The seroprevalence of TBE virus IgG and the TBE virus detected in ticks, indicate that TBE cases could occasionally occur in the area. The results should be made available to health care personnel to raise awareness for preventative measures.

The aim of the study was to describe the antimicrobial resistance rate of Helicobacter pylori isolated from previously untreated patients in Norway, including the application of two different methods for the determination of metronidazole susceptibility. Altogether 102 isolates obtained in 2008 and 2009 from previously untreated patients suspected of H. pylori related disease, were examined applying a standardized European study protocol. The activity of amoxicillin, tetracycline, clarithromycin, metronidazole, rifabutin and levofloxacin was recorded after an incubation period of 72-96 h in a microaerobic atmosphere. Strains resistant to metronidazole were re-examined for metronidazole resistance applying anaerobic conditions for the first 24 h. None of the isolates were resistant to amoxicillin or tetracycline, whereas 5, 9% were resistant to clarithromycin and 22, 5% resistant to metronidazole tested conventionally. Applying local standards the metronidazole resistance rate fell to 7, 8%, highlighting the importance of the methodology applied for metronidazole susceptibility testing.

Outbreaks of multidrug resistant bacteria including vancomycin-resistant enterococci (VRE) in healthcare institutions are increasing in Norway, despite a low level of resistance compared to other European countries. In this study, we describe epidemiological relatedness of vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus faecium isolated during an outbreak at a Norwegian hospital in 2012–2013. During the outbreak, 9454 fecal samples were screened for VRE by culture and/or PCR. Isolates from 86 patients carrying the vanA resistance gene were characterized using pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE), MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry and single nucleotide polymorphism typing. PFGE revealed two main clusters, the first comprised 56 isolates related to an initial outbreak strain, and the second comprised 21 isolates originating from a later introduced strain, together causing two partly overlapping outbreaks. Nine isolates, including the index case were not related to the two outbreak clusters. In conclusion, the epidemiological analyses show that the outbreak was discovered by coincidence, and that infection control measures were successful. All typing methods identified the two outbreak clusters, and the experiment congruence between the MALDI-TOF and the PFGE clustering was 63.2%, with a strong correlation (r = 72.4%). Despite lower resolution compared to PFGE, MALDI-TOF may provide an efficient mean for real-time monitoring spread of infection.

No abstract

Vår gode kollega og venn Eivind Ragnhildstveit døde 30. juli 2020, 76 år gammel. Han vokste opp i Hålandsdalen. E er endt skolegang fly et han til Bergen for å studere medisin. Han utviklet tidlig interesse for infeksjonssykdommer og valgte spesialisering i medisinsk mikrobiologi ved Haukeland. Da det ble behov for en mikrobiolog i Østfold, fly et den nyutdannede mikrobiologen til Fredrikstad med kone og to små barn.