Prevalence of enterococcal groin colonization in patients undergoing cardiac interventions: challenging antimicrobial prophylaxis with cephalosporins in patients undergoing transcatheter aortic valve replacement.

BACKGROUND: Cephalosporins are recommended for prophylaxis before transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR). Infective endocarditis (IE) after TAVR is caused by enterococci in up to 30% of cases, particularly early after TAVR. Enterococcal colonization in the groin has been postulated as a source of infection, not only because prophylaxis does not cover enterococci but also because most TAVR procedures are performed by transfemoral access. There are few data analysing the groin microbiome to demonstrate the presence of enterococci. AIM: To assess the prevalence of enterococci in the groins of cardiological patients receiving transfemoral interventions. METHODS: This prospective cohort study was undertaken at University Hospital Basel, Switzerland between February and August 2020. Two skin swabs were taken from the groins of consecutive patients undergoing transfemoral cardiac interventions before the administration of antibiotic prophylaxis; for each patient, swabs were taken before and after groin disinfection. Swabs were analysed in the local microbiological laboratory following validated culture methods. FINDINGS: Of 290 included patients, 245 (84.5%) underwent coronary angiography, 31 (10.7%) underwent TAVR, eight (2.8%) underwent right heart catheterization, five (1.7%) underwent closure of patent foramen ovale, and one (0.3%) underwent a MitraClip procedure. Enterococci were detected before disinfection in 48 patients, enterococci were still cultured after disinfection in three patients, and enterococci were detected after disinfection alone (i.e. not detected before disinfection) in one patient. The prevalence of enterococci was 16.6% before disinfection and 1.4% after disinfection. Patients colonized with enterococci had a significantly higher body mass index and were more likely to be diabetic than uncolonized patients. CONCLUSION: Common enterococcal colonization of the groin, coupled with frequent isolation of enterococci from patients with TAVR-associated IE, provides strong evidence that the current recommendation of antimicrobial prophylaxis with cephalosporins before TAVR should be changed to antimicrobial prophylaxis with a compound that is active against enterococci.

Chemsex drugs on the rise: a longitudinal analysis of the Swiss HIV Cohort Study from 2007 to 2017.

OBJECTIVES: Chemsex refers to the use of sex-enhancing drugs among men who have sex with men (MSM) in combination with specific sexual and social behaviours. Longitudinal data on this development and the associated health risks are scarce. METHODS: Data on all recreational drugs reported in the Swiss HIV Cohort Study (SHCS) from 2007 to 2017 were collected. Drug use was analysed longitudinally for all drug classes. In addition, potential associations between patient characteristics and the consumption of methamphetamine, γ-hydroxybutric acid/γ-butyrolactone (GHB/GBL), 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA/XTC), cocaine and amphetamine were analysed. RESULTS: We analysed 166 167 follow-up entries for 12 527 SHCS participants, including 7101 free text field entries containing information about recreational drugs other than cannabis, cocaine and heroin. Overall, we observed a stable percentage (9.0%) of recreational drug use (excluding cannabis, amyl nitrite and prescription drugs). For MSM, however, there was an increase in overall drug use from 8.8% in 2007 to 13.8% in 2017, with particularly large increases for methamphetamine (from 0.2 to 2.4%; P < 0.001) and GHB/GBL (from 1.0 to 3.4%; P < 0.001). The use of each of the potentially sex-enhancing drugs methamphetamine, GHB/GBL, cocaine, XTC/MDMA and amphetamine was significantly associated with condomless sex with nonsteady partners, and higher prevalences of depression, syphilis and hepatitis C. CONCLUSIONS: The significant increase in the use of chemsex drugs among MSM in the SHCS and the strong association with coinfections and depression highlights the need for harm reduction programmes tailored to MSM. According to our results, improving knowledge about recreational drugs is important for all health care professionals working with people living with HIV.

Accuracy of Sensititre YeastOne echinocandins epidemiological cut-off values for identification of FKS mutant Candida albicans and Candida glabrata: a ten year national survey of the Fungal Infection Network of Switzerland (FUNGINOS).

OBJECTIVES: Echinocandins represent the first-line treatment of candidaemia. Acquired echinocandin resistance is mainly observed among Candida albicans and Candida glabrata and is associated with FKS hotspot mutations. The commercial Sensititre YeastOne™ (SYO) kit is widely used for antifungal susceptibility testing, but interpretive clinical breakpoints are not well defined. We determined echinocandins epidemiological cut-off values (ECV) for C. albicans/glabrata tested by SYO and assessed their ability to identify FKS mutants in a national survey of candidaemia. METHODS: Bloodstream isolates of C. albicans and C. glabrata were collected in 25 Swiss hospitals from 2004 to 2013 and tested by SYO. FKS hotspot sequencing was performed for isolates with an MIC≥ECV for any echinocandin. RESULTS: In all, 1277 C. albicans and 347 C. glabrata were included. ECV 97.5% of caspofungin, anidulafungin and micafungin were 0.12, 0.06 and 0.03 µg/mL for C. albicans, and 0.25, 0.12 and 0.03 µg/mL for C. glabrata, respectively. FKS hotspot sequencing was performed for 70 isolates. No mutation was found in the 52 'limit wild-type' isolates (MIC=ECV for at least one echinocandin). Among the 18 'non-wild-type' isolates (MIC>ECV for at least one echinocandin), FKS mutations were recovered in the only two isolates with MIC>ECV for all three echinocandins, but not in those exhibiting a 'non-wild-type' phenotype for only one or two echinocandins. CONCLUSION: This 10-year nationwide survey showed that the rate of echinocandin resistance among C. albicans and C. glabrata remains low in Switzerland despite increased echinocandin use. SYO-ECV could discriminate FKS mutants from wild-type isolates tested by SYO in this population.

Hidden under a Cauliflower-Like Skin Tumor: Chromoblastomycosis.

We present the case of an 80-year-old patient with a recurrent hyperpigmented and cauliflower-like skin tumor on the stump of his left index finger. Despite suggestive clinical appearance for chromoblastomycosis the tumor was initially clinically and also histopathologically misdiagnosed as recurrent squamous cell carcinoma. Due to a cardiogenic shock, the patient died shortly after the diagnosis of chromoblastomycosis, before adequate treatment could be introduced. In non-tropical regions chromoblastomycosis is an uncommon chronic fungal infection with Fonsecaea pedrosoi being the most prevalent etiological agent. Mostly lower extremities are involved. It is not unusual that, clinically, in the absence of pigmentation, and, histopathologically, because of pseudoepitheliomatous hyperplasia of the epidermis, chromoblastomycosis is confounded with squamous cell cancer, and delays in diagnosis of one to 3 years are common. Therefore, a high grade of clinical suspicion and inclusion of chromoblastomycosis in the differential diagnosis of pigmented skin tumors are important to initiate adequate therapy. Our case is remarkable in many aspects. The localization on an upper extremity and the grade of invasiveness with involvement of bone are unusual; furthermore the lack of a tropical travel history emphasizes that the infection almost surely occurred in Switzerland.

[Comatose state--think different]. / Komatöser Zustand - think different.

We report the case of a 76-year old woman, who presented with signs of a meningoencephalitis. The result of lumbar puncture showed a mononuclear pleocytosis. Empirical antimicrobial treatment was promptly initiated. Nevertheless a comatose state complicated the clinical course. The diagnosis of neuroborreliosis was made serologically and by molecular biology. Under adequate therapy with intravenous ceftriaxone the patient showed a slow but full recovery. This case illustrates that potentially reversible diseases need very careful decision making regarding therapeutic activities and that neuroborreliosis is a potentially reversible cause of severe neurologic impairment.

A rare cause of pulmonary infiltrates one should be aware of: a case of daptomycin-induced acute eosinophilic pneumonia.

We report a 69-year-old patient who developed fever and dyspnea 3 weeks after the initiation of daptomycin therapy for spondylodiscitis with lumbar epidural and bilateral psoas abscesses due to ampicillin- and high-level-gentamicin-resistant Enterococcus faecium. There was profound hypoxia and the chest X-ray showed extensive patchy infiltrates bilaterally. A bronchoalveolar lavage revealed 30% eosinophils and results of microbiological studies were normal. Daptomycin-induced eosinophilic pneumonia was diagnosed and the patient rapidly improved after the discontinuation of daptomycin and a brief course of prednisone. Increased attention must be paid to this rare but serious side effect of daptomycin.

Hormographiella aspergillata: an emerging mould in acute leukaemia patients?

We describe three invasive mould infections due to Hormographiella aspergillata occurring within 1 year in patients undergoing treatment for acute leukaemia. All patients presented with pulmonary infiltrates; one patient additionally had cerebral and ocular involvement. Diagnostic procedures included bronchoalveolar lavage in all, and video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery in two patients. Susceptibility testing was performed by E-test and detected low minimal inhibitory concentrations for voriconazole and amphotericin B. All patients received systemic antifungal therapy; however, all of them died. Despite this cluster of three cases of an unusual mould infection, no hospital source was detected.

Comparison of infectious complications during induction/consolidation chemotherapy versus allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation.

Induction/consolidation chemotherapy and allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) for hematological malignancies are associated with treatment-related risks such as infections. The predominant types of infections are blood stream infections (BSIs) and respiratory tract infections. We prospectively compared infectious complications after induction/consolidation chemotherapy versus allogeneic HSCT in a directly comparable setting with both groups being hospitalized on the same ward. From July 2003 until June 2008, 492 hospitalizations of 321 patients took place; 237 chemotherapies and 255 HSCTs were performed. We observed 49 (20.7%) BSIs, 70 (29.5%) pneumonias and 11 (4.6%) probable or proven invasive mould infections in the chemotherapy group. In the HSCT group we detected 70 (27.5%) BSIs, 71 (27.8%) pneumonias and 14 (5.4%) probable or proven invasive mould infections. There was a trend toward more transfers to the intensive care unit (OR 1.61; 95%CI 0.95-2.72; P=0.074) and BSIs (OR 1.45; 95%CI 0.95-2.22; P=0.079) after HSCT; 44 (13.7%) patients died. In-hospital mortality was significantly higher in the HSCT group (OR 2.39; 95%CI 1.22-4.68; P=0.010). We conclude that the risk of pneumonia and invasive mould infection is comparable after induction/consolidation chemotherapy and allogeneic HSCT. However, there was a trend for more BSIs and intensive care unit stays and a higher mortality in the latter.

Candida krusei--a serious complication in patients with hematological malignancies: successful treatment with caspofungin.

Candida krusei infections are serious complications in neutropenic patients with hematological malignancies. We report the successful treatment of C. krusei infection with caspofungin in 3 allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplant recipients and 1 patient with induction chemotherapy for acute myeloid leukemia.