Investigation of epstein-barr virus and parvovirus b19 DNA in allogeneic stem cell transplant patients.

OBJECTIVE: We aimed to investigate posttransplant Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) and parvovirus B19 DNA in allogeneic stem cell transplant patients between 2009 and 2010. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Forty-five adult patients in whom allogeneic stem cell transplantation was performed between April 2009 and November 2010 in the Erciyes University Faculty of Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Hematology and Oncology, were included in the study. EBV and parvovirus B19 DNA positivity was investigated by using real-time polymerase chain reaction technique in 135 plasma samples obtained after transplantation at between 1 and 6 months. Pretransplant serological markers of EBV and parvovirus B19 were provided from patient files. RESULTS: In 32 (71.1%) of the patients, EBV antibodies in the pretransplantation period were as follows: anti-EBNA-1 IgG (+), VCA IgM (-), and VCA IgG (+). In 2 patients (4.45%), these antibodies were as follows: anti-EBNA-1 IgG (+), VCA IgM (-), and VCA IgG (-). In 1 patient (2.2%), they were as follows: anti-EBNA-1 IgG (-), VCA IgM (-), and VCA IgG (+). EBV serological markers were negative in 2 (2.2%) out of 45 patients before transplantation. There was low DNA positivity (<600 copies/mL) in 4 patients (8.9%), and VCA IgM was negative and VCA IgG was positive in these same 4 patients. In spite of low viral load, there were no symptoms related to EBV, and posttransplant lymphoproliferative disorder (PTLD) did not occur. While in 44 (99.7%) of 45 patients parvovirus B19 IgM was negative and IgG was positive, parvovirus B19 IgM was positive and IgG was negative in 1 (2.3%) patient. Parvovirus B19 DNA was not identified in any of the samples obtained from these 45 patients. CONCLUSION: In this study, EBV and parvovirus B19 DNA were investigated in allogeneic stem cell transplant patients. None of the patients developed PTLD and parvovirus B19 DNA positivity was not detected. However, this issue needs to be further evaluated in prospective, multicenter studies with larger series of patients.

Panton-Valentine leukocidin in community and hospital-acquired Staphylococcus aureus strains.

Staphylococcus aureus causes serious hospital-acquired (HA) and community-acquired (CA) infections. Skin and soft-tissue infections especially are sometimes caused by strains harbouring Panton-Valentine leukocidin (PVL). PVL belongs to a family of bi-component leukocidal toxins produced by staphylococci. It is a pore-forming toxin encoded by lukF-PV and lukS-PV. A total of 70 S. aureus strains: 38 (54%) methicillin-resistant (MRSA) and 32 (46%) methicillin-susceptible (MSSA), were isolated from patients admitted to Dicle University Hospital (Turkey). Identification of S. aureus and antibiotics-susceptibility testing were performed with PHOENIX 100. PVL genes and mecA genes were detected by polymerase chain reaction. Of the 70 studied strains, 36 ones (51%) were community acquired and 34 ones (49%) were hospital acquired . A total of 38 (54%) strains were positive for mecA (mecA+), of which 32 ones (84%) were HA. Of the mecA- strains, 30 (94%) were CA. Of the 70 studied strains, 12 (17%) strains were PVL+: 8 (22%) of the 36 CA strains and 4 (12%) of the 34 HA strains. Of the 12 PVL+ strains, 4 strains were mecA+. The PVL positivity rate was 25% in MSSA, whereas 10.5% in MRSA. Of the overall PVL+ strains, seven strains were obtained from wounds; four ones from skin abscess; and one from blood culture. Taken together, the obtained results showed a substantial level of PVL genes in the studied region. Although PVL is known as a common virulence factor of CA MRSA, HA MRSA isolates in our study showed a considerable rate of PVL positivity.

A Multicenter Evaluation of Blood Culture Practices, Contamination Rates, and the Distribution of Causative Bacteria.

BACKGROUND: The prognostic value of blood culture testing in the diagnosis of bacteremia is limited by contamination. OBJECTIVES: In this multicenter study, the aim was to evaluate the contamination rates of blood cultures as well as the parameters that affect the culture results. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Sample collection practices and culture data obtained from 16 university/research hospitals were retrospectively evaluated. A total of 214,340 blood samples from 43,254 patients admitted to the centers in 2013 were included in this study. The blood culture results were evaluated based on the three phases of laboratory testing: the pre-analytic, the analytic, and the post-analytic phase. RESULTS: Blood samples were obtained from the patients through either the peripheral venous route (64%) or an intravascular catheter (36%). Povidone-iodine (60%) or alcohol (40%) was applied to disinfect the skin. Of the 16 centers, 62.5% have no dedicated phlebotomy team, 68.7% employed a blood culture system, 86.7% conducted additional studies with pediatric bottles, and 43.7% with anaerobic bottles. One center maintained a blood culture quality control study. The average growth rate in the bottles of blood cultures during the defined period (1259 - 26,400/year) was 32.3%. Of the growing microorganisms, 67% were causative agents, while 33% were contaminants. The contamination rates of the centers ranged from 1% to 17%. The average growth time for the causative bacteria was 21.4 hours, while it was 36.3 hours for the contaminant bacteria. The most commonly isolated pathogens were Escherichia coli (22.45%) and coagulase-negative staphylococci (CoNS) (20.11%). Further, the most frequently identified contaminant bacteria were CoNS (44.04%). CONCLUSIONS: The high contamination rates were remarkable in this study. We suggest that the hospitals' staff should be better trained in blood sample collection and processing. Sterile glove usage, alcohol usage for disinfection, the presence of a phlebotomy team, and quality control studies may all contribute to decreasing the contamination rates. Health policy makers should therefore provide the necessary financial support to obtain the required materials and equipment.

Tenofovir disoproxil fumarate treatment in HbeAg-positive patients.

Tenofovir disoproxil fumarate (Tenofovir DF) is a nucleotide analogue. This multicentre study reports retrospectively the long-term efficacy and safety data with tenofovir DF treatment in nucleosid(t)e-naive, hepatitis B e antigen (HBeAg)-positive chronic hepatitis B patients. Thirty-one patients (11 females, 20 males) received 245 mg tenofovir DF per diem. All patients' initial serum hepatitis B virus (HBV) DNA levels were over 2,000 IU/ml. Serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT) levels, HBeAg, hepatitis B e antibodies (anti-HBe), hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg), hepatitis B surface antibodies (Anti-HBs), HBV DNA, creatinine and urea levels were evaluated at baseline, and at weeks 12, 24, 48 and 96 during therapy. Thirty-one patients completed 96 weeks of treatment. Mean age was 37.6 ± 9.4 years. The initial mean value of ALT was 79 ± 39.9 IU/L. At baseline, mean of fibrosis (Ishak) of liver biopsies was 2.3 ± 0.7. Two of the patients (5.9%) achieved HBV DNA less than 300 copies at week 12 of treatment and 97.1 % at week 96. HBeAg loss was observed in 6.7% of patients. At week 96, HBsAg loss was not observed in any of the patients. Mean ALT at week 48 was 32.7 U/L, at week 96 32.6 U/L. Renal safety was good. Creatinine remained stable. Tenofovir DF was well tolerated and produced potent, continuous viral suppression with increasing HBeAg loss.

Is Chryseobacterium indologenes a shunt-lover bacterium? A case report and review of the literature.

Chryseobacterium indologenes is a non-fermentative Gram-negative bacillus formerly belonging to the Flavobacterium genus. It is widely found in water and soil, also on wet surfaces of the hospital environment. It rarely causes infections and is usually associated with altered immune status or indwelling devices. We present a case of ventriculoperitoneal shunt infection caused by C. indologenes in a premature pediatric patient. A six-month-old male infant with congenital hydrocephalus and ventriculoperitoneal shunt was admitted with complaints of irritability, high fever and projectile vomiting. He was diagnosed as suffering from meningitis based on the clinical symptoms and laboratory findings of cerebrospinal fluid. The ventriculoperitoneal shunt was externalized and cerebrospinal fluid samples were sent for bacterial cultures. The isolated bacterium was identified as C. indologenes by conventional methods and the BD Phoenix™ 100 (Becton Dickinson, MD, USA) fully automated microbiology system. Antimicrobial susceptibility testing was performed by the microdilution method and Kirby-Bauer's disk diffusion method according to the Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute guidelines. The isolate was found susceptible to ciprofloxacin, levofloxacin, cefoperazone and trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole, while it was resistant to amikacin, aztreonam, cefepime, ceftazidime, gentamicin, imipenem and ticarcillin-clavulanic acid. The treatment was started with trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole and cefoperazone-sulbactam The ventriculoperitoneal shunt was then removed. The patient was fully healed after two weeks and discharged. Central nervous system infection is a rare form of C. indologenes infections. The case presented herein may make a useful contribution to the existing literature.