Rapid emergence of colistin resistance and its impact on fatality among healthcare-associated infections

This article describes the emergence of resistance and predictors of fatality for 1556 cases of healthcare-associated Gram-negative bloodstream infection in 2014 and 2015. The colistin resistance rate in Klebsiella pneumoniae was 16.1%, compared with 6% in 2013. In total, 660 (42.4%) cases were fatal. The highest fatality rate was among patients with Acinetobacter baumannii bacteraemia (58%), followed by Pseudomonas aeruginosa (45%), Klebsiella pneumoniae (41%), Enterobacter cloacae (32%) and Escherichia coli (28%). On multi-variate analysis, the minimum inhibitory concentrations for carbapenems [odds ratio (OR) 1.02, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.01-1.04; P = 0.002] and colistin (OR 1.1, 95% CI 1.03-1.17; P = 0.001) were found to be significantly associated with fatality.

Monitoring and treatment results of 88 HBsAg-positive pregnant women

Approximately 5% of all women in the world are HBsAg-positive. Chronic hepatitis B is a problem in women of reproductive age. This paper assessed 88 HBsAg-positive pregnant women, of whom 11 began treatment during pregnancy and five became pregnant while receiving treatment. The files of HBsAg-positive pregnant women were reviewed between January 2010 and December 2013-retrospectively. From these 88 pregnant women, 72 did not receive any treatment during their pregnancy, 11 began treatment during their pregnancy, and five became pregnant while receiving treatment. Nine of these 11 pregnant women were given tenofovir disoproxil fumarate and two of them lamivudine. Ten babies of the 11 mothers that began treatment during their pregnancy were healthy, but one was lost due to preterm birth. Of the five patients who became pregnant while receiving treatment, the treatments of four women were discontinued and they were monitored during their pregnancies because mild-moderate (less than stage 3) fibrosis was found in their liver biopsy results. It is important to screen all pregnant women for hepatitis B and to assess those found HBsAg-positive. It is possible to protect both the mother and baby using appropriate approaches.

Evaluation of tularaemia courses: a multicentre study from Turkey

In this multicentre study, which is the largest case series ever reported, we aimed to describe the features of tularaemia to provide detailed information. We retrospectively included 1034 patients from 41 medical centres. Before the definite diagnosis of tularaemia, tonsillitis (n = 653, 63%) and/or pharyngitis (n = 146, 14%) were the most frequent preliminary diagnoses. The most frequent clinical presentations were oropharyngeal (n = 832, 85.3%), glandular (n = 136, 13.1%) and oculoglandular (n = 105, 10.1%) forms. In 987 patients (95.5%), the lymph nodes were reported to be enlarged, most frequently at the cervical chain jugular (n = 599, 58%), submandibular (n = 401, 39%), and periauricular (n = 55, 5%). Ultrasound imaging showed hyperechoic and hypoechoic patterns (59% and 25%, respectively). Granulomatous inflammation was the most frequent histological finding (56%). The patients were previously given antibiotics for 1176 episodes, mostly with β-lactam/β-lactamase inhibitors (n = 793, 76%). Antituberculosis medications were provided in seven (2%) cases. The patients were given rational antibiotics for tularaemia after the start of symptoms, with a mean of 26.8 ± 37.5 days. Treatment failure was considered to have occurred in 495 patients (48%). The most frequent reasons for failure were the production of suppuration in the lymph nodes after the start of treatment (n = 426, 86.1%), the formation of new lymphadenomegalies under treatment (n = 146, 29.5%), and persisting complaints despite 2 weeks of treatment (n = 77, 15.6%). Fine-needle aspiration was performed in 521 patients (50%) as the most frequent drainage method. In conclusion, tularaemia is a long-lasting but curable disease in this part of the world. However, the treatment strategy still needs optimization.

Urethral cultures in patients with spinal cord injury

STUDY DESIGN

Prospective analysis.

OBJECTIVES

To investigate the colonization of the distal urethra and bladder during the initial stages of rehabilitation in acute spinal-cord injury (SCI) and to examine the association between bacteriuria and colonization of the distal urethra.

SETTING

Selcuk University Meram Faculty of Medicine, Konya, Turkey.

METHODS

A total of 27 patients with SCI (13 females and 14 males) and 40 controls without evidence of disease of the urinary tract were studied. Cultures were taken from the patients who applied clean intermittent catheterization and compared with normal subjects.

RESULTS

Escherichia coli was predominantly isolated from the urine and urethral cultures of both female and male SCI patients. Colonization of other bacteria in the urine and urethral cultures was similar in both female and male patients, except for Pseudomonas, which was colonized in male patients. In all, 72% of patients who had E. coli positive urethral cultures also had E. coli colonization in their simultaneous urine cultures. There was concordance between urethra and urine cultures concerning the growth of E. coli (P=0.82). When urethral cultures collected 1 week before were evaluated in patients with E. coli positive urine cultures (n=24 cultures), 15 of these urethral cultures also had E. coli colonization. There was concordance between urethra and urine cultures concerning the growth of E. coli (P=0.66).

CONCLUSIONS

Our study suggested that urethral flora was a significant source for the development of urinary infection in spinal cord-injured patients.

Surveillance of antimicrobial resistance in gram-negative isolates from intensive care units in Turkey: analysis of data from the last 5 years

A multicenter antimicrobial surveillance program was established in Turkey in 1995 to monitor the predominant Gram-negative pathogens from intensive care units (ICUs) and antimicrobial resistance patterns of these isolates. Sixteen hospitals participated in the study and a total of 1479 isolates from 1,100 patients were collected. The isolates were tested for their susceptibility against 13 antibiotics by E-test method. Minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) for each isolate were determined for imipenem, ceftazidime, ceftazidime-clavulanate, cefoperazone-sulbactam, ceftriaxone, cefepime, cefuroxime, piperacillin-tazobactam, ticarcillin-clavulanate, gentamicin, amikacin and ciprofloxacin. The most common isolates were Pseudomonas spp. (28.2%), Escherichia coli (19.2%) and Klebsiella spp. (19.1%). We found very high resistance rates to all major antibiotics that are used to treat serious infections. Although imipenem is the most active agent, it had an overall susceptibility rate of 68%. Half of the tested Klebsiella spp. strains were found to produce ESBL. This is a very high rate when compared with the literature. Cross-resistance among species was also investigated. 52% of ciprofloxacin-resistant strains were also resistant to imipenem, 80% to ceftazidime, 97% to ceftriaxone, 86% to amikacin and 19% of imipenem-resistant strains were susceptible to ceftazidime and 18% to amikacin. When susceptibilities of the years 1995 and 1999 were compared, the most interesting finding was the decrease in resistance to 3rd generation cephalosporins. In conclusion, this national clinical isolate database shows that resistance rates are high, the change over years is not predictable and continuous surveillance is necessary to monitor antimicrobial resistance and to guide antibacterial therapy.

The response of isolated anti-HBc positive subjects to recombinant hepatitis B vaccine

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this study was to evaluate the response to hepatitis B vaccination in isolated anti-HBc positive subjects.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Forty-eight subjects with persistent isolated core antibody were included in the study. Fifty healthy people who were negative for HBsAg, anti-HBs and anti-HBc were included in the study as a control group. They all were vaccinated with recombinant hepatitis B vaccine at 0, 1 and 2 months.

RESULTS

Thirty days after each dose of vaccination, serum levels over 10IU/l of anti-HBs are found in 50% of the subjects with isolated anti-HBc after first; in 68.7% after second and in 89.6% after third vaccination. There were no statistical differences between the two groups (P > 0.05). Twenty subjects in isolated anti-HBc group (41.6%) but none of the subjects from the control group responded with a titer of > 50IU/l after 30 days, which suggested an anamnestic response due to prior infection and immunity. Furthermore, 23 subjects in isolated anti-HBc group (47.9%) finally responded after three doses of vaccination (anti-HBs titer > 10IU/l) thus excluding chronic infection and suggesting initial false positive results.

CONCLUSIONS

In isolated anti-HBc subjects false positive results (primary response) or prior infection by HBV (anamnestic response) can be detected by anti-HBs response after HBV vaccination.

Lumbar spinal root compression caused by Brucella granuloma

STUDY DESIGN

A case report of rarely seen extradural brucellosis granuloma causing spinal root compression in the lumbar region.

OBJECTIVE

To point out the possibility of extradural compression caused by brucellosis.

SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA

Many investigators have indicated that myelopathy or radiculopathy caused by irritation or compression by tiny abscess, disc herniation, or extradural granuloma may occur in brucellosis. Failure to make the correct diagnosis is possible because of the absence of such symptoms of brucellosis as fever, sweating, or fatigue and because findings of physical examination, radiography, and myelography indicate intervertebral disc herniation.

METHODS

Review and discussion of the case history are presented.

RESULTS

Brucella granuloma compressing the right L5 root and dural sac was diagnosed on computed tomographic scans and was excised subtotally after laminectomy and facetectomy.

CONCLUSION

The possibility of extradural compression caused by brucellosis should be considered in endemic areas and must be differentiated from an intervertebral disc herniation by means of agglutination testing and bone scan.

[In vitro susceptibility to cefoperazone and sulbactam/cefoperazone combination of bacterial strains isolated from various patient materials]

Susceptibility of 110 bacterial strains isolated from clinical materials to Cefoperazone (CPZ) and Sulbactam/Cefoperazone (SBT/CPZ) combination was investigated and every strain was examined for beta-lactamase activity. Total beta-lactamase positivity rate was 40.9%. Antibacterial activity of SBT/CPZ combination was found to be higher than CPZ alone, especially on beta-lactamase producing bacteria.

[Hepatitis B marker seropositivity in prostitutes using ELISA]

In this study, HBsAg, Anti-HBc and Anti-HBs have been investigated in 172 prostitutes and 50 healthy women with ELISA. Anti-HBc seropositivity was increasing with age in prostitutes. No significant difference was found between Hepatitis-B marker seropositivity and working period of prostitutes. In prostitutes, 6.3% HBsAg, 62.7% Anti-HBc, 50.5% Anti-HBs seropositivity and 69.1% total seropositivity was found. Statistically, except HBsAg seropositivity, seropositivity in prostitutes was higher than the control group. Therefore, prostitutes are an important risk group for Hepatitis-B infection.