Phage Treatment Trial to Eradicate LA-MRSA from Healthy Carrier Pigs

The increase of livestock-associated methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (LA-MRSA) causes a threat to human health. LA-MRSA can be transmitted from animals to animal caretakers, which may further spread MRSA to communities and health care facilities. The objective of this work was to study the efficacy of phage treatment in the eradication of LA-MRSA from healthy carrier pigs. A total of 19 MRSA -positive weanling pigs were assigned to a test (n = 10) and a control group (n = 9). A phage cocktail containing three Staphylococcus phages, or a control buffer was administered to the nares and skin of the pigs three times every two days, after which the phage and MRSA levels in nasal and skin swab samples were monitored for a three-week period. The sensitivity of the strains isolated during the follow-up period to the phage cocktail and each phage individually was analyzed and the pig sera were tested for antibodies against the phages used in the cocktail. The phage treatment did not cause any side effects to the pigs. Phages were found in the skin and nasal samples on the days following the phage applications, but there was no reduction in the MRSA levels in the sampled animals. Phage-resistant strains or phage-specific antibodies were not detected during the experiment. The MRSA load in these healthy carrier animals was only 10–100 CFU/swab or nasal sample, which was likely below the replication threshold of phages. The effectiveness of phage treatment to eradicate MRSA from the pigs could thus not be (reliably) determined.

Presumptive Zoonotic Kerion by Nannizzia gypsea: Case Report

Nannizzia gypsea (formerly Microsporum gypseum) belongs to geophilic dermatophytes, fungi involved in keratin degradation in the soil; however, they are also found in dogs and cats. Transmission to humans can occur directly by contact with soil, but indirect transmission via domestic animals is reported too. The exact source of the infection is usually difficult to assess and in most cases only hypothesised and rarely investigated. This case report describes a kerion caused by N. gypsea in a 2-year-old boy, where the contagion was probably secondary to domestic healthy carrier dogs. A “One-Health” approach involving human dermatologists and veterinarians, combined with the use of conventional and molecular-based techniques, allowed tracing of the epidemiological chain and managing of not only the treatment but also the prevention of a recurrence. The child's lesion began to regress after about 8 weeks of treatment with both systemic and topical therapy, while the dogs were given chlorhexidine and miconazole baths. No recurrences nor new infections occurred, demonstrating the effectiveness of the strategies used.

An Ethics Debate for the Ages: American Individualism and the Dilemma of the Healthy Carrier

Many public health ethics debates are construed as the rights of the collective versus the rights of the individual. This essay demonstrates that in the context of diseases which are transmitted by healthy carriers, the issue is more complex than this. Instead of arguing about competing rights, this essay argues that such debates are first about competing visions of reality, in which the individual is asked to substitute a collective understanding of their body for their own personal experience of their body. Understanding this first layer of the ethics debate in such healthy carrier situations allows us to redirect persuasive energies, moving away from a beginning-point of compliance to one of understanding, which may ultimately find a more willing public audience.

Isolation and Identification of Nuc Nuclease Gene and Sea Enterotoxin Gene in Staphylococcus Aureus Isolates From Nasal Mucosa of Burn Hospital Staff

Objectives: Staphylococcus aureus is one of the main causes of nosocomial infections. The hospital staff as carriers of Staphylococcus aureus have an important role in spreading it among patients. This study aimed to investigate nuc gene, as S. aureus marker and sea gene, enterotoxin A gene nasal mucosa of sari burn hospital staff. In this cross-sectional study, a nasal swab of 40 staff of Burnt hospital of Sari was collected and isolated. The S. aureus was detected by biochemical tests such as Gram stain, catalase, coagulase. Then nuc and sea genes were identified after the extraction of DNA, by PCR technique and gel electrophoresis with specific primer.Results: From the 40 strains obtained from nasal of carriers, 20 S. aureus strains were isolated, and all of them included nuc gene, while 6 samples included sea gene. Given that every 20 samples had nuc gene, therefore this gene is a strong marker for S. aureus. Also, the presence of sea genes in some samples suggested the presence of enterotoxin A in hospital staff as a healthy carrier. Also, given that hospital staffs can be carriers of Staphylococcus aureus and spreading nosocomial infections, therefore identification of the carriers to prevent the spread of infection is essential.

PEMETAAN PERUBAHAN (MUTASI) VIRUS HEPATITIS B

Recently, the issue of Hepatitis B Virus (HVB) mutation is becoming a significant point to consider. The mutation might rendersignificant problems as the virus might escape from the detection method, vaccination induced-protection and treatment modalities. Thestudy was to analyze the profile of serological parameters in the HVB infected serum in Surakarta. As many as 36 HBsAg-positive serawere randomly retrieved from the patients in Moewardi Hospital and donors in Blood Bank of Indonesian Red Cross (PMI) in Surakartaduring August-September 2007. Having analyzed by immunoanalyzer, 13 (36.1%) of 36 sera were HBeAg-positive suggesting an activeinfection and potent of transmission. Interestingly, 3 (8.3%) of 36 sera were Anti-HBs-positive, while the other 5 (13.8%) showeddetected level of Anti-HBs even lower than the cut-off (12 mIU/ml). Accordingly, 22 (61.1%) of 36 serum were Anti-HBe-positive, whileone (2.8%) sera was HBe-Ag-positive as well as Anti-HBe-positive. The data suggested some possibilities: double infection with two ormore subtypes of HBV, mutation resulting in quasi-species phenomenon, or the so-called healthy carrier. More extensive and specificstudies are necessary to confirm and elucidate the profile.