Survival after cryptococcosis in Germany: A retrospective multicenter cohort study of patients diagnosed between 2004 and 2021.

Cryptococcosis is the most prevalent fungal infection of the central nervous system worldwide. We performed a retrospective multicenter cohort study to gain insights into the epidemiology of cryptococcosis in Germany. We describe the use of diagnostic tests, clinical management and patient outcome. We included 64 patients with underlying HIV infection (55%) or other predispositions. Molecular typing by MLST documented 20 individual sequence types among 42 typed isolates. A fatal outcome was documented in 14% of patients in the first two months after diagnosis.

Flucloxacillin and cefazolin for treatment of Staphylococcus aureus bloodstream infection.

PURPOSE: Antistaphylococcal penicillins and cefazolin have been used as first line therapy in Methicillin-susceptible Staphylococcus aureus bloodstream infection. While efficacy of both regimens seems to be similar, the compounds may differ with regard to tolerability. This study aims to describe the clinical use of cefazolin and flucloxacillin, focussing on discontinuation or change of anti-infective agent due to adverse events. METHODS: This observational prospective study was conducted at two German tertiary care centres with an internal recommendation of flucloxacillin for MSSA-BSI in one, and of cefazolin in the other centre. Adverse events were registered weekly under treatment and at a 90-day follow-up. Descriptive analysis was complemented by a propensity score analysis comparing adverse events (stratified rank-based test applied to the sum of Common Terminology Criteria for adverse events ratings per patient). RESULTS: Of 71 patients included, therapy was initiated with flucloxacillin in 56 (79%), and with cefazolin in 15 (21%). The propensity score analysis indicates a statistically significant difference concerning the severity of adverse events between the treatment groups in favour of cefazolin (p = 0.019). Adverse events led to discontinuation of flucloxacillin in 7 individuals (13% of all patients receiving flucloxacillin). Clinical outcome was not different among treatment groups. CONCLUSION: Using cefazolin rather than flucloxacillin as a first line agent for treatment of MSSA-BSI is supported by these clinical data.

Coinfections and antimicrobial treatment in a cohort of falciparum malaria in a non-endemic country: a 10-year experience.

INTRODUCTION: Falciparum malaria remains one of the deadliest infectious diseases worldwide. In Germany, it is mainly an imported infection among travellers. Rates of coinfection are often unknown, and a clinical rationale for the beneficial use of calculated antibiotic therapy in patients with malaria and suspected coinfection is lacking. METHODS: We conducted an analysis of all in-patients treated with falciparum malaria at a German infectious diseases centre in vicinity to one of Europe's major airports for 2010-2019. Logistic regression and time-to-event analysis were used to evaluate predictors for bacterial coinfection, the use of antibacterial substances, as well as their influence on clinical course. RESULTS: In total, 264 patients were included. Of those, 64% received an additional antibacterial therapy (n = 169). Twenty-nine patients (11.0%) were found to have suffered from a relevant bacterial coinfection, while only a small fraction had relevant bacteremia (n = 3, 1.4%). However, patients with severe malaria did not suffer from coinfections more frequently (p = 0.283). CRP levels were not a reliable predictor for a bacterial coinfection (OR 0.99, 95% CI 0.94-1.06, p = 0.850), while another clinical focus of infection was positively associated (OR 3.86, 95% CI 1.45-11.55, p = 0.010). CONCLUSION: Although bacterial coinfections were rare in patients with malaria at our centre, the risk does not seem negligible. These data point rather towards individual risk assessment in respective patients than to general empiric antibiotic use.

Investigation of an airport-associated cluster of falciparum malaria in Frankfurt, Germany, 2022.

Airport malaria is uncommon but increasing in Europe and often difficult to diagnose. We describe the clinical, epidemiological and environmental investigations of a cluster of airport malaria cases and measures taken in response. Three Frankfurt International Airport employees without travel histories to malaria-endemic areas were diagnosed with Plasmodium falciparum malaria in Germany in 2022. Two cases were diagnosed within 1 week, and the third one after 10 weeks. Two cases had severe disease, all three recovered fully. The cases worked in separate areas and no specific location for the transmissions could be identified. No additional cases were detected among airport employees. In June and July, direct flights from Equatorial Guinea, Nigeria and Angola and one parcel originating in Ghana arrived at Frankfurt airport. No vector-competent mosquitoes could be trapped to identify the source of the outbreak. Whole genome sequencing of P. falciparum genomes showed a high genetic relatedness between samples of the three cases and suggested the geographical origin closest to Ghana. A diagnosis of airport malaria should prompt appropriate and comprehensive outbreak investigations to identify the source and to prevent severe forms of falciparum malaria.

Development and validation of a simplified risk score for the prediction of critical COVID-19 illness in newly diagnosed patients.

Scores to identify patients at high risk of progression of coronavirus disease (COVID-19), caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), may become instrumental for clinical decision-making and patient management. We used patient data from the multicentre Lean European Open Survey on SARS-CoV-2-Infected Patients (LEOSS) and applied variable selection to develop a simplified scoring system to identify patients at increased risk of critical illness or death. A total of 1946 patients who tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 were included in the initial analysis and assigned to derivation and validation cohorts (n = 1297 and n = 649, respectively). Stability selection from over 100 baseline predictors for the combined endpoint of progression to the critical phase or COVID-19-related death enabled the development of a simplified score consisting of five predictors: C-reactive protein (CRP), age, clinical disease phase (uncomplicated vs. complicated), serum urea, and D-dimer (abbreviated as CAPS-D score). This score yielded an area under the curve (AUC) of 0.81 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.77-0.85) in the validation cohort for predicting the combined endpoint within 7 days of diagnosis and 0.81 (95% CI: 0.77-0.85) during full follow-up. We used an additional prospective cohort of 682 patients, diagnosed largely after the "first wave" of the pandemic to validate the predictive accuracy of the score and observed similar results (AUC for the event within 7 days: 0.83 [95% CI: 0.78-0.87]; for full follow-up: 0.82 [95% CI: 0.78-0.86]). An easily applicable score to calculate the risk of COVID-19 progression to critical illness or death was thus established and validated.

Quinolone and Multidrug Resistance Predicts Failure of Antibiotic Prophylaxis of Spontaneous Bacterial Peritonitis.

BACKGROUND: The efficacy of antibiotic prophylaxis to prevent spontaneous bacterial peritonitis (SBP) in patients colonized with multidrug-resistant organisms (MDROs) is unknown. We evaluated the effectiveness of fluoroquinolone-based SBP prophylaxis in an era and area of frequent antibiotic resistance. METHODS: This is a prospective observational study in patients with liver cirrhosis and an indication for fluoroquinolone-based prophylaxis of SBP. Patients were recruited and followed in a large German tertiary reference center with comprehensive microbiological and clinical monitoring performed at baseline and after 30, 60, 90, and 180 days of prophylaxis. RESULTS: Overall, 77 patients received antibiotic prophylaxis for an average of 93 days. Baseline prevalence of colonization with MDROs was high (N = 39, 50.6%). At least one de novo MDRO was detected in 27 patients (35.1%) during antibiotic prophylaxis; 33 patients (42.9%) developed secondary infections, including 14 cases (17.9%) of infections with MDROs, and 13 cases (16.9%) of de novo/recurrent SBP. Thirty patients (39.0%) died during follow-up. Significantly higher risks of SBP development during antibiotic prophylaxis were observed for patients with versus without any apparent MDROs (P = .009), vancomycin-resistant enterococci (P = .008), multidrug-resistant gram-negative bacteria (P = .016), or quinolone-resistant gram-negative bacteria (QR-GNB) (P = .015). In competing risk analysis, QR-GNB were independently associated with prophylaxis failure (hazard ratio, 3.39; P = .045) and infections with QR-GNB were independently associated with death before SBP (subdistribution hazard risk, 6.47; P = .034). CONCLUSIONS: Antibiotic prophylaxis of SBP appears to be less efficient in patients with known MDROs. Regular MDRO screening seems to be useful to tailor treatment of secondary infections and re-evaluate antibiotic prophylaxis in case of selection of quinolone resistance.

Homograft Treatment for Infected Frozen Elephant Trunk Prosthesis.

A 46-year-old male received total arch replacement with frozen elephant trunk for acute non-A/non-B aortic dissection. Two months later, he underwent emergency reoperation for contained rupture of the left common carotid ostium at its insertion on the aortic arch. Three months after the reoperation, he developed tracheoesophageal fistula and infection of the prosthesis in the region of the aortic arch and the proximal descending aorta. Second reoperation was performed with replacement of the aorta with a composite of three aortic homografts, and the fistula was permanently closed with a direct suture and intercostal muscle flap.

Bloodstream infections with vancomycin-resistant enterococci are associated with a decreased survival in patients with hematological diseases.

Enterococcus species are commensals of the human gastrointestinal tract with the ability to cause invasive infections. For patients with hematological diseases, enterococcal bloodstream infections (BSI) constitute a serious clinical complication which may even be aggravated if the pathogen is vancomycin-resistant. Therefore, we analyzed the course of BSI due to vancomycin-susceptible enterococci (VSE) in comparison to vancomycin-resistant enterococci (VRE) on patient survival. In this retrospective single-center study, BSI were caused by VRE in 47 patients and by VSE in 43 patients. Baseline patient characteristics were similar in both groups. Concerning infection-related characteristics, an increased CRP value and an increased rate of prior colonization with multidrug-resistant organisms were detected in the VRE BSI group. More enterococcal invasive infections were found in the VSE group. The primary endpoint, overall survival (OS) at 30 days after BSI, was significantly lower in patients with VRE BSI compared to patients with VSE BSI (74.5% vs. 90.7%, p = 0.039). In a multivariate regression analysis, VRE BSI and a Charlson comorbidity index higher than 4 were independent factors associated with 30-day mortality. Moreover, we found that VRE with an additional teicoplanin resistance showed a trend towards an even lower OS.

Two cases of airport-associated falciparum malaria in Frankfurt am Main, Germany, October 2019.

Two cases of presumably airport-acquired falciparum malaria were diagnosed in Frankfurt in October 2019. They were associated with occupation at the airport, and Plasmodium falciparum parasites from their blood showed genetically identical microsatellite and allele patterns. Both had severe malaria. It took more than a week before the diagnosis was made. If symptoms are indicative and there is a plausible exposure, malaria should be considered even if patients have not travelled to an endemic area.

Clinical impact of colonization with multidrug-resistant organisms on outcome after allogeneic stem cell transplantation in patients with acute myeloid leukemia.

BACKGROUND: Allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT) is a curative treatment option for patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML). During transplantation, patients undergo a period of severe neutropenia, which puts them at high risk for infectious complications. However, the impact of patient colonization with multidrug-resistant organisms (MDRO) on overall survival remains unclear. METHODS: In this retrospective, single-center study, the authors analyzed data from 264 patients with AML who underwent a first allo-HSCT between January 2006 and March 2016 at their institution. Primary endpoints were overall survival and nonrelapse-related mortality. RESULTS: One hundred forty-two of 264 patients (53.8%) were colonized by at least 1 MDRO, mainly with vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus faecalis/faecium (n = 122). The characteristics of colonized patients did not differ from those of MDRO-negative patients with respect to median age (53.5 vs 53 years), cytogenetic risk according to European LeukemiaNet criteria, remission status before allo-HSCT (first or second complete remission: 55.7% vs 60.7%, respectively; active disease: 44.4% vs 39.3%, respectively), donor type, or hematopoietic cell transplantation-comorbidity index (HCT-CI). Compared with noncolonized patients, MDRO-positive patients had an inferior probability of survival at 5 years (43.3% vs 65.5%; P = .002), primarily because of a higher cumulative incidence of nonrelapse-related mortality (33.9% vs 9.4%; P < .001). Death caused by infections occurred in 15.5% of colonized patients versus 4.9% of noncolonized patients. There was no difference in the cumulative incidence of relapse in MDRO-positive versus MDRO-negative patients (33.8% vs 42.1%, respectively; P = .798). CONCLUSIONS: The current data emphasize the importance of regular MDRO screenings and prompt further investigations into the impact of colonization with MDRO on the immune system after allo-HSCT. Cancer 2018;124:286-96. © 2017 American Cancer Society.

A Comparison of Aspergillus and Mucorales PCR Testing of Different Bronchoalveolar Lavage Fluid Fractions from Patients with Suspected Invasive Pulmonary Fungal Disease.

In patients with hematological malignancies, bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) specimens are commonly used for the diagnosis of mold infections. However, it is not clear whether the cell pellet (P) or the supernatant fraction (S) of the BALF specimen is optimal for molecular diagnostic testing. Thus, 99 BALF specimens were collected from 96 hematology patients with or without allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplant. The cell pellets and supernatants were processed alone and in combination (S/P) for testing by two fungus-specific real-time PCR assays compliant with international recommendations. The results achieved with S/P were revealed to be superior in comparison to those achieved with S and P alone, with the use of each single fraction showing a reduced sensitivity for the detection of Aspergillus DNA (82% and 43% for S and P, respectively). In 57% of the samples, testing of the combination of S and P generated a lower quantification cycle value than testing of S or P alone. Molds would have been missed in 5 and 16 out of 28 samples if only S or P, respectively, was analyzed. No sample was positive by testing of S or P only. Similar results were obtained for the detection of Mucorales DNA in BALF specimens (reduced sensitivity of 67% and 50% for S and P, respectively). Study patients were categorized according to the current European Organization for the Research and Treatment of Cancer/Mycoses Study Group classification for invasive fungal disease (IFD), revealing that 35 patients had proven/probable IFD (36%), 47 patients had possible IFD (49%), and 14 patients had undetermined IFD (15%).

Bloodstream infections with gram-negative organisms and the impact of multidrug resistance in patients with hematological malignancies.

Infections and especially blood stream infections (BSI) with gram-negative bacteria (GNB) represent a major threat for patients with hematological diseases undergoing chemotherapy and mainly contribute to morbidity and mortality. In this retrospective single-center study, we analyzed the impact of BSI with different gram-negative multidrug-resistant bacteria (MDRGN) compared to BSI with antibiotic susceptible gram-negative bacteria. Data of 109 patients with hematological malignancies and GNB BSI were analyzed with overall survival (OS) 30 days after BSI being the primary endpoint. BSI with non-fermentative gram-negative bacteria were found in 26.6% of all patients and 73.4% suffered from a BSI with an Enterobacteriaceae. Thirty-two of 109 patients suffered from BSI with MDRGN. Characteristics of MDRGN and non-MDRGN BSI patients did not differ besides the fact that significantly more patients received an immunosuppressive therapy in the MDRGN BSI group. OS (30 days after BSI) of patients with MDRGN BSI was significantly lower (85.6 vs. 55.9%; p < 0.001) compared to patients with non-MDRGN BSI. Patients with MDRGN BSI with non-fermentative pathogens had a worse OS after 30 days compared to MDRGN BSI with Enterobacteriaceae and the same holds true for non-MDRGN BSI. In multivariate analysis of MDRGN BSI, non-fermenters and ICU admission were independently associated with increased 30-day mortality. Our data demonstrate the negative impact of non-fermentative gram-negative pathogens causing BSI compared to Enterobacteriaceae in hematological patients and thereby underlining the heterogeneity of gram-negative BSI.

Timepoints of vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus colonization predict outcomes of acute myeloid leukemia patients undergoing allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation.

BACKGROUND: In hematology and oncology, in particular in the setting of allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT), vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus spp. (VRE) colonization rates are high due to previous hospital stays and preceding antibiotic treatment and colonized patients have a lower overall survival (OS). OBJECTIVE: We reanalyzed our previously published cohort, to unravel which colonization timepoints before and during allo-HSCT might be predictive for the subsequent outcome. PATIENTS AND METHODS: We report about 268 patients with acute myeloid leukemia receiving an allo-HSCT between 2006 and 2016. RESULTS: We identified 129 never-colonized patients, 15 previously colonized patients (positive only before admission for allo-HSCT), 41 persistently colonized patients (positive before and at admission for allo-HSCT), and 83 newly colonized patients (positive only during allo-HSCT). Persistently and newly colonized patients had a worse 60 months OS due to increased incidence of non-relapse-related mortality (NRM) than never-colonized patients (OS: never-colonized: 61.0% vs persistently colonized: 43.5%; P = 0.023 vs newly colonized: 45.6%; P = 0.046). In contrast, OS and NRM of never-colonized and previously colonized patients as well as between persistently and newly colonized patients were similar. CONCLUSION: Patients can lose their VRE colonization status and acquisition of VRE during inpatient stay for allo-HSCT decreases survival to a similar extend as persistent colonization.

Clinical Impact of Colonization with Multidrug-Resistant Organisms on Outcome after Autologous Stem Cell Transplantation: A Retrospective Single-Center Study.

A significant increase in infections caused by multidrug-resistant organisms (MDRO) has been observed in recent years, resulting in an increase of mortality in all fields of health care. Hematological patients are particularly affected by MDRO infections because of disease- and therapy-related immunosuppression. To determine the impact of colonization with MDRO on overall survival, we retrospectively analyzed data from patients undergoing autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplantation at our institution. In total, 184 patients were identified, mainly patients with lymphomas (n = 98, 53.3%), multiple myelomas (n = 80, 43.5%), germ cell cancers (n = 5, 2.7%), or acute myeloid leukemia (n = 1, .5%). Forty patients (21.7%) tested positive for MDRO colonization. At a median follow-up time of 21.5 months, the main causes of death were infection in colonized and disease progression in noncolonized patients. Nonrelapse mortality (NRM) was higher in patients who tested positive for MDRO than in the noncolonized group (25.4% versus 3%, P < .001). Interestingly, NRM in neutropenia after autologous transplantation did not differ between colonized and noncolonized patients. Colonized patients, however, had inferior overall survival after autologous transplantation in univariate (61.7% versus 73.3%, P = .005) as well as in multivariate analysis (hazard ratio, 2.463; 95% confidence interval, 1.311 to 4.626; P = .005). We conclude that the period after discharge from hospital after autologous transplantation seems critical and patients with MDRO colonization should be observed closely for infections in the post-transplantation period in outpatient care.

The role of Enterococcus spp. and multidrug-resistant bacteria causing pyogenic liver abscesses.

BACKGROUND: Pyogenic liver abscesses (PLA) remain a significant clinical problem. Unfortunately, little is known about current bacterial susceptibility profiles and the incidence of multidrug resistant organisms (MDROs) causing PLA in Western countries. Yet, this crucial information is pivotal to guide empirical antibiotic therapy. Aim of this study was to provide detailed characteristics of PLA with a special focus on underlying bacterial pathogens and their susceptibility to antibiotics. METHODS: A retrospective study of patients diagnosed with PLA from 2009 to 2015 in a large tertiary reference center in Germany was performed in order to characterize PLA and antimicrobial susceptibility profiles of causative bacterial species. RESULTS: Overall, 86 patients were included. The most common causes of PLA were bile duct stenosis/obstruction (31.4%) and leakage of biliary anastomosis (15.1%). Frequent predisposing diseases were malignancies (34.9%), diabetes (24.4%) and the presence of liver cirrhosis (16.3%). Of note, Enterococcus spp. were the most frequently cultured bacterial isolates (28.9%), and in 1/3 of cases vancomycin resistance was observed. In addition, a relevant frequency of gram-negative MDROs was identified. In particular, an alarming 10% and 20% of gram-negative bacteria were resistant to carbapenems and tigecycline, respectively. Of note, MDRO status did not predict ICU stay or survival in multivariate regression analysis. The mortality rate in our series was 16.3%. CONCLUSION: Our study demonstrates an as yet underreported role of Enterococcus spp., often associated with vancomycin resistance, as well as of gram-negative MDROs causing PLA.

From the Oral Cavity to the Spine: Prevalence of Oral Cavity Infections in Patients with Pyogenic Spinal Infection.

Background incidence of pyogenic spinal infections has increased in recent years. In addition to treating the spinal infection, optimal care also includes identifying the source of the pyogenic spinal infection and the presence of other infections. The aim of this study is to elucidate the prevalence of oral cavity infection (OCI) within this patient cohort. Methods As part of a prospective study conducted from 2016 to 2021, the number of patients with dental infections was investigated by means of an orthopantomogram (OPG) and subsequent dental examination. Results The presence of an oral infection was investigated in 55 (47%) of 118 patients by an OPG, 29 (53%) of whom had a corresponding abnormality of the oral cavity. In addition to the spinal infection, patients with an oral cavity infection revealed an increased incidence of endocarditis, sepsis and brain abscess. A spinal epidural abscess, a multilevel affection of the infection, and an elevated CRP value were also found in patients with a co-existing oral cavity infection. Back pain assessed at admission and 3 months after surgery was also more pronounced in patients with an oral cavity infection. Neurological deficits were often present in patients with spinal and oral cavity infection. Conclusions The presence of an oral cavity infection has proven to be one of the important factors in the detection of the source of the pyogenic spinal infection. In addition, a pronounced spinal affection and frequent co-infections were seen in patients with an oral cavity infection.

Quality, availability and suitability of antimicrobial stewardship guidance: a multinational qualitative study.

Background: Antimicrobial stewardship (AMS) programmes are established across the world to treat infections efficiently, prioritize patient safety, and reduce the emergence of antimicrobial resistance. One of the core elements of AMS programmes is guidance to support and direct physicians in making efficient, safe and optimal decisions when prescribing antibiotics. To optimize and tailor AMS, we need a better understanding of prescribing physicians' experience with AMS guidance. Objectives: To explore the prescribing physicians' user experience, needs and targeted improvements of AMS guidance in hospital settings. Methods: Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 36 prescribing physicians/AMS guidance users from hospital settings in Canada, Germany, Israel, Latvia, Norway and Sweden as a part of the international PILGRIM trial. A socioecological model was applied as an overarching conceptual framework for the study. Results: Research participants were seeking more AMS guidance than is currently available to them. The most important aspects and targets for improvement of AMS guidance were: (i) quality of guidelines; (ii) availability of infectious diseases specialists; and (iii) suitability of AMS guidance to department context. Conclusions: Achieving prudent antibiotic use not only depends on individual and collective levels of commitment to follow AMS guidance but also on the quality, availability and suitability of the guidance itself. More substantial commitment from stakeholders is needed to allocate the required resources for delivering high-quality, available and relevant AMS guidance to make sure that the prescribers' AMS needs are met.

Time discrepancy for tuberculosis-negative microscopy and culture - the diagnostic gap remains: systematic analysis from a large tertiary care tuberculosis-clinic, Germany 2013-2017.

OBJECTIVES: Patients with open pulmonary tuberculosis (opTB) are subject to strict isolation rules. Sputum smear microscopy is used to determine infectivity, but sensitivity is lower than for culture. This study aimed to investigate the clinical relevance of this mismatch in contemporary settings. METHODS: Differential results between microscopy and culture were determined at the time of microscopic sputum conversion, from all patients with opTB between 01/2013 and 12/2017. In addition, data on HIV, multi/extensive drug-resistant TB status, time to smear- and cultural-negativity conversion were analyzed; and a Kaplan-Meier curve was developed. RESULTS: Of 118 patients with opTB, 58 had demographic data available for microbiological and clinical follow-up analysis; among these, 26 (44.8%) had still at least one positive culture result. Median time from opTB-treatment initiation to full microscopic sputum- or culture conversion, was 16.5 days (range 2-105), and 20 days (1-105), respectively (median difference: +3.5 days). Sixteen days after de-isolation, >90% had converted culturally. HIV- or multi/extensive drug-resistant TB status did not impact conversion time. CONCLUSION: When patients with opTB were de-isolated after 3 negative sputum smear microscopy tests, a substantial part still revealed cultural growth of Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex, but it remains unclear, whether smear-negative and culturally-positive individuals on therapy are really infective. Thus, the clinical relevance of this finding warrants further investigation.

Safety and feasibility of outpatient parenteral antimicrobial therapy for patients with spinal infection.

Outpatient parenteral antimicrobial therapy (OPAT) is a cost-effective method of administering intravenous antimicrobial therapy. Although OPAT is well established in the UK and US healthcare systems, few centres in Europe perform it. Here we analysed OPAT for the treatment of patients with spinal infections at our institution. In this retrospective study, patients with spinal infection who required intravenous (i.v.) antimicrobial treatment between 2018 and 2021 were analysed. The duration of short-term antimicrobial treatment for skin and soft tissue infections and complex infections requiring long-term antimicrobial treatment, such as spinal bone or joint infections, were analysed. All patients were discharged with a peripherally inserted central catheter (PICC) line. Prior to discharge, all patients received training in the safe administration of their medications via the PICC line. The duration of OPAT and the rate of readmission after OPAT were analysed. For this study a total of 52 patients who were treated via OPAT due to spinal infections were analyzed. In 35 cases (69.2%) complex spinal infection was reason for i.v. antimicrobial therapy. Surgery was required in 23 of these 35 patients (65.7%). The average hospital stay for these patients was 12 ± 6 days. The remaining 17 patients were treated for an infection of the soft tissue or the skin and hospital stay for these patients was on average 8 ± 4 days. Gram-positive organisms were isolated in 64.4%. Staphylococcus aureus followed by other Staphylococcus species, was the most common detected organism. After discharging i.v. antimicrobial treatment was given for an average of 20 ± 14 days. The duration of antimicrobial treatment for soft tissue was 10.8 ± 8 days, and for complex infections 25.1 ± 18 days. The mean follow-up was 21 ± 14 months. There was one case of readmission due to treatment failure. There were no difficulties encountered in implementing OPAT. OPAT is a feasible and effective option for delivering intravenous antimicrobial therapy to patients with spinal infections who can be managed without hospitalisation. OPAT offers patient-centred treatment at home while avoiding the risks associated with hospitalisation, with high levels of patient satisfaction.

Effectiveness of outpatient parenteral antimicrobial therapy (OPAT) for patients with cranial infection.

Objective: Outpatient parenteral antimicrobial therapy (OPAT) is a well-established and cost-effective method for improving the efficient use of healthcare resources. However, only a few centres in Germany perform it. Here we analysed OPAT for the treatment of patients with cranial infections in our neurosurgical department. Methods: This retrospective study analysed patients with cranial infections and the need for intravenous (i.v.) antimicrobial treatment between 2018 and 2021.All diagnosed intracranial infections were defined into two infection categories such as long-term antimicrobial treatment and short-term antimicrobial treatment. All included patients were discharged with a peripherally inserted central catheter (PICC) line. Prior to discharge, all patients received training in the safe administration of their medications via the PICC line. The duration of OPAT and the rate of readmission after OPAT were analysed. Results: We identified a total of 45 patients treated with OPAT for cranial infections. Intradural involvement was present in 40 cases (88.9%). The average length of hospital stay for this cohort after surgical treatment was 45 ± 15 days. 5 patients were treated for soft tissue/skin infection. Surgery was not required in this cohort. The mean hospital stay for this cohort was 8 ± 6 days. Gram-positive organisms were isolated in most cases (53.3%). The most common pathogens were Staphylococcus aureus followed by other Staphylococcus species. For all included patients, OPAT was performed after discharge for an average of 43.1 ± 14 days. There were five cases of readmission due to treatment failure. No serious adverse events or complications of OPAT were observed. Conclusion: OPAT enables better patient-centred healthcare close to home. The length of hospital stay can be reduced and adverse events due to prolonged hospitalisation can be avoided.