin ointment is the current standard of care for clearance of S. aureus nasal colonization, but resistance to this antibiotic is emergi...

Studies of forest declines are important, because they both reduce timber production and affect successional trajectories of landscapes and ecosystems. Of particular interest is the decline of red pines which is characterized by expanding areas of dead and chlorotic trees in plantations throughout the Great Lakes Region. Here we examine the impact of two bark beetle groups, namely red turpentin...

BACKGROUND Candida species is the third commonest cause of sepsis among neonates. Colonization by Candida is a predictor for candidemia among preterm neonates. OBJECTIVES To determine prevalence of early Candida colonization and early outcome among colonized preterm neonates admitted to Mulago hospital Special Care Unit. METHODS A prospective observational cohort was conducted between Decem...

Background: Group B streptococcus is regarded as a potential factor for adverse outcomes of pregnancy such as preterm birth. Objective: To study the association of maternal vaginal colonization with group B streptococcus (GBS) and preterm labor. Materials and Methods: From April 2005 to May 2006, vaginal culture for GBS were conducted in 101 laboring women with a gestational age of 24-37 weeks ...

Although gastrointestinal colonization by the opportunistic fungal pathogen Candida albicans is generally benign, severe systemic infections are thought to arise due to escape of commensal C. albicans from the gastrointestinal (GI) tract. The C. albicans transcription factor Efg1p is a major regulator of GI colonization, hyphal morphogenesis, and virulence. The goals of this study were to ident...

A total of 1,838 subjects from the community and 393 subjects from health care-related facilities in Taiwan were evaluated for the prevalence of nasal Staphylococcus aureus colonization and to identify risk factors associated with S. aureus and methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA) colonization. Among the community subjects, 3.5% had nasal MRSA colonization. Subjects from health care-related f...

BACKGROUND In patients with chronic respiratory disease, Pneumocystis jirovecii (P. jirovecii) colonization is observed, and may influence disease progression and systemic inflammation. Pneumocystis pneumonia causes interstitial changes, so making a diagnosis of PCP in patients who have interstitial pneumonia (IP) with P. jirovecii colonization is sometimes difficult based on radiography. MET...

Habitat network connectivity influences colonization dynamics, species invasions, and biodiversity patterns. Recent theoretical work suggests dendritic networks, such as those found in rivers, alter expectations regarding colonization and dispersal dynamics compared with other network types. As many native and non-native species are spreading along river networks, this may have important ecolog...

Microbial colonization of the infant occurs during a critical time window for immune and gastrointestinal development. Infant colonization sets the stage for the adult microbiome. This review is a broad survey of the factors affecting infant colonization and the downstream effects on gastrointestinal health and disease. Major topics affecting colonization include initial inoculation dependent o...