From the 2008-2009 European Bacteroides antibiotic resistance survey, we selected 161 strains for detection of antibiotic resistance genes (cepA, cfxA, cfiA, nim, ermB, ermF, ermG, linA, mefA, msrSA, tetM, tetQ, tetX, tetX1, tet36 and bexA). To facilitate the throughput, the genes were detected by Real-Time PCR. The presence of the genes was correlated with the known MIC data of the strains for the appropriate antibiotics. For the β-lactams, the cepA gene was found in 70.8% of the tested strains (all resistant to ampicillin), but its presence did not correlate with the ampicillin MIC values. The cepA gene occurred at different frequencies among Bacteroides fragilis and non-fragilis Bacteroides strains. The cfxA gene was not a major factor in determining cefoxitin resistance and it was found with higher prevalence in non-fragilis Bacteroides strains than in B. fragilis. Among the five possible clindamycin resistance genes, ermF was the most common and had the highest effect on clindamycin resistance after linA. The ermG-mefA-msrSA combination was found in a set of strains and their linked occurrence implied that they were harbored by the conjugative transposon CTnGERM1. All strains tested were susceptible to metronidazole and none of them harbored nim genes. TetQ was prevalent among both the B. fragilis and non-fragilis Bacteroides strains (78.9 and 84.8%, respectively) and no gene could be clearly linked to tigecycline resistance other than tetQ. BexA, which codes for the fluoroquinolone efflux pump, was found in 7.5% of strains and occurred at different frequencies among B. fragilis and non-fragilis Bacteroides strains, but was represented only in a minor proportion of moxifloxacin-resistant strains.

A conventional PCR and a real-time PCR for detecting Bacteroides fragilis were evaluated against clinical specimens. Analytical sensitivities were 100 and 40 fg of DNA, respectively. Detection limits were 100 and 10 CFU/ml, respectively. A total of six culture-negative specimens were positive by PCR. Altering the gold standard from "positive culture" to "positive culture or both PCR assays positive" resulted in sensitivities of 91.7% and 100%, respectively, and in specificities of 100% and 98.6%, respectively.

Here we examine the carbapenem and metronidazole resistance mechanisms of 640 Bacteroides strains reported in the 2008-2009 European antibiotic susceptibility survey. Of the 22 strains with elevated imipenem minimum inhibitory concentrations (≥4 μg/mL), 10 were cfiA-positive and out of these 5 carried activating insertion sequence (IS) elements in the upstream regions of the cfiA genes. However, resistant strains with cfiA genes but with no activating IS elements were found (n=2) as well as a resistant strain with no cfiA gene. In the former the resistance phenotypes by Etest were heterogeneous, whilst in the latter no carbapenemase production was seen; both mechanisms have been rarely observed, examined and characterised. Interestingly, few (n=3) nim-positive strains were found, including one metronidazole-resistant strain harbouring nimE activated by ISBf6, and two susceptible strains harbouring chromosomally located nim genes.

The objective of the study was to determine the antimicrobial efficacy of three denture adhesives toward Streptococcus oralis, mutans, Prevotella oralis and Fusobacterium nucleatum. Adhesives used were Corega Ultra(®), Fixodent Pro Original(®) and Biotene(®) Denture Grip. For Streptococcus oralis and Streptococcus mutans, four tubes of Trypticase Soy Broth 10 mL and 1 g denture of adhesive were used. In addition four tubes of Trypticase Soy Broth 10 mL without any denture adhesive was employed as control. For Prevotella oralis and Fusobacterium nucleatum, four tubes of thioglycolate 10 mL and 1 g denture adhesive were used for each one, while four tubes of thioglycolate 10 mL without adhesive served as control. All samples were incubated for 48 h at 37°C. After 48 h, the number of colonies was counted and the mean was extracted as cfu/mL. The results were evaluated with ANOVA on ranked data and Tukey's post hoc test at α = 0.05. Streptococcus oralis, mutans, Prevotella oralis and Fusobacterium nucleatum showed decreased number of colonies for each denture adhesive compared to the control. Under the conditions of this in vitro study, all the tested denture adhesives showed antimicrobial efficacy. However, in contrast to the hypothesis, there were differences among them. Corega Ultra(®) and Biotene(®) Denture Grip were more effective for all the tested oral malodor-related microbes than Fixodent Pro Original(®).

We report a case of Azospirillum infection manifestating as granulomatous tenosynovitis of the right hand, in an immunocompetent middle-aged female. We highlight the unusual source of the infection, the diagnostic workup, as well as the treatment approach.