Comparison of the effectiveness of ceftobiprole and vancomycin in a rabbit model of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus induced meningitis.

INTRODUCTION: Nosocomial meningitis may occur after procedures affecting the central nervous system or following traumatic injury. The causative infectious organism is commonly Staphylococcus aureus, a gram-positive bacterium. The aim of the present study was to compare the effectiveness of two antibacterial agents, ceftobiprole and vancomycin in an animal model of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) meningitis. METHOD: The strain of MRSA used was ATCC 43300. The animals were divided into three groups and infected intracisternally with MRSA. Controls received no antibiotherapy while the ceftobiprole group received 25 mg/kg and the vancomycin group received 20 mg/kg intravenously. Blood and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) samples were collected at three time points. All animals were euthanased at 73 hours after start of treatment. RESULTS: There was a significant difference (p<0.05) between both treatment groups and the control animals at 24 hours (drug trough) and 73 hours (one hour after third dose) after start of treatment in terms of CSF bacterial levels. At 73 hours there was a significant difference in survival between the control group and the two treatment groups but no difference between the treated animal survival rates. CONCLUSION: In conclusion, intravenous treatment with ceftobiprole and vancomycin appears to be equally effective in a rabbit model of MRSA meningitis.

Empirical cefepime+vancomycin versus ceftazidime+vancomycin versus meropenem+vancomycin in the treatment of healthcare-associated meningitis: results of the multicenter ephesus study.

BACKGROUND: Herein, we analyzed the efficacy of main antibiotic therapy regimens in the treatment of healthcare-associated meningitis (HCAM). MATERIALS/METHODS: This retrospective cohort study was conducted in 18 tertiary-care academic hospitals Turkey, India, Egypt and Romania. We extracted data and outcomes of all patients with post-neurosurgical meningitis cases fulfilling the study inclusion criteria and treated with empirical therapy between December 2006-September 2018. RESULTS: Twenty patients in the cefepime + vancomycin-(CV) group, 31 patients in the ceftazidime + vancomycin-(CFV) group, and 119 patients in the meropenem + vancomycin-(MV) group met the inclusion criteria. The MV subgroup had a significantly higher mean Glasgow Coma Score, a higher rate of admission to the intensive care unit within the previous month, and a higher rate of antibiot herapy within the previous month before the meningitis episode (p < 0.05). Microbiological success on Day 3-5, end of treatment (EOT) clinical success (80% vs. 54.8%% vs 57.9%), and overall success (EOT success followed by one-month survival without relapse or reinfection 65% vs. 51.6% vs. 45.3%), EOT all cause mortality (ACM) and day 30 ACM (15% vs. 22.6% vs. 26%) did not differ significantly (p > 0.05) among the three cohorts. No regimen was effective against carbapenem-resistant bacteria, and vancomycin resulted in an EOT clinical success rate of 60.6% in the methicillin-resistant staphylococci or ampicillin-resistant enterococci subgroup (n = 34). CONCLUSIONS: Our study showed no significant difference in terms of clinical success and mortality among the three treatment options. All regimens were ineffective against carbapenem-resistant bacteria. Vancomycin was unsuccessful in approximately 40% of cases involving methicillin-resistant staphylococci or ampicillin-resistant enterococci.

Secondary bacterial infections and antimicrobial resistance in COVID-19: comparative evaluation of pre-pandemic and pandemic-era, a retrospective single center study.

PURPOSE: In this study, we aimed to evaluate the epidemiology and antimicrobial resistance (AMR) patterns of bacterial pathogens in COVID-19 patients and to compare the results with control groups from the pre-pandemic and pandemic era. METHODS: Microbiological database records of all the COVID-19 diagnosed patients in the Ege University Hospital between March 15, 2020, and June 15, 2020, evaluated retrospectively. Patients who acquired secondary bacterial infections (SBIs) and bacterial co-infections were analyzed. Etiology and AMR data of the bacterial infections were collected. Results were also compared to control groups from pre-pandemic and pandemic era data. RESULTS: In total, 4859 positive culture results from 3532 patients were analyzed. Fifty-two (3.59%) patients had 78 SBIs and 38 (2.62%) patients had 45 bacterial co-infections among 1447 COVID-19 patients. 22/85 (25.88%) patients died who had bacterial infections. The respiratory culture-positive sample rate was 39.02% among all culture-positive samples in the COVID-19 group. There was a significant decrease in extended-spectrum beta-lactamase (ESBL)-producing Enterobacterales (8.94%) compared to samples from the pre-pandemic (20.76%) and pandemic era (20.74%) (p = 0.001 for both comparisons). Interestingly, Acinetobacter baumannii was the main pathogen in the respiratory infections of COVID-19 patients (9.76%) and the rate was significantly higher than pre-pandemic (3.49%, p < 0.002) and pandemic era control groups (3.11%, p < 0.001). CONCLUSION: Due to the low frequency of SBIs reported during the ongoing pandemic, a more careful and targeted antimicrobial prescription should be taken. While patients with COVID-19 had lower levels of ESBL-producing Enterobacterales, the frequency of multidrug-resistant (MDR) A. baumannii is higher.

Contact Lens-Associated Microbial Keratitis in a Tertiary Eye Care Center in Turkey.

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the risk factors, causative microorganisms, and presenting features of infection in patients with contact lens-associated microbial keratitis (CLAMK) admitted to a tertiary referral center in Turkey. METHODS: A retrospective review of the medical records of 62 patients who were diagnosed as CLAMK in our clinic between 2012 and 2018 was conducted. RESULTS: The mean age of the patients (22 men and 40 women) at the time of diagnosis was 24.5±8.3 years (range, 16-48). The mean best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) was 0.7±0.9 log of minimal angle of resolution (logMAR) (0-3) before treatment and increased to 0.1±0.1 logMAR (0-0.4) at the end of the follow-up. All patients, except one using rigid gas-permeable CL, were frequent replacement soft CL users. Thirty-one (50%) patients declared overnight wear, and 37 (58.9%) patients declared showering or swimming in CLs regularly. Cultures of either corneal scrapings or CL materials were positive in 40 (64.5%) eyes, 12 (19.4%) of which had mixed infections. Thirteen strains of microorganisms were demonstrated, among which there were seven (53.8%) gram-negative bacteria, one (7.7%) gram-positive bacteria, four (30.7%) fungi, and Acanthamoeba (7.7%). The most common pathogen was Pseudomonas aeruginosa, followed by Serratia marcescens and Stenotrophomonas maltophilia. According to culture results, P. aeruginosa infections were associated with significantly worse BCVA. Keratitis foci were either centrally or paracentrally located in 39 (62.9%) eyes, and 16 eyes (25.8%) presented with hypopyon. CONCLUSION: Along with growing number of CL users, CLAMK constitutes an important problem with possibly worse visual outcomes. Thus, in addition to meticulous treatment, management of risk factors and behavioral modifications is crucial.

Comparison of rapid BACpro® II, Sepsityper® kit and in-house preparation methods for direct identification of bacteria from blood cultures by MALDI-TOF MS with and without Sepsityper® module analysis.

There are several approaches available for purifying microorganisms prior to matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization-time of flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS) analysis. In the present study, rapid BACpro® II (Nittobo Medical Co., Ltd., Tokyo, Japan), a new application, has been compared with Sepsityper® kit (Bruker Daltonics, Billerica, USA) and an in-house method. Samples were also tested with two modules, standard and Sepsityper®, identified in the Bruker MALDI-TOF MS. The bottles having monomicrobial growth were included in the study according to Gram staining results. In total, two hundred blood culture bottles were included but there was no growth in one of the subcultures so 199 blood culture bottles were studied prospectively. With the standard MALDI-TOF MS analysis, rapid BACpro® II could successfully identify microorganisms in 174/199 (87.4%) of the bottles where Sepsityper® kit and in-house method were successful in 136/199 (68.3%) and 114/199 (57.3%), respectively. When the MALDI-TOF MS data were analysed by Sepsityper® module, the identification rates were increased to 94.4%, 82.1% and 69.8% (p < 0.001), respectively. In the Sepsityper® module, 72/73 (98.6%) of Gram-negative and 97/106 (91.5%) of Gram-positive microorganisms were detected by rapid BACpro® II method. The present study shows that rapid BACpro® II is a reliable preparation procedure and has higher rates of identification compared with Sepsityper® kit and in-house method. The use of the Sepsityper® module in blood cultures increases the chance of identification for all three methods studied.

[Investigation of carbapenemases in carbapenem-resistant Escherichia coli and Klebsiella pneumoniae strains isolated in 2014 in Turkey]. / Türkiye'de 2014 yili içinde izole edilen karbapeneme dirençli Escherichia coli ve Klebsiella pneumoniae izolatlarinda karbapenemaz varliginin arastirilmasi.

Carbapenems are the choice of treatment in infections caused by multidrug resistant Enterobacteriaceae. In recent years carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae isolates due to carbapenemases have been increasingly reported worldwide. Multicenter studies on carbapenemases are scarce in Turkey. The aim of this study was to determine the distribution of carbapenemases from different parts of Turkey as a part of the European Survey of Carbapenemase Producing Enterobacteriaceae (EuSCAPE) project. Beginning in November 2013, carbapenem-resistant isolates resistant to at least one of the agents, namely imipenem, meropenem, and ertapenem were sent to the coordinating center. Minimum inhibitory concentrations for these carbapenems were determined by microdilution tests following EUCAST guidelines. Production of carbapenemase was confirmed by combination disk synergy tests. Types of carbapenemases were investigated using specific primers for VIM, IMP; NDM, KPC and OXA-48 genes by multiplex polymerase chain reaction. In a six month period, 155 suspected carbapenemase-positive isolates were sent to the coordinating center of which 21 (13.5%) were E.coli and 134 (86.5%) were K.pneumoniae. Nineteen (90.5%) strains among E.coli and 124 (92.5%) strains among K.pneumoniae were shown to harbour at least one carbapenemase gene by molecular tests, with a total of 92.3% (143/155). Carbapenemases were determined as a single enzyme in 136 strains (OXA-48: 84.6%; NDM: 6.3%; VIM: 2.8%; IMP: 1.4%) and as a combination in seven isolates (OXA-48 + NDM: 2.1%; OXA-48 + VIM: 2.1%; VIM + NDM: 0.7%). KPC was not detected in any of the isolates. According to the microdilution test results, resistance to imipenem, meropenem and ertapenem in OXA-48 isolates were 59.5%, 52.9% and 100%, respectively. The combination disk synergy test was 100% compatible with the molecular test results. As most of the OXA-48 producing isolates were susceptible to meropenem but all were resistant to ertapenem, ertapenem seems to be the most sensitive agent in screening carbapenemases in areas where OXA-48 is prevalent and phenotypic combination tests can be useful in centers where molecular tests are not available.

[The effect of fluoroquinolone use in the respiratory intensive care unit on the development of hospital-acquired MRSA infection and its prognosis]. / Solunumsal yogun bakim ünitesinde florokinolon kullaniminin hastane kökenli MRSA enfeksiyonu gelisimine ve prognoza etkisi.

Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) which exhibits a worldwide spread, has become a serious public health problem. There are several studies indicating that there may be a relationship between the high rate of MRSA infections and long-term use of fluoroquinolones. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of fluoroquinolone (FQ) use in the respiratory intensive care unit (ICU) on the development of the hospital-acquired MRSA infection and mortality. This was a single center experience, in which the clinical and laboratory data of the patients who were hospitalized in the respiratory ICU for two years, were retrospectively evaluated. The relationship between FQ use and the development of MRSA infection was evaluated with correlation analysis, and its relationship with the mortality was evaluated with regression analysis. A total of 302 patients were included in the study and 93 (30.7%) of them were found to be treated with FQs. Sixty-four of those 93 patients were male and the mean age was 71.1 ± 12.5 years. During the follow-up, MRSA infections developed in 11.9% (36/302) of the patients, and the rate of MRSA infection in FQ using patients was 15.1% (14/93), of them eight were ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) and six were secondary bacteremia. Although a positive correlation was found between FQ use and the development of MRSA infection, it was not statistically significant [P= 0.521 (Spearman), p= 0.037 (Pearson)]. In addition cut-off values for CRP and leukocyte counts, which were checked when a patient with FQ use admitted to the ICU, were determined as 7.85 mg/L and 7.650/mm3, respectively. The analysis of the relationship between CRP, leukocyte counts and the development of MRSA infection revealed a statistically significant positive relationship between high leukocyte levels (> 7.650/mm3) and the development of MRSA infection (P= 0.017, p= 0.246), but no such relationship for the CRP levels (P= 0.121, p= 0.178). The mortality rate in patients with FQ use was found as 42% (39/93), and it was determined that malignancy, history of admission to hospital in the previous six months and the presence of a hospital-acquired infection increased the risk of mortality (p= 0.020, p= 0.038 and p= 0.024, respectively). In the multivariate analysis, four independent risk factors related to the mortality in patients under FQ treatment were determined, namely malignancy (OR: 2.280, p= 0.002), re-intubation practices (OR: 4.071, p= 0.005), VAP (OR: 5.097, p= 0.009) and the use of FQ > 7 days (OR: 3.63, p= 0.003). In conclusion, our data indicated that the use of FQs in the ICU did not increase the development of hospital-acquired MRSA infection significantly, and FQ use for more than seven days was an independent risk factor for mortality. Additionally, it was thought that high leukocyte counts might be a predictive marker for the development of MRSA infection.

[Investigation of the virulence factors of multidrug-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii isolates]. / Çok ilaca dirençli Acinetobacter baumannii izolatlarinda virülans faktörlerinin arastirilmasi

Acinetobacter baumannii is an opportunistic human pathogen which causes life-threatening nosocomial infections such as ventilator-associated pneumonia, bacteremia, meningitis, urinary tract and wound infections. Treatment options are very limited for infections caused by multi-drug resistant (MDR) A.baumannii strains. Until recently, the majority of studies related to A.baumannii have focused on antibiotic resistance, treatment protocols and epidemiological data, however, there have been few studies addressing the virulence factors of this organism. The features such as biofilm formation, serum resistance, motility, efflux pumps and iron acquisition mechanisms help the bacterium to survive in adverse environmental conditions and facilitate the development of an infection. The aim of the present study was to investigate the basic characteristics that contribute to the virulence of clinically important MDR A.baumannii isolates. Sixty-five ciprofloxacin-imipenem-trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole-resistant A.baumannii strains isolated from various clinical specimens between December 2011 and March 2012 at Ege University Faculty of Medicine, Department of Medical Microbiology were included in the study. The clonal relationship of the isolates was analyzed by PCR using Enterobacterial repetitive intergenic consensus (ERIC)-2 primer. Biofilm formation, serum resistance, twitching and swarming motility, efflux pump and siderophore production were sought in representatives of each clone. Investigated MDR A.baumannii isolates were classified into seven main clusters, and the largest cluster included 86% of the strains. The virulence-associated features were investigated in 16 representative strains, including sub-groups. Twelve, three and one of the examined strains were determined to be strong, intermediate and weak biofilm producers, respectively. Siderophore production was not encountered in any of the isolates. Of the sixteen strains, two, one and thirteen isolates were found to be resistant, moderately susceptible and susceptible to bactericidal effect of serum, respectively. In our study, swarming motility was observed in seven strains while twitching motility was observed in only one strain. Swarming was simultaneously detected with twitching in one isolate. The presence of an efflux pump was investigated with ciprofloxacin in 16 representative strains but none of them were positive. However, eflux pump was determined in two of the five doxycycline resistant strains. Biofilm production was the most commonly observed characteristic among the examined strains. In addition, serum resistance, swarming and an efflux pump which has a spectrum including tetracyclines, were also determined among features associated with virulence. While the biofilm production was encountered at the members of all clones, serum resistance was found only in the representatives of the most dominant clone. Motility and the presence of an efflux pump were not associated with a particular clone. MDR A.baumannii strains are among the most important agents of nosocomial infections in our hospital and all over the world. Revealing the characteristics that play a role in the pathogenesis of these isolates, will contribute to infection control measures and to the investigation of new treatment options.

[Epidemiology, clinical and microbiological characteristics of invasive streptococcal infections in Turkey, 2010-2011]. / Türkiye'de invazif streptokok enfeksiyonlarinin epidemiyolojisi, klinik ve mikrobiyolojik özellikleri, 2010-2011.

A one-year active surveillance study was conducted to investigate the epidemiological and microbiological characteristics of invasive group A streptococci (GAS) infections in Turkey and to provide data for the establishment of national preventive strategies related to invasive GAS infections. A total of 46 clinical microbiology laboratories from 12 different regions of Turkey (Istanbul; Eastern and Western Marmara; Eastern and Western Blacksea; Aegean; Mediterranean; Western, Central, Northeastern, Middle-eastern and Southeastern Anatolia) participated in the study. Accordingly, GAS strains isolated from sterile body sites (blood, cerebrospinal, synovial, pleural, peritoneal, pericardial fluids) in the study centers between June 2010-June 2011, were sent to Maltepe University Hospital Clinical Microbiology Laboratory for microbiological confirmation and further analysis. The isolates were identified by conventional methods, and for serotyping, opacity factor (OF) and T protein types were investigated. For genotyping GAS lysate preparation, emm gene amplification and sequencing were performed by using the protocols recommended by Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. A total of 65 invasive GAS strains were isolated in 15 of the participant centers, during the study period. The rate of invasive GAS isolation exhibited regional variation, with the highest rates in the Eastern Blacksea (Trabzon, n= 19), followed by Istanbul (n= 17) and Western Anatolia (Ankara, Konya, n= 14). Of the patients with invasive GAS infection 33 were female, 32 were male, with the age range of 0-89 years. GAS strains were most commonly isolated from soft tissue specimens (n= 18), followed by abscess material (n= 10), sterile body fluids (n= 8) and blood (n= 7) samples. Serotyping revealed that 55% (36/65) of the strains were OF positive, and the majority of T protein was polygroup T (n= 20), followed by U (n= 14), B (n= 5), X (n= 3) and Y (n= 2). T protein was not detected in 22 isolates. The strains were found to have 17 different emm types;emm1 (n= 13), emm4 (n= 6), emm6 (n= 6), emm12 (n= 6), emm24 (n= 4), emm14 (n= 3) and emm28 (n= 3). Nine of the strains could not be typed by sequencing. The correlation between emm typing and serotyping was detected as 58%. It was observed that 26-valent vaccines included 70.5% of the invasive GAS strains included in this study. Our study provided initial data concerning the epidemiological properties of invasive GAS infections and characterization of GAS strains in Turkey. The incidence of invasive GAS infections is low in our country. Although immunization programme by 26-valent GAS vaccine is not currently an urgent public health issue for our country, the results of this study indicated that emm types 4 and 24 should better be included in such a vaccine to be used in Turkey. Additionally, since epidemiological features of GAS infections and the microbiological characteristics of the strains can vary by time, for the diagnosis of invasive streptococcal infections and to take the necessary preventive measures, epidemiological studies should be conducted repeatedly.

Intrathecal Tigecycline in the Treatment of Hospital-Acquired Meningitis: A Review of Four Cases.

Objectives: Carbapenem-resistant A. baumannii is a common cause of nosocomial meningitis, and it presents a challenge in terms of treatment because of limited therapeutic options. Intravenous tigecycline has been considered a potential salvage therapy against multi-drug-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii. However, its effectiveness is limited by its poor ability to cross the blood-brain barrier. As an alternative treatment option, intrathecal tigecycline has shown promise with its minimal side effects and high concentration in cerebrospinal fluid. Methods: In this report, we present a series of four cases infected with multi-drug-resistant A. baumannii following neurosurgery and treated with intrathecal tigecycline, including antimicrobial therapy. Results: The rate of successful microbiological response was 2 out of 3 cases (66%) in whom microbiological response could be tested anytime during the intrathecal therapy, whereas the 30-day survival rate after treatment completion was » (25%). Conclusion: Although intrathecal tigecycline treatment has shown relative efficacy in achieving microbiological response, its impact on overall survival is still uncertain. Further studies involving larger groups of patients are necessary to evaluate the outcomes of intrathecal tigecycline therapy.

Importance of Source Control in the Subgroup of Intra-Abdominal Infections for Septic Shock Patients: Analysis of 390 Cases.

Background: This study aimed to evaluate the epidemiology of septic shock (SS) associated with intraabdominal infections (IAI) as well as associated mortality and efficacy of early source control in a tertiary-care educational hospital. Methods: Patients who had SS with IAI and consulted by Infectious Diseases consultants between December 2013 and October 2022 during night shifts in our centre were analyzed retrospectively. Results: A total number of 390 patients were included. Overall, 30-day mortality was 42.5% on day 3, while day 14 and 30 mortality rates were 63.3% and 71.3%, respectively. Source control by surgical or percutaneous operation was performed in 123 of 390 cases (31.5%), and the mortality rate was significantly lower in cases that were performed source control at any time during SS (65/123-52.8% vs 213/267-79.8%, p<0.001). In 44 of 123 cases (35.7%), source control was performed during the first 12 hours, and mortality was significantly lower in this group versus others (24/44-54.5% vs 254/346-73.4%, p=0.009). On the other hand, female gender (p<0.001, odds ratio(OR)= 2.943, 95%CI=1.714-5.054), diabetes mellitus (p= 0.014, OR=2.284, 95%CI=1.179-4.424), carbapenem-resistant Gram-negative etiology (p=0.011, OR=4.386, 95%CI=1.398-13.759), SOFA≥10 (p<0.001, OR=3.036, 95%CI=1.802-5.114), lactate >3 mg/dl (p<0.001, OR=2.764, 95%CI=1.562-4.891) and lack of source control (p=0.001, OR=2.796, 95%CI=1.523-5.133) were significantly associated with 30-day mortality in logistic regression analysis. Conclusion: Source control has a vital importance in terms of mortality rates for IAI-related septic shock patients. Our study underscores the need for additional research, as the present analysis indicates that early source control does not manifest as a protective factor in logistic regression.

[The role of endotracheal aspiration in the diagnosis of ventilator associated pneumonia]. / Ventilatörle iliskili pnömoni tanisinda endotrakeal aspiratin degeri.

INTRODUCTION: Ventilator associated pneumonia (VAP) is one of the most important causes of mortality in patients treated with invasive mechanical ventilation (IMV) in intensive care unit (ICU). Microbiological examinations are required as clinical and radiological findings are usually insufficient in the diagnosis. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Twenty four patients who were receiving IMV because of respiratory failure, had a Clinical Pulmonary Infection Score (CPIS) of ≥ 6 in the follow-up and died with the suspicion of VAP were enrolled in our study. Six patients were excluded as post-mortem biopsy could not be performed. The patients who had pre-mortem CPIS ≥ 6, in whom a causative organism was identified from the culture of post-mortem lung biopsy and/or histopathological examination of lung biopsy was compatible with pneumonia were diagnosed as VAP. In the 18 patients in whom a post-mortem lung biopsy was performed, quantitative culture results of endotracheal aspirate performed 48 hours prior to death were compared with microbiological and histopathological results of post-mortem lung biopsy specimens, and the role of endotracheal aspirate in the diagnosis of VAP was evaluated retrospectively. RESULTS: Out of 18 patients (12 men, mean age 67.0 ± 13.0 years) included in the study, 11 (61.1%) were diagnosed as VAP. The quantitative culture of endotracheal aspirate was positive in 9 (81.8%) out of 11 patients diagnosed as VAP. The sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive values of endotracheal aspirate culture for identifying VAP were found to be 81.8%, 14.3%, 60.0% and 33.3%, respectively. CONCLUSION: Our study shown that quantitative culture of endotracheal aspirate is a practical and reliable method that can be used for the diagnosis of VAP in patients receiving IMV in ICU and having CPIS ≥ 6.

Distribution and Phylogenetic Analysis of Subtypes and Alleles of Blastocystis sp. in the Stool Samples Collected from Patients with Gastrointestinal Complaints in Izmir, Turkey.

PURPOSE: Blastocystis sp. is one of the most prevalent intestinal protozoa found in humans and many other animals. The present study aimed to examine the distribution and genetic diversity of Blastocystis sp. in stool samples from patients with gastrointestinal complaints in Izmir, Turkey. METHODS: All stool samples of 439 patients with gastrointestinal complaints were examined by native-Lugol and trichrome staining. To investigate the presence of Blastocystis sp. in stool samples, DNA was isolated, and PCR was performed with the barcode region in the SSU rRNA gene. PCR positive samples were sequenced to identify subtypes and alleles of Blastocystis sp. RESULTS: The prevalence of Blastocystis sp. was found to be 16.6% (73/439) in patients with gastrointestinal complaints in Izmir, Turkey. Three different Blastocystis sp. subtypes were identified. ST3 (28/55; 51.0%) was the most common subtype followed by ST2 (19/55; 34.5%) and ST1 (8/55; 14.5%). Itching and diarrhea were the most prominent clinical symptoms in Blastocystis sp. positive patients. When clinical symptoms and subtypes were compared, diarrhea was found in 62.5%, 47.4%, and 46.4% of patients with ST1, ST2, and ST3 subtypes, respectively. In addition, itching was found in 37.5%, 32.1%, and 21.1% of patients with ST1, ST3, and ST2, respectively. Six distinct alleles were identified by allele analysis of Blastocystis 18S rRNA gene: allele 4 for ST1, alleles 9, 11, and 12 for ST2, and alleles 34 and 36 for ST3. In this study, Blastocystis sp. was detected in 16 of 21 districts, including the central and rural districts of Izmir. Although ST1 was detected in central districts, it was not found in rural districts. CONCLUSION: This study provides comprehensive data on the prevalence and molecular epidemiology of the genetic diversity at the level of subtypes and alleles of Blastocystis sp. in different districts of Izmir province in Turkey. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study which evaluates the distribution of subtypes and alleles of Blastocystis sp. according to PCR and SSU rRNA gene sequencing in patients with gastrointestinal complaints in different districts of Izmir province in Turkey.

Risk factors for microbial contamination of peripheral blood stem cell products.

BACKGROUND: Despite the well-known contamination rates and presence of microbial agents in stem cell products, the risk factors affecting microbial contamination have not been well described. STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS: In a 12-year period, we retrospectively reviewed culture results of peripheral blood stem cell products with the intent of identifying risk factors for microbial contamination. RESULTS: Microbial contamination was detected in 28 (5.7%) products of the postprocessing period and in 18 (3.66%) products of the postthawing period. Large-volume leukapheresis (LVL; odds ratio [OR], 5.85; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.52-22.49; p = 0.01) and high numbers of stem cell culture sampling (OR, 1.4; 95% CI, 1.03-1.91; p = 0.03) were found to be risk factors for postprocessing bacterial contamination. The presence of postprocessing bacterial contamination was a risk factor for postthawing (OR, 28.89; 95% CI, 6.67-125.15; p < 0.001) and posttransplant (OR, 3.25; 95% CI, 1.24-8.50; p = 0.01) microbial growth. In transplants that were performed using contaminated products, the same pathogen was detected in 20% of patients and different pathogens were found in 35% of patients. CONCLUSION: Cultures should be carefully monitored in LVL products and in samples with high numbers of cultures performed. Growth of different bacterial pathogens must be considered in transplants that are performed with contaminated products.

Prevention of infectious morbidity after elective abdominal hysterectomy.

OBJECTIVE: Our aim was to investigate whether posthysterectomy infectious morbidity could be reduced by intravaginal therapy before operations. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Women expected to undergo elective total abdominal hysterectomy were included. Vaginal flora was evaluated by preoperative Gram-stained vaginal smears up to Nugent's criteria. Study group were administered vaginal combination therapy including 500 mg metronidazole and 100 mg miconazole nitrate two times a day for 7 days. Control group were not given any preoperative vaginal therapy. Postoperative infectious morbidity was evaluated and compared. RESULTS: Ninety-five women in the study group and 97 women in the control group completed the study protocol. Women with abnormal flora had significantly more wound and vaginal cuff infections than the women with normal flora in the control group. Urinary infections were significantly higher in the study group (38.9 vs. 23.7 %) and vaginal cuff infections were significantly higher in the untreated control group (2.1 vs. 8.2 %). CONCLUSIONS: We concluded that postoperative vaginal cuff infections can be decreased by treating abnormal vaginal flora before elective abdominal hysterectomies.

[Detection of Bordetella pertussis infection by culture, real-time polymerase chain reaction and serologic tests among children with prolonged cough]. / Uzamis Öksürügü Olan Çocuklarda Kültür, Gerçek Zamanli Polimeraz Zincir Reaksiyonu ve Seroloji ile Bordetella pertussis Enfeksiyonunun Arastirilmasi

Pertussis is a respiratory infection caused by Bordetella pertussis. It attacks all age groups. It has significantly higher mortality and morbidity among newborns and children. Adolescents and adults with symptomatic but unrecognized pertussis are often the source of the infection for pediatric cases. Therefore, it is suggested to perform laboratory diagnostic tests for B.pertussis infection in children and adolescents with prolonged cough of more than two weeks. In this study, it was aimed to identify B.pertussis infection by culture, real-time polymerase chain reaction (Rt-PCR) and serological methods among children with prolonged cough. Nasopharyngeal swab samples were obtained from 51 children (19 female, 32 male; age between 2 months-14 years; median age: 7.0), who attended the outpatient clinic of Ege University Medical Faculty Department of Pediatrics, Izmir, Turkey with prolonged cough (≥ 14 days) during December 2009-August 2010. While pertussis vaccination had been completed in 48 (94%) of the cases, three cases had not been vaccinated. Previous antibiotic treatment was reported for 38 (75%) of the cases. Cultivation was done by using 7% horse blood and charcoal containing Bordetella Agar (Becton Dickinson, Germany) and Rt-PCR targeting IS481 sequence (Roche Applied Science, Germany) was used to detect B.pertussis. In addition, in house ELISA was performed to detect titers of anti-pertussis toxin (anti-PT) IgG and anti-filamentous hemagglutinin (anti-FHA) IgG antibodies in paired sera collected in 2-4 week intervals. Fourfold titer increase of antibodies or anti-PT IgG levels of at least 100 EU/ml in one serum were evaluated as serological confirmation of B.pertussis infection. In our study, B.pertussis was isolated from one nasopharyngeal swab samples culture among the 51 patients, and IS481 Rt-PCR yielded positive results for B.pertussis in 6 (11.8%) samples. Nine (17.6%) patients were diagnosed as B.pertussis infection by serological tests. Totally 12 patients were evaluated as positive using at least one method. Among them only one had positive results with three of the tests used and two were positive with IS481 Rt-PCR assay and serologic tests. Three patients were found positive with only IS481 Rt-PCR and six were identified only with serologic diagnosis. In this study, 23.5% (12/51) of children with persistant cough were evaluated as having B.pertussis infection. The age range of these cases (5 female, 7 male) was 2 months-11 years and one case had not been vaccinated at all while four cases had not completed the vaccination schedule. It was concluded that since B.pertussis can be detected as the etiologic agent of persistant cough in a significant number of children by culture, PCR and serologic tests, diagnostic tests must be applied to evaluate B.pertussis infection. However, standardized serological methods and PCR protocols are needed for accurate and reliable diagnosis.

The first pediatric case of mild encephalitis/encephalopathy with a reversible splenial lesion (MERS) associated with Neisseria meningitidis.

BACKGROUND: Mild encephalitis/encephalopathy with a reversible splenial lesion (MERS) is a clinic-radiological syndrome characterized by neurological deficiencies and reversible magnetic resonance imaging findings in the splenium of the corpus callosum. Usually, it has a good prognosis, and patients recover without any sequelae. A viral infection has caused most MERS cases, and bacterial agents have rarely been reported as a cause of MERS. CASE REPORT: A 5-month-old male was admitted to the hospital with fever, poor feeding, decreased activity and groaning. He had focal seizures and required mechanical ventilation. A lumbar puncture was performed, and nucleic acid amplification tests (NAATs) of cerebral spinal fluid was positive for non-typeable serogroup of Neisseria meningitidis. Cranial magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) performed on day 3 of admission showed T2 hyperintensity and diffusion restriction at the splenium of corpus callosum (SCC). Diffusion restriction in the occipital horn of the left ventricular compatible with empyema was also obvious. According to the findings on cranial MRI, this clinical course was diagnosed as MERS associated with meningitis. His fever resolved in one week, cefotaxime was discontinued after 14 days, and the patient completely recovered. A follow-up MRI performed after three weeks of admission showed complete resolution of the signal intensity changes in the SCC and the occipital horn of the left lateral ventricle. CONCLUSION: To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of MERS associated with Neisseria meningitidis in children. Bacterial agents as a cause of MERS should be kept in mind, and we should avoid unnecessary treatment strategies due to the good prognosis of MERS in children.

Linezolid in the treatment of methicillin-resistant staphylococcal post-neurosurgical meningitis: a series of 17 cases.

BACKGROUND: Linezolid is a bacteriostatic antibiotic with good cerebrospinal fluid penetration. The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of linezolid in methicillin-resistant staphylococcal (methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and methicillin-resistant coagulase-negative Staphylococcus (MRCoNS)) meningitis. METHODS: We extracted data and outcomes for all adult patients (age > 18 y) with culture-proven MRSA or MRCoNS meningitis treated with linezolid between January 2006 and September 2010 in our hospital. Demographic, clinical, and laboratory data and predisposing factors, as well as information on response to treatment and outcome were obtained by regular visits. RESULTS: A total of 17 cases (9 MRCoNS, 7 MRSA, and 1 MRCoNS and MRSA mixed) fulfilled the inclusion criteria. All patients had hospital-acquired meningitis and had undergone neurosurgery. Cumulative microbiological success on day 5 was 88%. There was 1 staphylococcal meningitis-related death. There were no severe adverse events. CONCLUSIONS: Our experience with linezolid suggests that it can be an alternative for the treatment of MRCoNS- and MRSA-related meningitis.

Meningitis due to Providencia stuartii.

In this report, we present a case of postneurosurgical meningitis due to Providencia stuartii, which was treated successfully with meropenem therapy lasting 21 days.

[A case of ventilator-associated pneumonia caused by Cupriavidus pauculus]. / Cupriavidus pauculus'un neden oldugu ventilatör ile iliskili bir pnömoni olgusu.

Cupriavidus pauculus (formerly CDC Group IVc-2) is a non-fermentative, motile, gram-negative bacillus, rarely associated with human infections. It has been isolated from water, water from ultrafiltration systems and bottled mineral water. To date, 19 cases of bacteremia, two cases of peritonitis and one case of tenosynovitis associated with C. pauculus have been reported in English literature. In this paper, we report the first case of C. pauculus ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) in Turkey. A 47 years-old female with breast cancer was performed total mastectomy six years ago and received six cures of chemotherapy after surgery. The patient was hospitalized in medical oncology clinic with complaints of weight loss, nausea and vomiting for one year. Since she had problems of consiousness, dysphagia and pitosis, lumbar puncture was performed to rule out central nervous system infection or metastasis. Cryptococcal meningitis was diagnosed upon the examination of Indian-ink stained smear of cerebrospinal fluid and amphotericin B was initiated. On the 11th day of her follow up, she developed respiratory distress and was transferred to pulmonary intensive care and underwent invasive mechanical ventilator (IMV) therapy. On the 4th day of IMV; a new infiltration was detected on the upper zone of chest X-ray in addition to fever (38.3 degrees C) and intense endotracheal secretion. Therefore, bronchoscopic examination was performed and bronchoalveolar lavage and bronchoscope aspiration materials were obtained and cultivated. Bacteria grown at blood agar and EMB agar after 48 hours of incubation were stained as gram-negative bacilli and identified as C. pauculus by VITEK 2 compact system (bioMérieux Inc, USA). The strain was susceptible to ceftazidime, ciprofloxacin, imipenem, trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole, piperacilin/tazobactam and resistant to amikacin. The case was considered as C. pauculus VAP and imipenem (500 mg, 4 x 1) for 14 days was initiated. Clinical and microbiological resolution was achieved by imipenem therapy. In conclusion, rare pathogens like C. pauculus should be considered among the possible causative agents in infections that develop in immunocompromised host.