Letters to Editor
Table 1: Composition of soil extract media (pH 6.0–6.2) Garden soil
500 g
Dextrose
2g
Yeast extract
1g
Potassium phosphate
0.5 g
Agar
15 g
Tap water
1000 ml
Figure 1: LPCB mount shows broad aseptate hyphae (a) and pyriformshaped, multi-spored sporangium with flask-shaped apophyses, and hemispherical columella (b)
soil extract agar has been proposed to enhance sporulation of A. elegans.[5] However, there is no mention in the literature on the use of this media for this purpose. We compared growth pattern of the fungus using soil extract media in relation to 1% agar block media. The growth of A. elegans was observed much earlier in soil extract media. This medium is easy to prepare, simple to use, and seems to yield early result. It has less chances of contamination in comparison to agar block media. Hence, we suggest routine use of this medium for sporulation of A. elegans. However, further studies are required to prove its utilities in comparison to other sporulating media.
Sarita Mohapatra, Immaculata Xess, Shwetha J. V., Aashish Choudhary Department of Microbiology, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, India Address for correspondence: Dr. Sarita Mohapatra, c/o. Dr. G. P. Rath, F-21, Ansari Nagar (West), AIIMS Residential Campus, New Delhi - 110 029, India. E-mail:
[email protected] DOI: 10.4103/0377-4929.72052
PMID: ****
REFERENCES 1.
2.
3.
4. 5. 898
Sridhara SR, Paragache G, Panda NK, Chakrabarti A. Mucormycosis in immunocompetent individuals: An increasing trend. J Otolaryngol 2005;34:402-6. Ellis JJ, Ajello L. An unusual source for Apophysomyces elegans and a method for stimulating sporulation of Saksenaea vasiformis. Mycologia 1982;74:144-5. Lakshmi V, Rani TS, Sharma S, Mohan VS, Sundaram C, Rao RR, et al. Zygomycotic necrotizing fasciitis caused by Apophysomyces elegans. J Clin Microbiol 1993;31:1368-9. Fisher F, Cook NB, editors. Fundamentals of diagnostic mycology. Philadelphia: W.B. Saunders Co; 1998. Ribes JA, Vanover-Sams CL, Baker DJ. Zygomycetes in human disease. Clin Microbiol Rev 2000;13:236-301.
Indian Journal
of
Pathology
and
Antibiotic resistance in fecal enterococci in hospitalized patients Sir, Surveillance for Vancomycin-resistant enterococci (VRE), which have emerged as an important pathogen during the past years in the world, is becoming an important aspect of infection control management within hospitals.[1] An important component of VRE control within healthcare facilities is the identification of colonized patients. These colonized patients serve as reservoirs and facilitate VRE spread within hospitals. The major risk factor for colonization with VRE appears to be the use of vancomycin or third-generation cephalosporins, length of stay in the intensive care unit (ICU), previous ICU admission and solid organ transplantation.[2] This survey was carried out among patients who stayed at a 500-bed teaching hospital for at least 2 days. A total of 198 patients hospitalized for at least 2 days were enrolled in this investigation. A stool sample or rectal swab collected from each patient was inoculated into appropriate media within 1 h. Enterococcus species were identified by lack of catalase production, pyrrolidonyl arylamidase activity and growth in 6.5% salt broth. Resistance to vancomycin was detected by the E-test method (AB Biodisk, Solna, Sweden). For vancomycin, the categories of susceptible, intermediate and resistant were minimum inhibition concentrations (MICs) of ≤4, 8–16 and 32 mg/L. The Kirby–Bauer disk diffusion method was used to determine susceptibility to a range of antimicrobials (streptomycin, erythromycin, ciprofloxacin, nitrofurantoin, ampicillin, levofloxacin, gentamycin, tetracycline, penicillin-G, linezolid, vancomycin). Enterococcus faecalis ATCC 29212 (vancomycin susceptible) was used for quality control. Statistical analysis was performed using the SPSS#16 software. Categorical variables were compared using either Fisher’s exact test or the Chi-square test. Enterococci were isolated from 100 (50.5%) of the specimens collected from 198 patients [Table 1]. Twenty-seven of these were colonized with VRE (the MIC >32 µg/ml). Seventy-three of these strains were found to be sensitive to vancomycin (MIC ≤4 µg/ml). By the disk diffusion tests, 96 of 100 strains were found to be resistant to streptomycin, 82% to erythromycin and gentamicin, 70% to ciprofloxacin, 60% to nitrofurantoin, 56% to ampicillin, 52% to levofloxacin, 38% to tetracycline, 36% to penicillin-G, 34% to vancomycin and 33% to linezolid. Isolation of VRE was not significantly associated with age, sex, use of total parenteral nutrition (TPN), use of central venous catheter, long hospitalization period and antimicrobial usage. In the recent years, enterococcal infections have become a major therapeutic challenge because of their increased incidence and the spread of strains that have acquired resistance to several
Microbiology - 53(4), October-December 2010
Letters to Editor
Table 1: Characteristics of Patients with and without VancomycinResistant Enterococcus (VRE) Strain Colonization by E-Test Characteristic
Age (years)
