Relationship between day 1 and day 2 Vancomycin area under the curve values and emergence of heterogeneous Vancomycin-intermediate Staphylococcus aureus (hVISA) by Etest® macromethod among patients with MRSA bloodstream infections: a pilot study

Global distribution of heterogeneous vancomycin-intermediate Staphylococcus aureus strains (1997-2021): a systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

Heterogeneous vancomycin-intermediate Staphylococcus aureus is considered one of the main causes in treatment failure of vancomycin, which leads to poor clinical outcomes. Herein, we comprehensively evaluated characteristics such as global prevalence, trend, and genetic backgrounds of these strains.

METHODS

In this study, we conducted a meta-analysis based on PRISMA checklist 2020. In the beginning, global databases were searched to achieve the studies related to the prevalence of hVISA in clinical isolates of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus. After retrieving the eligible English studies, the prevalence of hVISA isolates and their trend changes were assessed using event rate with 95% confidence intervals.

RESULTS

In the present study, the prevalence of 114 801 MRSA isolates (of 124 studies) was 64%. According to our results, although the frequency of infection with hVISA is increasing in recent years, there is not a significant difference between Asian countries and Europe/America (6.1% vs. 6.8%). In addition, infection with hVISA bacteria was higher in bacteraemic patients than other infections (9.4% vs. 5.5%), which increases hospitalization, treatment costs, and mortality in these patients. Isolates harbouring SCCmec types II and III are most common genotypes in hVISA strains.

CONCLUSIONS

The prevalence of hVISA is increasing, which will reduce the effectiveness of vancomycin treatment in the coming years. The presence of hVISA stains in blood samples was higher than the other samples, which is threatening for bacteraemic patients. The results of the current study indicate a universal program to identify and control the spread of such strains in nosocomial infections.

Discerning the role of polymicrobial biofilms in the ascent, prevalence, and extent of heteroresistance in clinical practice

Antimicrobial therapy is facing a worrisome and underappreciated challenge, the phenomenon of heteroresistance (HR). HR has been gradually documented in clinically relevant pathogens (e.g. Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Staphylococcus aureus, Burkholderia spp., Acinetobacter baumannii, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Candida spp.) towards several drugs and is believed to complicate the clinical picture of chronic infections. This type of infections are typically mediated by polymicrobial biofilms, wherein microorganisms inherently display a wide range of physiological states, distinct metabolic pathways, diverging refractory levels of stress responses, and a complex network of chemical signals exchange. This review aims to provide an overview on the relevance, prevalence, and implications of HR in clinical settings. Firstly, related terminologies (e.g. resistance, tolerance, persistence), sometimes misunderstood and overlapped, were clarified. Factors generating misleading HR definitions were also uncovered. Secondly, the recent HR incidences reported in clinically relevant pathogens towards different antimicrobials were annotated. The potential mechanisms underlying such occurrences were further elucidated. Finally, the link between HR and biofilms was discussed. The focus was to recognize the presence of heterogeneous levels of resistance within most biofilms, as well as the relevance of polymicrobial biofilms in chronic infectious diseases and their role in resistance spreading. These topics were subject of a critical appraisal, gaining insights into the ascending clinical implications of HR in antimicrobial resistance spreading, which could ultimately help designing effective therapeutic options.

Vancomycin MIC and agr dysfunction in invasive MRSA infections in southern Brazil

In methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) treatment, the vancomycin minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) increase, vancomycin heteroresistance (hVISA) presence, and accessory gene regulator (agr) dysfunction are predictors of vancomycin therapy failure. This study evaluated the association between vancomycin MIC (≥ 1.0 μg/mL) and agr dysfunction in invasive MRSA isolates. Vancomycin MIC, hVISA phenotype, agr group, and function were determined in 171 MRSA isolates obtained between 2014 and 2019 from hospitals in Porto Alegre, Brazil. All MRSA were susceptible to vancomycin; 16.4% of these had MIC ≥ 1.0 μg/mL. Seventeen MRSA isolates expressed the hVISA phenotype; 35.3% of them had MIC of 1.5 μg/mL. agr groups I (40.9%) and II (47.1%) were the most found groups for MRSA and hVISA isolates, respectively. The proportion of MRSA with vancomycin MIC ≥ 1.0 μg/mL in agr group II was significantly higher than in agr groups I and III (p = 0.002). agr dysfunction was observed in 4.7% (8/171) of MRSA, especially those with vancomycin MIC ≥ 1.0 μg/mL (p < 0.001). In addition, six isolates (35.3%; 6/17) with hVISA phenotype presented agr dysfunction, which was significantly higher than that in non-hVISA phenotype (p < 0.001). In conclusion, agr dysfunction in MRSA is associated with vancomycin MIC ≥ 1.0 μg/mL and hVISA phenotype, which suggests that agr dysfunction might confer potential advantages on MRSA to survive in invasive infections.

Global prevalence and distribution of vancomycin resistant, vancomycin intermediate and heterogeneously vancomycin intermediate Staphylococcus aureus clinical isolates: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Vancomycin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (VRSA), Vancomycin-intermediate S. aureus (VISA) and heterogeneous VISA (hVISA) are subject to vancomycin treatment failure. The aim of the present study was to determine their precise prevalence and investigate prevalence variability depending on different years and locations. Several international databases including Medline (PubMed), Embase and Web of Sciences were searched (data from 1997 to 2019) to identify studies that addressed the prevalence of VRSA, VISA and hVISA among human clinical isolates around the world. Subgroup analyses and meta-regression were conducted to indicate potential source of variation. Publication bias was assessed using Egger's test. Statistical analyses were conducted using STATA software (version 14.0). Data analysis showed that VRSA, VISA and hVISA isolates were reported in 23, 50 and 82 studies, with an overall prevalence of 1.5% among 5855 S. aureus isolates, 1.7% among 22,277 strains and 4.6% among 47,721 strains, respectively. The overall prevalence of VRSA, VISA, and hVISA before 2010 was 1.2%, 1.2%, and 4%, respectively, while their prevalence after this year has reached 2.4%, 4.3%, and 5.3%. The results of this study showed that the frequency of VRSA, VISA and hVISA after 2010 represent a 2.0, 3.6 and 1.3-fold increase over prior years. In a subgroup analysis of different strain origins, the highest frequency of VRSA (3.6%) and hVISA (5.2%) was encountered in the USA while VISA (2.1%) was more prevalent in Asia. Meta-regression analysis showed significant increasing of VISA prevalence in recent years (p value ≤ 0.05). Based on the results of case reports (which were not included in the calculations mentioned above), the numbers of VRSA, VISA and hVISA isolates were 12, 24 and 14, respectively, among different continents. Since the prevalence of VRSA, VISA and hVISA has been increasing in recent years (especially in the Asian and American continents), rigorous monitoring of vancomycin treatment, it's the therapeutic response and the definition of appropriate control guidelines depending on geographical regions is highly recommended and essential to prevent the further spread of vancomycin-resistant S. aureus.

Determination of optimal loading and maintenance doses for continuous infusion of vancomycin in critically ill patients: Population pharmacokinetic modelling and simulations for improved dosing schemes

OBJECTIVES

Despite extensive clinical use, limited data are available on optimal loading and maintenance doses of vancomycin in critically ill patients. This study aimed to develop a rational approach for optimised dosage of vancomycin given in a continuous infusion in critically ill patients.

METHODS

Vancomycin pharmacokinetic (PK) data (total serum concentrations) were obtained from 55 intensive care unit (ICU) patients (Bach Mai Hospital, Hanoi, Vietnam) receiving a 20 mg/kg loading dose followed by continuous infusion stratified by creatinine clearance (CLCr). Population PK modelling and Monte Carlo simulations were performed using a nonlinear mixed-effects modelling (NONMEM) program for a target of 20-30 mg/L to optimise efficacy and minimise nephrotoxicity.

RESULTS

A two-compartment model with first-order elimination best fitted the PK data with central and peripheral volumes of distribution of 1.01 and 2.39 L/kg, respectively (allometric scaling to a 70 kg standard subject). The population total clearance of 3.63 L/h was only explained by renal function in the covariate and final model. The simulations showed that a 25-mg/kg loading dose infused over 90 minutes was optimal to reach the target range. The optimal maintenance dose for low renal function (CLCr < 45 mL/min) was 1000-1500 mg/day. For augmented renal clearance (CLCr > 130 mL/min) the dose should be up to 3500 mg/day or even 4500 mg/day to achieve adequate exposure. These simulated maintenance doses were larger than previously proposed for non-ICU patients.

CONCLUSION

Large loading and maintenance doses of vancomycin are generally needed in critically ill patients. Because of high interindividual variability in vancomycin PK, drug monitoring may still be necessary.

Reporting elevated vancomycin minimum inhibitory concentration in methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus: consensus by an International Working Group

Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) remains an important cause of serious infection, for which vancomycin is often recommended as the first-choice antibiotic treatment. Appropriate vancomycin prescribing requires accurate measurement of minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) to avoid treatment failure, and yet determination can be challenging due to methodological difficulties associated with susceptibility testing. An International Working Group of infectious disease specialists and clinical/medical microbiologists reached a consensus that empirical MRSA infection therapies should be chosen regardless of the suspected origin of the infecting strain (e.g., community or hospital) due to the complex intermingling epidemiology of MRSA clones in these settings. Also, if an elevated vancomycin MIC in the susceptible range is obtained in routine testing, an alternative second method should be used for confirmation and to aid antibiotic therapy recommendations. There is no absolutely dependable method for the accurate determination of vancomycin MIC, but broth microdilution appears to be the most reliable.