Clinical Impact of Accelerate Pheno Rapid Blood Culture Detection System in Bacteremic Patients.

BACKGROUND: Accelerate Pheno blood culture detection system (AXDX) provides rapid identification and antimicrobial susceptibility testing results. Limited data exist regarding its clinical impact. Other rapid platforms coupled with antimicrobial stewardship program (ASP) real-time notification (RTN) have shown improved length of stay (LOS) in bacteremia. METHODS: A single-center, quasi-experimental study of bacteremic inpatients before and after AXDX implementation was conducted comparing clinical outcomes from 1 historical and 2 intervention cohorts (AXDX and AXDX + RTN). RESULTS: Of 830 bacteremic episodes, 188 of 245 (77%) historical and 308 (155 AXDX, 153 AXDX + RTN) of 585 (65%) intervention episodes were included. Median LOS was shorter with AXDX (6.3 days) and AXDX + RTN (6.7 days) compared to historical (8.1 days) (P = .001). In the AXDX and AXDX + RTN cohorts, achievement of optimal therapy (AOT) was more frequent (93.6% and 95.4%, respectively) and median time to optimal therapy (TTOT) was faster (1.3 days and 1.4 days, respectively) compared to historical (84.6%, P ≤ .001 and 2.4 days, P ≤ .001, respectively). Median antimicrobial days of therapy (DOT) was shorter in both intervention arms compared to historical (6 days each vs 7 days; P = .011). Median LOS benefit during intervention was most pronounced in coagulase-negative Staphylococcus bacteremia (P = .003). CONCLUSIONS: LOS, AOT, TTOT, and total DOT significantly improved after AXDX implementation. Addition of RTN did not show further improvement over AXDX and an already active ASP. These results suggest that AXDX can be integrated into healthcare systems with an active ASP even without the resources to include RTN.

Do high MICs predict the outcome in invasive fusariosis?

BACKGROUND: Invasive fusariosis (IF) affects mostly severely immunocompromised hosts and is associated with poor outcome. Since Fusarium species exhibit high MICs for most antifungal agents, this could explain the poor prognosis. However, a clear-cut correlation between MIC and outcome has not been established. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the correlation between MIC and outcome (6 week death rate) in patients with IF. METHODS: We performed a multicentre retrospective study of patients with IF who received treatment and had MIC levels determined by EUCAST or CLSI for the drug(s) used during treatment. We compared the MIC50 and MIC distribution among survivors and patients who died within 6 weeks from the diagnosis of IF. RESULTS: Among 88 patients with IF, 74 had haematological diseases. Primary treatment was monotherapy in 52 patients (voriconazole in 27) and combination therapy in 36 patients (liposomal amphotericin B + voriconazole in 23). The MIC50 and range for the five most frequent agents tested were: voriconazole 8 mg/L (range 0.5-64), amphotericin B 2 mg/L (range 0.25-64), posaconazole 16 mg/L (range 0.5-64), itraconazole 32 mg/L (range 4-64), and isavuconazole 32 mg/L (range 8-64). There was no difference in MIC50 and MIC distribution among survivors and patients who died. By contrast, persistent neutropenia and receipt of corticosteroids were strong predictors of 6 week mortality. CONCLUSIONS: Our study did not show any correlation between MIC and mortality at 6 weeks in patients with IF.

Outcomes of patients with invasive fusariosis who undergo further immunosuppressive treatments, is there a role for secondary prophylaxis?

BACKGROUND: Patients treated for invasive aspergillosis may relapse during subsequent periods of immunosuppression and should receive secondary prophylaxis. Little is known about the frequency of relapse and practices of secondary prophylaxis for invasive fusariosis (IF). OBJECTIVES: Evaluate practices of secondary prophylaxis and the frequency of relapse in patients who survived IF and were exposed to subsequent periods of immunosuppression. METHODS: Multicentre retrospective study of patients with haematological malignancies who developed IF, survived the initial fungal disease period, and were exposed to subsequent periods of immunosuppression. RESULTS: Among 40 patients, 35 received additional chemotherapy and developed neutropenia (median, 24 days; range, 4-104), and five received glucocorticoids for the treatment of graft-vs-host disease. Overall, 32 patients received secondary prophylaxis (voriconazole in 24) for a median of 112 days (range, 12-468). IF relapsed in five patients (12.5%): 2/8 (25%) not on prophylaxis and 3/32 (9.4%) receiving prophylaxis. Among 28 patients with disseminated IF, relapse occurred in 2/2 (100%) not on prophylaxis and in 3/26 (11.5%) on prophylaxis (P = 0.03). All patients who relapsed IF died. CONCLUSIONS: Patients with IF who survive the initial disease may relapse if exposed to subsequent episodes of immunosuppressive therapies. Secondary prophylaxis should be considered, especially if IF was disseminated.

Possible Transfusion-Transmitted Babesia divergens-like/MO-1 Infection in an Arkansas Patient.

A patient with asplenia and multiple red blood cell transfusions acquired babesiosis infection with Babesia divergens-like/MO-1 organisms and not Babesia microti, the common United States species. He had no known tick exposure. This is believed to be the first transfusion-transmitted case and the fifth documented case of B. divergens-like/MO-1 infection.

[Diagnosis and treatment of acute tonsillopharyngitis. Consensus document update]. / Actualización del documento de consenso sobre el diagnóstico y tratamiento de la faringoamigdalitis aguda.

An update of the Spanish consensus document on the diagnosis and treatment of acute tonsillopharyngitis is presented. Clinical scores should not be used to prescribe antibiotics, unless microbiological tests are not available or there is a child at risk of rheumatic fever. There is no score better than those set out in the previous consensus. Microbiological tests are recommended in proposed cases, regardless of the result of the scores. Penicillin is the treatment of choice, prescribed twice a day for 10 days. Amoxicillin is the first alternative, prescribed once or twice a day for the same time. First-generation cephalosporins are the treatment of choice in children with non-immediate reaction to penicillin or amoxicillin. Josamycin and midecamycin are the best options for children with immediate penicillin allergic reactions, when non-beta-lactam antibiotics should be used. In microbiological treatment failure, and in streptococcal carriers, the treatments proposed in the previous consensus are still applicable.

[Recommendations on the diagnosis and treatment of urinary tract infection]. / Recomendaciones sobre el diagnóstico y tratamiento de la infección urinaria.

Urinary tract infection (UTI) is defined as the growth of microorganisms in a sterile urine culture in a patient with compatible clinical symptoms. The presence of bacteria without any symptoms is known as asymptomatic bacteriuria, and does not require any treatment. In neonates and infants, fever is the guiding sign to suspecting a UTI. Classic urinary tract symptoms become more important in older children. Urine cultures collected before starting antibiotics is always required for diagnosis. Clean-catch (midstream) specimens should be collected for urine culture. In the case of non-toilet-trained children, specimens must be obtained by urinary catheterisation, or suprapubic puncture in neonates and infants. Specimens collected by urine bag should not be used for urine culture. There are no significant differences in the clinical evolution and prognosis between oral versus short intravenous followed by oral antibiotic. Empirical antibiotic therapy should be guided by local susceptibility patterns. Second-generation cephalosporin (children under 6 years) and fosfomycin trometamol (over 6 years), are the empiric therapy recommended in this consensus. In the case of pyelonephritis, recommended antibiotic treatment are third-generation cephalosporins (outpatient care) or, if admission is required, aminoglycosides. Ampicillin should be added in infants less than 3 months old. Antibiotic de-escalation should be always practiced once the result of the urine culture is known.

Malignancies, Particularly B-Cell Lymphomas, Are a Frequent Cause of Mortality in Human Immunodeficiency Virus-1 Patients Despite Highly Active Antiretroviral Therapy.

Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-1-infected individuals are affected by diseases at rates above those of their HIV-negative peers despite the increased life expectancy of the highly active antiretroviral therapy era. We followed a cohort of approximately 2000 HIV-1-infected patients for 5 years. The most frequent cause of death in this HIV-1-infected cohort was malignancy, with 39% of all classified deaths due to cancer. Among the cancer deaths, B-cell lymphomas were the most commonly seen malignancy, representing 34% of all cancer deaths. These lymphomas were very aggressive with a median survival of <2 months from time of diagnosis.

Actualización del documento de consenso sobre el diagnóstico y tratamiento de la faringoamigdalitis aguda / Diagnosis and treatment of acute tonsillopharyngitis. Consensus document update

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Recomendaciones sobre el diagnóstico y tratamiento de la infección urinaria / Recommendations on the diagnosis and treatment of urinary tract infection

La infección del tracto urinario se define como el crecimiento de microorganismos en orina recogida de forma estéril, en un paciente con síntomas clínicos compatibles. En ausencia de sintomatología el aislamiento de bacterias en urocultivo se denomina bacteriuria asintomática y no precisa tratamiento. En neonatos y lactantes el signo guía para sospechar una infección del tracto urinario es la fiebre. En niños continentes los síntomas urinarios clásicos cobran mayor importancia. El diagnóstico requiere siempre la recogida de urocultivo previo al inicio de tratamiento antibiótico. En niños continentes la muestra de orina para urocultivo se debe recoger por micción espontánea. En niños no continentes mediante sondaje vesical, pudiendo optar por punción suprapúbica en neonatos y lactantes pequeños. No se debe enviar para urocultivo una muestra recogida mediante bolsa adhesiva. No se han demostrado diferencias significativas en la evolución clínica y desarrollo de secuelas entre la administración antibiótica oral exclusiva frente a la intravenosa de corta duración seguida de administración oral. La selección de la antibioterapia empírica inicial se basará en el patrón local de susceptibilidad. En la cistitis este consenso recomienda el uso empírico de cefalosporinas de segunda generación en menores de 6 años y fosfomicina trometamol en mayores. La antibioterapia empírica recomendada en pielonefritis que no precisan ingreso son las cefalosporinas de tercera generación. En caso de precisar ingreso se recomiendan los aminoglucósidos. En menores de 3 meses se debe añadir ampicilina. Una vez conocido el resultado del cultivo se debe dirigir el tratamiento de continuación, tanto intravenoso como oral

Urinary tract infection (UTI) is defined as the growth of microorganisms in a sterile urine culture in a patient with compatible clinical symptoms. The presence of bacteria without any symptoms is known as asymptomatic bacteriuria, and does not require any treatment. In neonates and infants, fever is the guiding sign to suspecting a UTI. Classic urinary tract symptoms become more important in older children. Urine cultures collected before starting antibiotics is always required for diagnosis. Clean-catch (midstream) specimens should be collected for urine culture. In the case of non-toilet-trained children, specimens must be obtained by urinary catheterisation, or suprapubic puncture in neonates and infants. Specimens collected by urine bag should not be used for urine culture. There are no significant differences in the clinical evolution and prognosis between oral versus short intravenous followed by oral antibiotic. Empirical antibiotic therapy should be guided by local susceptibility patterns. Second-generation cephalosporin (children under 6 years) and fosfomycin trometamol (over 6 years), are the empiric therapy recommended in this consensus. In the case of pyelonephritis, recommended antibiotic treatment are third-generation cephalosporins (outpatient care) or, if admission is required, aminoglycosides. Ampicillin should be added in infants less than 3 months old. Antibiotic de-escalation should be always practiced once the result of the urine culture is known

Un reencuentro con la historia / A reunion with history

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