Subcutaneous teicoplanin in staphylococcal bone and joint infections.

OBJECTIVE: We aimed to describe the use of subcutaneous teicoplanin as an alternative for the treatment of staphylococcal bone and joint infections. METHODS: A retrospective multicentric cohort (2002-2015) was conducted with patients receiving subcutaneous teicoplanin for a staphylococcal bone and joint infection. RESULTS: Forty patients were assessed. A median loading dose of 9.4 mg/kg/12h (IQR, 6.1-13.1) was administered to 35 patients, subcutaneously for 18 of them. Thirteen of these patients received three injections per week. No excess risk of failure was identified. The trough level was not significantly different between the various routes (p=0.462), and was significantly higher if the loading dose was≥9 mg/kg/injection (p<10-3). CONCLUSION: The use of subcutaneous teicoplanin seems to be acceptable as an alternative to other routes of administration for antibiotics.

Early antiviral treatment fails to completely prevent herpes-related pain.

OBJECTIVES: Antiviral therapy does not completely relieve herpes zoster (HZ)-related pain, including post-herpetic neuralgia (PHN). The 12-month longitudinal prospective observational ARIZONA study was conducted in primary care in France between November 20, 2006 and September 12, 2008. The ARIZONA study included data from 1358 patients 50 years of age or more, presenting with acute eruptive HZ. This article focuses on the relationship between antiviral therapy and HZ-related pain in this large population. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Six hundred and forty-four family physicians (FPs) consecutively included all patients 50years of age or more presenting with acute HZ in the eruptive phase. The FP documented every patient's demographic and medical characteristics, HZ characteristics, and prescribed drugs at inclusion, and the presence of HZ-related pain on day 15 and at months 1, 3, 6, 9, and 12. RESULTS: One thousand two hundred and fifty-eight (92.6%) of the 1358 included patients (mean 67.7years [SD 10.7]; 62.2% female patients) were given antiviral drugs. The prevalence of HZ-related pain was 43.6%, 27.0%, 11.7%, 8.7%, 7.4%, and 6.0%, on day 15 and at months 1, 3, 6, 9, and 12, respectively. HZ-related pain was at least as frequent in patients treated by antiviral therapy within 72hours following HZ-rash onset as in patients treated later or who did not receive antiviral treatment, and more frequent in patients whose diagnosis was made within 24hours following HZ-rash onset. CONCLUSIONS: Antiviral therapy, even early, does not prevent HZ-related pain and PHN, probably because patients quickly identified and treated were those with severe forms and potentially at high risk of pain. Preventive strategies are thus needed.

[Update on vaccine research. Proceedings of the 15th annual conference on vaccine research organized by the National Foundation for Infectious Diseases]. / Actualités en matière de recherche vaccinale. Compte-rendu de la 15(e) conférence annuelle sur la recherche vaccinale organisée par la National Foundation for Infectious Diseases.

Every year, the National Foundation for Infectious Diseases brings together more than 300 participants to review progress in vaccine research and development and identify the most promising avenues of research. These conferences are among the most important scientific meetings entirely dedicated to vaccine research for both humans and animals, and provide a mix of plenary sessions with invited presentations by acknowledged international experts, parallel sessions, poster sessions, and informal exchanges between experts and young researchers. During the Fifteenth Conference that took place in Baltimore in May 2012, various topics were addressed, including the scientific basis for vaccinology; exploration of the immune response; novel vaccine design; new adjuvants; evaluation of the impact of newly introduced vaccines (such as rotavirus, HPV vaccines); vaccine safety; and immunization strategies. The new techniques of systems biology allow for a more comprehensive approach to the study of immune responses in order to identify correlates of protection and to design novel vaccines against chronic diseases such as AIDS or malaria, against which natural immunity is incomplete.

[Ertapenem administered intravenously or subcutaneously for urinary tract infections caused by ESBL producing enterobacteriacea]. / Ertapénem intraveineux ou sous-cutané pour le traitement des infections urinaires à entérobactérie sécrétrice de BLSE.

INTRODUCTION: Ertapenem could be used to treat urinary tract infections (UTI) caused by ESBL producing enterobacteriacae (ESBL-E) and administered subcutaneously. METHOD: The authors made a retrospective study on adult patients treated with ertapenem administered intravenously or subcutaneously for UTI caused by ESBL-E, between May 2009 and August 2011 at the Chambery hospital, France. RESULTS: Twenty-five patients were treated (13 cases of prostatitis, ten of pyelonephritis, two of cystitis) mostly caused by Escherichia coli (24 cases). Subcutaneous injections were administered to 20 patients and 23 were treated through outpatient parenteral antibiotic therapy (OPAT). All patients were cured at the end of the ertapenem therapy. Urine samples collected during treatment for 12 patients were sterile. Three months after the end of the treatment, five patients had relapsed, and six had developed a UTI caused by another bacteria. CONCLUSION: Ertapenem administered intravenously or subcutaneously could be an effective treatment for UTI caused by ESBL-E, especially using OPAT.

Survey of vaccination policies in French healthcare institutions.

OBJECTIVE: The survey was implemented to describe vaccination policies for healthcare professionals in French healthcare institutions. METHODS: A cross-sectional survey based on questionnaires was sent to occupational physicians and chairpersons of hospital infection prevention and control committees (HIPC) of 38 institutions between November 2010 and January 2011. RESULTS: Twenty-nine occupational physicians and 26 hospital infection prevention and control committees chairpersons (HIPC), from 30 institutions answered (response rate: 79%), 70% of the institutions were university hospitals. Overall, 76% of occupational physicians and 85% of HIPC chairpersons reported that information and awareness campaigns about vaccination recommendations for healthcare professionals were usually conducted in their establishment. Fifty-nine percent of occupational physicians and 31% of HIPC chairpersons reported that they were aware of the vaccine coverage rates of professionals in their institution. The occupational physicians reported that they suggested diphtheria, tetanus, polio, influenza, and acellular pertussis vaccination to all staff at their annual visit in 100%, 97%, and 62% of cases, respectively. Varicella and measles vaccinations were never suggested in 31% and 17% of cases, respectively. Among respondents, 55% of physicians reported that they had already managed a pertussis epidemic, and 42% a measles epidemic, and in both of these cases an awareness campaigns were usually conducted (93% and 96%). CONCLUSIONS: The vaccine coverage rates of healthcare professionals in French healthcare institutions remain insufficiently documented and could be improved.

Quantitative real-time PCR tests for diagnostic and prognostic purposes in cases of legionellosis.

The usefulness of two quantitative real-time PCR assays (qrt-PCRmip targeting Legionella pneumophila, and qrt-PCR16S targeting all Legionella species) performed on lower respiratory tract (LRT) samples for diagnostic and prognostic purposes in 311 patients hospitalized for community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) in Rhône-Alpes (France) was evaluated. The Now Legionella urinary antigen test (UAT) from Binax (Portland, ME, USA) was used as a reference test. Samples were divided into two groups. Group A included 255 CAP patients admitted to Chambery hospital in 2005 and 2006. The Now Legionella UAT was positive in 14 patients. Sensitivities, specificities, positive predictive and negative predictive values for both qrt-PCR tests were 63.6, 98.7, 77.7 and 97.4%, respectively. Group B included 56 consecutive legionellosis patients diagnosed during a 4-year period (2003-2006) at the Grenoble University Hospital. The qrt-PCR16S and qrt-PCRmip displayed a sensitivity of 82.14 and 80.4%, respectively. Among the 70 legionellosis cases, L. pneumophila serogroup 1 was isolated in 15; qrt-PCRmip was positive in another 36, suggesting L. pneumophila infection, whereas the Legionella species involved could not be determined in the remaining 19 cases. The Legionella burden in LRT samples at the time of admission was determined in 46 patients using qrt-PCR16S tests, 44 for qrt-PCR mip groups A and B patients. It varied from 1.9 to 8.35 log(10) DNA copies/mL of LRT sample for qrt-PCR16S and from 1.9 to 8.11 log(10) DNA copies/mL of sample for qrt-PCRmip. High bacterial loads in LRT samples at hospital admission were significantly associated with higher Fine classes, the need for hospitalization in an intensive care unit and for prolonged hospitalization.

Detection of an outbreak of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus with reduced susceptibility to glycopeptides in a French hospital.

Staphylococcus aureus isolates were screened for reduced susceptibility to glycopeptides with an initial glycopeptide agar screening test, followed by confirmation of the strains thus identified by two Etest strip techniques and population analysis. This procedure detected 48 methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA) isolates with reduced susceptibility to glycopeptides from 24 patients among 883 MRSA isolates tested. The dissemination of a single clone was confirmed by pulsed-field gel electrophoresis.

Adverse cutaneous reactions to pyrimethamine/sulfadiazine and pyrimethamine/clindamycin in patients with AIDS and toxoplasmic encephalitis.

We assessed the value of clinical and laboratory parameters for predicting the occurrence of skin reactions induced by pyrimethamine/sulfadiazine and pyrimethamine/clindamycin and the effects of continued therapy for patients with these reactions. We retrospectively studied all episodes of toxoplasmic encephalitis in patients with AIDS who were treated with pyrimethamine/sulfadiazine or pyrimethamine/clindamycin. Eighteen (75%) of 24 patients treated with pyrimethamine/sulfadiazine had cutaneous reactions after a mean of 11 days, whereas 15 (58%) of 26 patients treated with pyrimethamine/clindamycin had cutaneous reactions after a mean of 13 days (P = .56). Nine (50%) of the 18 patients continued to be treated with pyrimethamine/sulfadiazine throughout the duration of hypersensitivity, compared with all 15 patients who were treated with pyrimethamine/clindamycin (P = .002). Nine patients had to stop therapy with pyrimethamine/sulfadiazine (two had Stevens-Johnson syndrome and one had Lyell's syndrome). Thus, treatment throughout the duration of hypersensitivity is more likely to succeed for patients receiving pyrimethamine/clindamycin, whereas therapy with pyrimethamine/sulfadiazine is associated with a high risk of Lyell's syndrome and Stevens-Johnson syndrome.

Adverse cutaneous reactions to trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole in patients with the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome and Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia.

BACKGROUND AND DESIGN: Patients with the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome are predisposed to cutaneous drug reactions. The reasons are poorly understood and the circumstances in which such patients can be treated through hypersensitivity are a matter of discussion. We assessed the value of clinical and laboratory parameters for predicting trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole-induced skin reactions and the effects of continued trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole therapy in such patients. We retrospectively studied all episodes of nonhypoxemic Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia in patients with the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome who were treated with trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole. RESULTS: No clinical or laboratory parameters were found to be predictive of trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole-induced cutaneous reactions. Of 38 patients treated with trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole, 18 (47%) developed cutaneous reactions; these occurred within a median of 11 days (range, 7 to 20 days). Of these 18 patients, 12 (67%) continued to be treated with trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole through hypersensitivity. Trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole treatment was continued in 19 (95%) of the 20 patients who did not develop cutaneous reactions (P = .067). The mean duration of trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole therapy was shorter (18 days) in patients who developed skin reactions than in those who did not (20 days) (P = .016). Noncutaneous side effects accounted for all but one interruption of therapy. CONCLUSION: No clinical or laboratory parameters were found to be predictive of cutaneous reactions. By treating through hypersensitivity, 67% of our patients, who otherwise might have had to stop taking trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole, were able to continue this essential drug therapy.

[Intracerebral tuberculoma in HIV infection. Epidemiology and contribution of magnetic resonance imaging]. / Tuberculomes intracérébraux au cours de l'infection par le VIH. Epidémiologie et apport de l'imagerie par résonance magnétique.

Intracerebral tuberculomas, observed in two HIV-infected patients, illustrated the diagnostic and therapeutic problems involved when an intracranial formation is discovered in this clinical situation. Both patients had a history of pulmonary tuberculosis. No preventive treatment had been given and disseminated tuberculosis occurred within a short delay (less than 2 years). A neurological deficiency led to the discovery of intracranial formations. The lack of effect of anti-toxoplasmosis therapy and the simultaneous discovery of tuberculous lesions strongly suggested intracerebral tuberculoma. With antituberculosis treatment, the general signs disappeared rapidly. Magnetic resonance imaging was particularly useful for following the course of the intracerebral lesions with a stereotype structure (confluent polylobular abscesses), for eliminating rapid evolution which would suggest lymphoma, the main differential diagnosis and to indicate corticosteroid treatment due to persistent oedema. Outcome was favourable with anti-tuberculosis therapy and corticosteroids. Intracerebral tuberculomas are rare and should be entertained in patients with tuberculosis when intracerebral abscesses do not respond to antitoxoplasmosis therapy. Magnetic resonance imaging is the most adapted imaging technique for diagnosis and follow-up.

Effect of corticosteroids on the incidence of adverse cutaneous reactions to trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole during treatment of AIDS-associated Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia.

We retrospectively studied all courses of treatment with trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole (TMP-SMZ) alone and with adjuvant corticosteroids for AIDS-associated Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia. The corticosteroids were administered for 8-21 days (mean, 14 days) because of hypoxemia. We evaluated the influence of corticosteroids on the incidence of cutaneous adverse reactions to TMP-SMZ and on the course of AIDS during 3 months of follow-up. Of 38 patients treated with TMP-SMZ alone, 18 (47%) developed cutaneous side effects, whereas three (13%) of the 23 patients who received adjuvant corticosteroid therapy experienced such effects (P = .014). Of the 21 reactive patients, 14 were treated throughout the duration of hypersensitivity. Therapy was interrupted for seven patients (18%) treated with TMP-SMZ alone and for none of those who were given adjuvant corticosteroid therapy (P = .23). During follow-up, the incidence of mucocutaneous herpes simplex virus infection was higher among patients who received adjuvant corticosteroids than among those treated with TMP-SMZ alone (P = .005). Adjuvant corticosteroids thus reduce the incidence of adverse cutaneous reactions to TMP-SMZ in patients with AIDS who are treated for hypoxemic P. carinii pneumonia.