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In this study, the prevalence of Ureaplasma parvum in the area of Prato (Italy) was investigated. Samples from 1197 consecutive patients were analyzed. Our results showed that the prevalence of U. parvum was 33.6%, with a higher percentage in females than in males (40.6% vs 9%). In addition, the prevalence of U. parvum was significantly lower in older patients.

In this study, the prevalence of carbapenemase in the area of Prato (Italy), from January 2011 to August 2013, is reported. Samples showing carbapenem resistance were tested for lactamase production with disc diffusion and molecular methods. Totally, 48 out of 1542 patients with K. pneumoniae showed carbapenem resistance (42 KPC 5 MBL and 1 OXA-48).

In this study we describe the use of Xpert MTB/RIF to give a rapid answer in case of strong clinical suspicion of tuberculosis and/or positive microscopy slide, from sample or culture, for auramine-rhodamine stain.

Introduction: The use of the MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry in the routine of microbiological diagnostics has revolutionized procedures and response times of bacteriology.The use of this technique aims to epidemiological investigations in a hospital environment and represents a further significant opportunity, quickly feasible and extremely economical. Methods: By means of the MALDI-TOF-MS Vitek2 (MS Vitek2) mass spectrometer, accompanied by the AgnosTec-SARAMIS (bioMérieux, France) software, were analyzed the spectra of 149 bacterial isolates (139 Staphylococcus aureus and 10 Staphylococcus epidermidis) obtained from cultures of 148 patients (141 inpatients and 7 outpatients). Clinical isolates were stored at a temperature of -20°C.The isolates were then thawed and immediately cultured on agar blood medium. The colonies were subjected to analysis by MS Vitek on the day after sowing. The spectra obtained were analyzed and compared using the software AgnosTec-SARAMIS, which allowed the construction of a dendrogram. Results and conclusions: The evaluation of the data collected suggests that mass spectrometry could be an useful tool in epidemiological surveys. Speed of analysis and low costs make the MS Vitek2 an usable tool by many microbiology laboratories.

Clostridium difficile, a Gram positive, spore-forming, anaerobic bacillus, is an important nosocomial enteric pathogen causing diarrhoea and pseudomembranous colitis. Aim of this study was to evaluate the prevalence of Clostridium difficile in Prato Hospital. Stool samples were collected from 1197 patients hospitalized from January 2010 to December 2011. In all the samples the common antigen GDH was investigated and only in samples positive for the antigen the presence of the A and B toxins was investigated. Our results showed that 170/1197 samples (14%) were positive for the antigen, and of these 170 patients, 84 (49%) were found positive also for the toxins. In addition the percentage of samples positive for toxins was higher in 2010 (8.6%) than in 2011 (5.9%).

Intoduction. The sexually transmitted diseases include a large group of infections affecting both the sexes. In this study we evaluated the prevalence of Trichomonas vaginalis, Mycoplasma hominis, Mycoplasma genitalium, Chlamydia trachomatis, Neisseria gonorrhoeae and Ureaplasma urealyticum in the Prato area during the period September 2010 – July 2011. Methods.We analysed different kind of samples (urine, endocervical swabs, urethral swabs, seminal fluids) from hospitalized patients or referred to the Prato clinic subjects.The DNA was obtained using EZ1-DNA extraction kit and EZ1 instrument.The DNA was then amplified using the Seeplex STD6 kit (Seegene, Korea), identifying multiple pathogens simultaneously (T. vaginalis, M. hominis, M. genitalium, C. trachomatis, N. gonorrhoeae e U. urealyticum). The revelation was performed by electrophoresis on microchip (instrument Multina, Shimadzu, Japan). Results. 1136 samples from Italian and foreign patients were examined: 876 were endocervical swabs (77%), 103 urethral swabs (9%), 103 seminal fluids (9%), and 54 urines (5%). The number of females was higher than males [894 (78.7%) vs 242 (21.3%)]; the mean age of females was 37.0±11.6 years, whereas that of males was 41.5 ±12.63 years.The prevalence of urogenital pathogens was: 15 positive samples for T. vaginalis (1.3%), 56 for M. hominis (4.9%), 13 for M. genitalium (1.1%), 28 for C. trachomatis (2.5%), 8 for N. gonorrhoeae (0.7%) and 87 for U. urealyticum (7.7%).Among all positive, 25 subjects were positive for more than one pathogen and in particular: one was positive for the presence of 4 pathogens, five presented 3 pathogens simultaneously and the remaining nineteen for 2 pathogens. Conclusions. This study provides data on the prevalence of sexually transmitted diseases in the hospital of Prato.

Introduction. Klebsiella pneumoniae is often associated with nosocomial infections, especially in immature pediatric wards and intensive care, where the prolonged hospitalization and invasive procedures increase the risk.In this study we investigated the possibility of using MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry for the rapid identification of bacteria and to be able to be used for epidemiological circulation of a particular strain of Klebsiella pneumoniae in a pediatric ward immature at Mercy hospital of Prato and Dolce. Materials and Methods. Twenty Klebsiella pneumoniae strains were isolated and analyzed The isolates were collected from clinical specimens (7 urine, 12 stool samples, 1 skin swab) from 15 patients (9 females and 6 males) of the Department of Pediatrics, Hospital Misericordia and Dolce during the period from May to November 2010. Samples were collected using eSwab containers for urine and swab the skin FecalSwab, for fecal samples, and processed on suitable culture media with theWasp system (Copan Italy Spa distributed by ada Ltd.). Of all isolates were performed identification and susceptibility testing with the automatic Vitek2 (bioMerieux) at the time of isolation, then frozen at -20 °C in Trypticase Soy Broth with 20% Glycerol (Becton Dickinson). Subsequently, the bacterial strains were thawed, subcultured on Columbia Blood Agar with 5% sheep (BioMerieux), typed by means of MALDI-TOF (Shimadzu Axima - Biomerieux) and performed an antibiogram by Kirby-Bauer method (Table 3) on Agar Mueller-Hinton (Liofilchem S.r.l.) and diskettes Bio-Rad. The spectra obtained by MALDI-TOF were analyzed and compared with software-AgnosTec SARAMIS, used in our laboratory, both for the identification of the strains for the construction of a dendrogram. Results.Twenty strains of Klebsiella pneumoniae were studied.They were isolated from clinical specimens (7 urine, 12 stool samples, 1 skin swab) from 15 patients (9 females and 6 males) of the Department of Pediatrics. Of all isolates was performed to identify and sensitivity with automaticVitek2 (bioMerieux) samples from Italian patients and divided stranieri cosi: 570 endocervical swabs (71.2%), 98 urethral swabs (12.2%), 78 seminal fluids (9.8%), and 54 urine (6.8%).The number of female subjects was higher than those of males [629 (78.5%) vs 172 (21.5%)], the average age of females was 38.4 ± 12.2 years while that of males was 47.7 ± 13.3 years. The prevalence of urogenital pathogens was: 13 T.vaginalis positive (1.6%), 52 for M.hominis (6.5%), 64 for M.genitalium (8.8%), 18 for C.trachomatis (2.2%), 2 for N.gonorrheae (0.2%) and 79 for U.urealyticum (9.9%): of all the 18 positive subjects were positive for more than one pathogen, namely: 1 totaled 4 pathogens, pathogens 5 for 3 and 9 for 2 pathogens. Conclusions.This study provides data on the prevalence of sexually transmitted diseases in the hospital in Prato.