Prospective Evaluation of the BD MAX StaphSR Assay for the Screening of Methicillin-Susceptible and -Resistant Staphylococcus aureus from Nasal Swabs Taken in Intensive Care Unit Patients.

Screening patients for S. aureus nasal carriage has proved effective in preventing cross-contamination and endogenous infection with this bacterium. The aim of this study was to assess the performance of the BD MAX StaphSR assay with liquid Amies elution swabs, taken during routine care of intensive care unit patients. Direct and pre-enriched cultures were used as reference methods to screen for S. aureus and methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA). Discrepant results between the BD MAX StaphSR assay and cultures were resolved by using the Xpert SA Nasal Complete assay. A total of 607 nasal swabs taken from 409 patients were included in this study. Compared to culture methods, the sensitivity and specificity of the BD MAX StaphSR assay were 92.5% and 91.7% for S. aureus screening, and 94.7% and 98.3% for MRSA screening, respectively. In 52 (8.6%) specimens, there was a discrepancy between the results of cultures and the BD MAX StaphSR assay, including 13 (25%) where the results of the BD MAX StaphSR assay were confirmed by the Xpert SA Nasal Complete test. This prospective study showed that the BD MAX StaphSR assay is reliable for S. aureus and MRSA detection from nasal samples taken with liquid Amies elution swabs.

Management of patients with pulmonary mycobacteriosis in France: a multicenter retrospective cohort study.

BACKGROUND: Recent studies report very low adherence of practitioners to ATS/IDSA recommendations for the treatment of nontuberculous mycobacteria pulmonary disease (NTM-PD), as well as a great variability of practices. Type of management could impact prognosis. METHODS: To evaluate management and prognosis of patients with NTM-PD cases with respect to ATS recommendations, we conducted a multicenter retrospective cohort study (18 sentinel sites distributed throughout France), over a period of six years. We collected clinical, radiological, microbiological characteristics, management and outcome of the patients (especially death or not). RESULTS: 477 patients with NTM-PD were included. Respiratory comorbidities were found in 68% of cases, tuberculosis sequelae in 31.4% of patients, and immunosuppression in 16.8% of cases. The three most common NTM species were Mycobacterium avium complex (60%), M. xenopi (20%) and M. kansasii (5.7%). Smear-positive was found in one third of NTM-PD. Nodulobronchiectatic forms were observed in 54.3% of cases, and cavitary forms in 19.1% of patients. Sixty-three percent of patients were treated, 72.4% of patients with smear-positive samples, and 57.5% of patients with smear-negative samples. Treatment was in adequacy with ATS guidelines in 73.5%. The 2-year mortality was 14.4%. In the Cox regression, treatment (HR = 0.51), age (HR = 1.02), and M. abscessus (3.19) appeared as the 3 significant independent prognostic factors. CONCLUSION: These findings highlight the adequacy between French practices and the ATS/IDSA guidelines. Treatment was associated with a better survival.

Evaluation of effectiveness and compliance with the mupirocin nasal ointment part of Staphylococcus aureus decolonization in real life using UPLC-MS/MS mupirocin quantification.

BACKGROUND: Preoperative decolonization is recommended in Staphylococcus aureus nasal carriers scheduled for cardiac surgery. We aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of and compliance with mupirocin use in nasal S. aureus carriers in a real-life setting. METHODS: Prospective study including consecutive patients scheduled for cardiac surgery screened for S. aureus nasal carriage at preoperative consultation. Carriers were prescribed mupirocin nasal ointment, chlorhexidine shower and mouthwash. Effectiveness of decolonization was evaluated with a postoperative nasal sample. Compliance was evaluated objectively by determination of nasal mupirocin concentration using UPLC-MS/MS and self-reported by questionnaire. RESULTS: Over 10 months, 361 patients were included, 286 had preoperative screening, 75 (26.2%) were S. aureus nasal carriers and 19 of them (25.3%) failed to be effectively decolonized. No resistance to mupirocin was documented. Preoperative and postoperative strains were identical in all cases. Declared good compliance was associated with decolonization success (OR = 24; 95% CI 4-143, P < 0.0001). Mupirocin detection was significantly associated with the level of compliance. Mupirocin was detected in 52.2% (24/46) of patients effectively decolonized and in 12.5% (2/16) of patients with decolonization failure (P < 0.01). In 2/19 patients, failure of decolonization was not associated with a compliance issue. Postoperative carriage was associated with an increased risk of S. aureus infection (OR = 9.8; 95% CI 1.8-53, P < 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: In real life, decolonization is not always effective, hence there is a persisting risk of S. aureus endogenous infection. Mupirocin concentration measurement may help to understand compliance issues and failures in decolonization.

Strategy using a new antigenic test for rapid diagnosis of Streptococcus pneumoniae infection in respiratory samples from children consulting at hospital.

BACKGROUND: Despite vaccination programs, Streptococcus pneumoniae remains among the main microorganisms involved in bacterial pneumonia, notably in terms of severity. The prognosis of pneumococcal infections is conditioned in part by the precocity of the diagnosis. The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of a Rapid Diagnostic Test (RDT) targeting cell wall polysaccharide of Streptococcus pneumoniae and performed directly in respiratory samples, on the strategy of diagnosis of respiratory pneumococcal infections in children. RESULTS: Upper-respiratory tract samples from 196 children consulting at hospital for respiratory infection were tested for detecting S. pneumoniae using a newly-designed RDT (PneumoResp, Biospeedia), a semi-quantitative culture and two PCR assays. If positive on fluidized undiluted specimen, the RDT was repeated on 1:100-diluted sample. The RDT was found highly specific when tested on non-S. pneumoniae strains. By comparison to culture and PCR assays, the RDT on undiluted secretions exhibited a sensitivity (Se) and negative predictive value (NPV) of more than 98%. By comparison to criteria of S. pneumoniae pneumonia combining typical symptoms, X-ray image, and culture ≥107 CFU/ml, the Se and NPV of RDT on diluted specimens were 100% in both cases. CONCLUSIONS: In case of negative result, the excellent NPV of RDT on undiluted secretions allows excluding S. pneumoniae pneumonia. In case of positive result, the excellent sensitivity of RDT on diluted secretions for the diagnosis of S. pneumoniae pneumonia allows proposing a suitable antimicrobial treatment at day 0.

Interplay of nasal and rectal carriage of Staphylococcus aureus in intensive care unit patients.

The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between nasal and rectal Staphylococcus aureus carriage in intensive care unit (ICU) patients and the occurrence of ICU-acquired infections related to S. aureus carriage. Three hundred and ninety-five patients admitted in ICU were screened for S. aureus nasal and rectal carriages and followed to record S. aureus infections during their stay. S. aureus strains were genotyped by arbitrarily primed PCR, spa-typing, microarray and whole genome sequencing. At ICU admission, 112 of 363 (30.9%) patients carried S. aureus including 61 (16.8%) exclusive nasal carriers, 40 (11.0%) combined nasal and rectal carriers and 11 (3.0%) exclusive rectal carriers. The 152 S. aureus isolates from nasal and rectal swabs belonged to 19 clonal complexes (CCs). Patients colonized in both nose and rectum harboured different strains in at least 40% of cases according to arbitrarily primed PCR data. Nasal carriers of CC5 S. aureus had an increased risk of rectal carriage (RR = 1.85, P < .05). S. aureus nasal and rectal carriage was a risk factor of S. aureus ICU-acquired infection (RR = 4.04; 95%CI [1.38-11.76]). Incidence rates of endogenous ICU-acquired infections in exclusive nasal carriers, exclusive rectal carriers and in both nasal and rectal carriers were 0.08 (5/61), 0.09 (1/11) and 0.03 (1/40), respectively (p = 0.47). Rectal swabbing increased the detection of S. aureus carriage and revealed an important diversity of S. aureus strains in ICU patients. Further studies are needed to understand how S. aureus rectal carriage increases the risk of endogenous ICU-acquired infections.

Community-Acquired Staphylococcus argenteus Sequence Type 2250 Bone and Joint Infection, France, 2017.

We report a rare case of Staphylococcus argenteus bone and joint infection in a 9-year-old boy in France. His finger arthritis was complicated by osteitis 5 weeks later, which resulted in a secondary intervention. This case indicates the virulence of S. argenteus, an emerging pathogen whose clinical effects are poorly described.

Reassessment of the Role of Rapid Antigen Detection Tests in Diagnosis of Invasive Group A Streptococcal Infections.

Rapid antigen detection tests (RADTs) for group A streptococci (GAS) are widely used for diagnosing acute pharyngitis, which has led to a considerable reduction in antibiotic prescriptions over the past decade. Beyond this intended use, their reassessment on invasive samples may be relevant in the management of life-threatening GAS infections. To this end, we evaluated the performances of three RADTs, culture, GAS PCR, and 16S rRNA gene PCR assays, and compared them with a composite gold standard (GAS-PCR assay and/or culture) for the diagnosis of severe GAS infection. A total of 192 specimens from deep-tissue (mostly normally sterile) sites enriched for 75 GAS-positive samples were enrolled in the study. The three evaluated RADTs showed sensitivities ranging from 88.0% to 94.7% versus 98.7% for GAS PCR, 84% for 16S rRNA gene PCR, and 77.3% for culture. The sensitivities of the ImmunoCardSTAT! Strep A test (Meridian Bioscience) and the NADAL Strep A strip (Nal Von Minden) were similar to that of GAS PCR (P= 0.25 and 0.03, respectively) and higher than that of culture (P= 0.001 and 0.006, respectively), whereas the SD Bioline Strep A test strip (Standard Diagnostics) showed a performance similar to that of culture (P= 0.02). The three RADTs detected 10 distinctemmtypes, including a predominance ofemm1 (33.3%),emm89 (10.6%), andemm12 (7.6%). No false-positive results were observed, leading to a specificity of 100% for all the evaluated RADTs. The GAS RADTs turned out to be sensitive, specific, and easy-to-use tools that may aid in the management of invasive GAS infections in 24/7 point-of-care laboratories by enabling early diagnosis and focused therapy.

Evaluation of New bioMérieux Chromogenic CPS Media for Detection of Urinary Tract Pathogens.

Four chromogenic media were compared for their ability to detect urinary tract pathogens in 299 urine specimens, of which 175 were found positive, allowing the growth of 279 microorganisms. After 18 to 24 h of incubation, the CPS ID4, CPSE, CPSO (bioMérieux), and UriSelect4 (Bio-Rad) media showed sensitivities of 97.1%, 99.3%, 99.6%, and 99.6%, respectively.

Guillain-Barré syndrome associated with Mycobacterium bovis lymphadenitis.

Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS) is an autoimmune disease that can be triggered by different infectious agents. Here we report the case of a 26-year-old Algerian woman who developed GBS associated with a Mycobacterium bovis cervical lymphadenitis. Following intravenous immunoglobulin therapy, the patient's neurologic state returned to normal after 3 months. The lymphadenitis responded more slowly to the antituberculous treatment and an excision of necrotic cervical lymph nodes had to be performed four times. Antibiotics were administered for 16 months: ethambutol was stopped after 2 months, and rifampicin and isoniazid pursued for 14 months. An extensive etiological investigation showed that, in this case, the only likely infectious trigger GBS was the concomitant M. bovis infection. To our knowledge, this is the first report of GBS triggered by M. bovis. We performed a literature review revealing that the association between tuberculosis and Guillain-Barré syndrome is very rare (only seven cases previously reported) but is not coincidental. Physicians should be aware that tuberculosis can be a cause of GBS.

Detection of carbapenemase-producing bacteria by using an ultra-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry method.

The emergence of carbapenemase-producing bacteria poses a new challenge in the management of antibiotic therapies for patients. This report describes a new method using ultra-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS/MS) for rapid detection of carbapenemase activity in enterobacteria, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Acinetobacter baumannii. In a panel of 78 isolates, including 41 carbapenemase-producing strains, the ULPC-MS/MS assay showed 100% agreement with molecular characterization, whereas six carbapenemase-producing isolates were not detected by the modified Hodge test.

Evaluation of the new brilliance GBS chromogenic medium for screening of Streptococcus agalactiae vaginal colonization in pregnant women.

Three commercial chromogenic agar media were evaluated for Streptococcus agalactiae screening in 200 vaginal swabs from pregnant women. The sensitivity and specificity were 94.3% and 100% for Granada medium (bioMérieux), 100% and 90.3% for Brilliance GBS medium (Thermo Fisher Scientific), and 100% and 98.8% for ChromID STRB medium (bioMérieux), respectively.

Optimized decision algorithm for the microbiological diagnosis of osteoarticular infections in adults using synovial fluid samples: a prospective study in two French hospitals including 423 samples of synovial fluid.

No consensus exists about the techniques to use for microbiological diagnosis of bone and joint infections (BJIs). The objective herein was to define an algorithm to optimize BJI diagnosis in adults using various bacteriological methods on synovial fluid samples. This prospective multi-center study included 423 synovial fluids collected from adult patients with suspected BJIs. Culture (using five solid media, an enrichment broth, and blood culture bottles), universal 16S rRNA PCR followed by Sanger sequencing, and seven specific bacterial PCRs were systematically performed. Combinations of methods were compared to arrive at the optimized algorithm. Among 423 synovial fluids, 242 infections were diagnosed (57.2 %): 213 mono- and 29 poly-microbial for a total of 284 bacteria (staphylococci at 54.6 %, streptococci-enterococci at 16.5 %, Gram-negative bacilli at 15.5 %, anaerobic species at 8.8 %). Comparing culture techniques, blood culture bottles had the highest sensitivity (67.6 % for pediatric and 63.9 % for anaerobic bottles) but are not sufficient alone and require being combined with solid media. The 16S rDNA PCR detected only 52.3 % of the bacteria, whereas specific PCRs had a higher sensitivity (Staphylococcus spp. at 66.2 %, S. aureus at 85.2 %, Streptococcus spp. at 91.2 %). Based on these results, an algorithm was proposed associating three solid media; inoculation into blood culture bottles; and 16S, Staphylococcus spp., and Streptococcus spp. PCRs, which would have detected 90.5 % of bacteria in the present cohort versus 79.2 % using all culture techniques on synovial fluid. This prospective study shows that a combination of culture and molecular methods on synovial fluids allows the optimization of bacterial detection.

Impact of respiratory pathogens detection by a rapid multiplex polymerase chain reaction assay on the management of community-acquired pneumonia for children at the paediatric emergency department. A randomized controlled trial, the Optimization of Pneumonia Acute Care (OPTIPAC) study.

OBJECTIVES: The pathogen of community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) in children is typically uncertain during initial treatment, leading to systematic empiric antibiotic use. This study investigates if having rapid multiplex PCR results in the emergency department (ED) improves empiric treatment. METHODS: OPTIPAC, a French multicentre study (2016-2018), enrolled patients consulting for CAP at the paediatric ED in 11 centres. Patients were randomized to either receive a multiplex PCR test plus usual care or usual care alone and followed for 15 days. The primary outcome was the appropriateness of initial antimicrobial management, determined by a blinded committee. RESULTS: Of the 499 randomized patients, 248 were tested with the multiplex PCR. Appropriateness of the antibiotic treatment was higher in the PCR group (168/245, 68.6% vs. 120/249, 48.2%; Relative risk 1.42 [1.22-1.66]; p < 0.0001), chiefly by reducing unnecessary antibiotics in viral pneumonia (RR 3.29 [2.20-4.90]). No adverse events were identified. DISCUSSION: The multiplex PCR assay result at the ED improves paediatric CAP's antimicrobial stewardship, by both reducing antibiotic prescriptions and enhancing treatment appropriateness.

Clinical features and treatment outcomes of bone and joint nontuberculous mycobacterial infections according to immune status: a 9-year retrospective observational cohort.

OBJECTIVES: Nontuberculous mycobacteria (NTM) bone and joint infections (BJIs) are uncommon. We evaluated the characteristics of BJIs and identified differences according to immune status. METHODS: We performed a multicenter retrospective study in France involving patients with documented NTM BJI over a 9-year period. We collected the clinical and microbiological characteristics, management, and clinical outcomes of the patients. RESULTS: Overall, 95 patients were included, of whom 50.5% (48/95) were immunosuppressed. Tenosynovitis was more frequent in the immunocompetent group, and native arthritis more common in the immunosuppressed group. Mycobacerium marinum and M. abscessus complex were significantly more frequent in the immunocompetent group, and M. avium and M. xenopi were significantly more frequent in the immunosuppressed group. The combination of antibiotherapy with surgery tended to be more frequent in the immunocompetent than the immunosuppressed group (63.8% (30/47) vs 47.8% (22/46), respectively); of the latter, 45.7% (21/46) received antimicrobial therapy alone, a higher frequency than in the immunocompetent group (23.4%, 11/47). The median duration of antimicrobial treatment was similar in the two groups (11 months). Mortality was significantly higher in the immunosuppressed group. CONCLUSIONS: Although the clinical presentations and the NTM species involved in BJI differed according to immune status, most recovered completely after treatment.

Infection due to Mycobacterium thermoresistibile: a case associated with an orthopedic device.

Mycobacterium thermoresistibile is a rapidly growing environmental nontuberculous mycobacterium, seldom reported in human infections. Here, we describe a rare case of tibial-nail-related osteomyelitis due to Mycobacterium thermoresistibile. We also review the literature about the infections caused by this pathogen.

Genetic Diversity and Population Structure of Mycobacterium bovis at the Human-Animal-Ecosystem Interface in France: "A One Health Approach".

Mycobacterium bovis infects cattle and wildlife, and also causes a small proportion of tuberculosis cases in humans. In most European countries, M. bovis infections in cattle have been drastically reduced, but not eradicated. Here, to determine the M. bovis circulation within and between the human, cattle, and wildlife compartments, we characterized by spoligotyping and mycobacterial interspersed repetitive unit-variable number tandem repeat (MIRU-VNTR) typing the genetic diversity of M. bovis isolates collected from humans, cattle, and wildlife in France from 2000 to 2010. We also assessed their genetic structure within and among the different host groups, and across time and space. The M. bovis genetic structure and its spatiotemporal variations showed different dynamics in the human and animal compartments. Most genotypes detected in human isolates were absent in cattle and wildlife isolates, possibly because in patients, M. bovis infection was contracted abroad or was the reactivation of an old lesion. Therefore, they did not match the genetic pool present in France during the study period. However, some human-cattle exchanges occurred because some genotypes were common to both compartments. This study provides new elements for understanding M. bovis epidemiology in France, and calls for increased efforts to control this pathogen worldwide.

Quantification by real-time PCR assay of Staphylococcus aureus load: a useful tool for rapidly identifying persistent nasal carriers.

The Cepheid Xpert MRSA/SA nasal PCR assay was compared to culture for quantifying Staphylococcus aureus load from 104 nasal samples (r = 0.91, P < 0.0001). Using a bacterial load-based algorithm, the test was found able to predict the carrier state in 32 of 35 healthy volunteers (22 persistent and 13 nonpersistent carriers).

Relationship between baseline clinical data and microbiologic spectrum in 100 patients with acute postcataract endophthalmitis.

PURPOSE: To correlate the initial ocular presentation with bacterial identification in 100 patients with acute postcataract endophthalmitis. METHODS: This was a prospective multicenter study. Demographic data, medical history, and the initial eye examination data were recorded on a standardized form. The relationship between bacterial identification and clinical factors at baseline was studied using univariate and multivariate analyses. RESULTS: One hundred patients were admitted to the hospital with a median delay of 6 days after cataract surgery. The main symptoms were loss of vision (94.9%) and pain (75.5%). Major clinical signs were hypopyon (72%), pupillary fibrin membrane (77.5%), and loss of fundus visibility (90%). Baseline factors significantly associated with microbiologic identification were as follows: diabetes mellitus, a shorter delay of onset, initial visual acuity limited to light perception, higher intraocular pressure, chemosis, pupillary fibrin membrane, loss of the red reflex, and reduced fundus visibility. As compared with other bacteria, the identification of Streptococcus species (n = 19) was more frequently associated with male gender, diabetes mellitus, initial visual acuity limited to light perception, and pain. The Staphylococcus aureus and Staphylococcus lugdunensis group (n = 14) differed from other coagulase-negative Staphylococcus groups (n = 33) in that those patients had greater hypopyon height. CONCLUSION: The baseline features of acute endophthalmitis after cataract surgery in the era of phacoemulsification are similar to those reported in the Endophthalmitis Vitrectomy Study 15 years ago and differ according to the bacterial species. The association between the clinical signs and the microbiologic identification suggests that initial characteristics other than visual acuity may be useful in identifying patients presumed to be infected with a virulent species.

Automated Coding in Case Mix Databases of Bacterial Infections Based on Antimicrobial Susceptibility Test Results.

Our objective was to improve the accuracy of bacteria and resistance coding in a hospital case mix database. Data sources consisted of 50,074 files on bacteriological susceptibility tests transmitted with the HPRIM protocol from laboratory management system to electronic health record of the University hospital of Saint Etienne in July 2017. An algorithm was implemented to detect susceptibility tests containing information corresponding to codes whose addition in the case mix database was susceptible to increase the severity level of a diagnosis related group. Among 132 hospital stays fulfilling the conditions, 27 were lacking bacteria and/or resistance codes, and the tariff was increased for 9 stays, with earnings of €54,612. Analyzing Antimicrobial susceptibility tests helps to improve clinical coding and optimize the financial gain.