Rapid eradication of Listeria monocytogenes by moxifloxacin in a murine model of central nervous system listeriosis.

Listeriosis is a rare but life-threatening infection. A favorable outcome is greatly aided by early administration of antibiotics with rapid bactericidal activity against Listeria monocytogenes. Moxifloxacin, a new-generation fluoroquinolone with extended activity against gram-positive bacteria, has proved its effectiveness in vitro against intracellular reservoirs of bacteria. The efficacies of moxifloxacin and amoxicillin were compared in vivo by survival curve assays and by studying the kinetics of bacterial growth in blood and organs in a murine model of central nervous system (CNS) listeriosis. We combined pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic approaches to correlate the observed efficacy in vivo with plasma and tissue moxifloxacin concentrations. Death was significantly delayed for animals treated with a single dose of moxifloxacin compared to a single dose of amoxicillin. We observed rapid bacterial clearance from blood and organs of animals treated with moxifloxacin. The decrease in the bacterial counts in blood and brain correlated with plasma and cerebral concentrations of antibiotic. Moxifloxacin peaked in the brain at 1.92 +/- 0.32 microg/g 1 hour after intraperitoneal injection. This suggests that moxifloxacin rapidly crosses the blood-brain barrier and diffuses into the cerebral parenchyma. Moreover, no resistant strains were selected during in vivo experiments. Our results indicate that moxifloxacin combines useful pharmacokinetic properties and rapid bactericidal activity and that it may be a valuable alternative for the treatment of CNS listeriosis.

Recomendaciones GEIPC-SEIMC y GTEI-SEMICYUC para el tratamiento antibiótico de infecciones por cocos grampositivos en el paciente crítico / GEIPC-SEIMC and GTEI-SEMICYUC recommendations for antibiotic treatment of gram positive coccal infections in the critical patient

En los últimos años se ha constatado un incremento en las infecciones causadas por cocos grampositivos tanto en infecciones comunitarias como nosocomiales. En algunos países, se ha observado un rápido desarrollo de resistencias a los antibióticos habitualmente empleados para su tratamiento, y se supone que esa situación puede llegar en el futuro a nuestro país. Se están desarrollando nuevos antimicrobianos específicamente dirigidos para el tratamiento de estas infecciones, pero es necesario profundizar en el conocimiento de las propiedades farmacocinéticas de los antibióticos tanto antiguos como nuevos, para aprovechar al máximo sus cualidades frente a estos patógenos y evitar en lo posible su toxicidad. En el paciente crítico estos problemas son más acuciantes, ya que la inadecuación del tratamiento, tanto en la elección del antibiótico como en la dosis y en la administración, se acompañan frecuentemente de fracasos terapéuticos y por tanto de mal pronóstico. Expertos de dos grupos de trabajo de dos Sociedades científicas, pertenecientes al Grupo de estudio de Infecciones en el Paciente Crítico de la SEIMC (GEIPC-SEIMC) y al Grupo de trabajo de Enfermedades Infecciosas de la SEMICYUC (GTEI-SEMICYUC) se han reunido con el objetivo de elaborar un documento de consenso, basado en la evidencia científica, que recoge las recomendaciones para el tratamiento antibiótico de las infecciones graves causadas por cocos grampositivos en el paciente crítico y que ayude en la toma de decisiones asistenciales (AU)

In recent years, an increment of infections caused by gram-positive cocci has been documented in nosocomial and hospital-acquired-infections. In diverse countries, a rapid development of resistance to common antibiotics against gram-positive cocci has been observed. This situation is exceptional in Spain but our country might be affected in the near future. New antimicrobials active against these multi-drug resistant pathogens are nowadays available. It is essential to improve our current knowledge about pharmacokinetic properties of traditional and new antimicrobials to maximize its effectiveness and to minimize toxicity. These issues are even more important in critically ill patients because inadequate empirical therapy is associated with therapeutic failure and a poor outcome. Experts representing two scientific societies (Grupo de estudio de Infecciones en el Paciente Crítico de la SEIMC and Grupo de trabajo de Enfermedades Infecciosas de la SEMICYUC) have elaborated a consensus document based on the current scientific evidence to summarize recommendations for the treatment of serious infections caused by gram-positive cocci in critically ill patients (AU)

Infection of central nervous system by motile Enterococcus: first case report.

A 66-year-old man with four indwelling ventriculoperitoneal shunts for multiloculated hydrocephalus from a complicated case of meningitis a year before developed shunt infection based on a syndrome of fever, drowsiness, and cerebrospinal fluid neutrophil pleocytosis in the background of repeated surgical manipulation to relieve successive shunt blockages. The cerebrospinal fluid culture, which yielded a motile Enterococcus species, was believed to originate from the gut. This isolate was lost in storage and could not be characterized further. The patient improved with vancomycin and high-dose ampicillin therapy. He relapsed a month later with Enterococcus gallinarum shunt infection, which responded to high-dose ampicillin and gentamicin therapy. This is probably the first case report of motile Enterococcus infection of the central nervous system.