Current clinical practice in antibiotic treatment of Staphylococcus aureus bacteraemia: results from a survey in five European countries.

OBJECTIVES: To determine clinical practice variation and identify knowledge gaps in antibiotic treatment of Staphylococcus aureus bacteraemia (SAB). METHODS: A web-based survey with questions addressing antibiotic treatment of SAB was distributed through the ESGAP network among infectious disease specialists, clinical microbiologists and internists in Croatia, France, Greece, the Netherlands and the UK between July 2021 and November 2021. RESULTS: A total number of 1687 respondents opened the survey link, of whom 677 (40%) answered at least one question. For MSSA and MRSA bacteraemia, 98% and 94% preferred initial monotherapy, respectively. In patients with SAB and non-removable infected prosthetic material, between 80% and 90% would use rifampicin as part of the treatment. For bone and joint infections, 65%-77% of respondents would consider oral step-down therapy, but for endovascular infections only 12%-32% would. Respondents recommended widely varying treatment durations for SAB with different foci of infection. Overall, 48% stated they used 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography/CT (18F-FDG-PET/CT) to guide antibiotic treatment duration. Persistent bacteraemia was the only risk factor for complicated SAB that would prompt a majority to extend treatment from 2 to 4-6 weeks. CONCLUSIONS: This survey in five European countries shows considerable clinical practice variation between and within countries in the antibiotic management of SAB, in particular regarding oral step-down therapy, choice of oral antibiotic agents, treatment duration and use of 18F-FDG-PET/CT. Physicians use varying criteria for treatment decisions, as evidence from clinical trials is often lacking. These areas of practice variation could be used to prioritize future studies for further improvement of SAB care.

Impact of extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) support on piperacillin exposure in septic patients: a case-control study.

OBJECTIVES: To describe the impact of extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) devices on piperacillin exposure in ICU patients. METHODS: This observational, prospective, multicentre, case-control study was performed in the ICUs of two tertiary care hospitals in France. ECMO patients with sepsis treated with piperacillin/tazobactam were enrolled. Control patients were matched according to SOFA score and creatinine clearance. The pharmacokinetics of piperacillin were described based on a population pharmacokinetic model, calculating the proportion of time the piperacillin plasma concentration was above 64 mg/L (i.e. 4× MIC breakpoint for Pseudomonas aeruginosa). RESULTS: Forty-two patients were included. Median (IQR) age was 60 years (49-66), SOFA score was 11 (9-14) and creatinine clearance was 47 mL/min (5-95). There was no significant difference in the proportion of time piperacillin concentrations were ≥64 mg/L in patients treated with ECMO and controls during the first administration (P = 0.184) or at steady state (P = 0.309). Following the first administration, 36/42 (86%) patients had trough piperacillin concentrations <64 mg/L. Trough concentrations at steady state were similar in patients with ECMO and controls (P = 0.535). Creatinine clearance ≥40 mL/min was independently associated with piperacillin trough concentration <64 mg/L at steady state [OR = 4.3 (95% CI 1.1-17.7), P = 0.043], while ECMO support was not [OR = 0.5 (95% CI 0.1-2.1), P = 0.378]. CONCLUSIONS: ECMO support has no impact on piperacillin exposure. ICU patients with sepsis are frequently underexposed to piperacillin, which suggests that therapeutic drug monitoring should be strongly recommended for severe infections.

Invasive cervical cancer in HIV-infected women: risk and survival relative to those of the general population in France. Results from the French Hospital Database on HIV (FHDH)-Agence Nationale de Recherches sur le SIDA et les Hépatites Virales (ANRS) CO4 cohort study.

OBJECTIVES: We examined trends in the incidence rates of invasive cervical cancer (ICC) and in the rate of survival after ICC among women living with HIV (WLHIV) in France and compared them to those of the general population. METHODS: Histologically validated incident cases of ICC in the period 1992-2009 from the French Hospital Database on HIV (FHDH-ANRS CO4) were included in the study. Age-standardized incidence rates were estimated for FHDH and the general population in France for 1992-1996 [pre-combination antiretroviral therapy (cART) period], 1997-2000 (early cART period), 2001-2004 (intermediate cART period), and 2005-2009 (late cART period). Age-standardized incidence ratios (SIRs) were calculated. Five-year survival was compared with that of the general population for ICC diagnosed in 2005-2009 after standardization for age. RESULTS: Among 28 977 WLHIV, 60 incident ICCs were histologically validated. There was a nonsignificant decreasing trend for the incidence across the cART periods (P = 0.07), from 60 to 36/100 000 person-years. The risk of ICC was consistently significantly higher in WLHIV than in the general population; the SIR was 5.4 [95% confidence interval (CI) 3.0-8.9] during the pre-cART period and 3.3 (95% CI 2.2-4.7) in 2005-2009. Survival after ICC did not improve across periods (log-rank P = 0.14), with overall estimated 5-year survival of 78% (95% CI 0.67-0.89%). Five-year survival was similar for WLHIV and the general population for women diagnosed with ICC in 2005-2009, after standardization (P = 0.45). CONCLUSIONS: ICC risk is still more than three times higher in WLHIV than in the general population. Survival after ICC did not improve over time and was similar to that of the general population during the most recent period. Such results call for promotion of the uptake of screening in WLHIV.

Brain abscess in immunocompetent adult patients.

Brain abscess is a focal infection of the brain due to contiguous spread of pathogens following otitis, sinusitis, neurosurgery or traumatic brain injury or through hematogenous dissemination. Classical symptoms consisting of headache, fever, and focal signs may be absent on admission and brain MRI with contrast plays a major role in diagnosis. Initial management consists of stereotactic aspiration for microbiological documentation empirical treatment covering common pathogens, including oral streptococci, staphylococci, anaerobes, and Enterobacteriaceae. De-escalation of antimicrobials based on microbiology is safe only when samples have been processed optimally, or when primary diagnosis is endocarditis. A 6-week combination of third-generation cephalosporin and metronidazole will cure most cases of community-acquired brain abscess in immunocompetent adults. Significant advent in brain imaging, minimally invasive surgery, molecular biology, and antibacterial agents, has dramatically improved the prognosis. Main indicators of outcome include altered mental status at presentation and intraventricular rupture.

Aseptic meningitis.

Aseptic meningitis is defined as meningeal inflammation - i.e. cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) pleocytosis≥5 cells/mm3 - not related to an infectious process. Etiologies of aseptic meningitis can be classified in three main groups: (i) systemic diseases with meningeal involvement, which include sarcoidosis, Behçet's disease, Sjögren's syndrome, systemic lupus erythematosus and granulomatosis with polyangiitis; (ii) drug-induced aseptic meningitis, mostly reported with non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), antibiotics (sulfamides, penicillins), intravenous immunoglobulin, and monoclonal antibodies; (iii) neoplastic meningitis, either related to solid cancer metastasis (breast cancer, lung cancer, melanoma) or malignant hemopathy (lymphoma, leukemia). Most series in the literature included groups of meningitis that are not stricto sensu aseptic, but should rather be included in the differential diagnosis: (i) infectious meningitis related to virus, parasites, fungi, or fastidious bacteria that require specific diagnostic investigations; (ii) bacterial meningitis with sterile CSF due to previous antibiotic administration, and (iii) parameningeal infections associated with meningeal reaction. Despite progress in microbiological diagnosis (including PCR, and next generation sequencing), and identification of a growing panel of autoimmune or paraneoplastic neurological syndromes, up to two thirds of aseptic meningitis cases are of unknown etiology, finally labeled as 'idiopathic'. Description of new entities, such as the syndrome of transient headache and neurologic deficits with cerebrospinal fluid lymphocytosis (HaNDL) may decrease the proportion of idiopathic aseptic meningitis. This state-of-the-art review summarizes the characteristics of main causes of aseptic meningitis.

An outbreak in intravenous drug users due to USA300 Latin-American variant community-acquired methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus in France as early as 2007.

Intravenous drug users are at increased risk of Staphylococcus aureus infections. Most cases are related to clones prevalent in the community. We report an outbreak of community-acquired methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus infections that occurred from 2007 to 2009 in intravenous drug users and their close contacts in Northwestern France. Clinical and molecular investigations suggested that the clones were more similar than those usually isolated in the American continent although none of the patients traveled abroad or had contact with individuals who had traveled to the Americas. Then, a retrospective whole genome sequencing and phylogenetic analyses demonstrated that the strains isolated from the first case belong to the USA300 Latin-American variant clone, based on the absence of arginine catabolic mobile element (ACME), and the presence of copper and mercury resistance mobile element (COMER), a distinctive feature of the South American variant. Our study shows genetic evidence for introduction of this clone as early as 2007 in France. This report also illustrates the importance of genome sequencing to finely characterize and monitor the emergence of unexpected S. aureus clones among high-risk populations, especially when living in promiscuity.

Tetanus in adults: results of the multicenter ID-IRI study.

Tetanus is an acute, severe infection caused by a neurotoxin secreting bacterium. Various prognostic factors affecting mortality in tetanus patients have been described in the literature. In this study, we aimed to analyze the factors affecting mortality in hospitalized tetanus patients in a large case series. This retrospective multicenter study pooled data of tetanus patients from 25 medical centers. The hospitals participating in this study were the collaborating centers of the Infectious Diseases International Research Initiative (ID-IRI). Only adult patients over the age of 15 years with tetanus were included. The diagnosis of tetanus was made by the clinicians at the participant centers. Izmir Bozyaka Education and Research Hospital's Review Board approved the study. Prognostic factors were analyzed by using the multivariate regression analysis method. In this study, 117 adult patients with tetanus were included. Of these, 79 (67.5%) patients survived and 38 (32.5%) patients died. Most of the deaths were observed in patients >60 years of age (60.5%). Generalized type of tetanus, presence of pain at the wound area, presence of generalized spasms, leukocytosis, high alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and C-reactive protein (CRP) values on admission, and the use of equine immunoglobulins in the treatment were found to be statistically associated with mortality (p < 0.05 for all). Here, we describe the prognostic factors for mortality in tetanus. Immunization seems to be the most critical point, considering the advanced age of our patients. A combination of laboratory and clinical parameters indicates mortality. Moreover, human immunoglobulins should be preferred over equine sera to increase survival.

New in vitro and in vivo models to evaluate antibiotic efficacy in Staphylococcus aureus prosthetic vascular graft infection.

OBJECTIVE: Prosthetic vascular graft infection (PVGI) is an emerging disease, mostly caused by staphylococci, with limited data regarding efficacy of current antistaphylococcal agents. We aimed to assess the efficacy of different antibiotic regimens. METHODS: Six different strains of MSSA and MRSA were used. We compared results of minimal biofilm inhibitory and eradicating concentrations (MBICs and MBECs) obtained with a Calgary Biofilm Pin Lid Device (CBPD) with those yielded by an original Dacron(®)-related minimal inhibitory and eradicating concentration measure model. We then used a murine model of Staphylococcus aureus vascular prosthetic material infection to evaluate efficacy of different antibiotic regimens: vancomycin and daptomycin combined or not with rifampicin for MRSA and the same groups with cloxacillin and cloxacillin combined with rifampicin for MSSA. RESULTS: We demonstrated that classical measures of MBICs and MBECs obtained with a CPBD could overestimate the decrease in antibiotic susceptibility in material-related infections and that the nature of the support used might influence the measure of biofilm susceptibility, since results yielded by our Dacron(®)-related minimal eradicating assay were lower than those found with a plastic device. In our in vivo model, we showed that daptomycin was significantly more bactericidal than comparators for some strains of MRSA or MSSA but not for all. For the majority of strains, it was as efficient as comparators. The addition of rifampicin to daptomycin did not enhance daptomycin efficacy. CONCLUSIONS: Despite the heterogeneity of results according to bacterial strains, these innovative models represent an option to better evaluate the in vitro efficacy of antibiotics on Dacron(®)-related biofilm S. aureus infections, and to screen different antibiotic regimens in a mouse model of PVGIs.

Infection prevention for immunocompromised patients: A cross-translational multicentric survey of current organization in France.

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate current organization of infection prevention for immunocompromised patients (ICP) at a countrywide level. METHODS: Nationwide cross-sectional multicenter study based on an online survey disseminated in 2022 to physicians invested with preventive healthcare missions. RESULTS: A total of 341 physicians (96% graduates, 32% infectious disease specialists), participated in the survey, with a median age of 40 [35-51] years. On-site access to infection prevention consultations for ICP was reported by 30%, dedicated pre-travel consultations for ICPs by 29%, consultations for infection prevention in solid organ transplant candidates by 16% and return-to-work consultations for ICPs by 6%. Most participants (73%) were aware of nationwide vaccination guidelines for ICP, while 50% felt comfortable using them. Tools for infection prevention advice and ICP vaccination had been developed by 10%, while 89% would have appreciated access to tools developed by others. CONCLUSIONS: Infection prevention for ICPs remains neglected. Guidelines covering all fields of prevention for ICPs would be more than welcome.

Comparison of six generic vancomycin products for treatment of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus experimental endocarditis in rabbits.

Concerns have recently emerged about the potency and the quality of generic vancomycin (VAN) products approved for use in humans, based on experiments in a neutropenic mouse thigh infection model. However, other animal models may be more appropriate to decipher the bactericidal activities of VAN generics in vivo and to predict their efficacy in humans. We aimed to compare the bactericidal activities of six generic VAN products currently used in France (Mylan and Sandoz), Spain (Hospira), Switzerland (Teva), and the United States (Akorn-Strides and American Pharmaceutical Products [APP]) in a rabbit model of aortic valve endocarditis induced by 8 × 10(7) CFU of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) strain COL (VAN MIC, 1.5 µg/ml). In vitro, there were no significant differences in the time-kill curve studies performed with the six generic VAN products. Ten rabbits in each group were treated with intravenous (i.v.) VAN, 60 mg/kg of body weight twice a day (b.i.d.) for 4 days. Mean peak serum VAN levels, measured 45 min after the last injection, ranged from 35.5 (APP) to 45.9 µg/ml (Teva). Mean trough serum VAN levels, measured 12 h after the last injection, ranged from 2.3 (Hospira) to 9.2 (APP) µg/ml. All generic VAN products were superior to controls (no treatment) in terms of residual organisms in vegetations (P < 0.02 for each comparison) and in the spleen (P < 0.005 for each comparison). Pairwise comparisons of generic VAN products found no significant differences. In conclusion, a stringent MRSA endocarditis model found no significant differences in the bactericidal activities of six generic VAN products currently used in Europe and America.

Rhombencephalitis caused by Francisella tularensis.

Common presentations of tularemia include pneumonia and ulceroglandular, oropharyngeal, or typhoidal disease. Neuromeningeal involvement is extremely rare. We report a case of a severe rhombencephalitis due to Francisella tularensis. Diagnosis was possible thanks to a very precise interview, and the patient dramatically improved after specific antibiotherapy.

Human herpes virus co-infection is associated with mortality in HIV-negative patients with Pneumocystis jirovecii pneumonia.

The purpose of this investigation was to characterize the management and prognosis of severe Pneumocystis jirovecii pneumonia (PJP) in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-negative patients. An observational cohort study of HIV-negative adults with PJP documented by bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) through Gomori-Grocott staining or immunofluorescence, admitted to one intensive care unit (ICU) for acute respiratory failure, was undertaken. From 1990 to 2010, 70 patients (24 females, 46 males) were included, with a mean age of 58.6 ± 18.3 years. The mean Simplified Acute Physiology Score (SAPS)-II was 36.9 ± 20.4. Underlying conditions included hematologic malignancies (n = 21), vasculitis (n = 13), and solid tumors (n = 13). Most patients were receiving systemic corticosteroids (n = 63) and cytotoxic drugs (n = 51). Not a single patient received trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole as PJP prophylaxis. Endotracheal intubation (ETI) was required in 42 patients (60.0 %), including 38 with acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). In-ICU mortality was 52.9 % overall, reaching 80.9 % and 86.8 %, respectively, for patients who required ETI and for patients with ARDS. In the univariate analysis, in-ICU mortality was associated with SAPS-II (p = 0.0131), ARDS (p < 0.0001), shock (p < 0.0001), and herpes simplex virus (HSV) or cytomegalovirus (CMV) on BAL (p = 0.0031). In the multivariate analysis, only ARDS was associated with in-ICU mortality (odds ratio [OR] 23.4 [4.5-121.9], p < 0.0001). PJP in non-HIV patients remains a serious disease with high in-hospital mortality. Pulmonary co-infection with HSV or CMV may contribute to fatal outcome.

Which patients should be tested for viruses on bronchoalveolar lavage fluid?

Bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) is a major diagnostic tool in lung diseases, including viral respiratory infections. We aimed to better define the situations where viral tests should be performed on BAL fluid (BALF). We retrospectively studied all cases where viral tests [immunofluorescence, immunocytochemistry, viral culture, and/or polymerase chain reaction (PCR)] were performed on BALF during a period of 1 year (2008) in our institution. We compared the characteristics of patients with virus-positive versus virus-negative BALF. Of the 636 BALF samples sent to the microbiology laboratory, 232 underwent viral tests. Of these, 70 (30 %) were positive and identified 85 viruses: herpes simplex virus (HSV)-1 (n = 27), cytomegalovirus (CMV, n = 23), Epstein-Barr virus (EBV, n = 18), human herpesvirus (HHV)-6 (n = 12), respiratory syncytial virus (RSV, n = 3), rhinovirus (n = 1), and adenovirus (n = 1). The variables associated with positive viral tests on univariate analysis were immunosuppression [human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), corticosteroids >10 mg/day for ≥3 weeks, or other immunosuppressive therapy], ground-glass attenuations on computed tomography (CT) scanning, late-onset ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP), and durations of (i) hospital stay, (ii) intensive care unit (ICU) stay, and (iii) mechanical ventilation before BAL (p < 0.01 for each comparison). On multivariate analysis, only immunosuppression [odds ratio (OR) 6.4, 95 % confidence interval (CI) [2.8-14.3], p < 0.0001] and ground-glass attenuations (OR 3.7, 95 % CI [1.8-7.7], p = 0.0004) remained associated with virus-positive BAL. None of the viral tests performed on BALF for the initial assessment of diffuse infiltrative lung disease (n = 15) was positive. PCR improved the diagnostic yield of viral tests on BALF by 50 %. Testing for viruses on BALF should be mostly restricted to immunocompromised patients with acute respiratory diseases and/or patients with unexplained ground-glass attenuations on CT scanning.

Streptococcus bovis/Streptococcus equinus complex fecal carriage, colorectal carcinoma, and infective endocarditis: a new appraisal of a complex connection.

The proportion of group D streptococcal infective endocarditis (IE) (predominantly due to Streptococcus gallolyticus) and the incidence of colorectal cancer are higher in France than in most European countries. We assumed that this could be explained by a high group D streptococci (GDS) fecal carriage rate. The aims of this study were to re-assess the GDS fecal carriage rate in France and its relationship with colorectal cancer. Consecutive adult subjects who were to undergo a complete colonoscopy were invited to participate. GDS were searched in subjects' stools before their colonoscopy using biomolecular techniques. Colonoscopic findings were sorted into four subgroups: normal colonoscopy, non-tumoral lesions, benign tumors, and premalignant/malignant tumors. GDS fecal carriages were calculated overall and in each subgroup and compared. The data from 259 subjects were analyzed. GDS were identified in the feces of 12 subjects, with the following distribution: S. lutetiensis (n = 9), S. pasteurianus (n = 2), and S. gallolyticus (n = 1). This accounted for an overall GDS fecal carriage rate of 4.6 %. The GDS fecal carriage rate was 6 % in case of normal colonoscopy, 1.3 % in case of non-tumoral lesions, 3.2 % in case of benign tumors, and 11 % in case of premalignant/malignant tumors. These four percentages were not statistically different. The GDS fecal carriage rate was lower than expected, which did not confirm our working hypothesis. Most strains belonged to S. bovis biotype II, while S. gallolyticus was found only once. These findings suggest that different GDS play different roles in the etiopathogenesis of IE and colorectal cancer.

Effect of achieving bone sterilisation on bone architecture and bone marrow, in an experimental rabbit model of osteomyelitis caused by carbapenemase-producing Enterobacterales.

OBJECTIVES: Natural history and treatment of bone infections caused by carbapenemase-producing Enterobacterales (CPE) are poorly defined. We evaluated the effect of treatment on the progression of subacute osteomyelitis in a rabbit model. METHODS: Two isolates were used: a KPC-producing Klebsiella pneumoniae and an Escherichia coli harbouring blaOXA-48 and blaCTX-M15 inserts, both susceptible to gentamicin, colistin, fosfomycin, and ceftazidime-avibactam. Osteomyelitis was induced in rabbits by tibial injection of 2 × 108 colony-forming units/mL. Antibiotics were started 14 d later, for 7 d, in 6 groups of 12 rabbits. Three days after treatment completion (D24), rabbits were euthanised and bones were cultured. Bone marrow and bone architecture macroscopic changes were evaluated through analysis of pictures by investigators unaware of the rabbit treatment group and microbiological outcome, using scales ranging from 0 (normal) to 3 (severe lesions) depending on modifications. RESULTS: Bone marrow modifications induced by local infection were similar between prematurely deceased animals and non-sterilised animals (P = 0.14) but differed significantly from animals that achieved bone sterilisation after treatment (P = 0.04). Conversely, when comparing bone deformity, rabbits who died early (n = 13) had similar bone architecture as those achieving bone sterilisation (P = 0.12), as opposed to those not sterilised after treatment (P = 0.04). After a multivariate logistic regression, bone marrow scale ≤2 was associated with bone sterilisation (P < 0.001), and bone architecture scale ≤2 was associated with bone sterilisation (adjusted odds ratio = 2.7; 95% confidence interval 1.14-6.37) and KPC infection (adjusted odds ratio = 5.1; 95% confidence interval 2.17-12.13). CONCLUSION: Effective antibacterial treatment reduces bone architecture distortion and bone marrow changes. These variables may be used as proxy for bone sterilisation.

A pilot project of expert nurses for the follow-up of complex intravenous antimicrobial treatment.

OBJECTIVE: To report a pilot project of expert nurses for outpatient parenteral antimicrobial treatment (OPAT) follow-up. METHODS: Three nurses with specific training on antibiotics started a state-funded programme including: i) consultations for OPAT follow-up; ii) hotline for satellite hospitals; iii) peer training. Patients' data were prospectively collected. A representative sample of patients and physicians was interviewed to learn about their opinion on the project. RESULTS: From December 2020 to December 2021, 118 patients (median age 66.5 years [52-75], male-to-female ratio 2.5) were enrolled, for a total of 621 consultations. Patients were mostly on OPAT for bone and joint infections (n = 76, 64 %) and cardiovascular infections (n = 16, 14 %), for a median duration of 29 days [22-57]. Eleven patients (9 %) required unplanned hospital admissions, and three experienced treatment failure. Most patients (21/22) and physicians in charge (10/10) reported a high level of satisfaction. CONCLUSIONS: Nurses may be important actors for OPAT follow-up.

Prospective cohort of COVID-19 patients requiring hospital admission in Douala, Cameroon.

OBJECTIVES: To report characteristics and outcome of COVID-19 patients who required hospital admission in sub-Saharan Africa clinics with no access to invasive mechanical ventilation. METHODS: Between April and June 2021, documented COVID-19 patients with SaO2 < 95% who were admitted in two clinics in Douala (Cameroon) were invited to participate. Data were prospectively collected using a standardized questionnaire. RESULTS: We included 67 patients: 39 males (58%), median age 62 years [50-70]. Comorbidities included hypertension (n = 38, 57%), obesity (n = 26, 38%), and diabetes (n = 16, 24%). No patient reported COVID-19 vaccination. On admission, 35 patients (52%) required O2 > 6 L/min. CT scan demonstrated extended lesions (>50%) in 50/61 cases (82%). Most patients received dexamethasone (n = 64, 96%), heparin (n = 64, 96%), chloroquine/azithromycin (n = 59, 88%), and broad-spectrum antibiotics (n = 59, 88%). Sixteen patients died (24%), after a median of 11.5 days [7.5-15.5] post-admission. CONCLUSIONS: Despite the lack of invasive mechanical ventilation, 76% of COVID-19 patients survived.

Clostridium difficile O27 colitis: hospital-onset but community-acquired.

Large outbreaks of Clostridium difficile (CD) associated colitis in North America and Europe have been attributed to the emergence of the epidemic/toxin PCR Ribotype O27 CD strain (CD027). Due to the increased virulence of this epidemic strain and its propension for causing outbreaks, we performed a structured risk-assessment approach in order to determine the risks associated with the introduction of this strain within our university hospital. From February 2009 to January 2010, we identified 31 cases of CD027 associated colitis, whereby twenty one (67.7%) had symptoms onset more than 48 hours after admission and were classified as nosocomial. These patients had received wide-spectrum antimicrobials for other infections in the hospital before CD027 colitis diagnosis. The 31 patients with CD027 were admitted in 20 different units, managed by distinct health-care workers (HCWs), and no contact was identified between patients during their hospital stay. Furthermore, infection control audits showed 100% compliance with institutional guidelines for control of CD colitis. These findings suggest that CD027 is most frequently acquired in the community and emerges sporadically under antibiotic pressure during hospitalization.

Distinctive features between community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) due to Chlamydophila psittaci and CAP due to Legionella pneumophila admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU).

The spectrum of community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) due to Chlamydophila psittaci ranges from mild, self-limited CAP, to acute respiratory failure. We performed a retrospective study of 13 consecutive patients with CAP due to C. psittaci and 51 patients with legionellosis admitted in one intensive care unit (ICU) (1993-2011). As compared to patients with legionellosis, patients with psittacosis were younger (median age 48 [38-59] vs. 60 [50-71] years, p = 0.007), less frequently smokers (38 vs. 79 %, p < 0.001), with less chronic disease (15 vs. 57 %, p = 0.02), and longer duration of symptoms before admission (median 6 [5-13] vs. 5 [3-7] days, p = 0.038). They presented with lower Simplified Acute Physiology Score II (median 28 [19-38] vs. 39 [28-46], p = 0.04) and less extensive infiltrates on chest X-rays (median 2 [1-3] vs. 3 [3-4] lobes, p = 0.007). Bird exposure was mentioned in 100 % of psittacosis cases, as compared to 5.9 % of legionellosis cases (p < 0.0001). Extrapulmonary manifestations, biological features, and mortality (15.4 vs. 21.6 %, p = 0.62) were similar in both groups. In conclusion, severe psittacosis shares many features with severe legionellosis, including extrapulmonary manifestations, biological features, and outcome. Psittacosis is an important differential diagnosis for legionellosis, especially in cases of bird exposure, younger age, and more limited disease progression over the initial few days.