As a result of the growing importance of candidemia, various techniques for the detection of Candida spp. in blood have been designed with a view to speeding up the laboratory procedure. We have performed a retrospective comparison of the efficiencies of the conventional VACUTAINER system (Becton Dickinson Vacutainer Systems) and the BACTEC NR system (Johnston Laboratories, Inc.). During a 4-year period, 88,300 blood cultures were processed, with growth of Candida species in 552. The mean times required for the detection of growth were 7.55 days with the VACUTAINER system and 4.1 days with the BACTEC NR system (P less than 0.05). During the first week of incubation, the VACUTAINER system detected 56.1% of the candidemias and the BACTEC NR detected 93.6% (P less than 0.05). Use of the BACTEC NR therefore permits reduction of the incubation period from the previously established 4 weeks to a more convenient 7 to 14 days.

ResumenSe ha descrito que la distribución mundial de los serogrupos de Shigella no es igual en las distintas regiones. El objetivo es determinar los serotipos, la frecuencia de éstos y el patrón de resistencia a los antimicrobianos de los cultivos de Shigella spp. aislados de infecciones intestinales. Se evaluaron 75 cultivos de Shigella spp., identificados bioquímicamente y serológicamente, tanto su serogrupo como su serotipo, por aglutinación en lámina. Los patrones de resistencia antibiótica se determinaron mediante el método de difusión de disco en agar. De los 75 cultivos de Shigella, 54 fueron Shigella flexneri (72%) y 21 Shigella sonnei (28%). De los 54 cultivos de Shigella flexneri, el 48,15% resultó ser del serotipo 2a, seguidos por los serotipos 1b y 6 con el 12,96% cada uno, luego el serotipo 3a con 11,11% y por último los serotipos 1a, 4b y 2b, con 5,56%, 5,56% y 3,70%, respectivamente. La resistencia antibiótica observada en los cultivos de Shigella, independientemente del serogrupo, fue muy frecuente para Sulfametoxazol Trimetoprim, ampicilina, cloranfenicol y tetraciclina; además, algunos cultivos fueron resistentes a Aztreonam, Furazolidona y Amoxicilina-Acido Clavulánico. Los serotipos de Shigella flexneri desde infecciones intestinales, en Lima, son 2a -1b -6 -3a -1a -4b -2b; el más frecuente es el 2a, seguido por el 1b y 6 y el patrón de resistencia observado en Shigella spp, fue elevado para sulfametoxazol-Trimetoprim, Tetraciclina, Cloranfenicol y Ampicilina. AbstractThe global distribution of serogroups in Shigella is not equal across regions. The objective is to determine serotypes, the frequency and pattern of resistance to antimicrobial agents of cultures of Shigella spp. isolated from intestinal infections. The 75 cultures of Shigella spp., identified biochemically and serologically, were evaluated for serogroup and serotype, by agglutination on slide. Antibiotic resistance patterns were determined by disk agar diffusion method. Of the 75 strains of Shigella, 54 were Shigella flexneri (72%) and 21 Shigella sonnei (28%). Of the 54 strains of Shigella flexneri, 48,15% proved serotype 2a, while 12,96% corresponded to the 1b and 6 serotypes one each, than the serotype 3a with 11,11%, and finally the serotypes 1a, 4b and 2b, with 5.56%, 5,56 and 3,70%, respectively. Antibiotic resistance observed in cultures of Shigella, regardless of the serogroup, was very frequent for Sulfametoxazol Trimetoprim, ampicillin, chloramphenicol, and tetracycline; in addition, some strains were resistant for Aztreonam, furazolidone and amoxicillin-Clavulanic acid. The serotypes of Shigella flexneri from intestinal infections, in Lima, are 2a -1b -6-3a -1a -4b -2b; the most frequent is the 2a, followed by 1b and 6 serotypes, and the resistance pattern observed in Shigella spp., was elevated to trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole, tetracycline, chloramphenicol and ampicillin.

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