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Disease prevention is essential both for the health of patients and the health care system budget. One of the most suggestive examples of effective disease prevention is the immunization program, applied worldwide, including in Romania. Its many long-term benefits are easily perceptible. Among its remarkable achievements, we can mention the eradication of smallpox, almost the elimination of polio and the drop in the incidence of diphtheria, pertussis, tetanus, measles, rubella, mumps, Haemophilus influenzae type B infection and others. However, the success of an immunization program depends not only on the technological advances in health care, but also on the compliance of population, the belief that vaccination is beneficial and the wide vaccinal coverage. Certain factors block the consistently efforts to prevent, control or even eradicate several potentially devastating infectious diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ASSET (Action plan on Science in Society related issues in Epidemics and Total pandemics) is a 48-month Mobilisation and Mutual Learning Action Plan (MMLAP), co-funded by the European Commission. ASSET project comprises an international group of experts in public health, social and political sciences, vaccine and epidemiological research, science communication and media. Overall, the ASSET project aims to address a wide array of issues around major infectious disease outbreaks toward the creation and elaboration of a consolidated action plan, which comprises the following objectives: 1. To forge a transdiscipiinary partnership to effectively address epidemics and pandemics: 2. To explore and map science in society related issues in epidemics and pandemics; 3. To define and test a participatory and inclusive strategy for successful action; 4. To identify resources necessary to make the action sustainable after project completion. In order to achieve the goals, project partners will perform several activities, will produce different documents that would become publicly available. Some of the results will be described in this article, other will be presented in the nearest future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Genus Acinetobacter belongs to the family Neisseriaceae. Acinetobacter spp. can be found in soil, water and in health care facilities, especially in the intensive care units (ICU). It is the most common Gram negative germ, found on the skin of hospital personnel. It could be recovered from patients on ventilator systems or with tracheostomy. Healthy people can have throat carriage. It has the ability to survive in various environmental conditions and it has multiple resistance mechanisms. As a hospital germ, it mainly affects patients in the ICU, especially those requiring mechanical ventilation or those from trauma or burn units. Patients with diabetes mellitus or chronic lung disease have a high risk of infection with A. baumannii. It is an opportunist found in hospitalized patients, causing pneumonia, skin and soft tissue infections, meningitis, urinary tract infections, bacteremia, endocarditis, intra-abdominal abscesses. It is the major pathogen in traumatic wounds, postoperative incisions, and burns. A. baumannii has different resistance mechanisms, like: plasmids, transposons, integrons, carbapenemase and ţ-lactamase synthesis, porins, efflux pumps. Its antibiotic susceptibility profile has changed over time, such that infections with A. baumannii are becoming a significant public health problem worldwide. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We must never forget the importance of medicine for public health. In previous decades, efforts have led to the eradication of only 2 infectious diseases. Beginnings with the year 1998 actions have been taken to eradicate the polio virus, although desire has not been realized even today. In the 2013-2014 period the number of poliomyelitis cases reported at the global level has risen significantly. The situation has been characterized as an "epidemiological urgency" by specialized international institutions. It is important that, starting with this case study, we analyze if the recommendations regarding the prevention and control of infectious diseases are truly implemented in our country. We must participate as a team to this collective effort, and understand the important risks both in terms of public health as well as at the individual level, in the setting in which the degree of involvement to sustain an adequate surveillance system is not at the desired level and is not within the known parameters presented in the specialty textbooks. In this sense, we have to contribute both through the knowledge of important notions of public health as a whole and vaccinations in particular, as well as through dissemination of this information to the general population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Both supra and subgingival dental microorganisms are organized in an adherent biofilm, known as dental plaque. The evolution of dental biofilm is analyzed both spatially and temporally, following four development stages: reversible attachment of microorganisms, irreversible attachment, maturation and dispersal. The impact of biofilm disruption can be systemic or local. Dental caries are caused by a metabolic imbalance of the supragingival biofilm, when a low pH promotes dental demineralisation at the expense of remineralization. If in the past it was considered that periodontal disease is based on trauma or birth defects, now the main etiological factor is the oral microbial flora, together with genetic, environmental factors or the host inflammatory response. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Over the last decade, chronic wounds such as venous or arterial ulcers, diabetic foot ulcers, pressure sores, and nonhealing surgical wounds were brought into the spotlight of the medical community, due to their increasing prevalence and to their significant economic burden. Vascular impairment represents the main cause of chronic ulceration, while the infection is the most frequent complication. Chronic infections persist and progress despite an adequate antimicrobial regimen and are typically caused by mono- or polymicrobial biofilms. The persistent bacterial colonization of the wound, as well as the longterm use of antibiotics predispose to the development of nosocomial infections with resistant strains, with the risk of life-threatening septic complications, especially in immunocompromised individuals. In this article, we perform a thorough literature review, in order to answer the main controversies regarding the involvement of planktonic and/or biofilm bacteria in the healing process of chronic wounds. Furthermore, we aim to analyse the utility of antimicrobial treatment in non-healing wounds, and to establish its main end-points, for the optimal benefit of the patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The prevention and control of infectious diseases through vaccination and also their elimination and eradication trend, when possible, remain one of the main health-related purposes worldwide. Unfortunately, the immunization coverage has not reached the optimal level and because o f its negative evolution, there are still sporadic cases, outbreaks or even epidemics o f vaccine-preventable diseases. One example recently seen in breaking news and headlines is represented by diphtheria, a toxin-mediated acute disease caused by Corynebacterium diphtheriae. A 6 year-old boy, from the Catalan city of Olot, province of Girona, died on the 27th of June 2015, after suffering complications o f diphtheria. The parents refused to vaccinate the child in the past. His first presentation to the doctor was a month before his death, on May 28,h. After 3 days, Spain announced through EWRS (Early Warning and Response System) the first case o f diphtheria in the country, from the last three decades. This dramatic event should represent a warning sign to public health authorities, civil society and mass media, in order to prevent future similar situations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives. Mycoplasma hominis and Ureaplasrra urealyticum play an im portant role in the etiology of vaginitis, cervicitis and pelvic inflammatory disease, nongonococcal urethritis, prostatitis, testicular inflammation, urinary stones and infertility. The aim of this study was to demonstrate the rate of incidence and antibiotic susceptibility of Mycoplasma hominis and Ureaplasma urealyticum isolated from urogenital infections in our area. Methods. By using commercial mycoplasma kit Mycoplasma IES, we investigated their incidence and antimicrobial resistance in patients with genital infection. The samples for testing genital mycoplasmas were collected by picking up vaginal or urethral secretion using sterile Dacron swabs. For men, urine and sperm samples were accepted for diagnostics, according to kit instructions. The culture of genital mycoplasmas was performed by using a commercial mycoplasma kit. The Quality Control was performed with Mycoplasma hominis ATCC 15488. Results. We examined 2,250 specimens, women (n = 2,084) and men (n = 166), between August - December 2014. Prevalence o f positive samples was 16.53% for U. urealyticum (UU) and 1.6%forM. hominis (MH). The median age of the positive patients was 31 years (range: 17-54 years). Among samples positive for UU, 94.6% were sensitive to levofloxacin, 25.6% to ofloxacin and 4,29% to ciprofloxacin. In MH isolates, 100% were sensitive to both levofloxacin and ofloxacin and only 45% to ciprofloxacin. Sensitivity for doxycycline was 86.7% for UU and 95.45% forMH. Regarding azythromycin, 93.15% UU and 10% MH were sensitive. All 13 male urine samples and 5 sperm samples were negative for UU and MH infections. Conclusions. In our study, levofloxacin and doxycycline were the most effective drugs for mycoplasma infections. Because of geographical differences among antibiotic resistance, local in-vitro susceptibility testing is recommended to avoid failure of therapy. Surveillance for antibiotic susceptibility is strongly recommended. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Diphtheria represents a serious infectious disease with high epidemic potential. Could be preventable by vaccination (minimum 95% vaccination coverage at 1 year; 90% in adults). It is considered as a re-emerging disease, exemplified by diphtheria epidemic in the period 1991-1995 in all CIS countries. In Europe, in 2008-2010, 77 cases of diphtheria were clinically and microbiologically confirmed. "Imported" toxigenic strains of C. diphtheriae are circulating in developing countries, where diphtheria is still endemic. This disease still reprents a threat because of sporadically occuring in developed countries. In Romania, there were no reported diphtheria cases since 1989. Number of non-toxigenic strains isolated in territory ranged from 356 isolates in 1995 and 40 in 2007. Currently, we cannot establish if there is a real and significant reduction of C. diphtheriae reported strains or this is due to a lower interest for surveillance by laboratory, in the country. It is also not known the involvement in pathology, in Romania, for other species belonging to the genus Corynebacterium (including for immunocompromised patients). The objective of this paper is to produce and disseminate a diagnostic algorithm for suspected diphtheria cases and identification to species level of all strains belonging to the genus Corynebacterium. Diagnostic algorithm will be available to Public Health Authorities in Romania. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Kaposi Sarcoma (KS) is a rare vascular tum or, locally aggressive, described by Moritz Kaposi in 1872. This tumor presents as a double prolife ratio no fendo the lial cells and vascular spaces, with end the lial cells origin. Etiologically linked to hum an herpesvirus-8 (HHV-8), also know n as KS-associated herpes virus (KSHV), Kaposi Sarcoma is com m only seen in HIV-infected and transplant patients and is the most clinically aggressive form o f the disease, in this subset of patients. Although, the skin touch with multifocal localization is the most prevalent, lymphnodal and visceral involvement is possible. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: In a previously published article, we have presented aspects regarding the physiology of microcalorimetrie bacterial growth in a liquid broth medium, in the absence of continuous agitation. Metronidazole is an antibacterial and antiparasitic agent used for the treatment of infections with anaerobic microorganisms as well as some parasitic infestations. The present work presents the growth of an aerobic, facultative anaerobic reference Escherichia coli strain (ATCC 25922), in the presence of metronidazole. Materials and Methods: The inoculum studied was a 0.1 McFarland unit suspension, which was then, diluted 1/100. A Setaram microDSC 7 Evo differential scanning microcalorimeter was used to register bacterial growth patterns. A constant volume of bacterial inoculum was pipeted into Hastelloy cells. Different concentrations of antibiotic were prepared to the same volume with the use of Physiologic Saline (PS) and were added to the bacterial culture, before incubation, leading to a constant volume of air in the headspace of the cell. Hermetic seal was realized with the use of a silicon o-ring. The working efficient volume of the cell was 0.94 ml. The total working bacteria-drug suspension was 0.70 ml. Results: The modifications brought about by metronidazole at the level of the Escherichia coli growth curve appeared in a dose-dependent manner. The addition of metronidazole did not modify the total heat produced by the bacterial growth process (as objectified by the area under curve). Discussion: Through the comparison of the microcalorimetrie results obtained by other authors and the comparative analysis of the bacterial growth curves, shows the fact that metronidazole has a particular effect, one which is not seen in the interaction with other antibiotic classes. Conclusions: Metronidazole seems to have a characteristic effect on the microcalorimetrie growth curve of a bacterial population that is developing in liquid media, in oxygen restrictive conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]