NOVEL GRAM-POSITIVE OPPORTUNISTIC BACTERI A - PATHOGENICS AND THERAPEUTICS

Novel bacteria: The appearance of novel bacterial species among Cram p ositive microorganisms is mainly related to progress in bacterial taxo nomy justifying such nomen species, ie. C.jeikeium, C.urealyticum or R .equi. Another feature of such emergence of ''Novel'' bacteria is rela ted to the rise in the number of clinical observations mediated by som e well-known species described elsewhere such as in food bacteriology. Predisposing factors: Among Cram positive microorganisms, emergence f or some species and renaissance or rebirth for others is mainly explai ned by natural resistance to widely used antibiotics including R-lacta ms such as third-gene ration cephalosporins, aminoglycosides, or more recently glycopeptides and the combined effect of several predisposing factors (hospitalized patients, underlying disease or prematurity, in terruption of the normal integumentary defense via intravascular cathe ters). Clinical features depend on the bacterial species. Bacteriologi cal diagnosis is easily obtained in terms of isolation and identificat ion. Nevertheless, as for any opportunistic pathogen, a distinction mu st be made between colonization and infection. Finally successful trea tment regimens depend on the bacterial species and may include surgery .