[Molecular diagnosis of bacteriaemia: benefits of using the FilmArray® BCID2 sepsis panel in a third level hospital]. / Diagnóstico molecular de bacteriemias: beneficios del empleo del panel de sepsis BCID2 de Filmarray® en un hospital de tercer nivel.

INTRODUCTION: Delay in initiating appropriate antimicrobial therapy prolongs hospitalization, increases in-hospital mortality, and raises economic costs. Currently, the identification and susceptibility testing of bacteria in positive blood cultures require a considerable amount of time. The objective of this study was to assess the impact of the BCID2 FilmArray® (FA) panel on the timing of appropriate antimicrobial therapy and potential antimicrobial costs. METHODS: This is a retrospective observational study focused on positive blood cultures in hospitalized patients. FA processing was conducted concurrently with routine sample processing. Changes in antibiotic treatments based on FA results were evaluated, and the reduction in antimicrobial therapy duration and associated cost savings were calculated. RESULTS: Eighty-seven bacteremia episodes were analysed. In 42 (48%) of them antimicrobial therapy was de-escalated to narrower spectrum agents, while in 7 (8%) therapy was escalated to broader spectrum antimicrobials. Additionally, in 8 (9%) antimicrobials were switched without changing spectrum and in 30 (34%) no changes were made based on FA results. Antimicrobial changes were made 2.3 days faster than with routine sample processing resulting in calculated potential savings of US$ 7408. CONCLUSION: The implementation of FA facilitated a faster administration of appropriate antimicrobial therapy, leading to a reduction in the duration of broadspectrum empirical antimicrobial therapy and subsequent economic savings.

Introducción: Los retrasos en el tratamiento antimicrobiano adecuado de las bacteriemias prolongan la estadía hospitalaria, aumentan la mortalidad e incrementan los costos. Aún hoy en día se requiere un tiempo considerable para obtener la identificación y antibiograma de los microorganismos en los hemocultivos positivos. El objetivo fue evaluar el impacto de la implementación del panel BCID2 de FilmArray® (FA) sobre el tiempo de inicio de tratamientos antimicrobianos adecuados y sobre los costos potenciales de los mismos. Métodos: Estudio observacional retrospectivo de los hemocultivos positivos de pacientes hospitalizados, procesados por FA y por metodología tradicional. Se evaluaron los cambios de antimicrobianos en base a los resultados del FA. Se calcularon los días de reducción de tratamiento antimicrobiano y el ahorro potencial en el uso de los mismos, teniendo en cuenta también los costos del FA. Resultados: Se analizaron 87 episodios de bacteriemia. En 42 (48.3%) de ellos se desescaló el tratamiento a antimicrobianos de menor espectro, en 7 (8%) se escaló a antimicrobianos de mayor espectro, en 8 (9.2%) se cambió el antimicrobiano sin variar el espectro y en 30 (34.5%) no se realizaron cambios con los resultados del FA. Los cambios de antimicrobianos se realizaron en promedio 2.3 días más rápido que con los métodos convencionales. Se calculó un ahorro potencial de US$ 7408. Conclusión: La implementación del panel BCID2 de FilmArray® permitió adecuar los tratamientos antimicrobianos más rápidamente acortando la duración de los tratamientos empíricos de amplio espectro, lo cual resultó costo-efectivo.

Etiological diagnosis of post-diarrheal hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS): humoral response contribution.

BACKGROUND: Hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS) is characterized by microangiopathic hemolysis, thrombocytopenia, and thrombus formation leading to tissue injury. HUS is classified according to its etiology as post-diarrheal or atypical HUS. Differential diagnosis of both entities continues to be a challenge for pediatric physicians. METHODS: The aim was to improve the rapid etiological diagnosis of post-diarrheal HUS cases based on the detection of Shiga toxin (Stx)-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) infection by screening of stx1/stx2 and rfbO157 in cultured stools by multiplex PCR, and the additional detection of anti-lipopolysaccharide (anti-LPS) O157, O145, and O121 antibodies by Glyco-iELISA test. In addition, we studied patients' relatives to detect circulating pathogenic strains that could contribute to HUS diagnosis and/or lead to the implementation of measures to prevent dissemination of familial outbreaks. This study describes the diagnosis of 31 HUS patients admitted to Hospital Municipal de Niños Prof Dr Ramón Exeni during the 2017-2020 period. RESULTS: Stool PCR confirmed the diagnosis of STEC associated with HUS in 38.7% of patients (12/31), while anti-LPS serology did in 88.9% (24/27). In those patients in which both methods were carried out (n = 27), a strong association between the results obtained was found. We found that 30.4% of HUS patients had at least one relative positive for STEC. CONCLUSIONS: We could identify 96.3% (26/27) of HUS cases as secondary to STEC infections when both methods (genotyping and serology) were used. The results demonstrated a high circulation of STEC in HUS families and the prevalence of the STEC O157 serotype (83%) in our pediatric cohort. A higher-resolution version of the Graphical abstract is available as Supplementary information.

Traumatic Injuries in Sexual Assault Patients in the Emergency Department.

INTRODUCTION: The emergency department (ED) is at the forefront for treatment of sexual assault patients. Many require treatment for injuries sustained during the assault, ranging from mild to severe. Our objective in this study was to characterize types of injuries associated with sexual assault and identify associated factors. METHODS: We reviewed ED charts from an inner-city trauma center and nearby community hospital from 2019-2020 for patients age ≥13 years with a chief complaint of sexual assault. We used descriptive statistics, chi square, and logistic regression to characterize demographics and identify factors associated with trauma. RESULTS: A total of 157 patients met inclusion criteria. The mean age was 27.9 years old (range 13-79 years) and 92.4% were female. Adult patients (age >18 years) comprised 77.5% of assaults vs adolescents (age 13-18 years) at 22.3%. Most patients presented to the trauma center compared to the community hospital (69.4% vs 30.6%). The assailants were reported as 61.2% acquaintance, 22.9% stranger, and 15.9% intimate partner. A forensic rape kit was performed in 92 (58.6%) cases. The patient was intoxicated with alcohol in 39 (24.8%) cases, and 22 (14%) patients reported drug-facilitated assault where an unknown substance was given to them. Alcohol (P = 0.95) and drug-facilitated assault (P = 0.64) did not change the occurrence of injuries. Fifty-seven (36.3%) patients exhibited physical trauma on presentation. Forty-five (28.6%) patients had minor injuries of abrasions, lacerations, or contusions. Major trauma was defined as fracture, brain injury, hemorrhage, strangulation, or injury requiring surgical consultation. There were 12 patients with major trauma consisting of fracture injury or nonfatal strangulation. None of the patients required admission. Sexual assault by an intimate partner (odds ratio [OR] 2.6; 95% CI: 1.1-6.5) and being an adult patient compared to adolescent (OR 3.0; 95% CI, 1.1-7.7) was significantly associated with physical trauma. Sexual assault by an intimate partner was also associated with nonfatal strangulation (OR 4.0; 95% CI, 1.1-15.4). CONCLUSION: Physical injuries that resulted from sexual assault were mostly minor and occurred in 36% of rape victims. Intimate partner violence was found to be associated with physical trauma as well as nonfatal strangulation. Overall, this study helps us to understand key factors associated with sexual violence.

[Septic pulmonary embolism of cutaneous origin]. / Embolia pulmonar séptica de origen cutáneo.

Septic pulmonary embolism is a serious and rare illness characterized by pulmonary infiltrates associated with an extrapulmonary infectious focus. It is mainly related to right-sided endocarditis, pelvic thrombophlebitis, vascular access and less frequently to deep infections such as osteomyelitis, septic arthritis and pyomyositis. The community-acquired methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is an emerging pathogen with high virulence and rapid spread involving subjects without previous related diseases or known risk factors. It causes infections of skin and soft tissue and less frequently other serious infections such as necrotizing fascitits, septic arthritis, osteomyelitis, pyomyositis and necrotizing pneumonia. Epidemiologically, pathogenesis and clinical manifestations differ from those caused by MRSA acquired in the hospital. We present the case of a 67 year-old male with septic pulmonary embolism caused by community acquired MRSA that started with a skin infection.

Embolia pulmonar séptica de origen cutáneo / Septic pulmonary embolism of cutaneous origin

La embolia pulmonar séptica es una enfermedad grave y poco frecuente que se caracteriza por presentar infiltrados pulmonares bilaterales asociados a un foco infeccioso extrapulmonar. Se relaciona principalmente a endocarditis derecha, tromboflebitis pelviana, accesos vasculares y menos frecuentemente a infecciones profundas como osteomielitis, artritis séptica o piomiositis. El Staphylococcus aureus meticilino-resistente adquirido en la comunidad (SAMR-AC) es un patógeno emergente, con alta virulencia y de rápida propagación, que afecta a sujetos sin enfermedades previas relacionadas o factores de riesgo conocidos. Causa infecciones de piel y partes blandas y con menor frecuencia infecciones graves como fascitis necrotizante, artritis séptica, osteomielitis, piomiositis y neumonía necrotizante. Su epidemiología, patogenia y manifestaciones clínicas difieren de las causadas por el SAMR adquirido en el hospital. Presentamos el caso de un varón de 67 años con embolias pulmonares sépticas causadas por SAMR-AC con origen en una infección cutánea.

Septic pulmonary embolism is a serious and rare illness characterized by pulmonary infiltrates associated with an extrapulmonary infectious focus. It is mainly related to right-sided endocarditis, pelvic thrombophlebitis, vascular access and less frequently to deep infections such as osteomyelitis, septic arthritis and pyomyositis. The community-acquired methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is an emerging pathogen with high virulence and rapid spread involving subjects without previous related diseases or known risk factors. It causes infections of skin and soft tissue and less frequently other serious infections such as necrotizing fascitits, septic arthritis, osteomyelitis, pyomyositis and necrotizing pneumonia. Epidemiologically, pathogenesis and clinical manifestations differ from those caused by MRSA acquired in the hospital. We present the case of a 67 year-old male with septic pulmonary embolism caused by community acquired MRSA that started with a skin infection.