Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on tuberculosis management in Spain.

BACKGROUND: The impact of COVID-19 on the diagnosis and management of tuberculosis (TB) patients is unknown. METHODS: Participating centres completed a structured web-based survey regarding changes to TB patient management during the COVID-19 pandemic. The study also included data from participating centres on patients aged ≥18 diagnosed with TB in 2 periods: March 15 to June 30, 2020 and March 15 to June 30, 2019. Clinical variables and information about patient household contacts were retrospectively collected. RESULTS: A total of 7 (70%) TB units reported changes in their usual TB team operations. Across both periods of study, 169 patients were diagnosed with active TB (90 in 2019, 79 in 2020). Patients diagnosed in 2020 showed more frequent bilateral lesions in chest X-ray than patients diagnosed in 2019 (P = 0.004). There was a higher percentage of latent TB infection and active TB among children in households of patients diagnosed in 2020, compared with 2019 (P = 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: The COVID-19 pandemic has caused substantial changes in TB care. TB patients diagnosed during the COVID-19 pandemic showed more extended pulmonary forms. The increase in latent TB infection and active TB in children of patient households could reflect increased household transmission due to anti-COVID-19 measures.

Detection of interleukin-2 is not useful for distinguishing between latent and active tuberculosis in clinical practice: a prospective cohort study.

OBJECTIVE: Previous reports have identified interleukin-2 (IL-2), quantified in the supernatants of QuantiFERON®-TB Gold In-tube (QFT) after 72 h of incubation, as a potential biomarker for distinguishing between latent and active tuberculosis (TB). However, its validity has not been tested in an appropriate clinical cohort. METHODS: A multicentre study of 161 consecutive adult patients undergoing evaluation for active TB at eight TB Units in Spain. Interferon-γ (IFN-γ) and IL-2 were assessed in the supernatant of QFT after 16-24 h and 72 h of incubation. The accuracy of IL-2 for indicating latent TB infection (LTBI) was assessed by receiving operating characteristic curves. . RESULTS: Twenty-eight participants were not infected, 43 had LTBI, 69 had TB, and 21 were not classifiable. Median (interquartile range) IL-2 concentrations after 72 h of incubation were 0.0 pg/mL (0.0-0.0) in uninfected individuals, 261.0 pg/mL (81.0-853.0) in LTBI individuals, 166.5 pg/mL (33.5-551.5) in patients with extrapulmonary TB, 95.0 pg/mL (26.0-283.0) in patients with smear-negative pulmonary TB, and 38.5 pg/mL (7.5-178.0) in patients with smear-positive pulmonary TB (p <0.0001). The area under the curve of the receiving operating characteristic curve (95% CI) of IL-2 after 72 h of incubation for the diagnosis of LTBI was 0.63 (0.53-0.74) when all TB cases were considered as a single group, ranging from 0.59 (0.47-0.71) to 0.72 (0.58-0.85) when only extrapulmonary and smear-positive pulmonary TB cases respectively were considered. CONCLUSIONS: Quantification of IL-2 in the supernatant of QFT after a prolonged incubation is not useful to distinguish between LTBI and active disease in clinical practice.

Differential characteristics of healthcare-associated compared to community-acquired febrile urinary tract infections in males.

The objective of this study was to analyse the characteristics of healthcare-associated febrile urinary tract infection (HCA-FUTI) compared to community-acquired FUTI (CA-FUTI) in men. An ambispective cross-sectional study in which we recorded clinical and microbiology data and outcomes from males with FUTI attended in the Emergency Department was carried out. A total of 479 males with FUTI, 162 (33.8%) HCA-FUTI and 317 (66.2%) CA-FUTI, were included. HCA-FUTI patients were older (p < 0.001), had higher Charlson scores (p < 0.001) and received previous antimicrobial treatment more frequently (p < 0.001) compared to CA-FUTI patients. HCA-FUTI was less likely caused by Escherichia coli (p < 0.001) and more frequently by Klebsiella spp. (p = 0.02), Enterobacter spp. (p < 0.001) and Pseudomonas aeruginosa (p < 0.001). Resistance to ceftriaxone (p = 0.006), gentamicin (p < 0.001), quinolones (p < 0.001), co-trimoxazole (p = 0.001) and fosfomycin (p = 0.009) was higher among E. coli strains isolated from males with HCA-FUTI and so was the prevalence of extended-spectrum beta-lactamase and AmpC E. coli and Klebsiella spp.-producing strains (p = 0.012). Inadequate antimicrobial treatment and all-cause in-hospital mortality was associated with HCA-FUTI (p < 0.001 and p = 0.004, respectively). Independent factors for mortality were severe sepsis or septic shock [odds ratio (OR) 29; 95% confidence interval (CI): 3.9-214] and cirrhosis (OR 23.7; 95% CI: 1.6-350.6). Male patients with HCA-FUTI have different clinical characteristics, outcomes and microbiological features compared to CA-FUTI patients. Previous contact with the healthcare system has to be taken into consideration when deciding the optimal antimicrobial treatment in males with FUTI.

Factors promoting colonization by legionellae in residential water distribution systems: an environmental case-control survey.

As part of a case-control study of community-acquired Legionnaires' disease, several factors related to residential water distribution systems and public drinking water systems were studied in the homes of 124 patients with community-acquired Legionnaire's disease and in the homes of 354 controls. The presence of water reservoirs and hot water tanks was studied in residential systems. Factors such as deficient chlorine levels, pipe repairs and other work, water flow interruptions, the use of alternative water sources, inadequate cleaning operations in public water reservoirs, and the position of the home within the public network (and whether this location constituted an endpoint) were studied in public water supply systems. Levels of legionellae in domestic water samples were also measured. Although the use of water reservoirs and hot water tanks promotes colonization by legionellae in residential systems, none of the variables studied seems to increase the incidence of community-acquired Legionnaires' disease.

[Recurrent digital fibromatosis in children]. / Fibromatosis digital infantil recidivante.

We present two cases of recurrent digital fibromatosis, one of them presented lesions since birth, aun the other one since seven months of age. The first case was treated surgically, with relapses and marked deformities. The second one underwent only biopsy. Histopathologic examination showed active fibroblasts, in whorl disposition, and intracytoplasmic inclusions in both cases. By its natural evolution, we believe that recurrent infantile digital fibromatosis has an initial stage, a tumoral or hyperplastic stage, and finally spontaneous evolution, which explains the fact that it is not found in adults.