Pseudomonas aeruginosa ventricular assist device infections: findings from ineffective phage therapies in five cases

Left ventricular assist devices (LVAD) are increasingly used for management of heart failure; infection remains a frequent complication. Phage therapy has been successful in a variety of antibiotic refractory infections and is of interest in treating LVAD infections. We performed a retrospective review of four patients that underwent five separate courses of intravenous (IV) phage therapy with concomitant antibiotic for treatment of endovascular Pseudomonas aeruginosa LVAD infection. We assessed phage susceptibility, bacterial strain sequencing, serum neutralization, biofilm activity, and shelf-life of phage preparations. Five treatments of one to four wild-type virulent phage(s) were administered for 14-51 days after informed consent and regulatory approval. There was no successful outcome. Breakthrough bacteremia occurred in four of five treatments. Two patients died from the underlying infection. We noted a variable decline in phage susceptibility following three of five treatments, four of four tested developed serum neutralization, and prophage presence was confirmed in isolates of two tested patients. Two phage preparations showed an initial titer drop. Phage biofilm activity was confirmed in two. Phage susceptibility alone was not predictive of clinical efficacy in P. aeruginosa endovascular LVAD infection. IV phage was associated with serum neutralization in most cases though lack of clinical effect may be multifactorial including presence of multiple bacterial isolates with varying phage susceptibility, presence of prophages, decline in phage titers, and possible lack of biofilm activity. Breakthrough bacteremia occurred frequently (while the organism remained susceptible to administered phage) and is an important safety consideration.

Complicated Pocket Infection in Patients Undergoing Lead Extraction: Characteristics and Outcomes

Cardiac implantable electronic device (CIED) infection can present with pocket or systemic manifestations, both necessitating complete device removal and pathogen-directed antimicrobial therapy. Here, we aim to characterize those presenting with both pocket and systemic infection. A retrospective analysis of CIED extraction procedures included 300 patients divided into isolated pocket (n = 104, 34.7%), complicated pocket (n = 54, 18%), and systemic infection (n = 142, 47.3%) groups. The systemic and complicated pocket groups frequently presented with leukocytosis and fever > 37.8, as opposed to the isolated pocket group. Staphylococcus aureus was the most common pathogen in the systemic and complicated pocket groups (43.7% and 31.5%, respectively), while Coagulase-negative staphylococci (CONS) predominated (31.7%) in the isolated pocket group (10.6%, p < 0.001). No differences were observed in procedural success or complications rates. Kaplan-Meier survival analysis found that at three years of follow-up, the rate of all-cause mortality was significantly higher among patients with systemic infection compared to both pocket groups (p < 0.001), with the curves diverging at thirty days. In this study, we characterize a new entity of complicated pocket infection. Despite the systemic pattern of infection, their prognosis is similar to isolated pocket infection. We suggest that this special category be presented separately in future publications of CIED infections.

Characteristics of endovascular pneumococcal infections; a decade of nationwide surveillance study

In order to characterize pneumococcal endovascular infection in the post-vaccination era, a retrospective nationwide study based on the Israeli Adult IPD database was conducted. Between 2010 and 2019, 0.6% (23 cases) of IPD cases were of endovascular type, occurring mainly in males (72.3%) with underlying medical conditions (78.2%). Additional pneumococcal source (10 patients) and concomitant infections were not uncommon. Penicillin and ceftriaxone susceptibility rates were 65.2% and 91.3%, respectively; 60.9% of the isolates were not covered by the pneumococcal conjugate vaccine. 21.7% of patients died during hospitalization. In conclusion, pneumococcal endovascular infections still carry significant morbidity and mortality.

Surgical treatment on infective endocarditis: impact of diabetes on mortality

BACKGROUND

Type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM) is a frequent co-morbidity among patients suffering from infective endocarditis (IE). The aim of the study was to evaluate the impact of type 2 DM on the early-, intermediate- and long-term mortality of patients who underwent surgical treatment of endocarditis.

METHODS

We performed an observational cohort study in the large tertiary center in Israel during 14 years. All data of patients who underwent surgical treatment of endocarditis, performed between 2006 and 2020 were extracted from the departmental database. Patients were divided into two groups: Group I (non-diabetic patients), and Group II (diabetic patients).

RESULTS

The study population includes 420 patients. Group I (non-diabetic patients), comprise 326 patients, and Group II (diabetic patients), comprise 94 patients. Mean follow-up duration was 39.3 ± 28.1 months. Short-term, 30-day and in-hospital mortality, also intermediate-term mortality (1- and 3-year) was higher in the DM group compared with the non-DM group, but did not reach statistical significance: 11.7% vs. 7.7%. (p = 0.215); 12.8% vs. 8.3% (p = 0.285); 20.2% vs. 13.2% (p = 0.1) and 23.4% vs. 15.6% (p = 0.09) respectively. Long-term, 5-year mortality was significantly higher in the DM group, compared to the non-DM group: 30.9% vs. 16.6% (p = 0.003). Furthermore, predictors for long-term mortality included diabetes (CI 1.056-2.785, p = 0.029), as demonstrated by regression analysis.

CONCLUSIONS

Diabetic patients have trend to increasing mortality at the short- and intermediate period post-surgery for IE, but this is not statistically significant. Survival of diabetic patients deteriorates after more than three years follow surgery. Diabetes is an independent predictor for long-term, 5-year mortality after surgical treatment of endocarditis, regardless of the patients age and comorbidities. Trial registration Ethical Committee of Sheba Medical Centre, Israel on 02.12. 2014, Protocol 4257.

Third dose of the BNT162b2 vaccine in heart transplant recipients: Immunogenicity and clinical experience

BACKGROUND

The repeated waves of the COVID-19 pandemic have highlighted the necessity to optimize vaccine responses in immunocompromised populations. We investigated the safety and immunogenicity of a third, booster, dose of the Pfizer BNT162b2 vaccine in heart transplant (HT) patients.

METHODS

The cohort comprised 96 adult HT patients who received a third homologous dose of the BNT162b2 vaccine 168 days after the second dose. The vaccine-induced antibody responses of both receptor-binding domain (RBD) IgG and neutralizing antibodies were assessed in all patients, with a positive antibody response being defined as the presence of either IgG anti-RBD or neutralizing antibodies. For a subset of patients, T cell response was also studied.

RESULTS

The third dose was associated with a low rate of adverse events, mostly mild pain at the injection site. No serious adverse events were recorded, and there were no episodes of rejection. At 18 days following the third dose of the vaccine, the positive antibody response increased from 23% to 67%, with a corresponding increase in neutralizing capacity. The third dose elicited SARS-CoV-2 neutralization titers >9-fold and IgG anti-RBD antibodies >3-fold of the range achieved after the two primary doses. Mycophenolate use, lower eGFR and higher C-reactive protein were independently associated with a reduced likelihood of generating an immune response. Importantly, a specific T-cell response following the third dose was evident in the majority of transplant recipients.

CONCLUSIONS

An homologous third booster dose of the BNT162b2 vaccine gave overall consistent tolerability and a good safety profile, while eliciting humoral and cellular immune responses.

BNT162b2 vaccination in heart transplant recipients: Clinical experience and antibody response

BACKGROUND

Data on the safety and efficacy of SARS-CoV-2 vaccines in immunocompromised populations are sparse.

METHODS

We conducted a prospective study of 77 heart transplant (HT) recipients vaccinated with two doses of BNT162b2 vaccine and monitored for adverse events following both doses, the receptor-binding domain (RBD) IgG response, and neutralizing antibodies.

RESULTS

BNT162b2 vaccination was associated with a low rate of adverse events, characterized mostly by pain at the injection site. By a mean 41 days post second dose there were no clinical episodes of rejection, as suggested by a troponin leak or allograft dysfunction. At a mean 21 days following the second dose, IgG anti-RBD antibodies were detectable in 14 (18%) HT recipients. Immune sera neutralized SARS-CoV-2 pseudo-virus in 8 (57%) of those with IgG anti-RBD antibodies. Immunosuppressive regimen containing mycophenolic acid was associated with lower odds of an antibody response (OR = 0.12, p = 0.042).

CONCLUSIONS

Whether a longer time-frame for observation of an antibody response is required after vaccination in immunosuppressed individuals remains unknown.

Candida auris Infection Leading to Nosocomial Transmission, Israel, 2017

A patient transferred from South Africa to Israel acquired a Candida auris infection. Phylogenetic analysis showed resemblance of C. auris to isolates from South Africa but not Israel, suggesting travel-associated infection. C. auris infection occurred weeks later in another patient at the same hospital, suggesting prolonged environmental persistence.

Delayed diagnosis of colorectal sexually transmitted diseases due to their resemblance to inflammatory bowel diseases

OBJECTIVE

Sexually transmitted diseases (STDs), mainly lymphogranuloma venereum (LGV), induce colorectal symptoms that may be misdiagnosed as inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). This study describes patients who presented with STDs masquerading as IBD in order to improve understanding of missed diagnosis of colorectal STDs and their association with LGV in Israel.

METHODS

This retrospective, descriptive study characterized the clinical, endoscopic, and pathological findings of 16 patients who were diagnosed with a colorectal STD after erroneously being diagnosed with IBD. Molecular genotyping was used to characterize some of the Chlamydia trachomatis isolates.

RESULTS

All patients were men who have sex with men (MSM), mostly HIV-1-positive, and had clinical and endoscopic findings compatible with IBD. The STD was diagnosed 1-36 months after the initial diagnosis: 14 were positive for Chlamydia trachomatis, of which three were of the LGV2b (ST58) serotype and one was ST 108 serotype. Five were positive for gonorrhea and four were positive for syphilis. Several pathogens were diagnosed in six episodes.

CONCLUSIONS

Colorectal STDs may resemble IBD and therefore their diagnosis may be delayed. IBD symptoms in MSM who engage in non-protected anal sex should prompt at least syphilis and anal PCR for STD testing. If C. trachomatis is diagnosed but LGV subtyping cannot be done, doxycycline 100mg twice daily for 21days should be recommended.

Amebic Liver Abscess in Israeli Travelers: A Retrospective Study

Amebic liver abscess (ALA) is endemic in developing countries. The epidemiology and clinical characteristics of the disease in developing countries are well described. Travelers from nonendemic countries can serve as a model for the natural history of ALA. Currently, the available literature on travelers is limited. This is a retrospective observational study on Israeli travelers diagnosed with ALA. Data regarding travel history, clinical presentation, imaging, and treatment were collected and analyzed. Among 6,867 ill returning Israeli travelers, amebiasis was diagnosed in 53 travelers (0.77%), of whom 14 were with ALA (0.2%). Twelve ALA cases (86%) had an exposure in the Indian subcontinent. The male to female ratio was 1:1, with no significant clinical differences between the sexes. The average lag period between exposure and onset of symptoms was 17.1 months. The lack of male predominance and the prolonged lag period may imply that behavioral factors are pivotal in the development of ALA. Larger case series of travelers are required.