Search

To analyze national prevalence, genomovar distribution, and epidemiology of the Burkholderia cepacia complex in Italy, 225 putative B. cepacia complex isolates were obtained from 225 cystic fibrosis (CF) patients attending 18 CF centers. The genomovar status of these isolates was determined by a polyphasic approach, which included whole-cell protein electrophoresis and recA restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) analysis. Two approaches were used to genotype B. cepacia complex isolates: BOX-PCR fingerprinting and pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) of genomic macrorestriction fragments. A total of 208 (92%) of 225 isolates belonged to the B. cepacia complex, with Burkholderia cenocepacia as the most prevalent species (61.1%). Clones delineated by PFGE were predominantly linked to a single center; in contrast, BOX-PCR clones were composed of isolates collected either from the same center or from different CF centers and comprised multiple PFGE clusters. Three BOX-PCR clones appeared of special interest. One clone was composed of 17 B. cenocepacia isolates belonging to recA RFLP type H. These isolates were collected from six centers and represented three PFGE clusters. The presence of insertion sequence IS 1363 in all isolates and the comparison with PHDC reference isolates identified this clone as PHDC, an epidemic clone prominent in North American CF patients. The second clone included 22 isolates from eight centers and belonged to recA RFLP type AT. The genomovar status of strains with the latter RFLP type is not known. Most of these isolates belonged to four different PFGE clusters. Finally, a third clone comprised nine B. pyrrocinia isolates belonging to recA RFLP type Se 13. They represented three PFGE clusters and were collected in three CF centers.

Bacterial vaginosis, trichomoniasis and candidiasis are the most common genital infection. The aim of this study was to evaluate the various methods of contraception with regard to the prevalence of bacterial vaginosis and vulvo-vaginitis over a period of four years. We also evaluated in the same period the rates of trichomoniasis, candidiasis, bacterial vaginosis and vulvo-vaginitis between users and non users of contraceptional methods and the relationship between ages of patients and types of contraceptives. Finally we considered the change of contraceptive use with regard to age among two different periods. The IUD users showed a significant increase of B.V., T.v. and other bacteria and a decrease of the negatives compared to OC users. Barrier contraceptive users had a reduction (0.01 > p > 0.001) of B.V. and an increase (p < 0.001) of the negatives compared to IUD users. OC users had a significant (p < 0.05) increase in candidiasis, B.V. together with a reduction of the negatives compared to non users group. IUD users had a significant (p < 0.001) increase of B.V. and vulvo-vaginitis from other bacteria, and the reduction of the negatives. Teenagers use OC much more than adults, but less IUD (p < 0.001). The use of OC has increased and the use of IUD decreased among adults (p < 0.001). The barrier methods were seen to be statistically reduced.