Photodynamic antimicrobial therapy (PACT) involves the utilisation of photosensitizers activated by exposure to visible light in order to eradicate microbes (this method has already been applied in photodynamic therapy of tumours). Photodynamic effect of the particular photosensitive substance (PS) is attributed to its ability to penetrate susceptible microorganisms, to absorb the light of certain wavelength, and to generate reactive cytotoxic oxygen products. The target microorganisms for photoinactivation are bacteria, fungi, viruses and protozoa. Photodynamic antimicrobial therapy is proposed as a potentially topical, non-invasive approach suitable for treatment of locally occurring infection. The fact that bacteria are becoming increasingly resistant to antibiotics and antiseptics has lead to an increased interest in the development of new alternative eradication methods, such as PACT. Research and development of photosensitive substances are aimed at finding effective antimicrobial substances, which would have a broad-spectrum potency.© Versita Sp. z o.o.

Contrast-enhanced MRI is mandatory for a reliable diagnosis. Abscess formation was observed in approximately half of the MRI-diagnosed sacroiliitis cases and required minimally invasive drainage under CT guidance or frequently open surgery.

No abstract

BackgroundAgainst a background of rapid increase of β-lactamase-producing or multi-resistant pathogenic bacteria and the resulting lack of effective antibiotic treatment, some older antibiotics have been tested for new therapeutic uses. One of these is fosfomycin, to which according to studies these resistant bacteria are very sensitive. Our study was designed because there is no data on the fosfomycin susceptibility rate in the Czech Republic.MethodIn this study from January 2013 to June 2014 3295 unique isolates of Gram-negative bacteria which had caused urinary tract infections were examined. The antibiotic susceptibility was measured by disk diffusion test. Both EUCAST and CLSI guidelines criteria (for fosfomycin only) were used for the antibiotic susceptibility evaluation.ResultsThe most frequently tested bacterial isolates were Escherichia coli (51.3%, n = 1703), Klebsiella pneumoniae (19.4%, n = 643) and Proteus spp. (11.8%, n = 392). Among all isolates 29.0% (n = 963) were resistant to fluoroquinolones, 11.3% (n = 374) produced extended spectrum β-lactamase and 4.2% (n = 141) produced AmpC β-lactamase. The overall in vitro susceptibility was significantly higher for fosfomycin compared to the other tested per-oral antibiotics (nitrofurantoin, ampicillin, co-trimoxazole, ciprofloxacin and cefuroxime) against all tested Gram-negative rod isolates (excluding Morganella morgani and Acinetobacter spp. isolates). Fosfomycin also remained highly active against those isolates with extended spectrum β-lactamase (ESBL) production (95.8% in Escherichia coli isolates and 85.3% in Klebsiella pneumoniae isolates), unlike other tested per-oral antibiotics, which showed significant (p < 0.0001) susceptibility decrease.ConclusionWe have confirmed in the Czech Republic the very high susceptibility to fosfomycin trometamol of urinary tract infection pathogens, particularly Gram-negative rods including those producing β-lactamase.