[Refractory colitis by Clostridium difficile treated with fecal microbiota transplant]. / Colitis refractaria por Clostridium difficile tratada con trasplante de microbiota fecal.

Clostridium difficile infection is an increasingly recognized cause of diarrhea in inpatients, frequently associated to high mortality. Vancomycin is the treatment of choice for all Clostridium difficile- associated diarrheas, with different degrees of severity. However, some patients develop refractory forms to that treatment and there are no alternative antibiotic schemes recommended for these cases. Fecal microbiota transplantation has been shown to be successful in a series of cases of severe diarrhea associated with this organism. We present a case of refractory C. difficile infection successfully treated with fecal microbiota transplantation.

La diarrea por Clostridium difficile es reconocida de manera creciente en pacientes hospitalizados y se asocia con alta mortalidad. La vancomicina por vía enteral es el tratamiento antibiótico recomendado para las diferentes formas, incluso las más graves. Sin embargo, un grupo pequeño de pacientes desarrolla formas refractarias a ese tratamiento y no existen esquemas antibióticos alternativos recomendados para estos casos. El trasplante de microbiota fecal ha demostrado ser exitoso en una serie de casos de diarrea grave asociada a este microorganismo. Presentamos un caso de diarrea refractaria por C. difficile que fue tratada con éxito con una infusión de microbiota fecal.

Colitis refractaria por Clostridium difficile tratada con trasplante de microbiota fecal / Refractory colitis by Clostridium difficile treated with fecal microbiota transplant

La diarrea por Clostridium difficile es reconocida de manera creciente en pacientes hospitalizados y se asocia con alta mortalidad. La vancomicina por vía enteral es el tratamiento antibiótico recomendado para las diferentes formas, incluso las más graves. Sin embargo, un grupo pequeño de pacientes desarrolla formas refractarias a ese tratamiento y no existen esquemas antibióticos alternativos recomendados para estos casos. El trasplante de microbiota fecal ha demostrado ser exitoso en una serie de casos de diarrea grave asociada a este microorganismo. Presentamos un caso de diarrea refractaria por C. difficile que fue tratada con éxito con una infusión de microbiota fecal.

Clostridium difficile infection is an increasingly recognized cause of diarrhea in inpatients, frequently associated to high mortality. Vancomycin is the treatment of choice for all Clostridium difficile- associated diarrheas, with different degrees of severity. However, some patients develop refractory forms to that treatment and there are no alternative antibiotic schemes recommended for these cases. Fecal microbiota transplantation has been shown to be successful in a series of cases of severe diarrhea associated with this organism. We present a case of refractory C. difficile infection successfully treated with fecal microbiota transplantation.

Pandemic influenza A/H1N1 virus infection in solid organ transplant recipients: a multicenter study.

BACKGROUND: The 2009 novel influenza A/H1N1 virus pandemic did not spare solid organ transplant (SOT) recipients. We aimed to describe the behavior of pandemic influenza infection in a group of SOT recipients in Argentina. METHODS: Data from 10 transplant (Tx) centers were retrospectively collected for SOT that presented with a respiratory illness compatible with pandemic influenza A infection, between May and September 2009. Cases were defined as suspected, probable, or confirmed according to diagnostic method. RESULTS: Seventy-seven cases were included. No significant differences in presenting symptoms, pulmonary infiltrates, and graft involvement were found among 35 suspected, 19 probable, and 23 confirmed cases. The 33 ambulatory cases had significantly more sore throat and headache when compared with 34 cases admitted to medical ward (MW) and 10 admitted to intensive care unit (ICU), 9 of whom required ventilatory support. MW and ICU cases had significantly more dyspnea, hypoxemia, pulmonary infiltrates, and graft dysfunction. Time from onset of symptoms to first visit and to treatment was significantly longer in MW and ICU cases (P=0.008). Coinfections were found in six cases. Most cases received oseltamivir for 5 to 10 days. Six patients (7.8%) died from viral infection at a median of 15 days from admission. No differences in outcome were seen related to the transplanted organ, the immunosuppressive regimen, time from Tx, or confirmation of diagnosis. CONCLUSIONS: Mortality is higher in Tx recipients than in the general population. Poor outcome seems to be related to a delay in the beginning of treatment.

[Chronic meningococcemia]. / Meningococcemia crónica.

Chronic meningococcemia is an unfrequent clinical picture within the spectrum of infections produced by Neisseria meningitidis. It is classically characterized by fever, skin lesions and joint involvement, usually without meningeal involvement, and with blood culture growth of the responsible bacteria. It generally affects previously healthy young people. It is unknown why these patients, unlike patients with Neisseria meningitidis's acute meningitis and with acute meningococcemia, can survive without complications during weeks, in abscence of an useful antibiotic treatment. It has been hypothesized that owing to high susceptibility to beta-lactam antibiotics of Neisseria meningitidis, many cases may be treated inadvertently. We describe a case of chronic meningococcemia in a young woman who presented a classical clinical picture, not recognized initially.

Meningococcemia crónica / Chronic menigococcemia

La meningococcemia crónica es una forma clínica infrecuente dentro del espectro de infecciones producido por Neisseria meningitidis. Clásicamente esta forma clínica se caracteriza por fiebre, lesiones cutáneas, compromiso articular, y desarrollo en hemocultivo de la bacteria responsable, habitualmente con ausencia de compromiso meníngeo. Generalmente afecta a adultos jóvenes previamente sanos. Se desconoce la razón por la cual estos pacientes, a diferencia de los que presentan meningitis aguda por Neisseria meningitidis y meningococcemia aguda, pueden sobrevivir sin complicaciones durante semanas en ausencia de tratamiento antibiótico útil. Se ha planteado que debido a la alta sensibilidad de esta bacteria a los antibióticos beta-lactámicos, muchos casos podrían ser tratados inadvertidamente. Describimos un caso de meningococcemia crónica en una mujer joven que presenta un cuadro clásico no reconocido inicialmente.

Chronic meningococcemia is an unfrequent clinical picture within the spectrum of infections produced by Neisseria meningitidis. It is classically characterized by fever, skin lesions and joint involvement, usually without meningeal involvement, and with blood culture growth of the responsible bacteria. It generally affects previously healthy young people. It is unknown why these patients, unlike patients with Neisseria meningitidis’s acute meningitis and with acute meningococcemia, can survive without complications during weeks, in abscence of an useful antibiotic treatment. It has been hypothesized that owing to high susceptibility to beta-lactam antibiotics of Neisseria meningitidis, many cases may be treated inadvertently. We describe a case of chronic meningococcemia in a young woman who presented a classical clinical picture, not recognized initially.

Neumonia adquirida en la comunidad (NAC) en adultos: guia de practica clinica para la Argentina / Community-acquired pneumonia in adults: clinical practice guideline for Argentina

La neumonía adquirida en la comunidad (NAC) afectaría a 1 de cada 100 personas por año. El tratamiento antibiótico inicial es casi siempre empírico. Normativas de otros paises para el manejo de las NAC no son aplicables en nuestro medio. Estudios extranjeros y datos nacionales no publicados sirvieron para determinar los posibles agentes etiológicos y su susceptibilidad a los antibióticos. Se definieron las pruebas diagnósticas recomendables, los grupos de pacientes para los distintos esquemas terapéuticos y los criterios de internación. Se distinguió a la NAC severa que requiere terapia intensiva del resto por su etiología diferente y elevada mortalidad, requiriendo un manejo terapéutico diferente. Edad, enfermedades asociadas y gravedad fueron tomadas en cuenta en la elección del esquema empírico.