Bacterial biofilm in adenoids of children with chronic otitis media: Part I: a case control study of prevalence of biofilms in adenoids, risk factors and middle ear biofilms

BACKGROUND\nMATERIAL AND METHODS\nRESULTS\nCONCLUSIONS AND SIGNIFICANCE\nBiofilms are communities of bacteria embedded in a self-produced glycocalyx matrix. Adenoids have been shown to harbor bacterial biofilms. Aim/objectives: To compare the prevalence of biofilms in adenoid of children with chronic otitis media (COM) (group1) versus a control group without any COM (group 2) having adenoids removed because of hypertrophy.\nOne hundred and three children were prospectively enrolled in this case-control study, group 1 (n = 52) and group 2 (n = 51). The main outcome measurement was the prevalence of biofilm in adenoidectomy specimens analyzed using confocal laser scanning microscopy. Children in group 1 who had middle ear (ME) effusion and requiring the insertion of a tympanostomy tube underwent biopsy of the ME mucosa and effusion sampling.\nBiofilms were found in adenoids' specimens of both groups and in the ME biopsy and effusion. The biofilm prevalence in adenoids was 63.5% (33/52) in group 1 and 47.1% (24/51) in group 2. Day nursery and previous antibiotics intake were significantly more frequent in group 1 than in group 2.\nThis case-control study demonstrates that adenoid tissue in children with COM contains more mucosal biofilms than adenoid tissue removed for hypertrophy. Biofilm was seen in ME biopsies and effusion.Microbial Biotechnolog

Bacterial biofilm in adenoids of children with chronic otitis media: part II: a case–control study of nasopharyngeal microbiota, virulence, and resistance of biofilms in adenoids

Background: We previously described that adenoid tissue in children with chronic otitis media (COM) contained more mucosal biofilms than adenoid tissue removed for hypertrophy.Aims/objectives: The aim of the second part was to characterize nasopharyngeal microbiota and explore virulence of the most common middle ear pathogens.Material and methods: Bacteriological analysis was performed following a culture-based approach on the samples recovered from 30 patients of COM group (15 biofilm-positive and 15 biofilm-negative) and from 30 patients of a control group (15 biofilm-positive and 15 biofilm-negative). Virulence factors of Streptococcus pneumoniae, Streptococcus pyogenes, and Haemophilus influenzae were investigated.Results: The most frequent species were Firmicutes followed by Proteobacteria and Actinobacteria. The presence of biofilm was statistically associated with an increase of the number of bacterial species and Firmicutes phylum regardless of the condition (case/control). No virulence factors associated with invasive isolates were found for the most common middle ear pathogens.Conclusions and significance: This case-control study demonstrated that the presence of COM plus biofilm was associated with a given microbiota which contained more Firmicutes. Our study allows a better understanding of physiopathological mechanisms involved in chronic otitis media and paves the way for further investigations.Microbial Biotechnolog

Tuberculosis Incidence in Prisons: A Systematic Review

A systematic review by Iacopo Baussano and colleagues synthesizes published research to show that improved tuberculosis (TB) control in prisons could significantly reduce the burden of TB both inside and outside prisons

Prosthetic knee arthritis due to Granulicatella adiacens after dental treatment

We report prosthetic knee arthritis in a 55-year-old diabetic man due toGranulicatella adiacens, a micro-organism present in the oral flora, usually described in endocarditis but rarely in prosthesis joint infection. This patient had undergone a dental extraction without antibiotic prophylaxis one month before, and an aseptic loosening of the prosthesis had been diagnosed previously. If antimicrobial prophylaxis against infective endocarditis for dental procedures is well established, such an approach is still controversial for joint prosthesis and should be considered in some conditions.</jats:p

Selective Substituent Transfer from Mixed Zinc Reagents in Ni-Catalyzed Anhydride Alkylation

The use of mixed zinc reagents in Ni-catalyzed anhydride alkylation results in preferential transfer of substituents (Ph > Me > Et ≫ iPr ∼ TMSCH2) for the ligands bipy, dppe, and iPrPHOX. Utilization of such mixed species allows the use of 0.55 equiv of the diorganozinc reagent, effectively transferring both desired substituents when used in conjunction with a suitable second zinc reagent