Antibiotic prophylaxis for clean neck surgery.

The frequency of surgical site infections (SSIs) after clean neck surgery is low and antibiotic prophylaxis is not recommended. This retrospective study investigated the effect of perioperative prophylactic antimicrobial therapy on the development of infections. A total of 807 consecutive patients undergoing clean neck surgery were included in the study. Antimicrobial prophylaxis with intravenous cefuroxime was administered in 518 cases. Although patients who received prophylaxis had a lower rate of SSIs than those who did not receive antibiotics, this was not statistically significant (0.4% vs 1.4% respectively, p=0.19). Older age was the only variable associated with the development of SSIs (p=0.014).

Fluoroquinolones or macrolides in combination with ß-lactams in adult patients hospitalized with community acquired pneumonia: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

OBJECTIVE: The best treatment option for hospitalized patients with community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) has not been defined. The effectiveness of ß-lactam/fluoroquinolone (BLFQ) versus ß-lactam/macrolide (BLM) combinations for the treatment of patients with CAP was evaluated. METHODS: PubMed, Scopus and the Cochrane Library were searched for observational cohort studies, non-randomized and randomized controlled trials providing data for patients with CAP receiving BLM or BLFQ. Mortality was the primary outcome. A meta-analysis was performed. MINORS and GRADE were used for data quality assessment. RESULTS: Seventeen studies (16 684 patients) were included. Randomized trials were not identified. A variety of ß-lactams, fluoroquinolones and macrolides were used within and between the studies. Mortality was reported at different time points. The available body of evidence had very low quality. In the analysis of unadjusted data, mortality with BLFQ was higher than with BLM (risk ratio 1.33, 95% CI 1.15-1.54, I2 28%). BLFQ was associated with higher mortality regardless of the study design, mortality recording time, study period and study BLM group mortality. BLFQ was associated with higher mortality in American but not European studies. No difference was observed in patients with bacteraemia and septic shock. In the meta-analysis of adjusted mortality data, a non-significant difference between the two regimens was observed (eight studies, adjusted risk ratio 1.26, 95% CI 0.95-1.67, I2 43%). CONCLUSION: In the absence of data from randomized controlled trials recommendations cannot be made for or against either of the studied regimens in this group of hospitalized patients with CAP. Well designed randomized controlled trials comparing the two regimens are warranted.

Abnormal vaginal flora in symptomatic non-pregnant and pregnant women in a Greek hospital: a prospective study.

Bacterial vaginosis (BV), candidiasis, and trichomoniasis were the three established types of vaginal conditions until aerobic vaginitis (AV) was defined in the early 2000s. We sought to study the prevalence of abnormal vaginal flora (AVF) with inflammation in our hospital and to correlate it with AV. We prospectively collected vaginal smear specimens originated from symptomatic women who were examined at Iaso Obstetrics, Gynecology and Children's Hospital of Athens from April 2014 until September 2015. Amsel's criteria were used for the diagnosis of BV. The presence of leukocytes and lactobacillary grade were evaluated to classify a condition as AVF with inflammation; subsequently, bacterial cultures were performed. A total of 761 women were included. Five hundred and seventy-nine women were diagnosed with candidiasis, BV, trichomoniasis, or other types of vaginitis in which no pathogenic bacterial growth occurred in cultures. One hundred and eighty-two women (23.9 %) were diagnosed with AVF with inflammation (116 non-pregnant, 66 pregnant). Escherichia coli was the most common pathogen among these women (non-pregnant: 45.7 %, pregnant: 34.8 %). Other common pathogens were Group-B-Streptococcus (non-pregnant: 20.7 %, pregnant: 22.7 % respectively), Enterococcus faecalis (14.7 %, 18.2 %), and Klebsiella pneumoniae (6.9 %, 12.1 %). The prevalence of AVF with inflammation may be high. Since inflammation criteria were applied, most cases of BV were eliminated and the majority of cases of AVF are AV. Therefore, clinicians should include AV in the differential diagnosis of vaginitis, while microbiologists should take into account the growth of aerobic bacteria in vaginal cultures originating from women with microscopic findings of AV.

The effect of microablative fractional CO2 laser on vaginal flora of postmenopausal women.

OBJECTIVES: To assess the effect of microablative fractional CO2 laser (MFCO2-Laser) therapy on the vaginal microenvironment of postmenopausal women. METHODS: Three laser therapies at monthly intervals were applied in postmenopausal women with moderate to severe symptoms of genitourinary syndrome of menopause, pH of vaginal fluid >4.5 and superficial epithelial cells on vaginal smear <5%. Vaginal fluid pH values, fresh wet mount microscopy, Gram stain and aerobic and anaerobic cultures were evaluated at baseline and 1 month after each subsequent therapy. Nugent score and Hay-Ison criteria were used to evaluate vaginal flora. RESULTS: Fifty-three women (mean age 57.2 ± 5.4 years) participated and completed this study. MFCO2-Laser therapy increased Lactobacillus (p < 0.001) and normal flora (p < 0.001) after the completion of the therapeutic protocol, which decreased vaginal pH from a mean of 5.5 ± 0.8 (initial value) to 4.7 ± 0.5 (p < 0.001). The prevalence of Lactobacillus changed from 30% initially to 79% after the last treatment. Clinical signs and symptoms of bacterial vaginosis, aerobic vaginitis or candidiasis did not appear in any participant. CONCLUSION: MFCO2-Laser therapy is a promising treatment for improving the vaginal health of postmenopausal women by helping repopulate the vagina with normally existing Lactobacillus species and reconstituting the normal flora to premenopausal status.

Clostridium difficile in Crete, Greece: epidemiology, microbiology and clinical disease.

We studied the epidemiology and microbiology of Clostridium difficile and the characteristics of patients with C. difficile infection (CDI) in Crete in three groups of hospitalized patients with diarrhoea: group 1 [positive culture and positive toxin by enzyme immunoassay (EIA)]; group 2 (positive culture, negative toxin); group 3 (negative culture, negative toxin). Patients in group 1 were designated as those with definitive CDI (20 patients for whom data was available) and matched with cases in group 2 (40 patients) and group 3 (40 patients). C. difficile grew from 6% (263/4379) of stool specimens; 14·4% of these had positive EIA, of which 3% were resistant to metronidazole. Three isolates had decreased vancomycin susceptibility. Patients in groups 1 and 2 received more antibiotics (P = 0·03) and had more infectious episodes (P = 0·03) than patients in group 3 prior to diarrhoea. Antibiotic administration for C. difficile did not differ between groups 1 and 2. Mortality was similar in all three groups (10%, 12·5% and 5%, P = 0·49). CDI frequency was low in the University Hospital of Crete and isolates were susceptible to metronidazole and vancomycin.

Rapid molecular diagnostic tests in patients with bacteremia: evaluation of their impact on decision making and clinical outcomes.

We performed a systematic review of the data regarding rapid diagnostic tests and their advantages or limitations on patients' clinical outcomes. The PubMed and Scopus databases were searched independently by two reviewers. Mortality was the primary outcome. Most studies compared rapid tests with blood cultures. Although not observed in all studies, only studies comparing rapid tests in conjunction with antimicrobial stewardship programs (ASPs) showed a mortality benefit. A reduction in hospital or intensive care unit (ICU) length of stay was also observed in almost all studies when the rapid tests, with or without ASPs, were used. Finally, treatment decisions were taken earlier in the rapid test groups. Despite a faster treatment decision, a clear mortality benefit was not seen when rapid tests were used. It is crucial to differentiate the influence of rapid tests from that of ASPs and clarify the actual effect of each factor separately.

Characteristics, risk factors and outcomes of adult cancer patients with extensively drug-resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa infections.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the characteristics and outcomes of cancer patients with extensively drug-resistant (XDR) Pseudomonas aeruginosa infections. METHODS: This was a retrospective cohort of P. aeruginosa infections in cancer patients in Crete, Greece. Patients were followed until discharge. Mortality, predictors of mortality and risk factors for XDR P. aeruginosa infection were studied. RESULTS: Ninety seven episodes (89 patients) of P. aeruginosa infections (52 with bacteremia) were included in the study. In 22 cases, the infection was due to XDR isolates. All XDR isolates were susceptible to colistin and variably resistant to almost all other antibiotics. The multivariate analysis showed that the independent risk factors for XDR P. aeruginosa infection were hematologic malignancy (OR 40.7, 95 % CI 4.5-367.6) and prior fluoroquinolone use (OR 11.0, 95 % CI 2.0-60.5); lymphopenia was inversely associated with XDR infections (OR 0.16, 95 % CI 0.03-0.92). Mortality was 43 %; infection-related mortality was 24 %. Bacteremia (OR 8.47, 95 % CI 2.38-30.15), infection due to XDR isolates (OR 5.11, 95 % CI 1.15-22.62) and age (OR 1.05, 95 % CI 1.00-1.09) were independently associated with mortality. CONCLUSION: Mortality in cancer patients with P. aeruginosa infections was high. Infection due to XDR isolates was independently associated with mortality.

Combination antibiotic treatment versus monotherapy for multidrug-resistant, extensively drug-resistant, and pandrug-resistant Acinetobacter infections: a systematic review.

Controversy surrounds combination treatment or monotherapy against multidrug-resistant (MDR), extensively drug-resistant (XDR), and pandrug-resistant (PDR) Acinetobacter infections in clinical practice. We searched the PubMed and Scopus databases for studies reporting on the clinical outcomes of patients infected with MDR, XDR, and PDR Acinetobacter spp. with regard to the administered intravenous antibiotic treatment. Twelve studies reporting on 1,040 patients suffering from 1,044 infectious episodes of MDR Acinetobacter spp. were included. The overall mortality between studies varied from 28.6 to 70 %; from 25 to 100 % in the monotherapy arm and from 27 to 57.1 % in the combination arm. Combination treatment was superior to monotherapy in three studies, where carbapenem with ampicillin/sulbactam (mortality 30.8 %, p = 0.012), carbapenem with colistin (mortality 23 %, p = 0.009), and combinations of colistin with rifampicin, sulbactam with aminoglycosides, tigecycline with colistin and rifampicin, and tigecycline with rifampicin and amikacin (mortality 27 %, p < 0.05) were used against MDR Acinetobacter spp. resistant at least to carbapenems. The benefit was not validated in the remaining studies. Clinical success varied from 42.4 to 76.9 % and microbiological eradication varied from 32.7 to 67.3 %. Adverse events referred mainly to polymixins nephrotoxicity that varied from 19 to 50 %. The emergence of resistance was noted with tigecycline regimens in off-label uses in three studies. The available data preclude a firm recommendation with regard to combination treatment or monotherapy. For the time being, combination treatment may be preferred for severely ill patients. We urge for randomized controlled trials examining the optimal treatment of infections due to MDR, XDR, and PDR Acinetobacter spp.

Trends of isolation of intrinsically resistant to colistin Enterobacteriaceae and association with colistin use in a tertiary hospital.

The objective of this investigation was to evaluate the association between colistin consumption and the isolation of intrinsically resistant to colistin Enterobacteriaceae (IRCE) in a university hospital in Crete, Greece. The database of the microbiological laboratory was reviewed retrospectively during 2006-2010. All positive cultures for IRCE were retrieved. We assessed the total consumption of colistin in medical, surgical, and intensive care units (ICUs). A total of 1,304 single-patient IRCE isolates were recorded. Of these, 466 (35.7%) were hospital-acquired, while 838 (64.3%) were community-acquired. Proteus spp. accounted for 72% of them, Serratia spp. for 16.6%, Morganella morganii for 8.4%, and Providencia spp. for 3%. Urine (44.8%), pus (20.4%), and lower respiratory tract specimens (12.8%) accounted for the majority of specimens. IRCE isolated during the first half (2006 to 1st semester of 2008) and second half (2nd semester of 2008 to 2010) of the study period accounted for 5.8% and 7.4% of Gram-negative isolates, respectively (p < 0.001). Colistin consumption was not different in the two periods in the hospital, but in the ICU, it was higher in the second half of the study period (p = 0.013). Colistin consumption was associated with the isolation of hospital-acquired IRCE (p = 0.037); a trend was noted between colistin consumption and the isolation of IRCE in the ICU (p = 0.057). In this study, colistin consumption was associated with the isolation of hospital-acquired IRCE. The use of colistin increased in the ICU during the study period. Prudent use of colistin is essential for the prevention of nosocomial outbreaks due to resistant IRCE.

Inhaled antibiotics in mechanically ventilated patients.

During the last decade, inhaled antibiotics, especially colistin, has been widely used worldwide as a therapeutic option, supplementary to conventional intravenous antibiotics, for the treatment of multidrug-resistant (MDR) Gram-negative nosocomial and ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP). Antimicrobial aerosols are commonly used in mechanically ventilated patients with VAP, although information regarding their efficacy and optimal technique of administration has been limited. Recent studies showed that the administration of inhaled antibiotics in addition to systemic antibiotics provided encouraging results associated with low toxicity for the management of VAP mainly due to MDR Gram negative bacteria. Although the theory behind aerosolized administration of antibiotics seems to be sound, there are limited data available to support the routine use of this modality since very few randomized controlled trials (RCTs) have still examined the efficacy of this approach in patients with VAP. Additionally, this route of antibiotic delivery has not been approved until now neither by the FDA nor by the European Medicines Agency (EMEA) in patients with VAP. However, since the problem of VAP due to MDR bacteria has been increased worldwide RCTs are urgently needed in order to prove the safety, efficiency and efficacy of inhaled antimicrobial agents administered alone or in conjunction with parenteral antibiotics for the management of VAP in critically ill patients. Indeed, more data are needed to establish the appropriate role of inhaled antibiotics for the treatment of VAP.

Antimicrobial activity of prulifloxacin in comparison with other fluoroquinolones against community-acquired urinary and respiratory pathogens isolated in Greece.

Prulifloxacin, the prodrug of ulifloxacin, is a broad-spectrum fluoroquinolone rather recently introduced in certain European countries. We compared the antimicrobial potency of ulifloxacin with that of other fluoroquinolones against common urinary and respiratory bacterial pathogens. The microbial isolates were prospectively collected between January 2007 and May 2008 from patients with community-acquired infections in Greece. Minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) were determined for ciprofloxacin, levofloxacin, moxifloxacin (for respiratory isolates only), and ulifloxacin using the E-test method. The binary logarithms of the MICs [log2(MICs)] were compared by using the Wilcoxon signed-ranks test. A total of 409 isolates were studied. Ulifloxacin had the lowest geometric mean MIC for the 161 Escherichia coli, 59 Proteus mirabilis, and 22 Staphylococcus saprophyticus urinary isolates, the second lowest geometric mean MIC for the 38 Streptococcus pyogenes respiratory isolates (after moxifloxacin), and the third lowest geometric mean MIC for the 114 Haemophilus influenzae and the 15 Moraxella catarrhalis respiratory isolates (after ciprofloxacin and moxifloxacin). Compared with levofloxacin, ulifloxacin had lower log2(MICs) against E. coli (p < 0.001), P. mirabilis (p < 0.001), S. saprophyticus (p < 0.001), and S. pyogenes (p < 0.001). Compared with ciprofloxacin, ulifloxacin had lower log2(MICs) against P. mirabilis (p < 0.001), S. saprophyticus (p = 0.008), and S. pyogenes (p < 0.001), but higher log2(MICs) against H. influenzae (p < 0.001) and M. catarrhalis (p = 0.001). In comparison with other clinically relevant fluoroquinolones, ulifloxacin had the most potent antimicrobial activity against the community-acquired urinary isolates studied and very good activity against the respiratory isolates.

Iron deficiency and susceptibility to infections: evaluation of the clinical evidence.

Iron is a fundamental nutrient for human and microbial life. We sought to examine the association of iron deficiency versus normal iron status with the susceptibility to infections. A systematic search in the PubMed and Scopus databases was performed to identify relevant clinical studies. Six studies (including a total of 1,422 participants) met the inclusion criteria: four prospective cohort (859 participants), one retrospective case-control (115 participants), and one retrospective cohort study (448 participants). Intensive care unit (ICU)-acquired and postoperative infections were more common in patients with iron deficiency than among those with normal iron status in two studies, while no difference was reported in another study. In one study examining pregnant women with normal mean iron values, higher soluble transferrin receptor values independently predicted vaginosis-like microflora. Iron deficiency anemia was an independent predictor of respiratory tract infections in one study, and postoperative urinary tract infections were more common in patients with iron deficiency anemia in another. The limited available evidence suggests that individuals with iron deficiency and those with iron deficiency anemia may be more susceptible to infections than patients with normal iron status. Future studies should elucidate further these findings.

Association between use of air-conditioning or fan and survival of elderly febrile patients: a prospective study.

Elderly individuals are more susceptible to excess summer heat. We sought to examine whether the use of cooling systems (air-conditioning or fan) affected the clinical outcomes of elderly febrile patients. We prospectively followed elderly (≥ 75 years old) febrile patients requesting the medical services of the SOS Doctors (a network of physicians performing house-call visits) from July 10 to August 20, 2011. Patients who used cooling systems ("users") were compared with those who did not ("non-users") regarding mortality, clinical outcome of primary illness (improvement or deterioration), and emergency hospitalization. Prospectively collected data were available for 339 individual elderly febrile patients. "Users" had lower mortality (10 % vs. 19 %, p < 0.05) than "non-users"; no difference was noted on clinical improvement (85 % vs. 76 %, p = 0.11) and emergency hospitalization rates (21 % vs. 30 %, p = 0.16). No difference was noted between users of air-conditioning and fan regarding mortality or clinical improvement, but fan use was associated with more hospitalizations (37 % vs. 19 %, p < 0.05). On multivariate analysis (assessing daily ambient temperature, use of cooling systems, patient age, and living conditions), the sole variable significantly associated with mortality was the non-use of cooling systems [odds ratio (OR): 2.18, 95 % confidence interval (CI): 1.06-4.50]. The use of air-conditioning or fan during hot summer periods appeared to be beneficial for elderly febrile patients living in a large city. Large prospective studies are warranted in order to provide further insight into potential individual and public health initiatives aiming to alleviate the impact of excess summer heat on the health of elderly patients.

Antimicrobials as an adjunct to pilonidal disease surgery: a systematic review of the literature.

Surgical site infection (SSI) after pilonidal disease surgery can lead to serious complications. We systematically searched the PubMed, Scopus, and ClinicalTrials.gov databases for studies evaluating the use of antimicrobials as an adjunct to pilonidal disease surgery. We identified 12 eligible studies [nine randomized controlled trials (RCTs), three retrospective cohort studies], enrolling a total of 1,172 patients. No difference was observed when single-dose prophylaxis was compared to no prophylaxis or to a long course of antibiotics (seven studies, 690 patients). Similarly, gentamicin collagen sponges (GCS) did not appear to be beneficial when compared with no GCS (with primary or secondary closure; four studies, 402 patients). One study (80 patients) reported faster healing and lower SSI and recurrence rates with GCS than a 7-day course of antibiotics. The clinical heterogeneity precluded a formal meta-analysis. Although the generalization of our findings may be limited by the relative paucity and clinical heterogeneity of the existing studies, prophylactic antibiotics or GCS did not appear to be beneficial in promoting healing or reducing SSI or recurrence rates. Large, double-blind, placebo-controlled RCTs are warranted in order to further elucidate this issue.

Prevalence and treatment of aerobic vaginitis among non-pregnant women: evaluation of the evidence for an underestimated clinical entity.

We sought to evaluate the evidence on the prevalence of aerobic vaginitis (AV) among symptomatic non-pregnant women, as well as the treatment administered for this clinical entity. The PubMed and Scopus databases were systematically searched. Sixteen studies met the inclusion criteria, 11 of which reported on the prevalence of possible AV, two on the prevalence of diagnosed AV, and three on the treatment and outcomes of women with diagnosed AV. The prevalence of diagnosed AV varied from 5 to 10.5 %. Streptococcus spp., Staphylococcus aureus, and coagulase-negative staphylococci were the most commonly identified Gram-positive pathogens among women with possible AV, with prevalences of up to 58.7, 41.7, and 37.4 %, respectively, while Escherichia coli was the most common Gram-negative pathogen identified, with a prevalence of up to 23 % among symptomatic women. Regarding antibiotic treatment for AV, the antibiotic schemes administered, which mainly consisted of suppositories of aminoglycosides, showed good effectiveness without serious adverse events provided by any of the included studies. The currently available data suggest that the prevalence of AV is not negligible, while the prevalence of possible AV is considerable. Well-designed studies comparing the prevalence of aerobic pathogens between symptomatic and asymptomatic women are warranted.

Incidence, characteristics, and outcomes of patients with bone and joint infections due to community-associated methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus: a systematic review.

To summarize the published evidence of community-associated methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (CA-MRSA) bone and joint infections. PubMed and Scopus electronic databases were searched. The annual incidence of invasive CA-MRSA infections ranged from 1.6 to 29.7 cases per 100,000, depending on the location of the population studied; bone and joint infections accounted for 2.8 to 43 % of invasive CA-MRSA infections. Surveillance studies showed that patients <2 years of age are mainly affected. Incidence rates were higher in blacks. Sixty-seven case reports and case series were identified; the majority of the patients included were children. Vancomycin and clindamycin were used effectively, in addition to surgical interventions. Seven patients out of 413 died (1.7 %) in total. Chronic osteomyelitis developed in 19 patients (data for 164 patients were available). The published evidence for CA-MRSA bone and joint infections refers mainly to children; their incidence depends on the location and race of the population. Vancomycin and clindamycin have been used effectively for their treatment.

Accuracy of ß-D-glucan for the diagnosis of Pneumocystis jirovecii pneumonia: a meta-analysis.

Pneumocystis jirovecii pneumonia (PCP) can affect various types of immunocompromised patients. We sought to evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of (1→3)-ß-D-glucan (BDG) for the diagnosis of PCP. We carried out a meta-analysis of relevant studies, identified through PubMed and Scopus. Eligible studies were those that reported BDG diagnostic data in cases with documented PCP and controls with other conditions. Cases of invasive fungal infections and healthy controls were excluded. We performed a bivariate meta-analysis of sensitivity and specificity and constructed a hierarchical summary receiver operating characteristics (HSROC) curve. Fourteen studies were included in the meta-analysis. BDG data were analysed for 357 PCP cases and 1723 controls. The average (95% confidence interval) sensitivity and specificity of BDG were 94.8% (90.8-97.1%) and 86.3% (81.7-89.9%), respectively. The positive and negative likelihood ratios were 6.9 (5.1-9.3) and 0.06 (0.03-0.11), respectively. The area under the HSROC curve was 0.965 (0.945-0.978). Serum BDG shows excellent sensitivity and very good specificity in the diagnosis of PCP. Still, in clinical practice the test results should be interpreted in the context of the underlying clinical characteristics of the individual patient.

Antimicrobial susceptibility of non-fermenting Gram-negative isolates to isepamicin in a region with high antibiotic resistance.

The alarmingly increasing resistance rates among non-fermenting Gram-negative species, particularly Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Acinetobacter baumannii, intensified the interest in alternative antibiotic treatment options. Isepamicin, an old aminoglycoside, may play a role in the treatment of patients with infections caused by those multi-drug resistant pathogens. We evaluated the antimicrobial activity of isepamicin against non-fermenting Gram-negative isolates collected of the microbiological laboratory at the University Hospital of Heraklion, Crete, Greece from 2004 to the first trimester of 2011. We tested a total of 4,219 isolates (66.2 % Pseudomonas spp., 30 % Acinetobacter spp., 3.8 % other non-fermenters). The lower respiratory tract, pus, and urine were the most frequent sites of isolation (29.7 %, 19.9 %, and 12.9 %, respectively). Overall, 2768 (65.6 %) of the evaluated isolates were susceptible to isepamicin (including 79.9 % of Pseudomonas spp, 37.2 % of Acinetobacter spp, 43.1 % of other non-fermenters). Isepamicin exhibited higher antimicrobial activity compared to broad spectrum penicillins, cephalosporins, other aminoglycosides, carbapenems, and fluoroquinolones. Only colistin was more active than isepamicin. Additionally, 41.7 % of carbapenem-resistant and 53.2 % of colistin-resistant P. aeruginosa isolates were susceptible to isepamicin. The susceptibility rates for the respective types of A. baumannii isolates were 12 % and 6.2 %. Yet, isepamicin was active against 29.2 % of A. baumannii that were resistant to all other tested aminoglycosides. Isepamicin exhibits considerable antimicrobial activity against Gram-negative non-fermenters in a region with high antimicrobial resistance. Particularly, isepamicin may provide a therapeutic option for infections from carbapenem- and colistin-resistant P. aeruginosa and other aminoglycoside-resistant A. baumannii. Further modifications in the aminoglycoside molecule may provide formulations with enhanced antimicrobial activity.

Outpatient parenteral antibiotic therapy (OPAT) at home in Attica, Greece.

Outpatient parenteral antibiotic therapy (OPAT) is considered to be a cost-effective and safe alternative treatment strategy to hospitalization. We retrospectively evaluated data regarding the demographic and treatment characteristics of patients that sought medical advice from a network of physicians performing house-call visits and who received OPAT at home during a 17-month period (May 2009 to September 2010) in Attica, Greece. A total of 91 patients (69.2 % females) received intravenous antibiotic therapy at home during the evaluated period. The mean age [± standard deviation (SD)] of the patients was 85.3 (± 9) years. The main indications were pneumonia [46 patients (50.5 %)], urinary tract infection [25 (27.5 %)], and gastrointestinal tract infection [9 (9.9 %)]. Of the patients, 76.4 % received a beta-lactam, 17.5 % a fluoroquinolone, 15.3 % an imidazole, 8.7 % an aminoglycoside, and 5.4 % a lincosamide. The cure rate was 72.5 % and mortality was 27.5 %. The mean duration (± SD) of intravenous antibiotic treatment was 4.7 (± 3.3) days. The mean cost per patient was 637 and was comparable to the mean cost if the patient were to be hospitalized for the same infection. There was significant clinical effectiveness of OPAT at home in this mainly elderly population, at an acceptable cost.

Underestimation of Clostridium difficile infection among clinicians: an international survey.

The objective of this investigation was to document clinicians' awareness regarding the incidence and severity of Clostridium difficile-associated diarrhea (CDAD). An international electronic survey was conducted among corresponding authors of articles indexed by PubMed and published during the last 10 years in 'Core Clinical Journals'. A total of 1,163 clinicians answered (response rate 59%); most of the responses were submitted from North America (54.6%), Europe (32.2%), and Asia/Pacific (11.6%). Only 2.2% of the participants answered correctly all four questions, while 14.1% answered all questions incorrectly. Regarding each question, 10.8% of the participants correctly estimated current CDAD treatment failure or recurrence rates to be around 40%, 33.4% correctly estimated the ratio of antibiotic-associated colitis attributed to C. difficile to be around 60%, 72.7% correctly responded that almost all antibiotics are associated with CDAD, and 41.7% correctly responded that any patient is at risk for CDAD. Almost half (44.4%) of the respondents considered CDAD to be underestimated. Participants from North America scored higher than those from Europe or Asia/Pacific (p < 0.001). Participants considering CDAD to be overestimated (3.4%) had the lowest mean score of correct answers. Among a clinically diverse international sample of physicians with academic expertise, there was an inadequate level of awareness of the magnitude and clinical importance of CDAD.