Antifungal use via outpatient parenteral antimicrobial therapy.

BACKGROUND: Antifungal administration via outpatient parenteral antimicrobial therapy (OPAT) is infrequent. As patients with invasive fungal infections (IFIs) receiving OPAT are at high risk of readmissions, careful, risk-based patient selection and monitoring is important. OBJECTIVES: To describe our experience managing IFIs via OPAT, including assessment of risk factors associated with unplanned readmissions. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A retrospective cohort study of outpatients from two tertiary hospitals in Western Australia managed with parenteral antifungals for the treatment of IFIs from 2012 to 2020. Outcomes assessed were unplanned OPAT-related readmissions; adverse events and achievement of treatment aim at the completion of OPAT. RESULTS: Forty-six patients were included, encompassing 696 OPAT days. Twenty-three (50%) patients received intravenous (IV) liposomal amphotericin B (L-AmB), 23 (50%) received IV echinocandins and one (2%) patient received IV fluconazole. One patient received both IV L-AmB and an echinocandin. Unplanned OPAT-related readmissions occurred in 13 (28%) patients and any adverse event occurred in 19 (41%), most commonly nephrotoxicity amongst patients receiving L-AmB. On univariate analysis, unplanned OPAT-related readmissions were more common in Mucorales infection, L-AmB doses of ≥5 mg/kg and otorhinolaryngologic (ENT) infections. At the completion of OPAT, attainment of treatment aims occurred in 28 (61%) patients. CONCLUSIONS: Patients receiving parenteral antifungals via OPAT experience high rates of unplanned readmissions and adverse events. Risk factor identification may facilitate optimal patient selection and establishment of treatment aims.

Successful outpatient parenteral antibiotic therapy delivery via telemedicine.

Objectives: Most outpatient parenteral antimicrobial therapy (OPAT) services use a hospital-based model of care in which patients remain in proximity to large hospitals facilitating clinical review. We aimed to evaluate clinical outcomes and complication rates for patients living in geographically isolated locations managed by telemedicine-supported OPAT. Methods: This was a retrospective cohort study. Results: Between 2011 and 2015, we delivered 88 episodes of care involving 83 adult patients resulting in 2261 days of OPAT. The median age was 56 years, 8 of 83 (10%) were indigenous Australian and the median Charlson comorbidity index score was 2 (IQR 1-4). The median distance of patients' residence from our hospital was 288 km (IQR 201-715) and the median duration on the programme was 26 days (IQR 14-34). Bone and joint infections accounted for 75% of infections treated. Favourable clinical outcomes (improvement or cure) were achieved in 87% of patients and the unplanned, OPAT-related readmission rate was 8%. Nineteen percent and 10% of patients had drug-related and line-related adverse effects, respectively. Conclusions: Despite a complex case mix, our adverse event and readmission rates are similar to the published literature describing a non-telemedicine model to deliver OPAT. High rates of favourable clinical outcomes and likely cost benefits suggest that telemedicine-supported OPAT is an efficacious and safe substitute for inpatient care in our setting.

Outbreak of human infection with Sarcocystis nesbitti, Malaysia, 2012.

An outbreak of fever associated with myalgia and myositis occurred in 2012 among 89 of 92 college students and teachers who visited Pangkor Island, Malaysia. The Sarcocystis nesbitti 18S rRNA gene and sarcocysts were obtained from muscle tissues of 2 students. Our findings indicate emergence of S. nesbitti infections in humans in Malaysia.

Cervical abscesses due to co-infection with Burkholderia pseudomallei, Salmonella enterica serovar Stanley and Mycobacterium tuberculosis in a patient with diabetes mellitus.

BACKGROUND: Infections due to Mycobacterium tuberculosis, Burkholderia pseudomallei and non-typhoidal Salmonella cause significant morbidity and mortality throughout the world. These intracellular pathogens share some common predisposing factors and clinical features. Co-infection with two of these organisms has been reported previously but, to our knowledge, this is the first time that infection with all three has been reported in one person. CASE PRESENTATION: In September 2010, a 58-year-old diabetic Malaysian male presented with fever and a fluctuant mass on the right side of his neck. B. pseudomallei was isolated from an aspirate of this lesion and there was radiological evidence of disseminated infection in the liver and spleen. The recurrence of clinical symptoms over ensuing months prompted further aspiration and biopsy of a cervical abscess and underlying lymph nodes. Salmonella enterica serovar Stanley and then M. tuberculosis were identified from these specimens by culture and molecular methods. The patient responded to targeted medical management of each of these infections. CONCLUSION: In endemic settings, a high index of suspicion and adequate tissue sampling are imperative in identifying these pathogenic organisms. Diabetes was identified as a predisposing factor in this case while our understanding of other potential risk factors is evolving.

Hepatitis B outbreak following a mass-casualty incident, Australia.

On 16 April 2009, a boat carrying 47 Afghan asylum seekers and 2 Indonesian crew exploded in Australian waters, resulting in mass casualties. Of these casualties, 23 persons who suffered significant burns were transferred to Royal Perth Hospital, Perth, Western Australia. One patient was subsequently shown to be a hepatitis B virus (HBV) carrier at the time of the explosion. Over the following months, 3 other patients received a diagnosis of acute hepatitis B, and an additional 4 patients showed serological evidence of recent HBV infection, including 1 patient who was transferred to another Australian city. Molecular typing determined that the strains from the HBV carrier and the acute and recent case patients formed a closely related cluster, and the investigation suggested that transmission occurred at or around the time of the boat explosion. This is the first report of confirmed transmission of HBV following a disaster, and it reinforces the importance of postexposure prophylaxis for HBV in mass casualty situations.

Sarcocystis nesbitti causes acute, relapsing febrile myositis with a high attack rate: description of a large outbreak of muscular sarcocystosis in Pangkor Island, Malaysia, 2012.

BACKGROUND: From the 17th to 19th January 2012, a group of 92 college students and teachers attended a retreat in a hotel located on Pangkor Island, off the west coast of Peninsular Malaysia. Following the onset of symptoms in many participants who presented to our institute, an investigation was undertaken which ultimately identified Sarcocystis nesbitti as the cause of this outbreak. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: All retreat participants were identified, and clinical and epidemiological information was obtained via clinical review and self-reported answers to a structured questionnaire. Laboratory, imaging and muscle biopsy results were evaluated and possible sources of exposure, in particular water supply, were investigated. At an average of 9-11 days upon return from the retreat, 89 (97%) of the participants became ill. A vast majority of 94% had fever with 57% of these persons experiencing relapsing fever. Myalgia was present in 91% of patients. Facial swelling from myositis of jaw muscles occurred in 9 (10%) patients. The median duration of symptoms was 17 days (IQR 7 to 30 days; range 3 to 112). Out of 4 muscle biopsies, sarcocysts were identified in 3. S. nesbitti was identified by PCR in 3 of the 4 biopsies including one biopsy without observed sarcocyst. Non-Malaysians had a median duration of symptoms longer than that of Malaysians (27.5 days vs. 14 days, p = 0.001) and were more likely to experience moderate or severe myalgia compared to mild myalgia (83.3% vs. 40.0%, p = 0.002). CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: The similarity of the symptoms and clustered time of onset suggests that all affected persons had muscular sarcocystosis. This is the largest human outbreak of sarcocystosis ever reported, with the specific Sarcocystis species identified. The largely non-specific clinical features of this illness suggest that S. nesbitti may be an under diagnosed infection in the tropics.

Candidemia and invasive candidiasis: a review of the literature for the burns surgeon.

Advances in critical care, operative techniques, early fluid resuscitation, antimicrobials to control bacterial infections, nutritional support to manage the hypermetabolic response and early wound excision and coverage has improved survival rates in major burns patients. These advances in management have been associated with increased recognition of invasive infections caused by Candida species in critically ill burns patients. Candida albicans is the most common species to cause invasive Candida infections, however, non-albicans Candida species appear to becoming more frequent. These later species may be less fluconazole susceptible than Candida albicans. High crude and attributable mortality rates from invasive Candida sepsis are multi-factorial. Diagnosis of invasive candidiasis and candidemia remains difficult. Prophylactic and pre-emptive therapies appear promising strategies, but there is no specific approach which is well-studied and clearly efficacious in high-risk burns patients. Treatment options for invasive candidiasis include several amphotericin B formulations and newer less toxic antifungal agents, such as azoles and echinocandins. We review the currently available data on diagnostic and management strategies for invasive candidiasis and candidemia; whenever possible providing reference to the high-risk burn patients. We also present an algorithm for the management of candidemia and invasive candidiasis in burn patients.

Prolonged varicella viraemia and streptococcal toxic shock syndrome following varicella vaccination of a health care worker.

A 49-year-old health care worker received varicella vaccine in accordance with current Australian guidelines. She developed streptococcal toxic shock syndrome, complicated by acute atraumatic dislocation of the right wrist secondary to poststreptococcal reactive arthritis - to our knowledge, the first report of spontaneous wrist dislocation as a complication in this condition. Vaccination was accompanied by prolonged viraemia with the varicella vaccine strain - also, we believe, the first report of this in an immunocompetent patient.