Purpura fulminans due to Enterococcus cecorum in an asplenic patient.

Enterococcus cecorum was initially isolated from the intestine of poultry and is an uncommon cause of human infection. We report here what we believe to be the first case of overwhelming post-splenectomy infection (OPSI) with purpura fulminans due to Enterococcus cecorum in a 51-year-old man. As opposed to other enterococci, Enterococcus cecorum remains susceptible to third-generation cephalosporin which is the first line empirical antibiotic therapy for both patients with purpura fulminans and asplenic patients with sepsis. Despite adequate antibiotic therapy, evolution in the intensive care unit (ICU) was overwhelming with death occurring 10 h after ICU admission.

Bacterial and viral co-infections in patients with severe SARS-CoV-2 pneumonia admitted to a French ICU.

BACKGROUND: Data on the prevalence of bacterial and viral co-infections among patients admitted to the ICU for acute respiratory failure related to SARS-CoV-2 pneumonia are lacking. We aimed to assess the rate of bacterial and viral co-infections, as well as to report the most common micro-organisms involved in patients admitted to the ICU for severe SARS-CoV-2 pneumonia. PATIENTS AND METHODS: In this monocenter retrospective study, we reviewed all the respiratory microbiological investigations performed within the first 48 h of ICU admission of COVID-19 patients (RT-PCR positive for SARS-CoV-2) admitted for acute respiratory failure. RESULTS: From March 13th to April 16th 2020, a total of 92 adult patients (median age: 61 years, 1st-3rd quartiles [55-70]; males: n = 73/92, 79%; baseline SOFA: 4 [3-7] and SAPS II: 31 [21-40]; invasive mechanical ventilation: n = 83/92, 90%; ICU mortality: n = 45/92, 49%) were admitted to our 40-bed ICU for acute respiratory failure due to SARS-CoV-2 pneumonia. Among them, 26 (28%) were considered as co-infected with a pathogenic bacterium at ICU admission with no co-infection related to atypical bacteria or viruses. The distribution of the 32 bacteria isolated from culture and/or respiratory PCRs was as follows: methicillin-sensitive Staphylococcus aureus (n = 10/32, 31%), Haemophilus influenzae (n = 7/32, 22%), Streptococcus pneumoniae (n = 6/32, 19%), Enterobacteriaceae (n = 5/32, 16%), Pseudomonas aeruginosa (n = 2/32, 6%), Moraxella catarrhalis (n = 1/32, 3%) and Acinetobacter baumannii (n = 1/32, 3%). Among the 24 pathogenic bacteria isolated from culture, 2 (8%) and 5 (21%) were resistant to 3rd generation cephalosporin and to amoxicillin-clavulanate combination, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: We report on a 28% rate of bacterial co-infection at ICU admission of patients with severe SARSCoV-2 pneumonia, mostly related to Staphylococcus aureus, Haemophilus influenzae, Streptococcus pneumoniae and Enterobacteriaceae. In French patients with confirmed severe SARSCoV-2 pneumonia requiring ICU admission, our results encourage the systematic administration of an empiric antibiotic monotherapy with a 3rd generation cephalosporin, with a prompt de-escalation as soon as possible. Further larger studies are needed to assess the real prevalence and the predictors of co-infection together with its prognostic impact on critically ill patients with severe SARS-CoV-2 pneumonia.

Staphylococcus capitis isolated from bloodstream infections: a nationwide 3-month survey in 38 neonatal intensive care units.

To increase the knowledge about S. capitis in the neonatal setting, we conducted a nationwide 3-month survey in 38 neonatal intensive care units (NICUs) covering 56.6% of French NICU beds. We demonstrated 14.2% of S. capitis BSI (S.capBSI) among nosocomial BSIs. S.capBSI incidence rate was 0.59 per 1000 patient-days. A total of 55.0% of the S.capBSIs were late onset catheter-related BSIs. The S. capitis strains infected preterm babies (median gestational age 26 weeks, median birth weight 855 g). They were resistant to methicillin and aminoglycosides and belonged to the NRCS-A clone. Evolution was favorable in all but one case, following vancomycin treatment.

Amikacin pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic in intensive care unit: a prospective database.

BACKGROUND: Aminoglycosides have a concentration-dependent therapeutic effect when peak serum concentration (Cmax) reaches eight to tenfold the minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC). With an amikacin MIC of 8 mg/L, the Cmax should be 64-80 mg/L. This objective is based on clinical breakpoints and not on measured MIC. This study aimed to assess the proportion of patients achieving the pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic (PK/PD) target Cmax/MIC ≥ 8 using the measured MIC in critically ill patients treated for documented Gram-negative bacilli (GNB) infections. METHODS: Retrospective analysis from February 2016 to December 2017 of a prospective database conducted in 2 intensive care units (ICU). All patients with documented severe GNB infections treated with amikacin (single daily dose of 25 mg/kg of total body weight (TBW)) with both MIC and Cmax measurements at first day of treatment (D1) were included. Results are expressed in n (%) or median [min-max]. RESULTS: 93 patients with 98 GNB-documented infections were included. The median Cmax was 55.2 mg/L [12.2-165.7] and the median MIC was 2 mg/L [0.19-16]. Cmax/MIC ratio ≥ 8 was achieved in 87 patients (88.8%) while a Cmax ≥ 64 mg/L was achieved in only 38 patients (38.7%). Overall probability of PK/PD target attainment was 93%. No correlation was found between Cmax/MIC ratio and clinical outcome at D8 and D28. CONCLUSION: According to PK/PD parameters observed in our study, single daily dose of amikacin 25 mg/kg of TBW appears to be sufficient in most critically ill patients treated for severe GNB infections.