Personal Experience

Phenotypic and genetic characteristics of antimicrobial resistance of Klebsiella pneumoniae clinical isolates in hospitals of Nizhny Novgorod

Objective. To study in vitro antimicrobial resistance and prevalence of the most clinically important carbapenemases genes in Klebsiella pneumoniae clinical isolates in Nizhny Novgorod. Materials and Methods. A total of 238 K. pneumoniae clinical isolates from upper and lower respiratory tracts, abdominal cavity, urogenital tract, and wound discharge were tested in this study. Species identification was done using WalkAway 96 analyzer (Siemens, Germany) with POS Combo Type 20 tablets (Beckman Coulter, USA) and Multiscan FC spectrophotometer (Thermo Scientific, Finland) with Microlatest tablets (PLIVA-Lachema, Czech Republic).

Corynebacterium amycolatum infective endocarditis in a patient with severe COVID-19: a case report

Objective. To present a case of successful treatment of a secondary bacterial infection caused by nondiphtheritic corynebacterium in a patient with severe COVID-19 and known beta-lactam intolerance. Materials and Methods. A clinical case of infective endocarditis (IE) caused by Corynebacterium amycolatum in a 74-year-old patient hospitalized with severe COVID-19 is presented. Comorbidity (secondary immune deficiency due to active malignancy, chemotherapy courses; previous heart disease) and the need for immunosuppressive therapy were triggers for infection caused by a rare Gram-positive bacterium which is usually considered as clinically non-significant.

Real-life antimicrobial therapy in hospitalized patients with COVID-19 (preliminary results and recommendations)

Objective. Development of local clinical protocols for antibacterial therapy of COVID-19-associated bacterial pneumonia in the therapeutic department of the city clinical hospital based on an analysis of the treatment process in patients with COVID-19-associated pneumonia. Materials and Methods. A retrospective analysis of 1382 cases of hospitalization in the therapeutic department of patients with COVID-19-associated pneumonia for the period from 2020 to 2021 was carried out. The structure of etiotropic therapy, the frequency and timing of microbiological studies of the biomaterial, the manifestations of the main markers of bacterial infection during dynamic monitoring of clinical and laboratory parameters in patients prescribed antibiotic therapy, as well as statistics of the stay of patients in the therapeutic department of the hospital were assessed.

Assessment of healthcare workers’ smartphones for microbial contamination

Objective. To assess bacterial contamination of smartphone surfaces belonging to medical staff and medical students who provide round-the-clock medical care in Krasnoyarsk hospitals and who do not work in those institutions. Materials and Methods. Bacterial contamination of 122 smartphones owned by medical staff and medical students was studied in the following groups: doctors (n = 31), nurses (n = 29), students, who work in MIs (n = 27), and students who do not work in MIs (n = 35).

Effect of topical use of solution containing ferrous ions on treatment efficacy in women with recurrent urogenital trichomoniasis

Objective. To assess effect of topical use of solution containing ferrous ions on efficacy of metronidazole therapy in women with recurrent urogenital trichomoniasis. Materials and Methods. The study enrolled 55 women aged of 20–30 years with recurrent trichomoniasis after failures of multiple standard of care regimens. All patients received oral (tablets) and intravaginal (1% gel) metronidazole therapy. Participants in the experimental group (29 women) received intravaginal therapy with a solution of ferrous ions at concentration which was determined as effective for potentiating metronidazole in a previous study.

Development of technology for longterm storage of Mycobacterium tuberculosis cultures

Objective. To develop a technology for freezing and long-term storage of mycobacteria cultures and implement into a microbiological laboratory routine practice. Materials and Methods. For comparison between different condition, the media for freezing mycobacteria containing 0.9% NaCl or Middlebrook’s 7H9 medium with the addition of glycerol at various concentrations: 0%, 4.0%, 20.0%, 50.0% (by final volume) was evaluated. To freeze suspensions of cultures, two methods were used: one – using a cryo-freezer (cooling rate of 1°C/min), the second – direct placement in a deep freeze at a temperature of -80°C.

Functional and antigenspecific serum antibodies in mice after immunization with a candidate vaccine against Shigella flexneri 1b, 2a, 3a, 6, Y

Objective. To determine functional anti-LPS specific serum bactericidal antibody (SBA) and opsonophagocytic killing antibody (OPKA) activities in mice immunized with a pentavalent candidate vaccine against Shigella flexneri 1b, 2a, 3a, 6, Y (PF). Materials and Methods. (CBA x C57 B1/6) F1 mice were immunized with a PF. 14 days after the reimmunization, serum samples were collected and the level of specific IgG in them was determined by ELISA. The sera of mice immunized with individual modified lipopolysaccharides (mLPS), which are part of PF, were used for positive control.

Assessment of biofilmforming activity of Fusarium solani isolated from patients’ skin

Objective. To study pathogenic factors (adhesion and biofilm formation) in F. solani isolated from skin of patients Materials and methods. A total of 86 strains of F. solani isolated from the skin of patients with a diagnosis of L30.3 “Infectious dermatitis” were selected. The reference strain F. solani F-819 was used for quality control. Samples were collected using a sterile cotton swab from an area of 5 × 5 cm.

Safety profile assessment of drug products used for the pathogenetic treatment of COVID19

Objective. To review and summarize literature data in studies of safety of the drug products used for the pathogenetic treatment of COVID-19. Materials and Methods. As the first stage of monitoring the drug’s safety, which are used in the treatment of COVID-19 in Russia, a systematic review of studies of the drug’s safety profiles was carried out: mefloquine, hydroxychloroquine, azithromycin, lopinavir/ritonavir, favipiravir, tocilizumab, olokizumab, baricitinib in the international databases Medline, PubMed, ClinicalTrials.

Comparison of culture and isolation methods for Clostridioides difficile and other anaerobes from stool samples in a routine microbiological laboratory practice

Objective. To improve stool sample culture and isolation of anaerobic flora, including Clostridioides difficile in the routine microbiological laboratory practice at the children’s oncology hospital. Materials and Methods. A total of 517 stool samples collected from patients in children’s oncology hospital from 2013 to 2015 were studied. All samples were analyzed by ELISA for C. difficile toxins and by culture according to dedicated 5 schemes for isolation of anaerobic bacteria, including C.