This study aimed to identify predictors of persistent MRSA bacteraemia (PMRSAB) in patients treated with vancomycin.\n\nA retrospective, case-control study was performed at a university hospital in Korea from January 2006 to February 2009. Subjects included 96 patients who had MRSA bacteraemia and received vancomycin under therapeutic drug monitoring. We compared the clinical characteristics, management and outcomes of cases with PMRSAB (>= 7 days, n = 31) with controls with non-PMRSAB (< 3 days, n = 32). Vancomycin MICs were determined

by the Vitek 2 system.\n\nOf 96 patients with MRSA bacteraemia, MRSA isolates from 21 patients (21.9%) showed a vancomycin MIC of 2 mg/L. Independent predictors of PMRSAB were: retention of implicated medical devices [odds

ratio (OR), 10.35; 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.03-104.55]; MRSA infection of at least two sites (OR, 10.24; 95% CI, 1.72-61.01); and eFT-508 vancomycin MIC of 2 mg/L (OR, 6.34; 95% CI, 1.21-33.09). The frequency of side effects and mean trough serum vancomycin concentrations were not significantly different between the two groups. Sixteen patients with PMRSAB subsequently received teicoplanin +/- arbekacin, linezolid or quinupristin/dalfopristin, due to vancomycin failure or intolerance.\n\nTo minimize the risk of PMRSAB, early removal of implicated devices and evaluation for metastatic infections should be encouraged. Alternative antibiotic I��B/IKK inhibitor therapy is warranted for infections due to isolates with elevated vancomycin MICs, as well as for the Angiogenesis inhibitor high rates of side effects.”
“BACKGROUND: Mushroom poisoning is the main cause of human death by food poisoning in China. Most lethal mushrooms belong to the Amanita genus, whose amatoxins are responsible for the death of humans. Amanita exitialis is a lethal white mushroom commonly found in Guangdong Province, China. In this study

the contents and distribution of the major amatoxins in different tissues and development stages of A. exitialis were systematically analysed. RESULTS: The amatoxin contents and distribution in six different mushroom tissues of A. exitialis were analysed by reverse phase high-performance liquid chromatography. The highest concentrations of amatoxins were found in the gills and pileus, followed by the stipe and annulus, with the lowest concentrations in the volva and spores. Further analysis of mushrooms in different development stages showed that the amatoxin content was relatively high and steady during early development, reached its peak when the fruit body was in the vigorous growth stage and then decreased sharply when the mushroom entered its mature stage. Furthermore, the a-amanitin/beta-amanitin ratio varied significantly in different tissues but remained constant within a specific tissue throughout development. CONCLUSION: The contents and distribution of amatoxins in different tissues and development stages of A. exitialis are markedly different.