[Modern algorithm of diagnosis and treatment of acute gestational pyelonephritis in a large industrial city].

THE PURPOSE OF THE STUDY: to develop a modern algorithm for the diagnosis and treatment of acute gestational pyelonephritis in a large industrial city and to study the possibilities of phytotherapy as an integral part of this algorithm. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The study consisted of two stages and included 629 patients treated over 12 years (2010-2021) in Perm city with a population of 1.1 million people. At the first stage, the developed algorithm for the diagnosis and treatment of acute gestational pyelonephritis in 440 pregnant women was tested. A city emergency center for patients with gestational pyelonephritis was created with 3 urologists and related specialists on duty around the clock, what accelerated hospitalization timelines by 2.1 times. The patients underwent a level 1 examination, which included ultrasound examination, urine bacteriology and other methods. Patients in serve condition underwent, a level 2 examination, which included magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), ultrasound Dopplerography (USDG) and extended laboratory tests. RESULTS: During an urgent examination, acute purulent pyelonephritis was diagnosed in 27 (6.1%) patients who underwent 13 open surgeries (11 organ-preserving, 2 nephroectomies) and 14 minimally invasive (percutaneous nephrostomy, puncture of a kidney abscess) within 2-5 hours from the moment of hospitalization. Serve obstructive pyelonephritis was diagnosed in 286 patients, the passage of urine was restored by the installation of a stent or catheterization of the ureter. Conservative antibacterial therapy was performed in 127 patients with serous non-obstructive pyelonephritis. Positive results of treatment were observed in 439 (99.8%) patients: recovery in 95%, significant improvement in 4.8%, with a mortality rate of 0.2%. Bed-day decreased by 30.4%. At the second stage, a comparative randomized study was conducted during 4 years with 189 pregnant women with acute serous pyelonephritis enrolled. In the group 1 (n=94) patients received standard therapy according to the implemented algorithm, in the group 2 (n=95) patients had 60-day use of Canephron N. In the group 2, treatment results were better: recovery was achieved in 96.8% of patients, improvement in 3.2%, the number of pregnant women with leukocyturia and bacteriuria decreased 4.1 times, which prevented the occurrence of repeated attacks of acute pyelonephritis. Compared with standard therapy, Canephron N increased glomerular filtration by 12,3%, diuresis by 14.2%, increased urea excretion function of the kidneys, sanitized the urinary tract at an earlier timelines, reduced the number of premature births and the birth of dead and premature babies. CONCLUSION: As a result of the development and implementation of an algorithm for the diagnosis and treatment of acute gestational pyelonephritis and creation of the treatment center for such patients, it was possible to reduce significantly the time of hospitalization and inpatient treatment and achieve good treatment results in 99.8% of patients. The inclusion of long-term phytotherapy with Canephron N in the treatment regimen increased the effectiveness of treatment, improved kidney function in patients, significantly reduced the number of pregnant women with leukocyturia and bacteriuria, and reduced the risk of a repeated attack of pyelonephritis.

Protective Effects of Omega-3 Fatty Acids Supplementation Against Renal Parenchymal Scarring in Children with Acute Pyelonephritis: Results of a Pilot Clinical Trial.

AIM: This trial aimed to determine if supplementation with omega-3 fatty acids as an adjunct therapy to antibiotic treatment can have protective effects against renal scar formation after acute pyelonephritis (APN) in pediatric patients. BACKGROUND: Current evidence points out that besides antibiotic treatment, early administration of antioxidant and anti-inflammatory compounds may be effective in reducing the occurrence of renal damage following APN in children. OBJECTIVE: The main endpoint of the trial was the comparison of the development of renal scarring formation after APN in an omega-3 fatty acids-treated group and in a control-treated group. METHODS: This prospective randomized, controlled trial study was conducted from March 2016 to May 2018 on 60 children with a diagnosis APN in a tertiary hospital in Iran. After the diagnosis of APN based on the clinical signs and symptoms, urine analysis, urine culture, and dimercaptosuccinic acid renal scan (DMSA scan), the patients were randomly allocated into either the control group (n=30 patients: received standard antibiotic treatment only) or the intervention group (n=30 patients: received standard antibiotic-treatment in combination with oral omega-3 fatty acids based on the children's weight for three consecutive days). A second DMSA scan was performed for the patients at a minimum of six months after treatment. The development of renal scars was evaluated by comparing the baseline DMSA scan lesions with the follow-up DMSA scan lesions. RESULTS: Fifty patients, including 26 and 24 individuals in the control and intervention groups, respectively, completed the entire course of the study. Renal parenchymal involvement based on the baseline DMSA scan was similar in the two groups (p-value =0.85, 0.90, and 0.53 regarding the right, left, and both kidney units together, respectively). Although comparison of the follow-up DMSA scan lesions to the baseline DMSA scan lesions considering the right and left kidneys as separate units between two groups did not reach the significant level, when considering both left and right kidney units together, results showed a statistically significant difference between groups in favor of the intervention group (p-value =0.04). CONCLUSION: Although preliminary, the results of this study showed that administration of omega-3 fatty acids, a natural supplement with well-known anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties, as an adjunct therapy to standard antibiotic treatment might significantly reduce the incidence of the occurrence renal scarring following APN in children. Confirmation of these results requires further studies.

[Clinical and pathogenetic aspects of the treatment and prevention of pyelonephritis in children].

INTRODUCTION: Treatment of pyelonephritis in children should be combined, long-term and individual-based. The success of the therapy in children largely depends on the prompt appointment and the correct choice of antimicrobial therapy. AIM: To evaluate the efficiency of the dietary supplement "Cystenium II" in a group of children aged 7 to 14 years with a diagnosis of acute and chronic recurrent pyelonephritis in the acute phase. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 60 children aged 7 to 14 years with a diagnosis of acute or chronic recurrent pyelonephritis in the acute stage were included in the study. The clinical group consisted of 30 patients (mean age 12.1+/-1.8 years), while the control group included 30 patients of mean age 11.2+/-1.7 years. In the control group patients received only standard antibiotic therapy, while in the clinical group it was combined with a dietary supplement "Cystenium II" 1 tablet 2 times a day with meals for 14 days. After the course of antibacterial treatment, the children in the clinical group continued to take the studied dietary supplement for another 14 days in order to prevent the recurrence of pyelonephritis. The results of treatment (patient's condition, presence of pain, dysuria, fever) were assessed on the 3rd, 7th, 14th day, 1 and 6 months after the start of treatment. A urinalysis was performed at the baseline, on the 7th and 14th days, as well as after 1 and 6 months. Urine culture was performed before and after antibiotic therapy at the baseline, on the 14th day, 1 and 6 months after the start of treatment. RESULTS: The main indicators of urinalysis (leukocytes, red blood cells, protein) returned to normal values in 26 (86.7%) patients of the clinical group and in 23 (76.7%) patients of the control group on the 7th day after the start of treatment. At the completion of the basic therapy (after 14 days) normal clinical parameters (absence of leukocyturia, microhematuria, proteinuria) were observed in all patients of the clinical group and in 28 (93.3%) patients of the control group. After a month of follow-up, the disturbances in urinalysis (leukocytes, red blood cells, protein) in the control group were again seen in 3 (10%) patients, as well as after 6 months. However, in the clinical group all patients had normal urinalysis (absence of leukocyturia, microhematuria, proteinuria) after 1 month and only in 1 (3.3%) case leukocyturia, as well as an increase in the number of red blood cells and protein was detected by 6 months. DISCUSSION: According to our results, the use of dietary supplements "Cystenium II" (manufactured by Akvion, Russia), due to the constituents of D-mannose (450 mg), cranberry fruit extract with a standardized activity of 500 mg (36 mg of proanthocyanidins) and vitamin C (60 mg), may cause anti-inflammatory and anti-adhesive effects (resolving of leukocyturia and bacteriuria). This allows to use the dietary supplement Cystenium II in children from 7 years of age in the combination therapy of acute pyelonephritis, as well as exacerbation of chronic pyelonephritis. The obtained results showed a high overall therapeutic efficacy of combination therapy using Cystenium II after 6 months from the start of treatment (relapse in 1 patient), in contrast to the control group (relapse in 6 patients). CONCLUSIONS: the use of dietary supplement "Cystenium II" allowed to reduce the number of repeated courses of antibiotic therapy in children during 6 months of follow-up and, most likely, reduced the frequency of development of chronic pyelonephritis after an acute inflammation. Therefore, the wide clinical use of dietary supplements "Cystenium II" for the combined treatment of acute and exacerbation of chronic pyelonephritis in children older than 7 years seems to be very reasonable.

Inappropriate empirical antibiotic therapy does not adversely affect the clinical outcomes of patients with acute pyelonephritis caused by extended-spectrum ß-lactamase-producing Enterobacteriales.

Extended-spectrum ß-lactamase-producing Enterobacteriales (ESBL-PE) are often associated with inappropriate empirical therapy (IAT). The aim of this study was to investigate whether IAT of acute pyelonephritis (APN) caused by ESBL-PE is related to adverse outcomes. A retrospective cohort study was performed at a tertiary-care hospital from 2014 through 2016. Patients who had APN caused by ESBL-PE and were definitely treated with appropriate antibiotics for at least 7 days were enrolled. IAT was defined as when inappropriate empirical antibiotics were given 48 h or longer after initial diagnosis of APN. Primary endpoint was treatment failure defined as clinical and/or microbiologic failure. Secondary endpoints were length of hospital stay and recurrence of APN. Propensity score matching was used to adjust heterogeneity of each group. Among 175 eligible cases, 59 patients received IAT and 116 patients received appropriate empirical antimicrobial therapy (AT). Treatment failure was observed in five (8.4%) patients and nine (7.8%) patients in each group, respectively. After matching, the treatment failure rate was similar between both groups (adjusted odd ratio [aOR] 1.05; 95% confidence index [CI] 0.26-4.15). The length of hospital stay (median 11 days in the IAT group versus 11 days in the AT group; P = 0.717) and absence of recurrence within 2 months (90.3% in IAT and 86.7% in AT; P = 0.642) were also similar. IAT did not adversely affect the clinical outcome. In this regard, clinicians should be more cautious about indiscriminate prescription of broad-spectrum antibiotics such as carbapenem empirically for treatment of APN possibly caused by ESBL-PE.

Staphylococcus saprophyticus: Which beta-lactam?

BACKGROUND: Staphylococcus saprophyticus is resistant to the drugs most often used for the empirical treatment of urinary tract infections (UTI). The adequacy of antimicrobial treatments prescribed for UTI due to S. saprophyticus is not usually questioned. This study described the epidemiology of such infections and assessed the susceptibility of S. saprophyticus to ceftriaxone and amoxicillin-clavulanic acid. METHODS: Methicillin-susceptible S. saprophyticus (MSSS) isolated from clinical samples between November 2014 and July 2016 were included. Clinical data were recorded. The minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) of amoxicillin-clavulanic acid and ceftriaxone were measured for these MSSS strains and for 17 randomly selected methicillin-susceptible Staphylococcus aureus (MSSA) strains. RESULTS: Of the S. saprophyticus isolates from urine, 59.5% were associated with a diagnosis of cystitis and 33.3% with pyelonephritis. Sixty percent of S. saprophyticus cystitis cases and 25% of pyelonephritis cases were given an inappropriate antibiotic regimen. The MICs of ceftriaxone ranged from 4 to >32µg/ml for MSSS, and from 1.5 to 4µg/ml for MSSA. CONCLUSIONS: Many UTIs were treated with an empirical antibiotic therapy that was ineffective for S. saprophyticus, revealing that S. saprophyticus is an aetiology that is insufficiently considered in UTI. High MICs for ceftriaxone in MSSS were observed, which raises questions about the use of this antibiotic in UTIs due to S. saprophyticus.

Rapid detection of amoxicillin-susceptible Escherichia coli in fresh uncultured urine: a new tool to limit the use of broad-spectrum empirical therapy of community-acquired pyelonephritis.

Because of the high prevalence of amoxicillin resistance among uropathogens, amoxicillin is not recommended as an empirical treatment of urinary tract infections (UTIs). Quick detection of an amoxicillin-susceptible Escherichia coli (ASEC) would allow prescribing amoxicillin without preliminary broad-spectrum empirical treatment in uncomplicated pyelonephritis. To quickly diagnose UTIs due to ASEC, we developed a real-time PCR that detects in fresh uncultured urine the E. coli-specific gene yccT as well as the blaTEM and blaCTX-M genes. The ASEC rapid test was considered positive if the PCR was positive for the yccT gene but negative for blaTEM and blaCTX-M. The test was compared with culture and susceptibility testing. Among 200 patients with a suspected community-acquired UTI, 61 (30.5%) had a monobacterial UTI due to ASEC. The ASEC rapid test result was obtained in 3 h 13 [95% confidence interval (CI) 3 h 12-3 h 15] and was positive for 43 patients (21.5%). Specificity and sensitivity were 97.8% (95% CI 95.8-99.8%) and 65.6% (95% CI 59.0-72.1%), respectively. Positive and negative predictive values were 93.0% (95% CI 89.5-96.5%) and 86.6% (95% CI 81.9-91.3%), respectively. Owing to its high specificity and positive predictive value, the ASEC rapid test allows the diagnosis of UTI due to ASEC only 3 h after urine sampling. A positive ASEC rapid test may be used to treat uncomplicated pyelonephritis with amoxicillin from the start, without preliminary broad-spectrum empirical treatment. The ASEC rapid test is a promising tool to spare fluoroquinolones and third-generation cephalosporins in UTIs.

Use of cefuroxime for women with community-onset acute pyelonephritis caused by cefuroxime-susceptible or -resistant Escherichia coli.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Efforts to decrease the use of extended-spectrum cephalosporins are required to prevent the selection and transmission of multi-drug resistant pathogens, such as extended-spectrum ß-lactamase (ESBL)-producing Enterobacteriaceae. The objectives of this study were to assess the clinical efficacy of intravenous cefuroxime as an empirical antibiotic for the treatment of hospitalized women with acute pyelonephritis (APN) caused by Escherichia coli. METHODS: We analyzed the clinical and microbiologic database of 328 hospitalized women with community-onset APN. RESULTS: Of 328 women with APN, 22 patients had cefuroxime-resistant E. coli APN, and 306 patients had cefuroxime-susceptible E. coli APN. The early clinical success rates were significantly higher (p = 0.001) in the cefuroxime-susceptible group (90.8%, 278/306) than in the cefuroxime-resistant group (68.2%, 15/22) at 72 hours. The clinical cure rates at 4 to 14 days after completing antimicrobial therapy were not significantly different in the cefuroxime-resistant or -susceptible groups, with 88.2% (15/17) and 97.8% (223/228; p = 0.078), respectively. The microbiological cure rates were not significantly different and were 90.9% (10/11) and 93.4% (128/137), respectively (p = 0.550). The median duration of hospitalization in the cefuroxime-resistant and -susceptible groups was 10 days (interquartile range [IQR], 8 to 13) and 10 days (IQR, 8 to 14), respectively (p =0.319). CONCLUSIONS: Cefuroxime, a second-generation cephalosporin, can be used for the initial empirical therapy of community-onset APN if tailored according to uropathogen identification and susceptibility results, especially in areas where the prevalence rate of ESBL-producing uropathogens is low.

Development of bilateral gluteal pyomyositis during treatment of acute pyelonephritis in a patient with diabetes

No abstract available.

[The rehabilitative treatment of chronic pyelonephritis in the children having an environmentally burdened medical history].

The present study involved 40 children aged 7-14 suffering from chronic pyelonephritis and having an environmentally burdened medical history. The combined spa treatment included either traditional peloid therapy applied to the lumbar region or the specially developed treatment using the adaptive-reflexive method that allowed the therapeutic effect to be gradually spread over various reflex zones. Mud applications under the new scheme were shown to be more adequate and sparing because they ensured gradual sequential involvement of different reflex zones that is of special importance for the patients having an environmentally burdened medical history and characterized by the impaired adaptive capacity. The advantage of the proposed peloid-therapeutic modality is confirmed by the reduction in the frequency of the patients' complaints and the more pronounced dynamics of the signs of mikrohematuria, pyuria, and oxaluria combined with the restoration of the anti-crystal-forming urinary activity in response to calcium phosphates in all patients.

Acute pyelonephritis in pregnancy: an 18-year retrospective analysis.

OBJECTIVE: We sought to describe the incidence of acute pyelonephritis in pregnancy, and to assess its association with perinatal outcomes in an integrated health care system. STUDY DESIGN: A retrospective cohort study was performed using medical records on 546,092 singleton pregnancies delivered in all Kaiser Permanente Southern California hospitals from 1993 through 2010. These medical records include the perinatal service system along with inpatient and outpatient encounter files. Adjusted odd ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were used to estimate associations. RESULTS: The incidence of acute antepartum pyelonephritis was 0.5% (2894/543,430). Women with pyelonephritis in pregnancy were more likely to be black or Hispanic, young, less educated, nulliparous, initiate prenatal care late, and smoke during pregnancy. Pregnancies of women with pyelonephritis compared to those without were more likely to be complicated by anemia (26.3% vs 11.4%; OR, 2.6; 95% CI, 2.4-2.9), septicemia (1.9% vs 0.03%; OR, 56.5; 95% CI, 41.3-77.4), acute pulmonary insufficiency (0.5% vs 0.04%; OR, 12.5; 95% CI, 7.2-21.6), acute renal dysfunction (0.4% vs 0.03%; OR, 16.5; 95% CI, 8.8-30.7), and spontaneous preterm birth (10.3% vs 7.9%; OR, 1.3; 95% CI, 1.2-1.5). Most of the preterm births occurred between 33-36 weeks (9.1%). CONCLUSION: We characterize the incidence of pyelonephritis in an integrated health care system where routine prenatal screening for asymptomatic bacteriuria is employed. Maternal complications are commonly encountered and the risk of preterm birth is higher than the baseline obstetric population.

[Potentials of phytotherapy in the complex treatment of acute pyelonephritis].

The purpose of this study was to increase the effectiveness of treatment of patients with acute pyelonephritis by incorporating of phytopreparation "Prolit Super Septo" in complex therapy. The study included 38 patients with acute primary pyelonephritis. All patients have received standard medical therapy, 21 of them (Group 2) have additionally received "Prolit Super Septo" 2 capsules 2 times a day for 1 month. Outcome measures included basic laboratory parameters, and results of bacteriological examination and immunological assessment of patients 12-14 and 28-30 days after initiation of therapy. Against the background of the therapy, positive dynamics of the level of leukocyturia and bacteriuria was detected in both groups; therapeutic effect, however, was more pronounced in the Group 2 treated with complex therapy: after the end of treatment, the proportion of sterile cultures was 85.7%, whereas in Group 1--70.6%. In addition, complex treatment had a positive effect on the immune status of patients, as evidenced by normalization of blood immunoglobulins, circulating immune complexes and C-reactive protein. The inclusion of "Prolit Super Septo" in the complex conservative treatment of patients with acute pyelonephritis promotes the development of an adequate immune response and the rapid elimination of the pathogens, thus preventing the development of purulent forms of the disease, or chronization of process.

Infective endocarditis caused by Enterococcus faecalis treated with continuous infusion of ampicillin without adjunctive aminoglycosides.

Aminoglycosides are useful antimicrobial agents for treating infective endocarditis; however, they occasionally cause troublesome side effects, such as nephrotoxicity and ototoxicity. We herein report a case of infective endocarditis caused by Enterococcus faecalis that was treated successfully with continuous infusion of ampicillin without adjunctive aminoglycosides. The serum ampicillin concentrations were higher than the minimal inhibitory concentration for the target strain. Although the use of ampicillin monotherapy is currently avoided because double ß-lactam therapy is reportedly more effective, continuous penicillin administration remains an effective therapeutic choice for treating infective endocarditis.

Pyelonephritis: what are the present day causative organisms and antibiotic susceptibilities?

AIM: Infections of the lower urinary tract and acute pyelonephritis are commonly encountered in clinical practice. Widespread usage of antibiotics and changing susceptibility profiles of uropathogens requires regular review of treatment guidelines to meet these challenges. We aimed to better understand the prevalence of uropathogens and emerging antibiotic resistance in patients with pyelonephritis requiring hospital admission. METHODS: In this single centre, 12-year retrospective observational study, we reviewed case notes and urine culture results of 249 patients admitted with acute pyelonephritis under the care of the nephrology department, along with 46,660 urine samples with positive isolates from the emergency department (ED) during the same period. The prevalence of uropathogens, their antibiotic susceptibilities and emerging resistance patterns to commonly used antibiotics were studied. Antibiotic susceptibilities were also reviewed in line with the currently recommended national guidelines for empiric therapy. RESULTS: We found the most prevalent uropathogen to be Escherichia coli. Approximately 50% of E. coli infections were resistant to ampicillin. First and third generation cephalosporin resistance was <5%, however, the latter has increased over the last decade and is more prevalent in the elderly. Enterococcus faecalis was associated with less than 10% of cases of lower urinary tract infections and no case of pyelonephritis. CONCLUSION: Antibiotic resistance of uropathogens to commonly used antibiotics is increasing with time and there is a need for hospitals to review their recommended guidelines for empiric therapy in line with local patterns of uropathogens and antibiotic susceptibilities.

Infecciones del tracto urinario: sensibilidad antimicrobiana y seguimiento clínico / Urinary tract infections: antibiotic resistance and clinical follow up

El tratamiento inicial de las infecciones del tracto urinario (ITU) es empírico por lo que es prioritario conocer la resistencia antibiótica de los microorganismos más frecuentes en una población. Además, tras la sospecha de pielonefritis aguda se debe descartar la presencia de cicatriz renal que puede dar lugar a complicaciones posteriores. Presentamos un estudio longitudinal y retrospectivo de todos los menores de 14 años diagnosticados de ITU desde el 1 de enero del 2009 hasta el 31 de diciembre del 2009. Se analizaron los datos de sensibilidad a antimicrobianos de los patógenos urinarios más importantes, el seguimiento posterior y la presencia de cicatrices. Las bacterias aisladas con mayor frecuencia fueron: Escherichia coli (80%) Proteus mirabillis (9,7%) y Klebsiella pneumoniae (4,2%). En el antibiograma, E. coli presentó una alta sensibilidad frente a fosfomicina (99,1%), cefotaxima (98,2%) cefuroxima (97,3%) y gentamicina (95,6%). La sensibilidad obtenida frente a amoxicilina-clavulánico fue del 83,2%, mientras que la obtenida frente a cotrimoxazol fue del 78,9%.Se encontraron cicatrices pospielonefríticas en el 19% de los pacientes con ITU febril, 17% de los no ingresados y 20% de los ingresados(AU)

The initial treatment of the urinary tract infections (UTI) is empirical and it is a priority to determine the antibiotic resistance of most common germs in a population. Furthermore, due to the suspicion of acute pyelonephritis the presence of renal scarring should be ruled out as this may lead to further complications. A retrospective longitudinal study was performed on all children under 14 years diagnosed with UTI from January 1 2009 to December 31 2009. The in vitro susceptibility to the most important urinary pathogens was analysed, along with the presence of scars, and a subsequent follow-up. The most frequently isolated bacteria were E. coli (80%), P. mirabilis (9.7%) and K. pneumoniae (4.2%). In the antibiogram, E coli showed a high sensitivity to fosfomycin (99.1%), cefotaxime (98.2%) cefuroxime (97.3%) and gentamicin (95.6%). The sensitivity obtained against amoxicillin-clavulanate was 83.2%, while that obtained against cotrimoxazole was 78.9%.Post-pyelonephritis scars were found in 19% of patients with febrile UTI, 17% out-patients and 20% of those admitted(AU)

Acute pyelonephritis: clinical characteristics and the role of the surgical treatment.

The epidemiology of acute pyelonephritis (APN) has changed with time. Therefore we investigated the current clinical characteristics of APN and the significance of proper surgical management for treatment of 1,026 APN patients in South Korea for the past 5 yr. The male-to-female ratio was about 1:8. The peak ages of female patients were 20s (21.3%) and over 60s (23.7%), while that of male was over 60s (38.1%). The occurrence of sepsis was 10.1%. Complicated APN patients were 35.4%. Ninety-four patients (9.2%) needed urological procedures. The duration of the flank pain and of the costovertebral angle tenderness in complicated APN patients was statistically significantly longer than that with simple APN patients (4.3 vs. 3.4 days, 4.4 vs. 4.0 days). If flank pain and costovertebral angle tenderness sustain over 4 days, proper radiologic studies should be performed immediately with the consideration of surgical procedure. Also the resistance to antibiotics was increasing. As the sensitivities to ampicillin (27.2%) and trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole (44.7%) of Escherichia coli and Klebsiella pneumoniae were very low, it is necessary to take the careful choice of antibiotics into consideration.

[Actinomycosis of the kidney: a case report]. / Aktinomykose der Niere: Ein Fallbericht.

Actinomycosis is a rare infection mainly of the head and neck region (cervicofacial actinomycosis). The cause of this infection is bacterial invasion of the host's mucosal barrier with consecutive infiltration of the surrounding tissues. The treatment of choice after diagnosis is a prolonged course of high-dose antibiotics. The presence of abdominal actinomycosis is at a maximum of 25%, whereas renal involvement appears only sporadically. Aggravating causes for early diagnosis are the appearance of abscesses, fistulae and a debilitating illness resembling carcinoma and leading to surgery as the treatment of choice. Renal actinomycosis is a diagnostic challenge because it is included in the differential diagnosis of renal masses with coexisting B-symptoms. The suspicion requires surgical treatment--nephrectomy. We report on a patient who was transferred to our department for nephrectomy because of radiologically diagnosed renal and perirenal abscesses. The histological result showed renal actinomycosis.

Urinary tract infections: diagnosis and management in the emergency department.

With the emergence of increasing resistance to common antibiotics used to treat urinary tract infections (UTIs), including ciprofloxacin and trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole (TMP-SMX), the choice of antibiotics for these infections has become more challenging. In this article, the authors review the evidence-based guidelines for the evaluation and treatment of cystitis and pyelonephritis in the emergency department. They review the pathophysiology and describe the initial diagnostic workup, spending some time discussing the urine dipstick. The authors discuss whether hospital antibiograms are useful in making the initial antibiotic choice. The treatment section reviews the current recommendations and also highlights the use of nitrofurantoin in the treatment of uncomplicated UTIs. The authors also discuss the appropriate use of ciprofloxacin and TMP-SMX in the treatment of UTIs.