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Smith LK, Vardanega J, Smith S, White J, Little M, Hanson J. The Incidence of Infection Complicating Snakebites in Tropical Australia: Implications for Clinical Management and Antimicrobial Prophylaxis. J Trop Med 2023; 2023:5812766. [PMID: 37868739 PMCID: PMC10586896 DOI: 10.1155/2023/5812766] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/30/2023] [Revised: 08/28/2023] [Accepted: 08/29/2023] [Indexed: 10/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Objective To define the incidence of infection following snakebite in tropical Australia and the resulting implications for the routine prescription of prophylactic antibiotics. Methods A retrospective study of all individuals presenting to Cairns Hospital, a tertiary referral hospital in tropical Australia, after a snakebite between December 2013 and October 2020. Results There were 732 hospitalisations, 720 (98.4%) patients presented within 8 hours of the snakebite, and 29/732 (4.0%) were envenomated. Envenomated patients were more likely to receive empirical antibiotics than nonenvenomated patients (8/29 (27.6%) versus 14/703 (2.0%), p < 0.001), although this was frequently as a bundle of care for critically ill individuals. Superficial skin infection was diagnosed by clinicians in 6/732 (0.8%) patients during their hospitalisation; infection was diagnosed more commonly in envenomated than in nonenvenomated patients (3/29 (10.3%) versus 3/703 (0.4%), p = 0.001). All 3 envenomated individuals diagnosed with infection were believed to have taipan (genus Oxyuranus) bites. Five (83%) of the six patients diagnosed with infection had received empirical antibiotics at presentation; only 1/710 (0.1%) patients who received no antibiotics developed a (superficial) infection. Conclusion Infection is a very uncommon complication of snakebite in tropical Australia. Individuals bitten by snakes in tropical Australia should not routinely receive antibiotic prophylaxis.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - John Vardanega
- Cairns Hospital, Cairns, Queensland, Australia
- QML Pathology, Murarrie, Queensland, Australia
| | - Simon Smith
- Cairns Hospital, Cairns, Queensland, Australia
| | - Julian White
- Women's and Children's Hospital, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
| | - Mark Little
- Cairns Hospital, Cairns, Queensland, Australia
- NSW Poisons Information Service, Sydney NSW, Australia
| | - Josh Hanson
- Cairns Hospital, Cairns, Queensland, Australia
- The Kirby Institute, UNSW, Sydney, NSW, Australia
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Lee RC, Wong K, Lobo Y, Jibreal H. Saltwater injury: a case of chronic cutaneous Mycobacterium marinum infection. Med J Aust 2023; 219:250-252. [PMID: 37593915 DOI: 10.5694/mja2.52069] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/15/2022] [Revised: 04/30/2023] [Accepted: 05/05/2023] [Indexed: 08/19/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Ruby C Lee
- Princess Alexandra Hospital, Brisbane, QLD
- Frazer Institute, University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD
| | - Kennedy Wong
- Royal Brisbane and Women's Hospital, Brisbane, QLD
| | - Yolanka Lobo
- Royal Brisbane and Women's Hospital, Brisbane, QLD
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Hempenstall A, Pilot P, McDonald M, Smith S, Hanson J. Community antibiotic management of skin infections in the Torres Strait. Aust J Prim Health 2023; 29:91-98. [PMID: 36265549 DOI: 10.1071/py22142] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/11/2022] [Accepted: 09/28/2022] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND There is a high burden of skin and soft tissue infections (SSTI) - including cellulitis - among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples living in remote communities. In tropical environments, such as the Torres Strait, cellulitis accounts for 37% of potentially preventable hospitalisations. This study aimed to evaluate the safety, effectiveness and community acceptance of outpatient antibiotic treatment for the management of skin infections in the Torres Strait. CONCLUSIONS Outpatient management of skin infection in the Torres Strait is effective, safe and appreciated by patients. METHODS This was a 12-month prospective, observational study commencing in January 2019 involving 295 adults with a skin infection across the Torres Strait. RESULTS Most (276/295 (94%)) participants were treated successfully in the community. Of 295 enrolled patients, 151 of 295 (51%) had cellulitis, 59 of 295 (20%) had a skin abscess and 85 of 295 (28%) had a wound infection. Of the 77 of 278 (27%) infections accompanied by systemic features, 63 of 77 (82%) were managed in the community. Staphylococcus aureus was the most frequent isolate, at 165 of 261 (63%); 56 of 165 (33%) were methicillin resistant. In the 276 community-managed cases, oral trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole was initially used in 159 (57%), oral flucloxacillin in 75 (27%) and intravenous cefazolin plus oral probenecid in 32 (13%). The clinical course was complicated in eight of 232 (3%) patients who had complete follow-up data: seven patients required hospitalisation after initial treatment in the communityand one had an antibiotic side-effect. All 232 patients with complete follow-up data were content with the care they received.
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Affiliation(s)
- Allison Hempenstall
- Torres and Cape Hospital and Health Service, Thursday Island, Qld, Australia
| | - Pelista Pilot
- Torres and Cape Hospital and Health Service, Thursday Island, Qld, Australia
| | | | - Simon Smith
- Cairns Hospital and Hinterland Health Service, Cairns, Qld, Australia
| | - Josh Hanson
- Cairns Hospital and Hinterland Health Service, Cairns, Qld, Australia; and The Kirby Institute, University of New South Wales, Kensington, NSW, Australia
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Valladales-Restrepo LF, Rojas-Ramirez AS, Santander-Pai MJ, Lozada-Castaño V, Bedoya-Duque LV, Sabogal-Sanchez DY, Gómez-Gómez NS, Machado-Alba JE. Clinical characteristics and use of antibiotics in a group of patients with snake bites in Colombia. Ther Adv Infect Dis 2023; 10:20499361231210400. [PMID: 37954406 PMCID: PMC10637142 DOI: 10.1177/20499361231210400] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/20/2023] [Accepted: 10/09/2023] [Indexed: 11/14/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction Millions of snake bites occur worldwide each year. Clinical practice guidelines generally do not recommend the use of prophylactic antibiotics. Objective To determine the sociodemographic, clinical, and pharmacological variables and the use of antibiotics in a group of patients with snake bites in Colombia. Methods A retrospective cross-sectional study was carried out. Patients affiliated with a Colombian health insurer who presented with snake bites between 2015 and 2022 were included. The cases were identified from the National Public Health Surveillance System. Sociodemographic, clinical and pharmacological variables were identified. Descriptive and bivariate analyses were performed. Results A total of 643 patients were analyzed, with a median age of 30.8 years, and 74.7% were men. The most frequently identified genus of snake was Bothrops (88.8%), and most incidents were classified as mild ophidian accidents (61.6%). A total of 59.7% of patients received snake antivenom. A total of 13.8% and 2.2% of the patients had cellulitis or abscesses, respectively. A total of 63.5% received antibiotics (50.6% for prophylaxis and 12.9% for treatment), especially cephalexin (25.9%), and most of the antibiotic management was considered inappropriate (91.7%). Conclusion Most patients with snake bites received antibiotics, especially for prophylactic purposes, a clinical behavior that goes against current evidence. The use of antibiotics with an unsuitable spectrum for the microorganisms that are usually found in the wounds of these patients is frequent. The development of local clinical practice guidelines is required to help reduce the overprescription of antibiotics, as the excessive use of antimicrobials is the main determinant of antimicrobial resistance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luis Fernando Valladales-Restrepo
- Grupo de Investigación en Farmacoepidemiología y Farmacovigilancia, Universidad Tecnológica de Pereira-Audifarma S.A., Pereira, Risaralda, Colombia
- Grupo de Investigación Biomedicina, Facultad de Medicina, Fundación Universitaria Autónoma de las Américas, Pereira, Colombia
- Semillero de Investigación en Farmacología Geriátrica, Facultad de Medicina, Fundación Universitaria Autónoma de las Américas, Pereira, Risaralda, Colombia
| | - Ana Sofia Rojas-Ramirez
- Semillero de Investigación en Farmacología Geriátrica, Facultad de Medicina, Fundación Universitaria Autónoma de las Américas, Pereira, Risaralda, Colombia
| | - Melba Jasbleidy Santander-Pai
- Semillero de Investigación en Farmacología Geriátrica, Facultad de Medicina, Fundación Universitaria Autónoma de las Américas, Pereira, Risaralda, Colombia
| | - Valeria Lozada-Castaño
- Semillero de Investigación en Farmacología Geriátrica, Facultad de Medicina, Fundación Universitaria Autónoma de las Américas, Pereira, Risaralda, Colombia
| | - Laura Valentina Bedoya-Duque
- Semillero de Investigación en Farmacología Geriátrica, Facultad de Medicina, Fundación Universitaria Autónoma de las Américas, Pereira, Risaralda, Colombia
| | - Dayana Yuliet Sabogal-Sanchez
- Semillero de Investigación en Farmacología Geriátrica, Facultad de Medicina, Fundación Universitaria Autónoma de las Américas, Pereira, Risaralda, Colombia
| | - Nicolas Stiven Gómez-Gómez
- Semillero de Investigación en Farmacología Geriátrica, Facultad de Medicina, Fundación Universitaria Autónoma de las Américas, Pereira, Risaralda, Colombia
| | - Jorge Enrique Machado-Alba
- Grupo de Investigación en Farmacoepidemiología y Farmacovigilancia, Universidad Tecnológica de Pereira-Audifarma S.A, Calle 105 # 14-140, Pereira, Risaralda 660003, Colombia
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Sim BZ, Conway L, Smith LK, Fairhead L, Der YS, Payne L, Binotto E, Smith S, Hanson J. The aetiology and clinical characteristics of cryptococcal infections in Far North Queensland, tropical Australia. PLoS One 2022; 17:e0265739. [PMID: 35353860 PMCID: PMC8966997 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0265739] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2021] [Accepted: 03/07/2022] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Cryptococcal infections are an important cause of morbidity and mortality in tropical Australia. This retrospective audit was conducted to characterise the aetiology, temporospatial epidemiology, and clinical course of 49 cryptococcal infections in Far North Queensland between 1 January 1999 and 31 December 2019. Cryptococcus gattii was identified in 15/32 (47%) in whom it was possible to speciate the organism. Among these 15 patients, 13 (87%) had a rural residential address, 10 (67%) were Indigenous Australians and 11 (73%) presented during the May-November dry season. When compared to the 17 patients with Cryptococcus neoformans infection, patients with C. gattii were less likely to be immunocompromised (0/15 versus 8/17 (47%), p = 0.003). Neurosurgery was necessary in 5/15 C. gattii cases and 3/17 (18%) C. neoformans cases (p = 0.42). Outcomes were generally good with 42/49 (86%) cases—and 14/15 (93%) with C. gattii infection—surviving to hospital discharge. These positive outcomes are likely to be explained by the development of standardised treatment guidelines during the study period, low rates of comorbidity in the patients with C. gattii infection and access to liposomal amphotericin and neurosurgical support in the well-resourced Australian healthcare system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Beatrice Z. Sim
- Department of Medicine, Cairns Hospital, Cairns, Australia
- School of Medicine, University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia
| | - Luke Conway
- Department of Medicine, Cairns Hospital, Cairns, Australia
| | - Laura K. Smith
- Department of Medicine, Cairns Hospital, Cairns, Australia
| | - Lee Fairhead
- Department of Medicine, Cairns Hospital, Cairns, Australia
| | - Yi Shan Der
- Department of Medicine, Cairns Hospital, Cairns, Australia
| | - Lara Payne
- Department of Medicine, Cairns Hospital, Cairns, Australia
| | - Enzo Binotto
- Department of Medicine, Cairns Hospital, Cairns, Australia
| | - Simon Smith
- Department of Medicine, Cairns Hospital, Cairns, Australia
| | - Josh Hanson
- Department of Medicine, Cairns Hospital, Cairns, Australia
- Kirby Institute, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia
- * E-mail:
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Fairhead LJ, Smith S, Sim BZ, Stewart AGA, Stewart JD, Binotto E, Law M, Hanson J. The seasonality of infections in tropical Far North Queensland, Australia: A 21-year retrospective evaluation of the seasonal patterns of six endemic pathogens. PLOS GLOBAL PUBLIC HEALTH 2022; 2:e0000506. [PMID: 36962353 PMCID: PMC10021965 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgph.0000506] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/27/2022] [Accepted: 04/27/2022] [Indexed: 01/17/2023]
Abstract
An understanding of the seasonality of infections informs public health strategies and assists clinicians in their management of patients with undifferentiated illness. The seasonality of infections is driven by a variety of environmental and human factors; however, the role of individual climatic factors has garnered much attention. This study utilises Poisson regression models to assess the seasonality of six important infections in tropical Australia and their association with climatic factors and severe weather events over a 21-year period. Melioidosis and leptospirosis showed marked wet season predominance, while more cases of rickettsial disease and cryptococcosis were seen in cooler, drier months. Staphylococcus aureus infections were not seasonal, while influenza demonstrated inter-seasonality. The climate did not significantly change during the 21 years of the study period, but the incidence of melioidosis and rickettsial disease increased considerably, highlighting the primacy of other factors-including societal inequality, and the impact of urban expansion-in the incidence of these infections. While anthropogenic climate change poses a threat to the region-and may influence the burden of these infections in the future-this study highlights the fact that, even for seasonal diseases, other factors presently have a greater effect on disease incidence. Public health strategies must also target these broader drivers of infection if they are to be effective.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lee J Fairhead
- Department of Medicine, Cairns Hospital, Cairns, Queensland, Australia
| | - Simon Smith
- Department of Medicine, Cairns Hospital, Cairns, Queensland, Australia
| | - Beatrice Z Sim
- Infectious Diseases Service, Royal Adelaide Hospital, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
| | | | - James D Stewart
- Department of Medicine, Cairns Hospital, Cairns, Queensland, Australia
| | - Enzo Binotto
- Department of Medicine, Cairns Hospital, Cairns, Queensland, Australia
| | - Matthew Law
- The Kirby Institute, University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Josh Hanson
- Department of Medicine, Cairns Hospital, Cairns, Queensland, Australia
- The Kirby Institute, University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
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