[Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO): an infection control perspective]. / Oxigenación por membrana extracorpórea (ECMO): una mirada desde la prevención de Infecciones Asociadas a la Atención en Salud (IAAS).

The advent of SARS-CoV-2 disease in 2020 confronts us with a growing and exponential increase in patients at life risk due to catastrophic and multisystemic respiratory failure in need of extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) to survive. This has generated in our country the establishment of ECMO treatment Units in hospitals where it was not carried out before or was carried out as part the interventions in Intensive Care Units (ICU), becoming a new challenge to the infection control and prevention programs. Given that at the time of writing this document there are no specific national regulations that refer to this issue, an approach is proposed for the prevention control and surveillance of nosocomial acquired infections in ECMO patients. A review of the specific risks to which these patients are exposed is presented, defining which prevention measures are required, proposing a specific bundle for installation and maintenance, as well as guidance regarding antibioprophylaxis and suggesting which infectious events to monitor.

[Infectious proctitis and perianal disease: a gaze beyond inflammatory bowel disease]. / Proctitis y enfermedad perianal de causa infecciosa: una mirada más allá de la enfermedad inflamatoria intestinal.

Infectious proctitis by sexually transmitted diseases are increasing in incidence and should be considered in homosexual patients with rectal symptoms. In this case, we show a patient with proctitis and perianal disease caused by Chlamydia trachomatis that could be diagnosed as another anorectal disease such as inflammatory bowel disease if the clinical history is not taken into account. A high level of suspicion is crucial, in order to avoid an incorrect diagnosis, delayed antibiotic therapy and the development of complications.

Varicella-Zoster Virus Meningitis and Encephalitis: An Understated Cause of Central Nervous System Infections.

Background Varicella-zoster virus (VZV) and herpes zoster cause infections of the central nervous system (CNS) manifesting as meningitis or encephalitis. As compared to enterovirus (EV) and herpes simplex virus 1 (HSV-1) and 2 (HSV-2), it is not often tested in CNS infections due to VZV and herpes zoster. There is a certain tendency to think that the findings in the cerebrospinal fluid in infections of the CNS by viruses are comparable among themselves. The exact proportion of patients with VZV primary and reactivation infection who present with lesions prior to or concomitant to its involvement in the CNS is unknown. It is also not known about the risk factors that lead to the reactivation of VZV and CNS involvement. Objective To describe the clinical characteristics and laboratory results of patients with a positive VZV polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and neurological signs and symptoms. Methods A retrospective and descriptive study was performed at the Hospital Universitario de la Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile (Hospital Clínico UC CHRISTUS) from September 2012 to July 2014. The following parameters were recorded: neurological signs and symptoms, PCR for VZV in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), comorbidities, personal medical history, cutaneous lesions, CSF characteristics, CNS imaging, electroencephalography (EEG), treatment, mortality, and neurological sequelae. Adult patients with meningitis, encephalitis, or meningoencephalitis due to VZV diagnosed with PCR were included. Results Out of 70 CSF samples analyzed in the previously mentioned period, 21 cases were VZV positive, 16 cases that had clinical information available were included. The mean age with VZV CNS reactivation was 47 years (range 19-80 years). Five patients (31.25%) were immunocompromised: three had human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), one had kidney transplantation, and one had primary immunodeficiency. Clinical presentation was meningitis in 11 patients (68.75%) and encephalitis in five patients (31.25%). Pleocytosis in CSF was observed in all the samples. The five immunocompromised patients had cutaneous lesions. All patients received antiviral treatment. Therapy duration was from 10 up to 21 days. The clinical course was positive in most patients and the mean hospitalization time was 15 days (range 5-60 days). No mortality was observed. Conclusions VZV is a worldwide virus and a common cause of CNS infection. The rising incidence is probably due to a better diagnostic method and a frequent clinical suspicion even in the absence of cutaneous lesions, except in immunocompromised cases, as it was observed in the present study. CNS infection presented as a wide spectrum of clinical manifestations with possible neurological sequelae. There was a reduction in neurological morbidity with antiviral therapy. Nonetheless, both the incidence and the morbidity of CNS VZV infection are expected to be diminished by varicella and herpes zoster vaccination. Additionally, there was no increase in mortality in these patients.

[Antiseptics and disinfectants: aiming at rational use. Recommendations of the Advisory Committee on Healthcare Associated Infections. Sociedad Chilena de Infectología]. / Antisépticos y desinfectantes: apuntando al uso racional. Recomendaciones del Comité Consultivo de Infecciones Asociadas a la Atención de Salud, Sociedad Chilena de Infectología.

Proper use of antiseptics and disinfectants, is an essential tool to prevent the spread of infectious agents and to control of healthcare-associated infections (HAI). Given the increasing importance of environmental aspects, as well as several advances and updates in the field of its proper use at local and intemational level, the SOCHINF HAI Advisory Committee considers that it is necessary to develop a guide for the rational use of antiseptics and disinfectants, which it will provide consistent scientific basis with that purpose.

Proctitis y enfermedad perianal de causa infecciosa: una mirada más allá de la enfermedad inflamatoria intestinal / Infectious proctitis and perianal disease: a gaze beyond inflammatory bowel disease

Resumen La proctitis infecciosa secundaria a una enfermedad de transmisión sexual ha aumentado en incidencia y deben ser consideradas especial-mente en varones homosexuales o bisexuales con síntomas rectales. Presentamos un paciente con una proctitis y enfermedad perianal por Chlamydia trachomatis que podría haber sido diagnosticado con otra enfermedad ano-rectal como es la enfermedad inflamatoria intestinal, si la historia clínica no hubiese sido considerada. Un alto nivel de sospecha es necesario para evitar un diagnóstico incorrecto, retrasar el tratamiento antimicrobiano y el desarrollo de complicaciones.

Abstract Infectious proctitis by sexually transmitted diseases are increasing in incidence and should be considered in homosexual patients with rectal symptoms. In this case, we show a patient with proctitis and perianal disease caused by Chlamydia trachomatis that could be diagnosed as another anorectal disease such as inflammatory bowel disease if the clinical history is not taken into account. A high level of suspicion is crucial, in order to avoid an incorrect diagnosis, delayed antibiotic therapy and the development of complications.

Oxigenación por membrana extracorpórea (ECMO): una mirada desde la prevención de Infecciones Asociadas a la Atención en Salud (IAAS) / Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO): an infection control perspective

Resumen La aparición de la enfermedad por SARS-CoV-2 el año 2020 nos enfrentó a un aumento creciente y exponencial de pacientes con riesgo vital por falla respiratoria catastrófica y multisistémica que deben ser sometidos a ECMO para sobrevivir. Esto ha generado en nuestro país la aparición de Unidades de Tratamiento (ECMO) en hospitales en que antes no se disponía de este recurso o se realizaba como parte de las intervenciones en Unidades de Cuidados Intensivos (UCI), lo que constituye un nuevo desafío a los programas de control y prevención de infecciones de los centros de salud. Dado que al momento de la redacción de este documento no existe normativa nacional específica que se refiera a este tema, se propone un enfoque para prevención, control y vigilancia de infecciones asociadas a atención de salud en pacientes ECMO. Se presenta una revisión de los riesgos específicos a que están expuestos estos pacientes, definiendo qué medidas de prevención se requieren, proponiendo un conjunto de medidas específicas para instalación y mantención, así como orientación respecto de antibioprofilaxis y se sugiere qué eventos infecciosos vigilar.

Abstract The advent of SARS-CoV-2 disease in 2020 confronts us with a growing and exponential increase in patients at life risk due to catastrophic and multisystemic respiratory failure in need of extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) to survive. This has generated in our country the establishment of ECMO treatment Units in hospitals where it was not carried out before or was carried out as part the interventions in Intensive Care Units (ICU), becoming a new challenge to the infection control and prevention programs. Given that at the time of writing this document there are no specific national regulations that refer to this issue, an approach is proposed for the prevention control and surveillance of nosocomial acquired infections in ECMO patients. A review of the specific risks to which these patients are exposed is presented, defining which prevention measures are required, proposing a specific bundle for installation and maintenance, as well as guidance regarding antibioprophylaxis and suggesting which infectious events to monitor.

Antisépticos y desinfectantes: apuntando al uso racional. Recomendaciones del Comité Consultivo de Infecciones Asociadas a la Atención de Salud, Sociedad Chilena de Infectología / Antiseptics and disinfectants: aiming at rational use. Recommendations of the Advisory Committee on Healthcare Associated Infections. Sociedad Chilena de Infectología

Proper use of antiseptics and disinfectants, is an essential tool to prevent the spread of infectious agents and to control of healthcare-associated infections (HAI). Given the increasing importance of environmental aspects, as well as several advances and updates in the field of its proper use at local and intemational level, the SOCHINF HAI Advisory Committee considers that it is necessary to develop a guide for the rational use of antiseptics and disinfectants, which it will provide consistent scientific basis with that purpose.

El adecuado uso de antisépticos y desinfectantes, es una herramienta esencial para evitar la diseminación de agentes infecciosos y el control de infecciones asociadas a la atención de salud (IAAS). Dada la importancia creciente de aspectos ambientales, diversos avances y actualizaciones en el ámbito de su correcta utilización en el ámbito local e internacional, el Comité Consultivo de IAAS de Sociedad Chilena de Infectología considera necesario la estructuración de una guía de utilización racional de antisépticos y desinfectantes, que proporcione bases científicas coherentes con dicho propósito.

Clinical and genetic features of hereditary periodic fever syndromes in Hispanic patients: the Chilean experience.

Hereditary periodic fever syndromes (HPFS) are rare genetic diseases characterized by recurrent episodes of inflammation. Little information is available concerning HPFS in Latin American Hispanic population. The purpose of this study was to determine the clinical and genetic features of HPFS in Chilean population. A multicenter retrospective study of Hispanic Chilean patients with genetically confirmed HPFS was performed. We included 13 patients, 8 with familial Mediterranean fever (FMF) and 5 with TNF receptor-associated periodic syndrome (TRAPS), evaluated at rheumatology or pediatric rheumatology clinics between January 2007 and December 2010. Median age of symptoms onset was 8 years (range 1-35) and 8 years (range 0.3-21) for FMF and TRAPS, respectively. Median duration of fever was 3 days (range 2.5-15) for FMF and 21 days (range 9.5-30) for TRAPS. Genotyping of the MEFV gene in FMF patients revealed a homozygous M694V missense mutation in one patient, and heterozygous missense mutations in seven patients: M694V (n = 3), E148Q, R717H, A744S, and A511V. Sequencing of the TNFRSF1A gene in TRAPS patients revealed heterozygous missense mutations in four patients: T50M, C30R, R92Q, and IVS3+30:G→A, and a two-base pair deletion (IVS2-17_18del2bpCT) in one patient. Mutation in MEFV R717H and mutations in TNFRSF1A IVS2-17_18del2bpCT and IVS3+30:G→A are novel and have not been described previously. This study reports the largest series of genetically confirmed HPFS in Latin America, and adds evidence regarding the clinical and genetic characteristics of patients with FMF and TRAPS in Hispanic population. Mutations identified in MEFV and TNFRSF1A genes include defects reported in other ethnicities and novel mutations.