Impact of revised EORTC/MSGERC 2020 criteria on diagnosis and prognosis of invasive pulmonary aspergillosis in patients with hematological malignancies undergoing bronchoscopy.

INTRODUCTION: The first consensus definitions for invasive fungal diseases (IFD) were published in 2002. Advances in diagnostic tests and a clear need for improvement in certain areas led to a revision of these definitions in 2008. However, growing data on Aspergillus galactomannan (GM) thresholds and the introduction of new polymerase chain reaction-based diagnostic tests resulted in a further update by EORTC and Mycoses Study Group Education and Research Consortium (MSGERC) in 2020. Compared to the 2008 version, the 2020 EORTC/MSGERC criteria have stricter definitions, especially regarding GM levels, which should lead to improved specificity. Thus, our study aimed to evaluate diagnostic changes, based on GM levels, resulting from these new definitions and ascertain the impact of the new classification on mortality rates. METHOD: Patients hospitalized in a single tertiary care center with hematologic malignancies and undergoing bronchoscopy for suspected IPA between April 2004 and December 2019 were included in this retrospective study. RESULTS: The study population consisted of 327 patients with 31 patients (nine patients with proven IPA and 22 patients with no IPA) excluded from the study. 194 patients were classified as probable IPA cases according to 2008 EORTC/MSG criteria. However, 53 (27.3%) of these patients were re-classified as possible IPA according to 2020 EORTC/MSGERC criteria, due to novel galactomannan cut-off levels. Compared to re-classified possible IPA patients, those remaining in the probable IPA category experienced a higher incidence of septic shock (34.0% vs 16.9%, p=0.02), and required more non-invasive (12.0% vs 0.0%, p=0.004) and invasive (44.6 vs 24.5%, p=0.01) mechanical ventilation. There was a higher in-hospital mortality rate in probable IPA patients than in the re-classified possible IPA group (42.5% vs 22.6%, p=0.01). Patients reassigned to possible IPA had similar underlying diseases, radiological features and prognosis to patients already classified as possible IPA. Independent risk factors for mortality were classification as probable IPA according to 2020 EORTC/MSGERC criteria, lack of remission from hematologic malignancy, and number of nodules in Thorax CT. CONCLUSION: The use of 2020 EORTC/MSGERC criteria resulted in a 27.3% significant reduction in probable IPA diagnoses and created a more homogeneous category of patients with respect to treatment response, prognosis and mortality. Therefore, 2020 EORTC/MSGERC criteria afford more reliable mortality prediction than 2008 EORTC/MSG criteria.

Temporal Trends in the Epidemiology of HIV in Turkey.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to analyze the temporal trends of HIV epidemiology in Turkey from 2011 to 2016. METHODS: Thirty-four teams from 28 centers at 17 different cities participated in this retrospective study. Participating centers were asked to complete a structured form containing questions about epidemiologic, demographic and clinical characteristics of patients presented with new HIV diagnosis between 2011 and 2016. Demographic data from all centers (complete or partial) were included in the analyses. For the cascade of care analysis, 15 centers that provided full data from 2011 to 2016 were included. Overall and annual distributions of the data were calculated as percentages and the Chi square test was used to determine temporal changes. RESULTS: A total of 2,953 patients between 2011 and 2016 were included. Overall male to female ratio was 5:1 with a significant increase in the number of male cases from 2011 to 2016 (p<0.001). The highest prevalence was among those aged 25-34 years followed by the 35-44 age bracket. The most common reason for HIV testing was illness (35%). While the frequency of sex among men who have sex with men increased from 16% to 30.6% (p<0.001) over the study period, heterosexual intercourse (53%) was found to be the most common transmission route. Overall, 29% of the cases presented with a CD4 count of >500 cells/mm3 while 46.7% presented with a CD4 T cell count of <350 cells/mm3. Among newly diagnosed cases, 79% were retained in care, and all such cases initiated ART with 73% achieving viral suppression after six months of antiretroviral therapy. CONCLUSION: The epidemiologic profile of HIV infected individuals is changing rapidly in Turkey with an increasing trend in the number of newly diagnosed people disclosing themselves as MSM. New diagnoses were mostly at a young age. The late diagnosis was found to be a challenging issue. Despite the unavailability of data for the first 90, Turkey is close to the last two steps of 90-90-90 targets.

An investigation of Candida species isolated from blood cultures during 17 years in a university hospital.

Candidemia is the most frequent manifestation observed with invasive candidiasis. The aim of this study was to analyse the trends of candidemia in a large tertiary-care hospital to determine the overall incidence during January 1996-December 2012, as well as to determine the susceptibility of 453 isolates according to the revised Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute (CLSI) breakpoints. Candidemia episodes in adult and paediatric patients were retrospectively analysed from the laboratory data of Uludag University Healthcare and Research Hospital. The 17-year period studied was divided into three periods (1996-2001, 2002-2007 and 2008-2012) for better comparison, and candidemia incidence was determined by the ratio of total number of patients with candidemia per 1000 patients admitted to the hospital and per 10 000 patient days in these three periods. Redefined CLSI M27-A3 breakpoints were used for interpretation of antifungal susceptibility results. Candidemia incidence was determined as 2.2, 1.7 and 1.5 per 1000 admitted patients during 1996-2001, 2002-2007 and 2008-2012 respectively. A significantly decreased candidemia incidence was obtained in the third period. C. albicans (43.8%) was the most common candidemia agent, followed by C.parapsilosis (26.5%) in all three periods. According to the revised CLSI breakpoints, there was fluconazole resistance in C. albicans, C.parapsilosis, C.tropicalis and C.glabrata species (1.4%, 18.2%, 2.6% and 14.3% respectively). Almost all Candida species were found susceptible to voriconazole except one C.glabrata (7.1%) isolate. Candidemia is an important health problem. Local epidemiological data are determinative in the choice of appropriate antifungal treatment agents.

Genitourinary brucellosis: results of a multicentric study.

This study reviewed the clinical, laboratory, therapeutic and prognostic data on genitourinary involvement of brucellosis in this largest case series reported. This multicentre study pooled adult patients with genitourinary brucellar involvement from 34 centres treated between 2000 and 2013. Diagnosis of the disease was established by conventional methods. Overall 390 patients with genitourinary brucellosis (352 male, 90.2%) were pooled. In male patients, the most frequent involved site was the scrotal area (n=327, 83.8%), as epididymo-orchitis (n=204, 58%), orchitis (n=112, 31.8%) and epididymitis (n=11, 3.1%). In female patients, pyelonephritis (n=33/38, 86.8%) was significantly higher than in male patients (n=11/352, 3.1%; p<0.0001). The mean blood leukocyte count was 7530±3115/mm3. Routine laboratory analysis revealed mild to moderate increases for erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) and C-reactive protein (CRP). The mean treatment duration and length of hospital stay were significantly higher when there were additional brucellar foci (p<0.05). Surgical operations including orchiectomy and abscess drainage were performed in nine (2.3%) patients. Therapeutic failure was detected in six (1.5%), relapse occurred in four (1%), and persistent infertility related to brucellosis occurred in one patient. A localized scrotal infection in men or pyelonephritis in women in the absence of leucocytosis and with mild to moderate increases in inflammatory markers should signal the possibility of brucellar genitourinary disease.

Update on treatment options for spinal brucellosis.

We evaluated the efficacy and tolerability of antibiotic regimens and optimal duration of therapy in complicated and uncomplicated forms of spinal brucellosis. This is a multicentre, retrospective and comparative study involving a total of 293 patients with spinal brucellosis from 19 health institutions. Comparison of complicated and uncomplicated spinal brucellosis was statistically analysed. Complicated spinal brucellosis was diagnosed in 78 (26.6%) of our patients. Clinical presentation was found to be significantly more acute, with fever and weight loss, in patients in the complicated group. They had significantly higher leukocyte and platelet counts, erythrocyte sedimentation rates and C-reactive protein levels, and lower haemoglobulin levels. The involvement of the thoracic spine was significantly more frequent in complicated cases. Spondylodiscitis was complicated, with paravertebral abscess in 38 (13.0%), prevertebral abscess in 13 (4.4%), epidural abscess in 30 (10.2%), psoas abscess in 10 (3.4%) and radiculitis in 8 (2.7%) patients. The five major combination regimens were: doxycycline 200 mg/day, rifampicin 600 mg/day and streptomycin 1 g/day; doxycycline 200 mg/day, rifampicin 600 mg/day and gentamicin 5 mg/kg; doxycycline 200 mg/day and rifampicin 600 mg/day; doxycycline 200 mg/day and streptomycin 1 g/day; and doxycycline 200 mg/day, rifampicin 600 mg/day and ciprofloxacin 1 g/day. There were no significant therapeutic differences between these antibiotic groups; the results were similar regarding the complicated and uncomplicated groups. Patients were mostly treated with doxycycline and rifampicin with or without an aminoglycoside. In the former subgroup, complicated cases received antibiotics for a longer duration than uncomplicated cases. Early recognition of complicated cases is critical in preventing devastating complications. Antimicrobial treatment should be prolonged in complicated spinal brucellosis in particular.

A mucormycosis case treated with a combination of caspofungin and amphotericin B.

Mucormycosis is a rare, invasive and fatal disease that occurs mainly in diabetes mellitus patients with uncontrolled blood glucose levels or in immunocompromised patients. The mortality rate of this disease is as high as 25 to 80%, despite aggressive surgical treatment and antifungal therapy. This high mortality requires alternative treatment approaches. The accepted treatment modality of invasive mucormycosis are amphotericin B lipid formulations. Although echinocandins generally show no activity against Mucorales, it was shown that Rhizopus oryzae expressed the target enzyme for echinocandins, 1,3-beta-glucan synthase. Additionally, there are some experimental studies in a diabetic mouse model and case reports regarding the effects of caspofungin. In this report, we present a rhinocerebral mucormycosis case treated with liposomal amphotericin B and caspofungin. There was regression of the patient's clinical and radiological condition with the addition of caspofungin, but she died due to discontinuation of her treatment and reasons other than mucormycosis.

Multiple intracranial abscesses due to Cryptococcus neoformans: an unusual clinical feature in an immunocompetent patient and a short review of reported cases.

We present a case of multiple intracranial abscesses caused by Cryptococcus neoformans in a patient who presented with no symptoms of immunodeficiency.