Sensitivity of levofloxacin in combination with ampicillin-sulbactam and tigecycline against multidrug-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii

Background and Objectives: The selection of alternative treatment options with antibiotic combinations may be used for successful managing of multidrug-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii. The aim of this study was to determine the synergistic effects of ampicillin-sulbactam combined with either levofloxacin or tigecycline against MDR A. baumannii. Materials and Methods: A total 124 of A.baumannii isolates collected from clinical samples of hospitalized patients which assessed for antibiotic susceptibility using disk diffusion method. E-test was used on 10 MDR A. baumannii isolates to determine the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of ampicillin-sulbactam, levofloxacin and tigecycline. Any synergistic effects were evaluated at their own MIC using E-test assay at 37°C for 24 hours. Synergy was defined as a fractional inhibitory concentration index (FICI) of ≤0.5. Results: Levofloxacin plus ampicillin-sulbactam combination was found to have synergistic effects (FIC index: ≤0.5) in 90% of the isolates, but there was no synergistic effect for ampicillin-sulbactam/tigecycline and tigecycline/ levofloxacin combination. The antagonist effect in 50% of isolates (FIC index: >2) showed in combination of levofloxacin/tigecycline. Conclusion: The emergence of multidrug A. baumannii isolates requires evaluating by combination therapy. The combination of levofloxacin plus a bactericidal antibiotic such as ampicillin-sulbactam is recommended. Results should be confirmed by clinical studies. Keywords: Acinetobacter baumannii, Etest Methods, Microbial Drug Resistance, Synergistic effec

Antibiotic resistance pattern and distribution of Vietnamese extended-spectrum- β lactamase (VEB-1) gene in Acinetobacter baumannii isolated from hospitalized patients in Kashan Shahid Beheshti hospital during 2013-2014

Background: Acinetobacter baumannii are widely distributed pathogens in hospitals. They have the ability to have various mechanisms of resistance. Multiple drug resistant (MDR) strains of A. baumannii have created therapeutic problems worldwide. The aim of the present study was to determine the antimicrobial susceptibility and detection of blaOXA51 and VEB-1 genes of A. baumannii isolated from clinical specimens in teaching hospital. Materials and Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study was performed on 124 A. baumannii strains isolated from patients in Beheshti hospital, Kashan, Iran, during 2013-2014. At the species level, the isolates were identified by conventional biochemical tests and then confirmed by the Microgen kit (GNA). An antibiotic susceptibility test was performed for 17 antimicrobial agents according to the CLSI guidelines. Multiple drug resistant was defined as presence of resistance to three or more classes of antibiotics. The presence of blaOXA51 and VEB-1 genes was investigated using the polymerase chain reation. Results: Acinetobacter baumannii isolates demonstrated the highest resistance to ceftriaxone, ceftazidime and cefotaxime. All isolates were sensitive to colistin and polymyxin. All isolates were positive for blaOXA51. Thirty-two isolates (25.8) were positive for the VEB-1 gene. Conclusion: This study highlights the high frequency of MDR isolates. The VEB-1 gene, which produces extended spectrum beta lactamase enzymes and inactivates third generation cephalosporins, was positive in more than 25 of the samples

Lecania makarevicziae, a new lichen species from Iran

A new for science species Lecania makarevicziae differing from L. pallida in having knobby to squamulose, blastidiate thallus, in having larger apothecia, in having a dark violet-brown disc, in having a plane disc, in having (1–2–)3-septate ascospores with slightly distinct constrictions at the septum, as well as in the lack of dense bluish pruina on apothecium disc, from Iran and Turkmenistan, is described, compared with closely related taxa

New and noteworthy lichen-forming and lichenicolous fungi

Seventeen taxa new for science, i.e. Absconditella baegasanensis, Caloplaca hallasanensis, C. subconcilians, Fellhanera chejuensis, F. maritima, Lecania coreana, L. rinodinoides, Lichenostigma heterodermiae, Micarea coreana, Phoma heterodermiae, Protoparmeliopsis chejuensis, Roselliniopsis phaeophysciae, Topelia jasonhurii (all from South Korea); Caloplaca dzhankoiensis (from Ukraine); Protoparmeliopsis pseudogyrophoricum (from China); P. taranii (from Russia); and Seirophora blumii (from several Central Asian countries) are described, compared with closely related taxa, and illustrated. Five new combinations are proposed: Caloplaca subscopularis, Protoparmeliopsis crustaceum, P. gyrophoricum, P. mazatzalensis, and P. pinguis. A total of 65 lichen-forming and lichenicolous fungi are reported here as new for South Korea (i.e. Abrothallus microspermus, Amandinea melaxanthella, Arthonia epiphyscia, Arthothelium ruanum, Aspicilia contorta subsp. hoffmanniana, Biatora globulosa, Brigantiaea purpurata, Caloplaca micromera, C. oxneri, C. squamosa, C. subscopularis, C. trassii, Candelariella reflexa, Dirina massiliensis, Endococcus cf. verrucosus, Hyperphyscia adglutinata, Hypogymnia austerodes, H. occidentalis, Ionaspis lacustris, Lecanora barkmaniana, Lecanora cf. marginata, L. symmicta, L. varia, Lichenochora obscuroides, Lichenodiplis lecanorae, Lopadium coralloideum, Melaspilea bagliettoana, Menegazzia subsimilis, Micarea denigrata, M. peliocarpa, Myriospora heppii, Myriotrema masonhalei, Ochrolechia frigida, Opegrapha calcarea, O. phaeophysciae, Parmelia subdivaricata, Pertusaria aff. alpinoides, P. commutans, P. ophthalmiza, P. sphaerophora, P. subcomposita, Phlyctis aff. argena, Physconia hokkaidensis, Porina farinosa, Punctelia subrudecta, Pyrenula balia, P. castanea, P. laevigata, P. neojaponica, P. pseudobufonia, Rhizocarpon badioatrum, Rinodina fimbriata, R. oleae, R. polyspora, R. pyrina, R. sophodes, R. teichophila, Scoliciosporum chlorococcum, Sphinctrina tubaeformis, Stigmidium fuscatae, Taeniolella phaeophysciae, Thelotrema nipponicum, Toninia aromatica, Topeliopsis aff. azorica, and Trypethelium indutum); and two new for China (i.e. Caloplaca bassiae, Lecania rabenhorstii. Detailed locality data and annotations are given for further 20 noteworthy species, which are rare in South Korea (i.e. Agonimia opuntiella, Agonimiella pacifica, Amandinea punctata, Biatora longispora, Brigantiaea ferruginea, Chrysothrix candelaris, Coenogonium luteum, Diploschistes actinostomus, Hyperphyscia crocata, Leucodecton desquamescens, Menegazzia nipponica, Pertusaria commutata, P. multipuncta, P. quartans, P. submultipuncta, P. aff. subobductans, P. velata, Phaeophyscia orbicularis, Porina leptalea, and Trapelia coarctata); and for two species rare in China (i.e. Buellia badia, Letrouitia transgressa)

New and noteworthy lichen-forming and lichenicolous fungi 4

Data on about 27 new for South Korea species of lichen-forming and lichenicolous fungi, including one new for science genus Verseghya and 11 new for science species, i.e.: Agominia loekoesii, Lecanora pseudosambuci, Nectriopsis verseghyklarae, Polysporina golubkovae, Protoparmeliopsis zerovii, Psoroglaena chirisanensis, Pyrenopsis chejudoensis, Ropalospora chirisanensis, Thelopsis chirisanensis, Trapelia coreana, and Verseghya klarae, as well as 27 taxa newly recorded for the country (Biatora aff. subduplex, Buellia cf. uberior, Caloplaca kedrovopadensis, Catillaria chalybaea, Coenogonium isidiatum, Dibaeis yurii, Halecania australis, H. lobulata, Intralichen christiansenii, Ivanpisutia oxneri, Lecania cf. olivacella, Lecanora lojkahugoi, L. sulphurea, Lecidella mandshurica, Lichenoconium erodens, Micarea lithinella, M. aff. stipitata, Muellerella pygmaea var. pygmaea, Oxneria alfredii, Pertusaria aff. flavocorallina, Phaeosporobolus alpinum, Polycoccum innatum, Porina fluminea, Rinodina xanthophaea, Ropalospora chloantha, Stigmidium cladoniicola, and S. epiramalina) are provided

New and noteworthy lichen-forming and lichenicolous fungi 5

Data on 54 new for China, India, Korea and Russia species of lichen-forming and lichenicolous fungi, including 22 new for science taxa of lichen-forming and lichenicolous fungi, i.e.: Acarospora ulleungdoensis, Amandinea trassii, Aspicilia geumodoensis, Biatora ivanpisutii, Caloplaca patwolseleyae, Catillaria ulleungdoensis, Coenogonium agonimieoides, Gyalidea austrocoreana, G. ropalosporoides, Opegrapha briancoppinsii, O. ulleungdoensis, Phyllopsora loekoesii, Psoroglaena coreana, Psorotichia gyelnikii, Rinodina oxneriana, Scoliciosporum jasonhurii, Staurothele oxneri, Stigmidium coarctatae, Thelocarpon ulleungdoense, Thelopsis loekoesii, Toninia poeltiana, Unguiculariopsis helmutii, and and 7 new species to China (Caloplaca ussuriensis, Megaspora rimisorediata, Rinodina xanthophaea, Rusavskia dasanensis, Xanthoria splendens, Zeroviella coreana, Z. esfahanensis), and 1 new species to India (Zeroviella esfahanensis), and 24 new species to Korea (Agonimia blumii, Arthonia rinodinicola, Buelliella minimula, Dactylospora australis, Endococcus propinguus, Halecania santessonii, Laeviomyces aff. fallaciosus, Lecanora albescens, L. layana, Lecidella scabra, Micarea farinosa, Minutoexcipula aff. mariana, Opegrapha anomaea, O. aff. xerica, Phoma aff. lecanorina, Polycoccum rubellianae, Porina nucula, Pyrenidium actinellum, Rhexophiale rhexoblephara, Rimularia badioatra, Rinodina confragosa, R. milvina, R. occulta, Tremella phaeophysciae), as well as 1 new species to Russia (Verseghya klarae) are provided. Furthermore new for science species of lichenicolous fungus Polycoccum clauderouxii from China is described. Four new combinations, i.e.: Biatora pseudosambuci (Basionym: Lecanora pseudosambuci S. Y. Kondr., L. Lőkös et J.-S. Hur), Buellia pseudosubnexa (Basionym: Hafellia pseudosubnexa S. Y. Kondr., L. Lőkös et J.-S. Hur), Buellia extremoorientalis (Basionym: Hafellia extremorientalis S. Y. Kondr., L. Lőkös et J.-S. Hur), and Sagedia nunatakkorum (Basionym: Lecanora nunatakkorum Poelt) are proposed. Data on conidiomata and conidia for lichenicolous fungus Opegrapha anomea Nyl are for the first time provided

Corrigendum to �Cauda equine syndrome due to Brucella spondylodiscitis and epidural abscess formation: A case report� (Interdisciplinary Neurosurgery: Advanced Techniques and Case Management (2019) 17 (42�44), (S2214751918302676), (10.1016/j.inat.2019.01.011))

The authors' regret: Acknowledgements must be deleted because it is not related to our manuscript. The authors apologise for any inconvenience caused. © 201