A comparative analysis of the second and third wave of the Covid-19 pandemic: an experience from a tertiary care hospital in Western India

Introduction. As the world was still recovering from the 2020 pandemic, the devastating impact of Covid-19 driven by the Delta variant shook the world in 2021. As the second wave was declining, there was an unusual surge in Covid-19 positive cases by the end of 2021 which led to global concern about the change in virus characteristics.Hypothesis/gap statement. Whole genome sequencing is critical for understanding a rapidly progressing pandemic.Aim. To provide an insight into the major differences encountered in the changing characteristics between the second and third waves of the pandemic at a tertiary care hospital in India.Methods. A retrospective observational cohort analysis was conducted on Covid-positive patients during the second wave of the Covid-19 pandemic (from March 2021 to April 2021) and the third wave of the Covid-19 pandemic (from December 2021 to January 2022).Results. Out of 303 Covid-19 positive cases, 52 samples were tested by whole genome sequencing during the second wave and 108 during the third wave. A decline of 18.5 % was observed in the case fatality rate from the second wave to the third wave. There was a 5 % decline in the number of patients admitted with ARDS and a 16.3 % decline in the number of patients with co-morbidities.In total, 51.9 percent of cases were due to the Delta variant during the second wave and 95 percent due to the Omicron variant during the third wave. We found that 36.5 % of Covid-positive patients during the second wave had been vaccinated compared to 40 % in the third wave.Conclusion. Whole genome sequencing of clinical samples from a wide range of individuals during a viral epidemic will enable us to develop a more rapid public health response to new variants and identify the required vaccine modifications more quickly.

In Vitro Activity of Two Cefepime-Based Novel Combinations, Cefepime/Taniborbactam and Cefepime/Zidebactam, against Carbapenemase-Expressing Enterobacterales Collected in India

In recent times, discovery efforts for novel antibiotics have mostly targeted carbapenemase-producing Gram-negative organisms. Two different combination approaches are pertinent: β-lactam-β-lactamase inhibitor (BL/BLI) or β-lactam-β-lactam enhancer (BL/BLE). Cefepime combined with a BLI, taniborbactam, or with a BLE, zidebactam, has been shown to be promising. In this study, we determined the in vitro activity of both these agents along with comparators against multicentric carbapenemase-producing Enterobacterales (CPE). Nonduplicate CPE isolates of Escherichia coli (n = 270) and Klebsiella pneumoniae (n = 300), collected from nine different tertiary-care hospitals across India during 2019 to 2021, were included in the study. Carbapenemases in these isolates were detected by PCR. E. coli isolates were also screened for the presence of the 4-amino-acid insert in penicillin binding protein 3 (PBP3). MICs were determined by reference broth microdilution. Higher MICs of cefepime/taniborbactam (>8 mg/L) were linked to NDM, both in K. pneumoniae and in E. coli. In particular, such higher MICs were observed in 88 to 90% of E. coli isolates producing NDM and OXA-48-like or NDM alone. On the other hand, OXA-48-like-producing E. coli or K. pneumoniae isolates were nearly 100% susceptible to cefepime/taniborbactam. Regardless of the carbapenemase types and the pathogens, cefepime/zidebactam showed potent activity (>99% inhibited at ≤8 mg/L). It seems that the 4-amino-acid insert in PBP3 (present universally in the study E. coli isolates) along with NDM adversely impact the activity of cefepime/taniborbactam. Thus, the limitations of the BL/BLI approach in tackling the complex interplay of enzymatic and nonenzymatic resistance mechanisms were better revealed in whole-cell studies where the activity observed was a net effect of β-lactamase inhibition, cellular uptake, and target affinity of the combination. IMPORTANCE The study revealed the differential ability of cefepime/taniborbactam and cefepime/zidebactam in tackling carbapenemase-producing Indian clinical isolates that also harbored additional mechanisms of resistance. NDM-expressing E. coli with 4-amino-acid insert in PBP3 are predominately resistant to cefepime/taniborbactam, while the β-lactam enhancer mechanism-based cefepime/zidebactam showed consistent activity against single- or dual-carbapenemase-producing isolates including E. coli with PBP3 inserts.

A self-reported survey on the implementation of infection prevention and control elements in Indian hospitals, part of a HAI surveillance network: Results from 23 hospitals conducting a standardized IPC assessment

BACKGROUND

Healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) are one of the most common adverse events in patient care that account for substantial morbidity and mortality. We evaluate the existing Infection Prevention and Control (IPC) practices in hospitals participating in the nationally representative HAI Surveillance network.

METHODS

This cross-sectional survey was conducted in 23 hospitals across 22 states of India from October-2015 to September-2018 in the HAI surveillance network. The World Health Organization (WHO) IPC core components assessment tool for health-care facility level (IPCAT-H) was adapted from IPC assessment tool developed by US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (US CDC) under the Epidemiology and Laboratory Capacity (ELC) Infection Control Assessment and Response (ICAR) Program. Mann-Whitney U test was used to calculate the significant difference between scores (P < .05).

RESULTS

Amongst the participating hospitals, 7 were private sectors and 16 were public health care facilities. Infection IPCAT-H average score per multimodal strategy was less than 50% for programmed IPC activities (45.7); implementation of health care workers (HCWs) immunization programme (43.5%); monitoring and evaluation component (38.30%).

CONCLUSIONS

There is potential for improvement in Human Resources, Surveillance of HAIs as well as Monitoring and Evaluation components.

India-discovered levonadifloxacin & alalevonadifloxacin: A review on susceptibility testing methods, CLSI quality control and breakpoints along with a brief account of their emerging therapeutic profile as a novel standard-of-care

BACKGROUND

Levonadifloxacin (intravenous) and alalevonadifloxacin (oral prodrug) are novel antibiotics based on benzoquinolizine subclass of fluoroquinolone, licensed for clinical use in India in 2019. The active moiety, levonadifloxacin, is a broad-spectrum antibiotic with a high potency against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus. aureus, multi-drug resistant pneumococci and anaerobes.

OBJECTIVE

This review, for the first time, critically analyses the antimicrobial susceptibility testing methods, Clinical Laboratory & Standards Institute (CLSI)-quality control of susceptibility testing and breakpoints of levonadifloxacin. Further, the genesis, discovery and developmental aspects as well as therapeutic profile of levonadifloxacin and alalevonadifloxacin are briefly described.

CONTENTS

In order to aid the scientific and clinician communities with a single comprehensive overview on all the key aspects of levonadifloxacin and alalevonadifloxacin, the present article covers the reference MIC and disk diffusion methods for levonadifloxacin susceptibility testing that were approved by CLSI and the reference ranges for quality control strains published in the CLSI M100 document. The breakpoints of levonadifloxacin were derived in concordance to US FDA, European Committee on Antibiotic Susceptibility Testing (EUCAST) and CLSI approaches. Further, the article provides a brief account of challenges encountered during the discovery stages of levonadifloxacin and alalevonadifloxacin, activity spectrum and safety benefits accruing from structural novelty-linked mechanism of action. Further, the review also covers in vitro and in vivo activities, registrational clinical studies and patient-friendly features of levonadifloxacin/alalevonadifloxacin. Cumulatively, levonadifloxacin has a potential to offer a long awaited new standard-of-care treatment for the resistant Gram-positive bacterial infections.

P037 Study of magnitude and risk factors in patients with candidemia at a tertiary care hospital with speciation and antifungal susceptibility of pathogenic Candida isolates

 

Poster session 1, September 21, 2022, 12:30 PM - 1:30 PM

Objectives

Nosocomial candidiasis is associated with a mortality rate of over 60% while the attributable mortality rate is 49%. The present study was to determine the magnitude and risk factors in patients with candidemia at a tertiary care hospital with speciation and antifungal susceptibility of pathogenic Candida isolates.

Methods

The present study was a prospective, cross-sectional, observational study, conducted at a tertiary care hospital for a period of 1 year after approval from Institutional ethics committee. It included a total of 150 patients of all age groups, admitted to hospital for ˃48 h and diagnosed as proven Candidemia with isolation of Candida species from at least two blood culture samples or from a clinically significant single blood culture sample. A thorough history and clinical characteristics of each patient was noted. Blood was collected and processed as per standard protocol. Pathogenic Candida species were identified and their antifungal susceptibility testing was performed by disk diffusion method as per the standard method. The antifungal discs used were fluconazole (25 μg), itraconazole (10 μg), voriconazole (1 μg), and amphotericin B (100 units). Results were analyzed statistically using SPSS statistics 20.

Results

Candida species was isolated as the pathogen in 24/150 (16%) of clinically suspected cases of candidemia. Candida species isolated were non-albican Candida (NAC) species, mainly C. glabrata 11/24 (45.83%) followed by C. parapsilosis 8/24 (33.33%), and C. tropicalis 5/24 (20.83%). Candida species was isolated as the pathogen, predominantly in patients of age group 0-10 years [15/24 (62.5%)]. Majority of Candida species were isolated from patients who had prolonged ICU stays. Among 24 patients of proven candidemia, 2 (8.33%) patients were from NICU, 10 (41.6%) from PICU, and 3 (12.5%) from MICU. Other important risk factors observed in the present study were, recent major abdominal surgery, malignancy, and mechanical ventilation, each accounting for 2/24 (8.33%) cases. The resistance pattern of isolates of Candida species to antifungals showed that C. glabrata showed 100% resistance to fluconazole, 63.6% to itraconazole, and 45.4% to voriconazole. C. tropicalis showed 80% resistance to fluconazole, 60% to itraconazole, and 40% to voriconazole. Candida parapsilosis showed 87.5% resistance to fluconazole, 62.5% to itraconazole, and 37.5% to voriconazole. All three isolated pathogenic Candida spp. showed 100% susceptibility to amphotericin B. Mortality observed in present study was 7/24 (29.7%). A total of 5/7 patients were from ICU.

Conclusion

Non-albican Candida (NAC) species, mainly C. glabrata, C. tropicalis and C. parapsilosis were the causative agent of candidemia, seen to predominantly affect 0-10 year age group. Infections caused by Candida species remain a significant problem in ICU. An increase in resistance to azoles is a challenge to its empirical and prophylactic use. This necessitates the usage of antifungals, only on the basis of antifungal susceptibility patterns of the pathogenic isolates.

P337 Species distribution and biofilm profile of Candida isolated from clinical specimens at a tertiary care hospital in India

Poster session 3, September 23, 2022, 12:30 PM - 1:30 PM

 

Introduction

The epidemiology of invasive candidiasis (IC) is dynamically changing, given the increasing population of susceptible hosts, use of indwelling medical devices (IMD), and environmental factors. The presence of an IMD is one of the most important risk factors for persistent infection due to the possibility of biofilm formation. The biofilm cells are significantly less susceptible to antifungal drugs and are able to evade the host immune system, serving as a nidus for reinfections.

Objectives

Methods

A total of 100 Candida isolates from patients with suspected invasive candidiasis were tested for the production of biofilm. Based on clinical history, 62% of the isolates were found to be clinically significant, while 38% represented commensals or colonizers. Species identification was done on the basis of germ tube test, CHROMagar, Dalmau plate technique, and carbohydrate fermentation and assimilation tests, and VITEK 2. Four isolates that failed to be identified by conventional methods were subjected to MALDI-TOF MS. Biofilm production was detected and graded by visual (test tube) and spectrophotometric (microtiter plate) methods.

Results

Non-albicans Candida (NAC) were the predominant clinically relevant isolates recovered from cases of IC (71%), while C. albicans was most commonly associated with colonization (68.4%). Among the NAC isolates, C. tropicalis was the most common isolate (23%) followed by C. glabrata (11%), C. krusei (8%), C. parapsilosis (6%), C. lusitaniae (2%), C. kefyr (2%), C. rugosa (2%), C. guilliermondii (1%), and C. famata (1%) (Fig. 1). A total of 55% of the Candida isolates produced biofilm. Biofilm positivity in clinically relevant isolates was found to be significantly higher than commensals/colonizers (P <.05). Biofilm positive Candida spp. were most commonly isolated from urine (84.6%) followed by blood (67.8%). Biofilm production by NAC (69%) was found to be significantly higher than C. albicans (31%) (P <.05). Majority of the biofilm positive isolates produced Grade 2 (moderate) biofilm (36.4%). C. tropicalis accounted for maximum biofilm production comprising 20% of Grade 4, 53.8% of Grade 3, and 50% of Grade 2 biofilm (Fig. 2). There was 72.7% concordance between the two methods in grading of biofilm. Spectrophotometric method was found to be more sensitive than a visual method for the detection of biofilm.

Conclusion

Our study demonstrated a paradigm shift from C. albicans to NAC with the isolation of C. tropicalis from a large number of cases, highlighting the growing importance of this pathogen. The knowledge about local epidemiological trends of Candida spp. is important to guide therapeutic choices. Moreover, clinically relevant Candida spp. were found to possess a greater ability to produce biofilms than commensals or colonizers. These findings are unique as previous studies haven't differentiated between biofilms formed by commensal Candida populations and those related to infections. This study highlights that biofilm production should be considered a relevant biologic variable while treating patients with invasive candidiasis, particularly those who fail to respond to antifungal therapy.

Self-reported survey on infection prevention and control structures in healthcare facilities part of a national level healthcare associated infection surveillance network in India, 2019

BACKGROUND

Healthcare associated infections (HAIs) are prevalent and difficult to treat worldwide. Most HAIs can be prevented by effective implementation of Infection Prevention and Control (IPC) measures. A survey was conducted to assess the existing IPC practices across a network of Indian Hospitals using the World Health Organization designed self-assessment IPC Assessment Framework (IPCAF) tool.

METHODS

This was a cross sectional observation study. Thirty-two tertiary care public and private facilities, part of the existing Indian HAI surveillance network was included. Data collected was analyzed by a central team at All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, a tertiary care hospital of India. The WHO questionnaire tool was used to understand the capacity and efforts to implement IPC practices across the network.

RESULTS

The overall median score of IPCAF across the network was 620. Based on the final IPCAF score of the facilities; 13% hospitals had basic IPC practices, 28% hospitals had intermediate and 59% hospitals had advanced IPC practices. The component multimodal strategies had the broadest range of score while the component IPC guidelines had the narrowest one.

CONCLUSIONS

Quality improvement training for IPC nurses and healthcare professionals are needed to be provided to health facilities.

Activity of novel lactone ketolide nafithromycin against multicentric invasive and non-invasive pneumococcal isolates collected in India

Background

India is among the nations reporting substantial healthcare burden linked to pneumococcal infections. Nafithromycin is a novel lactone ketolide antibiotic, which recently entered Phase 3 development in India for the indication of community-acquired bacterial pneumonia (CABP).

Objectives

To assess the in vitro activity of nafithromycin against serotyped invasive and non-invasive Streptococcus pneumoniae isolates, collected from nine medical centres across India.

Methods

A total of 534 isolates of S. pneumoniae were collected during 2015–20 and serotyped as per CDC protocol. A subset of erythromycin-non-susceptible S. pneumoniae (n = 200) was screened for the presence of erm(B) and mef(A/E) genes. A subset of MDR isolates (n = 54) were also subjected to MLST. The MICs of antibiotics were determined by the reference agar-dilution method (CLSI). Susceptibilities of the comparators were interpreted as per CLSI criteria.

Results

Fifty-nine distinct serotypes were identified among the 534 isolates. Among erythromycin-non-susceptible isolates, erm(B) and mef(A/E) genes were found in 49% and 59% strains respectively, while MLST showed clonal diversity. Azithromycin (67.6% non-susceptible) and clindamycin (31.8% non-susceptible) showed limited activity. Penicillin (for non-meningitis) or quinolone non-susceptibility was low (<11% and <6%, respectively). Nafithromycin showed potent activity with MIC₅₀ and MIC₉₀ of 0.015–0.03 and 0.06 mg/L, respectively, regardless of the macrolide resistance mechanisms.

Conclusions

Indian pneumococcal isolates show poor susceptibilities to macrolides, in concordance with the global trend. Nafithromycin overcomes erm as well as mef-mediated macrolide resistance mechanisms expressed individually or concurrently in S. pneumoniae. This study supports continued clinical development of nafithromycin for pneumococcal infections including CABP.

Secondary Infections in Hospitalized COVID-19 Patients: Indian Experience

Purpose

Critically ill coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) patients need hospitalization which increases their risk of acquiring secondary bacterial and fungal infections. The practice of empiric antimicrobial prescription, due to limited diagnostic capabilities of many hospitals, has the potential to escalate an already worrisome antimicrobial resistance (AMR) situation in India. This study reports the prevalence and profiles of secondary infections (SIs) and clinical outcomes in hospitalized COVID-19 patients in India.

Patients and Methods

A retrospective study of secondary infections in patients admitted in intensive care units (ICUs) and wards of ten hospitals of the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) AMR surveillance network, between June and August 2020, was undertaken. The demographic data, time of infection after admission, microbiological and antimicrobial resistance data of secondary infections, and clinical outcome data of the admitted COVID-19 patients were collated.

Results

Out of 17,534 admitted patients, 3.6% of patients developed secondary bacterial or fungal infections. The mortality among patients who developed secondary infections was 56.7% against an overall mortality of 10.6% in total admitted COVID-19 patients. Gram-negative bacteria were isolated from 78% of patients. Klebsiella pneumoniae (29%) was the predominant pathogen, followed by Acinetobacter baumannii (21%). Thirty-five percent of patients reported polymicrobial infections, including fungal infections. High levels of carbapenem resistance was seen in A. baumannii (92.6%) followed by K. pneumoniae (72.8%).

Conclusion

Predominance of Gram-negative pathogens in COVID-19 patients coupled with high rates of resistance to higher generation antimicrobials is an alarming finding. A high rate of mortality in patients with secondary infections warrants extra caution to improve the infection control practices and practice of antimicrobial stewardship interventions not only to save patient lives but also prevent selection of drug-resistant infections, to which the current situation is very conducive.

Bacteriological Profile and Antimicrobial Susceptibility Pattern of Cerebrospinal Fluid Shunt Infections in Infants and Children

BACKGROUND

Despite the advent of modern neurosurgical techniques, new antibiotics, and modern imaging techniques, infection after ventriculoperitoneal (VP) shunt insertion and/or ventriculostomy is still a serious issue.

AIM

The aim of this work was to study bacteriological profile and antimicrobial susceptibility pattern of cerebrospinal fluid shunt infections in infants and children.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

A total of 90 patients under the age of 12 years undergoing cerebrospinal fluid shunt procedures were included. The CSF shunt fluid, external ventricular drain (EVD), shunt tube tip specimens were processed as per standard microbiological techniques. The organisms isolated were subjected to antimicrobial susceptibility using the Kirby-Bauer disk diffusion method.

RESULTS

Of 20 infected patients 10 (50%) were culture positive. Most common organisms isolated were Acinetobacter baumannii 03 (30%) followed by Enterococcus faecalis 2 (20%). Two isolates of A. baumannii and one isolate of Klebsiella pneumoniae showed carbapenem resistance, which were sensitive to colistin. All Gram-positive isolates were sensitive to vancomycin and linezolid. Reinfection was found only in one (8.33%) patient. In 12 (60%) infected cases with shunt failure, revision of shunt was done. The shunt related mortality in this study was 1.11%.

CONCLUSION

Most common organisms isolated were A. baumannii followed by E. faecalis. Carbapenem resistance was noted in these isolates which were sensitive to colistin. All Gram-positive isolates were sensitive to vancomycin and linezolid.

Tocilizumab improves survival in severe COVID-19 pneumonia with persistent hypoxia: a retrospective cohort study with follow-up from Mumbai, India

BACKGROUND

Cytokine storm triggered by Severe Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) is associated with high mortality. With high Interleukin -6 (IL-6) levels reported in COVID-19 related deaths in China, IL-6 is considered to be the key player in COVID-19 cytokine storm. Tocilizumab, a monoclonal antibody against IL-6 receptor, is used on compassionate grounds for treatment of COVID-19 cytokine storm. The aim of this study was to assess effect of tocilizumab on mortality due to COVID-19 cytokine storm.

METHOD

This retrospective, observational study included patients of severe COVID-19 pneumonia with persistent hypoxia (defined as saturation 94% or less on supplemental Oxygen of 15 L per minute through non-rebreathing mask or PaO2/FiO2 ratio of less than 200) who were admitted to a tertiary care center in Mumbai, India, between 31st March to 5th July 2020. In addition to standard care, single Inj. Tocilizumab 400 mg was given intravenously to 151 consecutive COVID-19 patients with persistent hypoxia, from 13th May to 5th July 2020. These 151 patients were retrospectively analysed and compared with historic controls, ie consecutive COVID-19 patients with persistent hypoxia, defined as stated above (N = 118, from our first COVID-19 admission on 31st March to 12th May 2020 i.e., till tocilizumab was available in hospital). Univariate and multivariate Cox regression analysis was performed for identifying predictors of survival. Statistical analysis was performed using IBM SPSS version 26.

RESULTS

Out of 269 (151 in tocilizumab group and 118 historic controls) patients studied from 31st March to 5th July 2020, median survival in the tocilizumab group was significantly longer than in the control group; 18 days (95% CI, 11.3 to 24.7) versus 9 days (95% CI, 5.7 to 12.3); log rank p 0.007. On multivariate Cox regression analysis, independent predictors of survival were use of tocilizumab (HR 0.621, 95% CI 0.427-0.903, P 0.013) and higher oxygen saturation.

CONCLUSION

Tocilizumab may improve survival in severe COVID-19 pneumonia with persistent hypoxia. Randomised controlled trials on use of tocilizumab as rescue therapy in patients of severe COVID-19 pneumonia with hypoxia (PaO2/FiO2 less than 200) due to hyperinflammatory state, are warranted.

Rapid volunteer-based SARS-Cov-2 antibody screening among health care workers of a hospital in Mumbai, India

Objectives:

COVID-19 is highly contagious, and health care workers are at high risk of being infected. We carried out a rapid survey to estimate the proportion of HCWs who are serologically positive for SARS-CoV-2 in the Lokmanya Tilak Municipal General Hospital, Mumbai, India.

Material and Methods:

After the consent of the hospital authorities, volunteers were asked to report at a special booth set up in the hospital between May 1, 2020, and May 16, 2020. After consent, each worker was administered a questionnaire using a handheld computer which had questions on symptoms in the past 30 days, place of posting (COVID designated area or other), work category (doctor/nurse/others), use of personal protective equipment, smoking, comorbidity, and exposure followed by a test for COVID-19 using the STANDARD Q COVID-19 IgM/ IgG Duo Test of SD Biosensor. We estimated weighted seroprevalence with 95% confidence limits after adjusting for the work category. We calculated the adjusted odds ratio (aOR) using logistic regression with seropositivity as an outcome variable and others as independent variables.

Results:

The final sample included 501 and 1051 subjects working in the COVID area and non-COVID area, respectively, covering 35% of the total staff of the hospital. Overall, 6.9% (95% CI of 5.7–8.2) of the hospital staff was serologically positive for SARS-Cov-2, similar in the COVID area –5.7 (3.8–8.1) and non-COVID area –7.2 (5.7–9.0). Age more than 50 years (aOR 2.65; 1.45–4.85) and being in others work category 2.84 (1.34–6.02) were identified as significant predictors of being seropositive. Only 10% of the subjects reported COVID-like illness in the past 1 month.

Conclusion:

The overall modest prevalence of infection among the health care workers, especially non-doctors and nurses, and similarity of prevalence in COVID and non-COVID area staff indicate the possibility of non-hospital source of infection.

Dermatomyositis during COVID-19 Pandemic (A Case Series): Is there a Cause Effect Relationship?

Viruses have been shown to modify the clinical picture of several autoimmune diseases, including type 1 diabetes, systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), rheumatoid arthritis and multiple sclerosis. Viral infections have also been considered as a possible trigger for autoimmune disorders like myositis through myositis specific antibodies. Dermatomyositis is an acquired inflammatory myopathy which is relatively rare with incidence of 9.3 per 1 million persons. Usually we come across 1-2 patients of dermatomyositis per year, amongst 800-1000 new patients in our tertiary care rheumatology services. A surge in the incidence was noted this year during the months of April-August of 2020, the period coinciding with the occurrence of corona virus (COVID-19) pandemic in the city of Mumbai, the total number of cases encountered being five in a span of six months. The following case series includes five such cases with review of available literature on virus-triggered autoimmunity with special reference to SARS-CoV-2 and the challenges of immunosuppression during this pandemic.

In vitro activity of a novel antibacterial agent, levonadifloxacin, against clinical isolates collected in a prospective, multicentre surveillance study in India during 2016-18

BACKGROUND

Levonadifloxacin is a novel antibiotic belonging to the benzoquinolizine subclass of fluoroquinolones with potent activity against MRSA and quinolone-resistant Staphylococcus aureus. IV levonadifloxacin and its oral prodrug alalevonadifloxacin have recently been approved in India for the treatment of acute bacterial skin and skin structure infections (ABSSSIs) including diabetic foot infections.

OBJECTIVES

To investigate the in vitro activity of levonadifloxacin against contemporary clinical isolates collected from multiple tertiary care hospitals across India in the Antimicrobial Susceptibility Profiling of Indian Resistotypes (ASPIRE) surveillance study.

METHODS

A total of 1376 clinical isolates, consisting of staphylococci (n = 677), streptococci (n = 178), Enterobacterales (n = 320), Pseudomonas aeruginosa (n = 140) and Acinetobacter baumannii (n = 61), collected (2016-18) from 16 tertiary hospitals located across 12 states in India, were included in the study. The MICs of levonadifloxacin and comparator antibiotics were determined using the reference agar dilution method and broth microdilution method.

RESULTS

Levonadifloxacin exhibited potent activity against MSSA (MIC50/90: 0.5/1 mg/L), MRSA (MIC50/90: 0.5/1 mg/L) and levofloxacin-resistant S. aureus (MIC50/90: 1/1 mg/L) isolates. Similarly, potent activity of levonadifloxacin was also observed against CoNS including MDR isolates (MIC50/90: 1/2 mg/L). Against Streptococcus pneumoniae, levonadifloxacin (MIC50/90: 0.5/0.5 mg/L) showed superior activity compared with levofloxacin (MIC50/90: 1/2 mg/L). Among levofloxacin-susceptible Enterobacterales, 80.6% of isolates were inhibited at ≤2 mg/L levonadifloxacin.

CONCLUSIONS

Levonadifloxacin displayed potent activity against contemporary MRSA and fluoroquinolone-resistant staphylococcal isolates, thus offering a valuable IV as well as an oral therapeutic option for the treatment of ABSSSIs. Furthermore, levonadifloxacin exhibited a broad-spectrum activity profile as evident from its activity against streptococci and levofloxacin-susceptible Gram-negative isolates.

Infectious hepatitis: A 3-year retrospective study at a tertiary care hospital in India

Context

Acute viral hepatitis (AVH) is predominantly caused by hepatitis A virus (HAV) and hepatitis E virus (HEV), the prevalence of which varies in different geographical regions.

Aims

This study aimed to determine the prevalence of HAV and HEV infections in patients with AVH, the rate of HAV-HEV co-infection and the prevalence of HEV infection among pregnant women with hepatitis.

Settings and Design

It was a retrospective observational study conducted over 3 years from January 2015 to December 2017, after obtaining clearance from the institutional ethics committee.

Subjects and Methods

A total of 675 serum samples were collected from patients with a clinical diagnosis of AVH, between January 2015 and December 2017. The study population included outdoor and hospitalised patients between 3 and 70 years of age who presented with signs and symptoms of hepatitis. The presence of IgM anti-HAV and IgM anti-HEV antibodies in serum were assessed by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.

Statistical Analysis Used

Chi-square test.

Results

The prevalence of HAV, HEV and HAV-HEV co-infection was found to be 6.96%, 9.63% and 2.07%, respectively. Among males, this was 7.3%, 8.8% and 2.6%, respectively and in females 6.7%, 10.2% and 1.7%, respectively. However, these differences in the prevalence rates were of no statistical significance. The prevalence of HEV infection in pregnant women with hepatitis was 9.4%. HAV and HEV infections showed a seasonal trend with predominance during summer and rainy seasons (May to September).

Conclusions

A higher seroprevalence of HEV as compared to HAV together with a co-infection rate of 2.07% mandates screening for HEV in all suspected cases of acute hepatitis, particularly pregnant women in whom the outcomes of HEV infection are poor. Health and civic authorities should make necessary efforts to counter epidemic or outbreak situations, thus reducing morbidity, mortality and economic burden.

Improving Quality of Banked Milk: Utility of Dornic Acid Test

OBJECTIVE

To identify, if Dornic acid test done on human milk bank sample is as effective as doing routine culture, both pre and post pasteurization.

METHODS

The authors analyzed 477 samples, both pre and post pasteurization. Dornic acid measurement was performed by using N/9 NaOH and titrated to get dornicity of the sample. Senstivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV) and negative predictive value (NPV) at different Dornic acid levels were calculated. To find diagnostic power of this study, ROC curve was prepared. Dornic acid for paired pre and post pasteurization were noted and analysed for statistical significance.

RESULTS

A significant growth was seen in 21% (98/477) samples with coagulase negative staphylococci and gram negative organisms being the major contaminants seen prior to pasteurization. In the index study, Dornic acidity ≥4°D had a sensitivity of 98% but very low specificity of just over 10%. However, 8°D had 92% specificity and acceptable sensitivity of 72% in comparison to gold standard microbiological criteria, making it a good test for analyzing the quality of milk before pasteurization.

CONCLUSIONS

Dornic acid test at 8°D has a very high specificity with acceptable sensitivity in comparison to dornicity at 4°D. It can be used as a simple method to select better quality of milk sample prior to pasteurization.

Trichosporon inkin and Trichosporon mucoides as unusual causes of white piedra of scalp hair

White piedra of scalp hair is considered a rare entity. We report three cases of this disorder all of whom presented with nodules on the hair. Potassium hydroxide preparations of the hair revealed clustered arthrospores and mature, easily detachable nodules. Cultures grew Trichosporon inkin in 2 patients and Trichosporon mucoides in one patient. Both these fungi are unusual causes of white piedra.

Pseudomonas diarrhea in a child suffering from acute lymphatic leukemia

A female child admitted to hospital, diagnosed with acute lymphatic leukemia — CALLA positive, developed loose motions. Her stool culture and blood culture grew Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Although the diarrhea subsided after five days, the stool culture repeatedly grewP. aeruginosa for more than one month, in spite of treatment. Even though diarrhea due to Pseudomonas is rare, it can yet be seen in immunocompromised patients and is also associated with neutropenic enterocolitis. Stool specimens of all leukemia patients on chemotherapy and suffering from diarrhea, should be sent routinely for culture, so as to find out the exact cause of the diarrhea. Proper reporting will enable the clinicians to start appropriate antibiotics, thereby, reducing the morbidity and mortality of the leukemia patients.

A rare case of Histoplasma fungemia in an AIDS patient

Disseminated cases of histoplasmosis in acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) are rarely reported from India. Most of these cases report isolation of this fungus from the bone marrow, lymph node aspirate, spleenic aspirate, and biopsies. We report isolation of Histoplasma capsulatum from the blood of an AIDS patient. A 30-year-old male from Utter Pradesh was admitted with fever, loss of appetite, and nausea since two months. Few intracellular and extracellular budding cells were observed on bone marrow examination on the fifth day of admission. Diagnosis was confirmed by blood cultures taken on the 11th day of admission. Amphotericin B was started, but the patient's condition deteriorated and he died.

Report: Medical students for monitoring biomedical waste segregation practices--why and how? Experience from a medical college

The cornerstone for an effective biomedical waste (BMW) management is appropriate waste segregation. Improper waste segregation practices can have an adverse impact on public health and increase the cost of treatment. Deficiencies in waste segregation practices can be corrected by continuous monitoring and education. Manpower for monitoring waste segregation in a large teaching hospital is scanty. We utilized the undergraduate medical students as monitors and studied the impact on waste segregation practices. A prospective observational study was carried out from August 2004 to January 2005. For monitoring waste segregation, the different areas of the hospital were divided amongst the II M.B.B.S students. They were provided with an observation sheet wherein the status of waste segregation and overall hygiene was recorded on a scale of 1-5. The impact of this programme was then analysed over the study period. The results indicated that a statistically significant improvement in waste segregation practices occurred in all areas. Thus, a large hospital with a medical college can identify students or a similar group for monitoring waste segregation or other aspects of biomedical waste management. This will improve their understanding of good practice in BMW management in future.

Utility of the polymerase chain reaction in the diagnosis of tuberculous meningitis

Due to inconsistent clinical presentations and the lack of a rapid, sensitive and specific test, tuberculous meningitis (TBM) is particularly difficult to diagnose. The present study was carried out to determine the utility of the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) using INS primers in the diagnosis of TBM and to compare the efficacy of two different DNA extraction protocols. Fifty-seven cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) samples from suspected cases of meningitis -- 30 definitive/possible TBM and 27 non-TBM -- were processed for microscopy, culture and PCR. Results of computer tomographic (CT) scan findings were noted. The results of smear, culture and PCR were compared using culture and/or clinical response to treatment as the gold standard. The sensitivity of microscopy, culture, CT scan and PCR was 3.3%, 26.7%, 60.0% and 66.7%, respectively. PCR following QIAmp DNA extraction had a sensitivity of 66.7% compared to PCR following a DNA extraction protocol based on the use of cetyl trimethyl ammonium bromide (CTAB) (50%). PCR was positive in all culture-positive CSF samples using either extraction method. PCR is a rapid and sensitive technique; above all, it can diagnose tuberculous meningitis at a very early stage.

Prevalence of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) in community-acquired primary pyoderma

BACKGROUND

Although prevalence of MRSA strains is reported to be increasing, there are no studies of their prevalence in community-acquired primary pyodermas in western India.

AIMS

This study aimed at determining the prevalence of MRSA infection in community-acquired primary pyodermas.

METHODS

Open, prospective survey carried out in a tertiary care hospital in Mumbai.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Eighty-six patients with primary pyoderma, visiting the dermatology outpatient, were studied clinically and microbiologically. Sensitivity testing was done for vancomycin, sisomycin, gentamicin, framycetin, erythromycin, methicillin, cefazolin, cefuroxime, penicillin G and ciprofloxacin. Phage typing was done for MRSA positive strains.

RESULTS

The culture positivity rate was 83.7%. Staphylococcus aureus was isolated in all cases except two. Barring one, all strains of Staphylococcus were sensitive to methicillin.

CONCLUSIONS

Methicillin resistance is uncommon in community-acquired primary pyodermas in Mumbai. Treatment with antibacterials active against MRSA is probably unwarranted for community-acquired primary pyodermas.

Rapid antibiotic susceptibility testing ofMycobacterium tuberculosis: Its utility in resource poor settings

PURPOSE

To compare the rapid colorimetric nitrate reductase based antibiotic susceptibility (CONRAS) test performed on Mycobacterium tuberculosis isolates with the conventional method i.e, the proportion method.

METHODS

One hundred clinical isolates of M. tuberculosis were tested for susceptibility to isoniazid (INH) and rifampicin (RIF) by the conventional proportion method and CONRAS in Middlebrook 7H9 liquid medium enriched with growth supplements (MB7H9S).

RESULTS

The performance of the CONRAS test was evaluated using proportion method as the gold standard. The sensitivity (ability to detect true drug resistance) and specificity (ability to detect true drug susceptibility) of the CONRAS test to INH was 93.75 and 98.52% and for RIF it was 96.10 and 100% respectively. The mean time for reporting was 6.3 days and the test showed excellent reproducibility. The kappa (k) value for INH was 0.92 and for RIF was 0.99, indicating excellent agreement between the two methods.

CONCLUSIONS

CONRAS test is a rapid and reliable method of drug susceptibility for M. tuberculosis.

An outbreak of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) infection in dermatology indoor patients

BACKGROUND

Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is a major nosocomial pathogen. Indiscriminate and increased use of systemic antibiotics has led to the emergence of MRSA. Infected or colonized ward patients are the main reservoir of infection. Once colonized, the risk of subsequent local and systemic infections is high, especially in the elderly, and in debilitated and immunosuppressed patients.

METHODS

We report an outbreak of MRSA in the dermatology ward of a tertiary care hospital and describe measures taken to control it.

RESULTS

Ten patients were found to be MRSA positive over a span of three months while screening swabs from wet lesions in indoor patients. On the basis of risk assessment, they were treated with appropriate systemic and topical therapy. One patient died while the remaining nine patients showed a good response to therapy. All the MRSA isolates were found to be sensitive to vancomycin, teicoplanin and linezolid.

CONCLUSION

This is the first case report of MRSA infection in dermatology indoor patients in India.

Tonsure trichotillomania

An unusual case of tonsure trichotillomania is reported for its rarity and clinical interest.

Lichenoid epidermal naevus

A case of lichenoid epidermal naevus with unusual clinical presentation is reported.

Lichenoid epidermal naevus

A case of lichenoid epidermal naevus with unusual clinical presentation is reported.

Zero-order release formulation of oxprenolol hydrochloride with swelling and erosion control

Zero-order release of oxprenolol hydrochloride was obtained by controlling the swelling and erosion of the matrix. This formulation involves only mixing of drug, hydroxypropylmethylcellulose (HPMC), and sodium carboxymethylcellulose (Na CMC) at the ratio of 1:0.4:1.6, respectively, and compressing the mixture directly into tablets. The in vitro release pattern from this optimized matrix tablet was reproducible. Accelerated stability studies revealed that the optimized formulation remains stable for an approximately 2-year shelf life. This sustained-release (SR) tablet was evaluated in dogs, and for comparison a conventional (CV) formulation was also given at the same dose level. Plasma oxprenolol levels were monitored by a sensitive and specific high-performance liquid chromatographic (HPLC) method. Significant differences in the pharmacokinetic parameters, i.e., lower Cmax, higher values of tmax, MRT, AUC, and plasma concentration at 24 hr, and nearly constant plasma levels over 12 hr, indicated that the SR matrix tablet is superior to the CV rapid-releasing formulation. The in vitro release parameters and in vivo pharmacokinetics correlated well.