Successful Antimicrobial Therapy of Esophageal Stenosis Because of Actinomycosis.

Esophageal stenosis can cause vomiting or dysphagia in children and is commonly treated with esophageal balloon dilation. However, surgery may be required if the stenosis does not respond to dilation. Although esophageal actinomycosis can cause severe esophageal strictures and be refractory to balloon dilation, it has been reported to respond effectively to antimicrobial therapy in adults. However, the course of the disease and appropriate treatment strategies in children are not well understood. We present a case of a previously healthy 2-year-old boy diagnosed with esophageal stenosis because of actinomycosis. The patient was treated with intravenous penicillin G, followed by oral amoxicillin for 8 weeks and 6 months, respectively. After completion of the antimicrobial treatment, the patient showed improvement in symptoms and endoscopic findings. At the 1-year follow-up, the patient showed consistent weight gain and normal growth without further intervention. This case highlights the importance of considering esophageal actinomycosis as a potential cause of esophageal stenosis in children and the potential effectiveness of antimicrobial therapy in avoiding surgical intervention.

A pilot study evaluating high dose esomeprazole, bismuth subcitrate and amoxicillin for eradicating Helicobacter pylori infection in Iran.

BACKGROUND: Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) is strongly associated with peptic ulcer disease and gastric cancer. We evaluated two triple therapy regimens comprising esomeprazole, high dose bismuth, and different doses of amoxicillin for first-line H. pylori eradication. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Two hundred patients with dyspepsia and naive H. pylori infection were randomly assigned into two groups (n = 100). Both groups were treated for 14 days similarly with esomeprazole (40 mg, twice daily) and bismuth subcitrate (240 mg, three times daily), but the dose of amoxicillin was varied between Groups A (750 mg) and B (1000 mg) three times daily. Treatment compliance and side effect were evaluated following the therapies and after 8 weeks, a negative test of stool H. pylori antigen confirmed eradication. RESULTS: The two groups were comparable with respect to sex and age. According to intention to treat analysis, eradication rates were 80% (95% CI: 77.2%-82.8%) and 90% (95% CI: 84.1%-95.9%) in A and B groups, respectively (p = 0.22). Per-protocol eradication rates were 87% (95% CI: 80.4%-93.6%) and 92.8% (95% CI: 87.7%-97.9%), respectively (p = 0.23). Severe adverse effects were 3% and 2%, respectively (p = 0.34). CONCLUSION: High dose esomeprazole, amoxicillin and bismuth achieved 92.8% cure rates per protocol in a country with a high background rate of resistance. Additional studies are needed to ascertain whether this therapy can be further improved. Until then, it can be recommended as a first-line H. pylori eradication in north of Iran.

Acidente de hipoclorito de sódio durante retratamento endodôntico / Sodium hypochlorite accident during endodontic retreatment / Accidente con hipoclorito de sodio durante retratamiento

O retratamento endodôntico é uma intervenção executada em um dente que já apresenta um tratamento realizado anteriormente que foi mal sucedido clínica e/ou radiograficamente. O objetivo deste trabalho foi o de relatar um caso de retratamento endodôntico na clínica de Atenção Básica III da Faculdade de Odontologia de Pernambuco devido ao desconforto estético do incisivo lateral superior que estava fraturado e necessitando de prótese fixa. Após anamnese, exames extra e intra-oral e exames radiográficos, constatou-se o canal do dente 12 havia sido tratado endodonticamente há aproximadamente quatro anos. A remoção da gutta percha contaminada foi realizada com as limas rotatórias EasyLogic RT® 25mm sequência 30.10 torque 4N e 900 RPM, 25.08 torque 4Ne 900 RPM. Após remoção da guta-percha, realizou-se o protocolo de irrigação com solução de hipoclorito de sódio a 2,5% (Biodinâmic). A odontometria foi realizada com localizador apical e confirmada por radiografia periapical e o repreparo do canal radicular confeccionado com a Lima EasyLogic 2® de número 35.06 e posterior irrigação com a solução de Labarraque. Nesse momento, o paciente relatou dor e após aspiração com sugador endodôntico, notou-se sangramento abundante, correspondendo ao extravasamento do hipoclorito de sódio (Enfizema por hipoclorito de sódio. O paciente foi medicado com Amoxacilina 875mg de 12 em 12 horas durante sete dias, Predisin 20mg ­ Corticóide - um comprimido pela manhã por 4 dias e Nimesulida 100mg de 12 em 12 horas durante 5 dias. Após 24 horas o paciente não relatou dor nem edema. Na segunda sessão, 10 dias após o acidente, a obturação foi realizada com cone único de guta-percha 35.06 HBassi (Easy, associado ao cimento Bio C Sealer Fillapex (Angelus®). Concluiu-se que a conduta terapêutica imediata instituída para este caso, foi efetiva para o controle da dor e prevenção de complicações adicionais após injeção acidental de hipoclorito de sódio.

Endodontic retreatment is an intervention performed on a tooth that already has a previously performed treatment that was clinically and/ or radiographically unsuccessful. The objective of this study was to report a case of endodontic retreatment at the Primary Care Clinic III of the Faculty of Dentistry of Pernambuco due to the aesthetic discomfort of the maxillary lateral incisor that was fractured and required a fixed prosthesis. After anamnesis, extra and intraoral exams and radiographic exams, it was found that the root canal of tooth 12 had been endodontically treated for approximately four years. Removal of contaminated gutta percha with those performed with EasyLogic RT® 25mm rotary files sequence 30.10 torque 4N and 900 RPM, 25.08 torque 4N and 900 RPM. After removing the gutta-percha, the irrigation protocol was performed with a 2.5% sodium hypochlorite solution (Biodynamic). Odontometry was performed with an apex locator and confirmed by periapical radiography and root canal re-preparation made with EasyLogic 2® File number 35.06 and subsequent irrigation with Labarraque's solution. At that moment, the patient reported pain and after aspiration with an endodontic sucker, there was profuse bleeding, corresponding to sodium hypochlorite extravasation (Sodium hypochlorite emphysema. The patient was medicated with Amoxicillin 875mg every 12 hours for seven days, Predisin 20mg - Corticosteroid - one tablet in the morning for 4 days and Nimesulide 100mg every 12 hours for 5 days. After 24 hours the patient did not report pain or swelling. In the second session, 10 days after the accident, the filling was performed with a single cone of gutta-percha 35.06 HBassi (Easy, associated with Bio C Sealer Fillapex cement (Angelus®). It was concluded that the immediate therapeutic approach instituted for this case was effective for pain control and prevention of complications. additional doses after accidental injection of sodium hypochlorite.

El retratamiento endodóntico es una intervención que se realiza sobre un diente que ya tiene un tratamiento realizado previamente que resultó clínica y/o radiográficamente fallido. El objetivo de este estudio fue relatar un caso de retratamiento endodóntico en la Clínica de Atención Básica III de la Facultad de Odontología de Pernambuco debido a la incomodidad estética del incisivo lateral maxilar que estaba fracturado y requirió prótesis fija. Después de anamnesis, exámenes extraorales, intraorales y exámenes radiográficos, se encontró que el conducto radicular del diente 12 había sido tratado endodónticamente durante aproximadamente cuatro años. Eliminación de gutapercha contaminada con las realizadas con limas rotatorias EasyLogic RT® 25mm secuencia 30.10 torque 4N y 900 RPM, 25.08 torque 4N y 900 RPM. Tras retirar la gutapercha, se realizó el protocolo de irrigación con una solución de hipoclorito de sodio al 2,5% (Biodynamic). Se realizó odontometría con localizador de ápices y se confirmó mediante radiografía periapical y repreparación del conducto radicular realizada con EasyLogic 2® File número 35.06 y posterior irrigación con solución de Labarraque. En ese momento el paciente refirió dolor y luego de aspiración con ventosa endodóntica presentó sangrado profuso, correspondiente a extravasación de hipoclorito de sodio (Enfisema por hipoclorito de sodio. El paciente fue medicado con Amoxicilina 875mg cada 12 horas por siete días. Predisin 20mg - Corticosteroide - una tableta por la mañana por 4 días y Nimesulida 100mg cada 12 horas por 5 días, luego de 24 horas el paciente no refirió dolor ni hinchazón, en la segunda sesión, 10 días después del accidente, se realizó el relleno con un solo cono de gutapercha 35.06 HBassi (Easy, asociado al cemento Bio C Sealer Fillapex (Angelus®). Se concluyó que el abordaje terapéutico inmediato instituido para este caso fue eficaz para el control del dolor y la prevención de complicaciones. dosis adicionales después de accidente inyección de hipoclorito de sodio.

Fiebre tifoidea: una etiología poco frecuente de síndrome febril prolongado en pediatría / Typhoid fever: a rare etiology of prolonged febrile illness in pediatrics / Febre tifoide: uma etiología rara de síndrome febril prolongada em pediatría

Introducción: Las infecciones representan la etiología más frecuente del síndrome febril prolongado (SFP). Si bien las fiebres entéricas constituyen una causa posible, en Uruguay su prevalencia ha disminuido significativamente con la mejora de las condiciones socio sanitarias. Objetivo: Comunicar el caso de un adolescente con una etiología actualmente excepcional de SFP. Caso clínico 14 años, sano, zona suburbana. Comienza 2 semanas previo al ingreso con dolor en hemiabdomen superior. Agrega cefalea holocraneana leve y vómitos ocasionales. 5 días previos al ingreso fiebre 40°C axilar, un pico diario, sin otra sintomatología. Tránsito digestivo bajo y urinario normal. Examen físico: lúcido, buen aspecto general, abdomen doloroso a la palpación profunda en epigastrio. Sin irritación peritoneal. Resto normal. Analítica: Leucocitos 5200mm3, Proteína C reactiva 71.4mg/dL, hemocultivo sin desarrollo. Ecografía abdominal, radiografía de tórax y ecocardiograma normales. Serologías para Virus Epstein Barr, Citomegalovirus, y Bartonella henselae negativas. Orina normal, urocultivo sin desarrollo. Persiste con fiebre, agrega exantema macropapular evanescente en tronco, sin otros síntomas. Al 7° día de internación nuevo hemocultivo: Salmonella Typhi sensible a ampicilina que recibe por 14 días. Buena evolución. Discusión: La fiebre tifoidea es una enfermedad infectocontagiosa, aguda, potencialmente mortal. Las condiciones socioeconómicas son determinantes en su transmisión. La sensibilidad del hemocultivo es mayor durante la primera semana de enfermedad, por lo que en ocasiones es necesario reiterarlo. Sus manifestaciones clínicas inespecíficas y la baja incidencia hacen que esta etiología no sea habitualmente sospechada en nuestro medio. Por tanto, es importante aumentar el índice de sospecha y considerar entre los diagnósticos diferenciales de SFP esta etiología.

Introduction: Infections are the most frequent etiology of prolonged febrile illness (PFI). Although enteric fevers are a possible cause, their prevalence has significantly diminished in Uruguay, due to improved socio-sanitary conditions. Objective: To communicate the case of an adolescent with a currently exceptional etiology of PFI. Clinical case: 14 years old, healthy, suburban area. Two days prior to admission the patient has pain in upper hemi abdomen. Adds mild holocranial headache and occasional vomiting. 5 days prior to admission axilary temperature of 40°C, one daily peak, without other symptoms. Normal lower digestive and urinary transit. Physical examination: lucid, good general aspect, pain at deep palpation in epigastrium. No peritoneal irritation. Rest is normal. Laboratory: leukocytes 5200 mm3, C-reactive protein 71.4mg/dL, blood culture shows no growth. Abdominal sonogram, thoracic X-ray and echocardiogram are normal. Negative serology for Epstein Barr Virus, Cytomegalovirus and Bartonella henselae. Normal urine, urine culture with no growth. Fever persists, adds evanescent macropapular exanthema in on the trunk, without other symptoms. On the 7th day in hospital a new blood culture shows Salmonella Typhi sensitive to ampicillin, which he receives for 14 days. Good evolution. Discussion: Typhoid fever is an acute, life-threatening, infectious disease. Socioeconomic conditions are determinant in its transmission. Blood culture sensitivity is greater during the first week of the disease, that is why it must occasionally be repeated. Its unspecific clinical manifestations and low incidence make this etiology not be usually suspected in our surroundings. It is therefore important to increase our suspicion and to consider it amongst differential diagnosis in PFI.

Introdução: As infecções representam a etiologia mais frequente da síndrome febril prolongada (SFP). Embora as febres entéricas sejam uma causa possível, no Uruguai sua prevalência diminuiu significativamente com a melhoria das condições sociossanitárias. Objetivo: Relatar o caso de um adolescente com etiologia atualmente excepcional de SFP. Caso clínico 14 anos, saudável, zona suburbana. Começa 2 semanas antes da admissão com dor no abdome superior. Adiciona dor de cabeça holocraniana leve e vômitos ocasionais. 5 dias antes da admissão febre 40°C axilar, pico diário, sem outros sintomas. Trânsito digestivo inferior e trânsito urinário normais. Exame físico: lúcido, bom aspecto geral, abdome doloroso à palpação profunda no epigástrio. Sem irritação peritoneal. Resto normal. Análise: Leucócitos 5200mm3, proteína C reativa 71,4mg/dL, hemocultura sem desenvolvimento. Ultrassonografia abdominal, radiografia de tórax e ecocardiograma foram normais. As sorologias para vírus Epstein Barr, Citomegalovírus e Bartonella henselae foram negativas. Urina normal, urocultura sem desenvolvimento. Persiste com febre, acrescenta erupção macropapular evanescente no tronco, sem outros sintomas. No 7º dia de internação, nova hemocultura: Salmonella Typhi sensível à ampicilina, que recebeu por 14 dias. Boa evolução. Discussão: A febre tifóide é uma doença infecciosa aguda, potencialmente fatal. As condições socioeconômicas são decisivas na sua transmissão. A sensibilidade da hemocultura é maior durante a primeira semana da doença, por isso às vezes é necessário repeti-la. Suas manifestações clínicas inespecíficas e baixa incidência fazem com que essa etiologia não seja usualmente suspeitada em nosso meio. Portanto, é importante aumentar o índice de suspeição e considerar essa etiologia entre os diagnósticos diferenciais da SFP.

Bacterial colonization of bladder urothelial cells in women with refractory Detrusor Overactivity: the effects of antibiotic therapy.

Bacterial infection may have a pathophysiological role in refractory Detrusor Overactivity (DO). The aim of this study was to observe any impact of antibiotic therapy upon bacterial colonization of urothelial cells, and to determine whether a relationship existed between colonization and symptom severity. Mid-stream urine samples were collected as part of a clinical trial of antibiotics in women with refractory DO. Wright stained urothelial cells were categorized according to the degree of bacterial colonization as; 'clear' (free of bacteria), or as associated with bacteria that were 'adjacent' to the cell or 'intracellular' at low or high density. The average percentages were compared with routine microbiology cultures, over the 26 week trial, and with patient clinical outcome measures of DO severity. In patients receiving placebo, 'high-density intracellular bacteria' significantly increased during urinary tract infection (P = 0.0008). In antibiotic patients, 'clear' cells were more prevalent. Amoxicillin & Clavulanic Acid significantly decreased bacterial colonization within urothelial cells, suggesting that these antibiotics possess the greatest intracellular efficacy. 'High-density intracellular bacteria' positively correlated with symptom severity, measured by leakage on pad test (P = 0.014), leaks per day (P = 0.004), and voids per day (P = 0.005). Thus, by decreasing high density intracellular bacteria, antibiotic treatment may improve the refractory DO condition.

Gastric mucosal changes, and sex differences therein, after Helicobacter pylori eradication: A long-term prospective follow-up study.

BACKGROUND AND AIM: Improvement of atrophic gastritis and intestinal metaplasia (IM) is considered to reduce the gastric cancer risk, but whether it can be achieved by H. pylori eradication (HPE) remains controversial. To evaluate the effect of HPE, we observed the gastric mucosa for up to17 years after HPE and sex differences in gastric mucosa. METHODS: In total, 172 patients (94 males, 78 females) with HPE were enrolled. Annual histological evaluations were performed for up to 17 years. The grades of mononuclear cells, neutrophils, atrophy, IM in the antrum and corpus were evaluated using the updated Sydney system. RESULTS: Relative to the pre-HPE period, atrophy had improved significantly 1 year after HPE in the antrum (1.50 ± 0.75 vs. 1.21 ± 1.25, P < 0.01) and corpus (0.59 ± 0.75 vs. 0.18 ± 0.52, P < 0.05). IM showed no significant change during 17 years after HPE at either biopsy site. Atrophy scores did not differ significantly between males and females. IM scores were significantly higher in males than in females before eradication (antrum, 0.67 ± 0.94 vs. 0.44 ± 0.77, P = 0.003, corpus, 0.20 ± 0.62 vs. 0.047 ± 0.21, P = 0.0027) and at most observation timepoints. CONCLUSIONS: During 17 years after HPE, atrophy, but not IM, improved significantly at the greater curvatures of the antrum and corpus. IM was significantly more severe in males than in females. Careful follow-up after HPE based on sex differences in gastric mucosal characteristics is important.

Microbiological and host-derived biomarker evaluation following non-surgical periodontal therapy with short-term administration of systemic antimicrobials: secondary outcomes of an RCT.

Nonsurgical periodontal therapy with adjunctive use of systemic antimicrobials (for 7-14 days) showed improved clinical, microbiological and immunological results over the mechanical protocol alone. Considering the increasing risk for antimicrobial resistance with longer antibiotic regimes, it is important to establish the optimal antibiotic protocol with a maximum antimicrobial benefit and minimum risk for adverse effects. The aim of the study was to evaluate the microbiological and inflammatory outcomes 12-months after a 3-/7-day systemic antibiotic protocol [amoxicillin (AMX) + metronidazole (MET)] adjunctive to subgingival debridement in severe periodontitis compared to mechanical treatment alone. From the initially treated 102 patients, 75 subjects (Placebo group: n = 26; 3-day AMX + MET group: n = 24; 7-day AMX + MET group: n = 25) completed the 12-month examination. Clinical parameters, eight periodontal pathogens and inflammatory markers were determined at baseline and 3-, 6-, 12-months after therapy using real-time PCR and ELISA respectively. After 6 months, several periodontopathogens were significantly more reduced in the two antibiotic groups compared to placebo (p < 0.05). After 1 year, both antibiotic protocols showed significant reductions and detection of the keystone pathogen P. gingivalis compared to placebo. Antibiotic protocols, smoking, disease severity, baseline-BOP, -CAL and -IL-1ß, as well as detection of T. denticola at 12-months significantly influenced the residual number of deep sites. The present data indicate that the systemic use of both short and longer antibiotic protocols (AMX + MET) adjunctive to nonsurgical periodontal therapy lead to higher microbiological improvements compared to subgingival debridement alone. The two investigated antibiotic protocols led to comparable microbiological and inflammatory results.

Vonoprazan-based triple therapy is effective for Helicobacter pylori eradication irrespective of clarithromycin susceptibility.

BACKGROUND: Helicobacter pylori causes peptic ulcers and accounts for over 90% of gastric cancers; however, eradication rates have been declining due to antimicrobial resistance. Vonoprazan (VPZ), a potassium-competitive acid blocker, produces rapid and profound gastric acid suppression and has shown promising effects in the improvement of H. pylori eradication rates. The efficacy and safety of VPZ-based triple therapy as a first-line regimen for H. pylori eradication and its relationship with clarithromycin (CAM) susceptibility were evaluated. METHODS: From May 2015 to September 2017, H. pylori-infected patients who underwent esophagogastroduodenoscopy with CAM susceptibility testing were prospectively enrolled. Patients received a 7-day triple therapy regimen (VAC) of VPZ (20 mg), amoxicillin (750 mg), and CAM (200 mg) twice daily. Eradication rates, demographics, CAM susceptibility, and safety profiles were assessed. RESULTS: VAC was administered to 146 patients (median age: 63, range: 22-85 years) (60% of whom were females) who underwent CAM susceptibility testing, and 131 patients underwent 13C-urea breath testing to evaluate eradication success. The prevalence of CAM resistance was 34.2%. The overall eradication rates of VAC in per protocol (PP) and "intention to treat" (ITT) analyses were 90.8% (n = 131) and 81.5% (n = 146), respectively. In PP analysis for CAM susceptibility, the eradication rates of VAC were comparable between CAM-sensitive (91.6%, n = 83) and CAM-resistant (89.4%, n = 47) strains. The corresponding rates from the ITT analysis were 80.0% (n = 95) and 84.0% (n = 50), respectively. No adverse events requiring discontinuation of VAC were observed. CONCLUSIONS: CAM-resistant H. pylori was prevalent in one-third of patients in the Tokyo metropolitan area. VPZ-based triple therapy was highly effective and well-tolerated irrespective of CAM susceptibility. Therefore, it could be a valuable first-line treatment regimen for H. pylori infection.

The prolongation effect of ilaprazole-based standard triple therapy for Helicobacter pylori.

BACKGROUND: Helicobacter pylori (HP) infection causes many diseases, such as peptic ulcers, gastritis and gastric cancer, and MALToma. It has been gradually accepted that all HP-infected patients should be treated because HP is regarded as an infection. Therefore, the importance of selecting the optimal treatment regimen has increased. Although the 14-day standard triple therapy (STT) is recommended in the current guidelines, prolonging treatment duration is controversial in real practice because of inconsistent results from previous data and the risk of adverse effects. Additionally, the effect of STT using ilaprazole has not been reported until now. We aimed to compare the eradication rate between 7 and 10 days STT using ilaprazole. METHODS: A prospective randomized controlled trial was conducted, which was divided into 2 treatment groups: the control group was 7 days of STT, and the test group was 10 days of STT. The eradication regimen was 10 mg ilaprazole, 500 mg clarithromycin, and 1000 mg amoxicillin twice daily. We included patients who were diagnosed with positive results of H pylori examination. We compared the HP eradication rate according to treatment duration, CYP2C19 subtype and endoscopic diagnosis. RESULTS: We enrolled a total of 254 patients consisting of 127 patients in each treatment arm. The eradication rates of the control and test groups were 65.4% (82/127) and 74.8% (95/127), respectively, in the intention-to-treat analysis (P = .1). In the per-protocol analysis, 70.3% (83/118) and 82.6% (94/115) were eradicated in each group, which was statistically significant (P = .027). The CYP2C19 subtype was examined in 230 patients. The eradication rate was 79.2% (57/72), 75.4% (92/122), and 72.2% (26/36) in each group, which was not significantly different (P = .704). CONCLUSION: Ten-day STT was more effective than 7-day STT for HP eradication. The eradication rate was not affected by the CYP2C19 genotype.

Antibiotic dosage prescribed in oral implant surgery: A meta-analysis of cross-sectional surveys.

This study aimed to assess the dosage and types of antibiotics prescribed in oral implant surgery, compare them among the different subpopulations (country and prescription regimens) and against the evidence-based recommended dosage: a 2-gram single preoperative dose of amoxicillin. A meta-analysis of cross-sectional surveys was conducted, which reports the overall dosage (and type) of antibiotics prescribed in combination with implant placement. PubMed, Cochrane, Science, Direct, and EMBASE via OVID were searched until April 2019. Three reviewers independently undertook data extraction and risk of bias assessment. The outcome variable was set on the average of prophylactic antibiotics prescribed per oral implant surgery. Overall, 726 participants from five cross-sectional surveys, representing five different countries were finally included. Amoxicillin was the most prescribed antibiotic. On average, 10,724 mg of antibiotics were prescribed per implant surgery. This average was significantly (p<0.001) higher than 2,000 mg. Overall, amoxicillin doses were significantly higher than 2,000 mg (9,700 mg, p<0.001). All prescribed amoxicillin regimens independently contained more than 2,000 mg, including those comprising only preoperative amoxicillin (2,175 mg, p = 0.006). Exclusive preoperative antibiotic regimens were the only subgroup with prescription dosages below this threshold (p = 0.091). Significant variations in antibiotic prescriptions were found among different countries and antibiotic regimens (p<0.001). In conclusion, the average dose of antibiotics prescribed per oral implant surgery was larger than the evidence-based recommended dose in healthy patients and straightforward conditions. In addition, variations in the average antibiotic dosages were found among different countries and prescription regimens.

An unusual Staphylococcus saccharolyticus spondylodiscitis post kyphoplasty: a case report.

BACKGROUND: Staphylococcus saccharolyticus is a rarely encountered coagulase-negative, which grows slowly and its strictly anaerobic staphylococcus from the skin. It is usually considered a contaminant, but some rare reports have described deep-seated infections. Virulence factors remain poorly known, although, genomic analysis highlights pathogenic potential. CASE PRESENTATION: We report a case of Staphylococcus saccharolyticus spondylodiscitis that followed kyphoplasty, a procedure associated with a low rate but possible severe infectious complication (0.46%), and have reviewed the literature. This case specifically stresses the risk of healthcare-associated S. saccharolyticus infection in high-risk patients (those with a history of alcoholism and heavy smoking). CONCLUSION: S. saccharolyticus infection is difficult to diagnose due to microbiological characteristics of this bacterium; it requires timely treatment, and improved infection control procedure should be encouraged for high-risk patients.

Cervicofacial actinomycosis of the mandible in a paediatric patient.

Cervicofacial actinomycosis remains a rare pathogenic finding in the paediatric population. Diagnosis is challenging, as findings are often non-specific and Actinomyces species are generally difficult to culture. Treatment is a prolonged course of antibiotics, either intravenous and oral, often combined with a surgical procedure to remove the lesion. This patient had non-specific intermittent left mandibular pain for 8 months that was eventually attributed to an Actinomyces odontolyticus infection in the mandible. Diagnosis required incisional biopsy, and treatment involved 12 months of oral antibiotics.

Outbreaks of Typhlocolitis Caused by Hypervirulent Group ST1 Clostridioides difficile in Highly Immunocompromised Strains of Mice.

Clostridioides difficile is an enteric pathogen that can cause significant clinical disease in both humans and animals. However, clinical disease arises most commonly after treatment with broad-spectrum antibiotics. The organism's ability to cause naturally occurring disease in mice is rare, and little is known about its clinical significance in highly immunocompromised mice. We report on 2 outbreaks of diarrhea associated with C. difficile in mice. In outbreak 1, 182 of approximately 2, 400 NOD.Cg-Prkdcscid Il2rgtm1Wjl/SzJ (NSG) and related strains of mice became clinically ill after cessation of a 14-d course of 0.12% amoxicillin feed to control an increase in clinical signs associated with Corynebacterium bovis infection. Most mice had been engrafted with human tumors; the remainder were experimentally naïve. Affected animals exhibited 1 of 3 clinical syndromes: 1) peracute death; 2) severe diarrhea leading to euthanasia or death; or 3) mild to moderate diarrhea followed by recovery. A given cage could contain both affected and unaffected mice. Outbreak 2 involved a small breeding colony (approximately 50 mice) of NOD. CB17-Prkdcscid/NCrCrl (NOD-scid) mice that had not received antibiotics or experimental manipulations. In both outbreaks, C. difficile was isolated, and toxins A and B were detected in intestinal content or feces. Histopathologic lesions highly suggestive of C. difficile enterotoxemia included fibrinonecrotizing and neutrophilic typhlocolitis with characteristic 'volcano' erosions or pseudomembrane formation. Genomic analysis of 4 isolates (3 from outbreak 1 and 1 from outbreak 2) revealed that these isolates were closely related to a pathogenic human isolate, CD 196. To our knowledge, this report is the first to describe naturally occurring outbreaks of C. difficile-associated typhlocolitis with significant morbidity and mortality in highly immunocompromised strains of mice.

A randomized, multicenter and noninferiority study of amoxicillin plus berberine vs tetracycline plus furazolidone in quadruple therapy for Helicobacter pylori rescue treatment.

OBJECTIVE: Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection is closely associated with gastric ulcers and gastric adenocarcinomas. We aimed to assess the efficacy and safety of a quadruple regimen with amoxicillin plus berberine vs tetracycline plus furazolidone in rescue therapy for H. pylori eradication. METHODS: We conducted a randomized, open-label, multicenter, noninferiority trial. Patients with previous treatment failures recruited from five centers were randomized (1:1) to receive a regimen with esomeprazole and bismuth plus either berberine and amoxicillin (the BA group) or tetracycline and furazolidone (the TF group) for 14 days. Their H. pylori infection status was confirmed 4-8 weeks after treatment. The primary outcome was the eradication rate. The secondary outcomes included the rates of symptom improvement, compliance, and adverse events. This study was registered at ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT03609892). RESULTS: Altogether 658 participants were consecutively enrolled. An intention-to-treat analysis demonstrated that the two regimens achieved a similar eradication rate (76.3% vs 77.5%; P = 0.781). The per-protocol analysis reached a similar result (81.5% vs 85.0%; P = 0.278). The eradication rate reached in the BA group was greater than the pre-established margin of noninferiority, at -10% (the lower bounds of the 95% CI were -7.66% and -9.43%, respectively). The rate of adverse events was lower for the BA group than the TF group (18.5% vs 26.1%, P = 0.024). Rates of compliance and symptom improvement were similar for the two therapies. CONCLUSION: The efficacy of both regimens in rescue treatment for H. pylori eradication was satisfactory, 14-day BA-based quadruple therapy is noninferior to the TF-based therapy.

Helicobacter pylori Eradication Regressed Gastric Hyperplastic Polyp: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

BACKGROUND: Helicobacter pylori infection and hyperplastic polyp are known to have strong connections, but there are not enough randomized controlled trial data. AIMS: To evaluate the effect of H. pylori eradication on gastric hyperplastic polyp. METHOD: This is an open-labeled, single-center, randomized controlled trial. Patients with hyperplastic polyp and current infection of H. pylori were randomly assigned to eradication or non-eradication groups. All participants underwent follow-up endoscopy to investigate the regression of gastric polyps. Gastric polyp regression was defined as the disappearance of polyps or a reduction of more than 50% in size. RESULTS: Thirty-two patients were randomized to eradication (n = 17) and non-eradication groups (n = 15). Final included patients were 14 in eradication group and 13 in non-eradication group. All patients showed polyp regression in eradication group, whereas no regression was observed in non-eradication group (P < 0.001). Disappearance of polyp (n = 7) and decrease in size (n = 7) were observed in eradication group. In non-eradication group, no change (n = 5), increase of size (n = 5), and increase of number (n = 3) were observed. Mean regression time was 6.8 months, and disappearance time was 9.8 months. In non-eradication group, hyperglycemia was noted in 50% of progression group but not noted in no change group (P = 0.057). CONCLUSIONS: H. pylori eradication induced regression of hyperplastic polyp, and persistent H. pylori infection was related to progression of gastric polyp. CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov ID: NCT03065868.

Gingival recession after scaling and root planing with or without systemic metronidazole and amoxicillin: a re-review.

BACKGROUND: Gingival recessions inevitably occur during healing after scaling and root planing, but synoptic data on this topic is still lacking. This review compared the recession formation with and without the administration of systemic antibiotics. OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the formation of recession with and without the administration of antibiotics during the healing after scaling and root planing. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This study re-analyzed publications that reported clinical attachment levels (CAL) and probing pocket depths (PD) up to January 2019, including the pivotal review by Zandbergen and co-workers (2013). Whereas these studies traditionally focused on PD and CAL, the present analysis compared recession formation (ΔREC) after adjunctive systemic administration of amoxicillin (amx) and metronidazole (met) during scaling and root planing (SRP) and SRP alone. The mean increase in ΔREC, if not reported, was calculated from CAL and PD values and statistically analyzed. Recession formation was compared after 3 and 6 months after therapy. Results were separately reported for chronic periodontitis (CP) as well as aggressive periodontitis (AP) cases. RESULTS: Recessions increased consistently between baseline and follow-up. In the AP group, median ΔREC was 0.20 mm after 3 months, irrespective of whether antibiotics were administered or not. After 6 months, median ΔREC increased to 0.35 mm after AB and remained stable at 0.20 mm with SRP alone. In the CP group, after 3 months with and without antibiotics, median ΔREC accounted for 0.30 mm and 0.14 mm, respectively. After 6 months, median ΔREC accounted for 0.28 mm (with AB) and 0.20 mm (without AB). The quantitative assessment by meta-analyses also yielded small values (≤ 0.25 mm) for the estimated differences in recession formation between AB and noAB; however, none of them reached statistical significance. CONCLUSIONS: Although a slight tendency towards higher recession formation after SRP in combination with AB could be observed in many studies, quantitative meta-analyses showed no clinically relevant difference in recession formation due to the administration of AB. In general, the description and discussion of recessions in the literature seems not to be a major focus so far. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Since the preservation of gingival tissues is important by preventive and therapeutic means, e.g., when avoiding postoperative root sensitivity or performing regenerative surgery, these aspects should not be neglected. We thus suggest to report REC measurements along with PD and CAL values for more direct recession formation (ΔREC) assessments in the future.

A Potassium-Competitive Acid Blocker-Based Regimen as Second-Line Therapy Improves Helicobacter pylori Eradication.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Although a potassium-competitive acid blocker (PCAB)-based regimen improves the rate of successful Helicobacter pylori first-line eradication, the efficacy of a PCAB-based regimen as second-line therapy is unclear. The aim of this study is to compare the success of second-line eradication of H. pylori using PCAB and proton pump inhibitor (PPI)-based regimens. METHODS: From 2014 to 2017, 624 patients who underwent second-line H. pylori eradication were enrolled. A standard triple regimen for second-line H. pylori eradication includes metronidazole 250 mg, amoxicillin 750 mg, and PPI or PCAB twice daily for 7 days. The success of eradication was compared using intention-to-treat, per-protocol, and propensity-score matching analysis. RESULTS: All patients completed the 7-day course of therapy. Patients using a PCAB-based regimen had a higher rate of eradication than those using a PPI-based regimen in both intention-to-treat (90% [298/330] vs. 85% [250/294], p = 0.045) and per-protocol analyses (96% [298/309] vs. 91% [250/274], p = 0.008). Adverse events occurred in 4 patients. Propensity score matching analysis acquired 274 matched pairs. Patients using a PCAB-based regimen had a higher rate of eradication than those using a PPI-based regimen (96% [264/274] vs. 91% [250/274], p = 0.013). CONCLUSIONS: PCAB-based second-line H. pylori eradication is significantly better than PPI-based therapy.

Efficacy of modified esomeprazole-amoxicillin dual therapies for Helicobacter pylori infection: an open-label, randomized trial.

OBJECTIVE: The prevalence of Helicobacter pylori resistance to amoxicillin was less than 5% in most countries. Proton pump inhibitor (PPI)-amoxicillin dual therapy dosing four times daily (q.i.d.) for 14 days could achieve an eradication rate of more than 85%. It is unclear whether dual therapy with shorter treatment duration or lower dosing frequency could also attain a satisfactory cure rate. We conducted a randomized controlled trial to assess the efficacy and safety of two modified esomeprazole-amoxicillin dual therapies, 10-day q.i.d. and 14-day three times daily (t.i.d.) dual therapy, and investigate the factors that might affect the eradication rates. PARTICIPANTS AND METHODS: A total of 253 patients were screened for eligibility and 208 patients were randomly assigned to 10-day dual therapy (esomeprazole 20 mg and amoxicillin 750 mg, all given four times daily) or 14-day dual therapy (esomeprazole 20 mg and amoxicillin 1000 mg, all given three times daily). RESULTS: In the intention-to-treat analysis, the eradication rates for 10-day and 14-day groups were 79.8% [95% confidence interval (CI): 70.2-87.4%] and 83.5% (95% CI: 74.3-90.5%) as first-line therapies; and 80% (95% CI: 44.4-97.5%) and 76.9% (95% CI: 46.2-95.0%) as rescue therapies. The adverse event rates were 5.9% and 5.0% for 10-day and 14-day groups, respectively. Smoking and compliance significantly affected the efficacy of PPI-amoxicillin dual therapies. CONCLUSION: The eradication rate of 10-day q.i.d. dual therapy was unacceptable, while that of the 14-day t.i.d. dual therapy was borderline acceptable for first-line therapy. The two dual therapies were well tolerated with few adverse effects.

An uncommon cause for a breast abscess: Actinomyces turicensis with Peptoniphilus harei.

Our case report describes a patient with a common presenting complaint yet an uncommon infection. Our patient presented with a fluctuant breast mass diagnosed as a breast abscess. An aspirate sample was sent for culture and sensitivities, which revealed the presence of Actinomyces turicensis and the anaerobe Peptoniphilus harei She was therefore prescribed several weeks of amoxicillin and metronidazole, and made a full recovery. There are only three case reports describing A. turicensis as a causative organism for breast abscess, one of which had also occurred in our department. One case also showed the additional presence of P. harei Our findings reveal a growing need for increasing clinician awareness of A. turicensis and the importance of aspirate sample culture and sensitivity.